On Having a thick skin

I would think that it is important, if you choose to put your ideas out on public view, to have a thick skin. It is amusing to me how many professionals in this field do not. I have, on a great day, 200 readers. My best month (November 2010) was about 5000. I had 2 visits today from a pro that felt i had done him wrong. The blog he writes for at the moment gets about a million readers a month. I understand defending one's online reputation but come on. I am not a gnat on his small toe. This strikes me as a recipe for burnout.

things that strike me as funny - Atheism as oppressor edition

American Power: The Arrogance of the Atheists: "The militant atheist wants nothing more than to spoil the believer's spiritual journey."

A little magical Thinking never hurt anyone ... did it?

Zandar Versus The Stupid: Look For The Union Scapegoat Label: "No, what Hindraker is doing is putting the blame for state fiscal problems squarely on the backs of public employee unions instead of public officials always making the decision to cut taxes to remain popular.  The magical thinking of cutting taxes not adding to deficits is idiotic and leads to this kind of shoddy, irresponsible scapegoating of public employees."

Conor Friedersdorf is 100% correct in this case

The Trouble With Non-Libertarians - The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan:

"What about a voter who wants to grapple with the world as it is? I think he or she ought to conclude that libertarians hold very little power in this country (as Beam points out), that a Congressional majority that would implement their least mainstream ideas – returning to the gold standard, for example – is utterly implausible, and that electing more libertarians like Ron Paul is far more likely to advance the most popular libertarian policies, like an end to marijuana prohibition, smart cuts to the Pentagon budget, and rolling back the nanny state. Instead, non-libertarian pundits delight in focusing on the least likely libertarian ideas to be implemented, and pointing out real flaws in theoretical libertarianism – the Civil Rights Act dustup, for example – that have little bearing on actual political questions that face America. In this sense, it is non-libertarians who are making the ideal the enemy of the practical, and I wish they'd stop it"

Much to my shock, I found my head nodding in agreement all the way through this piece. It is why I read those that i generally disagree with. Every now and then I get a new perspective.

Why I allow Comments

I allow comments on this blog. This is because for me it is a conversation, not a monologue (despite the fact that I only have a couple hundred readers on a good day and it is rare that a comment is left). I am thrilled when someone thinks that I have treated them unfairly and tells me so. I even like it when someone calls me nasty names (although i more often get those in emails). It lets me know that someone took the time to read what i wrote and contra many, i do not write for myself. I have never quite understood blogging as a non-interactive activity. I know that Andrew Sullivan does it very successfully at the Atlantic and he is one of my daily reads. Perhaps i would be of another mind if I had 50K daily visitors and had to be constantly dealing with the silliness in the comments that would entail. Fortunately that will never be much of a problem.

Lawsuit: Diabetic 'pummeled,' shocked by Hamilton County deputies | cincinnati.com | Cincinnati.Com

Lawsuit: Diabetic 'pummeled,' shocked by Hamilton County deputies | cincinnati.com | Cincinnati.Com:

"The 52-year-old longtime diabetic's blood sugar levels had dipped to a dangerously low level causing him to weave into another lane.

A Hamilton County sheriff's deputy spotted him on Clough Pike and suspected drunken driving.

What happened over the next two minutes and 20 seconds should never happen to anyone, Harmon said.

Deputies broke the window of Harmon's SUV, shocked him seven times with a Taser, cut him out of his seatbelt and wrestled him to the ground, severely dislocating his elbow, and causing trauma to his shoulder and thumb.

The deputies' actions prompted a state highway patrol trooper to pull one deputy away from Harmon because he was so concerned about how Harmon was being treated. That trooper alerted his bosses to the deputies' actions.

Even after learning the incident was a medical emergency, deputies charged Harmon with resisting arrest and failing to comply with a police officer's order."

But there is no problem with systemic racism in this country. No sir via Balloon Juice

Conor Friedersdorf is a hack

Reasoning Backward From Utopia - The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan

There are other methods of changing society and addressing problems, and in a free country, those levers are more likely substitutes for free-wheeling wonkyness than violent revolution.

or maybe

The most likely outcome, and the most sensible one, is for progressives to just do what conservatives do—try to win elections and appoint judges who interpret the constitution in a way that’s friendly to progressive policy aims.

Which was the sentence after the one he chose to quote.

That, boys and girls, is how you get to be a fill-in blogger at the Atlantic. i guess it explains McMegan a bit more.

Politico Commenter of the day

POLITICO Forums:Politics: Top 10 breakout stars of 2010 - POLITICO.com: "kamala harris will never get anywhere. When people outside of her gay neighborhood in san francisco get a look at this insane, white-hating communist witch, they will recoil. She would NEVER have been elected AG, except in a year when every Mexican, homo and communist in California lined up and voted straight democrat. Even the prisoners in jail were rooting for her and brownie.

California has finally fallen 100% into the hands of the far-gone left. The white middle class is fleeing as fast as they can sell their underwater houses and head to Texas or some other red state. The white working class left years ago.

They say, 'as California goes, so goes the nation?'

Better hope not."

Georgia GOPer Pushes Bill For Taxes To Be Paid In Gold And Silver | TPMDC

Georgia GOPer Pushes Bill For Taxes To Be Paid In Gold And Silver | TPMDC: "Georgia state Rep. Bobby Franklin (R) has sponsored legislation to force the state to conduct all monetary transactions with U.S. gold or silver coins."

What Zandar Said

Zandar Versus The Stupid: Last Call: "And as before, nowhere...nowhere...in this article do I see 'raising taxes in order to close budget gaps' as an option.  We're being told that bankruptcy and contract abrogation of state employees is the 'only option' that must be considered before 'turning on the printing press"

You Can’t Bluff Someone Who’s Not Paying Attention

Balloon Juice » Blog Archive » You Can’t Bluff Someone Who’s Not Paying Attention:

"These days, though, we’re such a stupid nation and one segment of our population is so thoroughly into the Jeebus was a Conservative kool-aid that Christine O’Donnell has moved from mark to become God’s Accidental Grifter.

i am constantly amazed that people don't understand that the average IQ in this country seems to be dropping

NFL.com news: Tripped up: NFL docks Jets $100,000 for sideline incident

NFL.com news: Tripped up: NFL docks Jets $100,000 for sideline incident: "The team was fined $100,000 by the NFL on Thursday for violating league rules when assistant coach Sal Alosi ordered players to form a sideline wall, then tripped Miami's Nolan Carroll during a punt return earlier this month."

What Do Women Want? - Dennis Prager - National Review Online

What Do Women Want? - Dennis Prager - National Review Online:

"Women get what they want most: to be married to and loved by a man they admire. Men then attain what they want most: to be admired by the woman they love. And society gets the thing it most needs: admirable men."

I really don't know where to begin with this.

Thinking about changing the blog title

To "Constantly Amazed at the stupidity of people"

fiction - A Sketch from a Scene From A Life

When he looked up from his plate of eggs he stared straight at the biggest blue eyes that he had ever seen. Where had they come from? why were they still dripping blood?

on Bigotry

Is there something specific to the american psyche that makes the kind of casual bigotry that we see here so easy? I come originally from canada and while it is no paradise I do not see the kind of everyday sexism, racism and homophobia that i see here. There are bigots but everyone KNOWS they are bigots, including the bigots. It isn't just a "well you are in the South" thing either. i saw much the same in the three years that i spend in New England. I just don't get it. Someone explain please?

Mecklenburg, NC County Commissoner: “Homosexuals Are Sexual Predators” « Alan Colmes' Liberaland

Mecklenburg, NC County Commissoner: “Homosexuals Are Sexual Predators” « Alan Colmes' Liberaland: "Mecklenburg County, North Carolina Commissioner Bill James is upset with Congressman Richard Burr (R-NC), for voting for the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. (h/t Think Progress)  In an email exchange, James expresses discontent with County Commission Chair Jennifer Roberts’ call for a letter thanking the North Carolina congressional delegation for voting for repeal."

Video - Quadrotors!

Very cool

Shock Therapy for Jobs - CNBC

Shock Therapy for Jobs - CNBC:

"Now, after the severe financial panic of two years ago, it seems clear that too many tax and regulatory obstacles are blocking satisfactory job creation. And it also seems clear that a number of fresh new incentives will be necessary to spur the kind of prosperity that Americans desire. Following the deep recession, we need shock-therapy, pro-growth, tax-cut and deregulatory incentives.

Where is Naomi Klein when i need her?

Whirlwind activist Rizg called to work for others - Metro - TheChronicleHerald.ca

Whirlwind activist Rizg called to work for others - Metro - TheChronicleHerald.ca: "If Stephen Lewis knows you by name, chances are you’re well-connected in the world of doing good works.

Verena Rizg is certainly that.

The 23-year-old is a tireless social activist and volunteer, spoken-word artist, singer, songwriter and musician.

She’s done volunteering stints at an orphanage in Mexico and another in Haiti, as well as teaching at a school for girls in Egypt.

And she did much of it while enrolled at Dalhousie’s School of Nursing, which she graduated from with top honours last spring."

Why, those were a tribute from an admirer of mine. | TBogg

Why, those were a tribute from an admirer of mine. | TBogg: "Sure she’s making a living off of the yokels much like Sarah Palin does, but she lacks the white trash feral cynicism of a Palin. O’Donnell’s no Grifter Grizzly, she’s more Blanche Dubois; spiritually pure,  lost in a fantasy and depending on the kindness of strangers."

Obama Extends Hawaiian Vacation Another Day

Obama Extends Hawaiian Vacation Another Day

: "HONOLULU — President Barack Obama is extending his Hawaiian vacation by another day."

Cue the lazy black man howling from the wingnuttery

Tucker Carlson is still a douchebag

Booman Tribune ~ A Progressive Community: "On the other hand, Michael Vick? Who wants to defend the guy? But he's not Dick Cheney. He's not George W. Bush. Tucker Carlson thinks he should have been executed. Ben Roethlisberger raped someone. Should he be executed? I'm tired of this stupidity. Call me when people start calling for the execution of the people who brought us the war in Iraq."

The Death Penalty On the Wane - Reason Magazine

The Death Penalty On the Wane - Reason Magazine: "The typical Texas death case carries a price tag of $2.3 million. A 2005 study pointed out that 'New Jersey taxpayers over the last 23 years have paid more than a quarter billion dollars on a capital punishment system that has executed no one.'"

Porn site: publicizing takedown notices is copyright infringement

Porn site: publicizing takedown notices is copyright infringement: "Part of the case, originally filed in 2005, is back before the San Francisco-based appeals court. Among other things, Perfect 10 alleges Google’s forwarding of Perfect 10’s takedown notices to the Chilling Effects Clearinghouse website constitutes copyright infringement."

Blizzard Disproves Global Warming - Moron Alert

‘Unexpectedly’! Global Warming Continues to Bury East Coast in Blizzard : The Other McCain: "

Global warming is a hoax, a dishonest racket. a crooked scam whose chief purpose is to provide taxpayer-funded employment for “environmental science” majors. In a truly just society, the perpetrators of this hoax would be treated like Bernie Madoff.

Robert Stacy McCain is a fuckwit of such huge proportions that i can barely bring myself to link to him but this was so stupid that I just couldn't help myself.

These people are moderates or independents?

The day when Bernard Goldberg and David Frum are viewed as moderate or independent is the day when i need to start stonger meds.

With all due respect to my new friends at Rise of the Center it is delusional to think of these two gentlemen as anything other than staunch conservatives. Just because they are not Tea Partiers it does not follow that they are centrist. Have we really become that incapable of reason in this country that we need to redefine terms this broadly?

Booman Tribune ~ A Progressive Community

Booman Tribune ~ A Progressive Community: "I can tell you honestly that the main reason I was so opposed to Hilary Clinton's candidacy was not ideological. That was a part of it, but the main reason I opposed her is because of who they surrounded themselves with while they were in the White House the first time. People like Lanny Davis and Mike Espy, but also people like James Carville and Mark Penn and Doug Schoen and Dick Morris. These are not good people. They're not even really Democrats. They are more like mercenaries, and morals and ideals don't enter into it."

On Moderation

I don't actually think that being politically moderate is the same as being open to new ideas. In fact, I think that the essence of being a liberal is the ability to incorporate new information into my intellectual framework and using that to decide what the appropriate stance to take on an issue by issue basis. And yes, that means that I think that any idea of being a Radical Moderate is slightly odd

Daily Presidential Tracking Poll - Rasmussen Reports™

Daily Presidential Tracking Poll - Rasmussen Reports™:

"Most conservatives see government’s chief role as protecting individual rights and freedom while a plurality of liberals put insuring fairness and social justice at the top of the list."

As good a working definition of each as i can imagine

Radiohead's OK Computer named greatest album of the past 25 years - Entertainment - DNA

Radiohead's OK Computer named greatest album of the past 25 years - Entertainment - DNA: "The Top 10 albums
1. OK Computer - Radiohead
2. Nevermind - Nirvana
3. (What's The Story) Morning Glory? - Oasis
4. Definitely Maybe - Oasis
5. Whatever People Say I Am That's What I'm Not - Arctic Monkeys
6. The Joshua Tree - U2
7. The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses
8. The Bends - Radiohead
9. Achtung Baby - U2
10. Black Holes And Revelations - Muse"

Pat Robertson Wants the Devil's Weed Decriminalized

Pat Robertson Wants the Devil's Weed Decriminalized: "'I'm ... I'm not exactly for the use of drugs, don't get me wrong, but I just believe that criminalizing marijuana, criminalizing the possession of a few ounces of pot, that kinda thing it's just, it's costing us a fortune and it's ruining young people. Young people go into prisons, they go in as youths and come out as hardened criminals. That's not a good thing.'"

McCain Taking on a More Vocal Role, Becoming a Kingmaker? | Rise of the Center

McCain Taking on a More Vocal Role, Becoming a Kingmaker? | Rise of the Center: "

Perhaps it’s premature for me to say this, but I suspect that these may be the beginnings of McCain’s status as a kingmaker. If some defense issue becomes the centerpiece of the 2012 election, his endorsement could become vital. It might not even matter how much money he has to donate or how many adoring fans he has. He may be the only person in Congress who is capable of being a political force all on his own.

Here is why I think that the "NoLabels" or Centrists are ultimately doomed to failure. If "Shouting at clouds" John McCain is a kingmaker within the GOP then those that would be king are going to be loons. There will be no center in any GOP that is in that state. Since the system is set up for 2 parties the NoLabels people have to pick a side ... which will it be? I predict that they will come down on the side of the GOP.

A Million for a Billion

Balloon Juice » Blog Archive » Don’t Call It a Subsidy, Call It an Incentive!: "I’m thinking China might be on to something, but I’m open to alternatives like public canings and seizing every asset and selling their families into bondage before sending them to prison."

Banks Accused of Illegally Breaking Into Homes - NYTimes.com

Banks Accused of Illegally Breaking Into Homes - NYTimes.com: "In Texas, for example, Bank of America had the locks changed and the electricity shut off last year at Alan Schroit’s second home in Galveston, according to court papers. Mr. Schroit, who had paid off the house, had stored 75 pounds of salmon and halibut in his refrigerator and freezer, caught during a recent Alaskan fishing vacation."

Fuck Chris Berman

Minnesota is the Great White North ...

My Ass!
 

On the Benefit of education to society

BIS-CSR | News & speeches | BIS:

"In line with the Browne Report's recommendations the Government is changing the way that Higher Education is funded, moving away to a system where those who benefit make a greater contribution to the cost.

Of course the truth is that education benefits society as a whole.

Two new polls show Palin trailing badly in 2012 match up against Obama - National Political Buzz | Examiner.com

Two new polls show Palin trailing badly in 2012 match up against Obama - National Political Buzz | Examiner.com: "If one were to read the polls published by the lamestream media in China and Burma, one would assume that the Dalai Lama and Aung Sang Ssu Kyi were deeply unpopular in their respective countries.

Yet like Sarah Palin, the Dalai Lama and Aung San Ssu Kyi continue to command great respect from the people in the street without anyone doing any of the pollings. Palin had already proven thatwhen she mobilise people to refudiate Obama in 2010 election as Aung Sang Ssu Kyi had proven hers when she mobilised people to boycott the phoney election."

Columbia j-school staff: WikiLeaks prosecution ‘will set a dangerous precedent’ | Poynter.

Columbia j-school staff: WikiLeaks prosecution ‘will set a dangerous precedent’ | Poynter.: "But while we hold varying opinions of Wikileaks’ methods and decisions, we all believe that in publishing diplomatic cables Wikileaks is engaging in journalistic activity protected by the First Amendment. Any prosecution of Wikileaks’ staff for receiving, possessing or publishing classified materials will set a dangerous precedent for reporters in any publication or medium, potentially chilling investigative journalism and other First Amendment-protected activity."

Senator John McCain is still an asshole. #dadt

Something new - Updated

Just had a spouse of a friend ask me to take down a link to his company's site.
I guess that he feels that there is such a thing as bad publicity and I am it.  Amusing to have happen.

Updated to add ...

Seems it was a bit of a misunderstanding but it is still pretty funny. Considering some of the offensive stuff that I have said on here and it was over the use of the word asshole. Not going to go into the details or identify anyone other than to say "Hi Jason" :) ... just in case he reads this and needs a wave :)

Support the CBC

No better than China? | Snowblog

No better than China? | Snowblog: "We all know that if Chinese or Russian secrets spilled onto the internet, Western governments and corporations would be laughing up their sleeves – not least if it were discovered that the Chinese or Russian governments maintained a ‘secret’ database to which they allowed three million officials access."

NASA Temperature Maps: Notice Anything Different? : TreeHugger

NASA Temperature Maps: Notice Anything Different? : TreeHugger: "If you can't understand, or refuse to try, the fault doesn't lie in the science, anymore than a lack of knowledge of calculus, tensors, and linear algebra invalidates general relativity and quantum mechanics."

On Heroes

Hullabaloo: "Heroes are enemies of truth. For they evoke powerful feelings that give distorted meanings to inchoate emotions. They provide the personified symbols of legendary dimension that inspire unjustified confidence and offer the comfort of a cult. Thoughtless loyalty follows."

A Bayesian Take on Julian Assange - NYTimes.com

A Bayesian Take on Julian Assange - NYTimes.com: "Nevertheless, I have come across a number of analyses that try to evaluate the merits of the charges without regard to this political context, or which otherwise seem caught up in debating their salacious details. That is likely a mistake: in a world of limited information, the political motivation behind the charges might be the most important clue we have in evaluating their merit."

Whiskey Fire: Proud to Show the Mess They Made

Whiskey Fire: Proud to Show the Mess They Made: "The 'earmarks' nonsense is yet another example of how the right wing is profoundly anti-democracy. And also of how they are horrible nose-fucker shitnozzles."

Invade Mexico?

Like it or Not: Mexico is America’s Next Afghanistan | RedState: "With the exception of, perhaps, Texas governor Rick Perry, no public official wants to publicly admit an obvious fact: The United States of America will likely be forced to invade Mexico. It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when.  The question then becomes: What to do with Mexico after we invade it and wipe out the drug cartels (as much as can be). Does the United States merely return Mexico to a nation state of corrupt politicians, failed economic policies, and lawlessness, or do we annex Mexico and turn it into the 51st state?"

Mark R. Warner - To revive the economy, pull back the red tape

Mark R. Warner - To revive the economy, pull back the red tape

And the fact that Britain has aggressively embraced regulatory reform could explain why it recently leapfrogged ahead of the United States, knocking us from fourth to fifth place, in the World Bank's annual rankings of the business 'friendliness' of 183 global economies.

Britain calls its initiative 'one-in, one-out.' Whatever we call our regulatory reform program, the bottom line is that this effort would go a long way toward addressing the uncertainty that has kept the U.S. business community from participating more fully in our nation's economic recovery.

Surely the fact that we are the 5th most business friendly means that we are not exactly being choked into submission.

The Democrats And Their Second Stimulus - The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan

The Democrats And Their Second Stimulus - The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan: "I made my case pretty clear soon after the deal was struck. It was staggering to me how many tangible concessions Obama was able to get for one symbolic give. The GOP got to protect the very rich to the tune of $120 billion for two years. In return, Obama got the $360 billion tax cut for the middle class he wanted, plus $450 billion on extended unemployment benefits, the pay-roll tax cut and EITC and college tuition funding. In the process, he got the GOP to endorse a huge fiscal stimulus for Obama as he runs for re-election - a stimulus that could, according to Morgan Stanley, push economic growth to as much as 4 percent next year. That might be an overshoot - but it's surely salient that no one thinks the package won't boost growth at all."

On The Radical Left

Hullabaloo: "I wouldn't even mind that narrative if the health care bill and the stimulus had been left wing. But if you're going to define the radical left as that which pleases Olympia Snowe and Joe Lieberman then I think we may be speaking different languages."

Anthony Bourdain & Eric Ripert On Chains, Fast Food, In-N-Out, Sustainable Seafood, Tainted Food Punishment & More

Anthony Bourdain & Eric Ripert On Chains, Fast Food, In-N-Out, Sustainable Seafood, Tainted Food Punishment & More: "Bourdain: 'I think there are certain food situations where the pillory would not be inappropriate. Bring them back, strap the motherfucker to a post, and allow the outraged citizenry a reasonable period of time to throw feces and other unattaractive usbtances at them. We'll all feel better. I tsends a powerful message. next E coli outbreak related to ammonia soaked meat scraps. Find somebody, just strap them to a pile and throw their own product at them, for a certain period of time.'"

Zandar Versus The Stupid: Epic Reach Out And Touch Someone...To Pieces Win

Zandar Versus The Stupid: Epic Reach Out And Touch Someone...To Pieces Win: "In the near future, US Navy ships won't use explosive cannons. They will destroy targets 100 miles away with the monster 33-megajoules railgun shown in this video. In the words of Rear Admiral Nevin P. Carr: This 'really changes several games.'"

Explosions rock cental Stockholm - Europe - Al Jazeera English

Explosions rock cental Stockholm - Europe - Al Jazeera English: "Two explosions have rocked central Stockholm, the Swedish capital, killing one person and injuring two, rescue officials say.

A car exploded near Drottninggatan, a busy shopping street in the centre of the city, Ulf Goranzen, a spokesman for the Swedish police, told Al Jazeera on Saturday.

Shortly afterward, a second explosion was heard higher up on the same street, and a man was found injured on the ground. Goranzen said that it was still unclear what caused the blasts. "

Confronting the Myths About Tenure and Teachers' Unions

Confronting the Myths About Tenure and Teachers' Unions: "But not all poverty is the same. My mother had a nursing degree and our home was filled with books. We lived in rural, small-town poverty near my farmer grandparents, who made certain we had good-quality food. Crime in our area was almost nonexistent. I am white, and my family has spoken standard English for generations. And there wasn't much of a gap between the poorest and the richest in that area.

Compare my experience with a school I saw as part of a San Diego School District oversight team. The home language of 82 percent of the students at the school was not English, and 29 different languages were spoken in those homes. Most students qualified for free breakfasts and lunches. Many had had no formal education when they enrolled. The teachers there worked cooperatively to develop curricula to address the challenges they faced."

Getting Laid Off Is Not The Same As Being Fired | Crooks and Liars

Getting Laid Off Is Not The Same As Being Fired | Crooks and Liars: "The most recent figures, if you want to be precise: 14.2 million looking for work; 3.4 million job openings. That means 10.8 million Americans right now, today, are royally, epically screwed.

That means it wouldn't matter if every unemployed American followed all the advice for what job-seekers are supposed to do. If every single one of them keeps a positive attitude while still being willing to settle for less, if each and every one of them takes classes and volunteers to keep their skills sharp, if each and every one networks furiously, gets up every morning, showers, shaves and gets dressed for the office before sending out dozens of perfect, enticingly crafted résumés all day, every day, then 10.8 million of them will still not find jobs because there are 10.8 million fewer jobs than there are job seekers."

Crooks and liar's Comment of the day

Bernard Goldberg Attacks Senator Sanders and Calls for 'Big Bronze and Granite Monument' to Honor the Rich | Video Cafe: "There might not be a lot else left to eat."

Thank God for Rich People | changeicanbelievein.org

Thank God for Rich People | changeicanbelievein.org: "Right there, amongst the sacred national structures that honor great Americans, we need to build a shiny monument to … (this is where the drum roll would come in) The Rich – otherwise known in liberal circles as the filthy, no good, greedy, heartless rich."

Sen. Bernie Sanders ends filibuster - Los Angeles Times

Sen. Bernie Sanders ends filibuster - Los Angeles Times: "'It has been a very long day,' he said as he concluded his remarks, including a five-hour period in which he spoke without interruption. 'I do believe that if the American people stand up … I think we can defeat this proposal. I think we can come up with a better proposal which better reflects the needs of the middle class.'"

Clinton sides with Obama on tax deal - The Globe and Mail

Clinton sides with Obama on tax deal - The Globe and Mail: "Former President Bill Clinton says the tax cut deal President Barack Obama negotiated with Republicans is the best bipartisan deal possible"

Video - World of Warcraft amusement - Part of your Guild

Video - Bobby Darin - Simple Song of Freedom

Video - Eva Cassidy - Autumn Leaves

Aaron Sorkin: In Her Defense, I'm Sure the Moose Had it Coming

Aaron Sorkin: In Her Defense, I'm Sure the Moose Had it Coming: "I eat meat, there are leather chairs in my office, Sarah Palin is deranged and The Living Channel should be ashamed of itself."

6 Adorable Cat Behaviors With Shockingly Evil Explanations | Cracked.com

6 Adorable Cat Behaviors With Shockingly Evil Explanations | Cracked.com: "When it comes to the shared domain with humans that domesticated cats enjoy, the same territorial rules still apply, so a housecat who leaves his waste out in the open is sending the message to us that he is El Presidente, and that we should be covering up our shit, so as not to offend him.

And guess what? We do. We helpfully flush away our poop and your cat probably thinks it's done entirely to avoid offending him. Yes, if you want to take back your house, it's time to poop in kitty's bed."

Julian Assange's rape case: is Sweden just making it up? Julian Assange's former lawyer writes for Crikey | Crikey

Julian Assange's rape case: is Sweden just making it up? Julian Assange's former lawyer writes for Crikey | Crikey: "Apparently having consensual sex in Sweden without a condom is punishable by a term of imprisonment of a minimum of two years for rape. That is the basis for a reinstitution of rape charges against WikiLeaks figurehead Julian Assange that is destined to make Sweden and its justice system the laughing stock of the world and dramatically damage its reputation as a model of modernity."

Note to Don Cherry - STFU

CBC News - Toronto - Cherry blasts 'pinkos' as Toronto mayor installed: "Comments made by sports celebrity Don Cherry against 'pinkos' during the swearing-in of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford have caused a stir.

Cherry, invited by Ford to the ceremony, said he specifically chose to wear a flamboyant pink jacket.

'Well, actually I'm wearing pinko for all the pinkos out there that ride bicycles and everything,' he said."

Brazil recognizes Palestinian state

Brazil recognizes Palestinian state: "SAO PAULO -- Brazil says it has recognized the state of Palestine based on borders at the time of Israel's 1967 conquest of the West Bank."

Another Sign of the Apocalypse - Christine O'Donnell has a book deal

Christine O'Donnell seals a book deal on 2010 - Jennifer Epstein - POLITICO.com: "The book will “take the reader behind the scenes of her race for the Senate and embody O’Donnell’s identification with America’s frustrations and concerns with the current political climate,” publisher St. Martin’s Press said in a news release."

Juan Williams can STFU too

Juan Williams: Extended Jobless Benefits Hurt The Unemployed (VIDEO) | TPMDC: "On Fox News today, Juan Williams, formerly of NPR, advanced an argument about the detrimental effects that extended jobless benefits can have on people. You see, Williams said, these unemployment checks can kill people's work ethic, hurt their values, even harm their sense of style."

After meeting, Obama and Republicans hopeful about a deal on Bush tax cuts

After meeting, Obama and Republicans hopeful about a deal on Bush tax cuts: "President Obama and congressional Republicans expressed determination Tuesday to reach an agreement on the tax cuts due to expire at year's end, raising the possibility of a compromise that could avert a tax increase for virtually every American worker."

Assassination is for Assclowns

Balloon Juice » Blog Archive » The Dark Canuck: "One of Stephen Harper’s advisors is “feeling manly” today and says that Julian Assange should be assassinated."

More on John McCain

A Breath Of Sane Air, Ctd - The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan: "Alas, I don't actually believe that in McCain's case. McCain knows and has worked with and relied upon openly gay people in his own staff. His disgusting posturing on this question now is not, in my view, out of conviction but out of calculation. He got re-elected by veering to the far right and junking much of what he once believed in. He is also clearly consumed with bitterness and hatred of the president who so humiliated him in his disastrous campaign. He is lashing out. And he is contemptible for it."

John Boehner set to slice up spending bills - Jake Sherman and Jonathan Allen - POLITICO.com

John Boehner set to slice up spending bills - Jake Sherman and Jonathan Allen - POLITICO.com: "The move would facilitate cutbacks in government programs and, GOP aides say, enhance oversight and accountability for individual agencies, fulfilling promises made by Republicans on the campaign trail and in their Pledge to America. But it would also threaten to complicate an already tattered appropriations process on the House floor and in negotiations with the Senate, which is why the mechanics of the transition are still under discussion."

Trial Begins Over Goldman Sachs Computer Trading Code - NYTimes.com

Trial Begins Over Goldman Sachs Computer Trading Code - NYTimes.com: "Is Sergey Aleynikov an evil computer scientist who brazenly stole valuable, closely guarded trading code from Goldman Sachs, his former employer?

Or is he a humble Russian immigrant who, upon leaving his programming post at Goldman for a higher-paying job, innocuously took some open-source code with him on his way out the door?"

Opinion: Are we poorer than we used to be? - Michael Kinsley - POLITICO.com

Opinion: Are we poorer than we used to be? - Michael Kinsley - POLITICO.com: "Life did not seem so terrible for most people back in 2006 or 2007, did it? So why are so many people glum now? Why are so many actually suffering, losing their houses or their jobs? Why are there so many stories like the one on the front page of The Washington Post on Nov. 19 about a woman who used to be a nursing-home executive with a six-figure income and this year will clear $11,000 selling chicken dinners? Changes in GDP are not a perfect reflection of changes in the average citizen’s prosperity at any given time. But it’s not a bad one. Why does $13 trillion feel poor today, although as recently as 2007, it felt rich?"

Wikileaks moves to Amazon's cloud to evade massive DDoS

Wikileaks moves to Amazon's cloud to evade massive DDoS: "It's possible that the DDoS against Wikileaks was orchestrated by a government in effort to retaliate against the leak and disrupt access to the documents. Prominent figures in the US government, including a congressman, are calling for an extreme response to the leak, arguing that Wikileaks should be treated as a terrorist organization. The group is clearly facing considerable pressure and close scrutiny as a result of the leak."

Opinion: Joe Scarborough tells GOP to man up and confront Sarah Palin - Joe Scarborough - POLITICO.com

Opinion: Joe Scarborough tells GOP to man up and confront Sarah Palin - Joe Scarborough - POLITICO.com: "But if the party of Ronald Reagan, Paul Ryan and Marco Rubio wants to return to the White House anytime soon, it’s time that Republican leaders started standing up and speaking the truth to Palin."

Laura Rozen: on foreign policy - POLITICO.com

Laura Rozen: on foreign policy - POLITICO.com: "Meantime, nonproliferation hands suggest the Obama administration has a major GOP figure coming to the White House Wednesday to endorse START ratification. Obama's public schedule shows no afternoon appointments at the moment. The White House wouldn't confirm or provide any specifics yet, but didn't wave off.

Some o"

On John McCain

Rising Hegemon: What's a little lying to go with being a bigoted asshole?: "John McCain is a pathetic, bigoted, asshole."

Spankin' Sarah Palin: A clown short of a circus - MoscowTopNews.com

Spankin' Sarah Palin: A clown short of a circus - MoscowTopNews.com: "If Sarah Palin is not some kind of a massive political joke in the USA, wheeled out to liven up the political scene from time to time with nonsensical and pastiche (one hopes) displays of sheer and utter ignorance, then it is worrying. It is even more so if anyone other than a manic depressive suffering from a chronic lack of lithium takes this...female...seriously."

World AIDS Day - I am not dead

The bullshit about giving up one's digital life for World AIDS day is just about the dumbest fucking thing that I have seen in a long time. It trivializes the real pain and death caused by this fucking virus and the people that participate in it should be ashamed of themselves.

Architecture for faster analytics

IBM Press room - 2010-11-19 Made in IBM Labs: New Architecture Can Double Analytics Processing Speed - United States: "NEW ORLEANS - 19 Nov 2010: At the Supercomputing 2010 conference, IBM (NYSE: IBM) today unveiled details of a new storage architecture design, created by IBM scientists, that will convert terabytes of pure information into actionable insights twice as fast (1) as previously possible. Ideally suited for cloud computing applications and data-intensive workloads such as digital media, data mining and financial analytics, this new architecture will shave hours off of complex computations without requiring heavy infrastructure investment. IBM won the Storage Challenge competition for presenting the most innovative and effective design in high performance computing with the best measurements of performance, scalability and storage subsystem utilization."

New IBM Supercomputer

IBM Press room - 2010-07-02 MADE IN IBM LABS: IBM Hot Water-Cooled Supercomputer Goes Live at ETH Zurich - United States: "ZURICH, - 02 Jul 2010: IBM (NYSE: IBM) has delivered a first-of-a-kind hot water-cooled supercomputer to the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich), marking a new era in energy-aware computing.  The innovative system, dubbed Aquasar, consumes up to 40 percent less energy than a comparable air-cooled machine. Through the direct use of waste heat to provide warmth to university buildings, Aquasar's carbon footprint is reduced by up to 85 percent."

Science communication: Scientist as star : Nature News

Science communication: Scientist as star : Nature News: "''What the hell are you doing?' That's what all my scientific friends were saying,' she says. ''This is not helping you get tenure.'' Mednick says that she wrote the book, together with co-author Mark Ehrman, because she wanted her research to reach people. 'It was such an obvious book to write,' she says. 'I just like the idea of having my research being real world.' She concedes that vanity and the hope for a pay cheque were a small part of the motivation. Ultimately, however, Mednick seems driven by a desire to overturn conventions. A former actress, Mednick marches to her own drumbeat, say friends and colleagues. The book definitely got her noticed — leading to the whirlwind of media attention in 2007 (see 'Spreading the science of napping to the masses')."

Plants flowering later on the Tibetan Plateau : Nature News

Plants flowering later on the Tibetan Plateau : Nature News: "In many regions, climate change has advanced the timing of spring events, such as flowering or the unfolding of leaves. But the meadows and steppes of the Tibetan Plateau are bucking that trend — plants are starting to bloom later in spring, making the growing season shorter. This change could threaten the livelihood of the thousands of nomads who survive by raising cattle on the plateau."

Physics centre plans rapid growth : Nature News

Physics centre plans rapid growth : Nature News: "Newton, Maxwell, Einstein, Bohr, Dirac — the list reads like the ultimate physics dream team. That the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Waterloo, Canada, has chosen to name five new research chairs after some of the greatest physicists in history is a sign of its lofty aspirations."

Portland bomb plot: 'Potential for entrapment,' Mohamed Mohamud's lawyer says | OregonLive.com

Portland bomb plot: 'Potential for entrapment,' Mohamed Mohamud's lawyer says | OregonLive.com: "He said a quite sophisticated government agency had been 'basically grooming' the individual and Sady said there was 'potential for entrapment.'

'It's the first meeting that matters,' he said, complaining that the government's recording devices had failed in the first meeting."

Comcast fires a shot against net neutrality

We Need Net Neutrality: Comcast Demands Bandwith Payment From Level 3 « Oliver Willis: "“On November 19, 2010, Comcast informed Level 3 that, for the first time, it will demand a recurring fee from Level 3 to transmit Internet online movies and other content to Comcast’s customers who request such content. By taking this action, Comcast is effectively putting up a toll booth at the borders of its broadband Internet access network, enabling it to unilaterally decide how much to charge for content which competes with its own cable TV and Xfinity delivered content. This action by Comcast threatens the open Internet and is a clear abuse of the dominant control that Comcast exerts in broadband access markets as the nation’s largest cable provider."

WikiLeaks on the Arab Gulf States vs. Iran | The Nation

WikiLeaks on the Arab Gulf States vs. Iran | The Nation: "You’d think that the United States could safely ignore, and privately laugh at, the policy recommendations made by kings, royal sheiks and emirs of the gulf states. The leaders of these nations—and most of them, such as Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and the UAE, really don’t deserve to be called 'nations'—are anyway for the most part puppets of the United States. Three of them (Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain) are essentially US-occupied territories, hosting American ground troops, naval forces and an air force base; and the fourth, the UAE, is not really populated by its own citizens but by imported South Asians, Iranians and others, and made up of a series of family-ruled sheikhdoms run by utterly corrupt and degenerate, inbred gangsters. They huddle in their palaces, praying that the United States will protect them from their own people, from actual Arab citizens—including the Palestinians, Syrians and Egyptians, whose remaining nationalists covet their oil wealth—and from rambunctious Iran to the north and east."

After the Great Recession: Foreign Born Gain Jobs; Native Born Lose Jobs - Pew Research Center

After the Great Recession: Foreign Born Gain Jobs; Native Born Lose Jobs - Pew Research Center: "In the year following the official end of the Great Recession in June 2009,1 foreign-born workers gained 656,000 jobs while native-born workers lost 1.2 million, according to a new analysis of U.S. Census Bureau and Department of Labor data by the Pew Hispanic Center, a project of the Pew Research Center.2"

Most Continue to Favor Gays Serving Openly in Military - Pew Research Center

Most Continue to Favor Gays Serving Openly in Military - Pew Research Center: "Nearly half (48%) of white evangelical Protestants oppose letting gays serve openly in the military, while just 34% support this proposal. Majorities or pluralities across other religious groups favor allowing gays to serve openly."

More on that birther thing

Zandar Versus The Stupid: Birther Society Nonsense: "The argument is of course Obama is a British citizen and therefore ineligible for the office of President, to which the Supreme Court said 'You sir, are a douchebag' and went and had lunch. I'm sure Kerchner's next move will be to have the Founding Fathers exhumed and their ghosts summoned forth so that they can settle the question of intent once and for all (at taxpayer expense)."

on Inflation Fears - A fact based approach

Roubini Global Economics - U.S. EconoMonitor: "So the quantity theory (which, just to remind readers, refers to money and not money base) suggests little prospect of rapid inflation, given the recent evolution of money aggregates. With the 2010 output gap between 3.4 to over 6 percentage points of GDP [0], a Phillips curve analysis seems to point to muted inflation if not disinflation."

Adm. Mullen’s Spinning vs. Prof. Hayek’s Insight by David R. Henderson -- Antiwar.com

Adm. Mullen’s Spinning vs. Prof. Hayek’s Insight by David R. Henderson -- Antiwar.com: "In 1945, the flagship journal of the American Economic Review published one of the ten most important economics articles of the 20th century. Entitled “The Use of Knowledge in Society,” it was written by an Austrian economist named Friedrich Hayek. I deal with this article in every economics course I teach. (For the notes on this article that I share with my students, see this.) The article is explicitly about why central economic planning doesn’t work and why free markets do work. This article put the final intellectual nail in socialism’s coffin. Hayek’s insight was that the most important information that a completely well-intentioned central planner would need to plan an economy is information that the planner can’t have. Instead, this information exists in millions of individuals’ minds and is information that only they can have because of their particular circumstances. Economists who write in the Hayekian tradition call this knowledge of local circumstances “local knowledge.”"

Dolphins & Teleportation Symposium 2001

Dolphins & Teleportation Symposium 2001: "I recently had the immense pleasure of meeting 3 people who happen to be friends with each other, and are on the cutting edge of interspatial technologies regarding our abilities to travel in time. Because the dolphins have demonstrated this fascinating ability with me, I have a natural desire to learn more about it. The dolphins that I befriended 22 years ago have the capacity to swim alongside us for hours and in that tranquil, trance-like state, entrain our mind into Oneness with them. At that point we can experience their world. The dolphins have taken me time traveling into the future and they have shape-shifted with me, allowing me to experience their multidimensional reality of great Joy and Harmony. Through these experiences I have learned that humans have what it takes to enjoy this transdimensional world when we are daring enough to go there and explore it."

Video - Raheem DeVaughn - She's Single - NSFW

Personally, I needed a cold shower after this

On Civil Servant Pay Freezes

Hullabaloo: "I hope the White House is not taking any comfort from this support from beltway gasbags. It's a Democratic disease to think that pleasing the wealthy celebrities who make up the political punditocracy is a good guide to successful governance. These are, after all, people who are so caught up in their useless false equivalence that they continually ask why the relations between the two parties are so hostile. Sure it's rhetorical, but the problem is that in their view it's perfectly obvious that if only the president would just pass the Republican agenda everything would be fine. And what could be wrong with that?"

When did God become a sports fan? - CNN.com

When did God become a sports fan? - CNN.com: "Athletes who publicly thank God for victory are often calling more attention to themselves than their faith, says William J. Baker, author of 'Playing with God.'
They are selling their goodness, and their brand of faith, to a captive audience, says Baker, who describes himself as a Christian.
'I don't think it's the right place and it's not the right gesture,' says Baker, a former high school quarterback. 'It's an athlete using a moment to sell a product, like soap.'"

I love Birthers

SCOTUS confers on Presidential eligibility; ruling could be this week - National Conservative | Examiner.com: "Vattel was a French/Swiss writer who penned a work entitled, 'The Laws of Nations,' which maintains that during the era of the Founders it was common knowledge that 'natural-born citizen' meant a person born within the U.S. to parents who were both U.S. citizens. Court precedent affirms this understanding of the term, given the Court's numerous rulings on other matters in which the Vattel definition was accepted as that which the Framers of the Constitution assumed. Chief Justice John Marshall had affirmed the Vattel definition as the correct one in 1814.

According to the attorney for the Petitioners, Barack Obama's father was not a U.S. citizen but a British subject at the time of Obama's birth, meaning that according to the historical record, Obama would thus be ineligible to serve as President of the United States."

ThinkProgress » Boehner Staff Met With Right-Wing Activist Who Demands GOP End Abortion Or Be Treated As ‘Child Killers’

ThinkProgress » Boehner Staff Met With Right-Wing Activist Who Demands GOP End Abortion Or Be Treated As ‘Child Killers’: "“In the Boehner-led House, having a miles-long rap sheet calling for violence against abortion providers and their patients gets you an invitation to meet with the incoming speaker’s staff,” president of NARAL Pro-Choice America Nancy Keenan said. “The Randall Terry meeting signifies that, when it comes to listening to the most extreme elements of the anti-choice movement, Boehner is all ears.”"

On Peter King as Wikileaks pundit

How many times is he going to say "lives at risk" or "destabilize" ?

What a tool.

Fire reported at US Islamic center; no injuries | kens5.com | San Antonio News, Weather, Sports, Traffic, Entertainment, Video and Photos

Fire reported at US Islamic center; no injuries | kens5.com | San Antonio News, Weather, Sports, Traffic, Entertainment, Video and Photos: "CORVALLIS, Oregon (AP) — Arson caused a fire at an Islamic center on Sunday that was the occasional place of worship for a Somali-born teen who two days ago was arrested on charges of plotting a terror attack in Portland, authorities said."

Billionaire Hedge Fund Manager Chokes Up At The Wealthy's Lack Of Contribution To This Country | Crooks and Liars

Billionaire Hedge Fund Manager Chokes Up At The Wealthy's Lack Of Contribution To This Country | Crooks and Liars: "It's easy to take a cynical view of the weepy billionaire, but Steyer actually does put his money where his mouth is. A signatory to The Giving Pledge, Steyer has promised to donate half of his fortune to charity and has already given money to various philanthropic sources, including the successful defeat of Prop 23 here in California."

Haiti candidates denounce election - Americas - Al Jazeera English

Haiti candidates denounce election - Americas - Al Jazeera English: "Nearly all of the major candidates in Haiti's presidential election have called for the country's election to be scrapped amid allegations of fraud and reports that large numbers of voters were turned away from polling stations throughout the nation.

Twelve of the 18 candidates endorsed a joint statement denouncing Sunday's voting as fraudulent and called on their supporters to show their anger with demonstrations against the government and the country's Provisional Electoral Council (CEP)."

New Rule for Science Journalism

"Blessedly Disconnected" - The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan

"Blessedly Disconnected" - The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan: "Put bluntly, if we are all too busy and self-absorbed to notice or challenge things, then evil will win by default. Or, as Milan Kundera put it: 'The struggle of man against power is the struggle of memory against forgetting.'"

Reihan Salam: Conservative Backlash Against TSA Part of a Revival of Civil Liberties Talk on the Right | Video Cafe

Reihan Salam: Conservative Backlash Against TSA Part of a Revival of Civil Liberties Talk on the Right | Video Cafe: "SALAM: The conservative backlash against the TSA is just part of a bigger revival of civil liberties talk on the right. We’re going to see a lot more of it in the next year or two."

Balloon Juice » Blog Archive » Beyond redemption

Balloon Juice » Blog Archive » Beyond redemption: "Liberals like Henry A. Kissinger, James A. Baker III and Brent Scowcroft also strongly support ratification of the START treaty.

So that’s where things stand right now: virtually every old-school Republican foreign policy person you can think of favors ratification of START, David Broder thinks Jon Kyl should be allowed to weaken it or kill it.

It’s going to get worse when the government shutdown comes. I don’t doubt that a lot of old-school Republicans will come out against shutting down the government, but the Village will side with the teatard barbarians on it anyway."

On political dementia

Balloon Juice » Blog Archive » The chronicler of dementia: "It is dementia to think that everything must be filtered and vetted through Wing-nut talking points, memes, myths and fantasies. And yet that is how the Villagers think. It is pathetic to see folks promoting Broder’s chronicle of dementia as political wisdom instead of recognizing his haphazard word strings for the gibberish that they are."

Jellyfish inspire flexible pumps

Jellyfish inspire flexible pumps: "Nawroth has also observed how tiny juvenile moon jellies take advantage of a layer of water that adheres to their outer surface, using it to close the gaps between their lappets (“arms”), so that their bodies are able to act more like a paddle and less like a sieve. Additionally, it has been noted that they have a network of neuronal “pacemakers” throughout their bodies, that allow them to control their contractions, according to the conditions. If such a system could be reproduced using human technology, it could allow for flexible pumps with consistent yet tunable performance."

US embassy cables leak sparks global diplomacy crisis | World news | guardian.co.uk

US embassy cables leak sparks global diplomacy crisis | World news | guardian.co.uk: "At the start of a series of daily extracts from the US embassy cables - many of which are designated 'secret' – the Guardian can disclose that Arab leaders are privately urging an air strike on Iran and that US officials have been instructed to spy on the UN's leadership."

Iceland - on not rescuing banksters

Balloon Juice » Blog Archive » Meanwhile, On Another Island: "“The difference is that in Iceland we allowed the banks to fail,” Grimsson said in an interview with Bloomberg Television’s Mark Barton today. “These were private banks and we didn’t pump money into them in order to keep them going; the state did not shoulder the responsibility of the failed private banks.”"

Neowin.net - Kinect meets robotics

Neowin.net - Kinect meets robotics: "The list of innovative Kinect hacks is growing by the day, with the open-source community having already discovered how to use the motion controller as a PC multitouch and gesture control solution, 3D webcam, motion capture device and as a virtual lightsaber simulator."

The FBI successfully thwarts its own Terrorist plot - Glenn Greenwald - Salon.com

The FBI successfully thwarts its own Terrorist plot - Glenn Greenwald - Salon.com

Third, there are ample facts that call into question whether Mohamud's actions were driven by the FBI's manipulation and pressure rather than his own predisposition to commit a crime. In June, he attempted to fly to Alaska in order to work on a fishing job he obtained through a friend, but he was on the Government's no-fly list. That caused the FBI to question him at the airport and then bar him from flying to Alaska, and thus prevented him from earning income with this job (para. 25). Having prevented him from working, the money the FBI then pumped him with -- including almost $3,000 in cash for him to rent his own apartment (para. 61) -- surely helped make him receptive to their suggestions and influence. And every other step taken to perpetrate this plot -- from planning its placement to assembling the materials to constructing the bomb -- was all done at the FBI's behest and with its indispensable support and direction.

It's impossible to conceive of Mohamud having achieved anything on his own. Before being ensnared by the FBI, the only tangible action he had taken was to write three articles on "fitness and jihad" for the online magazine Jihad Recollections. At least based on what is known, he had no history of violence, no apparent criminal record, had never been to a training camp in Afghanistan, Pakistan or anywhere else, and -- before meeting the FBI -- had never taken a single step toward harming anyone. Does that sound like some menacing sleeper Terrorist to you?

Next Target?

Balloon Juice » Blog Archive » Suffer, Little Children: "So which country will the banksters loot next? Portugal? Spain?"

Hannity Quotes Thomas Paine -- To Support the Christian Right : Dispatches from the Culture Wars

Hannity Quotes Thomas Paine -- To Support the Christian Right : Dispatches from the Culture Wars: "Hannity does here what the religious right always does, takes a quote from the founding fathers about the importance of morality and then equates morality with Christianity. But since Paine was a bitter enemy of Christianity, that can obviously not be the source for the dictates of conscience that he is referring to."

Balloon Juice » Blog Archive » A Real Sunday Morning Ray of Sunshine

Balloon Juice » Blog Archive » A Real Sunday Morning Ray of Sunshine: "And am I the only one who finds all the hand-wringing over Lugar and Scowcroft that DougJ linked to last night a little amusing. The GOP is now insane. There is no such thing as reasonable conservatives anymore. Call them what they really are, which is enablers. If you vote Republican, you are standing up and deciding to support the nuts. Reading Outside the Beltway and many of the other sites I enjoy is like watching an exercise in excuse-making."

Recipe - salmon and dill soup

Nigel Slater's salmon and dill soup, and tomato fish broth recipes | Life and style | The Observer:

onion 1 medium to large
leek 1
butter 50g
cauliflower 500g
waxy potatoes 750g
swede 350g
water 1.25 litres
tomatoes 2 medium-sized
salmon fillet 600g
cream 100ml
lemon juice to taste
dill a small bunch
buttered rye bread to serve

As usual, go to the originating site to get details to put it all together.

Angry protests over Korea shelling - Asia-Pacific - Al Jazeera English

Angry protests over Korea shelling - Asia-Pacific - Al Jazeera English: "South Korean protesters demanding a harder line against neighbouring North Korea have on Saturday scuffled with police outside the defence ministry in the capital, Seoul.

The demonstrators, former members of the 'Underwater Demolition Team,' set off fire extinguishers and waved sticks as they called on the government to take action after four people were killed as a result of North Korea shelling of Yeonpyeong island, near the disputed Yellow Sea maritime border.

'We can not help expressing our anger about the behaviour of the defence ministry and the government in general that failed to take due retaliatory action,' they said."

Willie Nelson Busted On Tour Bus With Six Ounces Of Marijuana -- In Texas | Crooks and Liars

Willie Nelson Busted On Tour Bus With Six Ounces Of Marijuana -- In Texas | Crooks and Liars

SIERRA BLANCA, Texas (AP) — A U.S. Border Patrol spokesman says country singer Willie Nelson was charged with marijuana possession after 6 ounces was found aboard his tour bus in Texas

Willie Nelson smokes pot? Imagine my surprise! If only someone had written a song about it ...

Wiz Khalifa Arrested On Drug Charges - Music, Celebrity, Artist News | MTV

Wiz Khalifa Arrested On Drug Charges - Music, Celebrity, Artist News | MTV: "On Tuesday morning (November 9), a spokesperson for the Pitt County Detention Center confirmed to MTV News that Khalifa (born Cameron Thomaz), 22, was booked into the jail at around 1:30 a.m. He posted $300,000 bail and was released from detention at around 8 a.m. ET.

The 'Black and Yellow' rapper was charged with a felony count of trafficking in marijuana, a felony count of maintaining a dwelling/vehicle/place for sale or storage of marijuana and one misdemeanor charge of possession of drug paraphernalia. Nine other people were arrested along with Khalifa on the same charges and were still in jail at press time."

Strangest thing that Juan Cole has ever put on paper

Blair, Hitchens Debate Religion | Informed Comment: "The best argument for religion might be that there is no secular reason for which to forgive either of these two for following George W. Bush around like puppies and assenting to his illegal war and occupation of a country that had attacked neither the US nor the UK. But the religions teach that neither of them is beyond redemption, and that the rest of us should worry about our own imperfections rather than obsessing about the foibles of others. But then, as Hitchens points out, the actually-existing believers in the religions seldom achieve that blessed state of minding their own business so often recommended to them by the great religious Teachers."

Open Letter to Sen. Lindsey Graham

Open Letter to Sen. Lindsey Graham: "Given your belief that a currency whose value is lower than you think it should be confers “advantages” upon its holders, I hereby offer to confer such advantages upon you and your family. Before you or anyone else in the Graham household spends dollars, contact me first. I will give you a fifty-cent coin in exchange for each dollar that you would otherwise have spent on your purchases. You will then make your purchases using only the 50-cent coins. That is, you will have a lower-valued currency unit to spend rather than be burdened by the heavy yoke of having to spend a higher-valued currency unit."

why do I find it creepy that DHS visited my blog yesterday?

I probably shouldn't, but I do.

The least they can do is click through on an ad or two... just sayin'

No Truth Was Spoken

He told her that she was pretty. She told him that he was great in bed. They both agreed that the soggy bacon and greasy eggs were a terrific breakfast.

The Reference Frame: Penrose's CCC cosmology is either inflation or gibberish

The Reference Frame: Penrose's CCC cosmology is either inflation or gibberish: "At any rate, if Penrose and his collaborator preferred proper physics solutions of problems over tendentious non-quantitative bullshiting with the predetermined (and unjustified) goal to attack inflation, they would realize - like your humble correspondent - that the fact that the circles don't get too 'weak' simply means that what is propagating is associated with objects with negative pressure such as cosmic strings and domain walls."

nanoscale views: Memristors - how fundamental, and how useful?

nanoscale views: Memristors - how fundamental, and how useful?: "I would maintain that this is conceptually very different and less fundamental than the resistor, capacitor, or inductor elements. The resistor is the simplest possible relationship between current and voltage; the capacitor and inductor have a dual relationship and each involve energy storage in electromagnetic fields. The memristor does not have a deep connection to electromagnetism - it is one particular example of the general 'mem'device, which has a complex electrical impedance that depends on the current/voltage history of the device. Indeed, my friend Max di Ventra has, with a colleague, written a review of the general case, which can be said to include 'memcapacitors' and 'meminductors'. The various memgizmos are certainly fun to think about, and in their simplest implementation have great potential for certain applications, such as nonvolatile memory."

Daily Kos: A time for vision

Daily Kos: A time for vision: "We have another president with a rare gift to inspire. To reignite his base and the entire Democratic party, he would do well consider Herbert's thoughts. The Republicans keep telling us what we can't do, and too many Democrats buy into it, even if but because of the Republicans. Let's hear what we can do, from a new green economy to a new approach to human and civil rights that finally reflects our claimed national ideology. Aim high and the nation will rally."

Zandar Versus The Stupid: Zandar's Thought Of The Day

Zandar Versus The Stupid: Zandar's Thought Of The Day: "People keep telling me Obama's race has nothing to do with it. And no offense, but every person I've heard that from happens to be white."

No More Mister Nice Blog

No More Mister Nice Blog: "And it's the perfect no-win game. The media cannot win either way when it comes to Palin. If they report on her, it's evil bias against her. If they ignore her, it's evil bias against her. No matter what happens, Palin wins and the media loses, because Palin and the Republicans change the script to fit every time. If the media bites on her self-serving narcissism, they're consumed with trying to destroy her. If they take the high road and ignore her obvious news-generating gambits, they're misogynist 'lamestream media'."

Yglesias » The Karzai Factor

Yglesias » The Karzai Factor: "Well . . . that’d be nice, but when last we saw General Petraeus was moving US military tactics away from that kind of counterinsurgency model in favor of more use of firepower. And on some level I think the way this works is that “counterinsurgency” means whatever Petraeus and his proteges say it means. What’s more, if the US government decides Karzai’s attitude makes continuing the war impossible they might just as easily decide to get rid of Karzai as decide to end the war. I certainly hope it doesn’t come to that, but all the signs from the administration are that they’re absolutely determined to give this thing a few more years worth of time and all their other decisions seem to flow from that."

'The Washington Hillbillies': Taiwan video satire wonders what our next Palin reality show will be | Crooks and Liars

'The Washington Hillbillies': Taiwan video satire wonders what our next Palin reality show will be | Crooks and Liars: "This video, produced by Taiwan's NMA (Next Media TV, is good for more than a laugh. It also makes you realize what an international laughingstock Palin's continuing high profile makes of the American political scene generally."

Cafe Hayek - Comment of the day

Production vs. Predation: "I disagree on everything said, but particularly on the matter of police bureaus. For one, you seem to conflate the actualized with idealized police function. Police are not primarily employed in the protection of individuals; when seconds matter, police are minutes away. This illusion of protection, in some circumstances could mean the under consumption of personal protection goods, which could prove fatal. Likewise, a hand gun or mace is probably cheaper to purchase than an officer’s salary, even if costs are diffused. Moreover, the need for protection is probably overstated anyway. I don’t refrain from theft or mugging because police exist; I suspect that applies pretty broadly."

Graphene supercapacitor breaks storage record - physicsworld.com

Graphene supercapacitor breaks storage record - physicsworld.com: "Researchers in the US have made a graphene-based supercapacitor that can store as much energy per unit mass as nickel metal hydride batteries – but unlike batteries, it can be charged or discharged in just minutes or even seconds. The new device has a specific energy density of 85.6 Wh/kg at room temperature and 136 Wh/kg at 80 °C. These are the highest ever values for 'electric double layer' supercapacitors based on carbon nanomaterials."

Tandberg illustrates stupidity of software patent policy | ZDNet

Tandberg illustrates stupidity of software patent policy | ZDNet: "Software is not a mousetrap. It’s a way for building mousetraps. It should not be patentable."

Youtube - Nicholas Cage Losing His shit

via sully

CBC News - Nova Scotia - N.S. introduces $100K club legislation

CBC News - Nova Scotia - N.S. introduces $100K club legislation: "Nova Scotia will soon have legislation that will require the public disclosure of salaries for anyone who makes more than $100,000 from public sector bodies.

The Public Sector Compensation Disclosure Act was tabled Friday in the legislature by Finance Minister Graham Steele.

'This will make it much easier for taxpayers to see where their money is going, and to judge for themselves whether the compensation is reasonable,"

A Sketch of a Scene

Looking around the room he saw the remains of a night spent badly.

Mohamed Osman Mohamud: Somali Teen Arrested In Portland For Attempted Bombing « Oliver Willis

Mohamed Osman Mohamud: Somali Teen Arrested In Portland For Attempted Bombing « Oliver Willis: "A Somali-born teenager plotted to carry out a car bomb attack at a crowded Christmas tree lighting ceremony in downtown Portland on Friday, but the bomb turned out to be a dud supplied by undercover agents as part of a sting, federal prosecutors said."

FoxNation.com Reposts Anti-Obama Article From The Onion, Doesn't Mention It's A Joke | TPM LiveWire

FoxNation.com Reposts Anti-Obama Article From The Onion, Doesn't Mention It's A Joke | TPM LiveWire: "Yes, the Fox Nation editors were apparently so enamored with an Onion piece from today entitled 'Frustrated Obama Sends Nation Rambling 75,000-Word E-Mail' that they reposted the first two paragraphs in their culture section with nary a sign as to its fictional nature. The only clue that this wasn't real (besides a quick peek at your inbox to confirm that Barack Obama hasn't been emailing you) was a link at the bottom instructing readers to go to TheOnion.com for the real story. This tiny link was, unfortunately, not enough for the vast majority of FN readers. At least, that's the way it seems from the comments section."

Elbowist Revealed | Talking Points Memo

Elbowist Revealed | Talking Points Memo: "The White House has released the name of the guy who elbowed President Obama in the lip today. It's Rey Decerega, who is the Director of Programs for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute."

JP Morgan - Fraudsters?

Teri Buhl: "Talk about accusing them with the kitchen sink of bank fraud. Now here is what I find a weak excuse for why the investors in a publicly traded company (or anyone else who’s interested) shouldn’t be allowed to see this complaint. JP Morgan’s argument is because Abmac was able to get sworn testimony from people working inside the mortgage security packaging shop about how they broke the law, that this information should be considered a trade secret. On top of that they argue that because ex-employees of these alleged financial criminals are testifying exactly who at the bank told them to skirt the law, this information really needs to be suppressed because if might damage top JPM executive reputations."

Intro to Ontologies - TechWiki

Intro to Ontologies - TechWiki: "Much like taxonomies or relational database schema, ontologies work to organize information. No matter what the domain or scope, an ontology is a description of a world view. That view might be limited and miniscule, or it might be global and expansive. However, unlike those alternative hierarchical views of concepts such as taxonomies, ontologies often have a linked or networked 'graph' structure. Multiple things can be related to other things, all in a potentially multi-way series of relationships."

Avoid Process Data Headaches: Align Business Process And Data Governance Initiatives - Forrester Research

Avoid Process Data Headaches: Align Business Process And Data Governance Initiatives - Forrester Research: "Today, enterprises swim in an endless ocean of business data used to power mission-critical business processes, executive decisions, corporate policies, and business rules. Many organizations kick off master data management (MDM) initiatives to cleanse and reconcile large volumes of incoming data and put large volumes of information into the proper context for business users. And many of these same organizations launch extensive business process management (BPM) initiatives to improve their mission-critical business processes. Yet most MDM and BPM efforts remain siloed, with limited — if any — collaboration or coordination across the two teams, opening both initiatives up to risk of potential failure. To minimize this risk, visionary BPM and MDM teams turn to process data management, which acknowledges the inherent connection between business process improvement and data quality. Instead of leaning on technology as the silver bullet, business process pros should first align organizational competencies, governance models, and shared accountability to improve coordination and collaboration across BPM and MDM projects and teams."

Sarah And The Kids - The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan

Sarah And The Kids - The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan: "What Palin has done with her young children is unprecedented. Think of how Obama strictly protects his daughters, and how George W. Bush did the same. Yes, Romney and McCain involve their offspring in politics - but Meghan McCain is a critic of the GOP, and Romney's kids stuck to Mormon gee-whiz isn't Daddy great stuff.None of them actively enlisted their kids in reality show television.
What Palin has done is use her children, having failed to actually rear them. She is still doing it on her reality show. That she has gone so far as to use and thereby abuse a child with Down Syndrome whose interests are clearly in seclusion, careful nurturing and care, and constant parental attention, tells you a huge amount."

Oracle ruling slams SAP's reputation | Reuters

Oracle ruling slams SAP's reputation | Reuters: "(Reuters) - SAP AG, slapped with a record $1.3 billion fine for stealing Oracle's software, faces the task of salvaging its tarnished reputation and convincing U.S. clients not to flee to Oracle or International Business Machines Corp."

Sarah Palin - Hypocritical Tweet of the Day

Twitter / @Sarah Palin: America by Heart book sign ...: "

America by Heart book signing in Tulsa tonight!Thankful 4 Thanksgiving break so my girls can meet & greet great Americans w/me on book tour"

But of course her kids are off limits. Could this woman be a worse hypocrite if she worked at it?

Sully on Palin

Why America Won't Buy Palinism - The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan: "This may be a smart-ass retort; it may be useful innoculation against a potentially damaging gaffe; it may even be a well-researched blog-post, but what it isn't is anything approaching the kind of character we expect in a president. A simple respect for the office she seeks would not reflect itself in these increasingly callow, sarcastic, cheap jibes at a sitting president. But sadly, like so many now purporting to represent conservatism, there is, behind the faux awe before the constitution, a contempt for the restraint and dignity a polity's institutions require from its leaders."

Network cancels Medium tv series | Reuters

Network cancels Medium tv series | Reuters: "LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - U.S. network CBS has canceled the long-running drama series 'Medium.'"

Black Friday as pseudo-holiday

I find it bizarre that the US has a pseudo-holiday dedicated to shopping for another holiday

Conan needs to cut back on the caffeine | Reuters

Conan needs to cut back on the caffeine | Reuters: "Although it's still too early to review 'Conan' fairly, a few things from the first two weeks need to be addressed. Some of the celebrity interviews seemed too short or were cut into at odd times by commercial breaks. When a guest is too aloof or possibly uncomfortable (Seth Rogen, Jack McBrayer, Jack White), O'Brien flounders a bit. Unlike David Letterman or Johnny Carson (or even Craig Ferguson), O'Brien isn't yet adept at working recalcitrant guests into good material. Nothing showed this more clearly than O'Brien trying to fumble his way through an interview with Harrison Ford, who looked stoned or medicated or perhaps concussed. It was painful for both host and audience, and you have to wonder what that bit going viral on the Internet would have done for ratings. It wasn't quite Joaquin Phoenix or Farrah Fawcett territory, but it was odd indeed."

Skimpy trunks' design causes Singapore blushes | Reuters

Skimpy trunks' design causes Singapore blushes | Reuters: "The skimpy trunks sported by Singapore's men's water polo team at the Asian Games are causing red faces back home in the conservative city-state, with many embarrassed by their design.

The trunks display the Singaporean flag's white crescent moon on the front of the red briefs in what has been described as an inappropriate fashion.

The design -- lambasted by readers of Singapore's Straits Times newspaper as 'disgusting,' 'nauseating' and 'disgraceful' among other terms -- had not been approved by the country's Ministry of Information, Communication and the Arts (Mica), which governs the use of the flag."

The gift | Firedoglake

The gift | Firedoglake: "Chris Henry a talented, but troubled receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals died tragically last December. But from his death his mother, Carolyn Glasby, made a decision that saved four lives. If you haven’t seen it, take a few minutes to watch it. And if you are not presently an organ donor, become one."

Profits Over Airport Security? | Video Cafe

Profits Over Airport Security? | Video Cafe: "And the end result, we have the TSA using useless scanners that violate our privacy and don't detect explosives or putting up with overly intrusive pat-downs."

Documents: Elizabeth Warren Persuaded Obama To Reject Foreclosure-Friendly Bill | Crooks and Liars

Documents: Elizabeth Warren Persuaded Obama To Reject Foreclosure-Friendly Bill | Crooks and Liars: "Elizabeth Warren was the first senior Obama administration official to recognize the potentially incendiary impact of a bill that would have made it significantly easier for mortgage companies to foreclose on homes, and her subsequent warnings played a crucial role in persuading the President to veto the measure, according to freshly released documents and people familiar with the deliberations."

On Crime, Criminals and Love

Two of my relatives have been arrested for a  terrible crime. This post is not really about that. It is about what I have been reading about it at the online news sites and the level  of stupidity and malice that gets pointed at them in the comments. These are people that do not know my relatives and have no knowledge of the crime that was committed other than what is in the papers and online yet they feel that they have enough information to ascribe motive, speculate on the means of paying their lawyer and generally spouting off as if they have much more information than they do.

I deeply hope that my relatives will turn out not to have committed this crime. I have a hard time believing that the two people that I remember as children in teenage mutant ninja turtle pajamas could do what they have been accused of. If, however, it turns out that they are guilty I will still love them because I remember those children and those children deserve to be loved.

Reputation Management and the Art of Argument

Reputation Management and the Art of Argument: "That’s where we are now. It’s a zero-sum game for all tribes. The only remaining question is who will emerge triumphant. Whatever the outcome, there will be blood and I fear for not only 2012, but our future in general, because we’re heading toward a road where fractures run so deep, so wide, and reputations have been so damaged that there will be no road to rehabilitation."

Repeat after me: cell phones don’t cause brain cancer | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine

Repeat after me: cell phones don’t cause brain cancer | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine: "Humans have a seemingly infinite capacity to worry. The problem is, with a near-infinite supply of things to worry about, we wind up fretting over problems that don’t exist.
One of these non-issues that keeps popping up is the idea that cell phones cause brain cancer. Despite there being study after study of cell-phone radiation showing no link at all to brain damage, and despite there being no physical way a cell phone can cause brain damage, people still worry about it."

on Subtlety

Winston Churchill Quotes: "If you have an important point to make, don't try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time - a tremendous whack.
Winston Churchill"

Recipe - Lentil Loaf - And a nice story

Lentil Loaf | The Awl:

1 cup dry red lentils, rinsed
2 cups water
1 cup rolled oats
1 egg or equivalent vegan egg replacer
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 packed cup grated carrot
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon ketchup (use Worcestershire if you don't care about anchovies)
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dry sage + 1 tsp. dry thyme, or 2 tsp. poultry seasoning (ha!)
Lots of black pepper

Over to the source for the directions on how to assemble it.

German man demands money back for breast implants | Reuters

German man demands money back for breast implants | Reuters: "(Reuters Life!) - A German woman who splashed out on breast implants with a loan from her then boyfriend now fears her assets could be re-possessed after she failed to fully reimburse him, the 20-year-old woman told Bild newspaper."

Thermoelectric Power Generator - 2010-11-19 14:50:00 | Design News

Thermoelectric Power Generator - 2010-11-19 14:50:00 | Design News: "Nextreme Thermal Solutions' eTEG  HV37 thermoelectric power generator converts waste heat into electrical energy for a variety of self-powered applications in the wireless sensor, automotive, aerospace, industrial and medical device markets."

Voting is an orgasmic experience

On Thanksgiving

Stephen Budiansky's Liberal Curmudgeon Blog: Commies and cranberries: "A bunch of overprivileged toffs, backed by off-shore capitalist speculators, expected to live idly off the work of others (when they weren't simply plundering treasure off the natives), and nearly starved to death from their own greed and idleness. (In Jamestown, they did starve to death.) Only when they faced up to the fact that they were going to have to work for a living, and threw off their foreign corporate masters, did they begin to prosper. And that is why we celebrate Thanksgiving today. The end."

Random Hacks Of Kindness

RHoK post-it movie : Aarhus, Denmark from Tobias Sonne on Vimeo.

The Top 20 Things a Good Man Does Not Say at Thanksgiving Dinner — The Good Men Project Magazine

The Top 20 Things a Good Man Does Not Say at Thanksgiving Dinner — The Good Men Project Magazine: "4) “I’m live-blogging this meal.”"

Building a bandwidth meter - Hack a Day

Building a bandwidth meter - Hack a Day: "The dial itself is a volt meter driven by an Arduino in much the same way as the multimeter clock. Bandwidth data is pulled from a Linux router, filtered down to the target data using ‘grep’, and sent over the serial connection by a Perl script. Since the meter itself is just waiting for serial data, alterations to the router’s scripting make it easy to represent a count of unread emails, tweets, or whatever data your code can scrape."

Best Health Care In the World

Jacksonville woman dies after insurer repeatedly denies her a liver transplant | jacksonville.com: "Relatives say a Jacksonville mother would be alive today if her insurance provider hadn’t repeatedly denied her request for a liver transplant.

Alisa Wilson, 37, died Friday at 8:50 p.m. after a lengthy battle with an undisclosed liver disease, said her father, Eric Wilson. 

“Her liver was gone,” Wilson said. “There was no more left. She needed that transplant two weeks ago.” "

Nevada court hits copyright troll with Fair Use surprise

Nevada court hits copyright troll with Fair Use surprise: "A Nevada judge has given copyright troll Righthaven until mid-December to explain why one of the law firm's targets wasn't exercising its right to Fair Use when it republished a newspaper article on its website.

'The court hereby orders the plaintiff to show cause why this case should not be dismissed under the 17 U.S.C. § 107 Fair Use exception,' US District Judge James C. Mahan of Nevada told Righthaven on November 15. Mahan also issued a 'show cause' hearing on the suit for December 15.

'Failure of plaintiff to appear shall result in the imposition of sanction for that party,' the judge's Order warns."