My Budget Plan

over at NYT

A reminder about planned parenthood spending

From Ezra Klein via Andrew Sullivan

Matt Yglesias asks a good question about term llimits

Yglesias » Against Term Limits:

"And at the executive level, who among us is really happy that Al Gore ran in 2000 instead of Bill Clinton? Who did that help?"

Al Qaeda?

Bye Bye Manny Ramirez

MLB announces Manny Ramirez is retiring after drug issue - ESPN: "NEW YORK -- Tampa Bay Rays slugger Manny Ramirez told Major League Baseball on Friday that he is retiring after being notified of an issue that arose under MLB's drug policy.

The commissioner's office announced Ramirez's decision in a statement but did not say whether he tested positive for a banned substance. Ramirez tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug during spring training and retired rather than face a 100-game suspension, sources told ESPN.com. Ramirez previously served a 50-game suspension for violating the drug policy while he was with the Los Angeles Dodgers."

fuckwittage: Rush Limbaugh edition

Rush Limbaugh asks: If the troops aren't paid because of the government shutdown, are they Obama's slaves? | Crooks and Liars: "LIMBAUGH: Theo, thanks for the call. If the troops are not paid by their commander in chief -- I have a question. If the troops still engage in battle, if they go to war and they execute the orders issued by their commanders, if the troops are thus not paid by their commander in chief, are they his slaves? What would you call it? Can those serving in the military just walk off the job? I don't think so. So if Obama does not sign the bill to pay his troops, then it sounds sort of like forced labor to me. I mean, it's one thing, folks -- and we can all agree on this -- it's one thing to have to pick cotton. But to be forced to risk your life overseas without being paid, that's the worst kind of forced labor to me."

An Answer to Tim F about Andrew Sullivan

Balloon Juice » My First And Only Post On The Dreaded Topic:

"Sullivan cannot be this stupid. Can he?"

Yes he can.

You are welcome, Tim.

Andrew Sullivan Engages in Hackery

John Cole's Debt Solution - The Dish | By Andrew Sullivan - The Daily Beast:

"And he seems to believe this will actually end our looming fiscal crisis (while accusing me of being a 'complete innumerate clown'). He also seems to think that the lower tax rates are unfunded additions to the debt, as Bush's were. But they are paid for by eliminating tax loopholes, shelters and gimmicks."

And here I thought that jettisoning Conor F would be an improvement. Guess not.

This is a classic example of selective quoting to completely misrepresent someone's point.

Nice going.

Tweet of the day - Planned Parenthood Edition

Twitter / @molly: If you support defunding P ...:

"If you support defunding Planned Parenthood, then go fuck yourself."

Well put Molly.

The Ultimate RickRoll - Oregon Legislature Edition

How one Oregon lawmaker convinced his colleagues to ‘Rick Roll’ the state legislature - Yahoo! News: "As Smith recalls, the idea came almost instantly. 'What if we were to Rick Roll the legislature without anybody noticing?' he wondered.
And that was the seed for what may ultimately prove to be one of the most elaborate political jokes of all time: A nearly two-minute long video of members of the Oregon House of Representatives saying the lyrics of Rick Astley's ubiquitous '80s pop ballad, 'Never Gonna Give You Up,' literally one word or phrase at a time while in session.
As The Ticket reported yesterday, the video, which was posted to YouTube on April Fools Day, has quickly gone viral, meriting write-ups on dozens of blogs and even getting play on MSNBC.
The big question: Was it real?
The answer, according to Smith, 'absolutely.'"

Dee Dee Meyers on Shutdown Day

Hey Republicans, Here’s One Reason to Avoid a Government Shutdown | VF Daily | Vanity Fair: "If the Republicans still harbor any doubts about whether or not they should shut down the government, those doubts should be long gone for one simple reason: if David Stockman is for it, it must be a bad idea."

On Those Planned Parenthood Cuts The GOP wants

Federal funding and Planned Parenthood. | Adventures in Ethics and Science: "What will happen if Planned Parenthood is defunded? It is very simple. More women will die of otherwise preventable or treatable breast and cervical cancers and potentially of complications of infections such as HIV; more women will have unintended pregnancies leading to more women seeking abortions; fewer women raped or experiencing gender-based violence in their homes at the hands of intimate partners will get health care or referrals to shelters (of which of course there will be few anyway because funds for those also are being cut). More women who rely on Planned Parenthood to identify conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes will not get necessary referrals for treatment. More families will suffer."

On Antidepressants and life in general

I have a headache, feel like I am going to barf, ache all over and am as cranky as hell. I just LOVE changing anti-depressants. Someone remind me to keep on top of this shit better in the future.

On the bright side, my BP and heartrate seem to now be under control and I can almost carry on a  conversation without being distracted by a passing squirrel. Definite improvement.

Most Disingenuous Tweet of the day

Twitter / @newfederal: Want to see what 30+ years ...:

"Want to see what 30+ years of rule by the democrat party will do to a city? Visit Detroit today!"

Of course it is early yet and it is Shutdown Day

Jesse Bering ponders the imponderable - Andrew Sullivan Strokes his beard sagely

Life Beyond Cougarville - The Dish | By Andrew Sullivan - The Daily Beast:

"Jesse Bering explores the little known world of gerontophilia, or a young person's erotic fixation with the elderly."

Elder sexual abuse is reprehensible, of course; but from a bloodless moral philosophical perspective, it does raise intriguing questions about issues related to consent, trauma, and the impact of sex crimes on victims with different psychological and physical stakes. Is the rape of a 98-year-old Alzheimer's patient—who, whether we like it or not, has only a limited awareness of what is happening, just as the perpetrator says—comparable to, say, the rape of a lucid, vulnerable child who would have to deal with the emotional scars of such sexual violence for the rest of his or her long life, or a teenager who might be impregnated? ...

I cannot begin to express my disgust for this. I am not sure what Jesse Bering is up to lately but after the widely derided bullshit about homophobia he has now wandered into this? Perhaps it is time for a vacation? Or a new boy/girlfriend. I am nearly as disgusted with Andrew Sullivan who thinks that the ethics of this is somehow "fuzzy".

storm - Tim Minchin is a genius

Shouldn't they be giving away phasers?

Electronic stores in two states offer free guns | Reuters: "(Reuters) - A chain of electronic stores in parts of the states of Idaho and Montana are offering free guns to first-time subscribers of satellite TV services."

Things that were purported to be true

The Puzzle of Gullibility - NYTimes.com: "George Bush is a nice, moderate guy, who will work in a bipartisan way.

George Bush is a heroic leader, who has risen to the occasion.

The case for invading Iraq is overwhelming; only a fool or a Frenchman could fail to be persuaded by Colin Powell.

John McCain is an independent-thinking maverick.

Paul Ryan is an honest, deeply serious thinker who really cares about the deficit.

The tax cut deal paved the way for a new phase of bipartisanship.

The Ryan plan sets a new standard of seriousness."

Memo to Donald Trump: STFU

Trump Promises To Reveal Secrets Of Obama's Birth Before Summer (VIDEO) | TPMDC: "'I'd like him to show his birth certificate,' Trump said on Today. 'Can I be honest with you? I hope he can. If he can't, if he can't, if he wasn't born in this country, and i'm not saying it's a real possibility. But it's much greater than two or three weeks ago, then he's pulled one of the greatest cons in the history of politics and beyond.'"

Some Answers for John Cole about Andrew Sullivan

Balloon Juice » I Can’t Help Myself:

"Does he seriously not understand that outside the Halperin/Scarborough universe, he looks like a complete innumerate clown? Can his ideology really be blinding him to this extent? Is he simply incapable of absorbing anything that Krugman, Chait, and others point out? Is he really this easily fooled into what constitutes “courage” and “bravery?”"

No, he does not.

Yes, it can.

Yes, he is.

Yes, he is

You are welcome John.

On Astrology

Mississippi Masala - Not according to State GOP

Public Policy Polling: Barbour, Bryant lead in Mississippi:

"We asked voters on this poll whether they think interracial marriage should be legal or illegal- 46% of Mississippi Republicans said it should be illegal to just 40% who think it should be legal"

To which I only have this to say.

What.The.Fuck?

350.org - because you have to have a goal

Mission | 350.org: "Our focus is on the number 350—as in parts per million CO2. If we can't get below that, scientists say, the damage we're already seeing from global warming will continue and accelerate. But 350 is more than a number—it's a symbol of where we need to head as a planet."

ObamaCare Is Starting To Bleed Insurers Dry

ObamaCare Is Starting To Bleed Insurers Dry:

"WellPoint, the health insurer with the largest total enrollment, is set to take a $300 million loss this year due to MLR-related costs. Already the insurer has reclassified more than half a billion dollars in administrative expenses as medical spending to help meet the loss-ratio target."

In other words they are attempting to game the system.

Poor Poor Insurance Companies.

Child Labor is really Anti-child

Anti-Child Labor or Anti-Market?, David Henderson | EconLog | Library of Economics and Liberty:

"So my conclusion is that the law against child labor is really a law against children making money. Thanks, government."

Not even sure what to say about this.

Wil Wheaton on TSA patdowns

I don't feel safe. I feel violated, humiliated, and angry. - WWdN: In Exile: "I have to travel back into the USA next week, and I'll be back and forth between Los Angeles and Vancouver for much of the next several months. When I think about all this travel, I feel helpless, disempowered, and victimized by the airlines and the TSA ... and I'm one of the lucky passengers who has never been sexually assaulted. I can't imagine what it must feel like for someone who has been the victim of sexual violence to know that they are faced with the same two equally-unacceptable choices that I faced yesterday, and will likely face whenever I fly in the future."

Mark Kleiman on Ryan and Medicare

What color is the sky on Jacob Weisberg’s planet? « The Reality-Based Community: "The health care costs faced by older people are not only higher, but much more variable, than those faced by younger people. So even ignoring the fact that under the Ryan plan people who retire after low-wage careers would wind up spending about 2/3 of their retirement income on Medicare-equivalent health insurance – and that’s before we even get to the stuff Medicare doesn’t cover – the proposal is simply incoherent."

this is how you apologize #slutwalk

We’re So Sorry About “The Funny Thing About the Slutwalk” « Thought Catalog: "We apologize from the bottom of our heart. This whole shitstorm has made me sick and all I can really say is I’m so sorry for all of it. Truly. We hope to move forward and produce more thoughtful content in the future."

Andrew Sullivan Should stay away from math

The CBO And The Ryan Plan - The Dish | By Andrew Sullivan - The Daily Beast:

"How would the Democrats bring the ration of debt to GDP to 10 percent in 2050"

Anyone that makes a projection on economic activity 40 years out and expects to be closer than +/- 40% is delusional.

Anyone as innumerate as Andrew Sullivan is should keep their mouth shut about such things.

accusations of fraud in Wisconsin

Conservative Pundit Sees Vote Fraud In Wisconsin Supreme Court Race (VIDEO) | TPMDC:

"'Apparently there were up 10,000 ballots in Dane that just voted on the Supreme Court race,' Fund said, 'which is bizarre because there was an extremely close race for mayor of Madison an extremely close race for Dane County Executive.'

The Dane County Executive race was certainly closely watched, but it was far from 'extremely close.' Democratic state Rep. Joe Parisi won with 70% of the vote. The Mayor's race, which was extremely tight, pitted two left-leaning candidates against each other."

They are delusional accusations but i am sure they will be breathlessly reported.

A working definition of serious

Balloon Juice » I Do Not Think That Word Means What You Think It Means: "As far as I can tell, it has become a modifier to describe any proposal that transfers a financial burden or the balance of life’s risk from society and or its best-off to middle and the poor.  If a suggested change in the social contract doesn’t f*ck the poor, it can’t be serious."

Sullivan is concerned

Flawed, in the sense that it is full of completely implausible assumptions, overly targets the poor and middle class and is a net win for anyone making over about 100 grand (thanks for that anyway). Serious, in the sense that ... how the hel is this plan serious?

Fuck Andrew Sullivan. He has proven to be definitely of a clique. He is a Tory and always has been. Just because he is less crazy than the tea partiers does not make him credible.

i obviously haven't bought pot in a while

WauwatosaNOW: 30 Bags of Pot Found in Purse Left at Mayfair | Today's TMJ4 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin News, Weather, Sports, WTMJ | Local News:

"WAUWATOSA - A purse containing nearly 65 grams of marijuana was left at a cell phone retailer's kiosk at Mayfair on Saturday afternoon."

65 grams is a little over 2 ounces. THAT is 30 bags? wow.

I will never look at a slapchop or shamwow the same way

ShamWow Guy Accused Of Pressuring Employee For Sex, Eggs: "Anna North — Vince Shlomi, the infomercial star responsible for the ShamWow and SlapChop, is being sued by a former assistant who says he pressured her to have a relationship with him — and also offered to buy her eggs."

On Being Unserious about Ryan

Balloon Juice » ATTN: Sully and Weisberg: "Yet many pundits will applaud the plan as brave, innovative and creative. In making these pronouncements these pundits will immediately reveal themselves as worthless hacks who either lack the ability or desire to do their own thinking. Their endorsement of the Ryan plan will be like a scarlet letter permanently marking them as someone who has no place in a serious policy discussion. For this reason we owe Mr. Ryan a real debt of gratitude."

Because i love xkcd

via PZ Meyers

More anti-vaccine nonsense

The resident anti-vaccine reporter at CBS News strikes again : Respectful Insolence: "After all of Attkisson's pandering to the anti-vaccine movement and promoting its message, one huge question remains. Why does CBS News tolerate Attkisson's horrible reporting on vaccines and other scientific issues? I can't speak about her other reporting, but when it comes to science, Sharyl Attkisson is a crank par excellence. She has an agenda; and she tortures the evidence to make it seem to agree with her biases. I also wonder how long it will be before Attkisson joins Dan Olmsted as a writer for AoA. My only surprise is that, nearly four years since I first noticed her, she hasn't made that move already. I suppose I can always hope that CBS News wises up to the anti-vaccine propagandist working as one of its correspondents and forces Attkisson finally to make that move."

Booman does a partial Godwin

Booman Tribune ~ A Progressive Community:

"We see new strains of xenophobia, race-consciousness, religious intolerance, and hyper-patriotism. We see major new strains of anti-intellectualism. We have a toxic brew that is being stirred up and heated up by irresponsible entertainers, demagogues, and provocateurs. It's being funded by corporate interests in a way that is eerily reminiscent of the German industrialists who lent support and encouragement to the National Socialists."

I cannot disagree with him. I wish I could.

Ezra Klein Thinks Ryan is Smart and Edgy

Ryan’s risks - Ezra Klein - The Washington Post:

"Ryan is the kind of politician I fundamentally like. He’s smart, policy-oriented and willing to take political risks — but only, it turns out, of a certain kind. His budget puts Republicans at risk by yoking them to a plan to privatize Medicare, slash Medicaid and cut taxes on the wealthy. Which is to say, it puts Republicans at risk by pulling them very far to the right. But there are no risks of apostasy here. Nothing like Obama pushing Democrats on an individual mandate he had once opposed and a slew of cuts and reforms to Medicare. Nothing like George H.W. Bush agreeing to raise taxes as part of a budget deal. Nothing that might anger people to his right, as opposed to those to his left."

Personally I think that Ryan is just another good looking wingnut that says the same idiotic things but in slightly more palatable ways. It baffles me that Ezra, who actually IS smart, doesn't see right through Paul Ryan.

on Having a serious conversation on BBM or Twitter or ...

It is simply not possible. Signal is too short, the lag is too long and the visual and audio cues that humans rely on are not there.

Or at least it isn't possible for me. I invariably say something in a less than artful manner and by the time I get things put the way that I originally meant them my conversational partner will be a) confused or b)Hurt or c)angry.

Trump in the 20s in NH?

Donald Trump's support surges in New Hampshire - NYPOST.com:

"Donald Trump's suddenly surging presidential chances got another boost Tuesday with the release of a poll that measured the business magnate as the second-most-popular choice for Republican primary voters in the crucial early voting state of New Hampshire.

I find it difficult to believe that NH voters are this stupid. Even members of the GOP

Trump picked up the support of 21 percent of state primary voters, behind only 27 percent for Mitt Romney, the former governor of neighboring Massachusetts, according to the survey from Democratic-leaning firm Public Policy Polling (PPP)."

Paul Ryan is a very serious guy?

Ryan The Ridiculous - NYTimes.com: "Except briefly during the Korean War, the United States has never achieved unemployment as low as Ryan and co. are claiming. The Fed believes that the lowest unemployment rate compatible with price stability is between 5 and 6 percent — that is, twice what Ryan is claiming he will achieve.

This is ridiculous; it’s megalomaniacal. If Obama tried to claim that his policies would achieve anything like this, he’d be laughed out of office."

Bye By Gbagbo?

Reuters: Gbagbo Has Surrendered in Ivory Coast | FDL News Desk:

"Reuters is reporting that, after months of struggle, Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo has surrendered to the UN mission in Abidjan, and he has asked for their protection. However, that has not been confirmed by other news organizations."

Good news if true.

On Afternoon Naps

From Harvard Business Review no less

But here's the reality: naps are a powerful source of competitive advantage. The recent evidence is overwhelming: naps are not just physically restorative, but also improve perceptual skills, motor skills, reaction time and alertness.

So, without further ado ... zzz

Because everyone needs another clock

AVR Oscilloscope Clock : O-Clock - SparkFun Electronics: "Description: The O-Clock can convert your X-Y analog oscilloscope into an analog clock or terminal. In addition, it can be used alone as a function generator. It is very similar to the AVR Oscilloscope Clock Kit, but this board is all SMD and comes fully assembled."

Atomic Cookies!

Atomic Cookies! - Evil Mad Scientist Laboratories: "So even the humble hydrogen atom can be a bit complex. Fortunately, we have advanced technology that can help us cut though the quantum mechanical haze: Cookies!"

Have a restless leg? Try masturbating

Have a restless leg? Try masturbating — The Good Men Project Magazine:

"Masturbation is a wonderful act. It can prevent prostate cancer for men over 50. It can help you live longer. And now a new study shows that it can even cure your restless legs."

So many medical benefits

Disturbing yet intriguing video on Quadrocopters

Atlanta Kickball Captain gets a wee bit too serious

Kickball Rec League Captain Sends Out Fantastically Bitchy Email To His Underperforming Team: "Tell ya what, if any of you guys are going to bring that lame shit out to field next week, why don't you do us all a favor and just stay home and watch t.v. instead. Seriously, I am embarrassed to be a part of this. We LOST 20 - 0 tonight. That is a freaking joke."

All you need to know about NRO's analysis is in the paragraph

Paul Ryan’s Fiscal Framework - By Chris Edwards - The Corner - National Review Online:

"As a first step toward budget sanity, Ryan proposes further cuts to discretionary spending beyond those currently being debated. However, his main focus is on transforming the so-called entitlements. He would transition Medicare from the current Soviet-style system to one based on consumer choice. Instead of a system based on payments to health-care providers, new retirees would receive a “premium support” payment to buy a private insurance plan of their own choosing. "

Anyone that seriously uses the phrase "Soviet-Style System" in reference to Medicare is unworthy of further reading. If you want to engage in conversation on the topic at least be somewhat grounded in reality.

Andrew Sullivan is Boggled

Butters On Free Speech - The Dish | By Andrew Sullivan - The Daily Beast:

"To place views of military commanders over the First Amendment is mind-boggling"

Not sure why Andrew would be surprised at this. Graham has often shown distinctly fascist tendencies.

Weird Google Tricks

For some bizarre reason Google has decided to show me everything about my account in German.

Is Andrew Sullivan really this heartless?

Vouchers For Medicare - The Dish | By Andrew Sullivan - The Daily Beast:

"Yep: seniors will have to accept limits to the care they receive. And instead of the government rationing, they will just have vouchers that do not keep up with the price of cutting edge medicine."

Or am I misreading him?

Yes, I have snipped off the part where he says that 250K+ earners will have to share in the sacrifice but I do not for the life of me see how that makes this any less depraved.

Bodies From 2009 Air France Crash Are Found - NYTimes.com

Bodies From 2009 Air France Crash Are Found - NYTimes.com: "At a spot no farther than six miles north of the last known location of Air France Flight 447, side-scan sonar detectors attached to a tiny unmanned submarine late Saturday stumbled across a field of metal debris strewn across the sandy ocean floor 600 miles off the coast of northern Brazil."

My New Favorite Website - Hello Kitty Hell

Hello Kitty Sushi - Hello Kitty Hell:

"I dislike Hello Kitty in many ways, but I especially dislike her as part of my food. There is just something about the comments of how Hello Kitty is giving us sustenance to live that makes me want to hurl everything up. Then again, that queasy feeling of not being able to keep your food down pretty much sums up how your body reacts to virtually everything when you live in Hello Kitty Hell…"

It is a sad fact that the woman that I love is a Hello Kitty fan. I don't share her fanaticism.

Not Boehner

This is almost certainly a hoax.

I should probably  apologize to Speaker Boehner for thinking so little of him.

But I just can't bring myself to.

Stay Classy Prime Minister Harper

Harper under fire for tossing Londoners out of Tory rally | London | News | London Free Press: "A spokesperson for Prime Minister Stephen Harper offered an apology Monday to a local teen who claims she was turfed from Harper’s London rally over her Facebook picture with Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff."

Trumping Fox : Part 2

Bernie Goldberg - Donald Trump 2012 - Bill O'Reilly | Mediaite:

"O’Reilly agreed, though he expressed concern about the media’s “confusion” about Trump’s potential run. He compared the bad press to what Sarah Palin has had to endure. “The press has been kind of snarky, not vicious like Palin, but condescending,” O’Reilly noted, asking if it will get worse as time goes along. “It will if he catches on,” Goldberg predicted, reiterating that the fact that “most politicians couldn’t run a lemonade stand” gives Trump an edge, but alienates the media, which “will get nasty” if Trump’s poll numbers rise enough to make him a viable candidate."

If Donald Trump is ever a viable candidate for President of the United States then we truly are fucked.

On Tornado Watches During Basketball

All I can say to Mother Nature is "Don't even think about fucking with my NCAA Final!"

Boehner?

Zandar Versus The Stupid:

"Boehner: 'It's not going to happen in the US. The kids here are too fat, too lazy, to addicted to TV, fast food, cheap credit, and facebook. I have news for you- there are plenty of jobs out there- the unemployed don't want them. Today's college student feels entitled to make at least $24 right after college. When they find out they can collect unemployment they would rather do that. You know the average college educated unemployed person is collecting $60k a year? The CATO institute did a study- and I mean, you and me we're hard workers we could just sit around and live, but these kids today- that's all they've been doing their entire lives. I'm not worried for this country- there are a few of them who actually want to work, take Mark Zucker(sic). You don't build a site like facebook out of thin air- it takes talent and hard work. I went to a community college and all I saw were people sitting in front of computers typing away, their eyes were fixed. Probably just facebooking away.'"

This stuff is so far over the top that I have a bit of a problem in believing that Boehner would actually say it to a reporter.

I would love to be wrong though because it would show the contempt that the GOP has for everyday Americans.

Yet Another Data Breach

Data breach hits JPMorgan, Kroger customers | Reuters: "The vendor sends over 40 billion email ads and offers annually, usually to people who register for a company's website and or give their email addresses while shopping. Some of Epsilon's other clients include Verizon (VZ.N), Blackstone Group LP's (BX.N) Hilton Hotels, Kraft (KFT.N), and AstraZeneca (AZN.L)."

White House on new Israeli Settlements

White House Condemns New Israeli Settlements Announced on Eve of Israeli President’s Visit - Political Punch: "'Not only are continued Israeli settlements illegitimate, Israel’s actions run counter to efforts to resume direct negotiations,' Vietor said."

Chris Christie on Cronyism

Gov. Chris Christie Takes Care Of His Buddies, Puts His Personal Chiropractor On State Licensing Board | Crooks and Liars: "“I guess in the interests of full disclosure, the governor could have told us,” said Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Nicholas Scutari (D-Union). “Why not? He got his personal driver on the parole board,” referring to Christie’s campaign driver, Allen Delvento, who earns $116,500 for a spot on the parole board."

A good question about Medicare "reform"

It's Not Demagoguery If It's True: "But wait, you might be saying -- isn't Medicare less expensive than private insurance, since Medicare spends so little on overhead and administration, while private insurance spends so much (not to mention what has to be set aside for profits)? And isn't this supposed to be a plan to balance the budget? So how do you take less expensive Medicare, turn it into a voucher program for more expensive private insurance, and save money?"

Krugman on Pawlenty

I Think Pawlenty Misunderstands Me - NYTimes.com: "And Pawlenty — who knows so little about the whole subject that he fell for a well-known zombie claim (killed by facts, but still shambling along) about soaring government employment — is hardly qualified to lecture anyone else on the issue."

Mark Williams Is Delusional

Take Down Obama from the Inside » Mark Williams, Talk Show Host / Author / Public Speaker: "I am looking forward to seeing my fellow patriots on the “inside” working to become monkey wrenches in the machinery of Marxist despotism."

Why "ObamaCare for Seniors" does not work

Healthcare Spending by Age Group:

Age Group	1990 Total	2006 Total
Under 25	$1,057	$3,016
25 to 34	$2,081	$4,576
35 to 44	$2,768	$5,713
45 to 54	$3,059	$6,463
55 to 64	$3,213	$7,703
65 to 74	$7,619	$21,116
75 and over	$7,486	$20,965

Any Questions?

OK, Maybe Holder isn't completely craven

Eric Holder: Moving KSM Trial to Gitmo Wrong Decision, But We’re Doing It Anyway | Emptywheel: "Not only did he reiterate his judgment that trying KSM in a civilian trial was the right decision, he also noted that it’s not clear whether military commissions can impose the death penalty on someone who pleads guilty."

On Judicial Minimalism

The Slow-Motion Destruction of Establishment Clause Enforcement: "Among other things, the case is an object lesson in the general vacuity of 'minimalism.' It would be much more honest for the Court to just overturn Flast v. Cohen outright rather than bleed it to death with this ridiculous hair-splitting."

About that Medicare "reform"

Daily Kos: GOP to propose eliminating Medicare, replace it with voucher-like subsidies: "But if they really believe their plan would be so great for seniors, why wait until 2021? Why not just do it now? I could see needing two or three years for implementation, but 10 years? C'mon, guys. It's obvious that the only reason you're exempting people who are 55 and older from your proposal is because you know that anybody who actually spends any time thinking about it (like, for example, people who are close to Medicare eligibility) will quickly understand that this proposal is a complete joke."

Statement of Obvious from Human Rights First

Human Rights Group Says Obama's KSM Trial Decision Is 'Clearly' Political | TPMMuckraker: "The Obama administration's forthcoming announcement that Khalid Sheikh Mohammad and other Sept. 11 conspirators prisoners will be tried in military commissions at Guantanamo Bay, is 'clearly just a political decision,' Daphne Eviatar, a senior associate at Human Rights First, told TPM in an interview."

Arne Duncan on Big-Time College Athletics

What’s Missing from March Madness? Better Academics – ED.gov Blog: "Like millions of fans, I’ll be watching the tournament, rooting for my favorites. As a kid on the South Side of Chicago who loved basketball, I got to see the best and the worst of college sports. I spent time on the court with inner-city players who had been used and dumped by their universities. When the ball stopped bouncing, they struggled to find work and had difficult lives. Some died early. The dividing line for success was between those who went to college and got their degrees, and those who did not. If a team fails to graduate even half of its players, how serious are the institution and coach about preparing their student-athletes for life?"

Every Sperm Is Sacred: Alabama Edition

New bills in Alabama would grant personhood at the ‘moment of fertilization’ | The Washington Independent: "Senate Bill 301, introduced by Sen. Phil Williams (R-Cherokee, Etowah), is a proposal to amend the Alabama Code of 1975 to change the definition of the term “person” to mean: “any human being from the moment of fertilization or the functional equivalent thereof.”"

Wishing for Ponies on health Care

The GOP Health Care Plan: A Difference in Kind, Not Degree - Megan McArdle - Business - The Atlantic: "The third way would be to bet on innovation. There is nothing to say a cutting edge treatment can't be cheaper (but just as effective) as an existing one. Admittedly, neither Obamacare nor our previous system really encourage innovation in this area, but there is no law of nature against it."

ICT MxR Lab's Response to Google's Gmail Motion

Brilliant. Makes me want to get a Kinect

Obama Campaign Kickoff Video

Despite all my crankiness with him I would still vote for him over ANY of the fools that the GOP can possibly put up.

And don't even get me started on the idea of primarying him. All I can say to those idiots is "say hello to President Romney".

On our stupid immigration policies

Yglesias » Increased Arts Visa Scrutiny Causing Headaches for Cultural Institutions: "We already have a visa waiver program for European tourists, so the existing visa system does nothing to keep out potential terrorists or criminals with European passports, the only people inconvenienced are people who want to do work and increase America’s economic potential. It’s a silly way of shooting ourselves in the foot."

Herman Cain is a bigot. Fullstop

Cain: No Religion In Politics Except For "Biblical Principles" | Right Wing Watch: "“The First Amendment says everybody can practice whatever religion they choose. [Muslims] are free to practice their religion in the United States, just like all other legitimate religions. But they are not free to infuse their religious beliefs into our laws. We don’t do that in the United States, and if I’m president I’m going to work to keep it that way.”"

Anthony Weiner Reads From 'House Mouse Senate Mouse' Children's Book

Snort, Giggle

Gutless DOJ Reversal - Obama should be ashamed

Reports: In Major Reversal, Holder To Announce KSM Trial Will Be Held At Guantanamo | TPMMuckraker: "Attorney General Eric Holder will announce today that Khalid Sheikh Mohammad, the self-proclaimed Sept. 11 mastermind, will be tried in a military commission -- a complete reversal of his initial announcement that the trial would be held in New York City -- CBS News reports."

Electoral Redistricting should not be done by politicians

Lamar Smith, Joe Barton in Texas map dust-up - John Bresnahan - POLITICO.com: "The dispute is over the makeup of four new congressional districts for the Lone Star State, and centers on the racial balance — including the controversial issue of “bleaching,” or including more white voters in a district — of the new political map for Texas."

Never Blame the victim: #slutwalk #Toronto

SlutWalk Toronto | BECAUSE WE'VE HAD ENOUGH: "On January 24th, 2011, a representative of the Toronto Police gave shocking insight into the Force’s view of sexual assault by stating: “women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized”."

GOP is the party of Small Government

GOP 2012 hopefuls united against Planned Parenthood funding - The Hill's Ballot Box: "The rumored field of 2012 presidential hopefuls is uniting behind a plan to cut all federal funding for Planned Parenthood, aligning them with a group of House conservatives who are insisting that any final budget deal includes a policy rider to defund the organization."

PZ Meyers on The Morality of Killing

Shades of gray : Pharyngula:

"I'm an extremist in this debate, I will freely confess. I hold an absolute view that no killing is ever justified, that individuals have the necessity to defend themselves against assailants, but that even that does not grant moral approval to snuffing out the life of another. Don't even try to pull out a scale and toss a copy of the Koran on one side and the life of a single human being on the other — the comparison is obscene. Do not try to tell me that some people are 'moderates' when they tolerate or even support and applaud war and death and murder for any cause, whether it is oil, or getting even, or defending the honor of wood pulp and ink."

I am not quite as much of an extremist on this as PZ (though close) but this is a very thoughtful piece

Best year in safety ever. Wait, what?

Transocean Execs Get Bonuses For 'Best Year In Safety,' Despite Gulf Disaster: "Transocean Ltd. gave its top executives bonuses for achieving the 'best year in safety performance in our company's history' – despite the explosion of its oil rig that killed 11 people and spilled 200 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico."

Compassionate Conservatism?

Fox Yappers on Cashin' In Love the Idea of Replacing Union Workers With Welfare Recipients | Video Cafe: "HOENIG: What about just getting rid of welfare? Let me just throw that one out there Cheryl as a real alternative idea. I mean, point to me somewhere in the Constitution where it says anything about charity. It does not. Now were the founders such (?) were they such jerks that they didn't want to put that? No. Of course because charity is something that should be privately motivated. And I'm sorry Cheryl, working for money. That's called a job, not another government assistance program, another government handout program."

Altruism in Japan

Report: Fukushima nuke workers expect to die - World news - Asia-Pacific - msnbc.com:

"TOKYO — The workers at Japan's stricken nuclear power plant — known as the Fukushima 50 — expect some of them will die within weeks or months, the mother of one has reportedly said."

via Bon The Geek at ZVTS

Are we too stupid to be governed?

CNN Poll: Americans flunk budget IQ test - CNN: "According to a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Friday, most Americans think that the government spends a lot more money than it actually does on such unpopular programs as foreign aid and public broadcasting."