Shameless Acts of Cuteness -- 12/30/09

Scorn for Obstructionists: Who Will Clear a Path?

What, you may ask, is an Obstructionist?  Does it suffice as a word that encapsulates all those upon whom I wish to heap my scorn?  Yes.  They stand in the way of progress for the sake of tradition or the dollar out of just pure stubborness.  The Obstructionist comes in two forms: the End-Times Believer, convinced that a planet and it's people are in "God's" hands and so therefore have no need to be responsible to one another, and the Profiteer: Lobbyists and the political machine that prop them up and the Media who cannot see the forest for the trees.

To obstruct progress out of fear or, as I see it, due to one's religious beliefs, seems horribly irrational.  A tradition tied to the past is doomed to repeat itself. How's that for hyperbole?!? Religion should only be viewed as a success when it empowers everyone who comes into contact with it--not when it is a destructive force obviously presided over by an all-too-human enterprise rather than an all-powerful God.  Fear-mongering has convinced the political right to stand firm against progress of any kind.  As they throw out empty threats, the political right in America has reduced itself to its own epithet.  Self-aggrandizement, as far as I know, has never been the most noble of Christian values!  Every right-wing obstructionist on the scene has no platform upon which to stand other than a tradition of bigotry and isolation.  Compassion for fellow humans (i.e. health care coverage) and the earth (global warming) should be the Christian values of the day!  The "I'm gonna look out for me and mine" mentality can only take a religion so far unless it is willing to diversify and not be a tribe of racists!  But, then again, I'm just a heathen, so what do I know :)

The money-driven Obstructionist comes in several forms.  You have your everyday Lobbyist, selling out to the corporate entity, stepping on the heads of the masses to climb to the upper eschelons of the political world to offer funding and perks to politicians in order to help sway policy. And then you have your Media with something to sell to those stupid masses, be it information or entertainment. . .  or infotainment.  You also have the corporate entities themselves, but of course it is obvious that money drives a corporation or an industry. 

Lobbyists are currently spending outrageous amounts of money during our worst economic recession in several decades to obstruct health care reform.  Simple research can provide us with examples of lawmakers accepting campaign contributions or otherwise from lobbyist groups.  The Obama administration, in the attempt to be more transparent, has banned lobbyists from federal positions and influence, but lawmakers continue to roll around in their money.

Meanwhile, the news media has such a knack for obstruction.  You can always rely on them for objective reporting of the latest up-to-the-minute Tiger Wood's scandal news.  Who needs the facts about corrupt politicians, bankers, and the economy when something like a sex scandal is just lying around.  The stupid masses don't want real reporting; they want something they can sink their teeth into.  Give em a juicy adultery or a peek-a-boo snapshot from the paparazzi of a teen idol's naughty bits.  That's what they want!  It's about ratings and advertising dollars, not about real reporting or uncovering the background story of health care reform.  It is almost as if they assume everyone of our lawmakers are corrupt or corruptible and so, therefore, that isn't newsworthy.

Who will clear a path through all of this rubbish?  Jesus or Santa Claus? Obama?  Maybe Tiger Woods will save us; he seems to have enough to go around!:)

Shameless Acts of Cuteness -- 12/17/09

Have you EVER seen a sweeter face?
Nope; never in a million years :)

Five Reasons Why Senator Joseph Lieberman is the Most Evil Person of the Decade

Good ol' Joseph Isadore Lieberman!

Just when you think he's decided to become a rational voice for the poeple of Connecticut rather than a raving lunatic, there he is to prove you wrong!  In fact, it is my opinion that Droopy Dog Lieberman, a.k.a. Senator Palpatine, has been a turncoat for whichever enemy exists since at least the 2000 presidential election.  Here's why:

1. Joe Isn't Very Confident In Himself:  He refused to give up his Senate seat during the 2000 election.  Rather than focusing on winning the Vice Presidency, Joey decided to ensure some victory on election night.  If he had let go of the Senate seat, another Democrat could have easily won.  What "was Joe Lieberman trying to tell us"?  Was he trying to say that he KNEW something we didn't? 

2. Joe Isn't Very Confident in Democrats Like Al Gore:  Lieberman dropped the ball in the days after the 2000 presidential election by helping Bush win.  At least that is how his commentary appeared when the DNC was contesting illegal ballots from the military and he argued that they should be counted regardless.  When he decided to go his own way rather than following the legal strategy of his own party then, the rift in his loyalties became obvious.
3.  Joe Was NEVER a Democrat:  When his constituents decided in 2006 to vote for an anti-war Democratic candidate for Joe's Senate seat in the primary, Joe decided that he would run on an independent ticket as his growing love for the Bush administration policies and his continuing swing to the right, socially as well as fiscally, brought him closer to the man he is today.

4.  Joe Is a Sore Winner and Cries So That He Can Keep His Senate Chairmanship Position:  After his win as an Independent, Lieberman bellyached and whined and promised to caucus with the Democrats so that the Democratic majority would allow him to keep his coveted chairmanships: Lieberman chairs the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, the subcommittee on Private Sector and Consumer Solutions to Global Warming and Wildlife Protection, and the Subcommittee on AirLand Forces.
5. Joe Hates the American People Enough to Keep 50 million of them from Health Care:  Somebody beat me to the punch by labelling him the Douche of the Decade, but Joe really, seriously needs to go away! Now!

5 Things to Scorn From the First Decade of the New Millenium

#5. The Many Wars of George W. Bush

Bush the Second, among his myriad of faults and deficiencies, somehow managed to "win" two terms in office.  His presidency will be forever marred by a politics  based on the "end-times" theory: it's the end-times folks, so who gives a rat's ass about the (i.e., economy, foriegn relations, infrastructure, planet, sinners, blue states, voters, truth, etc.).  Not only did GW start two wars, neither of which are popular now and one of which never should have been started apparently, but he also propelled forward the culture wars begun by the lovely Reagan's.  The Drug War, being the most popular, my favorite though is the less known War against the Gays.  This war actually won over voters for Bush II in 2004's election.  So-called "values" voters came out, supposedly, in force to help propel the War against the Gays forward and keep GW in office.  Needless to say, I could go on, but because I hate the man so much, I won't.

#4.  The Collapse of Civilization: CROCS

Okay, folks.  Maybe they are comfortable.  Maybe they are functional.  Maybe they make you feel like you're wearing nothing at all, but COME ON!!!  They are UGLY as SIN and not nearly as much fun!  Here's an experiment you should try:
1.  Take your pair of Crocs
2.  Use a shoestring to link them together
3.  Throw them over the nearest telephone wire
4.  Leave them there
5.  Rinse (because you touched those nasty crocs)
6.  Repeat (because you probably have another pair!)


#3.  Further Proof of the Collapse of Civilization: UGGS

It's in the NAME people UGGLY UGGS!!!Maybe, again, they are comfortable.  Maybe they keep your feet warm.  Maybe they are your favorite pair of boot-type foot wear. But that DOESN'T make it right.  I would suggest trying the same experiment as above; however, an even better thing to do is this:  Since they are SO expensive and since you  may have waited months to get your ugly-ass pair of boots, donate them to the local Salvation Army or Goodwill and let them profit from your mistake.  Better yet, if you need your money back, call the company and complain about how ugly they are.  The worst that could happen is they give you a free second pair---UGH, I mean UGG!

#2. "Truthiness" in News Broadcasting: The Rise of Faux News

The word 'truthiness', first coined by Stephen Colbert (pictured) on his conservative news program on Comedy Central--a bastion of hard-hitting journalism--is what he defines as a gut-feeling that he gets about the world, much in the way that GW Bush knew things "in his gut" rather than up there in his wishy-washy, elitist head.  Unfortunately, truthiness in news broadcasting has become a dangerous proponent of opinion-based "news"  60% of all the programs on Fox News Channel are NOT news programs, but opinion programs.  Further, the 40% of news programs tend to then "report" on the hearsay and conjecture that their sister opinion programs throw out into the void of media.  Truthiness in the way Colbert imparts it is heart-warming, poking fun at those idiots at Fox who either dumb themselves down to appeal to the audience of yokels watching or who use emotional outbursts and machismo to, hmmmmmm. . . appeal to the audience of yokels watching.  If I could have truthiness from Colbert and some semblence of truth from what passes as news, rather than continuous reporting on Michael Jackson's trial or Tiger Wood's affairs or some other bullsh*t, that would be aight.

#1.  Republicans: The Party of NO

Need I say more? 

Shameless Acts of Cuteness -- 12/10/09

What?  You don't like my sweater?  It's cold outside, dude!

"Fair" and "Balanced" "News" Coverage: Or Why Fox News Cannot Add

Did Fox News falsify the numbers on a recent Rasmussen poll to support their own theories on Global Warming?  Looks like it.  Otherwise, Fox News is so good that it comes with its own extra, added 20%!  Just like shampoo or cereal. Fox News, now with 20% more BULLSH*T!  I thought it couldn't be done ;)

Shameless Acts of Cuteness -- 12/6/09

Bigots, Bigots Everwhere. . .Especially in the NYS Senate

The dictionary definition of a bigot breaks down the component parts that hold back progress in the U.S.  "A person who regards his own faith and views in matters of religion as unquestionably right, and any belief or opinion opposed to or differing from them as unreasonable or wicked. In an extended sense, a person who is intolerant of opinions which conflict with his own, as in politics or morals; one obstinately and blindly devoted to his own church, party, belief, or opinion.[1913 Webster]"

Many of the New York State Senators yesterday noted that the civil rights of marriage should be extended to every citizen, regardless of whom they love.  Any rational human being should be able to agree that establishing equal rights is the RIGHT thing for a state senator to accomplish; however, when put to the test, bigotry and hatred won out.  It is my opinion (and possibly a fact) that the reason this issue has stalled so often in so many states, whether through referendum or in the legislature, has more to do with the misgivings most of us have about marriage.  For years, many gays that I knew didn't even care about this issue because marriage was for the straights. It reinforced monogamy upon the polyamorphously perverse.  Most gays I knew WANTED to be sexually free and not tied down to "the one".  Mr. Right was always Mr. Right-Now.  It's not only the gays that have misgivings about marriage!  Ask the 50% of straight people who have gone through divorce how they feel about marriage. Almost anyone will acknowledge that everyone deserves the same rights and protections under the law, until something as controversial as Gays or Marriage comes up.  Then, for some reason, they hide behind the bigotry of so-called morality.  Legislators everywhere acknowledge that gay marriage will happen eventually.  "It is inevitable", they say.  "Maybe not today, but some day".  In the meantime, how about some reparations?  If those out there who are seeking equal marriage rights cannot get them, how about they stop paying taxes until they do?  How about they stop supporting a government that would oppress them and make them second-class citizens.  Why wouldn't that be appropriate? 

But bigots are everywhere.  Not just in politics.  They sway public opinion and the tyranny of the majority makes rash decisions that harm others knowingly.

I've always warned against the dangers of tacit agreement.  As a non-believer, it is much easier for me to see the rational side of a controversial issue.  Having so many close friends who still identify as Christian, they always stop me with "Hey, not all Christians hate the gays!" My point isn't that all Christians are bad, but that when you attend a church you are tacitly accepting that churches' ideology.  Churches are political machines more and more these days and their tax-exempt status is protected by the First Amendment regardless of this dangerous intermingling of Church and State.  I'm not sure many Christians would be happy if the moral underpinnings of the Islamic faith were influencing policy and politics in America!

  Christian friends must realize that while they may have a personal relationship with God the money they are tithing to the church can be working against their own individual beliefs.  Actively question the motives of your church!  If you find yourself at odds, do not be a part of the machine.  Do not enable hypocrasy and bigotry!

Bad Michelle Bachmann! Repug Dream Ticket: Palin/Bachmann 2012

This<--- is crazy Michelle Bachmann, U.S. Representative from the 6th Congressional District of Minnesota and the runner up for this year' first annual Tea Party Queen (Of course, Sarah is the winner this year).  Ms. Bachmann, a staunch opponent of any federal stimulus funds to help her constituents, now has the distinction of being the congressperson whose "district has the highest number of foreclosures".

Wow!  I guess when you are a teabagger, your constituents really are ONLY gonna get a bag in the face!
My question is this: How did this woman win a second term?  Did she help issue these faulty home loans in her first term as a way to win over voters?  Maybe she should go back to the pageant circuit with Sarah and stick to it!

Religious Hypocrisy: Bad Rick Warren

Intolerance can get ugly.  As "Pastor" Warren makes the rounds again, for some odd reason (he must have a book coming out), he has decided to keep mum on a very important issue in Ugandan politics.  "Why", you make ask, "why is Rick Warren, the super-church wonder boy, involved in Ugandan politics?"  Well, as you may remember, his "ministry" does work in Africa, helping them to burn condoms and conduct witch hunts.  I guess it would be easier to overlook this blustering blowhard if his congregation weren't 20,000 strong in California.  And to top it all off, he made the baby Jesus cry!  It is the ultimate in hypocrisy to call abortion a "genocide" but to not condemn proposed Ugandan laws to exterminate homosexuals.  Bad Rick Warren!

Shameless Acts of Cuteness -- 11/24/09

why you leaving me out here? Huh?

Today's Object of Scrutiny: Palin Supporters

Basically, in this clip taken from a book-signing in Columbus, Ohio, they can speak for themselves.  I just want to add one point: Idiocy should NOT be considered an American value!

Bad Catholic Bishop Thomas Tobin: Weekend Scorn Edition

Catholic Bishop Thomas Tobin, under direction from the former Cardinal Ratzinger in 2004 (now he's a pope or something like that), has given the order to refuse Democratic Representative Patrick Kennedy the rites of holy communion.  Wow!  Without committing the "sin" of abortion himself, Rep. Kennedy has somehow now been denied the body of Christ.  Isn't it interesting though, that back in 2004, Cardinal Ratzinger was kind enough to let Catholics know, however, that "if a Catholic thinks a candidate's positions on other issues outweigh the difference on abortion, a vote for that candidate would not be considered sinful."  So Catholics, go ahead and vote for the last remaining Kennedy in politics--just know that in doing so, he cannot get into heaven because of his "obstinate persistence" to give women the rights to their own bodies!  Well, obviously, this personal vendetta violates every intention of the separation of church and state and Bishop Tobin should be ashamed of himself!  Just another reason for the Federal Government to deny churches who practice political manipulation from the pulpit tax exempt status!  Let them pay for Universal Health Care coverage!

Shameless Acts of Cuteness -- 11/20/09

Boo Boo
Ball Ball

Even Later Why-So-Serious Midday Comedy Break

Buffy the Edward Cullen Slayer

Late-In-The-Day Scorn--A Helpful Heaping

BULLIES!

  Bullies, it seems, are everywhere.  They are in the schools, sometimes even disguised as teachers.  Sometimes they are on the sport's field.  Sometimes, they are groups of holier-than-though holy men.  Sometimes the bullying just goes too far.  Unfortunately, all of these four instances of bullying happened within the last several days. 

Shameless Acts of Cuteness

Me and My BooBoo

Why-So-Serious Midday Comedy Break

Funny Movies

Facebook Friend Fave Post of the Day

have you ever noticed that after Monday and Tuesday even the calendar says WTF?

-courtesy of the lovely and talented MJ Newman

Bad Ben Nelson (D)-Nebraska

So, unfortunately, a Democrat will be the first individual I heap my scorn upon.  Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska, a gentleman with much more power than he should have, given that he represents less than 1% of the people in the United States yet holds a powerful Senate seat, has been one of the holdouts in the Democratic majority fighting against health care reform. 
HMMM. . . wonder why?  Could it be that he has ties to the health insurance industry?  Could it be that he, and several other Senators are "top recipients of campaign contributions from the health insurance industry and have former staffers working for the industry"?

Well, that just makes him today's turkey!  Even though his constituents overwhelmingly support the public option, Nelson continues to hem and haw and threaten to "derail reform".  So my question for Senator Nelson is this:  whom do you represent?  Is it the less than 2 million residents of the great state of Nebraska or the three major health insurance providers with whom you have ties?  Contributions from the industry in the last campaign cycle to Senator Nelson totalled over $91,000, so it seems a bit suspicious to me that he, along with two other Democratic holdouts (Mary Landrieu (D)-Louisiana and Blanche Lincoln(D)-Arkansas) should be vocal opponents of reform while their consituents call for it overwhelmingly!  Luckily, the Senate version of health care reform includes an abortion compromise and seems to be the most viable yet, and should move through the Senate vote easily if not for the threats of one Mr. Nelson.  Get your priorities straight Mr. Nelson!  Maybe we should threaten to take away his health care plan!

Shameless Acts of Cuteness

Facebook Friend Fave Post of the Day

Revjen Miller wants a cage match against Elizabeth Hasselbeck.

--courtesy of Reverend Jen Miller

Why-So-Serious Midday Comedy Break

Stupak-Pitts -- It Really is the Pitts!

The historic health care bill recently passed in the House is a great first step toward health coverage for every American.  However, the Stupak-Pitts amendment to the bill will "produce industry-wide effects, leading to the elimination of health plan coverage for nearly all medically indicated abortions."

  Seems to deflate all the balloons at what otherwise would have been a great party, huh?  To appease those socially conservative Democrats in the South and Midwest and to acquire their votes,Stupak-Pitts was intended to prohibit ANY federal funds being used to cover the expense of abortion.  Welcome, everyone, to the Great State of Mississippi!  I want to use Mississippi as a shining example of women's rights, and come back to the implications of Stupak-Pitts.  Mississippi, where the age of legal sexual consent is 16, with a small stipulation: "If the female is over 12, the status[of 16] applies only to virgins."  Previous sexual exposure brings the age of consent down to 12!!!  Nowhere in this law does it say "consensual" sexual exposure, mind you.  Now on to the abortion laws in Mississippi.  Without BOTH parent's consent (in writing from the mother) no woman under the age of 18 may acquire an abortion.  Currently, in the state of Mississippi, there is ONE abortion clinic!  The fact that the state has the highest teen birth rate (68.4 per 1000) comes as no surprise. 

The state of Mississippi has been lauded by the nation's oldest pro-life organization, Americans United for Life (AUL) as an example for the nation, where over 10 laws limiting abortion access have been passed in the last decade.  The number of teen births in a state seems to be directly connected to the proportion of legal barriers in place in a state barring women from acquiring abortion.  In the poorest of states, such as Mississippi, health care coverage that does not allow access to abortion to poor teens and women in the state will perpetuate this trend.  As health care coverage becomes more and more realistic, federal restriction against women's rights to abortion, even if only a financial restraint, represents another tedious and treacherous hurdle for Health Care Reform.  The bill will now most likely falter in the Senate.  Day Two: Bad House of Representatives! 

Late-Nite Video

Shameless Acts of Cuteness

Wanna kiss?

Facebook Friend Fave Post of the Day

:| Oh boy, the Serkis just rolled into town (a.k.a. the guy who looks like Gollum).

-Courtesy of the lovely Deana Z.

Why-So-Serious Midday Comedy Break

Here at NAR, we (the royal 'we' as in me and the mouse in my pocket) strive to provide you with cutting-edge commentary from our lofty post high above the experience of common, everyday mendacity.
With that in mind, here is your first, daily sampling of funny:

For Starters. . .

Hmmm.  Where to begin. . .

With so many individuals and organizations to choose from, it seems a bit difficult to lock onto one deserving enough of my ridicule and scorn.  I could start with the obvious gang of regulars.  You know, your O'Reilly's, Beck's, or Limbaugh's of the world.  I even hear that Sarah Palin has a new work of fiction about to hit the bargain bins just in time for the holiday season (ahem. . . I mean X-mas for you purists).
I think, though, that I should start big.  Maybe I should go after an entire body of politicians who cannot seem to "do the right thing".  Congress.

I could single out a group of legislators, like the Blue-Dog Democrats, who just cannot seem to shake loose from the shackles of those pesky Health Industry Lobbyists, pouring hundreds of thousands of dollars into re-election campaigns or writing (for them) talking points about Health Care Reform, but it seems too small a target. I could go after just the Republicans who cannot seem to grasp reality at all, even when it smacks them in the face.  I could simply deride Minority Leader Bohner's orange hue, but that just seems petty and like something the politically-charged version of Perez Hilton would do (yuck!).

  Rather, I think I will take on the entire lot of them!   Why not, cause when it comes to reform, this legislative body could start at home:

 Dozens in Congress Under Ethics Inquiry.  It's a very sad state of affairs when the greatest legislative body in the United States cannot monitor its own ethics when it comes to Lobbyists.

It's a real possibility that Lobbying might just be a major deterent to progress--don't ya think (thanks Sarah!)?  To whom do our congresspeople answer?  Constituents or the groups that offer them gifts as they try to buy votes?  When members of the Ethics Committee in Congress themselves come under fire, will real Lobby Reform happen?  Bloody unlikely!

I would definitely appreciate a congressional body that did the responsible thing for once, rather than the thing that had the money backing it all the time.  (Ahem. . . health care please!)

Anyway, why would the Obama administration take issue with these Lobbyists?  Isn't it interesting that upon assuming office Obama Bars Lobbyists from His Administration.  In fact, the Obama Administration has continued its "No Lobbyist" ban through even last week as reported: White House/ Lobbyists Still At Odds

Could it be that our new president sees the ethical challenges faced in Congress presented by these Lobbyists?  Could it be that he wants to avoid exactly these types of scandals, everpresent in our current legislative system?  It may appear that I am after the Lobbyists here in my first post; however, self-interest will never die.  Companies and organizations will ALWAYS be in the business of self-preservation.  It's the way they are allowed to influence our lawmakers that is being called into question. Lawmakers, especially those elected to the offices of the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate, need to understand exactly why they have been put into office.  Not because it is God's will (don't get me started), but because they have an ethical responsibility to make life better for their constituents.

As bailed-out banks are being blamed for our current 10% unemployment and as their CEOs continue to take multi-million dollar bonuses, the right thing for our lawmakers to do is start at home:   Reform Lobbying!  It's the Responsible thing to do.

What's the Freakin' Point?

Hi all.  For years, I've imagined that my superhero ability or mutant power should be the capacity to put the right people in their place.  I would fly around the world, waiting for the moment that someone deserved his or her comeuppance.  My sharp tongue and rapier-like wit would rip them to shreds before large groups of people.

Needless to say, as such a hero, I would, eventually, need my own comeuppance, but the honor of being the Put-You-In-Your-Place Man would definitely be worth it!
Every day, pundits and politicians everywhere deserve to be put in their place.  Every moment, corporations and organizations violate the planet and its inhabitants.  Vengeance, though (as they say), is Sleeping.
I say, Wake the Monster!
So, in my small way, I will try to cast a net of sanity into the sea of punditry, greed and corruption and pull out a "catch of the day" for everyone to feast upon.
Metaphor machine working--all systems go :)