“Sarah Palin’s new autobiography doesn’t come out until November, but it is already No. 1 on Amazon. And if you go to the website, it says, ‘People who bought this book also bought no other books in their entire life.’”
– Jimmy Fallon
Happy Monday AKM! And I believe that Aussie! They will have difficulty comprehending the book, but as usual, when they dont understand, they will just make stuff up!
I hurried and spent my book money on “Republican Gomorrah” With Scarah you get word salad, but with Max Blumenthal you get meat and potatoes!! My tummy is comfortably full, thank you!!
On a totally OT open thread topic, because I’ve been away for a couple days:
I am a big fan of Rep Grayson. I’m delighted that he used some strong imagery in his remarks (e.g., “die quickly”). It’s a hell of note that we have to rely on multi-millionaires to be willing to speak frankly, but I’m happy for the support.
For future reference, I suggest that he avoid using the term “holocaust”. The older dictionary definition is something like “an all-consuming fire”. We all know the other definition. I strongly advise not using the word unless you are describing either a massive physical blaze, or a clear act of genocide.
There are plenty of near-synonyms: disaster, catastrophe, horror, devastation, destruction. The reason that “holocaust” has special power is because of reference to “The Holocaust”. But, because the word has assumed so much baggage, it should not be used (even in lower-case) inappropriately.
There are a number of articles that came out yesterday about the new video celebrating Hispanic Day or month(??)
The only notable Hispanics listed were Repblicans. The Spanish was translated incorrectly, even the Spanis for the USA.
My take is that they did this (they have too many real profissional PR people to be that sloppy accidently) intentionally to pander to their racists hoards.
The Repugs know they lost the Hispanic vote for 2010 after they savaged Sotomayor for her heritage, so why not enjoy some ethnic insults to make themselves feel all better.
‘Nother or Norther great pic AKM. Beats a sunset over the asphalt.
We went over this lastnight (I recognize you said you’ve been gone a couple of days) on the Shannyn Moore Show Live Blog It Thread Saturday. She was discussing the same topic and did a great job IMO. Anyway, I posted there:
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#102 Kath the Scrappy Says:
October 4th, 2009 at 12:54 AM
Disappointed to have missed out, but finally found Shannyn podcasts & listening now.
“Rep. Alan Grayson has sent a letter of apology to the Anti-Defamation League after describing the health care situation as a “holocaust in America” on the House floor Wednesday.
Grayson, who is Jewish, first called Thursday to apologize to the ADL – a sort of national arbiter of anti-Semitism – and followed up with a letter Friday, which is the beginning of the Jewish festival of Sukkot.” ..snipped..
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Personally I don’t believe he should have to apologize, I don’t think the word “holocaust” is only limited to Jewish people & WWII. I LIKED Grayson’s responses to Rachel M., trying to get the train back on the track while she was obsessing 3 times – like the only thing he had accomplished was that ‘one single word’. 1st time I’ve ever been disappointed by RM. But, at least Grayson has made his apology now and may be able to get the discussion back to healthcare.
I don’t see what the issue is with Pete the moose and the other animals if they are already isolated from the rest of the state’s animals (fence) and the disease isn’t even present in Vermont. It’s just as likely that the elk would pass it on to each other as that another animal would, isn’t it?
I hope AKM reads that Pete the Moose story and gives her take on it. I’m not sure what to think myself. I don’t like the idea of the pens where “pseudo hunters” can go into the pens to shoot the elk like at some carny event, what’s to say they can’t shoot a moose while they’re at it?
At least in the case of AKM’s stories and pics of Brian & Brenda & Babes, it doesn’t sound like she & her family are toying with nature. Not feeding them jelly donuts (just swing sets) and they’re roaming free. I’m just not sure about Poor Pete’s situation, it’s not looking like a good thing.
One of the respondents is definitely a Sarah-fan and I’m still laughing at his/her response….the fact that the poster is a *Texas Patriot* tells all. Any Alaskans want to respond to the 2nd sentence?
“TXPatriot512 wrote:
The power Sarah Palin has to shape the future of America, and indeed our world, will soon be revealed. Her leadership as Governor has left Alaska in the best position it has enjoyed in its entire history and her early resignation will prove to have been a political stroke of genius. During one of the most critical times in the history of this country she is now positioned to use her star power to raise money through SarahPAC, and her political savvy to help organize and engineer mid-term races in all the key states and bring about the power shift necessary to save our country. In doing so, she will easily build the political power base necessary for a successful presidential campaign in 2012. As President, I predict that among her first priorities will be to cut waste in government and to expose and root out corruption – on both sides of the aisle – as she did in Alaska. It is this last point that that makes the 2012 election a ‘do or die’ proposition for Progressives at all levels.”
If I don’t stop laughing, I’m going to pee my pants! Here’s part of another comment from that last link I posted…
“Gov. Palin for 2.5 years has been making decisions and not voting present. In her administration she has surrounded herself with top notch people that provided her with the pro-cons needed for a governor to make the right call. Look at her record and she has made the right decisions for her state.
Do these two aholes get $100 thousand dollars or more for a speech? Do these two aholes have millions and millions of supporters all over the country that will empty their wallets and work endless hours for them? Would one person vote for these two élites sexist pigs except for family? Can these two morons get 1000 people to buy their books?
You two freak morons can check the spelling but this book could/will bring Gov. Palin 20 million dollars or more, check the math.
The scumbags are jealous of this woman.
Can money make Gov. Palin an elitist like these two kooks? No, because Gov. Palin has values, roots, class, and she knows where she is from and will never lose her way.”
From another Texan: “The Palin, Beck, Limbaugh, Levin and Hannity types represent the soul and views of the vast majority of the Republican Party. f the Republican revives and saves our nation, it will be because of the Palins, Becks, Limbaughs and Hannitys.”
“Sarah Palin earned everything. She started a family, she started a business. She started in politics at the municipal level. She was not handed anything just because she was of a certain sex or race, or was attractive, or was articulate. Palin has made payrolls, she has made decisions, has achieved positive results in all her roles, and understands the real world. I believe she will continue to succeed despite the hateful, jealous, and irrational attacks and smears. Palin, unlike McCain, understands what it means to be an American/classic liberal/modern conservative.”
“Palin and Michele Bachmann have a bigger set than just about any Republican “wheeny man” that I can think of. Until someone shows me what they have I think I will stick with the women.”
“Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, and Rush Limbaughs allegiance and loyalty is to the Country, the Constitution, and the People of the United States.”
“Sarah Palin is the only one to go up against this disaster we call a President and the only one who can out talk the teleprompter. We just hope there is anything left to salvage in 2012.
At least Sarah Palin is a patriotic American.”
GG2B @18/19 – OmigoooOOOodness! I’m dead serious when I say that it would be a fantastic idea to have a psychology course looking at how this sort of phenom comes about. How can most of the world see exactly what this woman is all about and yet a there remains this percentage of people who truly think she is chosen by God come to save us all and Glenn Beck is her John the Baptist come to usher in the salvation. What in the world is going to happen to these folks when it all comes tumbling down and the truth is revealed? It’s going to like spraying warm water on a reality made of cotton candy. Yep – it’d make for a fascinating study.
BuffaloGal … a study was done about the religious nuts who sold all and went to the mountain for the final day of deliverance. When it didn’t happen they decided their day was wrong. Then slowly the true believers drift away to a new fantasy, They would never admit they were wrong. Too much for the ego.
And speaking of the wingnuts – They’ve decided that it’s long past due to rewrite the liberal bias of the bible so they have launched, “The Conservative Bible Project”.
( who knew there was such a thing as conservapedia ?? I’m spending some time exploring that jungle of crazy today )
Here are a few quotes from the converapedia page:
***Socialistic terminology permeates English translations of the Bible, without justification. This improperly encourages the “social justice” movement among Christians. ***
#10 from the guidelines:
***Prefer Conciseness over Liberal Wordiness: preferring conciseness to the liberal style of high word-to-substance ratio ***
***Here are possible approaches to creating a conservative Bible translation:
identify pro-liberal terms used in existing Bible translations, such as “government”, and suggest more accurate substitutes
identify the omission of liberal terms for vices, such as “gambling”, and identify where they should be used
identify conservative terms that are omitted from existing translations, and propose where they could improve the translation ****
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – W T F ?!?!?
BuffaloGal @21 – We can only hope that Beck will finish his self-destruction before long – he’s doing it to himself. I also wonder how the Palinistas will cope when they realize their idol isn’t what they’ve made her out to be. Maybe some smart college kid who follows the Mudflats will pick up on your posting and write his/her psychology paper on these nutters.
Please don’t judge all Texans by these idiots. There are some sane ones here, just few and far between.
This is what I have to live around all the time and I’m tired of hearing all these blundering stupid people that think Palin is the saviour of the world. Why anyone can’t see how stupid she is, I don’t know, but I live around supposedly educated people (including family) that think she, Beck, Limbaugh, etc. are the supreme authority on everything.
I don’t usually post, but am just thrilled to come here and realize there are sane people in the world that know SP is a crock of s##t. I NEED some sanity in my world. Thanks Mudpuppies!
Paul Krugman is really brilliant. I was disappointed that he wasn’t even mentioned as a possibility for Obama’s administration. Although he doesn’t agree with the Dems on everything, I think he has some darn good ideas. His latest op-ed is right on the mark.
Here’s a teaser from it:
“So what did we learn from this moment? For one thing, we learned that the modern conservative movement, which dominates the modern Republican Party, has the emotional maturity of a bratty 13-year-old.”
Wow – the http://www.conservapedia.com site is a veritable fount of intellect and deep thinking. We can all learn a lot about the world through this fabulous resource. For example, this conservapedia page on “liberals” , taught me this :
***A liberal (also leftist) is someone who rejects logical and biblical standards, often for self-centered reasons. There are no coherent liberal standards; often a liberal is merely someone who craves attention, and who uses many words to say nothing.***
and this, about conservatives:
***The sine qua non of a conservative is someone who rises above his personal self-interest and promotes moral and economic values beneficial to all. Alternatively, a conservative is willing to learn and advocate the insights of economics and the morality of the Bible for the benefit of all.***
An early version of cognitive dissonance theory appeared in Leon Festinger’s 1956 book, When Prophecy Fails. This book gave an inside account of belief persistence in members of a UFO doomsday cult, and documented the increased proselytization they exhibited after the leader’s “end of the world” prophecy failed to come true. The prediction of the Earth’s destruction, supposedly sent by aliens to the leader of the group, became a disconfirmed expectancy that caused dissonance between the cognitions, “the world is going to end” and “the world did not end.” Although some members abandoned the group when the prophecy failed, most of the members lessened their dissonance by accepting a new belief, that the planet was spared because of the faith of the group.[6]
The power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one’s mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them….To tell deliberate lies while genuinely believing in them, to forget any fact that has become inconvenient, and then, when it becomes necessary again, to draw it back from oblivion for just so long as it is needed, to deny the existence of objective reality and all the while to take account of the reality which one denies — all this is indispensably necessary. Even in using the word doublethink it is necessary to exercise doublethink. For by using the word one admits that one is tampering with reality; by a fresh act of doublethink one erases this knowledge; and so on indefinitely, with the lie always one leap ahead of the truth
SameOld – “cognitive dissonance ” is a concept that I’ve been thinking a lot about since the rise of the Palin followers. They will be sure to twist and turn facts until they resemble something that can exist in their reality. Palin’s failure to win a nomination will be the fault of conspiracies from those that fear her. Any unethical situations that finally find the light will be due to the same thing. If that can’t prove that then I suppose they’ll trot Satan out to blame. And, I can’t remember why, but I just recently on that wiki page for “doublethink” and made a note to myself to hunt down my copy of 1984.
I find the “conservative” point of view about themselves dauntingly inaccurate.
Naturally, I am sure you found yourself laughing out loud at their twisted precepts, as I certainly did.
I love this site that in “my mind” more accurately spells out the differences between conservatives and liberals and I refer to it often when confronted with “the truth” (in their mind only…) by evangelical conservative thinking…
You can click through to many other areas on that site that actually gives us liberals talking points that uses their own biblical references to refute their every move….. **big grin**
@ 27 Sher Says at 5:33 AM
Please don’t judge all Texans by these idiots. There are some sane ones here, just few and far between.
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Welcome Sher! Nope, we don’t. There’s LOT’s of wonderful Mudpuppies from down in Texas (truly missing austintx57 who helped select the pressure washer we donated for Eagle Flood damage – where ARE you austintx?)
Believe me, Sher, you’re NOT ALONE! Has to be hard feeling like a ‘lonely lil petunia in an onion patch’ but it’s so good being able to talk here at the ‘Flats. Healthy even. So, keep coming back will ya?
One facet of the problem with ‘narrow range thinkers’..happens to be a natural-bent in the human population..for crowding together..to seek protection. The..outriders (and they are all who usually find themselves in death-defying situations..by choice..as they ..hunger for..wider-broader understanding..an air-viewing of whatever passes beneath them..and spreading outward toward the horizens)..are needed..but..way fewer of them..as they move ahead of a human herd..seeking to learn the geography of the ..’new’ territory/times a brewing..and digest the basics..and then bring it (information)..back to share..and educate the others. Thus..and I am well aware I am painting this..in inexact ways and with too broad a brush…..we have the brittle conservatives..holding on to assorted pieces of information that had some value to masses..originally..and too afraid of letting-go..to deal in their remaining years..with ..personal transformation. It is scary..and they want the well-worn cave wall..at their back. I like a certain sense of security..but..I have more of the ”lets turn over that rock, slide down this shale-fall..the ripped pants be damned..and see whats around the corner..or happens..the next day”..in my genetic code. That..is part of the problem..we have lineal mind sets that can feint and weave..and deal with..newness..but we have far more who are ..lineal..and do not have that extra mix of genetic coding that allows..for ..tweeking their choices..in light of a new day. You flash too many choices of ‘new stuff’ music, tv programming, clothing on the school kids..and the ‘fight or flight’..mech. flares up! NO. GO AWAY..and there it all is..fear..makes those..sorts..intractable. Watch those around you..who seem the most..rabid..and you will ‘see’..that they like order, routine, exactitude, time schedules..and nothing rattles them more then..an anomily. (yes I screwed that spelling horribly) Talking..in and around our own backyards and communitys..with those who drive us nuts..or even borderline nuts..is what ..has to happen. It is a slow slog..trust moi. If we don’t feel some pain..we are not..moving ..forward..enough. Here..have another dose of The Mudflats..an then..get out there..hop-to-it!
These things are always worse during periods of social change. The 60s were terrible.
I remember the day after Kent State at a demonstration on my campus of thinking that every paranoid thought I ever had about what was going on was probably true. In the end it didn’t matter … Nixon was president, the Big Lie was in, lots of people were dying, and the only way to justify their dying was to kill more. So what happens …. Carter becomes president, another round of big lies and we get Ronnie Raygun …. “that drugstore, truck driving man, head of the ku klux Klan”. I worked at the pentagon then. Those guys thought they could immediately throw out blacks and women and go back to the good old bad days. We may never recover from the mess and the lies perpetrated by Reagan and his ilk. He convinced an entire generation that sucking their guns was better than education, decent policing, fair elections, health care or anything else. Now that is true cold comfort to believe that such a trade-off is required. Why should it be?
I wears me out to think we have to keep fighting for democracy in this country every bit as hard as any other authoritarian state. Keeping the people ignorant and focusing on empty shells like Palin makes it hard. You have to wonder who sucked the brains of anyone so lame as to think she is capable, fit, or even wants to lead.
There is a school strike near me. The teachers haven’t had a contract in several years. The a++holes think teachers should work for minimum wage and if they don’t like it, get out. The truth is the teachers get out. They leave for districts where education is valued and paid for. So now we know who the real Left Behind are. They are the ignorant yahoos whose parents love their guns and rich people’s tax bills better then education. Naturally these same yahoos have no health care. Don’t want no commie health care and education. And this is PA not the south.
Sorry to be on a rant. I’m just so tired how bad it is.
Sher, don’t despair, I live in Kansas and have the same things to deal with. I have to say though that more people in my very Republican county voted for Obama than I would have ever dreamed possible.
They are just afraid to admit it in public. I am in the land of Lynn Jenkins, Pat Roberts and Sam Brownback. Losers all, in my opinion.
Goalie in NM @34 – Thanks for that link. Nice take on what “liberal” means. I’m looking forward to check out the rest of the site.
****Liberalism is “Life.” It is freedom from physical dangers that can kill or disable us. The Liberal believes it is a nation’s job to protect its citizens from physical harm, whether from external sources, such as hostile nations, or internal ones, like crime, disease, or hunger. Without the solid ground of physical wellbeing, our nation and its citizens cannot enjoy the benefits of being free.**** See Goalie’s post @34 for the link
JuneauDream @36 – I liked the description of brittle conservatives afraid of personal transformation. That certainly is part of the equation.
SameOld @38 – tired of the situation and ranting away, as well.
I totally agree with Krugman, the Republicans flat out do not accept the Democratic Party’s ‘right’ to govern. They don’t accept or respect it.
Pump the article up. It’s a good one.
“The key point is that ever since the Reagan years, the Republican Party has been dominated by radicals — ideologues and/or apparatchiks who, at a fundamental level, do not accept anyone else’s right to govern.”
Sher @27 – I sincerely apologize, I really didn’t mean to lump all Texans into the mix, just seemed to be a prevalence of them supporting Palin at that website. I have many friends and relatives there – had also owned a home and lived there some years back myself – so I know there are many great people there! The sad party, no matter where anyone is from, is that the most vocal ones (and nutty to boot) are the ones who get the most publicity and make specific places look bad. Glad you found us and please stay with us – I promise not to generalize and categorize Texans again! Also…… some of the Texan mudpups are planning a get together down your way – interested?
SameOld – with you on this – good teachers are jumping the ship everywhere. Kentucky is a perfect example of the No Child Left Behind B.S…….. I’m not sure where the state stands this go-round, but it is way down low and I see evidence of it everyday. Drop-out rates are astronomical, and even those who receive a diploma are near illiterate in some cases. My husband interviewed candidates for a simple factory job – they averaged 2.0 or less GPA and a number of them couldn’t even fill out a basic application. What happened to holding kids back until they LEARNED what was needed? It seems it is better to pass them along and hope the next teacher catches them up – and it just doesn’t happen, does it?
the norwegian blue @44 – Isn’t he just awful???? He is getting exactly what he deserved for misrepresenting himself to begin with, and then trying to be something he isn’t, nor will ever have the ability to be. I really wonder how John McCain sleeps at night for foisting both he and Palin onto us!
“does it with protection”..choking on the ..joy of it all. Hope the video is erased in a few years..so that the child in question..never has to see it..but maybe i’tll become the fodder for a term paper for said child..some day.
If this has already been posted, my apologies. I bookmarked this article quite awhile ago but only got around to reading it this morning. It is well worth a read.
I love Debby Stabenow – she was quick at rebutting Arizona’s Kyl with his inane statement……and now he’s paying the price. He has a wife and 2 children, one a daughter. Who paid for the delivery of his children? I wonder how his daughter feels about this.
I’ve been thinking about Todd Palin quitting his job with BP, and the coincidence that he accompanied his wife to Hong Kong, using a brand new visa for the first time.
If the two of them go underground again like they did during August and half of September, how likely is it they’ll surface in Morocco, or return to China (two of many countries with no extradition treaty with the USA)?…
…To avoid Housegate indictments or some other, more serious crime about to catch up with them?
Just wondering. It seems so out of character for two such provincial personalities as Sarah and Todd Palin to travel out of their comfort zone for any reason but money or flight…
37 , Say NO to Palin in Politics Says:
October 5th, 2009 at 6:53 AM
this is hilarious, lol, ‘over there’ is advertising a Scarah bobblehead doll! perfect, lol.
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I would expect this company to have Fleabag the Attorney calling this company soon for misrepresenting EX-Gov and maliciously harming her ‘ reputation ‘.
As you will notice…. she is NOT wearing a Palin Flagpin. ( OMG!! )
I guess Must have been created after April 18th as well. Back to her trim self after her ; ‘iconic image ‘ was created.
#35 Kath the Scrappy says: Believe me, Sher, you’re NOT ALONE!
Thanks for the welcome Kath. That’s why I come here. It’s good to know there are like-minded individuals out there somewhere!
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#39 Sue in Kansas Says: at 7:06 AM
Sher, don’t despair, I live in Kansas and have the same things to deal with.
Thanks Sue. Sounds like you understand what I’m talking about.
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#46 GreatGranny2B Says: at 7:48 AM
Sher @27 – I sincerely apologize, I really didn’t mean to lump all Texans into the mix.
I’m sorry, GreatGranny. You don’t have to apologize! I know you weren’t lumping all of us together. I would love to go to a meeting of the Mudpups, but have been ill for the last year, so probably couldn’t do it right now. Where will it be held? Thanks for the invite.
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#49 boodog Says: at 8:03 AM
Sher, you should rant more, it’s good for you…
Thanks boodog, it did feel good!
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We all need to be aware that changes are going to be made to the Permanent Fund. In my opinion, more investment in infrastructure, building factories to make alternative energy applications, as well as modular timber framed housing and other innovative concepts(mag lev transport) should be considered rather than investment in outside malls and condos, morally and ethically challenged stock holdings (alchohol and tobacco, weapons and other killing agents), questionable financial instruments and perveyors of such…we need real action, on the ground in sustainable real jobs for Alaska., in energy, agriculture, education, health, manufacturing and so forth…those involved exclusivelyi n the petro-fossil fuels are short sighted and dangerous for our planet, and do not build for the future, if there is one.
41 Sameold, excellent article about the destruction of good companies by private equity/leveraged buyout. When I worked in tech I saw this happen so many times.
When will we ever wake up and put some laws in place that put a stop to this stuff. These MBA’s use a lot of fancy language like dividend recapitalization to steal from the legitimate investors.
Well worth the read other mudpup’s to begin to understand how Wall Street has stolen the American Dream. Good companies have just been trashed by these greedy b*stards.
Are there any decent Republicans left? Must they mock everyone with disabilities? WWPS (what would Palin say)?
At a recent rally for Republican Bob McDonnell, who’s running against Democrat Creigh Deeds in Virginia’s gubernatorial election, BET co-founder and major McDonnell donor Sheila Johnson went after Deeds’ tendency to stutter and stammer when he’s speaking. Johnson pretended to stutter and said that it showed Deeds was “not articulate” and couldn’t communicate effectively:
JOHNSON: We need someone who can really communicate, and Bob McDonnell can communicate. The other people I talk to, and especially his op-p-p-p-ponent (INAUDIBLE). He could not articulate what needed to be done. So communication is hugely important.
64
GA Peach a/k/a Lance the Boil aka Crust Scramblesays:
I’m sorry you’ve been in poor health and wish you a speedy recovery and that you might be able to attend. I’m in Kentucky and pretty much bed-bound now, so I understand about not being able to get out and about and enjoy companionship!
Thank God for the Mudflats!
The Palin Wars: Part LXII
“And on Monday, John Weaver, McCain’s closest political adviser for much of the past decade, said that he was nearly certain that the former governor would never be the Republican nominee and added that, if she was, “it would surely mean a political apocalypse is upon us.”
GreatGranny2B @66 – Thank you for the link. Also, the wishes for a speedy recovery. I wish the same for you, too. It’s a bummer not to be able to get out and do what you want to, isn’t it?
I went to the link and see it’ll be in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area. I just got back from seeing my Dr. in Dallas last Thursday. That’s a lot of traffic for a little ole West Texas gal that lives in a town of about 100,000. Hubby drove, thank goodness!
I would love to go and meet some Mudpups. Maybe there will be another one.
Say No to Palin in Politics @67 – Good link – thanks! Stimulus money is also hitting Kentucky, although McConnell will deny it to his dying breath. Daughter drives I-24 twice daily and it is definitely getting an overhaul, and the signs are up giving credit where it is due – unlike Louisiana where Jindal refuses to allow signs that say it is stimulus money…..I think they shouldn’t get the money if they refuse to acknowledge it’s source.
Sher @70 – back at you! 100,000 little??? Whooeee – my whole county doesn’t have but 60,000! LOL
Say No to Palin in Politics @71 – That’s super of you. I think we all need to do what we can in some of these smaller, localized races. Reminds me of when some teabagger mocked a woman in a wheelchair at one of the townhalls – they don’t have a lick of class left in their little pinkies.
Who is behind the Tea-Baggers ‘ grassroots effort’…. someone admitting the Truth now. { I saw this story link on a Media Matters thread comment }
“Conservative Tycoon David Koch Acknowledges Financial Role in Anti-Tax Movement ” { Mr. Koch is # 19 on the Forbes Billionaire List }
“For months, liberal researchers from the Center for American Progress to Firedoglake to the Rachel Maddow Show have pored over the financial records of libertarian tycoon David Koch to see just how deep his influence ran within the Tea Party movement. On Saturday, speaking at the Defending the American Dream Summit sponsored by Americans for Prosperity, Koch did it for them. Walking onstage at a morning rally, holding a Washington Award that he was about to give to Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C), Koch took credit for launching one of the key organizations of the conservative insurrection.”
The Media Matters comments section are a wealth of info today. Have to watch their stories more closely.
This story sounds like a PR nightmare if the Dems ( or somebody ?)could or would point it out with a message of their own as it relates to health care reform.
Irony… or hypocrisy…. Not sure what to call it.
This story points out that Wellpoint ( The Health provider ) will be asking its own employees to pay a larger portion in their health care plan.
So…. the company in an effort to keep their ‘ costs down and Profits up ‘ want employees to pay more. Are they not admitting that Health care costs are too high by making this move….? What is wrong with this picture..?
And they do this NOW when the debates is going on.
Should we call and email each one of our own Senators and Congressmen to point out this story… HeLLO !! Does this not PROVE the point. CRAZY!
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“In the memo from Randy Brown, WellPoint’s chief human resources officer, the company said it would lower its contribution toward worker premiums and raise deductibles in two of its three benefit plans. “Your cost per paycheck will probably increase,” the memo said.”
This issue was briefly touched on by Rachel Maddow, then a brief story on ThinkProgress.org, and finally another on HuffPost – all last week and nothing since.
Sen. Jim DeMint seems to be supporting the military coup in Honduras and opposes Obama’s policies on it. DeMint had planned to go to Honduras and the trip was blocked by Sen. John Kerry, via the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on which they both sit (if I remember correctly). Then DeMint went over Kerry’s head and went to McConnell and managed to get onto a military flight. The ThinkProgress article cited the various laws and ramifications DeMint could/should face if he went to a foreign country and voiced opinions against the sitting administration.
It seems a bunch of them have been doing this lately, including Palin in Hong Kong and Cantor in Israel. Is nothing ever going to be done to these people who do and say these things? Look what happened to the Dixie Chicks for a minor statement against Bush. DeMint and Cantor should have some sort of reprimand being elected officials. Palin ought to have her passport revoked and be fined. Anyone heard anything more on DeMint?
found this over at Diva’s……..also, too, I think blogspot is down.
“Munger’s email account has been HIJACKED!!!!!!! I talked to Phil and he’s aware (and pissed). When he tried to get into his account the hijacker changed the password.
In the mean time, get rid of the email and please pass the word on that it’s bogus!! “
“unlike Louisiana where Jindal refuses to allow signs that say it is stimulus money…..I think they shouldn’t get the money if they refuse to acknowledge it’s source.”
Wow GG2b, I agree, that’s low…….the Dems in KY should make a stink about it. Make that every state! I don’t get out much but those who do should check where stimulus funds are going in their state and make sure it’s being acknowledged, stick your own sign out there if ya have to, lol, maybe they’ll multiply.
You can check your state at the link below, type in your zip code for projects in your area. The map will show colored dots that you click on for more information, such as what type funding and project and who receives funds. Very cool. I learned a window manufacturing company in a neighboring town got a small biz loan.
also be sure to watch this fraud, waste and abuse video, we all need to be watch dogs of our tax dollars. A certain government contractor dinner date of Scarah’s comes to mind. In fact Scarah herself comes to mind.
Say No to Palin in Politics @80 – What a great map – thanks for the link! The whole site is super, I’ve bookmarked it, and sent it along to my beloved (but misguided) conservative B/law.
Now the conservations want to rewrite the Bible. The book that for years the fundamentalist religious right has claimed to the absolute word of God. Well, apparently God didn’t do it conservation enough to suit the right.
The are going to take out the parts that they deem too liberal…guess that just about eliminates the whole New Testiment except maybe for Revelations.
I have an example here –
sometimes it’s good to know what it costs in Black & White
with just a set of numbers
One of the employees has Family coverage – Self/Spouse / 2 children
“Self” is paid by the company $195.32 monthly
Spouse & children are paid by “Self” $514.36 monthly
Self needs to work roughly 54 hrs (33% of Gross paycheck) every month for their (75/25) family coverage
It used to be no more than 25% of Gross Income was to be for home mortgage – and here we are with 33% going to medical INSURANCE!
Hey AKM and other Alaskan bloggers – Geoff Dunn mentions you!
In particular, a rag-tag army of articulate progressive bloggers from Alaska did the public vetting of Sarah Palin that the mainstream media failed to do. They were ahead of the curve every step of the way.
pearl89
I just saw that and thought I’d misread it.
My first thought once I realized it was no joke was to wonder, “What? Do they plan on lopping off the entire New Testament?” (then why call themselves “Christians”)
Ugh! Aside from reading and occasionally commenting on ‘the blogs’ and looking forward to the quiet in the evening times by working the daily NYTimes crossword puzzle, I am so disgusted, the 11 down (‘Politico Sarah’) was PALIN. I could only share this with ‘flatters, ’cause y’all get it. Yuck!
AKM, your wonderful picture that accompanies this open thread lead me to quiet soothingly settle down with the puzzle. I did not even get a chance to read before commenting.
Thank you for the short rant. The Chicago Sun-Times is up for sale. Hope it does not turn out being owned by Sarah’s puppeteer.
Such a beautiful photo! I love autumn sunsets….they are especially beautiful because you are so aware of the change of light and angle. Beautiful!
Just read that the wingnuts are revising the bible and making it their own. Oh good lord…..I’m not at all religious but this absolutely causes my jaw to drop. When are the reasonable conservatives going to speak up and call these whackjobs out? Seriously?!
“Sarah Palin’s new autobiography doesn’t come out until November, but it is already No. 1 on Amazon. And if you go to the website, it says, ‘People who bought this book also bought no other books in their entire life.’”
– Jimmy Fallon
Happy Monday AKM! And I believe that Aussie! They will have difficulty comprehending the book, but as usual, when they dont understand, they will just make stuff up!
pssst, AKM, it’s gonna snow soon.
Did you actually wait until the sun dropped below the overcast? You are a great photographer,
great picture…Happy Monday back at ya ♥
An important VT moose story
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/05/us/05moose.html?hpw
I hurried and spent my book money on “Republican Gomorrah” With Scarah you get word salad, but with Max Blumenthal you get meat and potatoes!! My tummy is comfortably full, thank you!!
On a totally OT open thread topic, because I’ve been away for a couple days:
I am a big fan of Rep Grayson. I’m delighted that he used some strong imagery in his remarks (e.g., “die quickly”). It’s a hell of note that we have to rely on multi-millionaires to be willing to speak frankly, but I’m happy for the support.
For future reference, I suggest that he avoid using the term “holocaust”. The older dictionary definition is something like “an all-consuming fire”. We all know the other definition. I strongly advise not using the word unless you are describing either a massive physical blaze, or a clear act of genocide.
There are plenty of near-synonyms: disaster, catastrophe, horror, devastation, destruction. The reason that “holocaust” has special power is because of reference to “The Holocaust”. But, because the word has assumed so much baggage, it should not be used (even in lower-case) inappropriately.
Sorry, justa, I think we disagree on this one.
There are a number of articles that came out yesterday about the new video celebrating Hispanic Day or month(??)
The only notable Hispanics listed were Repblicans. The Spanish was translated incorrectly, even the Spanis for the USA.
My take is that they did this (they have too many real profissional PR people to be that sloppy accidently) intentionally to pander to their racists hoards.
The Repugs know they lost the Hispanic vote for 2010 after they savaged Sotomayor for her heritage, so why not enjoy some ethnic insults to make themselves feel all better.
‘Nother or Norther great pic AKM. Beats a sunset over the asphalt.
Beauty to capture our energy..and imagination this morning, thank you.
Aussie Blue Sky – that’s so funny and so true
AKM – this is one of your best.
SameOld: That’s the best summary I’ve seen of this problem. I’m glad for the update. This is a real heart-tugger.
@ 7 Strangelet
We went over this lastnight (I recognize you said you’ve been gone a couple of days) on the Shannyn Moore Show Live Blog It Thread Saturday. She was discussing the same topic and did a great job IMO. Anyway, I posted there:
- – -
#102 Kath the Scrappy Says:
October 4th, 2009 at 12:54 AM
Disappointed to have missed out, but finally found Shannyn podcasts & listening now.
Found this article tonight though:
Grayson apologizes to Anti-Defamation League
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1009/27860.html
“Rep. Alan Grayson has sent a letter of apology to the Anti-Defamation League after describing the health care situation as a “holocaust in America” on the House floor Wednesday.
Grayson, who is Jewish, first called Thursday to apologize to the ADL – a sort of national arbiter of anti-Semitism – and followed up with a letter Friday, which is the beginning of the Jewish festival of Sukkot.” ..snipped..
- – -
Personally I don’t believe he should have to apologize, I don’t think the word “holocaust” is only limited to Jewish people & WWII. I LIKED Grayson’s responses to Rachel M., trying to get the train back on the track while she was obsessing 3 times – like the only thing he had accomplished was that ‘one single word’. 1st time I’ve ever been disappointed by RM. But, at least Grayson has made his apology now and may be able to get the discussion back to healthcare.
lemonfair, I don’t see what the issue is if food is controlled. It’s laws without thought.
I don’t see what the issue is with Pete the moose and the other animals if they are already isolated from the rest of the state’s animals (fence) and the disease isn’t even present in Vermont. It’s just as likely that the elk would pass it on to each other as that another animal would, isn’t it?
Going Rogue: An American Life @ Walmart
$13.50
You Save: $15.49 (53%) – and this after less than a week!
Going Rogue: An American Life @ Barnes and Noble
* Sales Rank: 2
Reminds me of her convention appearance last year – riding high for a couple of days and then reality hits…
@5 SameOld Says:at 12:58 AM
An important VT moose story
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/05/us/05moose.html?_r=1&hpw
I hope AKM reads that Pete the Moose story and gives her take on it. I’m not sure what to think myself. I don’t like the idea of the pens where “pseudo hunters” can go into the pens to shoot the elk like at some carny event, what’s to say they can’t shoot a moose while they’re at it?
At least in the case of AKM’s stories and pics of Brian & Brenda & Babes, it doesn’t sound like she & her family are toying with nature. Not feeding them jelly donuts (just swing sets) and they’re roaming free. I’m just not sure about Poor Pete’s situation, it’s not looking like a good thing.
Morning all. Linking Jeckyll&Hyde’s weekly round up of cartoons from the Daily Kos. You’ll really love this weeks, promise!
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/10/5/5028/09840
Your photos continue to remind us just how wonderful our world is – thanks AKM!
On another note, there is an article re: Mike Murphy bashing Palin’s chances for the 2012 nomination:
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2009/10/04/one-vote-palin-wont-get/
One of the respondents is definitely a Sarah-fan and I’m still laughing at his/her response….the fact that the poster is a *Texas Patriot* tells all. Any Alaskans want to respond to the 2nd sentence?
“TXPatriot512 wrote:
The power Sarah Palin has to shape the future of America, and indeed our world, will soon be revealed. Her leadership as Governor has left Alaska in the best position it has enjoyed in its entire history and her early resignation will prove to have been a political stroke of genius. During one of the most critical times in the history of this country she is now positioned to use her star power to raise money through SarahPAC, and her political savvy to help organize and engineer mid-term races in all the key states and bring about the power shift necessary to save our country. In doing so, she will easily build the political power base necessary for a successful presidential campaign in 2012. As President, I predict that among her first priorities will be to cut waste in government and to expose and root out corruption – on both sides of the aisle – as she did in Alaska. It is this last point that that makes the 2012 election a ‘do or die’ proposition for Progressives at all levels.”
If I don’t stop laughing, I’m going to pee my pants! Here’s part of another comment from that last link I posted…
“Gov. Palin for 2.5 years has been making decisions and not voting present. In her administration she has surrounded herself with top notch people that provided her with the pro-cons needed for a governor to make the right call. Look at her record and she has made the right decisions for her state.
Do these two aholes get $100 thousand dollars or more for a speech? Do these two aholes have millions and millions of supporters all over the country that will empty their wallets and work endless hours for them? Would one person vote for these two élites sexist pigs except for family? Can these two morons get 1000 people to buy their books?
You two freak morons can check the spelling but this book could/will bring Gov. Palin 20 million dollars or more, check the math.
The scumbags are jealous of this woman.
Can money make Gov. Palin an elitist like these two kooks? No, because Gov. Palin has values, roots, class, and she knows where she is from and will never lose her way.”
A few more gems:
From another Texan: “The Palin, Beck, Limbaugh, Levin and Hannity types represent the soul and views of the vast majority of the Republican Party. f the Republican revives and saves our nation, it will be because of the Palins, Becks, Limbaughs and Hannitys.”
“Sarah Palin earned everything. She started a family, she started a business. She started in politics at the municipal level. She was not handed anything just because she was of a certain sex or race, or was attractive, or was articulate. Palin has made payrolls, she has made decisions, has achieved positive results in all her roles, and understands the real world. I believe she will continue to succeed despite the hateful, jealous, and irrational attacks and smears. Palin, unlike McCain, understands what it means to be an American/classic liberal/modern conservative.”
“Palin and Michele Bachmann have a bigger set than just about any Republican “wheeny man” that I can think of. Until someone shows me what they have I think I will stick with the women.”
“Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, and Rush Limbaughs allegiance and loyalty is to the Country, the Constitution, and the People of the United States.”
“Sarah Palin is the only one to go up against this disaster we call a President and the only one who can out talk the teleprompter. We just hope there is anything left to salvage in 2012.
At least Sarah Palin is a patriotic American.”
GG2B @18/19 – OmigoooOOOodness! I’m dead serious when I say that it would be a fantastic idea to have a psychology course looking at how this sort of phenom comes about. How can most of the world see exactly what this woman is all about and yet a there remains this percentage of people who truly think she is chosen by God come to save us all and Glenn Beck is her John the Baptist come to usher in the salvation. What in the world is going to happen to these folks when it all comes tumbling down and the truth is revealed? It’s going to like spraying warm water on a reality made of cotton candy. Yep – it’d make for a fascinating study.
Well she can out talk the teleprompter. The question is: “What did she say?”
BuffaloGal … a study was done about the religious nuts who sold all and went to the mountain for the final day of deliverance. When it didn’t happen they decided their day was wrong. Then slowly the true believers drift away to a new fantasy, They would never admit they were wrong. Too much for the ego.
Don’t you remember all the lunacy attached to Y2K? It wasn’t so long ago.
And speaking of the wingnuts – They’ve decided that it’s long past due to rewrite the liberal bias of the bible so they have launched, “The Conservative Bible Project”.
http://conservapedia.com/Conservative_Bible_Project
( who knew there was such a thing as conservapedia ?? I’m spending some time exploring that jungle of crazy today )
Here are a few quotes from the converapedia page:
***Socialistic terminology permeates English translations of the Bible, without justification. This improperly encourages the “social justice” movement among Christians. ***
#10 from the guidelines:
***Prefer Conciseness over Liberal Wordiness: preferring conciseness to the liberal style of high word-to-substance ratio ***
***Here are possible approaches to creating a conservative Bible translation:
identify pro-liberal terms used in existing Bible translations, such as “government”, and suggest more accurate substitutes
identify the omission of liberal terms for vices, such as “gambling”, and identify where they should be used
identify conservative terms that are omitted from existing translations, and propose where they could improve the translation ****
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – W T F ?!?!?
BuffaloGal @21 – We can only hope that Beck will finish his self-destruction before long – he’s doing it to himself. I also wonder how the Palinistas will cope when they realize their idol isn’t what they’ve made her out to be. Maybe some smart college kid who follows the Mudflats will pick up on your posting and write his/her psychology paper on these nutters.
SameOld – lol!
Please don’t judge all Texans by these idiots. There are some sane ones here, just few and far between.
This is what I have to live around all the time and I’m tired of hearing all these blundering stupid people that think Palin is the saviour of the world. Why anyone can’t see how stupid she is, I don’t know, but I live around supposedly educated people (including family) that think she, Beck, Limbaugh, etc. are the supreme authority on everything.
I don’t usually post, but am just thrilled to come here and realize there are sane people in the world that know SP is a crock of s##t. I NEED some sanity in my world. Thanks Mudpuppies!
Sorry for the rant.
Paul Krugman is really brilliant. I was disappointed that he wasn’t even mentioned as a possibility for Obama’s administration. Although he doesn’t agree with the Dems on everything, I think he has some darn good ideas. His latest op-ed is right on the mark.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/05/opinion/05krugman.html?ref=opinion
Here’s a teaser from it:
“So what did we learn from this moment? For one thing, we learned that the modern conservative movement, which dominates the modern Republican Party, has the emotional maturity of a bratty 13-year-old.”
So serene…… I can almost hear the sounds of nature.
Thanks for sharing the experience AKM ~ and hope that you all have a splendid day.
Wow – the http://www.conservapedia.com site is a veritable fount of intellect and deep thinking. We can all learn a lot about the world through this fabulous resource. For example, this conservapedia page on “liberals” , taught me this :
***A liberal (also leftist) is someone who rejects logical and biblical standards, often for self-centered reasons. There are no coherent liberal standards; often a liberal is merely someone who craves attention, and who uses many words to say nothing.***
and this, about conservatives:
***The sine qua non of a conservative is someone who rises above his personal self-interest and promotes moral and economic values beneficial to all. Alternatively, a conservative is willing to learn and advocate the insights of economics and the morality of the Bible for the benefit of all.***
The Barak Hussein Obama page is a gem.
Cognitive dissonance http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_dissonance
When Prophecy Fails
An early version of cognitive dissonance theory appeared in Leon Festinger’s 1956 book, When Prophecy Fails. This book gave an inside account of belief persistence in members of a UFO doomsday cult, and documented the increased proselytization they exhibited after the leader’s “end of the world” prophecy failed to come true. The prediction of the Earth’s destruction, supposedly sent by aliens to the leader of the group, became a disconfirmed expectancy that caused dissonance between the cognitions, “the world is going to end” and “the world did not end.” Although some members abandoned the group when the prophecy failed, most of the members lessened their dissonance by accepting a new belief, that the planet was spared because of the faith of the group.[6]
You also might want to take a look at Orwell’s 1984 …. Doublethink http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doublethink
The power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one’s mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them….To tell deliberate lies while genuinely believing in them, to forget any fact that has become inconvenient, and then, when it becomes necessary again, to draw it back from oblivion for just so long as it is needed, to deny the existence of objective reality and all the while to take account of the reality which one denies — all this is indispensably necessary. Even in using the word doublethink it is necessary to exercise doublethink. For by using the word one admits that one is tampering with reality; by a fresh act of doublethink one erases this knowledge; and so on indefinitely, with the lie always one leap ahead of the truth
SameOld – “cognitive dissonance ” is a concept that I’ve been thinking a lot about since the rise of the Palin followers. They will be sure to twist and turn facts until they resemble something that can exist in their reality. Palin’s failure to win a nomination will be the fault of conspiracies from those that fear her. Any unethical situations that finally find the light will be due to the same thing. If that can’t prove that then I suppose they’ll trot Satan out to blame. And, I can’t remember why, but I just recently on that wiki page for “doublethink” and made a note to myself to hunt down my copy of 1984.
@ Buffalo Gal, (30)
I find the “conservative” point of view about themselves dauntingly inaccurate.
Naturally, I am sure you found yourself laughing out loud at their twisted precepts, as I certainly did.
I love this site that in “my mind” more accurately spells out the differences between conservatives and liberals and I refer to it often when confronted with “the truth” (in their mind only…) by evangelical conservative thinking…
http://www.elroy.net/politics/liberal.html
You can click through to many other areas on that site that actually gives us liberals talking points that uses their own biblical references to refute their every move….. **big grin**
@ 27 Sher Says at 5:33 AM
Please don’t judge all Texans by these idiots. There are some sane ones here, just few and far between.
- – -
Welcome Sher! Nope, we don’t. There’s LOT’s of wonderful Mudpuppies from down in Texas (truly missing austintx57 who helped select the pressure washer we donated for Eagle Flood damage – where ARE you austintx?)
Believe me, Sher, you’re NOT ALONE! Has to be hard feeling like a ‘lonely lil petunia in an onion patch’ but it’s so good being able to talk here at the ‘Flats. Healthy even. So, keep coming back will ya?
One facet of the problem with ‘narrow range thinkers’..happens to be a natural-bent in the human population..for crowding together..to seek protection. The..outriders (and they are all who usually find themselves in death-defying situations..by choice..as they ..hunger for..wider-broader understanding..an air-viewing of whatever passes beneath them..and spreading outward toward the horizens)..are needed..but..way fewer of them..as they move ahead of a human herd..seeking to learn the geography of the ..’new’ territory/times a brewing..and digest the basics..and then bring it (information)..back to share..and educate the others. Thus..and I am well aware I am painting this..in inexact ways and with too broad a brush…..we have the brittle conservatives..holding on to assorted pieces of information that had some value to masses..originally..and too afraid of letting-go..to deal in their remaining years..with ..personal transformation. It is scary..and they want the well-worn cave wall..at their back. I like a certain sense of security..but..I have more of the ”lets turn over that rock, slide down this shale-fall..the ripped pants be damned..and see whats around the corner..or happens..the next day”..in my genetic code. That..is part of the problem..we have lineal mind sets that can feint and weave..and deal with..newness..but we have far more who are ..lineal..and do not have that extra mix of genetic coding that allows..for ..tweeking their choices..in light of a new day. You flash too many choices of ‘new stuff’ music, tv programming, clothing on the school kids..and the ‘fight or flight’..mech. flares up! NO. GO AWAY..and there it all is..fear..makes those..sorts..intractable. Watch those around you..who seem the most..rabid..and you will ‘see’..that they like order, routine, exactitude, time schedules..and nothing rattles them more then..an anomily. (yes I screwed that spelling horribly) Talking..in and around our own backyards and communitys..with those who drive us nuts..or even borderline nuts..is what ..has to happen. It is a slow slog..trust moi. If we don’t feel some pain..we are not..moving ..forward..enough. Here..have another dose of The Mudflats..an then..get out there..hop-to-it!
this is hilarious, lol, ‘over there’ is advertising a Scarah bobblehead doll! perfect, lol.
http://www.bobbleheads.com/product/tabid/85/p-317-sarah-palin.aspx
they are also bashing Rachel Maddow, and all those who said anything less than shining about Scarah yesterday. grrrrr, they’re mad.
These things are always worse during periods of social change. The 60s were terrible.
I remember the day after Kent State at a demonstration on my campus of thinking that every paranoid thought I ever had about what was going on was probably true. In the end it didn’t matter … Nixon was president, the Big Lie was in, lots of people were dying, and the only way to justify their dying was to kill more. So what happens …. Carter becomes president, another round of big lies and we get Ronnie Raygun …. “that drugstore, truck driving man, head of the ku klux Klan”. I worked at the pentagon then. Those guys thought they could immediately throw out blacks and women and go back to the good old bad days. We may never recover from the mess and the lies perpetrated by Reagan and his ilk. He convinced an entire generation that sucking their guns was better than education, decent policing, fair elections, health care or anything else. Now that is true cold comfort to believe that such a trade-off is required. Why should it be?
I wears me out to think we have to keep fighting for democracy in this country every bit as hard as any other authoritarian state. Keeping the people ignorant and focusing on empty shells like Palin makes it hard. You have to wonder who sucked the brains of anyone so lame as to think she is capable, fit, or even wants to lead.
There is a school strike near me. The teachers haven’t had a contract in several years. The a++holes think teachers should work for minimum wage and if they don’t like it, get out. The truth is the teachers get out. They leave for districts where education is valued and paid for. So now we know who the real Left Behind are. They are the ignorant yahoos whose parents love their guns and rich people’s tax bills better then education. Naturally these same yahoos have no health care. Don’t want no commie health care and education. And this is PA not the south.
Sorry to be on a rant. I’m just so tired how bad it is.
Sher, don’t despair, I live in Kansas and have the same things to deal with. I have to say though that more people in my very Republican county voted for Obama than I would have ever dreamed possible.
They are just afraid to admit it in public. I am in the land of Lynn Jenkins, Pat Roberts and Sam Brownback. Losers all, in my opinion.
Goalie in NM @34 – Thanks for that link. Nice take on what “liberal” means. I’m looking forward to check out the rest of the site.
****Liberalism is “Life.” It is freedom from physical dangers that can kill or disable us. The Liberal believes it is a nation’s job to protect its citizens from physical harm, whether from external sources, such as hostile nations, or internal ones, like crime, disease, or hunger. Without the solid ground of physical wellbeing, our nation and its citizens cannot enjoy the benefits of being free.**** See Goalie’s post @34 for the link
JuneauDream @36 – I liked the description of brittle conservatives afraid of personal transformation. That certainly is part of the equation.
SameOld @38 – tired of the situation and ranting away, as well.
And yeah – where is AustinTX these days ?
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/05/business/economy/05simmons.html?hp
Read this horror story about Simmons Mattress and especially read the comments.
The sun is out. I think I’ll finish pulling pepper plants and forget about it for awhile.
A very funny video of Bill Maher speculating on the SP’s book title, if she had used a different ghostwriter.
http://crooksandliars.com/node?page=1
If you are looking for a good laugh, here is a round-up of political cartoons on every subject- including Sarah Palin’s book, texting while driving, Letterman, everything else:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/10/5/787414/-UPDATED:-The-Week-in-Editorial-CartoonsPalin-Resolves-Nuclear-Problem
GG2B – loved the Paul Krugman op-ed, but the blog postings were truly classics.
For those of you with strong stomachs, here’s a clip of Joe the Plumber doing stand-up (I had to click off at 8 seconds)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/02/joe-the-failed-comedian-w_n_308420.html
I totally agree with Krugman, the Republicans flat out do not accept the Democratic Party’s ‘right’ to govern. They don’t accept or respect it.
Pump the article up. It’s a good one.
“The key point is that ever since the Reagan years, the Republican Party has been dominated by radicals — ideologues and/or apparatchiks who, at a fundamental level, do not accept anyone else’s right to govern.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/05/opinion/05krugman.html?_r=1&ref=opinion
Sher @27 – I sincerely apologize, I really didn’t mean to lump all Texans into the mix, just seemed to be a prevalence of them supporting Palin at that website. I have many friends and relatives there – had also owned a home and lived there some years back myself – so I know there are many great people there! The sad party, no matter where anyone is from, is that the most vocal ones (and nutty to boot) are the ones who get the most publicity and make specific places look bad. Glad you found us and please stay with us – I promise not to generalize and categorize Texans again! Also…… some of the Texan mudpups are planning a get together down your way – interested?
SameOld – with you on this – good teachers are jumping the ship everywhere. Kentucky is a perfect example of the No Child Left Behind B.S…….. I’m not sure where the state stands this go-round, but it is way down low and I see evidence of it everyday. Drop-out rates are astronomical, and even those who receive a diploma are near illiterate in some cases. My husband interviewed candidates for a simple factory job – they averaged 2.0 or less GPA and a number of them couldn’t even fill out a basic application. What happened to holding kids back until they LEARNED what was needed? It seems it is better to pass them along and hope the next teacher catches them up – and it just doesn’t happen, does it?
the norwegian blue @44 – Isn’t he just awful???? He is getting exactly what he deserved for misrepresenting himself to begin with, and then trying to be something he isn’t, nor will ever have the ability to be. I really wonder how John McCain sleeps at night for foisting both he and Palin onto us!
Sher, you should rant more, it’s good for you…
Ha! Levi Johnston is appearing in an ad for pistachio nuts. Sarah is going to love this!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/05/levi-johnstons-tv-commerc_n_309738.html
“does it with protection”..choking on the ..joy of it all. Hope the video is erased in a few years..so that the child in question..never has to see it..but maybe i’tll become the fodder for a term paper for said child..some day.
If this has already been posted, my apologies. I bookmarked this article quite awhile ago but only got around to reading it this morning. It is well worth a read.
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/29988909/sick_and_wrong/
OMG – Orly Taitz is at it again! When will she be disbarred, or better yet, deported???
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/10/birther_taitz_alleges_judge_met_with_eric_holder.php
I love Debby Stabenow – she was quick at rebutting Arizona’s Kyl with his inane statement……and now he’s paying the price. He has a wife and 2 children, one a daughter. Who paid for the delivery of his children? I wonder how his daughter feels about this.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dawn-teo/kyl-hit-with-local-ads-sh_b_308405.html
#1, I love the quote, I posted it on my FB page! Thanks for the chuckle.
juneau dream*******loved your post
I’ve been thinking about Todd Palin quitting his job with BP, and the coincidence that he accompanied his wife to Hong Kong, using a brand new visa for the first time.
If the two of them go underground again like they did during August and half of September, how likely is it they’ll surface in Morocco, or return to China (two of many countries with no extradition treaty with the USA)?…
…To avoid Housegate indictments or some other, more serious crime about to catch up with them?
Just wondering. It seems so out of character for two such provincial personalities as Sarah and Todd Palin to travel out of their comfort zone for any reason but money or flight…
Another one bites the dust – this sponsor quit not just Beck, but Fox altogether!
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/10/05/uk-supermarket-beck/
37 , Say NO to Palin in Politics Says:
October 5th, 2009 at 6:53 AM
this is hilarious, lol, ‘over there’ is advertising a Scarah bobblehead doll! perfect, lol.
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I would expect this company to have Fleabag the Attorney calling this company soon for misrepresenting EX-Gov and maliciously harming her ‘ reputation ‘.
As you will notice…. she is NOT wearing a Palin Flagpin. ( OMG!! )
I guess Must have been created after April 18th as well. Back to her trim self after her ; ‘iconic image ‘ was created.
#35 Kath the Scrappy says: Believe me, Sher, you’re NOT ALONE!
Thanks for the welcome Kath. That’s why I come here. It’s good to know there are like-minded individuals out there somewhere!
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#39 Sue in Kansas Says: at 7:06 AM
Sher, don’t despair, I live in Kansas and have the same things to deal with.
Thanks Sue. Sounds like you understand what I’m talking about.
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#46 GreatGranny2B Says: at 7:48 AM
Sher @27 – I sincerely apologize, I really didn’t mean to lump all Texans into the mix.
I’m sorry, GreatGranny. You don’t have to apologize! I know you weren’t lumping all of us together. I would love to go to a meeting of the Mudpups, but have been ill for the last year, so probably couldn’t do it right now. Where will it be held? Thanks for the invite.
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#49 boodog Says: at 8:03 AM
Sher, you should rant more, it’s good for you…
Thanks boodog, it did feel good!
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Thanks to all of you for the warm welcome.
We all need to be aware that changes are going to be made to the Permanent Fund. In my opinion, more investment in infrastructure, building factories to make alternative energy applications, as well as modular timber framed housing and other innovative concepts(mag lev transport) should be considered rather than investment in outside malls and condos, morally and ethically challenged stock holdings (alchohol and tobacco, weapons and other killing agents), questionable financial instruments and perveyors of such…we need real action, on the ground in sustainable real jobs for Alaska., in energy, agriculture, education, health, manufacturing and so forth…those involved exclusivelyi n the petro-fossil fuels are short sighted and dangerous for our planet, and do not build for the future, if there is one.
41 Sameold, excellent article about the destruction of good companies by private equity/leveraged buyout. When I worked in tech I saw this happen so many times.
When will we ever wake up and put some laws in place that put a stop to this stuff. These MBA’s use a lot of fancy language like dividend recapitalization to steal from the legitimate investors.
Well worth the read other mudpup’s to begin to understand how Wall Street has stolen the American Dream. Good companies have just been trashed by these greedy b*stards.
Are there any decent Republicans left? Must they mock everyone with disabilities? WWPS (what would Palin say)?
At a recent rally for Republican Bob McDonnell, who’s running against Democrat Creigh Deeds in Virginia’s gubernatorial election, BET co-founder and major McDonnell donor Sheila Johnson went after Deeds’ tendency to stutter and stammer when he’s speaking. Johnson pretended to stutter and said that it showed Deeds was “not articulate” and couldn’t communicate effectively:
JOHNSON: We need someone who can really communicate, and Bob McDonnell can communicate. The other people I talk to, and especially his op-p-p-p-ponent (INAUDIBLE). He could not articulate what needed to be done. So communication is hugely important.
another place to get that sunshine disinfectant.
maplight.org
Goalie in NM: really like that reference you posted to
http://www.elroy.net/politics/liberal.html
so am just suggesting that y’all on FB find it and post it on your FB page…. has some great talking points.
Sher @60 – Here’s the link at the forum for the discussion of a get-together in Texas:
http://www.themudflats.net/forum/index.php/topic,8284.0.html
I’m sorry you’ve been in poor health and wish you a speedy recovery and that you might be able to attend. I’m in Kentucky and pretty much bed-bound now, so I understand about not being able to get out and about and enjoy companionship!
Thank God for the Mudflats!
here’s some good news…….jobs are being created.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/Recovery-in-Action-CA-IN-OR-VA/
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/eye-on-2012/the-palin-wars-part-lxii.html?wprss=thefix
The Palin Wars: Part LXII
“And on Monday, John Weaver, McCain’s closest political adviser for much of the past decade, said that he was nearly certain that the former governor would never be the Republican nominee and added that, if she was, “it would surely mean a political apocalypse is upon us.”
lol…….the Pres mentions Scarah’s “crazy” death panel claim today his address to doctors and nurses at the white house.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/video/President-Obama-Hosts-Doctors-for-Health-Reform/
GreatGranny2B @66 – Thank you for the link. Also, the wishes for a speedy recovery. I wish the same for you, too. It’s a bummer not to be able to get out and do what you want to, isn’t it?
I went to the link and see it’ll be in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area. I just got back from seeing my Dr. in Dallas last Thursday. That’s a lot of traffic for a little ole West Texas gal that lives in a town of about 100,000. Hubby drove, thank goodness!
I would love to go and meet some Mudpups. Maybe there will be another one.
I just gave Creigh Deeds $10. How low can they go? That is a rhetorical question.
@ Sally good article from the WP…
What do you get when you combine APOCALYPSE and LIPSTICK?
http://z.about.com/d/politicalhumor/1/0/3/Q/2/palin-apocalypstick.jpg
This shade from $P’s new cosmetic line is called cha-ching cherry.
@pantsonfire…
You are a marketing genius!
Say No to Palin in Politics @67 – Good link – thanks! Stimulus money is also hitting Kentucky, although McConnell will deny it to his dying breath. Daughter drives I-24 twice daily and it is definitely getting an overhaul, and the signs are up giving credit where it is due – unlike Louisiana where Jindal refuses to allow signs that say it is stimulus money…..I think they shouldn’t get the money if they refuse to acknowledge it’s source.
Sher @70 – back at you! 100,000 little??? Whooeee – my whole county doesn’t have but 60,000! LOL
Say No to Palin in Politics @71 – That’s super of you. I think we all need to do what we can in some of these smaller, localized races. Reminds me of when some teabagger mocked a woman in a wheelchair at one of the townhalls – they don’t have a lick of class left in their little pinkies.
pantsonfire @72 – Funny!
AKM…Photograph is gorgeous..
GG2B~ another good link..
Who is behind the Tea-Baggers ‘ grassroots effort’…. someone admitting the Truth now. { I saw this story link on a Media Matters thread comment }
“Conservative Tycoon David Koch Acknowledges Financial Role in Anti-Tax Movement ” { Mr. Koch is # 19 on the Forbes Billionaire List }
“For months, liberal researchers from the Center for American Progress to Firedoglake to the Rachel Maddow Show have pored over the financial records of libertarian tycoon David Koch to see just how deep his influence ran within the Tea Party movement. On Saturday, speaking at the Defending the American Dream Summit sponsored by Americans for Prosperity, Koch did it for them. Walking onstage at a morning rally, holding a Washington Award that he was about to give to Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C), Koch took credit for launching one of the key organizations of the conservative insurrection.”
http://washingtonindependent.com/62318/tea-party-patrons-point-new-recruits-toward-2010
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Looks like there there is a lot of dirt… attached to those grass-roots to me.
The Media Matters comments section are a wealth of info today. Have to watch their stories more closely.
This story sounds like a PR nightmare if the Dems ( or somebody ?)could or would point it out with a message of their own as it relates to health care reform.
Irony… or hypocrisy…. Not sure what to call it.
This story points out that Wellpoint ( The Health provider ) will be asking its own employees to pay a larger portion in their health care plan.
So…. the company in an effort to keep their ‘ costs down and Profits up ‘ want employees to pay more. Are they not admitting that Health care costs are too high by making this move….? What is wrong with this picture..?
And they do this NOW when the debates is going on.
Should we call and email each one of our own Senators and Congressmen to point out this story… HeLLO !! Does this not PROVE the point. CRAZY!
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“In the memo from Randy Brown, WellPoint’s chief human resources officer, the company said it would lower its contribution toward worker premiums and raise deductibles in two of its three benefit plans. “Your cost per paycheck will probably increase,” the memo said.”
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20091003/BIZ/910030367/WellPoint+cuts+workers+health+benefits
This issue was briefly touched on by Rachel Maddow, then a brief story on ThinkProgress.org, and finally another on HuffPost – all last week and nothing since.
Sen. Jim DeMint seems to be supporting the military coup in Honduras and opposes Obama’s policies on it. DeMint had planned to go to Honduras and the trip was blocked by Sen. John Kerry, via the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on which they both sit (if I remember correctly). Then DeMint went over Kerry’s head and went to McConnell and managed to get onto a military flight. The ThinkProgress article cited the various laws and ramifications DeMint could/should face if he went to a foreign country and voiced opinions against the sitting administration.
It seems a bunch of them have been doing this lately, including Palin in Hong Kong and Cantor in Israel. Is nothing ever going to be done to these people who do and say these things? Look what happened to the Dixie Chicks for a minor statement against Bush. DeMint and Cantor should have some sort of reprimand being elected officials. Palin ought to have her passport revoked and be fined. Anyone heard anything more on DeMint?
found this over at Diva’s……..also, too, I think blogspot is down.
“Munger’s email account has been HIJACKED!!!!!!! I talked to Phil and he’s aware (and pissed). When he tried to get into his account the hijacker changed the password.
In the mean time, get rid of the email and please pass the word on that it’s bogus!! “
“unlike Louisiana where Jindal refuses to allow signs that say it is stimulus money…..I think they shouldn’t get the money if they refuse to acknowledge it’s source.”
Wow GG2b, I agree, that’s low…….the Dems in KY should make a stink about it. Make that every state! I don’t get out much but those who do should check where stimulus funds are going in their state and make sure it’s being acknowledged, stick your own sign out there if ya have to, lol, maybe they’ll multiply.
You can check your state at the link below, type in your zip code for projects in your area. The map will show colored dots that you click on for more information, such as what type funding and project and who receives funds. Very cool. I learned a window manufacturing company in a neighboring town got a small biz loan.
http://www.recovery.gov/Pages/home.aspx
also be sure to watch this fraud, waste and abuse video, we all need to be watch dogs of our tax dollars. A certain government contractor dinner date of Scarah’s comes to mind. In fact Scarah herself comes to mind.
http://www.recovery.gov/FAQ/tutorial/Videos/Tutorial.aspx?VID=6
HIG – thanks for the link on the people behind the ‘grass-roots’ tea party movement.
Money and marketing have somehow come to outweigh facts and reasoning, it sometimes seems.
We are rapidly approaching a new American Ideal: Government by Bumper Sticker!
this how to use the recovery map video is well worth watching…..
http://www.recovery.gov/FAQ/tutorial/Videos/Tutorial.aspx?VID=7
People in Chad are being forced out of their homes, with nowhere safe to go. Please click the link and add your name to a petition to their President:
https://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/site/c.jhKPIXPCIoE/b.3747269/apps/ka/sd/donor.asp?c=jhKPIXPCIoE&b=3752513&actionid=12964
Health and peace to all.
Say No to Palin in Politics @80 – What a great map – thanks for the link! The whole site is super, I’ve bookmarked it, and sent it along to my beloved (but misguided) conservative B/law.
Zyxomma @84 – Done!
Now the conservations want to rewrite the Bible. The book that for years the fundamentalist religious right has claimed to the absolute word of God. Well, apparently God didn’t do it conservation enough to suit the right.
The are going to take out the parts that they deem too liberal…guess that just about eliminates the whole New Testiment except maybe for Revelations.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/05/conservative-bible-projec_n_310037.html
I have an example here –
sometimes it’s good to know what it costs in Black & White
with just a set of numbers
One of the employees has Family coverage – Self/Spouse / 2 children
“Self” is paid by the company $195.32 monthly
Spouse & children are paid by “Self” $514.36 monthly
Self needs to work roughly 54 hrs (33% of Gross paycheck) every month for their (75/25) family coverage
It used to be no more than 25% of Gross Income was to be for home mortgage – and here we are with 33% going to medical INSURANCE!
Hey AKM and other Alaskan bloggers – Geoff Dunn mentions you!
In particular, a rag-tag army of articulate progressive bloggers from Alaska did the public vetting of Sarah Palin that the mainstream media failed to do. They were ahead of the curve every step of the way.
Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/geoffrey-dunn/american-gomorrah–did-pa_b_310440.html
pearl89
I just saw that and thought I’d misread it.
My first thought once I realized it was no joke was to wonder, “What? Do they plan on lopping off the entire New Testament?” (then why call themselves “Christians”)
Ugh! Aside from reading and occasionally commenting on ‘the blogs’ and looking forward to the quiet in the evening times by working the daily NYTimes crossword puzzle, I am so disgusted, the 11 down (‘Politico Sarah’) was PALIN. I could only share this with ‘flatters, ’cause y’all get it. Yuck!
AKM, your wonderful picture that accompanies this open thread lead me to quiet soothingly settle down with the puzzle. I did not even get a chance to read before commenting.
Thank you for the short rant. The Chicago Sun-Times is up for sale. Hope it does not turn out being owned by Sarah’s puppeteer.
Such a beautiful photo! I love autumn sunsets….they are especially beautiful because you are so aware of the change of light and angle. Beautiful!
Just read that the wingnuts are revising the bible and making it their own. Oh good lord…..I’m not at all religious but this absolutely causes my jaw to drop. When are the reasonable conservatives going to speak up and call these whackjobs out? Seriously?!
NYTimes crossword puzzling is not ruined forever:
All is not lost. The across words that spelled out PALIN were SPEW, LAVA, OVINE, FOUR MINUTE MILER, & CLIENTS. All is not lost.
dowl, how perfect! The crossword “gods” are in tune.
All of your photos are nice, AKM. Are you planning on using the pictures on calendars and post-cards?