2010 archive
Stats 0
It is truly amazing how much money persons can make for ruining the economy, for putting lots of folks out of work, or for providing nothing whatsoever of value (indeed, in some cases subtracting value from life).
And how little persons earn for adding value to life.
The Course of Empire 0
Thoreau lets loose his inner cynic.
Keeping the License out of Licenses 0
The persons keep vanity plates from being profanity plates:
H8 was also a popular prefix – as in H8VICK – and CMY (see my… fill in the blank).
Other rejects that we can probably get away with printing here: BITETHS, IHAV2P, LVVODKA, PMPNVAN, IGETHI, NOGOD, AHCRAAP, and a whole batch of applications containing the letters SUX.
URNBRED and USTUPID were voted down as well.
The Galt and the Lamers 0
One of the shibboleths of modern conservative thought is that the all-powerful “market” gives a flying farsnackle about morality. The “market” cares only about money and about what persons can get away with.
In this case, persons got away with other persons’ houses.
From 2004 to 2006, the mortgage-fraud scheme entangled homeowners who were in financial trouble.
“These are not people who overextended themselves and bought McMansions,” said U.S. Attorney Ellen V. Endrizzi, one of the government prosecutors handling the case. “These are people who fell on hard times. It’s so heartbreaking because nothing can be done for them.”
Led by Charles Head of Los Angeles, there are 16 defendants remaining from two 2008 indictments. All defendants have opted for jury trials, according to documents filed March 5 in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California in Sacramento.
Charges against them include mail fraud and conspiracy to commit mail fraud, money laundering, and related offenses, Endrizzi said. Though some defendants already have pleaded guilty, trials for the others probably will not start until May 2011.
Stray Thought 0
Coal mining will continue to be dangerous as long as mine operators consider safety to be part of an expense, rather than a way of life.
Lies, Lying Liars, and Republicans 0
Speaks for itself:
(snip)
Colonel (Lawrence–ed.) Wilkerson, who was General Powell’s chief of staff when he ran the State Department, was most critical of Mr Cheney and Mr Rumsfeld. He claimed that the former Vice-President and Defence Secretary knew that the majority of the initial 742 detainees sent to Guantánamo in 2002 were innocent but believed that it was “politically impossible to release them”.
Via Thoreau.
Gunnar Myrdal Was Correct . . . 0
when he said (in 1938 mind you) that the Negro problem in America is a white man’s problem:
Video via the Booman, whose entire post is worth a read.
Brendan Poses a Question 2
Then he answers it.
I Hope Tiger Woods Wins the Masters . . . 0
. . . because whatever he did in his marriage, he never pretended to be anything other than what he was.
Sure, he kept his personal life quiet (with good reason); that means he wasn’t parading his family in public in some kind of family values hype.
He’s more honest than most of the sanctimonious gasbags who are writing and talking about him in the media.
No, I don’t watch golf on telly vision.
Twits on Twitter 2
In Scotland.
Of course, if he did that here and if and only if he were a wingnut, he’d be hailed as an outspoken hero.
iYawn 1
Bill Shein. A nugget:
QUESTION: When I opened the box, I found my new iPad was wrapped in a black turtleneck. Why?
ANSWER: The black turtleneck is the official symbol of our iLord and iMaster, Steve Jobs, praised be He. Every iPad comes lovingly wrapped in a turtleneck that has been Blessed by Steve™ at no additional charge. As you may have heard, five of these shirts were once worn by Steve. If you get one – which will smell strongly of pure genius – you’ll win a tour of Apple’s secret design studio. During your visit, you’ll learn about upcoming products like the Everlasting GatesStopper and the iHuxley, the perfect device for our brave new world of permanent distraction.
Donning the Breastplate of Hate 0
Leonard Pitts, Jr. Read the whole thing:
Then you consider Hutaree and its alleged plan to kill in the name of God, and the idea of some innate, saving difference between us and those bearded others in other places begins to feel like a fiction we conjured to help us sleep at night.
(snip)
Why does their Jesus need the help of men in camo fatigues with guns and bombs? In this, he is much like the Allah for whom certain Muslims blow up marketplaces and crowded buses. Muslim and American terrorists, it seems, both apparently serve a puny and impotent God who can’t do anything without their help.
I Get Mail 1
I do not find this surprising. From the ACLU.
We’ve told you about the ACLU lawsuit on behalf of Constance McMillen, the Mississippi student whose school canceled the prom rather than let her attend with her girlfriend. Last month, a federal judge in Mississippi ruled that the school violated Constance’s First Amendment rights. However, the judge was satisfied by the school’s promise that Constance would be welcome at a private prom, so he did not force the school to put its own prom back on.
What happened next is shocking.
Last Friday, Constance went to a private dance that was billed as the school prom. The event—attended by Constance, her date and five other students—was essentially a decoy event. According to news reports, virtually all of the other students went to a parent-sponsored prom to which Constance was not invited.
No, it’s not shocking. It’s typical.
All seriousness aside, this was just cruel.
They were not even willing to stand up for their bigotry. They tried to pretend it away through some kind of shell-game trick.
This is where hate groups have a moral edge. At least they are honest about hating. That’s better than the carpet-chewing pseudo-morality of the hypocrites.
Act now.
Aside:
When I was a young ‘un, the girls all danced with each other anyway.
So what’s the big?
Paranoia Strikes Deep; on the Right It Shall Creep 0
From Fact Check dot org. Follow the link for the full analysis:
Q: Did the new health care law give Obama a Nazi-like “private army” of 6,000 people?
A: No. Contrary to false Internet rumors, the new Ready Reserve Corps of doctors and other health workers will report to the surgeon general and be like the “ready reserves” in other uniformed services. They will be used during health emergencies.
They make stuff up because truth is not on their side.
Whereass 0
Via Not Larry Sabato, a home run. Click the link to chase the ball.