April, 2011 archive
The Republican War on Women, Reprise 0
Gail Collins, riffing one John Kyl’s mendacity, thinks that there’s a hidden agenda in the rightwing fury over abortion: To keep ’em barefoot and pregnant.
A nugget:
(snip)
The reason this never comes up in the debates about reproductive rights is that it has no popular appeal. Abortion is controversial. Contraception isn’t. A new report by the Guttmacher Institute found that even women who are faithful Catholics or evangelicals are likely to rely on the pill, IUDs or sterilization to avoid pregnancy.
What we have here is a wide-ranging attack on women’s right to control their reproductive lives that the women themselves would strongly object to if it was stated clearly. So the attempt to end federal financing for Planned Parenthood, which uses the money for contraceptive services but not abortion, is portrayed as an anti-abortion crusade. It makes sense, as long as you lay off the factual statements.
Dick Polman has more on the lies. Another nugget:
Really? By what measure does the move against Planned Parenthood represent “the will of the American people” – given the fact that the people never voted in ’10 for this morality crusade, and that the polls contradict Pence’s claim?
The guy is just making stuff up. Or perhaps he didn’t intend it as a factual statement.
In Wingnut World, “just making stuff up” may be a family value.
Not in my family.
Solution Looking for a Problem 0
This is not news.
This is why cooking was invented.
Also, 136 samples?
The new estimate is based on just 136 samples of beef, chicken, pork and turkey purchased from grocery stores in Chicago; Los Angeles; Washington, D.C.; Flagstaff, Ariz.; and Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
(snip)
The new study found more than half the samples contained Staphylococcus aureus, a bacteria that can make people sick. Worse, half of those contaminated samples had a form of staph that’s resistant to at least three kinds of antibiotics.
I am more concerned about the “resistant to at least three kinds of antibiotics” part.
We Need Single Payer . . . 0
. . . because a health insurance industrial complex whose primary purpose is paying the country club memberships of its executive bonus babies by denying health care is likely to have a whatchamaycalllit oh! right conflict of interest:
MedSolutions was hired in July 2009 to review claims before doctors administered tests such as knee MRIs and CT scans of the brain. The firm stood to lose money if it did not reach its 20 percent savings target, according to the report. Such a contingency violated state law. It was removed from the contract last summer.
QOTD 0
Charles Evans Hughes, from the Quotemaster (subscribe here):
The most ominous spirit of our times, as it seems to me, is the indication of the growth of an intolerent spirit
.
And Now for Something Completely Different 0
Dustbiters 0
The FDIC has not yet exhausted the supply of responsible fiscals to honor by taking away their business licences.
Two more banks shot (and it’s still early yet):
Second Round:
-
Rosemount National Bank, Rosemount, Minnesota
Superior Bank, Birmingham, Alabama
Nexity Bank, Birmingham, Alabama
Nexity?
And finally
Aside:
The Bugs Bunny cartoons used to feature the Last National Bank. At the time, they thought it was a humorous concept.
A Picture Is Worth etc. 0
Margaret Carlson comments at Bloomberg (emphasis added):
Facebook Frolics: Taking You for a Ride Dept. 0
The BBC describes how social networks make money by selling users to the highest bidder. A nugget:
The promise of matching people with products makes social networks attractive to advertisers, and Facebook deals add location into the mix. Users check in on their mobiles and get special offers in return.
If you spend much time on social networks, you should read it. It might help you spot the manipulation.
11th Dimensional Chess? 0
Peter Bergman thinks that President Obama has given Republicans enough rope for them to hang themselves.
Me, I’m not so sure. I’ve learned never to discount the power of crazy.
The Republican War on Truth 2
The editorial page editor of my local rag has an excellent column on corporatist and Republican efforts to debunk scientific fact.
I can’t excerpt or summarize it adequately.
All I can say is go read it.
Twits on Twitter 0
Click for a larger image
Barney Fife on Steroids 0
DelawareLiberal reports.
Pig in a Pokey (Updated) 0
The Ridley, Pa., police have kidnapped a pet pot-bellied pig who wandered away and won’t tell anyone where he is because, in their minds, he’s a farm animal.
They have porked him in a hiding place.
I fear the sty in their eye prevents them from behaving other than pettishly.
One could say that this swine flew the coop.
Afterthought:
This is silly and stupid (and I’m not referring to my post). Also cruel.
A six-pound pig that lives indoors and uses a litter box is no more a farm animal than a pet rabbit is a wild beast.
Addendum, Two Days Later:
The pig is out of stir and no longer in danger of stir-fry:
As officials clammed up, the “Where is Steve?” rallying cry was quickly getting attention on Facebook, and a friend of Maguire’s and Broadhurst’s started printing T-shirts with the slogan.
Apparently, the pressure was too much for Ridley officials.
And little Steve made it wee, wee, wee, all the way home.
