2012 archive
The End of Thanksgiving 0
Shaun Mullen remembers the late Jon Swift’s paean to Thanksgiving upon its abolishment by the liberals following the 2008 election.
I doubt that, master satirist that he was, even Jon Swift would have dared predict that Walmart would abolish it in 2012.
A Peaceful Table 0
Care2 offers some suggestions for avoiding nasty political discussions with your wingnut welatives this Thanksgiving. My favorite:
No one likes cleaning up after such a big feast, so no matter how much ire you’ve received based on your leftist views, you’re sure to win back brownie points by taking on the dishwashing. Plus, it’s a good way to excuse yourself from the conversation. If you’re particularly livid at this point in the night, you could also just pull a Paul Ryan and pose for a photo while pretending to wash a dish before booking it altogether.
Via Farnsworth.
QOTD, Special Bonus Thanksgiving Edition 0
Marcus Tullius Cicero:
Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld:
In most of mankind gratitude is merely a secret hope of further favors.
Droning On, Coming Soon to a Neighborhood Near You 3
Pretty soon, you won’t be able to soak up the rays in your backyard.
A drone owned by SHARK, or SHowing Animals Respect and Kindness, was flying above the Wing Pointe club in Berks County, Penn. and observing a pigeon shooting event when it came under fire.
For more hot QuadCaptor action, see Peter64’s YouTube channel.
Via GNC.
The (Job) Creationism Myth 0
Thom takes on job creationism believer, Neal Asbury, host of “Truth for America.”
From the website:
We’ve seen a lot of so-called “job creators” announce layoffs since the election. They say they can’t afford to pay for their employees health insurance. But that’s not the reality.
Join Me for Some Facebook Frolics 0
Meet me where the River of Stupid flows into the Bay of Hysterical Reaction . . . .
“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0
Another sacrifice on the altar of gunnuttery, another gun that just “went off”:
On the way to school Tuesday, Jordyn pulled the gun out of his backpack and displayed it, according to an arrest affidavit. The gun went off once, striking Lourdes in the neck.
Lies and Lying Liars, Wingnut Self-Talk Dept. 0
Things people say about the election that aren’t true, but that make them feel good:
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Via Raw Story.
Nothing To Do, Nowhere To Go 0
A perfect storm:
The level of claims reflects the economic drag associated with Sandy, which made landfall in the Northeast on Oct. 29, killing more than 100 in the U.S. and leaving about 8 million homes and businesses without power for days.
(snip)
The four-week average, a less volatile measure than the weekly figures, rose to 396,250 from 386,750.
Economists’ estimates for claims last week ranged from 365,000 to 500,000. Claims in the previous week were revised to 451,000 from a previously reported 439,000.
Commissions? or Kickbacks? 0
The push to privatize public services has had almost uniformly inimical results.
Here’s one. From the website:
The prison industrial complex has continuously increased their profits, and with the expanding number of people behind bars in the US, the price of phone calls from prison has gone up as well. One company is charging $1.13 per minute in a Georgia state prison, and Drew Kukorowski, research associate for Prison Policy Initiative, joins us with more on the phone service in prisons and how the FCC might play a role in controlling rates.
Have you noticed how often vampire capitalists “private equity” turns up in these situations.
The “Secesh” 2
Ron Paul goes all in for secession, describing it as follows (follow the link for more of the wit and wisdom of Ron Paul):
Remember, when someone says, “states’ rights,” ask, “states’ rights to do just what, exactly?”
If you get an honest answer, it won’t be a pretty one.
Break Time 0
Off to drink liberally.
Fiscal Cliffhangers 0
The Onion skewers the handwringing over the fiscal not-really-a-cliff by visualizing the effects. A nugget:
- Total breakdown of effective government will turn large parts of the country into an unimaginably hellish libertarian paradise
- Severe cuts to education spending, if you can fathom that
More visualizations at the link.
Tilting at Windmills 0
The “nocebo” effect.
You can catch it from any green technology I don’t approve of.
Via the Green Miles.
The Entitlement Society: Vampire Capitalism Dept. 0
Thoreau surveys the Twinkies and asks a question:
We should stop calling it “vulture capitalism.” The term slurs vultures, the trash haulers of the wild, who provide an essential service.
“Vampire capitalism”: that’s my submission.
Image via Balloon Juice.
Fighting the Last War 2
Lt. Col. Daniel Davis, writing as a private citizen, considers the current situation in Afghanistan and sees parallels between the legacy of General Patraeus and that of another legendary general from a war long gone.
It’s worth noting that when Gen. William Westmoreland told Congress how well the Vietnam War was going in April 1967, he was hailed as a hero and interrupted by applause 19 times. But years later, when an honest evaluation of his performance was made and the truth was laid bare, his name became a byword for military failure.
Read the rest.
Twits on Twitter 0
“That’s not a twit. This is a twit.”
More Makeover Magic 0
Little Ricky isn’t having any of it. The Commander Guy reports.