From Pine View Farm

February, 2014 archive

Dustbiters 0

FDIC blanks it some banks. Bank no more on

Share

Wars and Mongers of War 0

Dick Cheney reading newspaper:

Cick for a larger image.

Share

Old News 0

Moved below the fold because it autoplays on some systems.

Read more »

Share

“An Armed Society Is a Polite Society” 0

Be polite to your neighbors.

Two Columbus, Ohio women suffered non-life threatening injuries on Thursday after a man accidentally discharged a shotgun at his apartment floor above them, WBNS-10TV reported.

Share

Open Season 0

Share

The Good Old Days 0

Tony Norman reflects on teabagger nostalgia. A nugget:

Before the civil rights movement challenged the status quo, America was dominated by white males. Those in power subscribed to laissez-faire economics, a muscular foreign policy that sought to expand markets overseas, a knee-jerk accommodation to corporate power and a toothless Christianity that preached contempt for the poor.

Racial and religious minorities, women and homosexuals were relegated to the margins of society or reduced to second-class status in their homes. Even children were considered just a notch or two above property.

This is the era that commentator Pat Buchanan and his terminally nostalgic colleagues at Fox News think of as “the good ol’ days.”

Read the rest.

Share

Flagging an Omission 0

Patriotism aside, a South Bay high school worried about campus safety was within its legal rights to order a group of students wearing American-flag adorned shirts to turn them inside out during a 2010 Cinco de Mayo celebration, a federal appeals court ruled Thursday.

The U. S. Flag Code is considered guideline, not law. I assume that is why the story and, I guess, the ruling do not mention that the Flag Code forbids wearing the flag or representations of the the flag as clothing, with the exception of a small patch on athletic uniforms.

Standing at the confluence of ignorance and jingoism, the flag-wearers announced their intent to appeal.

Treating the flag with disrespect is a poor way to parade one’s patrio–oh, never mind.

Share

Frank Sinatra Was Right 0

Witchcraft strips the conscience bare.

In related news news of the crafty, Christine O’Donnell, who assures us that she is not a witch (she certainly failed to bewitch Delaware!) returns because everyone needs some chuckles.

Share

The Voter Fraud Fraud 0

The strategy is simple.

When you know that the majority of the public won’t vote for you and you know that your supporters are conquests of the “Southern strategy” determined to vote under any circumstance, do everything you can to keep everyone else from voting.

Almost a third of North Carolina’s 100 counties have received permission from the State Board of Elections to reduce early-voting hours heading into the May 6 primary below what last year’s elections overhaul law demanded of them.

The law, pushed through by state Republican leaders, remains a divisive issue with legal challenges as the upcoming primary provides a key test of how new rules will work before the November general election.

It is superfluous to point out the the Republican Party is no longer a political party. I’m not quite sure what it has become, but I think that “subterfuge” comes closest.

Share

QOTD 0

Charles F. Kettering:

The world hates change, yet it is the only thing that has brought progress.

Share

Break Time 0

Off to drink liberally.

Afterthought:

It was a good time. Join us for the next one. It’s fun and it’s free (except separate checks).

Share

In the Name of “Transparency” 0

Chris Preovolos reports that a Florida restaurant is hitting customers with an “ACA surcharge.” Heaven forbid that all those overpaid waiters and bussers and line cooks should have access to healthcare.

A nugget:

“We wanted to definitely be transparent that affordable health care is part of the cost of doing business,” Clark told Florida’s News965.com.

But why the surcharge now? There are countless local, state and federal programs and taxes are contribute to the cost of doing business, those aren’t broken out on the bill. There’s no surcharge for the paving of public streets in Orlando.

(snip)

“We’re definitely doing it to stay afloat,” Clark told WPEC. “It’s not political in any way.”

Except that it is political, and that’s fine, just call it what it is.

Share

A Picture Is Worth 0

GOP as business man in shop window next to a


Click for a larger image.

Share

“Culture War Set Pieces” 0

Chris Hayes and his guests discuss how political hate scams get pulled off and how “economic conservatives play social conservatives for suckers.”

Share

Playing the God Card 0

A local candidate in Florida does not think her opponent is Godly enough, or worships the correct flavor of God, or something.

To which I say, “Matthew 6:5”.

Share

Nothing To Do, Nowhere To Go 0

Status quo ante.

Jobless claims increased by 14,000 to 348,000 in the week ended Feb. 22, exceeding all forecasts in a Bloomberg survey and the highest level in a month, from 334,000 in the prior period, a Labor Department report showed today in Washington. A Labor Department spokesman said no states were estimated and there was nothing unusual in the data.

(snip)

Today’s Labor Department data showed the four-week average of claims, a less-volatile measure than the weekly figure, was unchanged at 338,250.

Share

Car Tax 0

The Regent’s ridiculous tax on persons who choose to save energy and money by purchasing economical vehicles has been repealed.

The legislation he (Governor McAuliffe–ed.) signed, HB975 from Del. Tom Rust, R-Fairfax County, nixes the annual fee on hybrid vehicles and creates a mechanism for state refunds to motorists who paid that registration fee years in advance.

As near as I can figure it, the idea was that persons who chose to conserve energy should be punished because they do not have Ford F350s or Cadillac Escillades.

Or something.

Or maybe it was just nastiness for nastiness’s sake.

Share

Stray Question, Some Anthills Are Better Left Unpoked Dept. 0

One wonders whether, had Republicans not decided to rally the forces of hate with anti-gay legislation in the years of President George the Worst (you know, the President they don’t talk about), would they be losing case after case in the courts today?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Gratuitous hate for political gain can collect its own gratuity.

Share

Republican Family Values in a Word 0

Stay classy, Virgina Republicans.

Share

QOTD 0

Jean Cocteau:

The greatest masterpiece in literature is only a dictionary out of order.

Share