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Funniest Teabagger Video Ever!

Funniest Teabagger Ever!  You must watch!

Obama Strongly Hints At Warren Nomination To Head Consumer Bureau

A month ago, after rumors surfaced that he was not going to pick Elizabeth Warren, I sent the president a letter urging him to pick her. I don't normally send letters to the prez but I wanted him to know how important this issue was to me. I've watched a lot of compromises and agreed with most of them but this was one area where we need to get the right person for the right job. And that clearly is Ms. Warren.



I wouldn't say my support would completely erode for Obama if he does not pick her but my enthusiasm for him and his agenda would be lessened quite a bit. To my surprise after watching the news conference today, I saw him strongly suggest that he will pick her. Let's hope my reading of him is correct. I think it will go a long way towards motivating people in November and carrying over much needed good will into the last two years of is first term.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

We Can't Yield -- Not Now, Not Ever

I thought about that too. He's certainly not the head of the tea party. But you know what? That guilt by proximity or guilt by association is standard operating procedure for the tea party and the Republicans in general. 3/4's of the issues those parties bring against the dems are baseless and the other 1/4 are circumstantial. She's just doing to them what they do day in and day out on Fox Noise and loser internet sites like Brietbart's and WND.



I think it's refreshing that instead of being politically correct and saying, "well we all share a little blame about this, yeah fox did it but the others followed", she was clear. Brietbart on purpose lied and started this controversy and Fox on purpose lied and spread it. They were responsible.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

WorldNetDaily Rewards Liars

One of the very worst websites, of the "higher read" sites. WND has an exposed liar writing post after post, day after day, and the msm can pick up one of these "news stories" and run with it. After FOX runs with it, then CNN, MSNBC, and it becomes a story. Even though 98% false. Certainly very little fact checking and surely no calling out as to who's lying and who is telling the truth. That is the reason that today, a few months less than two years into Obamas presidency, 18% of Americans believe him a muslim. Oh wait, also not born here, ah, the list goes on and on.



There are no rules for the citizen reporters on the internet and as a result of that, the main stream media has loosened it's rules so that it no longer looks like anything that it was 20 years ago. What to do?
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

'Professional Left' Saga Says More About Media Than Obama

I don't agree. I think Obama has governed more or less how he campaigned. I don't recall him ever proclaiming to be way on the left. My impression was that he was a left of center pragmatist and I think that's how he has tried to govern. Am I happy with a lot of what he's done? Absolutely not. Would I vote for him again? Absolutely. I guess I believe in 1. a learning curve for administrations, and they are adapting. 2. politics ain't easy.



Appointing Elizabeth Warren and getting rid of Summers and Geitner would be good choices to improve his administration.



Who would govern most from the left? Bill, Hillary, or Barack?



When I look at where this country was when he took over, I think he's made too many compromises but he has had to to get anything done. He's still got a lot of work though.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Reflections on <i>24 Hour Restaurant Battle</i>

It is not "maybe" possible to open a restaurant in 24 hours, it is impossible. Chef Conant knows that. Restaurants are one of the hardest business' to manage and earn a profit from. The best restaurants make 5 - 10% as their bottom line. (very small margin for error) So before you really think about salt shakers and place settings you need to think about a business plan. Food cost, labor cost, rent, other fixed costs are most important. You need to pay yourself. Oh yeah, you better know how you will attract enough customers each day to keep the $$ coming. I think it may be possible to do it in maybe a month, but better yet, you need about 4-6. The show is still fun though and is realistic in the trials, tribulations, and successes!
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Is it Un-American to criticize Israel?

A well written post that gives both sides to the story. The Jewish/Palestinian struggle is always so unclear for me. One side says "Yeah, but you have all these countries surrounding us, calling for our destruction. We're just trying to protect ourselves. Plus we're a democracy and the United States closest ally." Then another side says "They've cut off shipments of all but the most basic of goods, it's like apartide." Then the other side says "But they throw rocks at our people just trying to help them. Sometimes they are supplied with smuggled guns and shoot us and even shoot bombs into the mainland." Then the other side says "But the Israeli military comes down on us by a factor of 10x's whatever we do." Then there are the terrorists who go into restaurants and blow up innocents. And on and on, AND ON AND ON AND ON...................Speaking as a naive interested party, when is it going to end? Will it last forever? Who's side is at fault, ney, who's side is more at fault?
And each time the one side makes one of these claims I think, yeah that's right, the other side is bad. Then the other side makes another claim and I think, no, they are really right and the first claim was wrong. That doesn't even get into the fact that as a country we are required to be Israels biggest defender no matter what. Why? It's obvious that protecting our strongest ally gets us nothing but problem after problem after problem. But I bet I'm not quite right in that thinking either?  Click on the link.

Paul
Jay: In Defense of Helen Thomas -- On Apologizing to Apologists: "At any
rate, we all know what's going on here. The hyper-pro-Israel lobby, in both
parties, hasn't much liked the fact that Helen Thomas dares to speak up and
question that most sacred of topics, and right from the front row of the White
House Press Gallery. Heck, she had the gall to ask President Obama about
Israel's 'secret' nuclear weapons. She even asked the current White House
spokesman why the US had not condemned the Israeli attacks on the aid flotilla.
No wonder they want her the hell out."

Sarah Palin: NBC Broke Promise To Me, Example Of 'Lamestream' Media

If I'm having a bad day or just feeling a little down, I always know where to go to pick me up! The interenet with it's latest reporting on Sister Sarah's rumblings and ruminations from Wasilla. Just to click this link and see her shiny, smiling face warms my heart. I have written about her over and over again on my blog about her spirit, her elan, her looks...her brain! One has to be impressed with the wealth of information that she has kind of stuck up there in her mind (and also on her palms).



So, the next time you read or hear her talking about Barack Obama, the constitution, states rights, or even her next door neighbor, Mr. McGinniss, remember that you are witnessing something very special, the Republicans and right-wing media's dumbing down of America over the last 20 years. For that, Palin is the poster child. So I sigh, make a little smile, and rejoice in the fact that I still have a free mind, unfettered by the wackos out there, and know that what's right for Sister Sarah and her ilk, are not right for me.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Taegan Goddard's Political Wire

Come on teabaggers, let's rally around our candidate Mr. D'Annunzio. Sarah Palin, Ayn-Rand Paul? Where are you?
Taegan Goddard's Political Wire: "North Carolina Republicans 'have escalated an unprecedented campaign against one of their own congressional candidates,' with the party chairman calling Tim D'Annunzio (R) 'unfit for public office at any level,' according to the Charlotte Observer.

Newly-surfaced court documents portray D'Annunzio as 'a self-described religious zealot' who once called the federal government the Antichrist and told his ex-wife that he'd found the Ark of the Covenant.

D'Annunzio finished first in the May 4 primary and faces a June 22 runoff against Harold Johnson (R) in the state's 8th congressional district. The winner faces off against Rep. Larry Kissell (D-NC)."

Massachusetts Voters Take Over Sen. Scott Brown's Office

To be a successful Republican means that one cannot embrace or even shake hands with a Democrat. Just ask Charlie Crist or Bob Bennett. Or, perish the thought, work with the Democrats on anything. Just ask Lyndsy Graham or Arlen Specter. To be a successful Republican means you must blindly follow the incompetent Republican leaders lock, stock, and barrell.



I know my rhetoric sounds harsh, but is it not true? To be a successful Republican your sole goal in your position as a lawmaker is not to better the people in passing meaningful laws but to crush any and all Democrats by lies, confusion, and demonization.



"We want our country back from that big scary black man in the White House." The Republican "come to Jesus moment?" January 21st of last year. To be a successful Republican you must try and de-legitimize any and all Democratic election victories.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Poor Geico Voiceover Actor?

I just felt the need to share this very well done piece of satire from the Geico actor that was fired for leaving a nasty phone message to nasty corporate lobbyist pigs. Please enjoy!

Utah Senate 2010: Election BREAKING News

Ever since the start of the Clinton administration the Republican party has become unhinged with their attacks on Democrats and anyone who does not share their ideology at every level. No room for compromise. Today, the party of no, with the advent of the teabaggers, whom they warmly embrace, and their flirting on the fringes of racism, are becoming marginalized as kooks. "I want my country back from the scary black man in the White House!" They're letting this RINO thing get to their heads and kicking out anyone who has ever shaken hands with a Democrat. In the end I think it's going to hurt them, and it couldn't happen to a more deserving bunch of folks.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Why the Dodd Financial Services Bill Is Bad... For Democrats

To Frank Luntz, the wordsmith of all things Republican:
I guess after what we've been through regarding healthcare reform I kind of resent the Huffington Post for giving you a forum to express your made-up views.
There's so much wrong with your post that I don't know where to begin. The fact that you use the term "Obamacare" is insulting to me. You and your cohorts tried, and succeeded in demonizing and lying about healthcare reform from day one to today. Kind of like George Bush saying Saddam was responsible for 9/11, if Bush said it enough, people believed it.
To address just one point, yes I think the people are smart enough to choose the bank which offers the best terms in checking accounts. Following you silly logic we should never be able to put any costs on any corporation because they will pass on those costs. Of course they will! And we will choose whom to do biz with. I guess putting money into the FDIC as banks are required to do is a tax on consumers also? Get off yourself.
So you have no credibility in telling the truth, or your truth, about the financial reform bill. As I said, even before the debate began Republicans were spreading your lies day after day.
I understand your're in the word business but I don't understand why you have to be so dishonest and nasty about it, while still maintaining that veneer of niceness and "I'm just doing my job guys." - I don't think so.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

A Party unsure of it's Identity

Teabagg-er

For the past year or so I have been commenting and posting on the local newspaper online edition, The Daily Journal website.  It has a share of people of all political stripes - conservative, liberal, moderate, libertarian.    By "a share" I mean, among regular commenters and posters, there are a handful of liberal leaning people, a handful of moderate people, and the rest are conservative or libertarian or in the last year, a handful have started to identify themselves as "teaparty people."

Teabagg-er

At the very beginning the people called themselves "teabagg-ers" (I even heard it on Fox) until they heard about the sex act "teabagg-ing" and what a "teabagg-er" really did.  They then decided to just go by the name of tea party so as not to remind people of the sex act.  Fair enough but they were probably missing out on a unique branding opportunity! 

From what I gather the tea partyers were upset about the way things were going in this country.  They were upset with the incredible debt that George Bush gave us and they were upset with the deficit that Barack Obama was piling on.  They really didn't like the stimulus plan that the Obama administration passed to soften the blow of what the Republican Fed Chairman and the Republican Treasury Secretary labeled as possibly the worst economic downturn since the great depression.  Indeed, they indicated that if wall street was not bailed out and money was not inserted in our economy, it was possible that we could have another great depression.

Teabagg-er

So, as well as the stimulus plan, the tea partyers were really not happy about the bailout of wall street, or the TARP plan as it was known.   Turns out, the ONLY people in the country that were happy about the TARP plan were the people on wall street who took billions from tax payers and got paid billions in bonuses.  As an aside to this story, it turns out that Wells Fargo will likely pay zero income taxes on enormous profits made last year due to tax breaks because they bought another bank that lost.  On this we can all agree, it was corporate welfare, and should be stopped.  (Except Glenn Beck who for some unknown reason has said that it really doesn't matter if you taxed all the corporations because it wouldn't help our debt out.)

Scary pic of a scary person from Oakcrest, Michele Malkin

Not racist

Not vile

Obama = Hitler, Chicago Rally

 Recent polls have shown tea partiers to be higher educated than average, have more money than average, be male, older, and 95+% white.  (Not that there's anything wrong with that of course!)   They have also shown that people who call themselves tea partiers are split 50-50 in preference as to what is the most important aspect of their movement.  As I have outlined already, half are concerned with fiscal restraint and out of control government spending, the other half think that social issues are the most important thing.  I like to think of it this way.  Half think Ron Paul is the guy to turn this country around, the other half think Sarah Palin is the new messiah.  Remember a couple of months ago she was the keynote speaker at a convention for a party which she now supports, for a cool 100+k.  Not bad work for a half-term governor who was forced to quit her job because as governor she could not accept speaking fees and make the millions that she now makes.  Remember, she and Todd were not wealthy until this year.  But I digress!  I've seen several of the tea partiers say "I just want my country back."  I guess by saying that they mean they want their country back from Barack Obama.  You know, the guy we elected president in this country last.  The guy who got a plurality of 53%  of the vote, much larger than President Bush got, the guy who just happens to be black.  Wait um, did I say "black?"  Well I certainly don't want to insert race into this, do I?  I don't mean to say that many of these fine folks "come to Jesus moment" was January 21st, the day after President Obama was elected.  I JUST WANT MY COUNTRY BACK!
A fellow commenter (name withheld), who has at times either identified with the tea partiers, or was one, but would certainly admit to having a strong interest in the group, has said he has attended several rallies.  He has stated that he has not seen the rampant racism, vileness, and general un-hingedness that some of these pics show, and I certainly believe him.  But I would hope he would admit that it's probably not too hard to find these wing-nuts at many rallies.  I know I didn't have too much trouble. 
While I would agree that there are many honest people protesting for our country to be fiscally responsible, and smart minds can disagree, there are certainly a percentage of nuts with whom's free speech I am offended.  I do however, defend their right to say it.  I wonder what many of these conservatives would say to the honest people who protested the Vietnam War so many years ago.  If I remember, they said "If you don't like America, leave it!"  Could someone today say "Right back at you!"  It was free speech then, and it's the same today.
This finally brings me around to the crux of my argument.  I tried making a comment today on The Daily Journal online about someone else's description of the tea partiers.  I reserve the right to call them by the name that they started themselves, teabagg-ers.  I have called them that in the past on the website.  Today, when I hit the publish my comment button, the Daily Journal came back with a message stating that my comment could not be accepted because it included a word that was troublesome, or something to that effect, anyway.  The word?  Teabagg-er.  What this means is that one of the good commenters complained to The Daily Journal that when people call them that name, it hurts their feelings, the Daily Journal agreed, and banned it's use, along with other profanity.
So, you're allowed to call other commenters names (happens every day), put up vile pics and descriptions of our country and officials, but we the people in this backwoods part of New Jersey are not allowed to call you by your name.  Free speech?  No.  That's censorship and that's wrong.

Rendell: Democratic Party Is Soulless, 'Cowering Behind The Shower Curtains'

Representative Sestak whom I really admire, made a HUGE MISTAKE in entering this senate race. It was almost like, once the rumors were out there, in the end, he had to run. For the democratic party politically, this makes no sense whatsoever. Now we risk losing his seat in the house and more importantly, a really good congressman.



It puts people in the awkward position of rewarding Specter (he has served the state well) and hurting Sestak which no one wants to do. Again, wrong move. Rendell is right though about the dems need to stand together and talk about the successes of Obama, Pelosi, Reid, etal. Keep on pushing the good bills through. Pretty soon people will see that we're actually achieving something.



Ever notice that no matter what, the repubs ALWAYS stick together? And then shove it in your face on teevee? We should try it for a change.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

Fair & Balanced = Unhinged

In the 60's it was Johnson against Goldwater running the mushroom cloud ad.  Today, it's FOX News vs our President.  Times have changed, haven't they?


Credit to TPM for the utube video.

Drink More Tap Water!

Let's Celebrate World Water Day!
Consider:
• Bottled water is subject to fewer health regulations than tap water. In 2006, Fiji Water ran ads bragging that their product doesn't come from Cleveland, only to have tests show a glass of Fiji water is lower quality than Cleveland tap. Oops!
• Up to 40 percent of bottled water is filtered tap water. In other words, if you're concerned about what's in your tap water, just cut out the middleman and buy a home water filter.
• Each year, according to the Pacific Institute's Peter Gleick, making the plastic water bottles used in the U.S. takes enough oil and energy to fuel a million cars. And that doesn't even include the fuel required to ship, fly or truck water across continents and state lines.
• Three-fourths of the half-a-billion plastic water bottles sold in the U.S. every week go to the landfill or to incinerators. It costs our cities more than $70 million to landfill water bottles alone each year, according to Corporate Accountability International.

Read more fun facts, watch a video, and the rest of the story here.

Are House Democrats Avoiding an Obama Endorsement Due to Health Care?

Thanks for being a sane poster here:) Myself, being of average intellect and mind, know only what I read from different sources at different times re hcr. I have read conservative, moderate, liberal, and progressive points of view. I've come to believe that the bill is flawed in many ways. If I were the King I would choose single payer medicare for all ala Weiner/Kucinich/Sanders. But ALL 3 of those guys are voting for the bill! I do trust their judgement although granted, even they are big-time politicians.

Given the way the Senate has performed this year, I don't believe we will ever get any better start. I also hate the corporate welfare aspect.
About Barack Obama
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

While We're At It

As Larry David/George Costanza would say "Pre-ty, Pre-ty Good."
0:01 Two and a Half Men


0:22 The Simpsons

0:36 O.C

1:00 Naruto

1:11 Family Guy

1:41 Married with Children

1:57 Cheers

2:16 That 70's Show

2:41 Big Love

2:58 Freaks and Geeks

3:18 Malcolm in the Middle

3:35 X-Files

3:55 Firefly

4:09 The Office

4:24 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

4:44 Scrubs

4:54 True Blood

5:27 Charles in Charge

5:38 The Big Bang Theory

5:55 How I Met Your Mother

6:05 Mission Impossible

6:14 Friends

Go Warren Buffett!

New Geico Commercial

Miracle Baby

The newborn male Asian elephant, nicknamed 'Mr Shuffles' by staff, shelters under his mother 'Porntip' during his first public appearance at Taronga Zoo in Sydney on March 14, 2010. The baby elephant was believed to have died during labor but was born alive on March 10, amazing its keepers and defying expert opinion that such an outcome would take a miracle. By Torsten Blackwood/AFP/Getty Images.
God's Blessings!

Roger Ailes, Fox, & Health Care Reform

Hi to everyone and anyone.  I haven't felt much like blogging lately but came across an important piece on the state of the news media's coverage of health care reform.

"One question has tugged at my professional conscience throughout the year-long congressional debate over health-care reform, and it has nothing to do with the public option, portability or medical malpractice. It is this: Why haven't America's old-school news organizations blown the whistle on Roger Ailes, chief of Fox News, for using the network to conduct a propaganda campaign against the Obama administration -- a campaign without precedent in our modern political history?
Through clever use of the Fox News Channel and its cadre of raucous commentators, Ailes has overturned standards of fairness and objectivity that have guided American print and broadcast journalists since World War II. Yet, many members of my profession seem to stand by in silence as Ailes tears up the rulebook that served this country well as we covered the major stories of the past three generations, from the civil rights revolution to Watergate to the Wall Street scandals. This is not a liberal-versus-conservative issue. It is a matter of Fox turning reality on its head with, among other tactics, its endless repetition of its uber-lie: "The American people do not want health-care reform."
Fox repeats this as gospel. But as a matter of historical context, usually in short supply on Fox News, this assertion ranks somewhere between debatable and untrue."

Read the story by Howell Raines at The Washington Post.

Thought of the Day

Bob Burnett: The Conservative War on Democracy: The Puppet Supreme Court: "'In every major case since he became the nation's seventeenth Chief Justice, Roberts [and his conservative allies] has sided with the prosecution over the defendant, the state over the condemned, the executive branch over the legislative, and the corporate defendant over the individual plaintiff.'"

A Blogger's Wish?

My Night Before Christmas

'Twas the night before Christmas for this crafter of blogs,

And what needed a break were my mind's gears and cogs.

I'd spent the year banging at these keys with delight;

Sometimes laughs I'd elicit; sometimes ire I'd incite.

But I wanted to take some time off for a rest.

I wanted to start the New Year at my best.

Remote in my hand, 'fore my TV I plopped,

With my martini chilled and popcorn freshly popped.

I wanted a movie - I didn't want news.

A break from debate was what I could use.

When what to my wondering ears did I hear?

Not my home theater's speakers, but something quite weird.

It sounded like hooves tearing up my front grass.

In a fluster, I almost tipped over my glass.

Then suddenly helping himself to my couch

Was dear old St. Nick. What the heck's that about?

"Hey, Santy Claus," I said with a smirk,

"I don't mean to pry - why aren't you at work?"

"Hello, little boy," he said to this man.

"I'm here to bestow just one gift, if I can."

"I made you a present; it took but a wink:

The chance to make everyone think like you think."

"Every piece that you write, every column you post,

Will meet with agreement from East to West Coast."

I wasn't sure how my response should begin.

I said, "Are you kidding?" I sniffed at my gin.

"Your drink's not been spiked," Santa went on to say.

"And you haven't had too much...not yet, anyway."

I said, "I thought miracles were what's-His-name's game;

The one whose day of celebration's the same."

Santa said, "Sure. He's got miracle clout.

But every so often I like to stretch out."

"So I'm here to tell you dissent won't exist;

Not one single misspelled retort will be missed."

"Put pencil to paper, boy; soon you will see

That with all of your words the whole world will agree."

The offer was tempting as it laid there unfurled.

I think I'm right - why not the world?

But I just looked at Santa, and all I could ask:

"What good is opinion not taken to task?"

We must all offer comment, we must all criticize.

We must cross uncrossed T's and dot dotless I's.

We should stand and defend that in which we believe;

To do anything less would be simply naive.

"I thank you, but no," I said to Old Claus.

"And destroy that gift now, with great haste and no pause."

"Not one single man should have such verbal might;

And all should be ready for an opining fight."

"Are you sure that you're sure?" Santa asked with a grin.

"You know that this offer will not come again."

But I just said, "Hey, while it's tempting, for sure,

Life without debate would become quite a bore."

Then Santa flew off in his red hat and coat.

So I fired up the PC and ditched the remote.

"I take issue with something..." I started to write.

Merry Key-Banging to all, and to all a good night.

"My Night Before Christmas" poem reposted with permission from the blog I Say, Provoking Thought By Banging Keys.  2008 MICHAELNAZSAYS.  Michael is a wonderful writer whom I had the good fortune of meeting last month.  He writes like a writer, with intelligent, thought-provoking prose.  I would strongly suggest my viewers wanting to read a myriad of topics and expand their minds to read his excellent blog.

To all who share January 7th as Christmas in the Old Greek Russian Orthodox calendar, my thoughts and prayers are with you tonight for a joyful and soulful and peaceful Merry Christmas!