Jan 12, 2016

Today In Y'all Qaeda Land

Here's a pretty good look at the latest Wingnut Clusterfuck going on in Oregon, from Al Jazeera:



hat tip = FB friend DR

Yes, it's Al Jazeera.  And yes, it's biased.  And yes, we have to get used to the fact that nobody's really doing good journalism anymore, so we have to be able to sort thru the shit on our own.

And here's a related bit from Raw Story:
The Bundys have voiced support for a variety of right-wing fringe ideas, particularly the “posse comitatus” notion that no legitimate governments exist above the county level, and they believe in no higher law authority than the county sheriff.
However, posse members have embedded an implicit threat in their belief system.
If the sheriff violates his oath of office, as determined by the right-wing extremists themselves, “he shall be removed by the posse to the most populated intersection of streets in the township and at high noon be hung by the neck, the body remaining until sundown as an example to those who would subvert the law.”
The main point here is that there's not a dime's worth of difference between what these jagoffs are doing in places like Oregon and what their counterpart jagoffs are doing in places like Iraq and Afghanistan.

Jagoff is as jagoff does, Forrest.

Jan 11, 2016

Today's Tweet

Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind

Part 1 from The Real News Network



hat tip = FB buddy DR

The safety gizmo was found to be malfunctioning during an inspection in 1976 - the last time this site was inspected - and it was removed in 1979.

No safety inspections in very nearly 40 years. A safety valve that prob'ly would have prevented the thing from leaking for these last 4 months - but hey, we'll just go on about our bidness because the market will make any necessary corrections all in good time, and only some libtard who hates anybody trying to make a living would think anything might actually go wrong. 

This fits nicely into my take on the GOP Playbook.

1) Fuck up the EPA - cut funding, block appointments, harass in general
2) Wait for an environmental disaster
3) Point at it and say, "The EPA's all fucked up; their job-killing business-hostile regulations were supposed to make sure this didn't happen. The EPA is useless. Let's get rid of the EPA"


Jan 9, 2016

Today's Pix

(click the pic)














Movies We'd Like To See

Tweets

Somebody started a trend called #BundySnackMovieTitles











Jan 8, 2016

Poverty Is Expensive

Everybody's Fave

Never Waste A Good Crisis

Raw Story
As the militia stand-off in Oregon comes up on one week, speculation turns to the financial resources that allow men to up and leave their jobs — reportedly for however long it takes — to take an uninvited stand for freedom in an empty bird sanctuary.
According to experts who study right-wing movements, militia members barely get by, with some living on government disability checks and the earnings of their neglected wives.
In an interview with The Oregonian, Mark Pitcavage, who has studied far-right movements for 22 years, said most militia members live hand to mouth.
“These guys are broke,” he said. “Right-wing extremists, generally speaking, have very little money.”
While some members have brought their wives and children with them — leading to dissension within the ranks — others may have to cut out early before leader Ammon Bundy declares victory and heads home to Nevada.
“It’s quite possible that a lot of them will get tired and feel the pressure to go back and care for their families,” Pitcavage explained.
The extended stay at the national bird refuge in the dead of winter has already cost one militia member his job.
Jason Patrick, of Georgia, claims he lost his $80,000-a-year roofing job — with benefits and a company truck — because he took off without notice and had already used up his vacation days attending other Patriot-inspired events.
So I'm wondering - if we include a Y'allQaeda Allowance Clause, would the GOP finally be willing to move forward on some decent legislation for Medical and Family Leave?

Yesterday's News

"Big" story at WaPo yesterday about Jim Webb starting to take a step or two tentatively to see if maybe he should contemplate considering a possible try to investigate whether or not he should maybe run for POTUS as an independent.
“After weeks of study, including consultations with ballot experts and independent activists across the country, we have a handle on what it takes to give voters in every state a real choice,” Webb spokesman Craig Crawford said in a statement. Jones, he said, would help with the next step: “How to pay for it.”
And the "who gives a fuck" silence was deafening.

It's good to have guys out there making some noise about how fucked up the system is right now, so I have no problem with this on its face.  But when you have people running the operation who're basically in the Business Of Politics, trying to position yourself as the guy who wants to take the business out of politics makes you look a little silly.

I dunno how else it gets done or who's supposed to do it, BTW - the only people voting in favor of Women's Suffrage were men (eg) - so maybe it's just that Jim Webb really doesn't strike me as the guy to pull it off.  Or maybe it's because I'm a little suspicious when it comes to ex-military people wanting to make changes to, and asking to be put in charge of a government that's supposed to be civilian-centered.


We have to figure out ways to get together and work the problem, but we also have to keep in mind: 

"Distrust and caution are the parents of security." --Ben Franklin