Today's Tweet

And this one may be the all-time winner.

From now on I am watching @oreillyfactor exclusively through @Snapchat filters pic.twitter.com/9KLXGAuHrH

— Erin Gloria Ryan (@morninggloria) March 23, 2016

Gouge out my eyes with a rusty garden trowel and incinerate my brain - please - somebody - make me un-remember this.

Today's Tweet

CNN

After the attacks in Brussels, the home of NATO and the capital of the European Union, leaders inside Belgium and beyond vowed not to back down in their fight against terror.

In Belgium, where officials declared three days of national mourning, Michel offered a resolute message to those who supported and cheered the attackers.

"To those who have chosen to be barbarous enemies of freedom, democracy and fundamental values ... we remain united as one," Michel said. "We are determined to defend our freedoms and to protect our liberties."

In its message claiming responsibility, ISIS noted that Belgium is one of the nations "participating in the international coalition against the Islamic State."

A Twitter post widely circulated by prominent ISIS backers Tuesday featured the words, "What will be coming is worse."

Do you know how many people are wondering whether those responsible are secular humanists?
None. No one is.
There's a reason for that.

— MrOzAtheist (@MrOzAtheist) March 23, 2016

Belgian authorities say the man in white is one of three suspects tied to the airport attack.

The other two died in the explosions, Belgian Interior Minister Jan Jambon told CNN. But investigators believe the man in white planted a bomb at the airport, then left.

"The third man left a bomb in the airport, but it didn't explode. ... And we are now looking for this guy," Jambon said.

A photograph released by investigators shows the three suspects side-by-side.

Today's GIF

Upside Down And Backwards

The National Treasure formerly known as Charlie Pierce has today's take down on David Brooks: 

(yeah yeah - OK - "today" as in 4 days ago. I'm pleasantly otherwise occupied. Priorities hafta shift a little and I catch things up when I can)

Moral Hazard noticed that Master had left his computer on, and that there were words on the screen, arranged in paragraphs. He wandered over and put his paws up on the desk. He looked over at Master again. Master's eyes were open but he was not seeing anything. Moral Hazard read, and he understood. He walked sadly out of the room, through the kitchen, and out onto the fire escape over the alley. He let the afternoon breezes wash over him. He wondered if Master would ever wake up, or if anyone would notice if he did.

My own little bit: for all The Fountainhead fans, just turn things over; look at the mirror image, and it's easy to see that David Brooks is straight outa Central Casting - positively born to the role of Ellsworth Toohey.  A venal, self-serving word-weasel paid to reinforce The Noble Lie.  And to paraphrase St Ayn's own way of describing this thing: "the epitome of evil is the man who knows the truth and recognizes it when he hears it, but denies it and substitutes a conveniently profitable lie - meant to deflect the anger of the mob, and redirect it against the very tools they need to free themselves."

You can get regular and thorough David Brooks take-downs at driftglass.

And every Friday afternoon, check in with The Professional Left Podcast.

Today's Pix

 

Marketing To The Id

I'm thinking this is probably not really about self-reliance or empowerment or even the usual patronizing bullshit of "lemme mansplain about how we just wanna keep you sweet brainless dollies a little safer".

Selling with sex is one thing, but look at it.  She's an attractive, purposeful-looking grownup woman - throwing open her coat to give us a peek at her kinda-girlie lingerie, while reaching around behind her, hoping to grab hold of somebody's big hard steely penis, which of course is her only salvation because she's really just that "sweet brainless dollie" who can't possibly survive without some guy's dick in her hand.

A whole Marketing Division somewhere is toasting themselves because they know there's an army of dumbass ammosexuals masturbating on Mom's clean sheets over this right now.

Guys - even without my own little hangups, there're enough Repression Issues in just this one picture to keep a battalion of Freudians on the bestseller list for-fucking-ever.

Halfway To Summer

This being the Vernal Equinox, it won't be long before it's time to pack up the old family wagon and make the trek to a relaxing week at a beach somewhere.

You'll wanna check out all the gear, but also, you need to take certain precautions to be sure your flabby winter bod can take the added stress of the vacation season - especially if you've got kids.

Let's be careful out there.

A Bit Less Dumb Now

Wouldn't it be nice to look forward to a time when we can just learn this and be a little amazed, and not feel like we have to catalog the knowledge in a way that makes it easily retrievable because we know we'll need it to push back against some idiot god-knobber who wants to teach kids about talking snakes and 900-year-old boat builders?

Today's Question

...is pretty much the same question I have almost every week.

Why is a 30-minute comedy show doing a better job reporting on these issues than the army of Corporate Press Poodles?

Today's Quote

Earth, teach me to forget myself as melted snow forgets its life.

Earth, teach me resignation as the leaves which die in the fall.

Earth, teach me courage as the tree which stands all alone.

Earth, teach me regeneration as the seed which rises in the spring. --William Alexander