RIP Div (Political Journalism subsection)

For many years I enjoyed the writing of Jack Germond in so many of the newspapers I read wherever I was living at the time,  I also enjoyed his laid-back, dry, droll commentary when paired against the other up-tight "talking heads" he appeared with on various commentary shows on the teevee.

Was sorry to read that he passed away yesterday at age 85.

Well Jack, I guess now you know "what really happened" ........ thanks for trying to tell us back then.

                                                        

                                                (Harry Naltchayan / TWP)

"WE'RE GONNA WIN A PRIZE !!!" Div (Broadcast media subsection)

Arrogance and Ignorance give themselves a pat on the back.

Oh, the humility !!!

FEAR div (Elmer Fudd* subsection)

Two posts from out there on the intertubes about being afraid:

Jim Wright at Stonekettle Station sez:

They’re afraid of the government. They’re afraid of the president, they’re afraid of congress, they’re afraid of the judges. They’re afraid of socialism. They’re afraid of Nazis and communists. They’re afraid of liberals and progressives and RINOs and feminists and Prius-driving vegetarians. They’re afraid of their neighbors. They’re afraid of the North and afraid of the South and afraid of people from Chicago, and New York and Washington D.C. and California. They’re afraid of gangs and crime and terrorism.  They’re afraid of know-it-all college educated long hairs. They’re afraid of political correctness and affirmative action. They’re afraid of minorities and they’re afraid of immigrants and they’re afraid of uppity blacks and strong-willed women and smart Asians and dirty Latinos and murderous Muslims. They fear their own supposedly loving God and they’re afraid of everybody else’s deity too. They’re afraid of the Rapture and the Anti-Christ and the End Times. They’re afraid of Sharia Law and they’re afraid of the Pope and afraid of the Jews – and yet they’re afraid of atheists too. They’re afraid of immorality and pornography and the internet and cable TV and that Rock&Roll music. They’re afraid of social media, they’re afraid of Twitter and Facebook and the bloggers and the Goddamned lamestream media. They’re afraid the military might just take over and they’re afraid that the military isn’t powerful enough. They’re afraid of death and afraid of taxes. They’re afraid of science, of evolution and climate models and plate tectonics and carbon dating and sex education. They’re afraid of abortion and birth control and the morning after pill, but at the same time they’re also afraid people might be having sex and they’re afraid “those” people might be having a whole bunch of welfare babies that they’re afraid they’ll have to pay for. They’re afraid of North Korea and China and the long defunct Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. They’re afraid that somebody might be coming to take all their guns and they’re afraid of all the crazy people with guns and they’re afraid that the government has too many guns.  They’re afraid of being poor but they’re afraid of the rich too. They’re afraid of the Bilderbergs and the Illuminati and the New World Order. They’re afraid of the the banksters and yet they’re deathly afraid of any laws that might restrict those self same power brokers. They’re afraid of losing their entitlements and they’re afraid the undeserving want entitlements too and more than anything they’re afraid that somebody somewhere might be getting something for nothing on the taxpayer dime, but they’re afraid of making those same “takers” pay for their own healthcare.  They’re afraid of chemicals in their food and genetically engineered crops, but they’re afraid of laws requiring that those same ingredients be fully disclosed by food producers because they’re afraid that might be bad for business. They’re afraid of obesity and heart disease and that our kids are a generation of blubbery little couch potatoes, but they’re afraid of Mayor Bloomberg and Michelle Obama.  They’re afraid of Hollywood violence and yet they’re also afraid that Sesame Street might be making their kids into prancing pacifist pisswillies. They’re afraid we’ll run out of oil or that some America hating dictator somewhere will cut the oil off – and yet at the same time they’re afraid of solar panels and wind towers and electric cars.

And Gordon at Alternate Brain forwards a post for all those who have forgotten what " America" is all about ( I know I get the e-mails from folks every day).

* "Be afwaid.  Be verwy afwaid."

Retrospectocracy .......... div

Been over a week now of being back in the United States of Reality and listening to all the printed pundits discussing the autopsy of the election and selecting just which bits of the pathology caused the demise of the Republican Party  (of course, there are some out there who say they really won, us normal folk just can't see it yet.).
But , why am I still receiving the various and sundry e-mails about stuff that didn't seem to pan out so far.

(h/t Jim Wright at Stonekettle Station)

Ignorance div (graphics subsection)

For those having trouble with how the process works:

                                           (h/t  Huffington Post)

Here Come da Judge .... div

Well, quite a week for the Supremes, eh ???

Let's see  - -

Health Care  - - - guess that'll be alright. Maybe we should join the 21st Century. Can't wait to hear what Rush calls John Roberts (couldn't be a slut, could he?)  On second thought, don't know where to tune the radio and probably would shoot it.
Jail forever for kids  -- nah. Can't kill 'em either.
"Let me see your Papers"  - -  ok, but ......
It's ok to lie  - -  well constitutionally anyhow. Especially if you're a politician (but I repeat myself).
Money is the mother's milk of politics (and maybe government). Kinda like "Ya get what ya pay for."

                "Alito wrote: “Is it true that our society is inexorably evolving in the direction of greater and greater decency? Who says so, and how did this particular philosophy of history find its way into our fundamental law?” Besides, he said, aren’t elected representatives better than judges at gauging society’s standards?"    
 Granted, this bit of prose is from the decision on life sentences  - -  via George Will  (Smilin'Sam disagreed with that too but then again, George disagreed with Sam). But, pardon me for asking' Sam, but don't the folks in Montana know what influence money has in their politics ( i.e. "standards") ??? 


Come to think of it, Smilin' Sam, Silent Clarence and Sarcastic Scalia disagreed with all those opinions (except for the one involving money  - -  life is cheap ya know). Their judicial stance can probably best be summed up with Stonewall Jackson's words after the Battle of Fredricksburg: "Kill 'em, Kill 'em all."


Then there are the rubes in the House of Representatives. Just what made these jamokes ever think that THEY had the right (or privilege) of holding anyone - - except themselves  - -  in contempt ???  Perhaps they don't know the meaning of the word. 


Oh well, let the bloodletting commence ..............


On second thought, let 'em eat broccoli.

We Can't Make It Here Anymore div

Saturday, I went for a walk with my "adopted" brother (he didn't have a brother, so I adopted him). We served together in the Air Force and have grown closer over the years since. We try to get together at least once a month for a walk and breakfast. He asked me if the direction that our country seems to be headed was what we gave over twenty years of our lives for.

I really can't answer the question. I think our service was necessary and successful, but I don't like what I see or hear lately. I think we've lost our direction and have literally sold our souls.

Today's Washington Post chronicled how our "representatives" have traded on the stock market while considering legislation on the affected industries and companies. They say this is legal and not a conflict of interest, but, forgive me, I can't believe that.

We can give billions to the banks to help stimulate the economy, but limiting interest rates on student loans ??  - -  can't seem to make a decision. Maybe we should just make loans to the students at the rates the bank are getting, eh ??
I heard that the "austerity" is the cure for the European problems, yet Spain gets 100 billion (more) in debt to help solve the problem.
I hear that there are derivatives consisting of CDOs for auto loans  - -  It worked so well for the housing market, didn't it ??  Hell, why not for student debt.  These obligations cannot be erased even by bankruptcy.  Funny, corporations can erase their obligations for pensions and benefits through bankruptcy (I think this thought was triggered by passing Bethlehem Steel's abandoned Sparrow's Point mill at the entrance to Baltimore's harbor - boy did they ever screw their employees).

Today's Post also had an excellent op-ed by Joseph Stiglitz on the rise in the inequality in our economic system. Krugman has been saying the same thing.

Next week the congress critters will evacuate the GWTP and head home for the 4th of July barbecues, fund raisers and baby kissin'. One can only hope that each will receive a well deserved beating  - -  but, then again, they don't talk to folks like you and me .......... and as I learned as an undergraduate, reading politics so many years ago, no matter how corrupt or worthless one thinks congress folk are, MY rep is ok.

The news is depressing and I'm afraid of what kind of society we are becoming.
Here's a powerful song to help the mood along ..........

Apology div

I always thought that an apology was more than simply admitting you were wrong. An apology implies, yea demands, a cessation of the apologized activity and promises to "do better." I think the word the Catholics would use here is "contrition"

I don't think it's going to  happen with Rush. To close an "apology" with  "My choice of words was not the best, and in the attempt to be humorous, I created a national stir. I sincerely apologize to Ms. Fluke for the insulting word choices." certainly doesn't say " I'm sorry."  What it really says is,  "... shit, I've really fucked up and this is gonna hurt me in the wallet. Wish I'd been a little more polite. Maybe I shouldn't have called the slut a slut or a prostitute; gotta buy a Thesaurus"  Yep, that's Rush; always classy. 


Natch, IOKIYAR applies here and most (but not all) of the hierarchy and hangers on are soft pedaling their responses to keep from hurting his feelings.


I don't always agree with Kathleen Parker, but her column in today's Washington Post contained on of the most prescient quotes I've heard on the matter:    "The image suggested is equally degrading to Limbaugh, given his obvious familiarity with “watching,” and invites unflattering speculation. To wit: It is entirely possible that Limbaugh himself never needed contraception in college, but virtue in the absence of opportunity is hardly a moral triumph."


Trust me, he ain't a gonna change.