Did you see Ed Schultz's interview with Occupy Oakland's injured Marine Scott Olsen?

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I know that many of you were worried so I am glad to see this young man making a slow, but steady, recovery.

Hearing him struggle to speak is somewhat heartrending, especially since what happened to him was completely unnecessary and an indication that some places in this country are little better than a third world dictatorship.

Is the Tea Party finally over?

Image source can be found here.

Courtesy of TPM:

A new poll from the Pew Research Center shows that support for the Tea Party — and with it the Republican Party — has dropped precipitously in the last year. Now just 20% say they agree with the Tea Party, less than the 27% who disagree. But the news gets worse for Republicans: their favorability has dropped even further in Tea Party districts. 

This is part of an ongoing trend, with polls this year consistently showing a narrowing of support for the Tea Party movement. In April, Pew found that as recognition of the Tea Party grew, their favorability declined. Specifically, disapproval rose 15 points between March 2010 and April 2011. And as TPM reported in September, according to a CBS/ORC Poll, fully 53% of the public had an unfavorable opinion of the Tea Party compared to a meager 28% with a favorable view. By October, the Occupy Wall Street movement had eked out a higher approval rating than the Tea Party. 

Despite this trend, the new numbers represent a new low not only for the Tea Party but for the Republican Party. Whereas before, the growing disapproval of the Tea Party came from Democrats, moderates, and even moderate Republicans, these numbers show that Republican favorability has fallen steeply in Tea Party districts, 41% favorable to 48% unfavorable. Just a few months ago in March, GOP approval in these districts was a much higher 55%.

The worst thing that ever happened to the Teabaggers was that they were successful.

In 2010 they were actually able to get a number of their poorly educated, rigid partisan candidates elected to office, and since then Congress has ground to a virtual halt.  Sure they try to blame everything on Obama, but that only works on their fellow paint chip eaters, and certain liberals.

Of course for those of us who well know the fate of ANY enterprise which dares to use Sarah Palin as their spokesperson, this comes as no real surprise. The fact that the Republicans are ALSO suffering such low poll numbers only reinforces that reality.

Mitt Romney demonstrates troubling discomfort and thin skin during Fox News interview. Word for today : AWKWARD!

Courtesy of The Atlantic Wire:

Romney response calmly to Briar's first question was about the New Hampshire Union Leader's endorsement of supposed more consistent Newt Gingrich. But things get testier from there. "Your critics change you make decision based on political expediency and not on core conviction," asked Baier, going on to list climate change, abortion, immigration, gay rights as some of his flip-flops. 

"Well Bret your list is just not accurate. One, we're going to have to be better informed about my views on issues. My view is, you can look at what I've written in my book." (I wonder WHICH book he means by the way? The original hard cover, or the paperback version that he had edited to suck up to the Teabaggers?)


The tension escalates when Baier brings up the many ads out there juxtaposing clips of Romney's positions change. 

ROMNEY: "I'm glad the Democratic ads are breaking through, and you guys at Fox are seeing them." 
BAIER: "Jon Huntsman has a couple ads that do the exact same thing." 
ROMNEY: "And there's no question people are going to take snippets, take things out of context, and show there are differences when in some cases there are not." 

Later, after Baier asks Romney about his evolving position on a mandate-based healthcare system: 

ROMNEY: "Bret, I don't know how many times I've said this too. This is an unusual interview. Hahaha. All right, let's do it again. Absolutely, what we did in Massachusetts was right for Massachusetts..." 
BAIER: "But Governor, you did say on camera and in other places at times that you thought it would be a model for the entire nation." 
 ROMNEY: You're wrong Bret. No, you're wrong. The tape out there -- continue to read the tape -- the tape goes on the say for each state to be able to look at it." 

During that last exchange, Romney crossed legs and shifted his weight while laughing awkwardly to defuse the tension with Baier. It was a minor episode of physical discomforted that echoed the way Romney touched Perry's shoulder during an October GOP debate, seemingly again to calm him down.

(By the way the awkwardness mother load is around the 8:25 mark)

In his defense I believe that Romney sensed a little dissatisfaction coming from Brier, who like many conservatives is undoubtedly frustrated that this flip flopping dime store mannequin is about to become the GOP nominee.  However it was on Mittens to step up to the plate and deliver, and instead he whiffed it.

Once again let me reiterate that in the ENTIRE Republican field THIS is the best they could come up with to face off against a President who THEY THEMSELVES have identified as badly wounded and ripe for defeat.

The entire field seemed to have been put together by only those with a product to sell like Gingrich and Cain. Those who were too stupid to realize they were in over their heads, like Bachmann, Perry, Santorum, and Pawlenty, And those who have it in their DNA to run every single election cycle, like Paul and Romney. (I have NO idea what Huntsman's deal is.)

At this point the Republicans must be in a blind panic and desperate enough to do just about ANYTHING to shake things up.

Okay, well certainly not THAT desperate, but close.

God sports some serious wood.

Best headline ever!

Courtesy of the LA Times:

A tree cut down at an Escondido church is causing a stir among the faithful after some people reporting seeing the shape of a cross or angel inside its trunk. 

Landscapers made the discovery on Monday while removing pine trees on the property of the 1st Congregational Church of Escondido. One of the workers, Salvador Maya, was the first to see the image — apparently formed in part by tree sap — and alerted his boss. 

"Salvador yelled at me, 'Look at this, it's a cross, something sacred!'" said Jim Rants, owner of Star Landscape Maintenance. "So I looked at it and thought 'Holy-moly, we've got something here. It's just amazing, and to be on church property, it's definitely something divine." 

Rants reported the finding to the church pastor. 

"It's been phenomenal," Debbie Cummings, the church's office manager, said of the response. "To people of faith, it's very comforting to see something. Of course some people say they see nothing, but there are always skeptics." 

People have called the church asking to buy the stump, Cummings said. 

Pastor Phil Corr said he plans to discuss the wood cut, which is safely stored in the church sanctuary, during his Sunday sermon titled "The Joy of Surprise." He also will display the log and talk about what the church plans to do with it. 

"People of faith have eyes to see this, but skeptics do not," Corr said.

"People of faith have eyes to see this, but skeptics do not." Well isn't that interesting?

So let me get this straight.  This vaguely cross like shape in a tree trunk, is proof of God's divine presence on earth, but this..

..is just a dog's butt? Pray tell, what is the difference exactly?

I share with you, my friends here on this blog, my excitement to have finally seen a divine image after years of fruitless searching and abject disappointment. And WHAT is my reward?

I was mocked.

I was chastised for being insensitive to religion.

And I was insulted.

So go ahead, please explain to me why a piece of knotty wood is a more appropriate place to find an image of holiness than a canine's ass. And if possible, please quote the Bible verse which backs up your argument.


My hurt feelings and I await your explanation.

Some good news this Wednesday morning, George W. Bush and Tony Blair have been found guilty of war crimes. Okay it is only in Malaysia, but still...

Courtesy of Salon.com:

A tribunal in Malaysia, spearheaded by that nation’s former Prime Minister, yesterday found George Bush and Tony Blair guilty of “crimes against peace” and other war crimes for their 2003 aggressive attack on Iraq, as well as fabricating pretexts used to justify the attack. The seven-member Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Tribunal — which featured an American law professor as one of its chief prosecutors — has no formal enforcement power, but was modeled after a 1967 tribunal in Sweden and Denmark that found the U.S. guilty of a war of aggression in Vietnam, and, even more so, after the U.S.-led Nuremberg Tribunal held after World War II. Just as the U.S. steadfastly ignored the 1967 tribunal on Vietnam, Bush and Blair both ignored the summons sent to them and thus were tried in absentia. 

The tribunal ruled that Bush and Blair’s name should be entered in a register of war criminals, urged that they be recognized as such under the Rome Statute, and will also petition the International Criminal Court to proceed with binding charges. Such efforts are likely to be futile, but one Malaysian lawyer explained the motives of the tribunal to The Associated Press: “For these people who have been immune from prosecution, we want to put them on trial in this forum to prove that they committed war crimes.” In other words, because their own nations refuse to hold them accountable and can use their power to prevent international bodies from doing so, the tribunal wanted at least formal legal recognition of these war crimes to be recorded and the evidence of their guilt assembled. That’s the same reason a separate panel of this tribunal will hold hearings later this year on charges of torture against Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld and others.

If you are like me when you read the headline you found yourself anxiously hoping that FINALLY Blair and Bush would be punished fro their war crimes. Sadly that is not the case. At least not yet.

I still hold out hope that someday (Not while Bush is still alive that is for sure) there will be an investigation that the Republicans cannot sabotage, like they did the 9-11 Commission, and history will finally reflect that what these two men did was a crime that should have been punishable with life in prison, or the death penalty.

I am not usually an advocate for the death penalty, but in Bush's case at least I would gladly make an exception.

A sobering reality check about 2012 from Nicholas Kristof of The New York Times.

If the voting age were lowered to ten years old, Obama would win in a landslide.

Courtesy of News-Record.com:

Obama came into office with expectations that Superman couldn't have met. Many on the left believed what the right feared: that Obama was an old-fashioned liberal. But the president's cautious centrism soured the left without reassuring the right. 

Like many, I have disappointments with Obama. He badly underestimated the length of this economic crisis, and for a man with a spectacular gift at public speaking, he has been surprisingly inept at communicating. 

But as we approach an election year, it is important to acknowledge the larger context: Obama has done better than many critics on the left or the right give him credit for. 

He took office in the worst recession in more than half a century, amid fears of a complete economic implosion. As The Onion, the satirical news organization, described his election at the time: "Black Man Given Nation's Worst Job." 

The administration helped tug us back from the brink of economic ruin. Obama oversaw an economic stimulus that, while too small, was far larger than the one House Democrats had proposed. He rescued the auto industry and achieved health care reform that presidents have been seeking since the time of Theodore Roosevelt. 

Despite virulent opposition that has paralyzed the government, Obama bolstered regulation of the tobacco industry, signed a fair pay act and tightened control of the credit card industry. He has been superb on education, weaning the Democratic Party from blind support for teachers' unions while still trying to strengthen public schools. 

In foreign policy, Obama has taken a couple of huge risks. He approved the assault on Osama bin Laden's compound in Pakistan, and despite much criticism he led the international effort to overthrow Moammar Gadhafi. So far, both bets are paying off. 

Granted, the economic downturn overshadows all else, as happens in every presidency. Ronald Reagan, the Teflon president, saw his job approval rating sink to 35 percent in January 1983 because of economic troubles. A faltering economy sent the popularity of the first president Bush into a tailspin, tumbling to 29 percent in 1992. 

By comparison, Obama has about a 43 percent approval rating, according to Gallup. 

For a couple of years, the left has joined the right in making Obama a pinata. That's fair: It lets off steam, and it's how we keep politicians in line. 

But think back to 2000. Many Democrats and journalists alike, feeling grouchy, were dismissive of Al Gore and magnified his shortcomings. We forgot the context, prided ourselves on our disdainful superiority — and won eight years of George W. Bush. 

This time, let's do a better job of retaining perspective. If we turn Obama out of office a year from now, let's make sure it is because the Republican nominee is preferable, not just out of grumpiness toward the incumbent during a difficult time. 

I don't think there is too much that I can add to that.  And since it seems pretty obvious that Mitt Romney is going to be the Republican nominee, I guess the only question for Americans to ask is; are they willing to stick with President Obama in 2012, or do they really believe that Mittens, who his own party can barely stand, is the better choice?

Go ahead and mull that one over for a little while, and then get back to me.

Or better yet, hold that thought until you get to the voting booth in  2012, and then vote like it was the most important vote you have ever cast. Because you know what? It just might be!

Nothing says "Christmas" like children posing with Santa Claus while clutching an AK-47. Please tell me this is just a sick joke.

Family Pictures Taken With Santa, Machine Guns: MyFoxPHOENIX.com

Courtesy of My Fox Phoenix:

The Scottsdale Gun Club is inviting people to enjoy Santa and Machine Guns. 

The family event allows people to take a holiday card picture with St. Nick -- and a high-powered fire arm. 

Santa poses against a backdrop of an $80,000 Garwood minigun. 

Families can choose to pose with other firearms, ranging from pistols to modified AR15s. 

They also get a chance to test out the machine guns. 

“I thinks it’s going to be all in fun from those who support the second amendment and those who don’t. Whether you’re a gun advocate or not, you should have a lot of fun with it,” said gun club member Richard Jones.

This has NOTHING to do with the second amendment,  and everything to do with promoting violence to our children.These are not hunting rifles, or BB guns, these are the weapons of war. Why would ANYBODY think they belonged in the tiny hand of a child?

According to the CDC over a thousand children between the ages of 0 to 17 years of age were unintentionally killed by guns in this country between 2000 and 2008. And that number will only increase as children are taught that guns are toys, something to be looked for under the Christmas tree, instead of instruments of death.

Our entire society is obsessed with violent video games, violent movies, and waging war on other countries for the flimsiest of excuses.  I would hope that at least Christmas, the holiday of peace and love, would be a sanctuary from this particular fetish.

Clearly that hope is misplaced.

I ask once again, what is wrong with people these days?

How will the Palin-bots respond when EVEN the Fox News folks state publicy that they are beating a badly wigged, heavily medicated, and now politically dead horse?

Ouch!  That has to hurt the Bots who seem to believe that the only sources of revealed truth come from the Bible and Fox News, though I am not sure it is in that order.

One of the Winged Monkeys behind this video had slightly more luck on the Neil Cavuto Show. However his penchant for spouting nothing but Palin talking points puts him in the same relative category as those crazed fans who claim to have seen Elvis walking down the dairy aisle of their local Piggly Wiggly just last week.

Their inability to let Palin's decision not to run end their fanatical desire to see otherwise, has laid bare the kind of pathology that we always assumed ran through this particular group of wing nuts, but which we could never prove beyond a reasonable shadow of a doubt.

Until now of course. (Though to be honest just seeing the comments they left on THIS blog over the years may have proved more than sufficient for most.)

Hell even the token black Palin-bot, Adrienne Ross, thinks they are in danger of revealing to the world that they are certifiable:

Conservatives4Palin has been fortunate enough to be considered among the cream of the crop in all things Palin. With that status comes a certain responsibility to act responsibly. As far as I’m concerned, any decision to engage in never-ending Make Palin Reconsider efforts is not acting responsibly, not on the Governor’s behalf and not on behalf of the people who have found us worthy of their time and attention. Therefore, I deem such efforts to be a violation of the trust placed in us. This is why I have chosen to publicly post my perspective on this highly-charged issue.

Not that I am in the habit of giving crazy people advice, but perhaps it is time for the Palin-bots to realize that they have been abandoned. Abandoned first by sane people everywhere, then by Palin herself, now joined by Fox News and a handful of Palin supporters who still have a few functioning brain cells.

Let's face it, a house has dropped from the sky, and your leader is dead. (Well politically anyway.)

Time to move on.

Long time Palin family friend faces first ever recall effort in Wasilla.

Courtesy of the Frontiersman:

Steve Menard moved another step closer to making history as the first city council member to face a recall vote. 

A petition asking Wasilla voters to oust the two-time councilman was turned in Monday at Wasilla City Hall about three and a half hours ahead of a 5 p.m. deadline. The petition, which has 284 signatures, says Menard’s behavior at a Sitka hotel room while on city business in August rises to the level of official misconduct in office. 

If the petition has at least the required 201 valid signatures of registered city voters, it would be the first time a recall effort of a Wasilla official would be decided by an election, City Clerk Kristie Smithers said. In 14 years as city clerk, Smithers said she hasn’t seen a recall effort make it as far as Menard’s. 

The recall effort, spearheaded by the local Conservative Patriots Group, is in response to Menard’s actions while attending the summer Alaska Municipal League meetings. When he went to check out after a three-day stay at the Westmark Sitka, the hotel discovered extensive damage to his room and charged the city $350 for cleaning. 

An itemized bill from the hotel to the city lists damage that included two mattresses and a chair had been urinated on, a burned mattress and vomit on the carpet. After Wasilla City Council met in a 50-minute executive session after the trip to discuss Menard’s behavior, the councilman agreed to repay the entire cost of his trip, about $1,400, and was restricted from traveling on city business in the future. 

Although Menard also apologized and acknowledged a longtime problem with alcohol, that he continues as a city councilman is unacceptable, said Jennie Bettine, CEO for Conservative Patriots Group. The group hoped Menard would resign, and when he didn’t, felt compelled to act. 

“We had hoped he would have been man enough to man up and say, ‘I did something wrong and the people who voted for me shouldn’t have to put up with this,’” she said after CPG first submitted its petition application. “He did not choose to do that. … He should really just resign and not put the city through this.” 

By the way the Conservative Patriots Group is a local group of Teabaggers that you would normally assume would have the back of one of the Grizzled Mama's longtime family friends.  I guess urinating and vomiting all over hotel rooms and charging the town for the cost is where they draw the line.

Besides being close friends of the Palins little Stevie's mother, Linda Menard, is also a State Senator, but simply does not have the influence to protect her little boy from his own stupidity and weakness.

It looks like Herman Cain has groped, propositioned, and screwed his way right out of a GOP nomination.

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I'm just kidding. Herman Cain had about as much chance of being the GOP nominee as Mitt Romney had of being the featured dancer on Soul Train.

Still he certainly did not help himself by getting all jiggy with the ladies. Especially the WHITE ladies.

Did you know?

Yet more ammunition to help you stand up for the truth when dealing with the Fox news zombies. And always remember that TRUTH has a liberal bias.

If clicking the image does not enlarge it for you, try clicking here.

New advertisement put together by the Palin-bots to convince the Mama Grizzly to run in 2012. No, this is NOT a joke!

This ad contains some of the blurriest images and screechiest soundbites I have EVER seen in a political ad. I swear I have seen more professional ads put together for candidates running for student body president of their high school.

Palin looks like hell in almost every image shown, and the bits of her speeches they used seem to have been chosen based on whether or not they made household pets run screaming from the room or not.

If they are hoping to cheer Palin up and convince her to run, they just wasted their money. Though I cannot imagine it was MUCH money.

I actually used some of the pictures featured in this ad to illustrate Palin at her worst for my blog posts, and they now use them to convince her of their affection for her? Are we sure this is not a parody?

After seeing this, Palin may actually drop from sight completely out of sheer embarrassment. Good job paint chip eaters!

The DNC presents: "Mitt vs Mitt."

This is an ad put together by the Dems in anticipation that Mittens WILL be the nominee.

I agree. At this point I do not see ANY of the other GOP wannabes breaking through. They were colorful and distracting, but in the end they proved to be nothing more a sideshow that kept us entertained before the main event.

So essentially THIS is the best the GOP has to offer for 2012.

Works for me.

P.S. The creators of this  video also have a website you can visit by clicking here.

In the hopes of convincing the Right Wing nuts that he is not soft on brown people, Rick Perry will receive endorsement from Arizona's Sherrif Arpaio. That sound you hear is a stake being driven through the heart of Perry's campaign.

"Just imagine I'm shooting flying Mexicans. Now do you want to nominate me?"

Courtesy of the Phoenix New Times:

According to multiple national news outlets, Arpaio will campaign with Perry in New Hampshire on Tuesday, where he will give the Texas governor a political tip of the cap. 

Neither the Sheriff's Office or Perry's campaign responded to New Times' request for confirmation of the reported endorsement, and none of the news outlets reporting the political nod are naming names -- ABC News cites "a source with knowledge of the endorsement" as the source of the information. CNN is equally vague, attributing its report to a source within the "governor's campaign," while NBC cites a "a source familiar with the matter." 

Regardless, Perry isn't exactly the hawkish border bully we'd expect Arpaio to support -- given some of the sheriff's other options, that is. 

In a recent debate between GOP presidential candidates, Perry made what many consider to be a political misstep for a candidate hoping to woo Conservatives: he showed a little compassion. 

"If you say that we should not educate children who have come into our state for no other reason than they've been brought there by no fault of their own, I don't think you have a heart," Perry said in defense of his policy of offering the children of undocumented immigrants in Texas in-state tuition fees to attend state universities. 

Far-right-wing-nuts went berserk, and the comment likely contributed to Perry's fall from front-runner status in the GOP primary. 

Unlike Bachmann, Paul, Huntsman, Santorum, Cain, and Gingrich, I really thought that Perry might still have a chance to be a spoiler for Romney.

Until today that is.

In order for any GOP nominee to have even the slightest hope of beating Obama in 2012, they must NOT entirely alienate the fastest growing group of voters in this country. The Hispanic voters. This will have done just that.

Yes I know that there would not be all that much support from the Hispanics regardless of who the Republicans nominate, but just imagine how energized they would be to support a candidate who was NOT endorsed by Arpaio.

I actually think that Perry's stated policy of wanting to educate the children of illegal immigrants is one of the things that made him a real challenger to Romney for the nomination. (I mean let's face it, the other candidates are all going to eventually self destruct anyhow.)

But he just couldn't leave it alone, now could he?

The only thing that could damage Perry's chances more than this would be if David Duke, or Sarah Palin, had endorsed him.

Hey do you know what? I think those two endorsements are still up for grabs.

Barney Frank will not seek reelection!

Courtesy of CNN: Massachusetts congressman Barney Frank, a prominent 16-term liberal Democrat and arch-enemy of political conservatives nationwide, will announce Monday he does not intend to seek re-election in 2012, according to a statement from Frank's office. 

Frank, 71, will hold a news conference in his district to discuss the decision at 1 p.m.

Frank was a favorite of progressives in this country as he always told it like it was, and was impossible for conservatives to intimidate.

He has been a great asset to the Congress, and to liberal causes, and he will absolutely be missed.

I have also read that due to redistricting Frank's district has become somewhat more conservative as of late, which seems to have contributed to his decision, so I have to imagine that the Republicans are licking their chops in anticipation of picking up this seat.

A close adviser told the Globe today that the new district in which Frank would have had to run next year was a major factor in his decision. While it retained his Newton stronghold, it was revised to encompass more conservative towns while losing New Bedford, a blue-collar city where the Democrat had invested a lot of time and become a leading figure in the region’s fisheries debate.

I certainy hope the Dems have somebody solid to put up for this seat in 2012. I would hate to see another Scott Brown worm his way into yet another important political position in Massachusetts.

US Air Force Academy spends $80,000 to accommodate pagan worship? Oh you KNOW this is going to make heads explode over at Fox News!

Courtesy of the LA Times:

In the still of a cold November evening, a small gathering of pagans, led by two witches, begins preparations for the coming winter solstice. But these are not just any pagans, and this is not just any setting. They are future officers of the United States Air Force practicing their faith in the basement of the Air Force Academy's cadet chapel. 

Their ranks are slim. According to the academy's enrollment records, only three of 4,300 cadets identified themselves as pagans, followers of an ancient religion that generally does not worship a single god and considers all things in nature interconnected. 

Still, the academy this year dedicated an $80,000 outdoor worship center — a small Stonehenge-like circle of boulders with propane fire pit — high on a hill for the handful of current or future cadets whose religions fall under the broad category of "Earth-based." Those include pagans, Wiccans, druids, witches and followers of Native American faiths.

In my opinion this is long overdue. Working to make cadets who have differing belief system than those that are, shall we say, more  accepted in this country, can really only make for a stronger, military force.

You know just to give a historical perspective, it should be noted that pagans were NEVER associated with evil, or the devil.  That was the sole creation of early Christians who wanted to undermine the healers, witchdoctors, shamans, and even mid-wives who they identified as posing a threat to the acceptance of their religion, and kept people from placing ALL of their faith in the Christian God, and his earthly representatives. (You can read more about that here.)

There was nothing new about what the early Christians did on behalf of their faith. That same scorched earth philosophy of dealing with religious competition was widely accepted in those times.

So it is nice to see that those old superstitions and fears can no be put to rest and that these once widely accepted belief systems can finally be practiced openly without fear of ridicule or retribution. 

Of course I say that knowing full well that for some there will simply NEVER be acceptance, and that they will cling to their superstitions and hate until their last days on this earth. One can only hope that their children will have a more open and accepting heart.

I never thought it would happen to me but I am now convinced that Jesus is God. But remember I MAY have dyslexia.

I have heard of people seeing this image on windows, on doors, in the clouds, portrayed in birthmarks, and in just about every other possible place imaginable. But this is the first time that I personally have seen it so clearly. Just awe inspiring don't you think?

I do have to admit that I am a little puzzled by the message this sends however.

(Don't waste your breath telling me, I already know I am on the fast track to hell. Still, pretty funny right?)

"I'll Occupy" Recruitment Song: The 99 is Pissed and We Will Not Be Dismissed!

Here are some of the lyrics courtesy of Freaked out Nation:

We’ll protest on, with catchy phases 
We’re going global 
From London to Uc Davis 
If you think that your batons are going to get us to go home 
GO on and hit me, 
I’ll just upload it from my phone.

The song is pretty ingenious, though a little tongue in cheek.

However it may come in very handy to help inspire the Occupy LA protesters who are scheduled to be evicted tomorrow, which might result in a whole new group of citizens finding themselves on the receiving end of a blast of pepper spray or a police baton.

The movement is over two months old now and despite the frigid temperatures seems to be gaining in both strength and influence.

P.S. By the way I don't believe this song is the official anthem of the OWS protestors, but it IS catchy!

Five Reasons why the Religious Right are full of crap when they complain about being persecuted in America.

Courtesy of Alternet:

Pew researchers examined 212 religious groups on the right and the left that engage in advocacy work in the nation’s capital. Their findings are illuminating. Anyone who believes the old saw that conservative Christians don’t have a voice in D.C. should take a look. With that thought in mind, here are five reasons why the Religious Right should stop complaining about persecution 

1. Of the 10 largest religious advocacy groups in Washington, seven take the Religious Right line on most issues. 

Five of the top-10 groups (Family Research Council, Concerned Women for America, Home School Legal Defense Fund, Focus on the Family’s Citizenlink and the Traditional Values Coalition) are Religious Right organizations. The two other groups are the U.S. Catholic Conference of Catholic Bishops, which marches in lock step with the Religious Right on issues like abortion, same-sex marriage and taxpayer funding of religion, and the National Right to Life Committee, a more narrowly focused group that shares the Religious Right’s views on abortion. Marginalized movements don’t have this much representation in Washington. 

2. These organizations raise a ton of money. 

If you add up the budgets of the seven conservative religious advocacy groups in the top 10, the figure tops $95 million. As infomercial pitchmen are fond of saying, “But wait, there’s more!” If you include budget figures for a few of the leading fundamentalist ministries (such as Pat Robertson’s Christian Broadcasting Network and the empire created by the late Jerry Falwell), many of which are overtly political, and add in a handful of the top Religious Right legal groups, the numbers reach the stratosphere, exceeding $1 billion annually. No political movement that has control of that much cash can claim to be persecuted. 


3. These organizations enjoy incredible access to legislators. 

Most advocacy groups woo lawmakers with money (through allied political action committees) or by implying that there are votes to be had among their respective constituencies. Some far-right religious groups can offer both. The Family Research Council, for example, runs several PACs, including a new super-PAC that, thanks to the Supreme Court, can raise unlimited funds to pour into races. Do politicians take notice? You bet. At last month’s “Values Voter Summit” sponsored by the Family Research Council in Washington, both House Speaker John Boehner and Majority Leader Eric Cantor took time out to address the crowd, and every major GOP presidential candidate was there as well. 

Melting the misconceptions about Down Syndrome with a smile.

Courtesy of the Daily Mail:

The camera just loves little Taya Kennedy. Wide-eyed, cheeky, engaged; she brims with the confidence of a natural performer. It is little wonder that she has taken the child-modelling world by storm. 

The fact that 14-month-old Taya also has Down’s Syndrome is quite incidental. She was selected, not to fulfil a quota, tick a box or adhere to the dictums of some politically-correct code of positive discrimination. Taya was picked because, quite simply, she is a star. 

‘Taya is an incredibly photogenic, warm and smiley child, and that shines through in her photographs,’ says Alysia Lewis, owner of Urban Angels, the prestigious UK model agency that has signed her up. 

Retailers, including the Early Learning Centre and Mothercare, are already queuing up to feature the bright-eyed toddler in their advertising campaigns. 

And Taya’s devoted mum, Gemma Andre, couldn’t be more proud. 

‘I always believed my daughter was stunning but I thought, “I’m her mum. I’m biased,”’ she says. 

'When people say "poor you" I find it offensive and irritating,' said Taya's mother Gemma ‘When the agency rang me and said, “We want her on our books. She’s absolutely beautiful”, I was delighted. 

‘I asked them if they were aware she had Down’s Syndrome. They said: “It’s immaterial. We’ve accepted her.” At that moment I burst into tears. I was overjoyed, not so much because Taya was going to be a model. More importantly, she had competed on equal terms with every other child and succeeded. 

‘People can be really negative about children with Down’s. They say they can’t do this and won’t be able to achieve that. It’s incredibly frustrating. Someone said to me the other day: “I suppose she’ll never be able to live an independent life,” and I said, “Why on earth not?” 

‘When people say “poor you” I find it offensive and irritating. The way I see it, some people cannot even have children and God has given me this special child.’ 

Taya's mother shares her introduction to Down syndrome, and how frightening she at first found the challenge of giving birth to a child with such a potentially debilitating condition.

‘A doctor told us, “I think she has Down’ s Syndrome” and then he just walked away. 

‘From that moment I was mourning for the child I hadn’t had. We couldn’t help but selfishly wonder why this had happened to us. We weren’t prepared for it. We couldn’t celebrate. We felt numb and grief-stricken; just devastated.’ 

The contrast between Gemma's very understandable fears and concerns for her daughter's health, are in direct contrast to how Palin describes her own feelings, as described in this e-mail that she composed more than a week BEFORE the birth of her son, and over a month before he was SUPPOSED to have been born. Here is just a portion of that e-mail describing how Palin supposedly thought about Trig's challenges BEFORE he was even born. (Remember this is written as if coming directly from God.)


Then, I let Trig's mom have an exceptionally comfortable pregnancy so she could enjoy every minute of it, and I even seemed to rush it along so she could wait until near the end to surprise you with the news - that way Piper wouldn't have so long to wait and count down so many days - just like Christmastime when you have to wait, impatiently, for that special day to finally open your gift? (Or the way the Palins look forward to birthday celebrations that go on for three, four day.. you all really like cake.) I know you, I knew you'd be better off with just a short time to wait! 

Every child is created special, with awesome purpose and amazing potential. Children are the most precious and promising ingredient in this mixed up world you live in down there on earth. Trig is no different, except he has one extra chromosome.

Does that sound like somebody who is struggling with uncertainty about the birth of her potentially medically fragile child? Or worried about her ability to deal with his special needs?

NO that sounds like somebody who is convinced that her child's delivery will be problem free, and that his health will be of no concern.  What information did Sarah Palin have that was NOT available to Taya's mother?

Just listen to how Gemma came to understand her little girl's challenges and how she determined to overcome them.

Michele Bachmann's book tour, as interpreted by Funny or Die.

Michele Bachmann: Buy My Book! - watch more funny videos

Comic Strip Sundays: GOP Presidential candidates edition.

Not only are they very funny, but they are also accurate in their depiction of this sad group of lunatics, morons, and political grifters. 

(You can see more great editorial cartoons at The Cagle Post.)

Not trying to convert anybody, just throwing this out there. Top Ten Reasons to be an Atheist Nation.

Yeah it does! Oh wait, were you being sarcastic?

Courtesy of Atheist Connect:

#10 – Lower Crime Rates 
 That’s right, secular countries have the lowest crime rates and are the safest places on the planet.

#9 – Lower Homicide Rate 

#8 – Lower Rates of Sexually Transmitted Diseases 
Almost all secular nations have sex education programs for children, confidential public health-care programs to treat sexually transmitted diseases for free, publicly advertised programs to educate the masses about sexually transmitted diseases, and free condoms for any and all. 

#7 – Lower Rates of Infant Mortality 
Why do religious countries have higher rates of infant mortality? It is probably because of the demonization of unwed mothers by religious societies. Combine this demonization with an inability to receive an abortion, and you will have a large group of mothers having children that they don’t want and/or can’t economically afford. 

#6 – Lower Rates of Teen Pregnancy 
As should be clear by now, secular nations tend to encourage sex education and have a far more honest understanding of human sexuality than religious nations. 

#5 – Lower Abortion Rates 
This is one of the hardest and most bitter pills that religious nations have to swallow, their policies of restricting the ability of women to receive an abortion, actually results in increased rates of abortion. 

#4 – Healthier Citizens 
The citizens of secular countries are healthier than the citizens of religious countries. The reasons for this difference are almost certainly due to a combination of factors involving public education, health-care policies, access to care, etc. 

#3 – Citizens have Better Personal Relationships 
The citizens of secular nations have better interpersonal relationships (and are more happy!) than the citizens of religious nations. Religious nations tend to demonize life-styles that don’t conform to their expectations, and tend to place women at a lower social status than men. 

#2 – Citizens Have Higher Education Rates 
 Secular nations such as Norway, Finland, etc., not only have citizens with an average education that is higher than religious countries, but the children of secular nations outperform religious children in math, science, and reading. 

#1 – Higher Per Capita Income 
Possibly the single most important reason why you should want to live in a secular nation instead of a religious nation, is that the citizens of secular nations make more money than the citizens of religious nations!

I am actually not at all positive that I agree with every one of these, but I will admit that some of them do seem quite obvious. However  I am certain I would not have chosen the making of more money as the number one reason to live in a Atheistic society.

Personally I LOVE conversations about religion since it is one of those taboo topics I was discouraged from discussing when I was a kid. Since I am now an adult, and have this handy blog at my disposal, it seems like the perfect place to open up a dialogue.

So what do you think? Do these statements, or perhaps a portion of these statements, seem reasonable to you?  And do you think religion overall makes for a better society, or does it interfere with the ability of humans to rise to their true potential?

P.S. If you want to read a longer explanation given for these assertions then click the link at the top.

P.P.S. By the way, in NO way do I agree with the definition of Atheism posted at the top, but I just think it is important that ALL of us be able to keep a good sense of humor so that feelings do not get hurt and we do not become so defensive that we cannot hear the honestly expressed opinions of others.

Tiny Alaskan village sues energy companies for conspiring to cover up their responsibility for climate change.

Courtesy of the Alaska Dispatch:

The battle between some of the world's most powerful energy companies and an Alaska village that's losing ground to climate change heads to federal appeals court on Monday. 

Nine Kivalina residents, having survived the recent mega-storm that walloped western Alaska, will be at the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco to watch their lawyers argue that ExxonMobil Corp., BP, ConocoPhillips and other corporate Goliaths owe the village at least $95 million in damages. 

A key Kivalina argument charges that the energy companies are engaged in a conspiracy to cover up the link between their emissions and the earth's warming temperatures. A similar argument proved pivotal decades ago in helping smokers prevail in court against tobacco giants. 

The Northwest Alaska village lost the first round of its lawsuit in 2009, when a U.S. District Court dismissed it, saying climate-change pollution needs to be regulated by Congress and the administration, not courts. The village lacked standing, the court said, because it could not show the companies' emissions caused the erosion threatening the village. 

But Kivalina is optimistic this time around. 

"What we have going for us is the science is changing by the day," and the causal connection between greenhouse-gas emissions and the climate is clarifying, said Heather Kendall-Miller, an attorney for Kivalina and head of the Alaska office of the Native American Rights Fund. 

Alaska spokespeople for ConocoPhillips and BP, and a ConocoPhillips attorney named in the case, would not comment about the companies' arguments.

There are few places on earth that have felt the impact of climate change as acutely as those living in these remote Alaskan villages.

It seems very appropriate for them to be the ones mounting the legal battle that will finally force these energy companies to admit that they have been working for decades to hide the truth about their responsibility, and spending millions of dollars refuting the science that dares to say otherwise.

Now THESE are Alaskans that we can all feel proud to have living in our great state.

Goliath, meet David.

When religion becomes child abuse. The indoctrination of hate in the Westboro church.

I watched this last night and was completely horrified at what these young children are subjected to on a daily basis. I am not usually a defender of religion, but the twisting of the basic Christian message in this case is inexcusable, and it really stretches the premise of religious tolerance and freedom of speech to their very limits.

In my personal opinion what is happening to these kids is a very obvious form of child abuse and, even though I realize that it would be against everything this country supposedly stands for, I would like to see these children removed from such a home and given the opportunity to live a life of love and acceptance instead of one constantly simmering with hate.

Some people should just never be parents.

In court potential Alaska terrorist "Ricin Mary" defies her attorney and pleads "Innocent until proven guilty!" It's going to be a LONG trial.

Courtesy of the Alaska Dispatch:

Seated before a federal judge in Anchorage Wednesday, Mary Ann Morgan was defiant. Save for two men who’d come to keep tabs on the hearing and offer a show of support, the Kenai-based seamstress’s arraignment on a weapons charge barely had an audience. 

But that didn’t stop the 53-year-old woman with long brown hair from seizing every opportunity to object to what was happening to her. Morgan was arrested in late October as she attempted to enter Canada with a handgun. She declared the weapon, as required, to border agents. When they discovered she was also a previously convicted felon, they turned her over to U.S. border agents and, soon thereafter, Alaska State Troopers. 

When the judge asked her name, Morgan, wearing a prison-issue, yellow T-shirt and pants, uttered three words: "You just did." Followed by, "Let it be known for the record that all of my legal paperwork has been removed from me." 

Morgan’s outbursts were terse, pointed. When her attorney, who attended the proceeding by phone, entered a not guilty plea on her behalf she yelled out, "No! The Constitution says I am innocent until proven guilty. That's my plea!" 

Her repeated interruptions caused her defense lawyer, James Hackett, to plead with her to stop making statements. It didn’t work.

Big surprise her attorney can't rein her in.  My understanding is that Morgan is a few Peeps shy of a full Easter basket.

It just about what one could expect from Schaeffer Cox's number one fan.

Speaking of Francis Schaeffer Cox (Whose attorney is currently attempting to bluff the prosecution by threatening to play the FBI surveillance tapes in open court), I understand that he has a court date on Monday and that afterward he may find himself transferred to Seattle. Once there I understand things might start to heat up.

Beyonce releases questionable video "proving" she is pregnant.

 The following video was JUST posted that purports to have been filmed on September 23 of this year.

Check out how bizarre Beyonce is acting, and what method she chooses to "prove" that she is indeed pregnant, and as far along as she claims.

 Here is what Media Takeout had to say about this video:

Beyonce just released a NEW VIDEO, which was filmed two months ago. According to Beyonce, she is now 8 MONTHS pregnant (She claimed that she was 6 months in the video, which was filmed in September). 

We have a lot to say about this. First off, who starts off a video saying, "Today is September 23rd" unless it's not September 23rd. If you have the paper with you why wouldn't you say something like "This is today's paper". Second, if this video was filmed TWO MONTHS ago, why are we just seeing it now? 

But more importantly, if she is 8 months regnant, wouldn't her due date be JANUARY (Cause she'll be 9 months in December). That seems DD .. . since she told an Australian journalist a few months back that her due date was in FEBRUARY. 

Inconsistent belly size, fluctuating due dates, is anybody else getting an overwhelming a sense of deja vu?

I am finding myself more and more intrigued by this story, mostly because of how it parallels Palin's pregnancy hoax. Only THIS time people are on the ball and starting to call her out.

It keeps reminding me of what COULD have been if the Alaska press had paid more attention to the few rumors swirling around at that time saying she wasn't pregnant.

Just imagine ALL that would have been changed by a more courageous, and less self serving, local press.

By the way, for comparison here is Sarah Palin supposedly a little over six months "pregnant."

I would say that Beyonce is putting substantially more effort into her fake pregnancy than Palin bothered to do, and yet people are STILL not buying it. I wonder if Palin's hoax has made some people hyper aware of the possibility that things are not always as they seem?

And once again Beyonce, just like Sarah Palin before her, could put all of this to rest simply by showing her uncovered tummy as well. After all clearly she is aware of the controversy.

Bristol Palin reality show may soon rise from the dead. Really?

As I reported earlier the National Enquirer was pretty convinced that Bristol's reality show career had run off the rails, and that she was pursuing a career as a beautician, ostensibly in the hope of getting some behind the scene work in the movie industry.   There are some questioning the accuracy of that rumor.

Well not "some," just one actually.

According to Rumor Fix:

The Enquirer goes on to say that those “other options” include going to cosmetology school to become a makeup artist. RumorFix isn’t sure about that last part, but what we are sure of is that Bristol’s reality show is definitely still headed to the network. 

“There is no truth to these rumors. [The show] is still in production,” a spokesperson for BIO tells RumorFix. Kyle Massey, who also stars in the show, confirmed the rep’s statement, telling us exclusively that the show is set to air in the coming months.

Okay, really?  If the show is "still headed to the network," why is there no mention of it on the Bio.com site?  And why was there no blanket denial from the network when the NE story first broke? Instead we have this rather limp denial from a "spokesperson."

Essentially every other blog and news outlet is gleefully reporting the demise of this show, with only Rumor Fix saying anything the opposite.

So what are we to think? Do we believe that despite the fact that Sarah Palin is just about as popular as pepper spraying protesters these days that her easily impregnated offspring can still headline a reality program that ANYBODY would want to watch?

Well perhaps I'm just a cynic (Okay I'm DEFINITELY a cynic), but I'll believe that this show will see the light of day when I can channel surf past it with my remote control.

The natural exercise progression from the "Shake Weight." NSFW.

Okay I am posting this solely because I stumbled across it on Reddit several hours ago and have STILL not stopped laughing. However let me warn you that if you are at work, or around people with a poorly developed sense of humor, you might want to skip watching this. There is no nudity, or inappropriate language, but...well you'll see.

I don't know who is responsible for the creation of this fake commercial, but oh my God it is awesome!

If you are unfamiliar with the Shake Weight you can learn more about it here. (Might be a tad NSFW as well, by the way.)

"Attention Wal-Mart shoppers, you have just been pepper sprayed!" Welcome to the 2011 version of Black Friday.

"Quit being such a baby! It's a food product, essentially."

Courtesy of the Guardian:

Shoppers in the US kicked off their annual "Black Friday" orgy of consumerism amid scenes of pushing, pulling, running and – in one case – pepper-spraying their way through the doors of the nation's shops and malls. 

The annual tradition, when many stores open early with cut-price sales on the day after Thanksgiving, has become a source of controversy amid frequent scenes of near-rioting and injuries as mobs of people crowd into big-name shops. 

But few can have expected even the most determined of bargain-hunters to adopt the brutal tactics of one female shopper in a Los Angeles suburb who attacked her rivals with pepper-spray: a substance more recently associated with police brutality against Occupy Wall Street protesters. 

At least 20 people, including several children, were injured as the woman deployed her weapon. "I heard screaming and I heard yelling. Moments later my throat stung. I was coughing really bad," said Matthew Lopez, a shopper who recounted his story to the Los Angeles Times. 

The woman, whom witnesses said appeared to be defending an X-Box games console, has not been found or yet identified. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the gigantic store remained open amid the mayhem and other shoppers continued to roam the aisles filling their trolleys with goods. 

The incident occurred late on Thanksgiving evening as the Walmart – like some other stores – had pushed back its Black Friday opening to begin late on Thursday.

You know it's stories like this that make me wonder what the hell is wrong with people?

I mean here we are in the year 2011, so intellectually evolved that we have created a virtual Utopian society (For those that can afford it), and yet under the correct circumstances were are still capable of such incredibly primitive responses we might just as well still be in the back of a cave fighting over a Mastodon leg.

Personally this whole Black Friday thing is something that I avoid like the plague. I like to save money as much as anybody else but will not sacrifice my dignity by standing in the freezing cold for hours outside of a big box store, nor sacrifice my humanity by trampling my fellow human beings just to save a couple of dollars.

On Christmas day I would like to proudly stand up and tell my family members, "I may have spent more than I should have, and perhaps I did not get you the top of line gift that you asked for, but I can assure you that none of your fellow human beings were sucker punched, pepper sprayed, or tasered in the purchase of these items. "

Of course that kind of thinking may place me in the minority. But oh well, when I have I NOT been in the minority?

"Citizens for a Better Arizona" saddles up to form a "posse" to challenge racist icon Sheriff Joe Arapaio. Yeehaw!

Courtesy of the Washington Times:

The same Arizona group that took down the state’s leading immigration hard-liner is now gunning for its best-known lawman. 

Fresh off a successful drive to oust Republican state Senate President Russell Pearce this month, leaders of Citizens for a Better Arizona announced this week that they plan to form a “citizens posse” to challenge Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio in his 2012 re-election bid. Sheriff Arpaio, who has carved out a national reputation for his no-nonsense treatment of lawbreakers in his county and for his running battles with the Obama administration and immigration advocates, is serving his fifth four-year term. 

The group also is considering a recall election against Gov. Jan Brewer, a Republican, although organizers said they will do so only if at least 5,000 volunteers sign up online to circulate petitions. 

“The main focus right now is Joe Arpaio. We’re looking at a bunch of different options to get rid of him,” said Chad Snow, chairman of Citizens for a Better Arizona. 

The targeting of Sheriff Arpaio is the latest salvo in the state’s fierce political wars over the immigration issue. Both Mr. Pearce, who lost a recall election Nov. 8, and Sheriff Arpaio are known far beyond Arizona’s borders for their opposition to illegal immigration and efforts to tighten border security.

In my opinion this is WAY overdue. This guys is NOTHING but a huge embarrassment to the good people of Arizona.

Arizona deserves to have far better representation than Arpaio, Brewer, and that old guy who chose the Alaskan lunatic for his running mate.  Clearly they are all unfit for office, and not JUST because each of them has been a Sarah Palin supporter either.

Though of course THAT does not exactly help their cause either.

"Romney: The Deceiver." It looks like the DNC is doubling down on ole Mittens.

By the way this may be more than just a political tactic for Romney.  There is some evidence that this is deeply ingrained in his character and in fact encouraged by his faith.

Lying for the Lord refers to the practice of lying to protect the image of and belief in the Mormon religion, a practice which Mormonism itself fosters in various ways. From Joseph Smith's denial of having more than one wife, to polygamous Mormon missionaries telling European investigators that reports about polygamy in Utah were lies put out by "anti-Mormons" and disgruntled ex-members, to Gordon B. Hinckley's dishonest equivocation on national television over Mormon doctrine, Mormonism's history seems replete with examples of lying. Common members see such examples as situations where lying is justified. For the Mormon, loyalty and the welfare of the church are more important than the principle of honesty, and plausible denials and deception by omission are warranted by an opportunity to have the Mormon organization seen in the best possible light. This is part of the larger package of things that lead many to describe Mormonism as a cult. "Lying for the lord" is part of Mormonism's larger deceptive mainstreaming tactics, and conversion numbers would drastically lower if important Mormon beliefs were fully disclosed to investigators.

I have no idea how much credibility to give to this line of thought, but the evidence of Mittens playing fast and loose with the truth is overwhelming.

In my personal life I have had some very unfortunate dealings with members of this faith, but I have never felt the blame lay with their belief system. However I will admit to being a little uncomfortable with the secrecy surrounding the Mormon religion. Which is much the way I feel about Scientology as well.

So in Romney's case do we feel his Mormonism has any impact on his ability to tell the truth, or do we chalk it up to good old fashioned Republican lying?

Best Thanksgiving story of the day. Gabrielle Giffords helps serve holiday meal on military base in Tucson.

Courtesy of the Huffington Post:

U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords helped serve a Thanksgiving meal to service members and retirees at a military base in her hometown of Tucson, Ariz. 

Giffords arrived in the dining hall at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base at midday Thursday wearing a ball cap and an apron with her nickname of "Gabby" sewn on the front. She was accompanied by her retired astronaut husband, Mark Kelly, who also donned an apron. 

Giffords used only her left hand as she served, a sign that physical damage remains from the injuries she suffered when she was shot in January. 

Kelly supported her from her left side as she worked the turkey station on the serving line. He served ham. 

Afterward, she mingled with service members, exchanging pleasantries and mostly one word greetings and responses. 

She did tell Airman 1st Class Millie Gray, of Kansas City, Mo., "Happy Thanksgiving, thank you for your service." 

Gray said she had intended to only grab a plate and head back to her dorm to eat, until she heard that Giffords was going to be there. 

"She's such an inspiration and her story is so inspirational, it really made me proud. I felt very proud and very humble," Gray said. "It just feels really good to see that she is out here supporting the troops, and just continuing to be an inspiration and a strong role model for Americans in general.

I know we have much to be thankful for this holiday season, and one of those things is that this amazing woman survived that horrible day and continues to serve as an inspiration for all of us.

Jimmy Kimmell presents a mash up of "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" and the GOP debate.

Okay this thing is hysterical.

I especially love Marci as Herman Cain. Pure comedy gold! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Sarah Palin's 2011 Thanksgiving message. And you thought what happened to those turkeys in the video down below was stomach churning!

Courtesy of the Brody File:

On Thanksgiving, my family’s traditions will reflect the loyal, active, robust, big family life that shaped me. We’re so fortunate to be together to share the making of another year’s memory. In these late autumn days with temperatures dipping to 20-degrees below zero, we’ll brave Alaska’s biting cold to run and skate and ride – just because we can, and for that I am so thankful. Life in America’s Last Frontier is not an easy living, but it’s a good living. (Especially when you have millions of dollars at your disposal.) Here in Alaska, where I’m never without inspiration, an optimistic pioneering spirit still permeates, and harsh conditions force us out of self-centeredness and towards community – often in order to survive. 

This need for selflessness – and the blessings that come with it – sharpened for me almost four years ago when I was given the gift of broader horizons, clarified priorities, and more commitment to justice and compassion for my fellow man who faces challenges and fears. I was granted this through a gift that arrived in a tiny, six-pound, awe-inspiring bundle. (That apparently arrived via Fed-ex.) We named him Trig. 

I know America’s potential for goodness, thus greatness, because I see it every day through my son.(She must mean Track the son who signed up for the military to stay out of jail. Serious patriotism there!) Nothing makes me happier or prouder than to see America’s good heart when someone smiles at my Trig. (Oh she means Trig. Well that was my second choice.) I notice it happens often in airports. Often a traveler passing by does a double-take when they see him, perhaps curious about the curious look on his face; perhaps my son momentarily exercises an uncontrollable motion (Like punching me in the head.) that takes the passerby by surprise. Perhaps, as an innocent and candid child announced when she first met Trig, they think “he’s awkward.” But when that traveler pauses to look again and smile, and maybe tells me what a handsome boy I have, I swell with American pride. ("American pride" is so much better than that common everyday pride don'tcha know?) I am so thankful for their good heart. They represent the best in our country and their kindness shows the real hope we need today. (Because they smiled at a toddler?)

I am thankful that, as in so many areas of life, the bitter people who say bitter things about someone facing challenges are so outnumbered. There have been stinging criticisms, even from people still screaming that Trig should never have been born, (Okay seriously WHO is doing that?) but we know those critics may be the loudest and most malicious, but they’re not the majority. 

To me, when individuals reflect the greater societal acceptance of someone facing challenges, they show the best of humanity – even by offering a simple pat on Trig’s head or a knowing smile shot our way. Conversely, when a society works to eliminate the “weakest links” (as some would callously consider the disabled) or “the unproductive”(as some would callously consider the very young and the very old), it eliminates the very best of itself. When a society seeks to destroy them, it also destroys any ability or need for sincere compassion, empathy, improvement, and even goodwill. And those are the very best qualities of humanity! (Didn't she JUST describe the Republican party?) Those are the characteristics of a country that understands and embraces true hope! America can be compassionate and strong enough as a nation to be entrusted with those who some see as an “inconvenience,” but who are really our greatest blessings. Through Trig, I see firsthand that there is man’s standard of perfection, and then there is God’s. Man’s standard is flawed, temporary, and shallow. God’s standard lasts an eternity. At the end of the day, His is what matters. (I would be remiss if I did not mention at this point that the services which provide for children like Trig are in large part the product of progressives creating programs to care for their needs. The Republicans, like Newt Gingrich, would gladly roll back child labor laws and get those lazy third graders off their ass and back in the sweat shop where they belong.)

So, this Thanksgiving my family will bundle Trig up and grin while we watch him through ice-frosted eyelashes as he curiously takes in all that is around him in the crisp open air. I hope your Thanksgiving gives you the opportunity to find that reminder of what really matters, too. For me, my perfect picture of thankfulness is my perfectly awesome son. With him, all is well with my soul and I know I am blessed. (Hang on, I think I'm gagging to death.)

You know believe it or not I think Palin just MIGHT have written this on her own. Or had only minimal help, because it really sucks.

So apparently it is time to trot out the favorite Palin political/sympathy prop in order to receive some reflected glory since virtually NOBODY is paying any attention to Palin these days. (By the way Trig is perhaps the most mythological creature in Alaska. I understand that there have been more sightings of the Bigfoot in Wasilla, than Trig Paxson Van Palin.)

Clearly Palin is feeling very ignored lately and is chumming the waters with her sure fire attention catching bait, the extra chromosome kid himself, Trig Palin. However as you see she is only willing to have somebody WRITE about her devotion to him, and is unable, or unwilling, to attempt to demonstrate that devotion before the prying eyes of the public. In large part, I understand, because Trig has become an uncooperative handful that the Mama Grizzly is no longer able to parent effectively. She simply cannot risk people seeing  her "perfectly awesome son" defy her, or even hit her, in public.

So now we have had a mass produced thank you note, and this emotionally manipulative Thanksgiving message issued from the "Sanctum Sanitarium" in order to remind her dwindling flying monkeys that she is still relevant. And nothing says "I'm relevant" like hiding in a dark house by a lake in the woods and sending out form letters. Am I right?

By the way, since we are again talking about Sister Sarah, I guess this post would be as good of a place as any to give you a heads up on what took place at the Alaska premiere of Sarah Palin's propaganda movie.

I have NO freaking idea.

Once I realized I could not go, I tried to talk a few people into going in my place, but nobody would even consider it.  So then I thought that surely ONE of the Alaska based websites or newspapers would have somebody there, but no not a word.

Hell even the Sea O'Pee had nothing to report.

So as of this writing I have no idea how many people showed up, what they thought of the fetid piece of crap, or even if the premiere actually even took place.

If I do find out anything I will provide an update, but as of right now I feel pretty confident in saying that it probably stank up the place, like everything else associated with Palin. Though I have to wonder if there was even anybody there to catch a whiff?

Presenting a time honored Immoral Minority Thanksgiving day tradition. Sarah Palin's turkey pardoning fiasco.

I cannot even begin to tell you how many times I have watched this video, and it just NEVER seems to get old.

There are of course numerous versions of this video, but I decided to go with the traditional Countdown version featuring Keith Olbermann stand in David Shuster. Unlike some of the other videos they had the decency to blur out the actual headless turkeys and bloody carnage taking place behind that clueless dipshit from Wasilla. I did not want to ruin anybody's appetite today.

Perhaps this would finally convince the conservatives that using pepper spray against non-violent protesters is inhumane.

"Take that you squatters! Vacate the premises and take that glowing baby with you."

Don't worry Christians. Remember, pepper spray is essentially a food product.

UC Davis Chancellor blames pepper spray incident on police. Wait, what?

Courtesy of CS Monitor:

The chancellor of a US university who has faced widespread criticism following the pepper spraying of peaceful demonstrators has told an assembly of 1,000 students that she had instructed campus police not to use force in breaking up the protest. 

"I explicitly directed the chief of police that violence should be avoided at all costs," she said. "It was the absolute last thing I ever wanted to happen." She stressed that students have a right to demonstrate peacefully. 

"Because encampments have long been prohibited by UC policy, I directed police only to take down the tents," she said. "My instructions were for no arrests and no police force." 

This is a NEW explanation coming from the Chancellor, who certainly did not mention a break down in communication between herself and the police earlier.  Bringing it up after all of this time certainly does nothing for her credibility.

So are the students buying it?

Doesn't look that way.

Yet not all students who attended the town hall in a performing arts complex were satisfied with the response from Katehi. 

Puneet Kamal, 22, an environmental science and policy major, was among those lined up to ask questions Tuesday. 

"She didn't say 'I'm sorry that I did this, or I'm sorry I made this call,'" Kamal said. "She said 'I'm sorry that this situation had to happen.' Where's the blame going to?" 

Natalie Poulton, 20, a communications major, said Katehi has not fully explained what she knew in advance about the police plans for clearing out protesters.

"I want more answers," said Poulton. "She totally didn't explain if there was a miscommunication with the cops and what exactly happened in terms of the higher-ups."

In a further effort at damage control the university itself has offered to pay for the medical expenses of the students sprayed by police, AND launch an independent investigation:

University of California officials said Tuesday they will pay the medical expenses of students who were pepper sprayed during an Occupy Davis protest last week. 

Authorities have also decided to drop charges against 10 people who were arrested during the Friday protest on the campus of UC Davis. The university system has also created an advisory panel to look into the incident, University of California President Mark Yudof said. 

Bill Bratton, who has led police departments in Los Angeles, Boston and New York, will head the panel, Yudof said. 

"My intent," Yudof said, "is to provide the chancellor and the entire University of California community with an independent, unvarnished report about what happened at Davis."

In my personal opinion the Chancellor has lost all credibility and until she is removed from her job, or resigns willingly, there will be no opportunity to the university to start earning back the student's trust, and to allow the healing process to begin.

 I will predict right now that Chancellor Katehi will be out of a job before the Christmas break.