CrimeSofties? JimHuggers?

Image licensed under Creative Commons by SIR: Poseyal KNIGHT of the DESPONSYI

CrimeSofties or JimHuggers?: Has the GOP and its conservative pundits revealed a fundamental flaw? We're referring to the old conservative political stance of "Getting Tough On Crime". With all of the FOX News Network shameless O'Keefe-hugging, it would appear that FOX and their Conservative ilk are getting "Soft on Crime"? By promoting Mr. O'Keefe and his allegedly illegal break-in (not to mention possible conspiracy by involvement with his whole gang and others...) of Senator Mary Landrieu's Office in a Federal Building, aren't they giving themselves the appearance of aligning with the "crime-dog"? Conservative criminals consorting with known felons? Gee, who'd thunk it?





True, true...Federal property is the "people's property"? But isn't that also true in Red China? Has the Right gone (apparently) Red in embracing an activist demagogue that espouses lame, trite, trivial defenses about public property being his property? Wait? Didn't Timothy McVeigh feel the same about the Alfred P. Murrah building?





Oh, and what about the Nixonian association with the Watergate break-in? We don't recall too many politicos hugging poor old Milhous about that time. Nope, not too many. Didn't he resign in shame and leave the political limelight forever after that break-in and the attempted wiretaps? Shouldn't Roger, Rupert, Sean, Bill-O and the rest be doing the same? That or running for political cover before the political fallout?





Our point is that O'Keefe and his alleged-gang being guilty or no, there's no avoiding the negative connotation. We were slightly amazed that Keith O and his staff did not pull up (gleefully...it would have been OK...) the negative references to being Soft-On-Crime, Hugging Criminals and Conspirators, Sopranos references, Nixon references and more. Yes, we know, the McVeigh reference is nauseatingly over-the-top. But, most of these conservatives (some - not all, we love Joe Scarborough), like the proverbial dog, return to their own vomit.





But, lest we forget, seems that our government is getting actionable intelligence out of the Detroit Christmas Attack terror suspect without resorting to waterboarding, torture nor military tribunals? So, apparently there's no need to overturn the Geneva Convention nor bring this poor chump to a military tribunal. How do we know? Because our senior editor's hometown is Detroit, and he's spitting mad over the whole sordid affair - as well as the "any-means-necessary" hypocritical Bushie conservative approach. They didn't have to waterboard Abdulmutullab, did they? Neither do they have to go around casting rose petals at the feet of O'Keefe. Nauseating.





So what is being kept out of our sight? What is the bigger picture? Why all of the political posturing and gainsaying over one two-bit break-in and illegal attempted wiretap by a cheap (alleged) criminal and his "Apple Dumpling" Gang? What is the big deal? Or is it some kind of cover up and/or whitewash? We're waiting...


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FOM: O’Keefe Toxic for the GOP? – MSNBC Countdown Tues, 2/2/2010http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#35209054 and http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#35208524

Updated/Revised: Friday, February 5, 2010

NineEleven Denial or 911 Denial

Image licensed under Creative Commons by Bryan Thatcher

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NineEleven Denial or 911 Denial: Is a topic we'd much rather not talk about, but its out there. And its being pandered and bandied about by none other than the likes of...Rudy Giuliani? Its making us sick. "America's Mayor" (remember all the video of him escorting people to safety during the 911 attacks?...) has downgraded himself into a GOP buffoon denying any terror took place under the Bush Administration's watch. Give us a break while we lean over and retch our liberal guts out (figuratively, of course).

Lawrence O'Donnell (filling in for Keith Olbermann on Countdown, we presume Keith's father is still ailing, but we don't know...we hope its something else...) ripped Big Rudy a new one by articulating one-by-one the terror acts that occurred on US soil under the Bushies' watch. We think Lawrence did a fine job of it. We were wondering if the IED attacks on our troops overseas should be included. (From our point of view, the Bushies' are directly responsible for any/all IED casualties...) Not sure if they missed it or not, but lets not forget the Virginia Tech massacre, either. Was the VTM a terrorist event? Oh, we think so - just ask the survivors if they felt terrorized or not. We're sure most of the victims felt terror. Dumb question. Dumb.


Not to belabor the point...just how dumb is the GOP? Or, more pointedly, how dumb are we? Is our collective memory so short, our collective consciousness so stunted that we really have forgotten all of the atrocities that have gone before the Detroit Terror Attack of Christmas 2009? In essence, 911 Denial is really an attack on the intelligence of the American people. Worse, its also a back-handed slap-in-the-face to any and all of the survivors of these terrorist events.In the longer, larger view, its really a back-handed slap to all atrocity survivors in the temporal community.


We're not just talking Holocaust Denial, but forgetting about Andersonville (not the town, the Civil War POW camp in that locale), Darfur and many, many others. Some of which, shamefully, have been forgotten. Of course, Holocaust Denial is illegal in many European countries. And it should be illegal in the good ol' USA, too. As a matter of fact, such denials as 911 Denial should be illegal in the good ol' USA, too. Which should tell you just how heinous we think it is to promote, mention 911 Denial in the name of GOP politics. It is despicable.


Which leads to speculation - what if the Bushies had made 911 Denial illegal? They probably did not even think of making it into law. (911 Denial does not appear in the Wikipedia, by the way...). Now if it ever does pass into law, would they (the GOP, and their ilk...) ignore the law and continue campaigning under this ridiculous and offensive banner? We're guessing...yes. Is it more disturbing that we think they would or that they would?


Which is a banner they've yet to flout. We have to try to see all points of view. So, we're guessing that Big Rudy and some of the others are implying that there was no terrorist event during the Bushie era....because no law was passed to make the denial illegal. From that point of view, they are right. We say, lets prove them wrong, and make 911 Denial illegal. Of course, the Obama administration does have its hands full. And most Americans are more concerned about putting some damn food on the table and getting the rent paid. And, some of us do have short memories. Because, we've got to get that damn food on the table and more...


Which is why it is the media's job to play "Gotcha" and trip up the buffoons who espouse lip-farts like 911 Denial. Come on George! What's with you man! But, its wrong to lay the blame solely on George. He's only human. He should have caught it, he booted it, and he apologized. Man up. And don't play any favorites. If you have to play the "Gotcha" game, give it to everybody. Brother Michael, Sister Sarah, oh, and Harry just got tripped up too! The media is very good at the game when it concerns a sex scandal and our politicians...or a pro athlete...or a pro golfer... You see, its hard to focus on some things other than a good old sex scandal. But it sells. 911 Denial didn't have to sell itself...until now.


Aside from all this: We like the way Lawrence handled the show on Friday night (1/8/09). We just wish he would pick up the "Worst Person In The World" Torch. Then we would love him. Whoever replaces Keith (and he won't be on the show forever...) we hope they pick up that WPW Torch.

Bit.ly: http://bit.ly/5LKblB

Please note: A similar posting appears almost simultaneously on our sister publication, The Anti-Zen Dictionary.

The Night Before Healthcare - A Vision - A Retelling of the Tale

Image licensed under Creative Commons by SanFranAnnie


Twas the night before HCR, and all in the language,
Every dealmaker was dealing, even unto outrage,
Pork stockings were hung from the fasci with great care,
In hopes that OSanta would soon be there.

The pundits weren't all nestled in Snuggies nor in their beds,
With visions of plum projects in their heads,
With Obama on twitter and Blackberry and spending cap,
Had just raised the deficit for a long session nap.

When out in the media there arose a big wind,
I sprang from the mike to see what came in,
Away to the CPU I rebooted my HCR site,
Enabled the cookies and loaded a byte.

The moon shone on the piles of snow,
And gave the shine of HCR on Wolf’s show.
When before my web cam what appears,
To be a mini-limo and 8 tiny beltwayers.



With a hopeful driver, so lively and wary,
I knew in a flash it must be St. Barry.
Faster than 24/7, his voters then came,
And he texted and orated and called them by name.

On Biden, on Boxer, On Byrd, on Baucus
On Nancy, on Alan, On Reid, on DNC Caucus,
(And Dodd…),
To the top of the hill, the top of the hall,
Now speak away, speak away all!

As old bills that before the media flew,
When they meet GOPers, to the rotunda they hew.
To the top of the House (and Senate) they flew,
With a bill of Reform and OSanta, too.

Then in a soundbite, I heard on the tube,
Hemming and hawing, from each little rube.
As I drew back from my tube clicking seek,
On came OSanta, ready to speak.

He looked really tall, as he waved at them all,
And his jaw was aligned with lip and jowl,
A big bag of health care, he had flung to his back,
The GOPers all saw this and all went ack!



His eyes looked all twinkly and merry,
His face like a rosegarden and blooming in cherry,
His droll little chin tightened like doctrine,
And the gape of his mouth roared like a lion.

The tip of a Kool fell from his teeth,
As smoke irked the GOPers wreath.
He with broad face and a flat, healthy belly,
Ticked them off when he laughed at them like a face full of jelly.

He was skinny, and straight as a line,
Of rope when the GOP saw him this time.
One wink of his glad eye and turning his head,
We all knew of nothing to dread.

He spoke no words, applauding this grand work,
And filled all the homes and turned to a jerk,
And pointing his finger at the GOP's nose,
Said ‘Gotcha’ and up the House he rose!

He sprang to his limo, to his team with a wave,
In thanks for the work and bills that they gave.
We heard him call as they flew on the shockwave,
Merry healthcare to all, and to all good health!

(Please note: At this writing, the US Senate is scheduled to vote on Health Care Reform 2009 on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2009, being half the inspiration for this poem. The other half - of course - being 'Twas the Night Before Christmas' attributed mainly to Clement Clarke Moore, but also to Henry Livingston Jr.. No we don't work for Roland Burris...). Link to the 'original text'.


Bit.ly: http://bit.ly/5qPtZK


Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday to all!

P.S. Our editors believe that they have been offered a free ticket to Europe by one of our tweeters. Very generous. Gee...maybe we can meet them halfway there! #NoBribesPlease.

Palunctuous

DIY Sarah Palin Mask image licensed under Creative Commons by billypalooza

Like David Letterman found out, don't tangle with this lady. Hey! Whew! Will Dave be experiencing his own version of Kiss of the Spiderwoman if and when she gets elected!?? Not to be missed: Margaret Carlson's description of Sarah and Todd Palin as the Prince Diana and Prince Charles of the Klondike. Yes, we are amused!

Palunctuous

http://antizendictionary.blogspot.com/2009/06/palunctuous.html

Margaret Carlson on Countdown and The Unctuous Palins

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#31275917

Margaret Carlson’s Blog

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/margaret-carlson/

Unctuous

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/unctuous#Adjective

Twake or Twaking

Twake: Fake + twitter = twake. Literally, to fake somebody else’s Twitter account (usually by an impostor using somebody else’s name, like a celebrity or some other notable). Example: As Keith Olbermann of MSNBC’s Countdown famously exposed last night (Friday, 3/20/2009) that he does NOT have a Twitter account, even though he has a following of some 13,000+ people (on Twitter). As Keith exposed, that is not an account set up by him, so you’re never really sure when somebody is “twaking” a twitter account.

The Latest Zogby Poll, 52% Favor Invasion of Iran and the Projected Cost with Interest to You

The Latest Zogby Poll, 52% Favor Invasion of Iran and the Projected Cost with Compounded Interest to You...

Dear Reader,

We don't mean to alarm you, but the Iran Invasion seems almost imminent. And, 52% of Americans favor the Invasion. See the Zogby Poll Results; Zogby Poll: 52% Support U.S. Military Strike Against Iran.

Further, the other night, on Countdown with Keith Olbermann on MSNBC reported that the Iraq war is costing each individual in the USA approximately $ 20,000 plus interest.

OK. Let's project on that, let's assume that you will also be paying a further $ 20,000 (plus compound interest) for the Iran invasion. Using the interest calculator, that comes to about $ 500,000 over the next 5 years at 30% interest coming out of your pocket. That's for you, alone. For the estimated population of the current USA (about 300 million) that comes to $ 150 Trillion. That's roughly 13 times our Gross National Product (give or take).

But, that's just an estimate.

The Shadow, The Passion and The Fury

The Shadow, The Passion and The Fury...

Is the title for this post, because we thought it described two or three of the major themes from last night's Democratic Presidential Forum sponsored by the AFL-CIO. Our apologies in advance if any feel that this title is plagiarized.



We plugged into this event expecting to be bored to tears, eyes glazed, benumbed by political rhetoric and surrounded by substance over style. We were right on the last part. It was high political entertainment and grandstanding of the old time politics. We were reminded of Barry Goldwater, Hubert Horatio Humphrey and Mario Cuomo. It was almost a nostalgic time.



Instead, we got a fiery John Edwards (who almost told Keith to shut up a couple of times), a tempestuous Hilary Clinton and a conquering-heroic Dennis Kucinich. God, we loved Kucinich...he got cheers almost every time and he lit up the stage. Somewhat less incandescent (in order) were Edwards, Hilary and Barack. The others were hardly worth mentioning. Except for the even-handed Keith Olbermann (as moderator) who represented fairness and calmness above all without displaying hardly any sweat on his brow or his usual smarmy-good humor wit. It was bread and circuses, without the Romans (except for the almost victorious-like, caesaresque Kucinich).



Pathos, in the form of the AFL-CIO membership presenting their questions (keeping the truth in the forum part of the political debate) brought the audience to near-tears and near-bawling. Especially, the gentleman who had been disabled whilst working for LTV Steel, lost one-third of his pension after they went bankrupt, and choked up when he bewailed how he cannot afford health insurance for his wife of 36 years. We then witnessed him (from the back) using his two braces and false-limb legs to lower himself back to his seat. You could hear the collective heart of the crowd breaking in the background. In this respect, the AFL-CIO membership provided great political theater. And it was all real.



Here was the fury, the fury and passion one feels when faced with such overwhelming political and economic circumstances. Here was the fury, when one feels overly-betrayed by the corporations and business ethics and marketplace that has become/is the world.



John Edwards' passionate response to this poor gentleman's troubles gave us some inspiration and hope that most of these Democratic contenders were well-meaning, full of the fury and the passion, but short on the substance and philosophy. We felt this was mostly true of the other contenders. But passion and exuberance were not in short supply that last night.



When pushed almost into a corner by his fellows over his comments to consider invading the Afghanistan/Pakistan hinterlands,we were almost as shocked as Barack. We thought the hounds had been loosed on him and he had to do some baracking up. (See the Anti-Zen Dictionary for this entry). Indeed, Mr. Obama may indeed have picked just the right venue for the war on terror. It seems to us, where else could Osama and his henchmen be hiding? Yes, right there. Just a few border-hops away from Iraq (not to mention Iran).



It would be so ironic if a terrorist named Osama is eventually put out of business by a President named Obama. It seems to us almost fated. Even though he was roughly put into defensive mode by these men and women, he may have revealed himself as the true king-in-disguise amongst these kings-and-queens-in-disguise. By which we mean, any one of them (Dennis, John, Barack or - yes even Hilary) would be just as competent and effective a supreme leader.



Noteworthy was Hilary's persistent attacks-in-response to the Bush administration and the failure of the war-on-terror-strategy. She could have pushed this hot-button too many times - but nobody noticed that.



Lastly, a comment from Barack responding to the question about the almost half-a-billion dollars spent renovating Soldier Field. We think his response to this should have been how the money should have been spent on health and human services for some of the poverty-stricken environs near there. Don't think so? Then take the Number 28 bus from downtown Chicago to the south side and watch the neighborhoods change.



(P.S.: A clever little retort from Dennis on that one. That we, the nation, should buy the teams and make money from that! Talk about nationalization! We looked over our shoulders to see if Hugo Chavez was around).