Saturday, July 13, 2013

Saturday Stuff

Josh Marshall over at TPM wondered why George Zimmerman, who was just acquitted in the Trayvon Martin shooting, wasn’t at least tried for manslaughter – good question; as far as I’m concerned, though, let’s not forget that ALEC has blood on its metaphorical hands regardless over this, and Thom Hartmann tells us why…



Update 7/14/13: Uh, yep.

…and happy belated 70th birthday to Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac (with a selection from “Bare Trees,” a truly underrated recording from a legendary band).

Friday, July 12, 2013

Friday Stuff

(I also posted here, including a very special remembrance.)

To me, this is the definition of courage from Malala Yousufzai…

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…and I can’t let the week come to a close without putting up this clip of Rachel Maddow totally busting on Virginia Repug Governor Bob McDonnell and AG Ken Cuccinelli here (and apparently, Sen. “Aqua Buddha” didn’t distinguish himself this week either, as noted here)…

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…and this is about as close as I get to popular culture – funny stuff from John Fugelsang…



…and speaking of Current, I think that’s what I need to be a bit more with my musical selections, so here goes.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Thursday Stuff

(I think I’ve got my technical difficulties resolved, so I can get back to this blogging thing again – and I also posted here.)

It took far too long for Rep. Corrine Brown of Florida to be heard on the issue of food stamp funding removed from the farm bill here (and Mikey the Beloved voted yes – to do something about that, click here), but despite all the idiocy from the alleged Repug Party adults in charge, she was allowed to speak (what country am I living in again?)…



…and leave it to the stupidest person in the entire universe (noted here) to carry on like the moron that he is on this issue (here, and good for Jim McGovern of Massachusetts – what an utterly appalling turn of events)…



…and Chris Hayes provides more gory details (kudos to him for reporting on a whole bunch of stuff that others on the networks with initials for names won’t touch; killing SNAP may be the ultimate “triumph” of the Teahadists – even more appalling to take the money from hungry families and give it to agribusinesses)…

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…and here’s a song for this horrid occasion (and with all of this crap going on, I’m sorry, but I could care less what happens to George Zimmerman at this point…he should do time, but if he doesn’t, he’ll have to account for himself one day anyway as will we all).

Monday, July 08, 2013

Monday Stuff

I noted a little while ago that we would be observing a few milestones this year, and here is another one; Former President Highest Disapproval Rating In Gallup Poll History uttered his particularly stupid phrase (even for him) of “Bring ‘Em On” 10 years ago last July 2nd, noted in the back end of this clip…



…and here are more sage words from former Clinton Labor Secretary Robert Reich on income inequality here



…and apparently, this needs to be said over and over, so here it is again…



…and happy belated 70th birthday to Robbie Robertson (on 7/5).

Sunday, July 07, 2013

Sunday Stuff

Here’s some timely words from John Fugelsang for the Lord’s day, and also for July 4th…



…and “Moon Unit” Bachmann gives us a “history lesson” on the recent holiday (here – great stuff)…



…and I see the Repugs haven’t slowed down in their anti-choice activities one bit, holiday be damned (as well as the poor with no other alternative – oh yeah, they’ll sure win women voters with this crap)…

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…and here’s a little seasonal number that should sound pleasantly familiar (hat tip to C&L).

Saturday, July 06, 2013

Saturday Stuff

OK, I’m back, and former Clinton Labor Secretary Robert Reich explains why we need immigration reform…



…and since I was unavailable to put up this tune on the fourth, I am presenting it now - enjoy.

Sunday, June 30, 2013

Sunday Stuff

Am I the only one who thinks it’s strange (although entirely predictable) that the Repugs have been caterwauling over the Supreme Court decision on marriage equality, but when it comes to killing the Voting Rights Act, all you hear from this bunch is the sound of crickets (and kudos to David Gregory; he was awful last week with Glenn Greenwald, but he makes up for it a bit here with the thoroughly repugnant Tim Huelskamp, and the same for Rachel Maddow)…



…and Bill Maher tells us what all the supposed fuss is over Plan B and the HPV vaccine (here)…



…next, Chris Hayes speaks with filmmaker Josh Fox about "Gasland 2" and related news…

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…and oh yeah, can someone tell my why immigration reform isn’t DOA in the House, to their eternal folly, as David Corn and others explain (interesting points from Jonathan Allen, particularly the “blue slip” stuff)…

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…turning to music, Florence Ballard of the Supremes would have been 70 today…



…and this song rose to #1 on the Billboard chart 40 years ago today.



And with that, I take my leave for a little while – I definitely need to recharge the batteries, as they say, and give that Internet and blogging thing a break too. I’ll look to start this up again in about a week.

Friday, June 28, 2013

Friday Stuff

Since the Teahadists will never have the force of logic on their side, they’ll always try to make up for it with the force of violence, as noted here – how pathetic (which makes me recall this disgusting moment along with a few others from three years ago)…



…and of course, Rand “Fake Ophthalmologist” Paul had no hand whatsoever in the historic moment described here; I’m including this clip mainly because I want to highlight what Texas Rep Marc Veasey said about how much pre-clearance is still needed on voting rights legislation in his state (what Veasey tells us in the last minute or so is utterly appalling, but typical I guess)…

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…and good for Chris Hayes in defending Glenn Greenwald and wondering why CNN’s Barbara Starr gets a complete and total pass for doing something worse than Greenwald ever did (every American should listen to the last thirty seconds or so in particular of this piece)…

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…and here is a song about something the Teahadists will never know anything about (not trying to be darkly ironic either given the Hayes video).

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Thursday Stuff

Now that Ed Markey is heading to the U.S. Senate, let’s make sure Carl Sciortino gets Markey’s old seat in the House of Representatives (and for anyone still wondering why Willard Mitt Romney was so thoroughly detested in last year’s election, just watch this)…



…and Martin Bashir spoke recently with former Repug U.S. House Rep Steve Gunderson, who looks pretty damn prescient these days IMHO (and check out Pancake Joe Pitts in the background while his fellow Repugs pontificate before the cameras; heckuva job, all you PA-16 life forms who continue to send this clueless meat sack back to Washington D.C. every two years)…

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...and Cecile Richards tells us how badly "Goodhair" Perry and his pals have miscalculated on this issue...

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...and for not much of a particular reason - well, I guess the news had something to do with it - I just felt like hearing this song.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Wednesday Stuff

(I also posted here.)

Yes, tossing the odious DOMA is today’s top story all right, but I’m still hung up on yesterday’s top story, and I expect to be for a good while (and I’m not talking about Ed Markey’s great win in MA, nor the issue of the Stan Musial Veterans Bridge, nor even President Obama’s climate speech – and you KNOW things are bad when Dubya actually looks like a statesman, as he shockingly did in the 2006 clip)…

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…but don’t worry – John Fugelsang reminds us here of more inglorious stuff concerning Former President Highest Disapproval Rating In Gallup Poll History, along with a Lone-Star-State-sized helping of religious hypocrisy…



Update 6/27/13: All class, Governor "Goodhair," as The Eternal Molly Ivins called him (here...and this is definitely something good to do in response).

…and speaking of Texas idiocy, Martin Bashir tells us the latest antics of “Gohmert” Pyle and some British comedian, with some rather startling numbers on what kind of deficit reduction we’d be looking at by passing immigration reform (to say nothing of basic fairness)…

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…and returning to the DOMA ruling, I’ve been trying to think of an appropriate musical selection; I’ve kicked around a few ideas, but I’m settling on this.

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Tuesday Stuff

I knew this was coming (more here), but it still pisses me off in the extreme (didn’t Hangin’ Judge JR once give us some BS about only wanting to call balls and strikes, or something?).

Rachel Maddow interviewed John Lewis later who held out hope that sleazy weasel Eric Cantor might want to revisit the Voting Rights Act – these clowns can’t even agree on immigration; why the hell would they do anything to help the people they’re trying to disenfranchise?…



...more from Chris Hayes here...

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...and oh yeah, Obama gave a major speech on the climate crisis, as Hayes noted; the cable networks barely noticed, including "liberal" MSNBC (and by the way, Joe Manchin, how's this for "unreasonable"?)...

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…and I keep hoping that, like the Concrete Blonde song, I never have a reason to use this, but unfortunately I just about always do.

Monday, June 24, 2013

Monday Stuff

So what about that Paula Deen anyway? John Fugelsang gives us his commentary…



Update 6/25/13: Gosh, it looks like the apple doesn't fall far from the high-fructose, calorie-laden, deep-fried tree, does it (here)?

…and Clarence Thomas of the Supremes continues to labor under the apparently unbearable yoke of a Yale law degree – please…

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…and if our corporate media weren’t thoroughly compromised, “Fluffyhead” wouldn’t be able to show his mug at the D.C. party circuit for this (here’s the lesson – don’t try and cram your ridiculous “treasonous liberal” narrative down Glenn Greenwald’s throat, or he’ll hand you your lunch as he does here)…



…and I’m definitely not giving Number 44 a pass here – just because I supported him and continue to do so doesn’t mean this is OK under any stretch of the imagination (and imagining how it would be under, God help us, Romney/Ryan is small comfort, but not much)…



…though I have to give Obama credit for this, even if it may be a feint to try and deflect the NSA stuff…



Update 1 6/25/13: Oh, and by the way...

Update 2 6/25/13: And tell me again how "liberal" MSNBC supposedly is, during daytime hours anyway (here).

…and RIP Bobby “Blue” Bland.

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Saturday Stuff

Ed Schultz makes sure that the antics of the sorry 2010 class of Repug governors, including Rick Snyder, don’t escape scrutiny…

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…and here’s a “second day of summer” tune (awww).

Friday, June 21, 2013

Friday Stuff

(I also posted here.)

Yep, I’m on board with Matt Taibbi here; forget about nationalizing the damn banks – nationalize the damn ratings agencies instead…



…and speaking of “a big fat failure,” I’m not always a fan of Steny Hoyer, but kudos to him for this (and this is why common-sense immigration reform will never pass the House – one day…and I don’t wish him ill…Eric Cantor will surely evaporate into dust before our eyes when he sheds his mortal coil)…



…and I’m also not a fan of supposed Second Amendment gun rights or whatever, but I give Joe Manchin credit for this…



…and it looks like the old geezers are going to have another go at it tonight at the “big joint”; kudos to the teenaged one for this suggestion.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Thursday Stuff

I thought this was a nice tribute to actor James Gandolfini - among his myriad accomplishments, let’s not forget this too…



…and today is the eighth anniversary of “Big Time” and his “last throes” remark (here); the fact that this man has yet to stand in a docket facing a war crimes tribunal is a timeless obscenity…



…and this is why we will never see an immigration bill passed (one with a path to citizenship or any sense of fairness whatsoever)…people like Fischer rev up the Teahadists with this nonsense, they have their rallies and yell at the politicians who claim to represent them (including Mikey the Beloved), and that’s that (here)…



…and it’s hard to go wrong with Papa Roach – here’s the latest.

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Wednesday Stuff

(I also posted here.)

RIP Michael Hastings – I definitely wanted to get to this last night, but there just wasn’t enough time…to say his type of fearless reporting is still desperately needed is a huge understatement, especially with all of the corporate media shills out there – deepest sympathies to family and friends, with Cenk Uygur and “The Young Turks” crew still visibly shaken – just awful…



…and from the tragic to the absurd, Rachel Maddow tells us about the latest idiocy with the Repugs and their “jobs” agenda in the U.S. House, this time with Michael “Fetal Masturbation” Burgess (what country am I living in again?)…

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…and Martin Bashir quite rightly takes another shot at Darrell Issa, who is desperately trying to generate an Obama “scandal” (and real brave to pick on PR flak Jay Carney)…

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…and here’s a little hump day funk.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Tuesday Stuff

(I also posted here.)

I really love the way that Dem Congressman Peter Welch pretty much blows off the commentary by Michael “I Was Completely Wrong On Iraq But I Still Get Taken Seriously By The Corporate Media Punditocracy” O’Hanlon here on OMIGOSHWEJUSTBETERSTARTANOTHERWARINSYRIA (and oh yeah, in your face, Sen. John W. McBush)…

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…and I definitely think John Oliver is onto something here



…and why on earth would our beloved commonwealth actually invest in “dumb” stuff like, y’know, schools, when there are more prisons to build (here – I think Chris Hayes’s upsetment with Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter for not latching onto the talking points is palpable here, but Nutter is trying to play a really crappy hand the best he can)…

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…and I’m going to stick with Hayes here for this, telling us yet another way the Repugs are screwing over millions (good to see the outrage – more like this)…

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…and this is a great tribute to Sir Paul on his birthday (and let’s not forget the “Concert For New York” after 9/11)…



…and speaking of rock gray beards, those old geezers are rockin’ the “big joint” tonight, as Pierre Robert calls the Whatever Bank Owns It Now Center (Wells Fargo, I guess) – hope a splendid time was guaranteed for all, as the song goes.

Monday, June 17, 2013

Monday Stuff

John Fugelsang introduces us to some more wingnut vocabulary, even if it doesn’t actually exist; he explains…



…and why the hell anyone would be dumb enough to vote for a Repug governor after watching this (unless you’re part of the one percent, of course) is something I will never understand…

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…and I can’t think of a word to describe how pathetic it is that we are still arguing about whether or not we should close Guantanamo; Rachel Maddow gives us the latest here (with more than a bit of well-deserved disgust over the whole situation)…

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…and I realized a little earlier today that I really didn’t do anything to commemorate eight years of posting (more or less) at this dippy little blog; the first post of sorts was written on June 4th in 2005 – let this be a tune for the occasion, and I have to make sure I put up this tune again at the end of the year…goes out to anyone who has spent any time here whatsoever, even to cast a disparaging word (NSFW).

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Sunday Stuff

I don’t know why Falafel Bill is mad at Tweety, and I really don’t care, but I thought this was a nice Father’s Day segment with that Murphy guy (hope it’s a good one for all you dads out there…the teenaged one had his MMR booster a few years ago, so he’s covered)…

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...and here's a "fathers and sons" song, maybe the granddaddy of them all.



Update 6/17/13: And I would say that this is some food for thought on this subject.

Friday, June 14, 2013

Friday Stuff

I saw something about this that more or less floated by like typical wingnut flotsam, but kudos to Stephen Colbert for giving Dorothy Rabinowitz what she deserves for it – the last minute or so of this is priceless; and by the way, Stephen, to be serious for a minute, our condolences



…and here is the latest on the Repug “rebranding” effort (too funny)…

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…and as far as I’m concerned, this is the story of the week – kudos to this young man; I basically could care less about the NBA Finals, but after watching this, I now hope San Antonio wins…



…and here’s a late entry that caught my ear, if you will – enjoy.