Category Archives: crime
Favorite Television Shows?
Since I’ve been forced to stay pretty still most of the day I have been watching a lot of television (and thanks to Infinity I can go back and see many shows I’ve missed over the months) and have developed a list of shows I don’t want to miss. Act6ually, I’d repeat watching many of them several times (I often fall asleep before the end due to my condition and I want to find out what happened.)
Yesterday my daughter Cassandra and I discovered we liked a lot of the same shows. Oh, there were differences, but so many of the major ones were on both of our lists that I was sure I had had a child who was just like me.
I know you probably have favorite shows, too. Here is my top seven:
- The Mentalist – I don’t know what it is about this one, but I am totally hooked on it. It’s Cassandra’s number 1 show as well.
“Corky” Corcoran, my favorite “Copper” Cop
Copper – Have you seen this one on BBC America? It’s the story of NYC cops in the 1860s during the late Civil War era and the conflict between the Irish slums of Five Points and the rich folk on 5th Avenue… not to mention the Confederate conspiracy to burn down New York with an explosive called “Greek Fire.” This one has finished it’s 10 shows of the season and is now running repeats. I guess the new season starts in January.
- Suits – New Episodes start in January, but you can see all the older one’s on USA Network‘s web site.
- White Collar – waiting for January for this one to come back for another season… really miss it.
- Covert Affairs – the current season is just ending, but I LOVE this little CIA girl and the stuff she gets into.
- Big Bang Theory – Got to have my favorite comedy in there.
- Burn Notice – which just came back for a seventh season last week. Watching Mike, Sam and the folks at work is sooo exciting.
I like “Vegas” on CBS, but the rumor is running around that it will be cancelled for low ratings. Too bad.
So, what are yours? Do you have the same esoteric crime and conspiracy lust that I do? If they had more shows like PBS’ Broadway Musicals (from 2004) which I have been watching the re-runs from, I’d be watching that stuff more.
I get most of my news from MSNBC and PBS. What’s life without starting the day with “Morning Joe?” or Sundays with CBS “Sunday Morning?”
Related articles
- USA Renews ‘Burn Notice’ (huffingtonpost.com)
- ‘Royal Pains’, ‘White Collar’ and ‘Covert Affairs’ Renewed by USA For New Seasons (tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com)
- Dynamic CIA Women: Annie of ‘Covert Affairs’ and Carrie of ‘Homeland’ (buddytv.com)
- Copper on BBC America Fine Television – out on Blu-ray (smallscreensilversurfer.com)
- ‘Suits’ Renewed by USA for Third Season (tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com)
- The Mentalist- “If It Leads, it Bleeds” Review (11oclocknews.typepad.com)
- The Mentalist Milestone: 100th Episode (sacramento.cbslocal.com)
So where are we with General Petraeus?
What on earth is happening when an American who has been trusted as much as General Petraeus has his little love affair exposed (which doesn’t seem to have effected his CIA leadership at all) and feels the need to resign?
This article is from Truthdig… I’m putting it all here:
How the David Petraeus-Paula Broadwell Affair Was Uncovered
AP/Cliff Owen Former CIA Director David Petraeus. Modern technology apparently cost ex-CIA Director David Petraeus his job. The retired general’s affair with his biographer Paula Broadwell was discovered by the FBI while it was investigating harassing emails she sent to Jill Kelley, a 37-year-old woman who serves as an unpaid social liaison to MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla. A former associate of Petraeus says he and Kelley are just friends.
After news of the FBI investigation that uncovered the affair, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper stepped in and asked Petraeus to resign.
Clapper was told by the Justice Department of the Petraeus investigation at about 5 p.m. on Election Day, and then called Petraeus and urged him to resign, according to a senior U.S. intelligence official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly.
…Concerned that the emails he exchanged with Broadwell raised the possibility of a security breach, the FBI brought the matter up with Petraeus directly, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to publicly discuss the investigation.
Petraeus decided to quit, though he was breaking no laws by having an affair, officials said.
In the wake of Petraeus’ resignation, members of Congress are asking for more information about the investigation, including why they weren’t alerted sooner and whether the probe had any impact on national security.
Now here are my thoughts. Given the world situation, why in hell are we letting a man with this amount of military and foreign policy and management experience leave this job over a little penis stimulation? You can’t tell me that the Congressfolk who would sit over his situation if he hadn’t resigned haven’t been involved in the same kind of stuff.
If I were Obama, I would have, at least temporarily, refused Petraeus’ resignation and let him go ahead with his testimony about Libya (which he should do anyway, whether he has resigned or not.)
If we really let him go we are more stupid than I already think.
Related articles
- Congress wants answers on Petraeus affair (cnsnews.com)
- Woman connected to Petraeus scandal seeks privacy (cnsnews.com)
- Friend: Petraeus began affair after taking CIA job – Boston.com (boston.com)
- Info emerges about 2nd woman in David Petraeus affair (bostonherald.com)
- Identity of second woman emerges in Petraeus’ downfall (sfluxe.com)
- Woman who sparked Petraeus probe ID’d by U.S. army official (cbc.ca)
- L’affaire Petraeus: second woman identified, and Gmail location data outed Broadwell and Petraeus (boingboing.net)
- David Petraeus Resigns From The CIA Over An Affair. (stirringtrouble.wordpress.com)
This was in the NY Times this morning and it left me horrified…
This morning’s NY Times had this article which I found both disgusting and horrifying. After talking about the anti-woman proclivities of Republican candidates today, seeing what attitudes against women can turn into can be mortifying. If you can’t stomach anything as bad as the title suggests, avoid reading it now.
Officer Held in Plot to Cook Women and Eat Them
By JOSEPH GOLDSTEIN
The police officer referred to the woman as Victim-1, recording details like her date of birth, height, weight and bra size. He made note of certain materials, like chloroform and rope.
And then the officer, Gilberto Valle, a six-year veteran of the New York Police Department, saved the document on his computer, titling the file “Abducting and Cooking (Victim-1): A Blueprint.”
In one of the most disturbing and unusual arrests involving a police officer, agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation took Officer Valle into custody on Wednesday after they uncovered several plots to kidnap, rape, cook and eat women.
“I was thinking of tying her body onto some kind of apparatus,” he wrote to a co-conspirator in one electronic communication intercepted by law enforcement authorities. “Cook her over a low heat, keep her alive as long as possible.”
When the co-conspirator asked how big the officer’s oven was, Officer Valle replied, “Big enough to fit one of these girls if I folded their legs.”
Two law enforcement officials familiar with the inquiry said the officer’s estranged wife recently contacted the F.B.I. to report that Officer Valle, 28, viewed and kept disturbing items on his computer. The couple has a daughter, age 1.
The criminal complaint suggests that Officer Valle, who worked in the 26th Precinct in Manhattan and lives in Forest Hills, Queens, never followed through on any of the acts he is accused of discussing.
His lawyer, Julia L. Gatto, said the officer committed no crime. “At worst, this is someone who has sexual fantasies,” Ms. Gatto said at a hearing on Thursday in Federal District Court in Manhattan.
“There is no actual crossing the line from fantasy to reality,” she added.
But a federal prosecutor, Hadassa Waxman, said Mr. Valle had communicated with three co-conspirators about his plans to commit a crime, and at one point used a police car while dressed in uniform to conduct surveillance of a woman, approaching her in “an intimidating fashion.”
Magistrate Judge Henry B. Pitman ordered Officer Valle to be held without bail on charges of federal kidnapping conspiracy.
The evidence consists largely of e-mails and instant messages in which Officer Valle was “discussing plans to kidnap, rape, torture, kill, cook and eat body parts of a number of women,” according to the complaint, which describes two episodes in which Officer Valle discussed abducting women. In each case, it appears that the women knew the officer vaguely. And in at least one case, the officer used the National Crime Information Center to get information about a third woman.
In a search of the officer’s computer, federal investigators discovered “files pertaining to at least 100 women,” according to the complaint. Some of them were his classmates from high school, a law enforcement official said.
“The F.B.I. has identified and interviewed 10 of these women, each of whom has confirmed to the F.B.I. that Valle is known to her,” the complaint said.
A law enforcement official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said investigators feared that Officer Valle might soon carry out one of his plots.
In February, Officer Valle offered to kidnap a woman on an unnamed person’s behalf for a price: “$5,000 and she is all yours,” the officer wrote to that person, according to the complaint.
Officer Valle appeared to be under the impression that the person he was communicating with intended to rape the woman, according to the complaint.
“She will be alive,” he wrote. “I think I would rather not get involved in the rape. You paid for her. She is all yours, and I don’t want to be tempted the next time I abduct a girl.”
While the complaint does not identify the woman in question, F.B.I. agents later learned that cellphone tracking devices indicated that Officer Valle had made or received calls on the block in Manhattan where the woman lived.
On July 19, Officer Valle sent an instant message to the co-conspirator, indicating that he was meeting with Victim-1 three days later, according to the complaint. The victim, who was interviewed in October by the F.B.I., said she had met the officer that day “at a restaurant for lunch,” according to the complaint. What happened during or after the lunch was not disclosed.
A dating profile, which a law enforcement official confirmed belonged to Officer Valle, suggested an engaging and gregarious young man. He wrote that he had attended Archbishop Molloy High School in Queens and the University of Maryland, College Park. (At the court hearing on Thursday, the officer wore a red T-shirt affiliated with the university.)
“I can find the humor in any situation,” he had written, adding that he had “an endless supply of hilarious short stories from work that can’t be made up.”
Related articles
- Officer plotted to kidnap women and cook them (ndtv.com)
- NYPD Officer Allegedly Intended To Rape, Cook and Eat Women (dreamindemon.com)
- New York Police Officer Arrested For Plotting To Eat Women (fox2now.com)
- NYPD Cop Allegedly Planned To Kidnap Women For Cannibalism And/Or Other Rapists (thegloss.com)
- The Strange Case of N.Y.P.D. Officer Gilberto Valle, Alleged Wannabe Cannibal (observer.com)
- NYC Cop Allegedly Plotted to Cook and Eat Women. Really. (jezebel.com)
- Prosecutors: NYPD officer conspired to kidnap, cook, eat women (cnn.com)
- Conspiracy to cannibalize women? (wptv.com)
Romney elected would mean the end of Roe v. Wade and the criminalization of abortion…
From this morning’s editorial in the NY Times:
Mr. Romney has called for overturning Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court ruling that recognized a woman’s constitutional right to make her own childbearing decisions and to legalized abortion nationwide. He has said that the issue should be thrown back to state legislatures. The actual impact of that radical rights rollback is worth considering.
It would not take much to overturn the Roe decision. With four of the nine members of the Supreme Court over 70 years old, the next occupant of the White House could have the opportunity to appoint one or more new justices. If say, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the oldest member, retired and Mr. Romney named a replacement hostile to abortion rights, the basic right to abortion might well not survive.
The result would turn back the clock to the days before Roe v. Wade when abortion was legal only in some states, but not in others. There is every indication that about half the states would make abortion illegal within a year of Roe being struck down, according to the Guttmacher Institute. The Center for Reproductive Rights, which challenges abortion restrictions around the country, puts the number at 30 states. For one thing, abortion bans already on the books in some states would suddenly kick in. And some Republican-controlled state legislatures would outlaw abortion immediately.
Even with Roe and subsequent decisions upholding abortion rights, more than half the states have enacted barriers like mandatory waiting periods, “counseling” sessions lacking a real medical justification; parental consent or notification laws; and onerous clinic “safety” rules intended to drive clinics out of business.
We do not need to guess about the brutal consequences of overturning Roe. We know from our own country’s pre-Roe history and from the experience around the world. Women desperate to end a pregnancy would find a way to do so. Well-to-do women living in places where abortion is illegal would travel to other states where it is legal to obtain the procedure. Women lacking the resources would either be forced by the government and politicians to go through with an unwanted or risky pregnancy, attempt to self-abort or turn to an illegal — and potentially unsafe — provider for help. Women’s health, privacy and equality would suffer. Some women would die.
…and women still have the ability to get Obama re-elected and protect their right to choose. I’m always amazed at middle-class Republican women who support Romney. Essentially they are making themselves potential victims.
Related articles
- NYT Editorial on Romney and a Future Without Roe v. Wade (lawprofessors.typepad.com)
- Romney: I Want the Supreme Court to Overturn Roe v. Wade via Life News.com (loopyloo305.com)
- Romney: Abortion is not ‘part of my agenda.’ Romney campaign: Oh yes it is. (dailykos.com)
- Romney Needs a Groin Shot (boomantribune.com)
- Ryan’s Roe v. Wade Bombshell (thedailybeast.com)
- Debate Moderator Candy Crowley Calls Out Romney ‘Then and Now’ on Abortion (politicususa.com)
- Women: Don’t Be Fooled by Mitt (thedailybeast.com)
- Mitt Romney’s Constantly Evolving Stance On Abortion Rights (thinkprogress.org)
What is it about Republicans and their need to create wars?
Here’s where to look for a World News Daily article by Jamal Abdi: New Senate Push to Pledge Unconditional Support for Israeli “Preventive” War on Iran.
Before reading it, here’s the first couple of sentences:
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) is planning to press the Senate next month to pledge U.S. troops, money, and political support to Israel should Bibi Netanyahu launch a preventive war on Iran.
Graham claims his effort would merely make explicit that the U.S. has Israel’s back. But when your friend is drunk, you don’t hand them the keys. If Graham has his way, he will hand Bibi the keys and lend him our car, while the rest of us ride shotgun.
If this gets you at all nervous about creating a new major mideast war at the behest of Israel (and Lindsay Graham), then get ready to write your senator.
Related articles
- New Senate Push to Pledge Unconditional Support for Israeli Preventive War on Iran (fromthetrenchesworldreport.com)
- Lindsey Graham Introduces Bill To Commit US Troops to Israel (dailypaul.com)
- New Senate Push to Pledge Unconditional Support for Israeli Preventive War on Iran (whitenewsnow.com)
- Lindsey Graham alleges Election-Driven WH cover-up on Benghazi, Calls Obama ‘misleading’ or ‘incompetent’ (riehlworldview.com)
- U.S. Senate Joins Bibi In Push For War (addictinginfo.org)
Do you go to a Regal Cinema in your community? Are you a woman?
Jim Hightower just wrote a very interesting column – “The Price of Admission”.
Here’s the beginning:
Gosh, I feel so much safer now that teenage ticket takers at the Regal chain of movie theaters have been directed by corporate chieftains to search the purses of their female customers.
Responding to that horrible mass murder in an Aurora, Colorado movie theater, the Regalites say they’ve begun rummaging through movie-goers’ purses to protect us from…well, from what?
The Dark Knight Rises shooter had an armory of weapons that wouldn’t fit in any purse. And need I point out that he was a he? Yet, Regal’s rummaging is apparently reserved for women, even though practically all mass shootings have been committed by male specimens of our species.
Read the whole column HERE. And thanks to Hightower for making this absurdity visible to us all.
Related articles
- Movie Theater Solution to Preventing Mass Murder by Guys with More Guns Than Rambo? Search Women’s Purses (alternet.org)
- Regal Cinemas says safety is priority after Colorado shooting (timesunion.com)
- Regal Cinema Issues Statement After Local Theater Arrest (fox8.com)
Rep. Todd Akin has made up his own responses to rape and women…
Rep. Todd Akin has made up his theories about the female body being able to turn off responses to rape.
This is pretty stupid for the Tea Party… and female bodies when subjected to rape do not have ways to shut the whole thing down.
This is not the situation that is defined by response by women to the Tea Party view.
Related articles
- Todd Akin: Claire McCaskill was like a “wildcat” in debate (washingtonpost.com)
- Todd Akin’s wife to GOP: Stop raping my husband! (dailykos.com)
- “The Arbiter For Women”: Todd Akin Just Can’t Seem To “Shut It Down” (mykeystrokes.com)
- Rep. Todd Akin’s comments prove need for sex ed in schools (suntimes.com)
- Rep. Todd Akin Says It’s Rare Women Get Pregnant from ‘Legitimate Rape’ (theatlanticwire.com)
- Todd Akin: ‘Legitimate’ rape victims don’t get pregnant (dailykos.com)
- Claire McCaskill: Todd Akin ‘Makes Michele Bachmann Look Like A Hippie’ (huffingtonpost.com)
Romney’s right-wing religious supporters have a terrifying view (and a disgusting one) of liberals:
Here is why we have to keep Romney and his buddies away from controlling America:
So liberals are Nazis and are going to gas Christians like Nazis did Jews in WWII era. Also, I don’t think Christians in America are a minority… hopefully only the ones who share Pat Robertson‘s obscene attack. And Robertson sees Romney as his buddy.
Related articles
- Romney campaigner Pat Robertson tells man to beat his wife (americablog.com)
- Pat Robertson to humiliated hubby: ‘Well, you could become a Muslim and you could beat her’ (rawstory.com)
- Jews Must Be Converted | American Right Wing Nuts’ Hates Fest (theageofblasphemy.wordpress.com)
- FRCWC Says Shame on You Pat Robertson (peacemattershere.wordpress.com)
- Mitt Romney’s new economic message: Keep the word ‘God’ on coins (dailykos.com)
- Romney/Ryan 2012: Pallin’ around with terrorists (dailykos.com)
So… do we all live in the same America? I don’t think so.
Cassy Zobel, a 34 year-old, white democrat who lives in Mckinney Texas, had a rude awakening Friday morning. Her neighbor rang her doorbell to alert her to the vandalism and blatant racism on her property.
Zobel found that someone had covered her Obama/Biden sign, displayed in her yard, with offensive graffiti on both front and back.
I find it interesting that our little suburban city was just named the 2nd best place to live in America. I suppose there should have been a caveat. “Best Place to Live If You’re A Bigoted White, Christian, Anti-Gay Person Who Doesn’t Support Our First African-American President And Hates Everyone Who Does”. That was probably too long a title, though.
– Cassy Zobel
One day we may become a country for everyone.
Related articles
- Romney supporter in Texas defaces yard sign: ‘N*gger lover… Obama sucks d*ck’ (rawstory.com)
- President Obama Related To First African-American Slave? (mymajicdc.com)
- Race, Obama and the GOP (newsobserver.com)
Romney is Monsanto’s Candidate…there go our farms!
You know that this blog has a long history of exposing and criticizing Monsanto for the chemical destruction of what once was our fresh food products —Monsanto, whose dark history features scandals involving PCBs, Agent Orange, bovine growth hormone, NutraSweet, IUD, genetically modified (GM) seed and herbicides, reaching back to the 1970s and ’80s.
Those of us who support the remaining organic food growers, and who grow our own out of necessity, have set Monansto as the most evil of challenges.
If we go way back to Romney’s beginnings with Bain Capital when he was 30 years old, who do you think his largest client was, and who remains his friend today? You guessed it. Monsanto. This matters for a number of reasons: it sheds on Romney’s self-ballyhooed business experience; Romney helped create Monsanto corporate objectives that clash with planetary concerns; If Romney is elected, this enemy of environmentalists will have a very old friend in the White House.
Monsanto’s former CEO John W. Hanley is in fact the only business executive outside of the Bain founding family to so shape Romney’s career—jumpstarting the two companies, Bain & Company and Bain Capital, that account for all but two years of Romney’s much-ballyhooed business experience.
Monsanto, who currently produces Genetically Modified corn, soybean, alfalfa and other seeds, which are engineered to resist Roundup and increase yield, faces many global disputes, and has lost two recent, at least $2 billion, court decisions in Brazil – 5 million soy farmers sued them. The Brazilian farmers’ issue is also a source of frustration for US farmers—the contracts farmers are forced to sign pledging not to save seeds for future harvests, a common farm custom that resale-fixated Monsanto has hired a seed police army to stop.
“Roundup Ready” seeds, of course, are completely responsible to the success and safety of Roundup itself. However,“super-weeds” are developing a Roundup tolerance, requiring more and more spraying to work. This is 
harmful both ecologically and financially for farmers.The seeds, introduced in the Bain years with Bain boosting, Roundup’s supposedly “biodegradable” and “nontoxic” claims, have led to false advertising findings. This is part of Romney’s business trustworthiness and acumen.
In the presidential campaign, Romney is deliberately vague . He’s moved publicly in Monsanto’s direction on the company’s genetically engineered ethanol and farm subsidies, appears aligned with it on labeling (Monsanto wants to avoid labeling its fruits and vegetables with the 5 digit code, different for organic competitors), and his spokesman Shawn McCoy said this month that the candidate was “concerned by the effect that the Obama administration’s crushing onslaught of regulations is having on agriculture.” Read from this what effect the Obama administration will have on one of his largest campaign contributors.
Related articles
- mitt is a monsanto man (thegreenhorns.wordpress.com)
- Protesters Blockade Monsanto Seed Facility in California (earthfirstnews.wordpress.com)
- Monsanto Allowed to Put Genetically Modified Food on Your Plate (blogs.lawyers.com)
- GMO Update: New Study Shows Increasing Rootworm Resistance to Monsanto’s Bt Corn (eatdrinkbetter.com)
- Walmart Signs Deal With Monsanto to Sell Un-Labeled GMO Corn (friendseat.com)
- Lisa Cerda – Monsanto: A Modern Day Plague (prn.fm)
- Sept 16: Global Week of Action Against Monsanto (occupyventura805.wordpress.com)
Waking up to horrible news from Libya and Egypt…
There are two upsetting I got from the news when I turned it on at 6:00 AM and which has made this the start of a very bad day.
1. Attacks at the US Embassies by Islamic terrorists in Egypt and Libya. Our Libyan Ambassador Chris Stevens was killed with 
three other Americans, at least one was a diplomat. The Egyptian Embassy was breached, the American flag was taken and destroyed and replaced with an Islamic flag.
The provocation for these attacks was apparently an internet post of an amateur video satirizing the Prophet Muhammad. It seems that the Islamic press claimed this as a major Hollywood film done as revenge against Islamists for 9/11.
2. Although the two Presidential campaigns had come to an 
agreement that there would be no attacking each other on 9/11, Mitt Romney blasted the President and his administration for being “sympathetic” to the embassy attackers – calling Obama’s response to the incidents “disgraceful”. He did this at 10 PM last night defying the agreement between his and Obama’s campaigns.
“Obama sympathizes with attackers in Egypt. Sad and pathetic.”
– Republican National Committee chair Reince Priebus
Obama waited to respond until after midnight when the day of remembrance was over. He announced his consolation to the families of the victims and his outrage at the incidents. Then he made everyone aware of his aggravation with Romney’s statement.
“We are shocked that, at a time when the United States of America is confronting the tragic death of one of our diplomatic officers in Libya, Governor Romney would choose to launch a political attack.”
– Obama’s campaign press secretary Ben LaBolt
I would have to agree that I think Romney’s remarks were both unfortunate and representative of his unknowledgable command of foreign policy. That he showed lack of support for his country and its administration at a time of National crisis and at a time in which he had pledged to remain in non-attack mode in his campaign, would make Romney less than reliable as a President.
Related articles
- 1 Dead as Islamists Storm US Missions in Libya, Egypt (Guest Voice) (themoderatevoice.com)
- ” Disgraceful ! “ (warsclerotic.wordpress.com)
- Romney: Obama handling of Libya, Egypt violence ‘disgraceful’ (politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com)
- American ambassador to Libya killed by protesters, Al Arabiya reports (warsclerotic.wordpress.com)
- Romney slams Obama over attacks on US officials in Libya, Egypt (nbcpolitics.nbcnews.com)
- Attacks and protests in Libya and Egypt over Prophet Muhammad film (oddonion.com)
- U.S. Embassy Attacked: CNN Breaking News @ 14:06 EDST, From Egypt… Then Libya, No Comments From Obama (askmarion.wordpress.com)
- Romney Slams the Obama Administration’s Response to Embassy Attacks (nationalreview.com)
- American killed in Libya protest over anti-Muslim film – CBC.ca (cbc.ca)
- Breaking: US ambassador to Libya dead, 3 staff members also reportedly killed in rocket attack (riehlworldview.com)
Bill Nye the Science Guy is a true hero…
… but he did not, as a mischievously placed article put out by the Daily Currant stated, use foul language and push science versus creationism arguments challenging Todd Akin to a debate.
This happened after a video was released on You Tube saying evolution is the fundamental idea in all of life science, in all of biology. According to Bill Nye, aka “the science guy,” if grownups want to “deny evolution and live in your world that’s completely inconsistent with everything we observe in the universe, that’s fine, but don’t make your kids do it because we need them.”
Here’s the video:
See. Pretty damned specific.
Just for your entertainment, however, here is Bill Nye on Seattle’s “Almost Live” in his superhero guise as Speed Walker:
Thanks, thanks, thanks to Bill Nye. It’s good having him around.
Related articles
- Bill Nye the Science Guy says don’t teach your kids Creationism. (underthelobsterscope.wordpress.com)
- Ken Ham Wants To Debate Bill Nye (sensuouscurmudgeon.wordpress.com)
- Creation Museum’s Ken Ham: ‘Bill Nye Really Doesn’t Understand Science’ (patheos.com)
- Bill Nye is a science guy who knows what he is talking about (kbrooksjournalist.wordpress.com)
- Bill Nye: Americans who believe in Creationism hold the rest of us back (dangerousminds.net)
- Bill Nye the Humanist Guy vs. Ken Ham the Creationist Man (marccortez.com)
- Bill Nye Blasts Todd Akin, Challenges ‘Fucking Idiot’ to Debate | The Daily Currant (2012indyinfo.com)
A day I have not looked forward to… have you?
It’s the eleventh anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy and it will be the subject of all of today’s talk shows. The very thought of everything involved in the event… from the destruction of the World Trade Center, the crash into the Pentagon and the plane that went down in a Pennsylvania field. I remember the father of one of Buddy’s friends when we lived in Marlborough,CT, who had made his monthly business trip to NYC and died in the attack… which means not only did it happen, but I knew someone killed in the tragedy.
We are at war in the Middle East… still going after Al Qaeda. It is the longest war in our history and seems to go on forever. After the loss of citizens on 9/11, we continue to lose even more Americans because of the attack. I ask my self: what have we become?
I will try to put the day out of my mind. I have thought about it so much over the past eleven years. I am just crestfallen to find it on my mind again.
Related articles
- Six words for 9/11 (pbs.org)
- The Morning of September 11, 2001 Through My Eyes (re-post) (pumabydesign001.com)
- “The things I wish I hadn’t learned” (thethingsihavelearnedblog.com)
- When Death Came From The Sky (poemsandponderings.wordpress.com)
- Patriot Day 2012 (nebraskaenergyobserver.wordpress.com)
- US Commemorates 9/11 Attacks on 11th Anniversary (news92fm.com)
- WTC Building 7: controlled demolition? Hardly (halfbyteblog.wordpress.com)
Quote of the Day – Women, please listen closely…
On Wednesday night, I spoke on the floor at the Democratic Convention about what a Romney-Ryan America would mean for women.
An America in which access to birth control is controlled by people who will never use it. In which politicians redefine rape so survivors are victimized all over again. In which someone decides which victims of domestic violence deserve help, and which don’t.
And six months from now, we could all be living in that America.
– Sandra Fluke, Georgetown Law School Graduate
Fluke expands on the speech she made at the Democratic convention… a speech that was extremely well received.
Related articles
- WATCH: Sandra Fluke Explains The Republican War On Women (smd12364.newsvine.com)
- A ‘Conservative’ vision for America : ‘WATCH: Sandra Fluke Explains The Republican War On Women In 144 Seconds’ (thelastofthemillenniums.wordpress.com)
- Sandra Fluke Warns of Romney-led America in DNC Speech [VIDEO] (bostinno.com)
- Sandra Fluke Slams GOP War On Women, GOP Demeans Her Over It (lezgetreal.com)
Want to know the results of Florida’s voter restriction program?
Take a look:
There are about 2 months left for about 114,000 residents who have been shut out of the vote, be they seniors or blacks or hispanics. We should all be working to clean up this mess.
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT-MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA issued a ruling on August 21 striking down some of the Florida restrictions… especially the trimming down of early voting dates.
Let’s see what happens now.
Related articles
- On This Day in 2012: Racist/Bigoted Voter Suppression Laws in Florida SMACKED DOWN (blackwriteandread.wordpress.com)
- Rick Scott’s Voter Registration Suppression Law Is Dead (thinkprogress.org)
- Dems file fed lawsuit to stop shortened early-voting days in Florida (miamiherald.typepad.com)
- Federal judge to permanently lift Florida voter registration restrictions (rawstory.com)
- Judge permanently blocks voter registration rules (tampabay.com)
- Federal court rejects Florida early voting changes (tbo.com)
- Why CNN’s latest Florida poll should panic GOP (dailykos.com)
Racism raises its ugly head at the RNC…
“This is how we feed animals,” were the words shouted at an African-American CNN camera woman while throwing nuts at her at yesterday’s RNC session.
Two people were removed from the Republican National Convention by security and police. Multiple witnesses observed the exchange and the convention released a statement saying:
“Two attendees tonight exhibited deplorable behavior. Their conduct was inexcusable and unacceptable. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated.”
A CNN representative said:
“CNN can confirm there was an incident directed at an employee inside the Tampa Bay Times Forum earlier this afternoon. CNN worked with convention officials to address this matter and will have no further comment.”
No information has been released as to who the two offenders were nor what has happened to them
Related articles
- Two people removed from RNC after taunting black camera operator (politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com)
- What Right Wing Racism? “This Is How We Feed the Animals” (littlegreenfootballs.com)
- 2 RNC Racists Taunt Black CNN Camera Operator, Throw Nuts (distriction.com)
- Black Camerawoman Heckled at RNC (theroot.com)
- Two Republicans Do Something Racist Enough to Get Them Bounced from the Republican Convention (slog.thestranger.com)
- Black CNN camera operator allegedly pelted with peanuts, told ‘this is how we feed animals’ at RNC (thegrio.com)
- RNC Attendee Hurled Nuts at Black CNN Camerawoman, Called Her an ‘Animal’ (towleroad.com)
- RNC attendee tossed for harassing black CNN camerawoman (rawstory.com)
- Report: Black CNN Camerawoman Had Nuts Thrown at Her at GOP Convention, Assailant Shouted “This Is How We Feed Animals” [Rnc Tampa] (gawker.com)
What is it about Republicans and Rape?
Tom Smith is running for Senate against Democratic Sen. Bob Casey in Pennsylvania. When the Akin/Ryan/Rape business came up he was interviewed by Mark Scolforo of the Associated Press. Catch this:
SCOLFORO: How would you tell a daughter or a granddaughter who, God forbid, would be the victim
of a rape, to keep the child against her own will? Do you have a way to explain that?
SMITH: I lived something similar to that with my own family. She chose life, and I commend her for that. She knew my views. But, fortunately for me, I didn’t have to.. she chose the way I thought. No don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t rape.
SCOLFORO: Similar how?
SMITH: Uh, having a baby out of wedlock.
SCOLFORO: That’s similar to rape?
SMITH: No, no, no, but… put yourself in a father’s situation, yes. It is similar. But, back to the original, I’m pro-life, period.
Perhaps Republicans have no real idea what Rape is… a violent and immoral crime. For the state to have control of a woman’s decisions related to the use of her body is equally as violent, whether psychologically or physically, and just as criminally immoral.
At least we know now that birth out of wedlock is “similar” to rape.
I hope you Pennsylvania folks keep a very good Senator that you are lucky to have… Bob Casey.
(Special thanks to Wonkette for the transcript.)
Related articles
- Pennsylvania Senate Candidate: Out Of Wedlock Pregnancy “Similar” To Rape (outsidethebeltway.com)
- Paul Ryan: Rape Just Another Method Of Conception (outsidethebeltway.com)
- Don\’t Worry, You Won\’t Get Pregnant From Rape (formingthethread.wordpress.com)
- Todd Akin’s Immoral Ethics About Women (bigthink.com)
- Ryan on abortion exceptions: Rape is just another ‘method of conception’ (rawstory.com)
- Do You Get It? (talkingpointsmemo.com)
Paul Ryan Watch…
Did you know rape is just another method of conception? That’s what Ryan said in a live, television interview:
And we thought Todd Akin was the brain dead sex definer.
😦
Related articles
- Paul Ryan: Rape Just Another Method Of Conception (outsidethebeltway.com)
- Ryan on abortion exceptions: Rape is just another ‘method of conception’ (rawstory.com)
- In Exclusive Interview, Paul Ryan Distances Self From Todd Akin (pittsburgh.cbslocal.com)
- Reps. Todd Akin And Paul Ryan Co-Sponsored Bill Using Term “Forcible Rape” (alan.com)
- Paul Ryan still believes in forcing rape victims to bear rapists’ children (secularnewsdaily.com)
- Paul Ryan To The Right Of Todd Akin On Abortion (alan.com)
Boy Chased By Priest in Underwear Saved by Saintly Neighbors
This frightening piece from Cafe Mom. Why stories like this are popping up more frequently leads me to suspect religion even more…
This story almost sounds like a parody, like some twisted SNL skit, but unfortunately, it’s real. Around midnight last Sunday, some people were out in their yard, wrapping up a barbecue, when a 12-year-old b
oy came barrelling down the street, begging for help, saying that a man was chasing him. A few moments later, a man did, in fact, appear in his maroon underwear, no less, trying to get the boy to come back with him. Heather Rodriguez and her brother-in-law knew better than to hand over a scared, shaking boy to a suspicious man in his underwear, and decided to get the cops involved. It’s a good thing they did, too, because the “suspicious man” who was chasing the boy was a priest who had just allegedly sexually abused the pre-teen on an air mattress in his house.
Related articles
- Near-naked priest chases 12-year-old boy (freethinker.co.uk)
- Priest in his underwear chased 12-year-old boy down neighborhood streets after the boy ran from abuse (dvorak.org)
- Speedo Wearing Priest Seen Chasing Boy Down Street After Alleged Molestation (dreamindemon.com)
- OREGON: Catholic Priest In His Underwear Chases Boy Down Street After Abuse (joemygod.blogspot.com)
- Boy told sister: “Father Angel touched me in my privates,” court affidavit said (oregonlive.com)
- Police: Boy says Woodburn priest fondled him, took pics (kgw.com)
- Collared: “Father Angel” Arrested After Reportedly Chasing A 12-Year-Old Boy Down Street In His Underwear (jonathanturley.org)
An important message from John Case, re: racial inequality and the law…
I received this from my friend John Case this morning and I felt it was important to pass on to you.
John Case <jcase4218@gmail.com> Aug 24 08:43PM
Hello,
I’m going to tell you a story, then I need your help.
In self-defense, John McNeil, a successful African American businessman and father of two, shot and killed a Caucasian man. The deceased was a former builder who worked on John’s property and had threatened John and his son with a weapon.
His case should have been covered under Georgia’s Castle Doctrine, but John McNeil is sitting in jail serving a life sentence for murder.
John’s case is currently being reviewed in Georgia courts. We hope that the decision is a just one and that Attorney General Sam Olens does what is in his power to see that justice is served and John returns home to his family.
NAACP President Ben Jealous is heading to Georgia to personally deliver a petition in support of John’s case, please add your name to it today:
http://action.naacp.org/justice-for-john
John’s case is even more egregious when you consider the circumstances of his arrest. The District Attorney, who was running for re-election, brought charges 274 days after the incident. The police believed John McNeil acted in self-defense and did not commit a crime. Two officers who responded to the incident testified to this point at trial.
This is a clear-cut case of self-defense. Please sign the petition asking the Georgia attorney general to support justice for John McNeil:
http://action.naacp.org/justice-for-john
Thank you.
I hope you will review this and take action. Had it been a white man who exercised self-protection on his property, we would never see that man in this position.
Related articles
- I’m Going to Repeat Myself (blackwriteandread.wordpress.com)
- NAACP wants ‘stand your ground’ provisions applied in Cobb murder case (ajc.com)
- NAACP backs ‘Stand Your Ground’ defense for Georgia prisoner (thegrio.com)
- Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens to speak at GOP convention (onlineathens.com)
- NAACP: Racial motivation behind Johnny Lee Butts hit-and-run? (thegrio.com)
Enough of Todd Akin. How about a bigger player: Paul Ryan
We’ve spent so much time talking about Todd Akin lately and his extreme position on a woman’s right to choose an abortion in the case of incest or rape. But Akin is a small player, here. What about the Republican pick for 
Vice President? In the past 15 years in the Congress, he has mad his position on women’s rights very, very clear.
Ryan sponsored a bill that would potentially allow rapists to stop their victims from having an abortion: The Sanctity of Life Act. Not only was ANY reason for abortion eliminated, but rapists could sue women who WANTED an abortion. The fact that it did not pass doesn’t change his viewpoint… and he has also worked with Akin several times in creating such legislative weaponry.
Here’s a very good summation of Ryan’s abortion legislation as explained by David Pakman on his television show:
Question: How can Ryan continue to say that he supports the rights of all Americans when he sees women as nothing more than breeding animals?
Keep in mind, there are solutions to what Ryan and his like represent:
Related articles
- Paul Ryan To The Right Of Todd Akin On Abortion (alan.com)
- Is Ryan going rogue? (salon.com)
- Ryan on abortion exceptions: Rape is just another ‘method of conception’ (rawstory.com)
- In Exclusive Interview, Paul Ryan Distances Self From Todd Akin (pittsburgh.cbslocal.com)
- Paul Ryan Is ‘Very Proud’ Of ‘Forcible Rape’ Bill He Co-Sponsored With Todd Akin (mediaite.com)
- Reps. Todd Akin And Paul Ryan Co-Sponsored Bill Using Term “Forcible Rape” (alan.com)
- The Star’s editorial | GOP can’t avoid Todd Akin — or abortion (kansascity.com)
- Paul Ryan pretends he doesn’t agree with every ‘outrageous’ thing Todd Akin said (dailykos.com)
- Paul Ryan and Todd Akin Partnered On Radical ‘Personhood’ Bill Outlawing Abortion And Many Birth Control Pills (thinkprogress.org)
- Just How Anti-Choice is Paul Ryan? (persephonemagazine.com)
When Does Journalism on the Net change a disturbing image into very poor humor?
I’d like to thank Mashable for posting this article which defines communication symbolism on both the left and the right. What are we…Tasteless, stupid, apathetic? Is that what the editors at HuffPo and Newsweek think in their campaigns to promote readership?
Here’s part of the proof:
Both The Huffington Post and Newsweek are battling backlash for their use of coat-hanger symbols to protest a call for a Constitutional ban on abortions without exceptions for victims of rape and incest. The call for the ban appears in a draft of the GOP’s official 2012 platform, according to CNN.
The front page of The Huffington Post was taken up by a large image of a coat hanger late Tuesday morning to illustrate two stories — first this, then this one — related to the proposed ban.
We thought it was powerful,” founding editor Roy Sekoff said of the decision to use the stock image. “It’s saying that this is the inevitable consequence of this kind of policy.” “We knew it went right up to the line of offensiveness,” he added.
Not long after, Newsweek posted a screenshot of The Huffington Post‘s front page with the caption, “Whoa there, Huffington Post!” The post attracted more than 700 notes, most of them supportive of HuffPo. Some, including comedian Rob Delaney, interpreted Newsweek‘s caption as critical.
An hour after the initial post, Newsweek changed the cursor image on its Tumblr page to a coat hanger. The reaction was overwhelmingly negative.
“I hope this guy gets fired,” one follower wrote. “Tasteless,” wrote another. “Congratulations: you’ve insulted, offended, and devalued half the human population with your pathetic attempt to be clever,” chimed a third.
What it looks like the problem lies in Newsweek‘s attempt to transform the coat-hanger from a disturbing image (HuffPo‘s use) to a humorous one (Newsweek‘s). Do they succeed with readers? Gee, I hope not.
Good journalism used to be reporting without preferred point of view… or at least without making that point of view funny in a serious context. Then again, with a cover article entitled ‘Obama’s Gotta Go,’ Newsweek has officially removed itself from good journalism.
Related articles
- Newsweek Isn’t That Into Customers, Doesn’t Apologize for Coat Hanger Cursor (politicususa.com)
- Newsweek Tumblr Changes Cursor to Coat Hanger to Mock Women (politicususa.com)
- Damn HuffPo and Newsweek, You Throw Dark (cheezburger.com)
- Newsweek Mocks Huffington Post’s Abortion Coverage With Coat Hanger Mouse Cursor, People Get Very Angry (mediaite.com)
- Huffington Post Coat Hanger Image Responds To Akin’s ‘Legitimate Rape’ And GOP Platform (ibtimes.com)
- Huff Post, Newsweek Turn to Coat Hangers to Protest GOP Anti-Abortion Plank [UPDATE] [Icwudt] (gawker.com)
- Subtle, HuffPo. Subtle. (distriction.com)
- CANADA STOCKS-TSX may open higher on FOMC minutes – Reuters (reuters.com)
- ‘Legitimate’ Rape: The Religious Roots Of Rep. Todd Akin’s Remarks – Huffington Post (huffingtonpost.com)
- Gallery: How To Tell If You’ve Been Legitimately Raped (thegloss.com)
Report from the Field in the Republican War on Women.
All the discussion in the last couple of days about Abortion as a response to rape has raised so many women’s issues and shown the true face of the Republicans.
First take a look at the overall view of the 112th Congress, it is impossible to miss the big picture that Republicans have used a multi-faceted approach in their war on women, especially in their right to choose their own health coverage. For the past couple of days, there has been a firestorm over comments made by Representative Todd Akin regarding what he calls “legitimate rape,” and although it is a big story, it is just a small part of the entire GOP’s view of women.
Akin
Republicans – even Rush Limbaugh – abandoned and condemned Akin over his remarks on legitimate rape and conception, especially when the Republican congessmen trying to make him quit the race, have voted with him to eliminate a women’s right to choose throughout the 112th Congress.
The Romney campaign team swtated in writing: “Romney-Ryan administration would not oppose abortion in instances of rape,” but critics began connecting Paul Ryan to Akin. It became glaringly obvious that Ryan and Romney have also promoted his twisted pro-life position. Ryan co-sponsored, with Akin, a national personhood bill that defines a single-celled zygote as having all the rights of an American citizen, and Romney tapped him for vice-president.
Romney said he would scrap the Title X program (Medicaid coverage that handles contraception and abortion) entirely to cut costs. But, according to the Guttmacher Institute, every dollar spent helping women avoid pregnancy saves $3.74 in Medicaid spending. The issue is not cutting costs, but ending women’s right to choose when they give birth. And what is the basis of Ryan, Romney, Akin, and the rest of the Republicans’ pro-life stance? It is based entirely on the Christian bible and not fiscal conservatism.
If any woman in America has not yet figured out that Republicans, all Republicans, hold them in contempt and believe their place is on the birthing table, then they better take a better look at more than just Todd Akin.
Related articles
- Paul Ryan pretends he doesn’t agree with every ‘outrageous’ thing Todd Akin said (dailykos.com)
- Reps. Todd Akin And Paul Ryan Co-Sponsored Bill Using Term “Forcible Rape” (alan.com)
- Do You Get It? (talkingpointsmemo.com)
- Parker: Todd Akin’s words about rape aren’t the problem (newsday.com)
- Akin Intimates That Women Fake Rape to Get Abortions (news.firedoglake.com)
- Eight staggering GOP comments on rape and women (salon.com)
- Ryan backed more than one ‘forcible rape’ abortion bill (firstread.nbcnews.com)
- Paul Ryan Is No Friend Of Women Who Were Raped (dekerivers.wordpress.com)
- Akin Concedes, No Illegitimate Rape, It’s Just That Women Lie About It (alan.com)
- Republican Todd Akin: Don’t Worry, You Won’t Get Pregnant From Rape (triing2survive.wordpress.com)
Cartoon(s) of the Week – Is anything what it seems?
Drew Sheneman in the Newark Star-Ledger:
Reasons or excuses… we’re still in the dark…
-and –
Joe Heller in the Green Bay Press-Gazette:
Danger or stupidity… there are so many morons…
-and –
Steve Sack in the Star Tribune:
Evil or evil… there is no difference…
-and –
Jim Morin in The Miami Herald:
Investigation or Reputation… we are known far and wide…
-and –
David Horsey in the Los Angeles Times.
Tuned in or tuned out… communication lost in technology…
Related articles
- Vaulting Ambition (politicalirony.com)
Under The LobsterScope 