Corrupt Outlook

Best Movie of 2008

2009-05-16T13:40:00.002-04:00

Previously I linked to trailers from the best movies of the year from 1994 to 2007. I think I can safely declare the best movie of 2008. Despite strong showings from The Wrestler and Slumdog Millionaire, the following was last year's best film.

Warms My Heart

2008-12-07T13:55:00.003-05:00

I'm one of those people who worries we Americans have become too fat and happy. Sure, it's tought to be happy in times like now, what with record unemployment, and a year-long recession. But in a general sense, you get what I mean...maybe. When I read Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States" I wondered where all those people are now. Where are the fighters? Where are the people fighting the establishment and power?

Well, it turns out they may just be in Chicago. And no, I'm not talking about President-elect Barrack Obama either.

CHICAGO - Workers who got three days' notice that their factory was shutting its doors have occupied the building and say they won't go home without assurances they'll get severance and vacation pay.

About 250 union workers occupied the Republic Windows and Doors plant in shifts Saturday while union leaders outside criticized a Wall Street bailout they say is leaving laborers behind.

-snip-

During the two-day peaceful takeover, workers have been shoveling snow and cleaning the building, Fried said.

"We're doing something we haven't done since the 1930s, so we're trying to make it work," she said, referring to a tactic most famously used in 1936-37 by General Motors factory workers in Flint, Mich., to help unionize the U.S. auto industry.

Maybe we have some fight left in us. Maybe we can fight back before things get so bad and the chasm between the haves and the have-nots grows wider, before returning to days seen in Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle."

I love those people in Chicago.

Best Movies

2008-11-12T16:08:00.002-05:00

For some reason I decided to post my list of the best film of each year for about the past 15 years. The best film of 1993, Schindler's List, won the Best Picture Oscar, and the best film every other year has not. So, I decided to combine that belief with my love of film trailers to comprise my list.
Enjoy.

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

2000

1999

1998

1997

1996

1995

1994

Stanley Cup Finals

2008-05-24T14:45:00.002-04:00

Game One is tonight. I can't wait. Could the Penguins win the Cup only little more than two years after the Steelers won a Super Bowl? Man, if they do the people in Cleveland and Philadelphia would be hating themselves. "What the fuck? Why can't we win one damn title in my life?"

I'm taking the Pens in six.

Pure Evil

2008-03-29T14:28:00.003-04:00

I caught this story over at Balloon Juice, the only blog left I still read most everyday.
This may take the cake for pure Wal-Mart sleaze.

JACKSON, Mo. -- A collision with a semi-trailer truck seven years ago left 52-year-old Deborah Shank permanently brain-damaged and in a wheelchair. Her husband, Jim, and three sons found a small source of solace: a $700,000 accident settlement from the trucking company involved. After legal fees and other expenses, the remaining $417,000 was put in a special trust. It was to be used for Mrs. Shank's care.

Instead, all of it is now slated to go to Mrs. Shank's former employer, Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

In short, cause Wal-Mart paid her bills, they now want the money back since she received a court judgement. Keith Olberman expounds on this a bit, especially about the part where her son has died in Iraq.

This is one of those stories that just gets worse and worse.
Wal-Mart made $11 billion last year, but they still want a wheelchair-bound, brain-damaged, just-lost-her-son-in-Iraq, nursing home resident's $417,000.
One of the commenters at Balloon Juice summed up my feelings with the quote, "I wish I didn’t already boycott Wal-mart, so I could boycott them now."
Rot in Hell Wal-Mart executives. Rot in fucking Hell.

Word of the Day

2008-02-04T14:54:00.000-05:00

comeuppance

Super Bowl Preview

2008-02-02T12:10:00.000-05:00

Just because I'm a pessimist, and feel I'm always wrong, I'm picking the Patriots to win the Super Bowl. There. That oughta screw 'em. If the line is still in the 12.5 range I'd take the Giants to cover.

And also, next week, I pick the AFC to beat the NFC in the Pro Bowl.

Conference Championship Round

2008-01-20T11:11:00.000-05:00

For whatever reason I'm going with the underdogs this weekend. I don't really think the Chargers have much of a shot, but I'm taking them anyway. "Officially" I'm picking a Chargers-Giants Super Bowl.
So, there you go.

NFL Divisional Round

2008-01-11T10:45:00.000-05:00

Last week I only got one wrong. It was the one I picked more with my heart than my head. That being said, the bastards still almost pulled it out. This week I like all the favorites.
Packers over Seahawks
Patriots over Jaguars
Colts over Chargers
Cowboys over Giants

I would love to be wrong about the Patriots though. I desperately want them to lose. I would root for an NFL all-star team comprised of Michael Vick, O.J. Simpson, Rae Carruth, Leonard Little, Mark Chmura and Ray Lewis against the Patriots.

Wild Card Preview Round

2008-01-05T11:09:00.000-05:00

This site is not dead yet. I can at least keep up with the NFL. I mean it's not like anything important has happened in the world since my last post in September. We haven't gotten any closer to electing our next president or an important world figure wasn't assassinated.
Here are my picks for the wild-card round of the playoffs. Keep in mind, I never pick against the Steelers, though with poor offensive line play and a ton of injuries I don't really have a realistic hope they can win the Super Bowl. In all seriousness, I do think they win today.
Seahawks over Redskins
Steelers over Jaguars
Giants over Buccaneers
Chargers over Titans.

I'll recap the whole NFL season either after the Super Bowl or Pro Bowl.

Corrupt Outlook--Now Safe for the Kids

2007-09-05T11:35:00.000-04:00

Just in case you were wondering...

Mingle² -

Kinda disappointed in myself. I guess if you write "penis" only once this is what you get.

2007 NFL Preview

2007-09-02T14:15:00.000-04:00

I guess I've been sorta blogging for more than one year now since this is my second preview post. The first didn't work out so well. Still, I'm gonna give it another shot.

AFC East
1: New England Patriots. New year, same old story, sort of. The Patriots will still be on top. They're doing it a bit differently this year. They made a big splash in the offseason. They signed big free agents like Adalius Thomas. But he will be without the help early of star defenders Richard Seymour and Rodney Harrison. Harrison is suspended for using human growth hormones. Tom Brady got a ton of new weapons with Randy Moss, Donte Stallworth, Wes Welker and Kelly Washington, who along with second-year man Chad Jackson will make a terrific receiving corps.
2: New York Jets. I like Chad Pennington. There, I said it. The Jets also have receiver Laveraneus Coles and Jerricho Cotchery. Trading for Thomas Jones from the Bears was a great move. They also have some great young offensive linemen with D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold.
3: Buffalo Bills. J.P. Losman may be ready for a breakout year. He made great strides last year. Lee Evans also became a star receiver. They shipped Willis McGahee away, so will rookie Marshawn Lynch be able to have a big impact? Losing Nate Clements didn't help their defense.
4: Miami Dolphins. They continue to appear to be a team looking for a direction. Ronnie Brown may or may not be able to run the ball 25 times. Trent Green may or may not be able to still play. Ted Ginn may or may not have been a smart pick. Jason Taylor better have another big year for rookie head coach Cam Cameron.

AFC North
1: Baltimore Ravens. While they aren't usually good two years in a row, The Ravens should still remain on top. Losing Thomas shouldn't hurt much if Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs and the rest of their defense remains healthy. McGahee should help Steve McNair and the offense more than Jamal Lewis could. But, McNair is getting old and rarely stays healthy.
2: Pittsburgh Steelers. Ben Roethlisberger is certainly healthier than last year. But, the offensive line is not. They did a poor job pass blocking last year, then lost center Jeff Hartings. Willie Parker and Hines Ward will remain the top offensive weapons, with the team hoping second-year receiver Santonio Holmes steps up. The great defense lost Joey Porter, but locked up Troy Polamalu long-term. Should be as good as ever. If not, 'burghers will burn effigies of new coach Mike Tomlin.
3: Cincinnati Bengals. Yes, they have one of the most potent offenses in the league. Carson Palmer, Chad Johnson, Rudi Johnson and T.J. Whosyourmama are great. The defense still sucks and they still are losing many battles with the Cincinnati P.D.
4: Cleveland Browns. Maybe Brady Quinn is the missing piece to the puzzle. Maybe he's the franchise quarterback to compliment Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow. There's a good possibility he sucks though. They still have a bad defense and signing Jamal Lewis was a head-scratcher.

AFC South
1: Indianapolis Colts. The Super Bowl champs shouldn't have much of a problem defending their division crown. The usual suspects are all there; Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne. Joseph Addai can carry the load for the departed Dominic Rhodes. But they did lose some key players, including ones from the already not-so-great defense. The division is sown up. Beyond that, who knows?
2: Tennessee Titans. I can hear Titans fans saying, "Why Vince? Why be on the cover of Madden '08?" If the Madden Curse strikes again, they are toast. They don't have good receivers or very good backs so they are asking their young quarterback to take on too much responsibility. Wait. Why do I have them ranked second?
3: Jacksonville Jaguars. This is why the Titans are 2. The Byron Leftwich era is officially over. He wasn't bad. But he sure was never too good. David Garrard will now hand the ball off to Maurice Jones-Drew, and try to hit their mediocre receivers. Defense sure is good though.
4: Houston Texans. Have they ever been out of fourth-place? David Carr is gone and Matt Schaub is the QB. Schaub is unproven, and their offensive line is still awful. Andre Johnson is a good receiver, but they way overpaid for washed up Ahman Green.

AFC West
1: Denver Broncos. Surprise! Not what you were expecting, was it? This is a solid team all over. Great corners with Champ Bailey and Dre Bly. Strong front too. Jay Cutler is good and solid for a second-year QB. Always run the ball well, and have good receivers with Javon Walker, the ready to break out Brandon Marshall, and old man Rod Smith. Plus, Mike Shanahan is a great coach.
2: San Diego Chargers. They could be ready for a fall after everything went so well during the regular season, and so awful in the postseason. If they had kept Marty Schottenheimer they'd win the Super Bowl this year. Norv Turner was a bad hire. LaDanian Tomlinson can't keep this up forever. And really, they aren't as talented as many will tell you.
3: Kansas City Chiefs. They take a step back getting rid of Trent Green. Begrudgingly had the job to Damon Huard. Larry Johnson is a work horse, but Tony Gonzalez is getting older and they still have a bad receiving corps. Offensive line got older and their defense remains bad. Still, could be worse. They could be...
4: Oakland Raiders. The poster franchise for disfunction. While filling his vacant head coaches job, Al Davis was turned down by the quarterbacks coach from USC. A position coach, in college, was actually considered for the job, and turned it down. You don't need to know anything more about the Raiders than that. They can only get coaches (Lane Kiffin) with no other offers, or players (Duante Culpepper) no one else will sign.

NFC East
1: Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys are probably still the most talented, though not complete, team in the NFC. Tony Romo is their question mark. How well will the second-year starter play? Great pieces on offense and defense should carry them to a division crown, and maybe beyond.
2: Philadelphia Eagles. Never the most talented team, just one that keeps racking up wins and division crowns. Donovan McNabb never gets the offensive weapons he should have, but still gets it done. Defense a bit weak up front too. Yet Andy Reid always has his team a top finalist.
3: New York Giants. People dismiss this team because they lost Tiki Barber. Brandon Jacobs is a good runner though, and Reuben Droughns can help him. With Eli Manning, Plaxico Burress, Amani Toomer, Sinorice Moss and Jeremy Shockey they have more offensive talent than most realize. Defense is their weak side.
4: Washington Redskins. Dan Snyder may just be one of those owners. No matter what you try it fails. Overpays for every free agent bust he can get his hands on. Jason Campbell may have a bright future, but he's getting Clinton Portis and Santana Moss at bad times.

NFC North
1: Chicago Bears. Defense is very good, though a bit overrated. It helps when you feast on the competition in this sorry division six times a year. Rex Grossman is bad, and the rest of the offense is mediocre. Don't look for a Super Bowl appearance, but can win the division again.
2: Detroit Lions. I don't really want to put them here, but I'm buying a bit of hype. Jon Kitna can throw the ball. And with Roy Williams, Calvin Johnson and Mike Furrey, he has guys to throw it to. He's wrong that they will in 10 games. Maybe eight.
3: Green Bay Packers. Brett Favre has to retire. The team is not ready. They will have no running game this year and not good receivers. Why does he keep coming back?
4: Minnesotta Vikings. I was thinking about something to say about this team, but can't come up with anything. They actually may be the most untalented team in the league. There's just really nothing to say here because they have no one.

NFC South
1: New Orleans Saints. I see no reason they can't repeat here. It turns out they really have talent. Sure the secondary isn't good, but they can overcome that to win what suddenly is not such a good division.
2: Carolina Panthers. Remember last year when tons of people, like me, were picking this team to win the conference? Well, who's to say they don't do this year what people thought they would do last year? They do have talent. Two good running backs, a solid quarterback (usually) and maybe the best wide receiver in the game. Throw in good play from the defense, and who knows.
3: Atlanta Falcons. Something happened with this team in the offseason. I can't remember what. Must have not gotten much media attention. I guess the player in question wasn't too important to this team. I'm sure they'll be fine. It's not like he's going to prison or they don't have great wide receivers.
4: Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Having 27 quarterbacks on your roster only makes sense if they're all good. Defense is no longer the powerhouse they used to be. Mediocre players on offense isn't gonna recapture this team to glory. Maybe returning to league laughingstock they were only able to dig themselves out of thanks to Tony Dungy.

NFC West.
1: St. Louis Rams. I think this is the year the Rams leapfrog the Seahawks to gain control. The offense is still great with Steven Jackson, Torry Holt and Marc Bulger. New tight end Randy McMichael could be big contributor. Defense is not great, but they are talented enough to win this division.
2: Seattle Seahawks. Let the decline begin. I say this is the year Shaun Alexander begins to slow. Matt Hasselbeck takes a step back. And Mike Holmgren thinks about walking away again. Things are gonna start to go wrong.
3: San Francisco Forty-Niners. The offense was defintely starting to come around. Shame Norv Turner left. Clements can help the defense, and I still think the offense can score, given the defenses in this division. Could make a wild-card run.
4: Arizona Cardinals. People are excited in the desert. It's easy to see why. Matt Leinart throwing to Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. Edge running the ball. New coach in Ken Wisenhunt. What's not to love? Oh yeah. They're still the Cardinals, the most god-awful franchise in the NFL, and maybe pro sports.

AFC Wildcards: Pittsburgh Steelers and San Diego Chargers
NFC Wildcards: Philadelphia Eagles and Seattle Seahawks
AFC Champions: Baltimore Ravens
NFC Champions: Dallas Cowboys
Super Bowl Champions: Baltimore Ravens
Coach of the Year: Mike Shanahan
MVP: Marc Bulger
Defensive Player of the Year: Troy Polamalu
Offensive Player of the Year: LaDainian Tomlinson
Comeback Player of the Year: Ben Roethlisberger
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Patrick Willis
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Calvin Johnson

Tony Snow Says One More Dumb Thing on His Way Out of the Door

2007-09-02T14:06:00.000-04:00

I really don't want to be mean to Tony Snow since it appears he may be dying of cancer. But I do need to take umbrage with something he said when announcing his resignation.

Snow, 52, battling cancer, said he was stepping down because he needed to earn more than his $168,000 White House salary an amount far less than he made as host of the "Tony Snow Show" on Fox News Radio and "Weekend Live with Tony Snow" on the Fox News Channel. "I ran out of money," said Snow, the father of three.

Okay. I understand you made a lot more schilling for the President on the radio and Faux News. But a lot of people just ceased feeling more sorry for you as you dismiss a $168,000 annual salary as not enough. People who earn a lot less than that still get cancer. People who earn less than $20,000 annually can get cancer. And I also bet you get pretty good health care working at the White House. You defended a White House that did nothing to help the poor uninsured and underinsured get affordable health care. We keep our arcane, privitized health care system in this country that can bleed a lot poorer people dry when illness hits. You and your bosses did nothing, Mr. Snow. Do you think about that at all when you realize $168,000 isn't enough? Do you wonder how people with less do it?

The Steelers

2007-08-05T11:27:00.000-04:00

Our long national nightmare is over. Tonight competitive football returns with the Hall of Fame Game. Seven months without NFL football seems too long. Of course for Steelers fans like myself it is especially important because they're playing in the game. Duh. We also get our first look at the Mike Tomlin-Steelers.
Also, I guess Saints fans, and just football fans, will be interested too. But everybody knows only the Steelers count.
The game is on the NFL Network, if you still have it, at 8:00 p.m.

On a side note. Last night I had a very vivid dream in which I went to Tokyo. Tokyo is one of the four international cities I most want to visit, along with Sydney, Rio de Janiero and Venice. Now I really want to go.

Counting Crows

2007-07-18T15:47:00.001-04:00

The Pirates

2007-07-18T10:19:00.000-04:00

As I've stated before, my favorite sports team is the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, my other favorite pro teams are the Pittsburgh Pirates, Pittsburgh Penguins and Los Angeles Lakers. All have won world titles while I've been alive, but since the Pirates last title was in 1979, when I was five-years-old, I have no recollection of that. Of course in 1990, '91 and especially '92 they came real close. Since then...

On Hillary Clinton, The Sopranos and Lunatic Right-Wing Bloggers

2007-06-21T12:50:00.000-04:00

It's been less than two weeks since The Sopranos went off the air and I'm already sick of discussing it, and the parodies. I'll just say for the record I thought it was a good way to go out. Anyone who expected a big ending with a ball of fire must not have been watching this show.
So, that brings me to the next point. Hillary Clinton decided to parody the ender in a spot to promote choosing a campaign song (Spoiler: She chose a Celine Dion song further insuring more people can hate her. And I by "her" I mean both Clinton and Dion.) Well, here's the spot.

Pretty unimaginative if you ask me, which you didn't. One right-winger thinks she saw something that most sane people will agree is not there.

Bill says "No onion rings?" and Hillary responds "I'm looking out for ya." Now, the script says onion rings, because that's what the Sopranos were eating in that final scene, but I doubt if any blogger will disagree with my assertion that, coming from Bill Clinton, the "O" of an onion ring is a vagina symbol. Hillary says no to that, driving the symbolism home. She's "looking out" all right, vigilant over her husband, denying him the sustenance he craves. What does she have for him? Carrot sticks! The one closest to the camera has a rather disgusting greasy sheen to it. Here, Bill, in retaliation for all of your excessive "O" consumption, you may have a large bowl of phallic symbols! When we hear him say "No onion rings?," the camera is on her, and Bill is off-screen, but at the bottom of the screen we see the carrot/phallus he's holding toward her. Oh, yes, I know that Hillary supplying carrots is supposed to remind that Hillary will provide us with health care, that she's "looking out for" us, but come on, they're carrots! Everyone knows carrots are phallic symbols. But they're cut up into little carrot sticks, you say? Just listen to yourself! I'm not going to point out everything.

I doubt any blogger will disagree with my assertion that Ann Althouse is batshit crazy. What she doesn't realize is that statements like, "I doubt if any blogger will disagree" while wrong, would reflect more on the retardation of some bloggers than the legitimacy of her point. And bloggers wonder why they don't get taken seriously.
The other point is that like most right-wingers, Ann's critique says far more about herself than it does the Clintons. She's obsessed with the little bubba. The Fourth of July is coming soon, and I can only imagine the following conversation happening at whatever cookout Althouse attends.

Party Host: Hey Ann, would you like a hot dog?
Althouse: No, I would not like to suck Bill Clinton's penis!
Party Host: Um, okay then.

Right-wing Intellectual

2007-04-25T15:13:00.000-04:00

I'm glad to see the greatest minds today's Republican Party can field are still out there making all the typically strong cases for their policies and opinions. Surely with pundits like this and their well-thought-out logic the American public will see the Republicans are the thoughtful crowd with the right answers for today's questions. Just watch as Michelle Malkin so deftly and understatedly makes a devastating point. How will Harry Reid ever recover from her critique?

I'm also curious if Michelle had to go out and buy that Catholic schoolgirl mini-skirt or if she already had it in her closet.

The Smoothest Man Ever

2007-03-28T19:52:00.000-04:00

This Sounds Like Rock and/or Roll

2007-02-19T12:07:00.000-05:00

Since Andrew Sullivan has been posting clips from The Simpsons, I think I will too.

Bon Jovi

2007-02-14T13:45:00.000-05:00

And now you must allow me to indulge my sometimes lingering hair metal fetish from the 80's. This was and still is my favorite band from that era. And hell, they're the only ones still relevant. Here's one of their lesser-known tunes, Wild in the Streets.

2006 Season Review

2007-02-11T09:38:00.000-05:00

With the AFC doing in the NFC one last time in the Pro Bowl, the 2006 NFL season is officially closed. How did I do on my preseason predictions? I did okay, if by okay you mean didn't get anything right. But at least I wasn't a complete dumbass and pick the Dolphins to win the Super Bowl like ESPN Magazine and Sports Illustrated.

Super Bowl
My Pick: Steelers over Panthers
Reality: Colts over Bears
I really dropped the ball here since neither the Steelers or Panthers made the playoffs, and I didn't think the Bears would.

Coach of the Year
My Pick: Nick Saban, Miami Dolphins
Reality: Sean Payton, New Orleans Saints
Let's just say given how much of a disappointment the Dolphins were this year, Saban was way off. And of course now he will be ineligeable for the award next year while coaching the Crimson Tide.

MVP
My Pick: Tom Brady, New England Patriots
Reality: LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego Chargers
Tomlinson put together one of the finest years, not just for a running back, but player in NFL history. His 31 touchdowns broke last year's MVP Shaun Alexander's one-year-old record. Without him the Chargers would have been nowhere. My pick of Brady wasn't that dumb though.

Offensive Player of the Year
My Pick: Larry Johnson, Kansas City Chiefs
Reality: LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego Chargers
I admit I bought into the hype surrounding Johnson, even though I was skeptical he could achieve the predictions. He still rushed for almost 1800 yards and 17 touchdowns which may have been good enough a lot of years. But with the crazy numbers Tomlinslon put up, no way.

Defensive Player of the Year
My Pick: Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh Steelers
Reality: Jason Taylor, Miami Dolphins
Polamalu was hurt a decent portion of the year so his production dipped from 2005. Taylor, one of the league's most reliable veterans, put together a nice year with 13.5 sacks, 10 forced fumbles, and two interceptions that were both returned for touchdowns. He may have beneffited from Shawn Merriman's four-game suspension for steroids.

Offensive Rookie of the Year
My Pick: Joseph Addai, Indianapolis Colts
Reality: Vince Young, Tennessee Titans
I essentially saw Addai as the rookie with the best chance to make an impact on a good team, which is why I picked him. But Young came on like gangbusters and kept the Titans inexplicably in the playoff hunt. He even made the Pro Bowl.

Defensive Rookie of the Year
MY Pick: Bobby Carpenter, Dallas Cowboys
Reality: DeMeco Ryans, Houston Texans
I don't feel bad getting this wrong considering I really had no idea who would win. I just picked a high draft pick going to a good team. Houston got the defensive rookie, though it wasn't no. 1 overall Mario Williams.

Comeback Player of the Year
My Pick: Duante Culpepper, Miami Dolphins
Reality: Chad Pennington, New York Jets
Culpepper never really did come back. But Pennington got his team in as the most surprising playoff team in the league.

Division Winners
My Picks: Patriots, Steelers, Colts and Broncos (AFC). Cowboys, Vikings, Panthers and Seahawks (NFC).
Reality: Patriots, Ravens, Colts and Chargers (AFC). Eagles, Bears, Saints and Seahawks (NFC).
I wrote there were three no-brainer winners. And sure enough those are the only three I got right. With the exception of the Vikings, I don't think any of my other picks were dumb ones.

Wild Cards
My Picks: Bengals and Dolphins (AFC). Giants and Buccaneers (NFC).
Reality: Chiefs and Jets (AFC). Giants and Cowboys (NFC).
What can I say? I got them wrong.

And that's the season. In 2007 the Steelers, Cowboys, Raiders, Dolphins, Falcons and Cardinals will have new head coaches. As a Steeler fan I am of course most interested in, and rooting for, the success of Mike Tomlin. He steps into big shoes following two Super Bowl winning coaches. We'll get our first look at Tomlin on the Steelers sideline Aug. 5 when they play the Saints in the Hall of Fame Game.

I already can't wait for September.

Rohrabacher Says Dinosaurs Farting Caused Global Warming

2007-02-11T09:24:00.000-05:00

Remember this post. I singled out Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) as being the most likely to claim there is no scientific consensus on global warming, when in fact there is. And not to disappoint Rohrabacher spoke at the House of Representatives' hearing on the global warming report recently issued. Of course he said there is no consensus. But he also had an interesting theory why temperatures may have risen. Think Progress has the video.

We don’t know what those other cycles were caused by in the past. Could be dinosaur flatulence, you know, or who knows?

You scientists and your smarty-pants degrees, your scientific method and peer-reviewed studies are all a bunch of bunk. Clearly we should put the insane ramblings of a partisan hack on an intellectual level with your conclusions.

More on Global Warming

2007-02-03T13:56:00.000-05:00

Josh Marshall at Talking Points Memo links to a scary Wall Street Journal story about how the UN's global warming report may not show how bad things can get.

WASHINGTON -- U.S. government scientists Friday said the long-term outlook for global warming may be more dire than suggested by this week's United Nations' report, which they say doesn't fully address the impact of clouds and melting glaciers.

Recent evidence of accelerated melting of glaciers in Greenland and the Antarctic ice cap came too late to be included in the report released Thursday by the U.N.-sponsored Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Glaciers are among the largest sources of fresh water in the world and are contributing to rising ocean levels. Rising sea levels could expose population centers bordering the ocean to more storm damage and could require evacuation in some areas. But the computer models used for the IPCC report based their predictions only on the results of heating of the existing water in the world's oceans, causing the oceans to expand and sea levels to rise, said Tom Delworth, a climate modeler for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the government agency in charge of climate science and weather service.

The IPCC report predicts sea levels will rise by between one to two feet over the next 100 years. Mr. Delworth said there remains "much more uncertainty" over how much accelerated melting of glaciers might add to that.

A second area of continuing uncertainty has to do with the impact of clouds on climate change. Warming the ocean sends more water vapor into the air, and the resulting clouds accelerate global warming by trapping more of the sun's heat in the atmosphere and further warm the ocean. Jim Butler, deputy director of NOAA's global monitoring division, called this "a very scary feedback mechanism."

Have a great weekend, everybody!

An Unreasonable Man

2007-02-03T11:28:00.000-05:00

Speaking of Ralph Nader, this weekend a new documentary about him, An Unreasonable Man, opened. I am interested to see this. I understand many being mad at Nader for his runs, but the hatred some like Eric Alterman throw his way seems beyond reason. No Eric, thank the Bush Adminstration for Iraq, the undermining of the Constitution and destruction of the environment. There's a lot of people more to blame for this than Nader. A lot.

Not Really News Anymore...

2007-02-03T11:12:00.000-05:00

But since we still have so many who deny it, this is another slam on the people who claim global warming is a myth.

PARIS, Feb. 2 In a grim and powerful assessment of the future of the planet, the leading international network of climate scientists has concluded for the first time that global warming is unequivocal and that human activity is the main driver, very likely causing most of the rise in temperatures since 1950.

"Very likely" is a key phrase.

In its last report, in 2001, the panel, consisting of hundreds of scientists and reviewers, said the confidence level for its projections was likely, or 66 to 90 percent. That level has now been raised to very likely, better than 90 percent. Both reports are online at www.ipcc.ch.

Remember that the next time some GOP tool like Rep. Dana Rohrabacher claims there is no consensus. The White House and many Republicans will claim to embrace this report while it is new. They'll say they are going to do something. Then as this new report, one of many, is slowly forgotten they will do nothing. Remember that because it may not be too late.

But their report, released here on Friday by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, said warming and its harmful consequences could be substantially blunted by prompt action.

Honestly, one step I see as maybe being in the right direction is President Al Gore. I know. I didn't vote for the guy in 2000, opting instead for Ralph Nader. But, I think the few years away have been good for him, and I really want him to run next year.

I was waiting to see how the petroleum-funded right-wing think tanks would react to this report. I have my answer.

Scientists and economists have been offered $10,000 each by a lobby group funded by one of the world's largest oil companies to undermine a major climate change report due to be published today.

Letters sent by the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), an ExxonMobil-funded thinktank with close links to the Bush administration, offered the payments for articles that emphasise the shortcomings of a report from the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Travel expenses and additional payments were also offered.

Super Bowl Preview

2007-02-03T10:50:00.000-05:00

Okay, with about 30 hours to go before kickoff, I'll make my Super Bowl prediction. I'm taking the Colts. Dah dah duh. Yeah, I know that lumps me in with, oh...everybody. But hey, I think they will, and want them to win. I always get a kick out of seeing people like Peyton Manning and Tony Dungy shut up morons who say crap like, "He's a choker" when they have no clue what they're talking about. And if the Colts do win, look for the San Diego Chargers to win it next year. It would fit the pattern with the previous two Super Bowls. I just hope Marty Schottenheimer doesn't choke.

Alberto Gonzalez Denies Habeas Corpus

2007-01-25T19:33:00.000-05:00

So let me get this straight. Your Habeas Corpus rights can't be taken away, but you don't neccesarily have them?

Championship Round

2007-01-21T12:10:00.000-05:00

While I slowly, slowly ease myself back into blogging, I offer another football post. While my predictions this year have been slightly off from last year's postseason (Did I mention I was 10-1?), overall it's not too bad at 5-3. Once again I'm taking the home teams. Tom Brady is not a god. He is mortal and he can be beaten in Indy. I also like the Bears defense and Chicago January weather to slow the Saints' offense.
In other news, the Steelers may have a new head coach. He may be Mike Tomlin. Or he may be Russ Grimm. Or maybe they didn't hire anyone.

Divisional Round Preview

2007-01-13T11:23:00.000-05:00

I swear I am going to get back into this. Promise...kinda. But I do want to stay on top of the playoffs. The divisional round is upon us, and all the combatants are divisional winners since all wild-card teams folded last week. I think I'm just going to go with the home team in all these games, though in the AFC that's a little tougher sell. So, I'm taking the Chargers and Ravens to meet next week in San Diego for the AFC crown. And I think the Bears and Saints will battle it out in Chicago for the NFC title/obligatory AFC Super Bowl victim.

Playoff Preview

2007-01-06T14:12:00.000-05:00

I know I haven't posted in three months and one day, but I want to get back into this. Obviously a lot has happened since my last post. However, since the NFL is sort of a side subject for this blog I wanted to quickly get my playoff predictions in for this weekend's games. I'm taking the Patriots over the Jets, the Eagles over the Giants, The Colts over the Chiefs and the Cowboys over the Seahawks. Just to let you know, last year I was 10-1 on my postseason picks. I never pick against the Steelers, so that was four correct picks there. But the one I got wrong was the toughest pick, almost a coin toss. Ultimately, I wrongly picked the Bears to beat the Panthers.

I'll have more NFL and of course current events posts in the days to come.

Green Day

2006-10-05T14:06:00.000-04:00

I was never a big Green Day fan. I didn't like them when one of my friends in college started spinning Dookie. I started to like their music a little more, but blamed them for the gluttony of awful pop/punk bands to which we've been subjected over the years (Blink 182, Good Charlotte). When American Idiot came out I liked what I heard, and heard I would like even more. I didn't get it until yesterday, two years later. I'm now mad at myself for not getting it earlier. This record is too good. I can't stop listening. Everyone should hear it. Men, women, children, dogs and cats should all hear it.

Week 4 Recap

2006-10-03T10:23:00.000-04:00

One game I was looking forward to this past weekend (with the Steelers on a bye) was the Chargers-Ravens game. I certainly wanted San Diego to win, but I was more interested in seeing if these teams are as good as their records. Both were undefeated, but had played only winless teams. Everyone looks great while they're beating up on the Raiders, as both had done. I wanted to see who could come out and establish themselves as a legit contender by beating the other. After how close that game was, I'm still not sure.
The Bengals got their first loss, being demolished by the Patriots, who refuse to lose two in a row. They got dominated for the second week in a row after the Steelers game. New England just didn't cough the ball up five times. Cincy has no idea how to tackle running backs. Willie Parker and Laurence Maroney consistently stiff-armed bigger defenders to the ground.
Carolina Panthers may finally be hitting their stride as they hand the Saints their first loss. I think now is about the time New Orleans comes back to earth. The Colts-Jets game almost had a finish that would have put Stanford-Cal to shame. Anyone noticed the Jets are 2-2? In their two losses they remained pretty close to the Colts and Patriots. They might be decent. Eric Mangini could get Coach of the Year at this rate.
Chicago Bears may have gotten the biggest win in the absolute thrashing they put on Seattle. The defense is obvioulsy good, but the Bears offense is the pleasant surprise. Rex Grossman and Bernard Berrian are playing really well.
The St. Louis Rams may be the worst team with a 3-1 record. Kansas City got their first win by handing the 49ers one their worst losses in franchise history.
Minnesota is not as good as I thought. Miami is not as good as anyone thought. Losing to Houston; Ouch. Albert Haynesworth apparently decided the Titans' play wasn't disgraceful enough, so he went and stomped on Dallas center Andre Gurode's exposed noggin, forcing him to get 30 stitches. Haynesworth will watch the next five games on television.
Cleveland beat Oakland in a game between teams as bad as you would want to see. God, the Raiders are awful.

Wal Mart Sucks Even Harder

2006-10-02T15:18:00.000-04:00

I don't shop at Wal Mart. Not ever. Won't step in the door. There's a mountain of reasons. Urban sprawl, destruction of Main Street and political influence are all great reasons. But the clincher is how it treats its workforce; Low pay, crappy hours, no benefits, sexual discrimination, forced overtime off-the-clock, locking them in at night.
Well, it just became an even worse place to work.

Wal-Mart, the nation’s largest private employer, is pushing to create a cheaper, more flexible work force by capping wages, using more part-time workers and scheduling more workers on nights and weekends.

Wal-Mart executives say they have embraced new policies for a large number of their 1.3 million workers to better serve their customers, especially at busy shopping times — and point out that competitors like Sears and Target have made some of these moves, too.

But some Wal-Mart workers say the changes are further reducing their already modest incomes and putting a serious strain on their child-rearing and personal lives. Current and former Wal-Mart workers say some managers have insisted that they make themselves available around the clock, and assert that the company is making changes with an eye to forcing out longtime higher-wage workers to make way for lower-wage part-time employees.

Thank God Wal Mart is finally standing up to all its greedy employees who have taken advantage of the corporation for far too long. What a great day for capitalism.
Sick fucks.

What They're Talking About

2006-10-02T15:08:00.000-04:00

If there are any questions regarding the previous YouTube clip, this is what it is in reference to.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1 — Law enforcement officials said Sunday that the F.B.I. had begun a preliminary inquiry into whether former Representative Mark Foley broke any federal laws when he reportedly exchanged sexually explicit e-mail messages with under-age Congressional pages as leaders of both parties demanded new inquiries.

But it gets better.

At the same time, Speaker J. Dennis Hastert asked the Justice Department on Sunday not only to investigate Mr. Foley, a Florida Republican who resigned on Friday after ABC News confronted him with the e-mail messages, but also to determine who possessed the messages that have touched off a furor weeks before the November elections.

“Since the communications appear to have existed for three years, there should be an investigation into the extent there are persons who knew or had possession of these messages but did not report them to the appropriate authorities,” the letter from Mr. Hastert to Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales said.

So Hastert wants to know who had the e-mails, and made them public. Is he trying to punish the whistleblowers? It doesn't matter, since we know he knew all about it for months, yet along with the Republican leadership, covered it up.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 — Top House Republicans knew for months about e-mail traffic between Representative Mark Foley and a former teenage page, but kept the matter secret and allowed Mr. Foley to remain head of a Congressional caucus on children’s issues, Republican lawmakers said Saturday.

-snip-

Among those who became aware earlier this year of the fall 2005 communications between Mr. Foley and the 16-year-old page, who worked for Representative Rodney Alexander, Republican of Louisiana, were Representative John A. Boehner, the majority leader, and Representative Thomas M. Reynolds of New York, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee. Mr. Reynolds said in a statement Saturday that he had also personally raised the issue with Speaker J. Dennis Hastert.

Sick fucks.

Why Cable News is Aweful

2006-10-02T15:02:00.000-04:00

This is all cable news is. Partisans bickering back and forth. Gotta have one of each to look "fair" and/or "balanced," and not in some Faux News ironic kinda way. But ultimately, of course, there ain't shit there that even passes for news, analysis or information. I wish I were as funny as Jon Stewart, cause this deserves some serious comedic skewering.

This is America?

2006-09-28T14:30:00.000-04:00

The New York Times editorialized on the "compromise" between President Bush and the "maverick" Republican Senators John McCain of Arizona, John Warner of Virginia and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. As per usual, Republicans talk tough in their dealings with the President, but then back down in "compromise" and give him everything he wants, ala Arlen Specter. The bill, which was already approved by the House of Representatives, gives the President virtually all of the leeway he wants to imprison without charges, torture, deny legal representation and keep it all a big secret.

The Geneva Conventions: The bill would repudiate a half-century of international precedent by allowing Mr. Bush to decide on his own what abusive interrogation methods he considered permissible. And his decision could stay secret — there’s no requirement that this list be published.

Habeas Corpus: Detainees in U.S. military prisons would lose the basic right to challenge their imprisonment. These cases do not clog the courts, nor coddle terrorists. They simply give wrongly imprisoned people a chance to prove their innocence.

Judicial Review: The courts would have no power to review any aspect of this new system, except verdicts by military tribunals. The bill would limit appeals and bar legal actions based on the Geneva Conventions, directly or indirectly. All Mr. Bush would have to do to lock anyone up forever is to declare him an illegal combatant and not have a trial.

Coerced Evidence: Coerced evidence would be permissible if a judge considered it reliable — already a contradiction in terms — and relevant. Coercion is defined in a way that exempts anything done before the passage of the 2005 Detainee Treatment Act, and anything else Mr. Bush chooses.

Secret Evidence: American standards of justice prohibit evidence and testimony that is kept secret from the defendant, whether the accused is a corporate executive or a mass murderer. But the bill as redrafted by Mr. Cheney seems to weaken protections against such evidence.

Offenses: The definition of torture is unacceptably narrow, a virtual reprise of the deeply cynical memos the administration produced after 9/11. Rape and sexual assault are defined in a retrograde way that covers only forced or coerced activity, and not other forms of nonconsensual sex. The bill would effectively eliminate the idea of rape as torture.

I ask again; Is this America?

Week 3 Recap

2006-09-27T10:47:00.000-04:00

I have to start with my Steelers this week. Yes, they lost to the Bungles. Yes, Big Ben threw three picks. But I still have confidence in the 1-2 Steelers. They didn't get outplayed by Cincy. The defense did a great job, and so did the offensive line. It just appears the offseason surgeries have had a bigger effect on Ben than I and maybe even Bill Cowher thought. This team is going to bounce back as long as Ricardo Coclough never returns another punt.
Jacksonville's defense put in another great effort against Indianapolis. Unfortunately special teams and just a little offense in the second half was enough for Indy to win. The Jags defense is for real.
I'm still not sold on New Orleans keeping up the impressive run all season. Monday night was a great performance, their first win over a good team in Atlanta. It was great for the city.
Tampa Bay lost again, and probably lost quarterback Chris Simms for the year after his spleen ruptured. Carolina finally got in the win column. Miami looks even less like a playoff team following their first win. They barely beat the awful Titans. The Jets are 2-1, but they beat bad teams. Still better than I thought. After barely beating the bad Jets and Bills, New England played a good team and looked like a bad one themselves, following a loss to Denver.
Arizona and the New York Giants are both 1-2. Two of the favored NFC playoff contenders have offensive issues. The Cardinals can't score, mostly thanks to Kurt Warner, and the Giants can't score early. Philadelphia is 2-1, beating bad teams. The Ravens and the Bears are quietly 3-0.
Mark Brunell looked like Peyton Manning this past weekend. Unfortunately for him he won't play the Texans again. Brett Favre also looked great. He only gets one more game against the Lions. The Raiders found maybe the only way they can avoid losing this season; don't play.
Early line on coaches who could be out of a job this year; Tom Coughlin, Jeff Fisher, Art Shell and Dennis Green.

Ryan Adams featuring Adam Duritz

2006-09-23T11:16:00.000-04:00

Duritz guested on Adams' Answering Bell from his record Gold. Watch for the surprising cameo at the end.

Week 2 Recap

2006-09-19T09:38:00.000-04:00

After two weeks of play, some questions still remain in the NFL. The Carolina Panthers dropped their game against Minnesota, and panic may set in soon for one of the NFC favorites. Despite Steve Smith's absence, there is no way they should be 0-2. The defending Super Bowl Champs didn't look so super against the Jaguars either. The Steelers managed only 153 yards on offense and were shut out. Jacksonville played fired up, and the Steelers better get used to that because they now have a big bullseye on their jerseys. The Bengals will be every bit as, if not more, fired up in week 3.
In my season preview I stated the Washington Redskins offense would go nowhere behind old man Mark Brunell. Four words come to mind with that prediction; I told you so.
The New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles looked to be swapping spots from where I predicted they'd be, until that fantastical role-reversal with the Giants terrific comeback. The Eagles also lost Jevon Kearse for the season, so they get a double-whammy. This could be a big blow in spite of the very nice addition Donte Stallworth has been thus far. Miami and Tampa Bay are looking far from the playoff teams I predicted they'd be, meanwhile Phillip Rivers and the Chargers are looking much better than I thought.
The Saints are 2-0, but they played the Browns and Packers. Let's see how they fare against the Atlanta Falcons this week. Seattle is 2-0, but it's not a very impressive 2-0. The same goes for the New England Patriots. Baltimore Ravens at 2-0 haven't played a good team, but they beat the bad ones decisively. Kansas City Chiefs season is going down the drains and Larry Johnson, the first pick in most fantasy drafts, will not see the huge numbers his owners want.
Tennessee Titans should probably start letting Vince Young get all the playing time he can handle. Good God, the Oakland Raiders are awful.

The Flaming Lips

2006-09-18T09:29:00.000-04:00

Mr. Ambulance Driver from the album At War with the Mystics.

I Guess Things Like This Are No Longer News

2006-09-14T16:55:00.000-04:00

Seriously. This story is dated Aug. 2. Why am I now just reading this? This administration is so scary when it comes to the erosion of our liberties that stories like this can fly under the radar. We're just so used to it.

WASHINGTON - A draft Bush administration plan for special military courts seeks to expand the reach and authority of such ''commissions'' to include trials, for the first time, of people who are not al Qaeda members or the Taliban and are not directly involved in acts of international terrorism, according to officials familiar with the proposal plan.

The plan, which would replace a military trial system ruled illegal by the Supreme Court in June, also allows the secretary of defense to add crimes at will to those under the military court's jurisdiction. The two provisions would be likely to put more individuals than previously expected before military juries, officials and independent experts said.

The draft proposed legislation, set to be discussed at two Senate hearings today, is controversial inside and outside the administration because defendants would be denied many protections guaranteed by the civilian and traditional military criminal justice systems.

Under the proposed procedures, defendants would lack rights to confront accusers, exclude hearsay accusations, or bar evidence obtained through rough or coercive interrogations. They would not be guaranteed a public or speedy trial and would lack the right to choose their military counsel, who in turn would not be guaranteed equal access to evidence held by prosecutors.

Detainees also would not be guaranteed the right to be present at their own trials, if their absence is deemed necessary to protect national security or individuals.

An early draft of the new law prepared by civilian political appointees and leaked to the media last week has been modified in response to criticism from uniformed military lawyers. But the provisions allowing a future expansion of the courts to cover new crimes and more prisoners were retained, according to government officials who are familiar with the deliberations.

It has fianlly occurred to me why this adminstration has so many problems with leaks. The shit they do and think about doing is always just so scary, unconstitutional and dumb people just so often feel the need to alert the public. I'm not sure how much good it does, but at least we still have that.

Taking on Enemies of the State

2006-09-14T13:10:00.000-04:00

US President George Bush is to host White House talks on British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen.

Cohen, 35, creator of Ali G, has infuriated the Kazakhstan government with his portrayal of Borat, a bumbling Kazakh TV presenter.

And now a movie of Borat's adventures in the US has caused a diplomatic incident.

The opening scene, which shows Borat lustily kissing his sister goodbye and setting off for America in a car pulled by a horse, had audiences in stitches when it was first shown last week.

But the film, which has just premiered at the Toronto Film Festival, has prompted a swift reaction from the Kazakhstan government, which is launching a PR blitz in the States.

Kazakhstan president Nursultan Nazarbayev is to fly to the US to meet President Bush in the coming weeks and on the agenda will be his country's image.

President Nazarbayev has confirmed his government will buy "educational" TV spots and print advertisements about the "real Kazakhstan" in a bid to save the country's reputation before the film is released in the US in November.

Personally, I can't wait to see Borat: Cultural Learnings of America For Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.

E-Voting Problems

2006-09-14T13:03:00.000-04:00

This fall I will be voting on an electronic machine for the first time. I've been concerned about the security of such machines for a while, and not just because Diebold's CEO personally gives me cause for concern. These machines can easily be hacked. Truth be told, everytime they are used there ends up being some problem.
Princeton University has compiled a study that concludes with some disturbing, yet unsurprising, results.

Analysis of the machine, in light of real election procedures, shows that it is vulnerable to extremely serious attacks. For example, an attacker who gets physical access to a machine or its removable memory card for as little as one minute could install malicious code; malicious code on a machine could steal votes undetectably, modifying all records, logs, and counters to be consistent with the fraudulent vote count it creates. An attacker could also create malicious code that spreads automatically and silently from machine to machine during normal election activities — a voting-machine virus.

This Just In, Tucker Carlson Can't Dance

2006-09-13T20:36:00.000-04:00

Maibag

2006-09-12T14:30:00.000-04:00

Not my own, mind you, but the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's. Two letters in yesterday's edition stood out to me.

Sen. Santorum was very well-informed about Social Security, health care, terrorism, economics and other issues that were discussed. I was first impressed at how well he knew those subjects but even more impressed when he had the solutions to the problems that our state and country face.

Yeah, he's so well-informed he thinks WMD's were found in Iraq.

And...

Ask yourself this one question: Why are the most disgraceful politicians of our time coming from the Democratic side of the aisle? Those who shamelessly blame our president for this war we now face instead of our enemies. Those who continually try to derail our country's efforts while stabbing her soldiers in the back as they fight for our freedom and way of life.

Democratic politicians don't give a damn about our brave soldiers in harm's way or about the future of this nation. They only want one thing: their power back.

If you really think the Democrats, whom I am no great fan of, are the sleazier group who will do anything for power, I have five words for you: Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.

Florida Students From Sept. 11 Remember Bush

2006-09-12T14:21:00.000-04:00

One memorable quote:
"I thought, personally, that he had to go use the bathroom."

Journalist Arrested

2006-09-12T14:15:00.000-04:00

Greg Palast, whose book The Best Democracy Money Can Buy I've read, has been charged by the Department of Homeland Security for doing his job.

On August 22, for LinkTV and Democracy Now! we videotaped the thousands of Katrina evacuees still held behind a barbed wire in a trailer park encampment a hundred miles from New Orleans. It’s been a year since the hurricane and 73,000 POW’s (Prisoners of W) are still in this aluminum ghetto in the middle of nowhere. One resident, Pamela Lewis said, “It is a prison set-up” — except there are no home furloughs for these inmates because they no longer have homes.

To give a sense of the full flavor and smell of the place, we wanted to show that this human parking lot, with kids and elderly, is nearly adjacent to the Exxon Oil refinery, the nation’s second largest, a chemical-belching behemoth.

So we filmed it. Without Big Brother’s authorization. Uh, oh. Apparently, the broadcast of these stinking smokestacks tipped off Osama that, if his assassins pose as poor Black folk, they can get a cramped Airstream right next to a “critical infrastructure” asset.

So now Matt and I have a “criminal complaint” lodged against us with the feds.

Read all of it.

2006-09-12T13:37:00.000-04:00

Week One Recap

2006-09-12T09:55:00.000-04:00

The first week of NFL play resulted in some surprises. First off, it's looking like I was correct in my statement that the AFC North would be the toughest division. The Steelers, Bengals and Ravens all got big wins. The top teams in the NFC looked none too impressive. The Panthers got rolled at home by the Falcons. I understand Steve Smith didn't play, but if this team is that good, they still should have been able to win that game, or at least make it competitive. The Seahawks kick three field goals to the Lions' two, and that's the game. Not good. The Cowboys got beaten by the Jaguars and the Giants got beaten by the Colts. The last was the most excusable. Also, the Eagles shouldn't get too excited just cause they beat the Texans. Boy, are the Packers awful.
In the AFC, a safety on J.P. Losman was the difference between the Patriots and the Bills. Meanwhile the Broncos lost to the Rams. Two of the AFC's elite have to get better. I'm also not sure what to draw from the Titans losing at home to the Jets. Are the Jets a bit better than I thought or Titans worse?
I caught a glimpse of the Fox pregame show and all their hosts (Terry Bradshaw, Jimmy Johnson, Howie Long and Joe Buck) picked NFC teams to win the Super Bowl. It looks like they were far off. But, it's only the first week, so we can't draw that many conclusions.
I'm worried about my prediction of Nick Saban winning Coach of the Year after his boneheaded attempt to challenge Heath Miller's touchdown. He waited forever and then lightly tossed tossed the flag where no one could see it. He's got ground to make up if I'm to be correct.

Five Years Later

2006-09-11T13:37:00.000-04:00

The clandestine U.S. commandos whose job is to capture or kill Osama bin Laden have not received a credible lead in more than two years. Nothing from the vast U.S. intelligence world -- no tips from informants, no snippets from electronic intercepts, no points on any satellite image -- has led them anywhere near the al-Qaeda leader, according to U.S. and Pakistani officials.

"The handful of assets we have have given us nothing close to real-time intelligence" that could have led to his capture, said one counterterrorism official, who said the trail, despite the most extensive manhunt in U.S. history, has gone "stone cold."

What do you expect? The president doesn't even really think about bin Laden anymore. Not important. Old news.

On the videotape obtained by the CIA, bin Laden is seen confidently instructing his party how to dig holes in the ground to lie in undetected at night. A bomb dropped by a U.S. aircraft can be seen exploding in the distance. "We were there last night," bin Laden says without much concern in his voice. He was in or headed toward Pakistan, counterterrorism officials think.

That was December 2001. Only two months later, Bush decided to pull out most of the special operations troops and their CIA counterparts in the paramilitary division that were leading the hunt for bin Laden in Afghanistan to prepare for war in Iraq, said Flynt L. Leverett, then an expert on the Middle East at the National Security Council.

"I was appalled when I learned about it," said Leverett, who has become an outspoken critic of the administration's counterterrorism policy. "I don't know of anyone who thought it was a good idea. It's very likely that bin Laden would be dead or in American custody if we hadn't done that."

Several officers confirmed that the number of special operations troops was reduced in March 2002.

When You Have Nothing Else on which to Run...

2006-09-11T13:36:00.000-04:00

Republicans are planning to spend the vast majority of their sizable financial war chest over the final 60 days of the campaign attacking Democratic House and Senate candidates over personal issues and local controversies, GOP officials said.

The National Republican Congressional Committee, which this year dispatched a half-dozen operatives to comb through tax, court and other records looking for damaging information on Democratic candidates, plans to spend more than 90 percent of its $50 million-plus advertising budget on what officials described as negative ads.

There's really nothing else to add, is there?

Dick Cheney is a Crazy Person: Vol. II

2006-09-11T13:20:00.000-04:00

Normally I wouldn't neccesarily single Cheney out for this post. But given his ridiculous "turning point" statement in the previous story, I figured I would.

The chief of intelligence for the Marine Corps in Iraq recently filed an unusual secret report concluding that the prospects for securing that country's western Anbar province are dim and that there is almost nothing the U.S. military can do to improve the political and social situation there, said several military officers and intelligence officials familiar with its contents.

The officials described Col. Pete Devlin's classified assessment of the dire state of Anbar as the first time that a senior U.S. military officer has filed so negative a report from Iraq.

-snip-

Devlin reports that there are no functioning Iraqi government institutions in Anbar, leaving a vacuum that has been filled by the insurgent group al-Qaeda in Iraq, which has become the province's most significant political force, said the Army officer, who has read the report. Another person familiar with the report said it describes Anbar as beyond repair; a third said it concludes that the United States has lost in Anbar.

Devlin offers a series of reasons for the situation, including a lack of U.S. and Iraqi troops, a problem that has dogged commanders since the fall of Baghdad more than three years ago, said people who have read it. These people said he reported that not only are military operations facing a stalemate, unable to extend and sustain security beyond the perimeters of their bases, but also local governments in the province have collapsed and the weak central government has almost no presence.

So we cannot win one-third of the country because of this administration's fuckups, but hey, don't point that out cause we'll embolden the enemy. Umm, Mr. Cheney, don't you think knowing they've won that section of the country provides al-Qaeda a tad more comfort than anything Michael Moore might say? What do you think?

Oh, and go fuck yourself.

Dick Cheney is a Crazy Person

2006-09-11T13:05:00.000-04:00

Vice President Cheney offered a veiled attack yesterday on critics of the administration's Iraq policy, saying the domestic debate over the war is emboldening adversaries who believe they can undermine the resolve of the American people.

"They can't beat us in a stand-up fight -- they never have -- but they're absolutely convinced they can break our will, [that] the American people don't have the stomach for the fight," Cheney said on NBC's "Meet the Press."

The vice president said U.S. allies in Afghanistan and Iraq "have doubts" the United States will finish the job there. "And those doubts are encouraged, obviously, when they see the kind of debate that we've had in the United States," he said. "Suggestions, for example, that we should withdraw U.S. forces from Iraq simply feed into that whole notion, validates the strategy of the terrorists."

It constantly drives Republicans crazy when you refer to the tactics of this administration as McCarthyism. But really, it is the most apt description. The man condemns the debate. Pointing out his own incompetence is tantamount to treason in his eyes. Debating his decisions puts us at risk. We're at risk because of his decisions, not because of our criticisms of them. When wingnut pundits like Ann Coulter call critics traitors it's disturbing and mildly amusing seeing such craziness. It's at least a little scary when the person making the charge, ya know, runs the country.

Go fuck yourself Cheney.

Football Preview Post

2006-09-04T09:53:00.000-04:00

I'm going to give you my predictions for the upcoming season. In the interest of full disclosure, I will say once again I am a Steelers fan. I am also one of the biggest homers you will see. That being said, when I predict them to do well, is it really that much of a stretch?

NFC West:
One of the easiest divisions to handicap. It's Seattle. They got back Shaun Alexander and brought in Nate Burleson and Julian Peterson. They may even still bring in Deion Branch.
1: Seattle Seahawks. I think I just spelled it out.
2: Arizona Cardinals. Sure, this team is loaded at the skill positions. Larry Fitzgerald is already a top wide receiver, and he's getting better. Anquan Boldin is terrific and Edgerrin James can still run the ball. The negatives are Kurt Warner has looked old his past three seasons, and most importantly, they are still the Cardinals. No matter in Chicago, St. Louis or Arizona/Phoenix, this is the worst franchise in the NFL.
3: St. Louis Rams. Hard to believe how much the offense has changed from the Greatest Show on Turf. Warner is gone. Mike Martz is gone. Marshall Faulk is gone for at least now. Isaac Bruce has gone way downhill. They still have Torry Holt and now have Marc Bulger and Steven Jackson which could make for a good offense. But the defense is still pretty bad, no matter how much they try.
4: San Francisco 49ers. Is this team getting better? I can't tell. Alex Smith needs to make a big leap, but they lose Peterson, Brandon Lloyd and Kevan Barlow. I see no progress.

NFC South:
This is a more competitive division, but as the NFC still struggles to compete with the AFC, it's still going to be hard to tell how good these teams actually are.
1: Carolina Panthers. I really don't see a better team in the NFC. They just about have it everywhere. They have a solid defense with Julius Peppers, and the offense gets better. DeAngelo Williams will help DeShaun Foster and the running game. Keyshawn Johnson can obviously help Steve Smith get open even more. And yes, Jake Delhomme is a winner at quarterback.
2: Tampa Bay Buccaneers. I see a solid season here, with nice pieces at lots of positions. Cadillac Williams is the real deal at runningback. However, is Chris Simms good? Joey Galloway is getting pretty old, as is a lot of that once great defense.
3: Atlanta Falcons. Michael Vick has never progressed beyond the flashes of brilliance he displayed in 2002. He's also never been helped with a good group of receivers. They still aren't good. Warrick Dunn is getting no younger either.
4: New Orleans Saints. It's not a matter of how many games they win, it's what they see out of their players. This team is bad, it's just answering questions. Is Reggie Bush as good as advertised? Can Drew Brees rebound and re-establish himself as a top quarterback? Is Deuce McAllister healthy? Hell, they even have questions about the health of their stadium.

NFC East:
Conventional wisdom says this is the most competitive division in the league. Any of the four teams could win it. I don't believe that though. I think it's actually a two horse race.
1: Dallas Cowboys. Terrel Owens, Terry Glenn, Julius Jones and Drew Bledsoe are a nice core of skill players on offense. They also have really good young defensive players in Marcus Spears and Demarcus Ware. Offensive line and kicker problems aside, could be the best team Parcells has had in Dallas.
2: New York Giants. Eli Manning should settle into his role in New York better this year. But he doesn't have the weapons Bledsoe has, especially if he and Plaxico Burress get further apart. Tiki Barber is 31 and could start to slow. Defense is really good though, especially adding Lavar Arrington.
3: Philadelphia Eagles. Once again Donovan McNabb finds himself armed with help beneath his talent. Mediocre wide receivers even after bringing in Donte Stallworth will hold him back. I also doubt Brian Westbrook's ability to carry as much as they need. They better hope the defense plays better this year.
4: Washington Redskins. Poised to take a giant step back this year. Mark Brunell will prove Joe Gibbs faith in him was unfounded. The offense will go nowhere with him and their overpaid, over-rated wide receivers. Defense will be really good, but the offense will be so bad.

NFC North:
God, this division is bad. So, so bad.
1: Minnesota Vikings. The only team that will be able to score any points gets the edge here. Defense isn't that good, but has a couple pieces. Don't look for them to make any noise in the playoffs though. The Vikings are actually the only team here good enough to be called mediocre on both sides of the ball.
2: Chicago Bears. Yeah, they have a good defense, which will be a real benefit in the North come December, but their offense is awful. Two good runningbacks and one good receiver will get you nowhere. Teams will score a few points on them. Will they score back?
3: Detroit Lions. They have a few good players like Roy Williams and Kevin Jones, so they get third. Jon Kitna could do well here too, especially with Mike Martz running the offense.
4: Green Bay Packers. If Brett Favre decided he didn't want to play another season like last year, I have a hard time figuring out what brought him back to this team. They're just awful. Try to find one potential Pro-Bowler on their team. Just try.

AFC West.
Once again, the Raiders have a new coach and quarterback. Some things never change.
1: Denver Broncos. What do you know, Mike Shanahan's Browncos defensive line worked pretty well. I guess it was just Cleveland holding them back. Patience is wearing out with Jake Plummer, hence the Jay Cutler draft pick, but with Javon Walker and the running game, they should do well enough to win the division.
2: Kansas City Chiefs. Same story as before, they still have the offense, but the defense is still struggling. Herm Edwards can't change that in one year, so they better hope Trent Green, Larry Johnson and Tony Gonzalez are as good as ever.
3: San Diego Chargers. May have the best player in footbal in LaDainian Tomlinson, along with the most dangerous tight end in Antonio Gates. But, still short at the receiver position, and short on experience with Phillip Rivers now the quarterback. Defense still has Shawn Merriman and Quentin Jammer, but now no Steve Foley.
4: Oakland Raiders. The script never changes, only the names, and sometimes they don't either. Art Shell is back with the Raiders, but Jeff George is not. Can he finally convince Al Davis to not sign every over-rated player to a fat contract, cough cough, Warren Sapp, cough cough? The plusses for this team; Randy Moss and Lamont Jordan. The minusses; Aaron Brooks and everyone else.

AFC South: The second no-brainer division.
1: Indianapolis Colts. Even after losing James, this is easily the best team. The offense will still be as explosive as any. The defense continues to get better with Dwight Freeney and Bob Sanders as good as anyone at their positions. Can Peyton Manning finally deliver the postseason success? Probably not. But they'll have fun getting there.
2: Jacksonville Jaguars. This team is basically just like their quarterback, Byron Leftwich: Pretty solid, but nothing spectacular. They lucked into the playoffs last year, even though other teams were better. They'll need to actually play better to get back. I don't see it.
3: Tennessee Titans. Not really getting any better this year, except maybe at runningback. Kerry Collins should take over at quarterback, but that doesn't impress. Defense is not really good either.
4: Houston Texans. Back to the drawing board for the youngest franchise. First they pass on Bush, now Domanick Davis goes on injured reserve. Who could run behind that offensive line anyway? Just pray David Carr doesn't get killed on the field.

AFC East:
The final no-brainer.
1: New England Patriots. They're not getting any better, but they don't have to to stay atop this division. With Tom Brady, Bill Bellicheck and most of their defense in tact, they will rule, and they just know how to win games. Please, stop bitching about Adam Vinatieri.
2: Miami Dolphins. In Daunte Culpepper may finally have the quarterback worthy of being a starter, something they haven't had since their Hall-of-Famer retired. Chris Chambers, Ronnie Brown and Randy McMichael, he's got help. I smell wild card.
3: Buffalo Bills. Please Buffalo, for the love of God, just play J.P. Losman. Kelly Holcomb is not them guy. Just let Losman get his experience. Otherwise, don't blame anyone else if in the future your team is decent, but held back by a bad quarterback.
4: New York Jets. I still like Chad Pennington actually. But there ain't much of anything else to like here. They were bad last year when they still had Curtis Martin, John Abraham and Ty Law. This is going to get ugly.

AFC North:
This is probably the best division in the league. Three good teams could compete for the crown.
1: Pittsburgh Steelers. Even after an off-season filled with a lot of drama, the defending Super Bowl champs should get one crown that eluded them last year, division champs. I don't see the motorcycle accident or appendectomy as significant setbacks to Ben Roethlisberger. They didn't lose much, or at least much they'll struggle to replace. Still have the most fearsome components on defense in Joey Porter, Troy Polamalu and Casey Hampton. Can Willie Parker carry all the load without Jerome Bettis?
2: Cincinnati Bengals. The Bungles no more, at least for now. Carson Palmer is back and as good as ever. He's scary good. But, will he prove to be a Manning and fizzle under the pressure, or Brady and thrive in it? Defense is still not good, as they spend more time in court than opponents' backfield.
3: Baltimore Ravens. Could they finally have a quarterback? That's the big question. They're excited about Steve McNair, but this guy is beaten up. Hell, he thought about retiring two years ago. It all hinges on him.
4: Cleveland Browns. This is the year Romeo Crennel lets his young players work together and, hopefully, progress. Charlie Frye, Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow Jr. could be a really good offense in two or three years. Still working on getting that defense together.

NFC Wildcards: New York and Tampa Bay
AFC Wildcards: Cincinnati and Miami
NFC Champions: Carolina Panthers
AFC Champions: Pittsburgh Steelers
Super Bowl XLI Champions: Pittsburgh Steelers
Coach of the Year: Nick Saban
MYP: Tom Brady
Defensive Player of the Year: Troy Polamalu
Offensive Player of the Year: Larry Johnson
Comeback Player of the Year: Duante Culpepper
Defensive Rookie: Bobby Carpenter
Offensive Rookie: Joseph Addai

Chestless Men and Armchair Warriors

2006-09-02T12:08:00.000-04:00

Glenn Greenwald's blog, Unclaimed Territory, is one I don't read enough. When I do, there is always something interesting. Glenn doesn't seem as blatantly partisan as Kos and Atrios, which is nice. But, he hits as hard as anyone.

He reveals more asininity from the pro-war tough guys.

Can't Think of Anything About Ann Coulter that hasn't Already been Said

2006-08-31T15:13:00.000-04:00

Seriously, how much more crazy and insulting does this bitch have to get before news shows stop inviting her on as some sort of policy pundit? In case the show bookers at CNN or MSNBC (I'm not even gonna try with Fox) haven't noticed, she never discusses policy. It's just talking out of her ass, insults and threats.

Also, isn't it funny how the mainstream press and right-wing pundits spent all their time covering the Lamont/Lieberman race, while providing little to no coverage of the Chafee/Laffey race? While they demonize the Democrats for daring to not vote for a guy who has steadfastly backed all of President Bush's unpopular failures, they never mention a Republican effort to purge themselves of a moderate in favor of hardcore righty.

More on Alaska

2006-08-31T14:20:00.000-04:00

I searched for an Associated Press story I read a few months back on Alaska. Sadly, I couldn't find it. This CNN transcript pretty well sums it up however.

JOE JOHNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's boom time on the last frontier. Thanks to the trans-Alaska pipeline, the state is awash in oil money. And thanks to you. Why? Those high prices you're paying at the pump. Alaska takes a cut of every barrel of oil that flows out of the state. And with gas prices so high, that's adding up to big bucks, $4 billion this year, so much that the state budget is expected to run a huge $1.4 billion surplus. And get this. Some of the oil money goes into a special fund, now worth $35 billion. They use the interest alone on that to send a check to every person in Alaska, $855 each last year.

With all that money, you might think Alaska wouldn't ask as much of Federal taxpayers, but you'd be wrong. Despite its own huge cash surplus, Alaska gets more per person than any other state in the nation, $12,038 Federal dollars per Alaskan in 2004. So, they profit not only from today's high gas prices, but also from the Federal treasury. In fact, remember those symbols of Washington waste, the bridges to nowhere? Alaska wanted hundreds of millions in Federal money for them, and you'll recall Congress killed them, right? Well, yes, but Congress did give Alaska a lot of money for its highways, and there's little to prevent the state from using that. Keeping them honest, we asked, why a state like this, flush with money, is still cashing in on the Federal fast buck, and we're not the only ones.

Oh, the Irony

2006-08-31T14:06:00.000-04:00

One more sign that Iraq and Afghanistan are going well, the economy is growing and, well, some people will say anything to cover their own asses.

Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) held up a bill that would create a free, searchable database of government contracts and grants because he was worried about the proposal's price tag, his spokesman told me this afternoon. Its cost has been estimated at $15 million.

This is the most transparent lie in a while. I wonder if, after he said, the reporter giggled and said, "No, seriously, why?" The Surgeon General has warned that thinking about Ted Stevens complaining about a price tag for a government program too long will in fact make your head explode. It's a first-of-its-kind in science, but this is extraordinary bullshit from this guy.

Bush Team Getting Desperate/Crazy

2006-08-31T09:54:00.000-04:00

In a desperate effort to gain support for their failures, the Bush Administration have ramped up the asinine rhetoric.

President Bush and his surrogates are launching a new campaign intended to rebuild support for the war in Iraq by accusing the opposition of aiming to appease terrorists and cut off funding for troops on the battlefield, charges that many Democrats say distort their stated positions.

With an appearance before the American Legion in Salt Lake City today, Bush will begin a series of speeches over 20 days centered on the fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. But he and his top lieutenants have foreshadowed in recent days the thrust of the effort to put Democrats on the defensive with rhetoric that has further inflamed an already emotional debate.

Bush suggested last week that Democrats are promising voters to block additional money for continuing the war. Vice President Cheney this week said critics "claim retreat from Iraq would satisfy the appetite of the terrorists and get them to leave us alone." And Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, citing passivity toward Nazi Germany before World War II, said that "many have still not learned history's lessons" and "believe that somehow vicious extremists can be appeased."

Pressed to support these allegations, the White House yesterday could cite no major Democrat who has proposed cutting off funds or suggested that withdrawing from Iraq would persuade terrorists to leave Americans alone. But White House and Republican officials said those are logical interpretations of the most common Democratic position favoring a timetable for withdrawing troops from Iraq.

Of course they have no proof to back up their idiotic claims. But hey, since when do you need that? Bush and his cronies have no way to defend their record, so once again they go out and slander and distort others'.
File this under "Uniter, not a Divider."

A Tribute to Rob Corddry

2006-08-30T13:08:00.000-04:00

Since it appears Rob Corddry has left "The Daily Show", I thought I would post two of my favorite pieces he did. Unfortunately, I can't find the second, so I'm stuck with one of them. Corddry was the best correspondent on the show since at least Stephen Colbert left, and possibly before then. Maybe ever.
The first piece is hilarious all the way through. But even if it had been mediocre, it would have risen to genius just because of what he does at the end.

The second clip is Rob's tribute to himself.

Tomlinson Abusing Another Post

2006-08-30T10:19:00.000-04:00

Former chairman for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, has gotten himself in trouble again. Like most President Bush allies, and staunch conservatives, Tomlinson is seemingly incapable of being honest or doing anything wihtout a partisan political goal. Tomlinson is now chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, since leaving his Public Broadcasting post, which oversaw PBS and NPR.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 — State Department investigators have found that the head of the agency overseeing most government broadcasts to foreign countries has used his office to run a “horse racing operation” and that he improperly put a friend on the payroll, according to a summary of a report made public on Tuesday by a Democratic lawmaker.

The report said that the official, Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, had repeatedly used government employees to perform personal errands and that he billed the government for more days of work than the rules permit.

The summary of the report, prepared by the State Department inspector general, said the United States attorney’s office here had been given the report and decided not to conduct a criminal inquiry.

Yeah, horse races.

The State Department report noted his use of his office to oversee a stable of thoroughbreds but did not mention one specific way in which his professional responsibilities and personal interests appear to have intersected. The horses, according to track records, include Karzai, as in Hamid Karzai, and Massoud, from the late Ahmed Shah Massoud) references to Afghan leaders who have fought against the Taliban and the Russians, as well as Panjshair, the valley that was the base used by forces to overthrow the Taliban.

Tomlinson, a close ally of Karl Rove, resigned from Public Broadcasting last year after a failed attempt to remold it in the image of Fox News...literally.

Tomlinson's conviction is so strong he once suggested to the CPB board that Fox News anchor Brit Hume be invited to "talk to public broadcasting officials about how to create balanced news programming," according to a report broadcast May 20 on National Public Radio.

When I hear conservatives talk about most reporters being liberal, I always think, "Well, duh. They should be." In a Q & A with the clueless Tomlinson, NPR's Bob Garfield nailed it while discussing "Now with Bill Moyers."

Ken, aren't you confusing liberalism with journalism? The two have a lot in common - suspicion of authority, sympathy of the little guy, the instinct to reform and so on. Of course "Frontline" and "Now with Bill Moyers" will question the establishment, will question power - now matter who is in power - whichever party. That isn't ideological bias, Ken. It's journalism.

Sure to be Spun as Good News

2006-08-30T09:58:00.000-04:00

The Census Bureau reported that for the first time under the Bush Administration the nation's income rose slightly higher than the rate of inflation. The source for the rise however is not that workers have begun earning more.

The rise, however, had little to do with bigger paychecks — in fact, both men and women earned less in 2005 than 2004. Rather, census officials said, more family members were taking jobs to make ends meet, and some people made more money from investments and other sources beyond wages.

So people are actually still gaining less from the work they do, so they're getting more jobs. Bush mouthpieces will certainly spin the increase in earnings as signs their tax cuts for the wealthy are working. But the truth is right there for you to read again.

in fact, both men and women earned less in 2005 than 2004.

We're once again getting poorer under Bush.

O'Reilly Rage

2006-08-29T09:52:00.000-04:00

Crooks and Liars points us to a Countdown segment on an agitated driver being cited for speeding. He's a typical Bill O'Reilly fan and has mimicked his hero quiet well. When given a tame chiding for an honest infraction the man has neither the humility nor common sense to acknowledge his wrong. Instead, like the sexual harasser O'Reilly, launches into a childish rant filled with personal, and unoriginal, attacks.
The O'Reillification of America has begun.

Rick Santorum's Lame Ad

2006-08-29T09:34:00.000-04:00

Attack ads are nothing new. One of the more popular attack ads appears to be the "My opponent didn't show up for work..." genre. It's the theme of Rick Santorum's new ad against challenger Bob Casey for the Senate seat in Pennsylvania.

I especially like the last tidbit insinuating Casey is wasting taxpayer money. Really Rick, do you want to go there?

Ezert Corrects Dear Abby

2006-08-21T09:39:00.000-04:00

I now introduce you to what may become a regular feature here at Corrupt Outlook. I have always enjoyed reading the advice columnists. I don't enjoy it because I think their advice is so good. I actually enjoy how lame they are. Problem is, some people may actually take to heart the advice given by these great-grandmothers with no knowledge of the way the world works here in the 21st Century. So, in an effort to right those wrongs, I introduce to you Ezert Corrects Dear Abby: Vol. 1.

DEAR ABBY: I'm in my early 20s and very much in love with "John," the man of my dreams. I know what I want, and I'm on the road to achieving it. I have had my "fun," and hope one day to start a family. Granted, it may not be for another two, five or 10 years -- but hopefully sooner.

This brings me to my predicament. John has told me he's not sure he ever wants to marry. He assured me that if, one day, he decides to be married, if it's not to me, then it will be to someone just like me.

I think John is worth waiting for while he decides, but I refuse to be his girlfriend for the rest of my life. Much as I love him, it would devastate me 10 years down the road if he finally decided not to marry at all.

I don't know what to do. I live on my own with no mother to run to for advice. I have always taken your answers to heart and applied them to my own life. Your advice would be greatly appreciated. -- MINDY IN SOUTH CAROLINA

DEAR MINDY: John may be an absolute doll, but you have described someone who has made it plain he is not ready for a serious commitment. Has it occurred to you that he may be trying to keep you from getting your hopes up where he is concerned? My advice is to keep your options open, and do not sit around waiting for him to grow up and recognize what a catch YOU are.

Dear Mindy: You need to decide what is important to you, the individual or the ring. You say "John" is a great guy whom you love. Well, is keeping this great guy worth maybe never getting married? Is the government legally sanctioning your relationship so important to you, you would give up the great guy? If it is, then maybe you should wait a while to see if he decides to marry you. However, if "John" is more important to you than a marriage license from the all-knowing, all-powerful state of South Carolina, then maybe you stay together, forever maybe, without ever legally defining your relationship. It would be just like a marriage, with the initial love and partnership, eventually festering into boredoom, resentment and ultimately uncomfortable silence during "Wheel of Fortune." Doesn't that sound just like a marriage?
And I would certainly never say someone needs to "grow up" just because they don't want to be married. Yeah, I guess Britney Spears and Kevin Federline are so mature because they decided marriage was for them. And maybe you should stick with him cause he may be the best you could get, since I don't know if you are a catch or not.

Lewis Black Nails Cheney

2006-08-18T14:17:00.000-04:00

Andrew Sullivan posts a clip from Lewis Black on Dick Cheney's hunting accident. I guess we can put this along with the previous story of the country artist. Oh, does Black get him. I think I need to change my pants.

Entertain Yourself

2006-08-18T14:08:00.000-04:00

Nothing really new to write today. Been away from the computer most of the day, and will completely be away from it the rest of the day. Check the links for news. Oh, that's right. There are no links cause I'm too retarded to figure out how to put them there. I can't figure out that, trackbacks and blogroll. What can I say? It's a slightly bumpy start.

More Cold Water Thrown on Chemicals

2006-08-17T20:27:00.000-04:00

Kevin Drum points us to a Register article showing just how unlikely the UK terror plot would have been.

Now for the fun part. Take your hydrogen peroxide, acetone, and sulfuric acid, measure them very carefully, and put them into drinks bottles for convenient smuggling onto a plane. It's all right to mix the peroxide and acetone in one container, so long as it remains cool. Don't forget to bring several frozen gel-packs (preferably in a Styrofoam chiller deceptively marked "perishable foods"), a thermometer, a large beaker, a stirring rod, and a medicine dropper. You're going to need them.

It's best to fly first class and order Champagne. The bucket full of ice water, which the airline ought to supply, might possibly be adequate - especially if you have those cold gel-packs handy to supplement the ice, and the Styrofoam chiller handy for insulation - to get you through the cookery without starting a fire in the lavvie.

Once the plane is over the ocean, very discreetly bring all of your gear into the toilet. You might need to make several trips to avoid drawing attention. Once your kit is in place, put a beaker containing the peroxide / acetone mixture into the ice water bath (Champagne bucket), and start adding the acid, drop by drop, while stirring constantly. Watch the reaction temperature carefully. The mixture will heat, and if it gets too hot, you'll end up with a weak explosive. In fact, if it gets really hot, you'll get a premature explosion possibly sufficient to kill you, but probably no one else.

After a few hours - assuming, by some miracle, that the fumes haven't overcome you or alerted passengers or the flight crew to your activities - you'll have a quantity of TATP with which to carry out your mission. Now all you need to do is dry it for an hour or two.

I'll say it again. Shame on me for ever even buying any of this.

Woman Arrested at W.V. Airport

2006-08-17T17:16:00.000-04:00

CEREDO, West Virginia (AP) -- A West Virginia airport terminal was evacuated Thursday after two bottles of liquid found in a woman's carry-on luggage twice tested positive for explosives, a Transportation Security Administration spokeswoman said.

"The bomb squad is on site and the woman is being interviewed by the FBI," Amy von Walter said.

A machine security checkpoint screeners use to test for explosives registered positive, and a canine team also got a positive hit, von Walter said.

As with anything like this, proceed with extreme caution. When one of the positive tests was from a canine, well, let's just say it's going to take more to convince.
One right-wing blog I saw was overjoyed of the news. To them it appears to somehow be proof the UK scare was legit.

First Football Post

2006-08-17T13:53:00.000-04:00

As I said, I will post about some other things besides current events, on occasion. One of those things is football. My favorite team is none other than 2005 Super Bowl Champions, Pittsburgh Steelers. For those who may have missed it. The Steelers and head coach Bill Cowher are no longer working on a contract extension. Hopefully Cowher will still be running the team in 2007, but this adds fuel to speculation he's gonna retire.

Also, this is a bummer. Since Pittsburgh has the opening game, due to the aforementioned Super Bowl, I was hoping for a decent show from the NFL. It looks like I am to be disappointed.

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs will headline the NFL Opening Kickoff concert on South Beach Sept. 7, just before the league's regular season begins that night when the Miami Dolphins visit the reigning Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers.

Diddy, a three-time Grammy winner, will be joined by Cassie, Tego Calderon, DJ Riz and others during the event, which formally opens the NFL's "One Game. One Dream." program that will run through Super Bowl XLI in Miami on Feb. 4.

Portions of the concert will air on NBC's "NFL Opening Kickoff 2006" special leading into the Dolphins-Steelers game that night. That show will also air performances from Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, where Rascal Flatts will perform and Martina McBride will sing the national anthem.

Blech.

First Shot Against Warantless Spying

2006-08-17T13:30:00.000-04:00

DETROIT (AP) -- A federal judge ruled Thursday that the government's warrantless wiretapping program is unconstitutional and ordered an immediate halt to it.

U.S. District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor in Detroit became the first judge to strike down the National Security Agency's program, which she says violates the rights to free speech and privacy as well as the separation of powers enshrined in the Constitution.

''Plaintiffs have prevailed, and the public interest is clear, in this matter. It is the upholding of our Constitution,'' Taylor wrote in her 43-page opinion.

Cue the right-wing pundits and politicians. Here's a challenge. Count up the times the phrase "activist judge" is used by them. The number will probably reach so high it will make Will Hunting's head spin.

Of course, for a Bush Administration unconcerned with pesky little things like laws, judges, Congress or the Constitution, I'm sure the program will go unabated.

For those who find things like this important, she is a President Carter appointee.

A Member of the Dick Cheney Hunting Club

2006-08-17T10:09:00.000-04:00

DULUTH, Minnesota (AP) -- Troy Lee Gentry, of the country singing duo Montgomery Gentry, has been accused of killing a tame black bear that federal officials say he tagged as killed in the wild.

Gentry, 39, of Franklin, Tennessee, and Lee Marvin Greenly, 46, of Sandstone, appeared Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Raymond Erickson in connection with a sealed indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Minneapolis.

Authorities allege that Gentry purchased the bear from Greenly, a wildlife photographer and hunting guide, then killed it with a bow and arrow in an enclosed pen on Greenly's property in October 2004.

Okay. First off I want to say I'm always an "innocent until prove guilty" kind of guy. Maybe he didn't do this. However, fuck him if he did. This is sick. This, like what Cheney was doing when he shot that lawyer, is not hunting. It's just killing an animal for fun. I grew up around a lot of hunters. So I know it's about the skill of going into the woods, finding the animal and shooting it. We can argue all the other stuff is just a smokescreen to make it look competitive just to have the fun of killing, but I don't believe that. I'm sure it's true for some. But others truly enjoy the challenge. If your idea of fun is shooting a trapped animal, without any of the "sport" thrown in, then you are no better than sadistic kids who will kill dogs and cats in their neighborhood. No better.

I guess I also wanted to post this because I hate all this contemporary country music so much I get a little joy when one of their heroes gets exposed for the sadistic pussy he may be. Johnny Cash is an icon. It's a shame crap like this and Toby Keith carry the torch for the great music he made.

Another New Blogger

2006-08-16T21:44:00.000-04:00

It turns out I'm not the only person getting into the blogging game.

Sullivan Asks Questions

2006-08-16T20:41:00.000-04:00

Andrew Sullivan has pointed out a couple of the things I did in an earlier post. And he has some more info. He quotes former UK ambassador to Uzbeklistan, Craig Murray:

None of the alleged terrorists had made a bomb. None had bought a plane ticket. Many did not even have passports, which given the efficiency of the UK Passport Agency would mean they couldn't be a plane bomber for quite some time.

In the absence of bombs and airline tickets, and in many cases passports, it could be pretty difficult to convince a jury beyond reasonable doubt that individuals intended to go through with suicide bombings, whatever rash stuff they may have bragged in internet chat rooms.

What is more, many of those arrested had been under surveillance for over a year - like thousands of other British Muslims. And not just Muslims. Like me. Nothing from that surveillance had indicated the need for early arrests.

Then an interrogation in Pakistan revealed the details of this amazing plot to blow up multiple planes - which, rather extraordinarily, had not turned up in a year of surveillance. Of course, the interrogators of the Pakistani dictator have their ways of making people sing like canaries. As I witnessed in Uzbekistan, you can get the most extraordinary information this way. Trouble is it always tends to give the interrogators all they might want, and more, in a desperate effort to stop or avert torture. What it doesn't give is the truth.

It's looking more and more fishy. Once again the Bush Administration pushes politics and its attempts to inflate its own pathetic poll numbers above the safety of the country.

Murtha's Challenger

2006-08-16T15:41:00.000-04:00

I couldn't find one single poll for Democratic congressman John Murtha's re-election. Murtha's Republican challenger is Diana Irey, a Washington County Commissioner. I don't know where she's polling, but she's way, way behind in campaign cash.

Not much attention has been given Irey, which is obviously bad for her. But if this actually turned into a race, Irey might then have to answer some questions about her husband's business dealings in Iraq. According to an Associated Press article, Diana's husband, Bob, partnered up with an old school buddy named Dale Stoffel to make money in Iraq.

Stoffel's company, Wye Oak Technology, had a hard-to-get federal license allowing him to import weapons. His former schoolmate Robert Irey, head of a Canonsburg, Pa.-based firm called CLI Corp., had years of construction experience.

Together, according to the plan, the international arms dealer and the small-town engineering company would get Iraqi military contracts and make lots of money.

Robert's brother, Bill, who did construction work for Disney World in Florida, also signed on, which was how Joe Wemple entered the picture. "I knew Joe from Disney," said Bill Irey. "He was the project manager for Shades of Green, the Army resort" near the amusement park.

All parties agreed that much of the money earned in Iraq would go to Stoffel, according to Irey. Stoffel had the weapons knowledge and he had made the contacts, including hiring a lobbying firm that also represented Chalabi's exiled Iraq National Congress.

So, Bob's buddy, Dale Stoffel, was going to Iraq to take old Iraqi weapons, refurbish them, and sell them back to Iraq. He got the $300 million contract. Things went well, except for one hitch, they weren't getting paid. So, Stoffel hired lobbyists who previously worked for Iraqi National Congress head Ahmed Chalabi. Chalabi is of course the man who fed our too-willing Bush Administration the bullshit intelligence used to start the Iraq invasion. Stoffel also met with reps. from Senator Rick Santorum's office. Santorum contacted Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. So, things got better, right? Nope. Upon returning to Iraq, Stoffel was shot dead.

Bob is still trying to collect more than $2 million he claims he is owed for work done. Of course, if the United States pulls out of Iraq, Bob and Diana could forget ever seeing that money. I hate to be a cynic, but is that possibly in the back of her mind when she says things like;

I am standing up to Jack Murtha. And I'm doing it for all of the citizens and all of our soldiers throughout the United States.

she might be thinking about her money? I know, it's only $2 million. I'm sure she has no problem just blowing that off.

What a Coincidence

2006-08-16T15:08:00.000-04:00

So while I was editing my previous posts today, and adding more, I was wondering why the edits and new posts weren't showing up. Being new to this I figured there was certainly some simple mistake I was making. Turns out it wasn't my fault at all. I strolled over to one of my favorite blogs, Eschaton, and low and behold found the answer.

Blogspot seems to be having problems with Firefox and not dishing up new content when you reload the page. I don't know why this happens, but when it does you can hit ctrl-reload a couple of times to get a real reload. Tell your friends...

So, it wasn't my fault at all. And of all the days for him to notice and/or post that.

Jurassic 5 and Dave Matthews

2006-08-16T14:47:00.000-04:00

Jurassic 5 has a new song called "Work it Out" featuring my man Dave Matthews. It's a really good song, and the video is hilarious. Check it out. Work it out.

No Urgent Terror in London?

2006-08-16T14:28:00.000-04:00

If you're like me, and few are, when you first heard of the terror busts in the UK earlier this month you were skeptical. Following the oh-so-scary plots to bomb the Sears Tower and Holland Tunnel, by people with no explosives, knowledge of the locations, plans or a clue, I tend to get skeptical. After a while it appeared I was wrong, and it was the real deal. Now new information is coming that is casting doubt on my second thoughts.

LONDON - NBC News has learned that U.S. and British authorities had a significant disagreement over when to move in on the suspects in the alleged plot to bring down trans-Atlantic airliners bound for the United States.
British officials knowledgeable about the case said British police were planning to continue to run surveillance for at least another week to try to obtain more evidence, while American officials pressured them to arrest the suspects sooner. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the case.
In contrast to previous reports, one senior British official suggested an attack was not imminent, saying the suspects had not yet purchased any airline tickets. In fact, some did not even have passports.

So, my initial thoughts may have been correct. This may very well have been a ploy, following the Lieberman loss, to get everyone very afraid, and to make candidates like Ned Lamont look a little less desireable.

Introduction

2006-08-16T13:38:00.000-04:00

And for my third post I thought I might introduce myself...but not really. I think for a little I will remain anonymous, ala old school Atrios. I don't have some great reason for that. I just prefer it this way. So, there's that. I will say I'm male and in my 30's. If anyone ever continues to read this blog, or starts to for that matter, they will certainly be able to piece together more facts, I just will not out-and-out reveal them at this time.

This will be mostly a political blog, with some movies and sports thrown into the mix. Politically I am a liberal independant. Essentially, I think the Democratic Party is too moderate. Joe Lieberman can suck it if he disagrees. I voted for Nader in 2000. Lieberman can suck that too. Don't bitch at me, Gore won my state anyway. Okay, there's another one of those facts. You can narrow down the list of states in which I live.

I'm pro-choice, anti-war, pro-enviromentalism, pro-worker, anti-government, anti-corporation. You could probably just read the lyrics to any Rage Against the Machine song to get a good idea.
I don't know what, if any, theme this blog may take. I guess I'm in favor of throwing out the rules and doing what I want. We don't get enough of that in this world. And since this is my blog, I'm going to take advantage of that.

V For Vendetta

2006-08-16T09:58:00.000-04:00

Okay, I watched V for Vendetta last night. I enjoyed it. I'm surprised more of the right wing didn't get up in arms about it. The "hero" is an anti-government "terrorist." Ann Coulter has certainly leveled more asinine criticisms toward Hollywood than what she could come up with for this film. Don't believe me? She's a crazy person.

I Coulda Cried

2006-08-15T21:20:00.000-04:00

I was at the Hollywood Video store (not advertising, just revealing all pertinent information) and saw something very disturbing. One of their big shelves, approximately 7-feet-tall and 3-feet-wide, stacked with copies of Larry the Cable Guy's cinematic offering Health Inspector was empty. Even though it was "guarenteed in stock" there wasn't one copy. I'm not saying this cause I wanted to see it. In fact I'm relieved it wasn't there in case I suffered some schizophrenic episode (even though the voices told me I don't have schizophrenia) and rented it. I just wanted to go and have a cry and weep for culture.

I rented V for Vendetta, though I haven't watched it yet.