Business as Usual

You know, it's bad enough when you try pay for your
merchandise these days and you have to undergo an
interrogation worthy of Homeland Security. Do you
want to sign up for a rewards card, do you want
to spend twenty five cents more and get a super
duper giant donut, etc. etc. etc.

But today I was at Borders and they're asking me
if I want to buy a pound of coffee for the troops.

This aggravated me in two ways..number one, I'm
sick of corporations using our soldiers and sailors
as just another prop in their never ending
effort to suck every last dime out of our
pockets.

In addition, we American taxpayers have spent nearly
a trillion dollars on the military since 2001. Are
you trying tell me they can't afford coffee?

How About a Little Honesty and Leadership?

There are a couple of issues being discussed right
now that kind of drive me crazy.

One is the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. Some of the
military folks are stalling on it, claiming more
studies need to be done, more questions need to be
asked, more input needs to be receieved...

Generals and admirals, let me save you save a great deal of time, money and energy. A lot of
the troops will never say they want the policy changed.
Just like most white soldiers didn't want to serve with black soldiers forty or fifty years ago.

You change the policy and you will be amazed how
quickly everybody stops worrying about the sexual
preference issue. Tens of thousands of patriotic gay men and women are already serving in our
armed forces. All they're asking for is the
opportunity to do it without fear of persecution.

Other countries have made the change and it's worked
out just fine. It's time for us grow up.

The other issue is the new Arizona law we've all
heard so much about. I actually understand the
frustration the people in that area feel and
sympathize. Something has to change.

But PLEASE stop trying to tell the rest of us
there will be no racial profiling. We all know
Latinos are the people having to show their
documents to the cops.

They won't be pulling over white people who
might have snuck in from Canada or Asians who they suspect of having swum here from Thailand.

Justified

My wife and I have really been enjoying the new FX show
"Justified". It's about a U.S. Marshal with a quick wit
and an equally quick draw. It's basically like a good
Western set in modern-day Kentucky.

YouTube - Justfied Promo #3 - Hero

I Hate Big Government (and I sure wish it would do more for us)

E.J.Dionne on the Republicans trying to have it both ways...

E.J. Dionne Jr. - Gulf oil spill offers a lesson in capitalism vs. socialism

Like An Invading Army of Oil

Bob Herbert on the lives the Gulf oil situation is destroying...

Op-Ed Columnist - More Than Just an Oil Spill - NYTimes.com

The Great God Business

Rand Paul wasn't satisfied with the amount of trouble he made
for himself yesterday so he today he truly proved his stupidity.

The Tea Party favorite, in an interview with ABC's "Good Morning America" on Friday morning, accused the Obama administration of being too tough on BP -- the oil company directly responsible for the massive spill in the Gulf.

"What I don't like from the president's administration is this sort of 'I'll put my boot heel on the throat of BP.' I think that sounds really un-American in his criticism of business," he said. "I've heard nothing from BP about not paying for the spill. And I think it's part of this sort of blame game society in the sense that it's always got to be someone's fault instead of the fact that sometimes accidents happen."

Yes, let's all bow down and completely obey our corporate
masters. If the great god Business wants things to be a
certain way we must obey!!!

"Take Our Country Back" to 1857

Here's a piece on Rand Paul, old Ron's crazy son...

Rand Paul’s Dilemma: Theory Vs. Practice - Swampland - TIME.com

Crisis Equals Opportunity For Change

Tom Friedman on why he's disappointed about how the
president has handled the BP oil mess...

Op-Ed Columnist - Obama and the Oil Spill - NYTimes.com

Sleepy Eyes of Death

This Seattle group is my current musical obsession. Their
songs cover the electronic spectrum, sometimes sounding
current and sometimes like something off an album you'd
hear in the late 70's or early 80's...great adventurous
stuff.

YouTube - Sleepy Eyes of Death - Final Heart Beats Black

Well, At Least Most of the NRA Membership Seem To Have Some Common Sense

Here's a piece on the NRA's belief that you can be on the government's terrorist watchlist and still be able to buy firearms...

Think Progress » NRA Members Disagree With NRA Leadership: Those On Terrorist Watch List Should Not Be Able To Buy Firearms

Everyone's a Nazi Except Glenn Beck

Lewis Black on Glenn Beck's Nazi obsession:

Comedy Central Official Site - Your Source for Comedians, Funny Video, TV Shows, Games, Jokes, & Ringtones | Comedy Central

Imagine if the Tea Party Was Black

Thanks to our buddy Snave for sending me this
thought-provoking piece:

Ephphatha Poetry: "Imagine if the Tea Party Was Black" - Tim Wise

MGMT performing "Brian Eno" on SNL

Hulu - Saturday Night Live: MGMT: "Brian Eno"

A Catastrophe That Could Have Been Prevented

Here's more information (from the Mother Jones website) regarding
the choices BP made and the shortsighted stupidity of
the Bush administration:


Among the top concerns brought to light in recent days: The Deepwater rig lacked a remote-control shut-off switch, a back-up system that would close the well even if the rig above was destroyed. Countries like Norway and Brazil require these precautions to avert catastrophe, but in the US the technology is voluntary. This is thanks to a 2003 decision by the Bush administration's Minerals Management Service (MMS), which considered mandating them but decided against it under pressure from oil companies, including BP.

The oil companies complained that the $500,000 devices were too expensive. Keep in mind the Deepwater was a $560 million rig. And rather than investing half a million in the safety device that might have prevented this disaster, the company is now spending $6 million a day in clean up costs. And the economic ramifications go far beyond BP; the spill is on a path to destroy fragile coastal ecosystems and the seafood and tourism industries of at least three states, and has required an untold amount of federal, state, and local government resources.

Unusual People

Bill Maher talks about modern day freaks:


YouTube - Bill Maher: Modern Day Freaks

Spill, Baby, Spill

When I hear conservatives say they want to "stop regulations on EVERYTHING we do" it makes me stop and think about
the terrible tragedy currently taking place in the Gulf
of Mexico.

Even if for some strange reason you hate the wildlife and scenery
down there you should at least sympathize with the plight
of the small business people this human-caused catastrophe
is wiping out.

Can you imagine how much worse things would be if oil
companies didn't have to worry about ANY government
regulations?