You Can't Explain That

Bill O'Reilly's bizarre rant has become a meme. Here's my contribution.

From the Annals of Local News

In my hometown, a lawyer is charged with misconduct - again - for having sexual relations with a client.

A complaint filed by the Office of Disciplinary Counsel on Jan. 12 alleges that Solomon Neuhardt violated the rules of conduct for lawyers by having a sexual relationship with a client in 2008 and 2009.

Neuhardt denies the allegations in the recent complaint.

Neuhardt's license to practice law in Montana was suspended for four months in October 2007 after he was found to have had a sexual relationship with a client in 2005.

Pretty typically fare, really - people behaving stupidly. If I were the lawyer, however, I'm not sure I'd be saying this in my defense in a case like this.

[Neuhardt] said he has a “legion of satisfied current and former customers.”

Yep, I'm sure he could have phrased that more appropriately.

Galileo Was So Wrong!

The great thing about teh GoogleTubes is that it allows crazies to easily find each other.

Galileo Was Wrong: The Church Was Right is one of the most unique and penetrating books you will ever read. Now complete in Volumes I and II, authors Robert Sungenis and Robert Bennett take you on a tour of science and history the likes of which you would have never believed possible unless it were told to you in detailed and graphic form. Has modern science led us down the primrose path and convinced us of something that they cannot prove and that is in actuality false? Were the Fathers, the Medievals, our popes and cardinals of the 17th century correct in believing that the Earth, based on a face value reading of Scripture, was standing still in the center of the universe? Come with an open mind and allow these two authors to show you facts and figures that have been hidden from the public for a very long time. This is a page turner that you will find hard to put down, once you get riveted by the astounding material these authors have assembled for you. Prepare yourself, however. Your world will be rocked, literally and figuratively. Not only will you see from Volume I how modern science has documented for us in bold fashion that the Earth is motionless in space and occupies the center of the universe (yet have done an equally remarkable job in keeping these important facts out of our educational system), you will now see in Volume II how deeply the popes of the 17th century were involved in condemning heliocentrism, guiding the process step-by-step and finally castigating it as "formally heretical." You will also see how effusive is the data in Scripture that teaches a geocentric universe in the most detailed exegesis of Holy Writ ever presented to the public on this topic. Lastly, Volume II offers detailed and comprehensive documentation of the consensus of the Church Fathers and Medieval theologians on geocentrism. It also covers all the statements and teachings of modern popes and councils, such as Gregory XVI, Benedict XIV, Pius VII, Leo XIII, Benedict XV, The Council of Trent, Vatican I, Vatican II, and a special section on John Paul II in his re-examination of the Galileo case. These are facts and analyses that every Catholic should avail himself. The most important thing you will receive from this astounding study is a very close relationship with God. For once you see that God, his Church, and Holy Scripture have given us the unadulterated truth, proven by modern science itself, you will have no choice but to put yourself completely in His trust and care for everything else in your life.

And here I thought I was the center of the universe. Maybe I need to write a book to prove it.

Check Out the Big Brain on Philly

The city of Philadelphia wants bloggers to start purchasing a $300 business license whether or not they make money because they "could" make money. In the annals of stupid ideas...

Blame It on the Sunspots

I mentioned it previously, but I'll harp on it again because I think it is important. We all suffer when one political party is more interested in running cranks for office than intelligent, credible people. I mean, how are we supposed to tackle climate change and its numerous, complex ramifications when the GOP wants to put forward candidates blaming it on sunspots?!

The Muslim Community Center Near Ground Zero

Because human beings were involved in the 9/11 terrorism acts that brought down the World Trade Center, I think it would be terribly insensitive for any humans to build anything near Ground Zero. We need to think about the victims here, you know. Yes, yes, I understand that human beings were also killed that day; but I think you're just dodging the real issue. Dirty, scumbag humans were behind the plot therefore no humans must be allowed to build there.

It's just that simple.

GOP Not Interested in Governing

Check out this bizarre segment on Anderson Cooper in which Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Tex) just makes stuff up.



Crap like this is actively harmful to our country. When you have one party (out of two) more interested in fear mongering, lying, and just generally saying whatever they think they need to say in order to return to power (see ACORN, the Muslim community center near Ground Zero, the Black Panthers, healthcare reform, and so on) then effective governance is virtually impossible. While I may typically lean liberal on many issues, I still think that a credible, (at least somewhat) intelligent opposition party is crucial for making government run better. Ideas, any ideas in any field, are honed and tempered in the fires of opposition. An opposition party should be saying, "Why not try X, rather than your Y?" And X isn't stupid stuff like repealing the 14th Amendment. It's a genuine, legitimate different approach to whatever problem is being addressed. In this way, genuine compromises can be achieved or at least the legislation can be changed to make it even better. I don't think that any one political party has a monopoly on the right answers. I firmly support vigorous political debate; it's healthy. But both sides need to have some integrity and intellectual honesty. Without it, debate is pointless.

So, what is it going to take for Republicans to grow up?

The Politics of Fear

Speaking of demagogues manipulating people through fear (and hyperbole).



Ben Quayle is scum.

UPDATE: Okay, maybe Ben Quayle isn't so bad. I mean, his horrible ad did produce this awesome parody.

Politics is Not or Rather Should Not Be a Zero-Sum Game

The problem with the current state of politics is that politicians treat it as a zero-sum game. We are at a point where if one party says they support daytime, the other denounces daytime as the first step to socialism/fascism/armageddon/whatever. Honest debate is no longer accepted. Now I don't think that politicians of yesteryear were pinnacles of upstanding morals always looking out for the best interests of the country. However, I do think that there was less of an inclination to automatically oppose the views of the other party no matter what they were. There were more instances of pols working together or at least not saying, "Your idea is bad because you are in the opposing party" in a knee-jerk fashion.

How else can one explain much of the furor over Obama's speech to school children? We have people like Jim Greer, GOP chairman in Florida, throwing a fit over it, accusing the President of playing politics with kids. Guess what Greer has done in the past, though? Well, he's gone to schools to talk to kids and made jokes about Hillary Clinton. He also tell people that he has a simple explanation for kids on the differences between the two major parties.

"Republicans get up and go to work," he would tell his son. "Democrats get up and go down to the mailbox to get their checks."

That he has done this and can now turn around and claim the President of trying to "indoctrinate America's children to his socialist agenda" is a clear example of "if I do it then it's good, but if they do it it's evil."

Politics should not be like this. It only hurts our nation.

Ah, the News Media

Watch and be amazed at how stunningly stupid our news programs can make us.

This is an example of why I rarely get my news from the TV anymore. It's easier to find more reliable voices on the internet. Really.

Obama Sees the Light

I completely understand the President's change of heart, though I came to realize this many years ago.


Obama Drastically Scales Back Goals For America After Visiting Denny's

Birthers and One More Reason I Could Never Be a Politician

This video has been making the rounds lately.



Watching this amazes me on a certain level. I mean, I'm a pessimistic guy but I try (really!) to give people the benefit of the doubt. Then I see something like this and I think, "Yeah, humanity has barely more gray matter than an amoeba." What seals it is not the lady with her crazy rant. One or two loons in a crowd is to be expected. It's the mob applauding and cheering what she's saying.

This is just one reason I could never be a politician. I could not calmly stand there and be respectful toward this woman. No, I would be saying something like, "Look, lady, the fact of the matter is that you're crazy. And retarded. There's just no dancing around the issue. I hope you are not voting for me because I would consider myself a failure were I to secure votes from people as stupid as you."

Clearly, Mr. Castle is uncomfortable here. I feel for him. Up to a point. Republicans have not done near enough to quash this ridiculous rumor and so now have to sleep in the bed they've made. Of course, the media has been just as complicit. Witness Lou Dobbs raising the specter of "Obama Might Not Be an American" when the story was debunked on his own show three days previous.

Michael Steele is Not Very Bright

Really, is he the best person to head the Republican Party. His latest brilliant idea is to cast gay marriage as a fiscal burden on society.

Republicans can reach a broader base by recasting gay marriage as an issue that could dent pocketbooks as small businesses spend more on health care and other benefits, GOP Chairman Michael Steele said Saturday.

Steele said that was just an example of how the party can retool its message to appeal to young voters and minorities without sacrificing core conservative principles. Steele said he used the argument weeks ago while chatting on a flight with a college student who described herself as fiscally conservative but socially liberal on issues like gay marriage.

What a dumbass. How does even sound plausible to anyone? I support gay marriage, but for those that don't, there are certainly much better arguments to make than this one. Are there any intelligent Republicans left?

Kim Kardashian is a Role Model

In the "You Can't Make This Shit Up" category, Sean Hannity calls Kim Kardashian a role model for young girls. Shhh....hear that? Yeah, that's just the crickets chirping. I guess for all of the girls out there that want to be famous for being famous, "accidentally" release a sex tape, or pose for Playboy; then, yeah, she's a great role model. Of course, Hannity also equates liberals with terrorists, has no problems with torture, and brings anti-Semites on his show to smear Obama.

And to think this guy has an audience. That the bar is so low for success should give every American hope.

John Boehner Demonstrates Why Republicans Are Unpopular

The rank ignorance here is just appalling. Who's saying carbon dioxide is a carcinogen? No one! Well, no one except desperate Republicans still unable to figure out they lost in 2006 and 2008. This is a party that continues to look backward and to cling to the past. Until they come to grips with reality and decide to take an honest look at themselves and where they want to go, they will continue to lose. And deservedly so. It would be better for everyone if we had at least two viable political parties, but the current iteration of the GOP just does not measure up. How long will it take them to regroup?

"They feel very guilty."

Oh, no doubt they do.

"Hey, honey, Adam's missing."

"Really? Oh, he'll turn up anytime now."

"Yeah, you're probably right. Kids are tough. He'll be fine."

Ten years later.

"Hey, honey, you realize Adam's still missing?"

"Is he? Hmmm...what do you think we should do about it?"

"Well, gee, I don't know. I don't think we need to do anything. He'll be fine."

"Yeah, you're right."

Wow. What do you even say about something like this? What sort of parents don't report their child missing, even if he or she is an adopted child? It's just sick.

Shut Up!

I hate people who talk during movies as much as the next guy, so on a certain level I do sympathize with this guy.

A man angry that a family was talking during a movie threw popcorn at the son and then shot the father in the arm, according to police in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

I think the best bit is definitely the throwing of popcorn at the kid. From that to shooting the dad. That is some serious escalation of force.

"Those bastards won't shut up. Maybe if I throw popcorn, that'll shut 'em up."

Throws popcorn.

"Damn it. That didn't work. I guess I'm just gonna have to shoot Pops. In the arm, of course. Wouldn't want to hurt him too badly. Just enough to tell him to shut the hell up."

Proceeds to shoot dad in arm.

Ha! That'll learn him, he thinks too himself. "Oh, quit yer cryin'! It's only a flesh wound."

Returns to movie. A few minutes pass.

"Oh, hullo officer. What's the problem?"

It Gets Better and Better

The more we learn about Sarah Palin, the more appalling her selection as McCain's running mate becomes.



Words fail.

Hat Tip: Sullivan

Racism in America, Cont.

It is perhaps foolhardy to wonder about the thought process behind something like this, but I can't help myself. Does this guy think that somebody seeing Obama hung in effigy is going to stop and say to themselves, "You know, I was going to vote for Obama, but seeing his effigy hanging there, I have come to realize the error of my ways. How could I be foolish enough to want to vote for a black man when we should be hanging them from trees."



Of course there is no logic in things like this. More likely this guy is just an attention whore.

Racism in America

Because we nominated a black person for President and he will in all likelihood win, that means racism is dead in America, right? We can all hold hands and sing Kum-Bah-Yah.

Right?

Or not.

Sigh.

H/T: Ta-Nehisi Coates