How much lower can the right possibly go!?

Disgusting (but typical): Think Progress » Right-Wing Attacks American Evacuees: ‘Ingrates,’ ‘Whining,’ ‘Spoiled-Rotten Little Children’

Is the whole country for sale?

Foreign Companies Buy U.S. Roads, Bridges

Roads and bridges built by U.S. taxpayers are starting to be sold off, and so far foreign-owned companies are doing the buying.

On a single day in June, an Australian-Spanish partnership paid $3.8 billion to lease the Indiana Toll Road. An Australian company bought a 99-year lease on Virginia's Pocahontas Parkway, and Texas officials decided to let a Spanish-American partnership build and run a toll road from Austin to Seguin for 50 years.

Few people know that the tolls from the U.S. side of the tunnel between Detroit and Windsor, Canada, go to a subsidiary of an Australian company -- which also owns a bridge in Alabama.

Yup, the global economy begins at home. What did you think that toll money went to pay for the road maintenance?

Off the Path

Okay, you want to really get away from it all?

Well, visit this site and you can become part of a tribe on a tropical island.

Or, visit this site to consider the frosty alternative in the Alaskan wilderness.

Don't forget to bring your laptop 8^)

Bush=Asshole (Again)

Everywhere I have ever worked, this would be considered sexual harrassment.

What in the farthest reaches of hell is wrong with the complete idiot who the neocons installed as President of the United States?!

Picked From Usenet Newsgroups I: UPDATE

See Update at bottom of post

I've saved a crapload of stuff from Usenet meanderings, so I'm gonna start cleaning out my "save" folder and sharing it with you!

Here we go, kicking off with a statement by Rush Limbaugh from 1988:

"And now the liberals want to stop President Reagan from selling chemical warfare agents and military equipment to Saddam Hussein, and why? Because Saddam 'allegedly' gassed a few Kurds in his own country. Mark my words. All of this talk of Saddam Hussein being a 'war criminal' or 'committing crimes against humanity' is the same old thing. LIBERAL HATE SPEECH! And speaking of poison gas... I SAY WE ROUND UP ALL THE DRUG ADDICTS AND GAS THEM." - Rush Limbaugh, Nov. 3, 1988

Okay, it was pointed out that this quote was false, so I want to retract it now - let no one say that we propogate disinformation like the right-wing propaganda slime generators who support the Bush regime. Here is the site which describes the true source of the quote.

Now, just so no one is disapointed (too much), here are some various RL quotes. It's actually not too easy to find quotes from the 80's, but I will keep an eye out for them. I remember hearing him in the 80's, when the Reagan-Bush administration was giving (our tax) money and WMD's to Saddam Hussein, and I'm sure RL supported that wholeheartedly.

The Doctor Is In

Newsflash, Truthseekers: If you really want the straight dope, the real deal, the raw cookie dough, or at the very least the world's cheapest psych consult, check out The Doctor Is In.

Personally, I'm waiting for someone to ask, "Do these pants make me look fat?"

Oh, God(s)

Are you fed up with the same old do-nothing, ineffectual deity? Do your prayers go in one divine ear and out the other? Are you sick to death of saying "Goddamnit!" and nothing happens? Well, you have the power of the consumer on your side, brothers and sisters.

That's right... shop around! Go to Godchecker.com - Your Guide To The Gods, and look for an alternative to the guy who looks suspiciously like Santa Claus. It's a great big universe out there, and humans have had... well, all of history to make up God after God after God...

So, what the hell? Try on a new God this weekend... it's about damned time.

Picked From Usenet Newsgroups III

This is old news, but the consistent thing about right-wing politics is that it remains infuriating long after it has been ignored or forgotten by the mainstream press:

A White House document shows that executives from big oil companies met with Vice President Cheney's energy task force in 2001... officials from Exxon Mobil Corp., Conoco (before its merger with Phillips), Shell Oil Co. and BP America Inc. met in the White House complex with the Cheney aides who were developing a national energy policy, parts of which became law and parts of which are still being debated. "Have you ever read the 2005 energy bill? It's a hoot. It's very clearly indefensible. It was another one of those non-stories that should have been public outrage."

There's a link, too... unfortunately.

Say it ain't so!

I know that all good things must pass, but I'll hate to see You Tube go.

Picked From Usenet Newsgroups II

Found on alt.impeach.bush:

"The reason Conservatives are so angry now is that they have failed and they know it. Six years of total control of government and what have they achieved?

"Abortion is still legal, school prayers are still banned, creationism is still banned, not a single federal agency has been abolished, not a single gun control law has been repealed, none of them even mention balanced budgets any more, their Crusade in Iraq has turned into an unpopular and expensive quagmire, their most recent attempts to amend the Constitution were ridiculous failures, and even Bush doesn't talk about Social Security Reform anymore.

"Their day in the sun came and went, and they have nothing to show for it but mountains of debt and the contempt of the world."

Reprinted from Last Year: "Happy" 4th of July

July 4, 1776

...that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. --
That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --
That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it...

A Breath of Fresh Air for the 4th of July

It appears that the thrill is gone for many followers of rightwing media lies, propaganda, and hatespeak:

"An odd thing seems to have happened to mighty right-wing talking head media juggernaut. They are still talking, but fewer people seem to be listening -- at least on the Internet."

Right on! My faith in humanity might, I say might, be restored, if more sheeple begin to see the light and realize what a gargantuan load of dinosaur poo-poo they've been ingesting from the rightard media.

Also encouraging is the news that the Giggling Murder Monkey's approval ratings continue to plummet. Maybe there's hope that some people can wake up and smell the !@@#% coffee.

"Outside the Box"

With a tip o' the cap to my anarchist friend up north:

Is anyone familiar with these people? I think it's very interesting.

What is a Freegan? Freegans are people who employ alternative strategies for living based on limited participation in the conventional economy and minimal consumption of resources. Freegans embrace community, generosity, social concern, freedom, cooperation, and sharing in opposition to a society based on materialism, moral apathy, competition, conformity, and greed.

After years of trying to boycott products from egregious corporations responsible for human rights violations, environmental destruction, and animal abuse, many of us found that no matter what we bought we ended up supporting something deplorable. We came to realize that the problem isn't just a few bad corporations but the entire system itself.

Freeganism is a total boycott of an economic system where the profit motive has eclipsed ethical considerations and where massively complex systems of productions ensure that all the products we buy will have detrimental impacts most of which we may never even consider. Thus, instead of avoiding the purchase of products from one bad company only to support another, we avoid buying anything to the greatest degree we are able.

If you have the constitution for it, living outside society's mainstream is a way to challenge the universe to meet you on your own terms. But is it possible? Yes and no. The further outside the boundaries of society you go, the more diffcult life can be. But to some, it may also become more rewarding. Of course, you take on responsibilities that others take for granted: healthcare, for example (know your herbs!). Still, it's fascinating. And, the very notion that it is possible is comforting during these times when the writing on the wall does not describe a bright future.

Screamin' for Justice

Mike of the North reminds us: perpetuating a dysfunctional system doesn't offer us much hope for improvement! The more we know about how things really work, the more depressing (or enraging) it is. The more we cloak ourselves in resignation, the happier we'll be. The neocons know that and exploit it. And history repeats itself unchecked. Hey, why can't we by depleted-uranium-equipped bombs at Sam's Club yet?

It's Movie Time!

Grab some popcorn and crank up the speakers, my frisky little ponies!

The Neocon Agenda is Destroying America

Redundant title, isn't it? we've been reminding our readers of that for years now, haven't we? Well, another right-wing dream is coming true: the U.S. is losing middle-class neighborhoods.

Middle-class neighborhoods, long regarded as incubators for the American dream, are losing ground in cities across the country, shrinking at more than twice the rate of the middle class itself.

Let me tell you a story about the middle class. When I was a teenager I was working a summer job with a person who grew up quite wealthy in Mexico. I asked her what that was like. "There's no middle class there," she said. "There are only rich and poor. And very rich, and very poor. No middle class."

That's what the neoconservative economic agenda is. To increase their own wealth and power by crushing the middle class and creating an underclass of service economy wage slaves who exist to serve them. And they've seduced their supporters into sucking up to them without hesitation. It's pathetic.

We're in the transition period now, a nation becoming blanketed with McMansions and slums. Soon this will pass and you'll see more of a return to the class distinctions of the "gilded age." Conservatism. Careening headlong into the dark ages, and taking us all with them.

How Bush Chose Stupidity

How Bush chose stupidity. By Jacob Weisberg

"Dubya's youthful screw-ups and smart-aleck attitude reflect some combination of protest, plea for attention, and flailing attempt to compete. Until a decade ago, his résumé read like a send-up of his dad's. Bush senior was a star student at Andover and Phi Beta Kappa at Yale, where he was also captain of the baseball team; Junior struggled through with gentleman's C's and, though he loved baseball, couldn't make the college lineup. Père was a bomber pilot in the Pacific; fils sat out 'Nam in the Texas Air National Guard, where he lost flying privileges by not showing up. Dad drove to Texas in 1947 to get rich in the oil business and actually did; Son tried the same in 1975 and drilled dry holes for a decade. Bush the elder got elected to Congress in 1966; Shrub ran in 1978, didn't know what he was talking about, and got clobbered."

From an "Is America Burning?" Post.

Granny at Is America Burning? says, "There's Nothing I Can Add to This". It's an excellent piece, but it addresses the nightmare of the neocon age.

I swear, had we known what they would do to our country, we could have stopped them.

Coulter or Hitler?

Boy, it's tough to find the differences between the disciple and the teacher: Coulter or Hitler? Find out!

Just when you thought things couldn't get worse...

...The Sunset Commission might just brink darkess to us all (as in, "The Dark Ages"). Watch n' Wait blogged about it, and Granny did, too. And so shall I, because this sort of thing is exactly why the Republican party has become the single greatest danger to America and all it stands for. Worse than terrorism, worse than the wrath of nature itself. If they succeed at this, it will be the end of America, as we know it, in all but the name.

Worth a Look...

Hmm. Lots of interesting links in this tidbit about how Al-Qaeda is a US Intelligence Asset. The things done in our name are appalling, aren't they?

Where Have I Been? Part II

Has it really been 10 days since I posted last? Youch! That's terrible, although I have been away before, so I guess it's not unheard-of.

In my last post I talked about how I'm devoting more attention to a part of my life that has suffered neglect for too long. And long with that, I have decided my blog should expand and grow and transform along with me.

See, I never set out to be just a political blogger. Really, I didn't want to become obsessed with politics. I originally wanted my blog to be about that and more; more of a journal really, with observations about all kinds of things. But you see, I began my blog right before the 2004 presidential election. I didn't anticipate the country's quick, sick spiral into the vortex of neocon greed, depravity, and contempt for all humanity. But that's what it did, and I have been so focused on that for almost two years now that it has become overwhelming at times. I become alternately angry, depressed, enraged, hopeless... the roller coaster of emotion that is the curse of the politically aware.

Meantime, other aspects of my life suffer neglect. One of those is my indulgence in the arts - writing (other things), music, etc. So, for my own peice of mind and mental health, I am going to try to achieve more balance in my life and in my blogging. I'll still devote attention to politics and social issues - how could I not? I thoroughly despise the Bush administration, and I can never ignore the horrific damage they hae wrought upon our country and the world (especially since the damage they've done probably won't be repaired in my lifetime). But my blog will also slowly begin to include expressions of other aspects of my personality, too. I want to make it more fully representative of my ideas and values. More of the same, and more of something... more.

So, thanks for being patient with me, blog friends. I appreciate you all.

Where Have I Been? Part I

Friends and frequent commenters may have noticed that I have not been at the blog like I should for days now. I’m sorry! I always feel bad about neglecting the blog, which is something I occasionally do. So where have I been?

Well, some know that I suffer from the incurable sickness of being a musician, although for quite some time I had been in a slump and allowed myself to disengage all the nerve endings and blood vessels which fed this most vital part of me. Economic and environmental necessity had required me to sell off my gear, and I stuffed oily, flammable rags in the hole that was left in my soul as I attended to the various aspects of life other than music. Survival is a crazy thing.

In the interim, my wife had gifted me with a little acoustic guitar to bang around on, to keep me from getting musically comatose, and that kept me from going over the edge. I exercised my other artistic muscles, mainly writing. But a Bassist cannot simply walk away from his true nature. Bass is in the blood, and the Bassist’s veins vibrate one octave lower than their peers.

So for the last several days, my disease has manifested itself in a desire to get another bass in my hands, pronto. And to that end, I have devoted much of my time online (and elsewhere) lately. Soon my fevered mind shall be at ease (although I can’t vouch for the neighbors’), as my fingers play about the strings like a predator pursuing its prey. Like thunder and lightning, clutched with all the tender delicacy of a 20 lb sledgehammer at the fingertips.

I’ll certainly keep you all posted as things develop. Back to the news...

Why?

Why I'm an independent: this bill, HR 4752 IH, was instroduced to reinstate the draft. By a Democrat.

OKay, so I didn't write this... he speaks for me anyway!

Will Durst: Impeachment? No. Impalement!
I don’t know about you guys, but I am so sick and tired of these lying, thieving, holier-than-thou, rightwing, cruel, crude, rude, gauche, coarse, crass, cocky, corrupt, dishonest, debauched, degenerate, dissolute, swaggering, lawyer shooting, bullhorn shouting, infra-structure destroying, buck passing, hysterical, criminal, history defying, finger pointing, puppy stomping, roommate appointing, pretzel choking, collateral damaging, aspersion casting, wedding party bombing, clearcutting, torturing, jobs outsourcing, torture out-sourcing, election fixing, women’s rights eradicating, Medicare cutting, uncouth, spiteful, boorish, vengeful, jingoistic, homophobic, xenophobic, xylophonic, racist, sexist, ageist, fascist, cashist, audaciously stupid, brazenly selfish, lethally ignorant, journalist purchasing, genocide ignoring, corporation kissing, poverty inducing, crooked, coercive, autocratic, primitive, uppity, high-handed, domineering, arrogant, inhuman, inhumane, inbred, inept, insipid, incapable, incompetent, ineffectual, insolent, insincere, know-it-all, snotty, pompous, contemptuous, supercilious, gutless, spineless, shameless, avaricious, noxious, poisonous, imperious, merciless, graceless, tactless, brutish, brutal, Karl Roving, backward thinking, persistent vegetative state grandstanding, nuclear option threatening, evolution denying, irony deprived, consciously depraved, conceited, perverted, peremptory invading, thirty-five day vacation taking, bribe soliciting, hellish, smarty pants, loudmouth, bullying, swell headed, ethics eluding, domestic spying, medical marijuana busting, Halliburtoning, narcissistic, undiplomatic, blustering, malevolent, demonizing, Duke Cunninghamming, hectoring, dry drunk, Muslim baiting, hurricane disregarding, oil company hugging, judge packing, science disputing, faith based advocating, armament selling, nonsense spewing, education ravaging, whiny, insane, unscrupulous, lily livered, greedy (exponential factor fifteen), fraudulent, delusional, CIA outing, redistricting, anybody who disagrees with them slandering, fact twisting, ally alienating, betraying, chickenhawk, sell out, quisling, god and flag waving, scare mongering, Cindy Sheehan libeling, smirking, bastardly, voting machine tampering, sociopathic, cowardly, treasonous, Constitution shredding, oppressive, vulgar, antagonistic, trust funding, nontipping, tyrannizing, peace hating, water and air and ground and media polluting (which is pretty much all the polluting you can get), deadly, traitorous, con man, swindling, pernicious, lethal, illegal, haughty, venomous, virulent, mephitic, egotistic, bloodthirsty, yellowbelly, hypocritical, Oedipal, did I say evil, I’m not sure if I said evil, because I want to make sure I say evil . . . EVIL, cretinous, slime buckets in the Bush Administration that I could just spit. Impeachment? Hell no. Impalement. Upon the sharp and righteous sword of the people’s justice. Make it a curtain rod. Because it would hurt more.