First Draft

Political Soundtrack

Are your favorite political songs on this list?

A.

Another thing I like about Louisiana politics...

... is that our pols have great, and occasionally bizarre, names. My current personal favorite is the name of a woman who lost a race for Mayor of Mandeville by a mere four votes the other day: Trilby Lenfant. Hand to God, I am not making this up.

I call her Live Shot because she's always ready to spout off for the teevee cameras but I should stick to the glories of her own moniker. That reminds me that there's a perennial local candidate whose name is Monica Monica. Quite a moniker, no?

Now where was I? Oh yeah, repeat after me: Trilby Lenfant. I'm not sure how Svengali fits into this but I when I figure it out I'll let you know...

Today on Tommy T's Obsession with the Freeperati - "The Princess and the Frog" edition

Good morning, gentle people.  Well, there's a civil war coming on strong.

Militia morons versus the gubmint? Nope.

Tea Party versus the GOP?  Unh-uh.

Mike Vanderboegh versus everybody else?  Nah.

It's Sarah Palin Freepers versus ex-Sarah Palin Freepers!

How could such a thing come about?  Well, suit up and we'll find out.

Hmm - inner airlock door to the iso chamber's jammed.  Don't understand it - Kibitzer oiled the hinges just last week.

I'll just push harder - it's giving, but there seems to be something inside pushing back.....OH NO!  THE DRUMS OF STUPID HAVE BURST!! RUN FOR YOUR BLBLBLBBLBBLAARRGGHHH

AZ-Sen. 2010: A desire to serve defines McCain (Palin begs Arizonans to vote for McCain!) (BARF)
The Arizona Republic, Phoenix, Ariz. | 2010-03-26 | Sarah Palin

Posted on Thursday, March 25, 2010 11:14:21 PM by rabscuttle385

Comment #1 Removed by Moderator

The mod removed the thread originator's initial post?

This can't be good.

To: rabscuttle385

I don’t care for McPain either but at least Palin discharged her obligation.

Palin had a discharge?  Was it dishonourable?

It is something she has to to do since he did pick her for his running mate.

4 posted on Thursday, March 25, 2010 11:19:29 PM by Sen Jack S. Fogbound

...because everyone knows that Sarah Palin always does what she has to do rather than what she wants to do. It's her hallmark.

Also, McCain has those pictures.

To: rabscuttle385

This is disgusting! This evil man gave us McCain-Feingold which gave us the Dem 2006/2008 Congress and 2008 Obama.

McCain also probably took a dive and threw the race for Soros in 2008.

(?!?!?)

And no I don’t want Romney.

I could go for Santorum, Thune, DeMint, George Allen, Chris Christie.

6 posted on Thursday, March 25, 2010 11:21:49 PM by Frantzie (McCain = Obama's friend McCain called AMERICANS against amnesty - "racists")

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To: rabscuttle385; Brices Crossroads; Virginia Ridgerunner; Star Traveler; GOP_Raider; victim soul; ...

YOU LIE. IS ENGLISH YOUR FIRST LANGUAGE?

“That’s why, on behalf of Sen. McCain, I’m asking for your vote. For the good of our entire country and the future of your state, please send John McCain back to the United States Senate.”

THAT’S BEGGING?

7 posted on Thursday, March 25, 2010 11:22:17 PM by onyx (Facts don't matter. Proof not required. Anything goes! Racial slurs, death threats.....)

To: rabscuttle385

Is she done now? Can she FINALLY walk away from this EVIL man? Take the money off the dresser?

Ouch.

How dare you accuse Our Sarah of being a common..

And no I do not want Myth Romney.

8 posted on Thursday, March 25, 2010 11:24:43 PM by Frantzie (McCain = Obama's friend McCain called AMERICANS against amnesty - "racists")

That makes three of us, as I don't want him twice!

To: rabscuttle385

What the hell is wrong with her?

9 posted on Thursday, March 25, 2010 11:25:28 PM by mquinn (Obama's supporters: a deliberate drowning of consciousness by means of rhythmic noise)

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To: Sen Jack S. Fogbound

It is something she has to to do since he did pick her for his running mate.

If you really believe this quid pro quo, payback crap, you would make a good Democrat. They just demonstrated that you don't have to follow your principles if you "owe" a debt for favors given.

It's garbage when they do it and garbage when Palin does it.

10 posted on Thursday, March 25, 2010 11:25:54 PM by Prokopton

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To: onyx

“THAT’S BEGGING?”

This “Palin is bad because she endorsed McCain” meme is old and really very boring. No minds are being changed here, Paultards. Freepers are begging, too. Begging Rabscuttle and his Paultard colleagues to go away.

15 posted on Thursday, March 25, 2010 11:28:00 PM by Brices Crossroads (Politico and)

To: All; Frantzie; mkjessup; stephenjohnbanker; donna; AuntB

Direct quote from Palin:

"Long before the summer of 2008, I respected the man known as the 'maverick of the Senate.'"

Exactly what part of McCain's despicable record does she respect, huh?

It's become fairly clear where Palin stands, and it isn't on the side of grassroots conservatives.

17 posted on Thursday, March 25, 2010 11:30:07 PM by rabscuttle385 (Live Free or Die)

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To: rabscuttle385

I don’t know what the Odd Couple (you and Frantzie) are going to do after Saturday. You’re a Paulist and he’s a MittWit.

18 posted on Thursday, March 25, 2010 11:30:07 PM by bwc2221

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To: bwc2221; Frantzie

Up yours, noob.

19 posted on Thursday, March 25, 2010 11:30:43 PM by rabscuttle385 (Live Free or Die)

Boys, boys - can't we all just get along?

To: rabscuttle385

Why is Sarah embarrassing herself like this?

I thought she would sign some letters perhaps do a private fundraiser or two. But THIS? The stump? For this scumbag? After how he let his staff tear her to pieces in the media, and didn't lift a finger to stop it? Was that loyalty? Was that chivalry? He is a louse. She needs to stop this now.

20 posted on Thursday, March 25, 2010 11:31:10 PM by montag813

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To: wireplay

Gingrich supports Scozzafava, everybody goes nuts, and rightly so.

But Palin gets an automatic pass?

Hmmm...

22 posted on Thursday, March 25, 2010 11:32:32 PM by THX 1138 ("Harry, I have a gift.")

.

To: THX 1138

But Palin gets an automatic pass?

Well, she does have nice legs. /s

26 posted on Thursday, March 25, 2010 11:33:26 PM by rabscuttle385 (Live Free or Die)

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To: rabscuttle385

That pretty much does it for me. I’m taking the Palin bumper sticker off of my vehicle tomorrow. She’s not what I thought she was.

29 posted on Thursday, March 25, 2010 11:36:35 PM by alicewonders

However, the "Drill, baby, drill" sticker stays.

To: All; Frantzie; mkjessup; stephenjohnbanker; donna; AuntB

Another direct (and damning) quote from Palin:

"I was inspired by his willingness to buck his political party - and even his president - to do what he believed was right for this country."

Like what, Sarah? Amnesty? Cap and tax? Bailouts? Voting against tax cuts? McCain-Feingold?

30 posted on Thursday, March 25, 2010 11:36:50 PM by rabscuttle385 (Live Free or Die)

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To: UCFRoadWarrior

You were saying ...

Palin’s political Waterloo....

Not by a long shot... the Palin Revolution has yet to begin, like the Reagan Revolution...

37 posted on Thursday, March 25, 2010 11:41:00 PM by Star Traveler (Remember to keep the Messiah of Israel in the One-World Government that we look forward to coming)

Um - "the Reagan revolution" isn't coming any sooner than Sarah's is.

To: alicewonders

“I’m taking the Palin bumper sticker off of my vehicle tomorrow.”

What vehicle would that be? Your trusty tin foil hat? Or your tricycle?

38 posted on Thursday, March 25, 2010 11:41:07 PM by Brices Crossroads (Politico and)

*ding!*  OK - back to your corners.  Corner men. - to your fighters.

Good going. That was a good shot with the McCain quotes, but he's too hard-headed for that to work. You gotta work the ropes - call him out on the ad homs. Play the victim a little.  OK - here's the water - now spit.

*ding!*

To: Star Traveler

I'd like to hear your defense of this little gem, preferably without your resorting to ad hominem attacks.

"I was inspired by his willingness to buck his political party - and even his president - to do what he believed was right for this country."

43 posted on Thursday, March 25, 2010 11:45:17 PM by rabscuttle385 (Live Free or Die)

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To: rabscuttle385

You were saying to another FReeper ...

Up yours, noob.

It's getting pretty bad when even the "noobs" can see how dumb y'all are... LOL ...

44 posted on Thursday, March 25, 2010 11:45:27 PM by Star Traveler (Remember to keep the Messiah of Israel in the One-World Government that we look forward to coming)

Well, there is obviously not gonna be a knockout in the second round, so there's more battle royale (mmmmm..cheeseburgers) after the jumparoonie.

Teabagger Violence and Getting Pushed to the Wall

Amanda:

But of course, in order for the obvious to sink in, you need some cold, hard numbers.  And those have been produced---teabaggers mostly identify as Republicans, or they’re those assholes who call themselves something like “libertarian” but always vote for Republicans. I’d probably put money on the possibility that the few who identified as Democrats are also Republicans; they’re just nursing the youstabee grievance, where they pretend they want to vote for Democrats, but Democrats just make is so hard because they insist on being Democrats.

On that subject, it’s worth pointing out that the original sin of the Democrats that created legions of youstabees was the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1965.

I was having this conversation with Mr. A this week, about something going in meatspace, whereby people respond to arguments they've lost with disproportionate rage and claims they aren't being listened to. I've been getting this a lot, usually when someone's denied something he wants, and while it's the attitude we usually ascribe to Those Entitled Kids Today Whose Moms Never Tell Them No, it's primarily from people of Generation Teabag I've been noticing it. Which brings me to what Amanda's saying above.

All the justification rhetoric used around the incidents of violence and intimidating that happened around the country has centered on the idea that old, racist assholes simply aren't being heard in this country. That they've been deprived, overlooked, shut out, and they have no choice but to ram people's cars and throw bricks through people's windows and generally act like total assholes outside the law.

We heard this shit from McMeghan after the Tiller murder, we heard this from Beckian morons before, and it's the same flavor of bullshit now, that other people are responsible for making them be dicks by imposing their irritating viewpoints and drowning out other voices.

We hear you, though. You're being listened to just fine. You just LOST THE ARGUMENT. You lost the election, you lost the fight to kill the bill, you lost. We heard you loud and fucking clear, with your signs and your costumes and whatnot, but we just didn't agree. I sympathize, to a certain extent; I lose arguments all the time. I've been told for the past nine years that I and everything I represent and almost everyone I love betrays the foundations of America, yet somehow I've managed to shoot at exactly nobody.

And instead of telling these people they've lost, and should suck it up, and remember how much this hurts so that next time they can be more effective in their tactics and actions (as many leading liberals did after the 2004 presidential election) and more committed and more willing to work, these fuckers are encouraging their followers to tune in, drop out and smoke conservative dope some more. Because the problem wasn't that their ideas sucked, it was that they weren't given a hearing.

A.

Weekend Question Thread

I grew up camping. All over the place. Wisconsin, Wyoming, we'd pile all the cousins in a truck and drive until we found a good spot to pitch a tent and build a fire and catch some fish. Naturally, now, I do not camp. The only outdoors I do is a ride on the bike trail through the park by my home.

Do you like the outdoors, or are you a city mouse?

A.

Saturday Blogwhoring Thread

Post away. Commies.

A.

Close Your Eyes, Clear Your Heart, Cut the Cord: Caprica Thread

Jacob:

I think it's easy to lose sight of the deal here, which is that as much as Daniel is capable of love, he's essentially a cold person who sees other people as tools. The robot, the daughter. You can love someone and use them at the same time: Just ask God. But while the tenor of his speech -- the very fact that he's the only one talking -- might lead you to sympathize, to see Zoë through his eyes, as a spoiled brat, she's only a brat insofar as she's not doing what he wants. And women are always the biggest bitches when they don't do what we want, aren't they?

Which is the reason, always, that we have to hide. It's easier and more powerful to be an object when the alternative is hatred. Zoë's only power, and she's said this more than once, is hiding inside her magnificent new body. Pretending there's nobody home. And I think probably it's hard for some people to understand how that works, because they never got the hang of it -- or never had to -- for themselves. If your body, or your sexuality, have never been commodified, then I think it's probably difficult to understand the alternatives, of which you've been lucky enough to remain ignorant.

Which is the story of anyone who's been abused, physically or otherwise: You think you can make yourself very still, very quiet, and maybe they won't hit you. Maybe they won't even notice you to mock you. Maybe you won't screw up, if you just lay low, and don't talk, and don't move. So you make yourself smaller, and hide in plain sight, and try to be something nobody takes any notice of. You try to be Zoe, inside the robot, listening impassively as the person she used to love and admire makes a mockery of everything she ever thought he meant.

Problem is, it never really works to protect you. You always find a way to annoy your abuser. You always knock over a glass of milk at the dinner table. You always say the wrong thing, or the thing that was right five minutes ago, but is horrible now. You always, always, always break the eggshells you walk on. And eventually you realize the walls you built around yourself aren't keeping the bullies out, they're just keeping you in. 

Harryfest? Harrystock? Teafest? Teastock?

The capital of Wingnuttia moves tomorrow to Searchlight, Nevada: Harry Reid's hometown. The tea party types are calling this covergence of assholes, cretins, jerks and malakas a "conservative Woodstock." Sounds derivative to me, y'all.

So, full of my customary desire to be helpful (I may be full of something else too) I've offered a few humble suggestions in the post title. Any thoughts, gentle, genteel and even gentile readers?

Since the teabaggers mentioned Woodstock, man (one should never say Woodstock without a man, after it, man) here's some New Left music for the New Right or something like that:

Because the Internet is, In Fact, My Personal Army

You know you want to buy some ferret wine.

Actually, it's regular Chilean and Spanish wine, with ferret labels, sales of which will benefit the ferret shelter.

Stock your cellars, drunkards!

A.

I ain't no politician...

(Yeah, what up, this is doc. The blogging's going on. Thank God it's Friday...)

When I was young, my mother wanted me to be a politician. She thought being president would be great, but if not, I could run for any office and help people. Eventually, she realized that wasn’t going to happen, so she said I’d be great as a speech writer for a good politician and that I could help shape the public debate with my words, even if they came out of someone else’s mouth.

If nothing else, the health care debate codified for me why I could never be in politics, even if it were as a janitor in the mayor’s office. Here’s why:

- I have no patience for cheating assholes. When the vote had been won and we got the “Wait, let’s send it back to committee because we might be able to convince people that Democrats are randomly aborting children to sell the fetuses to Iranian terrorists to fuel their jet packs of DEATH” motion, I would have probably snapped and kicked someone in the balls. You lost, it sucks for you, get over it.

- Had I been at the podium when someone screamed “It’s a baby killer” from the gallery, I would have probably said, “I’d like to yield the remainder of my time to the congressman from Wisconsin. Meanwhile, I’d like the vocal gentleman in the rear of the room to step out into the Rose Garden so we can settle this shit like men.”

- If I were the president and got what I wanted, I couldn’t have possibly been as restrained as Obama in reacting to the vote. He was talking about being friends and how he’s going to have to do more and such. I’d have simply gotten up to the podium and said, “What? Huh? Huh? I can’t hear your Republican bullshit through all the WIN I’m experiencing. What you say? Yeah, that’s what I f’n thought you’d say! Nothing, bitches. Punks. Fuck you. Yeah. I said it! I’m totally going to nail my wife right now and then tomorrow, I’m getting up and going to get some more shit that you hate passed.”

- I never liked it when I’d ask Mom if I could go out or do something and she’d say, “Go ask your father.” I’d go ask Dad, who would invariably say, “Ask Mom.” Back and forth I’d go, wondering if either of them would ever make decision. Watching the whole “And now the Senate gets another look…” thing would make me crazed.

- As a parent, I dislike the random resistance offered by my kid for stupid shit. Here’s an actual conversation I had at a restaurant:

“Eat your noodles.”

“Daddy, I want to take off my shoes.”

“Just eat your noodles.”

“Please Daddy! I can’t eat with these shoes on.”

“What?”

“I can’t eat with my shoes on.”

“Just eat…”

“Please, Daddy, can I take my shoes off?”

“No.”

“Why?”

At this point, I did my best not to bang my head on the table until I lose consciousness. Watching these idiots talk about all sorts of random shit instead of just voting would be just about as bad, but they couldn’t blame their randomness on being 4 years old. As a political leader, it would really bother me that I couldn’t just grab the guys by back of the neck and steer them over to the voting kiosks and say, “Just fucking vote.”

- Speaking of stupid shit... The “Cornhusker Kickback” thing would have never gotten within six feet of me without me finding Ben Nelson and doing the “Are you fucking serious? Do not MAKE me take my JEWELRY off!” thing. Let’s just forget about doing the right thing for the right reason and instead just do stuff because we’re bribing people. For all the talk about socialist medicine, our lawmakers are pimping themselves out like 1980s Yugoslavian border guards.

- Finally, this huge “We’re suing the government” thing is really painful to watch. The AG from Wisconsin was on TV last night arguing that it’s the first time in history that the government has forced you to buy something or do something for health reasons against your will. Uh… no… State law requires me to buy car insurance, buckle up when I drive and put my kid in a car booster seat. Places I’ve lived before required me to wear a helmet when I was riding a motor scooter, pass a safety course before I could ride a motorcycle and get approval from the state before I could drive a car. All of this was pretty much an attempt by government to keep my stupid ass alive, even in spite of what I might want myself. When I had hair, it was great feeling the wind blowing through it on a bike. Unfortunately, that wasn’t happening in certain states in which I lived. Now I live in a no-helmet law state and I don’t have hair. Clearly I got fucked, but I won’t get unfucked by suing the government. Or the Bosley Medical Group.

Look, the government has stepped in before on a lot weirder things than health insurance. At one point, the government said people couldn’t drink alcohol. It currently says we can’t smoke weed, even though studies indicate it’s not as bad for you as other things that are legal. My state is telling me that you can’t smoke pretty much anywhere except for in about a three-foot wooded area outside of Oconomowoc. Again, it’s telling you what you have to do. It makes me pay taxes, which go toward things I might not want to spend my money on. (Hey, Afghanistan! Figure out your own shit and give me back my dollar fitty.)

However, of all the things we could argue that the Washington Senators shouldn’t be spending money on, keeping us alive, and preventing people from screwing us in the process, is one that we should all agree on. Had President Potato-head done this, Glenn Beck would be masturbating on TV about how great it is that we’re in the Great American Century and how the world is now safe for children-to-be in the wombs of all good mothers who are growing Republican Children For Christ. Instead, a black Democrat did it, so it’s got to be a conspiracy to give welfare cheats a chance to get better Schedule 1 narcotics.

And, if nothing else, that last paragraph should clearly tell you while I would be colorful quote if I were Senator Doc, I clearly don’t belong in politics.

My Heart Bleeds

Anybody want to own the home of a complete and total fucking asshole?

A.

Friday Ferretblogging: Puckaroo

Puck's been a bit under the weather lately. The vet who saw him recently said nothing (other than the usual effects of his adrenal disease) was wrong, but he's been extra-sleepy and likes to spend the afternoons curled up in smaller and smaller balls of fluff in his favorite tube. I'm hoping he's just slowing down due to the ripe old age of six he recently hit.

A.

Drunken Lullabies

A.

Cause and Effect

From Album3 -- This Extended Two Minute Hate brought to you by Oxycontin. Fortunately for everyone, the louder the mouth, generally the more innate the weenieness...though the incessant lizard brain prodding has had some effect. Still...I hate saying this, but after the sheer volume of rage we've seen the last year and a half, part of me is surprised -- and, of course, relieved -- that there hasn't been much more violence. Sigh: I forget where I saw this, but earlier someone wrote (paraphrasing) and this is just over a health care bill (apologies for not being able to link/attribute.) That said, and even as I continue to be amazed at the volume of rage, I'm struck by how clueless these would be "revolutionaries" are--even as they're so consumed by hatred that they're mouthing off about trees of liberty and blood of patriots and tyrants, I seriously doubt they'd make it more than a few hours without, in no particular order, indoor plumbing, Rush on the radio/Glenn on the teevee...and a three liter bottle of Dew to wash down the "Family-Sized" bag of Cheetos... Something tells me their revolutionary fervor would get pretty old pretty quick once they realized what "sacrifice" really means. But, if they really want to give it a go, why not a trial run? Live like the Amish for a while...or, as I mentioned once to a friend, there actually WAS a time when taxes were very low, government was very limited, and religion played a much larger role in daily life. We know it today as the Dark Ages.

Malaka Of The Week: Mitt Romney

This has been a world class week for malakatude: the candidates for this dishonor have been numerous and very, very LOUD. I decided to opt for the malaka as schmuck theme this week and who's a bigger putz than Mitt Romney? I had a lot of fun with Romney in 2008, I fell hard (as a satirist) for his relentless pandering. Romney is the only pol I've seen who can match the master panderer, the man called the pander bear by Paul Tsongas, former President Bill Clinton.

I've been pulling for Romney to be the GOP nominee in 2012 but the passage of a rather Romneyesque health care plan will challenge even his ability to spin, lie and pander. Earlier this week, Mitt Haircut had this to say about HCR:

Romney is taking a hard line against Obama's health care bill, and calling for repeal. "America has just witnessed an unconscionable abuse of power," Romney said in a post at National Review. "President Obama has betrayed his oath to the nation -- rather than bringing us together, ushering in a new kind of politics, and rising above raw partisanship, he has succumbed to the lowest denominator of incumbent power: justifying the means by extolling the ends."

It's a depressing sign of the times that a Gooper who *actually* accomplished something whilst Governor of "liberal" Massachusetts is denouncing HCR instead of trying to take credit for it. That makes him not only a malaka but a Masshole as well. Romneycare was one of the reasons Scott Brown (who supported it) was able to pull off his stunning upset over Martha Corpse Coakley. Romney and Brown are currently lying through their respective teeth about the similarities to the Obama-Pelosi HCR but it will continue to plague the Mittster.

Romney has turned out to be one of the biggest losers now that HCR has passed. But the bloggers and pundits of America are losers too: I was hoping to mock Mitt and his rather goofy brood relentlessly through November, 2012. I even planned to harp on the fact that his father, George, was the malaka behind AMC's Gremlin, which was perhaps the worst car ever. It may not have exploded like the Pinto but it was horrendous.  The Romneys are hilarious in a Margaret Dumont kinda way: they have no idea how silly they are. Papa George's 1968 campaign was almost as funny as Blazing Saddles; especially the bit about being brainwashed by the military brass in Vietnam.

The Mittatollah is still planning to run for the 2012 nomination but the GOP has gone stark raving mad and even an expert panderer such as Mitt will have a hard time faking that. He simply comes off as too sensible even when he's saying crazy shit. I'm inclined to agree with Josh Marshall who called Mitt Haircut toast earlier this week. So, this felt like an opportune moment to mock Mitt and to crown him malaka of the week. Hang in there, dude, I'm counting on you to stay in the race. We need all the unintentional humor that we can get in these grim times.

Journalism's Future: Not Enough News!

"For-profit news orgs won't create enough journalism."

This assumes they're creating enough journalistm (and guys, it's "doing journalism" or my personal favorite, "committing journalism") now. Which, erm, fuck no. 

On the upside, nonprofits are helping journalism move toward a more collaborative model, Downie said. In the old days, newspapers resisted ideas and assistance from outside. But in the new news ecosystem, collaboration is a way of life. “All of our ideas have been changed about that,” he said.

Well, newspapers used to have enough people that they didn't NEED anybody from any other organization to help out. But that was before 30 years of darkness, earthquakes, volcanos, dogs and cats, living together, and Conrad Fucking Black.

Also a plus: Big foundations and the public at large are warming to the idea that news organizations are deserving of their support, just like the symphony or any other nonprofit that contributes to society’s cultural assets. “There’s a question of whether there’s enough public realization,” Downie said. “I think we’re heading to that direction. Awareness is growing steadily.”

Sigh. Communities have always supported newspapers they view as serving their interests, as informing and entertaining and helping them. It's only lately that we've begun to be lectured as consumers about how it's so terrible we've lost interest in publications that have lost interest in us. 

It’s not clear that all the nonprofits that have launched in recent years will survive. “How many will succeed and for how long?” Downie wondered. A related question: How will the collaborative model will settle out, and where nonprofits will find productive niches?

Downie said he also has been watching nonprofits wrestle with the issue of credibility — how to achieve it and how to keep it.

The answer begins with editorial independence and transparency about financial supporters, Downie said.

YOU FIRST, slick. Nonprofit newspapers and media companies (that have existed for a century-plus, some of them) have no need to answer to anyone at the Washington Fucking Post.

A.

Dialing It Back for Dollars

There's a side benefit to elected Republicans amping up the tea-party violence: They then get to look to their real constituency, the Villager press, like the grown-ups for trying to calm everyone down. Making the unwashed public the crazy lunatics allows them to look like the good guys. Otherwise, how could they do so?

A.

Not That We Haven't Always Done This Batshittery

But it is starting to become seriously disturbing:

Sara Howard, a spokesperson for Congress Russ Carnahan, confirmed tonight that a coffin was left on the front lawn of the Carnahan's home residence in the St. Louis area.

Mark your calendars for Wingnut Christmas:

Given that 19 April is the date on which both the Waco conflagration and the Oklahoma City bombing occurred it's probably not a coincidence that the gun nuts have chosen that date to stage a "Second Amendment March" on the nation's capitol.

I've said this before, but: I have zero issue with gun ownership. I have a SERIOUS problem with blowhard showoffs who think waving their guns around is some kind of stupendous act of courage in a society that not only permits gun ownership but positively worships violence, like, oooh, it's about as subversive as driving your car. Way to go against the grain there, Brave Patriot. Fucktards.

And the passive-aggression of wingnuts is starting to get on my goddamn nerves. Just sack up and admit that you want to threaten and intimidate. Don't be all, "Yeah, I put a coffin on your lawn, but I didn't mean for you to be upset by it or anything. Just expressing my opinion, man." Sure, I posted the wrong address for a congressman and got his brother's home vandalized, but hey, I wasn't telling anybody to do anything really. There's a fine line between plausible deniability and just generally being a puss, and these people are on the wrong side of it. Not that the other side would work for them either.

Schmucks.

A.

Given that 19 April is the date on which both the Waco conflagration and the Oklahoma City bombing occurred it's probably not a coincidence that the gun nuts have chosen that date to stage a "Second Amendment March" on the nation's capitol.

I've said this before, but: I have zero issue with gun ownership. I have a SERIOUS problem with blowhard showoffs who think waving their guns around is some kind of stupendous act of courage in a society that not only permits gun ownership but positively worships violence, like, oooh, it's about as subversive as driving your car. Way to go against the grain there, Brave Patriot. Fucktards.

And the passive-aggression of wingnuts is starting to get on my goddamn nerves. Just sack up and admit that you want to threaten and intimidate. Don't be all, "Yeah, I put a coffin on your lawn, but I didn't mean for you to be upset by it or anything. Just expressing my opinion, man." Sure, I posted the wrong address for a congressman and got his brother's home vandalized, but hey, I wasn't telling anybody to do anything really. There's a fine line between plausible deniability and just generally being a puss, and these people are on the wrong side of it. Not that the other side would work for them either.

Schmucks.

A.

Uncooolness

It's been a while since blogtopia has discussed what a TOTAL FUCKING MORON Jeff Goldstein is, so here. Have at it.

A.

The Perils Of Perriello

Another "isolated incident" and perhaps the most egregious one thus far:

Politico.com reports that the Federal Bureau of Investigation has visited the home of Fifth District Congressman Tom Perriello's brother following the release of an address by a member of the Lynchburg Tea Party. Politico confirmed with a Perriello aide that a severed propane gas line was discovered at the home.

The blog post, written by Mike Troxel (and presently down due to bandwidth issues), allegedly delivered what the blogger thought was Congressman Perriello's home address. However, the address is that of Perriello's brother, who was not immediately available for comment.

The Lynchburg Tea Party's website issued a response which says that Troxel's action "was not requested, sanctioned or endorsed" by the group.

Note that they did not denounce this bit of brown shirtery.

WWII

Jude sends this along.

Anybody else watching The Pacific?

A.

Put Americans Back To Work

Here's a new deal we could use pretty badly.

A.

Fairy Tale Logic

Poetry for your morning:

Fairy tales are full of impossible tasks:
Gather the chin hairs of a man-eating goat,
Or cross a sulphuric lake in a leaky boat,
Select the prince from a row of identical masks,
Tiptoe up to a dragon where it basks
And snatch its bone; count dust specks, mote by mote,
Or learn the phone directory by rote.
Always it’s impossible what someone asks—

You have to fight magic with magic. You have to believe
That you have something impossible up your sleeve,
The language of snakes, perhaps, an invisible cloak,
An army of ants at your beck, or a lethal joke,
The will to do whatever must be done:
Marry a monster. Hand over your firstborn son.

-- A.E. STALLINGS

A.

Pancakes with a side of Hendrix

First up, I got nothing against Jakob Dylan. He's written some very decent songs. Also, one cannot argue with genetics — man's got a sweet voice that's weathered smoothly over time, solid musical instincts, and not for nothing, he's awful nice to look at. (see: "dyke, not blind")

When I read that T-Bone Burnett, Academy Award winner, definitely on the short list of greatest producer/songwriter/performer genius guys around, had signed on to produce a second album with Dylan, I thought it sounded like a cool idea but didn't think much more about it. What got my attention was when I saw they wanted not only Neko Case but powerhouse sidekick Kelly Hogan on 8 of the 10 tracks. That meant I'd most likely buy said album, Women & Country, or at least 8 tracks of it. 

Then came the announcement that "Jakob Dylan and Three Legs, with Neko Case and Kelly Hogan," would be all over SXSW, just down the road from me this week, including some of the free no-wristband-required events.  I was tempted to go at first, even more when I found out that "Three Legs" was actually the rest of Case's band, every one of them kickass players, especially Paul Rigby (on guitar below). Case's last two albums have been in high rotation in the "fabric of my life" playlist this last year, but I have yet to see a live performance.

So, tempted, yes — my favorite ingredients were there — but frustratingly, not in the proportions I wanted:

To listen to Neko Case recorded is an incredible experience, but to actually watch her sing is breathtaking. While the audience (and sometimes the rest of the band) gasps in awe, struggling to draw enough air to yell into a friend's ear "can you believe her voice"?!, Neko simply opens her mouth and lets loose an auditory assault. In a good way. The English language needs a new verb to describe the manner in which Neko produces sound. It is not singing. It is some peculiar form of channeling, in which her vocal chords become conduit for a blend of Linda Ronstadt's, Patsy Cline's and Ozzy Osbourne's voices, driven through a Marshall amp with all the knobs turned to 10.   

And as if that voice isn't enough, add in "secret assassin" Kelly Hogan, described by Case as "the best singer I know." Two enormous voices ... used here as background, as accent. Splashed on like aftershave. And it's gorgeous — in my headphones. Badass chef T-Bone Burnett serves up a mouthwatering appetizer. Case is the caviar, Hogan's the crème fraîche, we'll call the band smoked salmon, and Jakob Dylan is the pancake.

I love musical collaborations, have nothing against cross-marketing, but when it comes to the billing for a live performance, I have a different expectation of that word "with," so my expectations and I stayed home. Many of those who did stand in line for a few hours to see Jakob Dylan with Neko Case ended up underwhelmed. Even middle-of-the-road Entertainment Weekly found Case "sadly underused," describing the shows as "disappointingly snoozy."  On Twitter, of the many "WTF?" livetweets I saw, this was my favorite:

"Seeing Neko Case sing backup vocals for Jakob Dylan is like watching Jimi Hendricks play rhythm guitar for Ringo Starr."

Jakob Dylan is a nice enough pancake, and talented. I wish him the best, I just don't find him the most interesting thing on the plate:

You can download Dylan's new single Nothing But the Whole Wide World for free here. And, btw, the New Pornographers just announced tour dates for their about-to-be released album Together.

America's Greatest Living Poet* Breaks it Down for You

"You did not start it and you are not going to finish it."

All of this has happened before and it will all happen again.

Good advice for all of us, not just performers.

*as famously described in 1967 by "I'm just a song and dance man" Bob Dylan

Protest, NOLA Style

We do *everything* differently in New Orleans. In protest of another round of budget cuts from the Jindal Administration, students and faculty at the University of New Orleans staged a Jazz Funeral for UNO. No teabaggery for us; no siree. The video is courtesy of the Gambit Tabloid blog:

Things Today That are Awesome

SIKHS, bitches!

SAN ANTONIO – The soldiers in standard-issue fatigues and combat boots stood side-by-side repeating their creed: "I am an American soldier. I am a warrior and a member of a team. I serve the people of the United States and live the Army values ...."

Capt. Tejdeep Singh Rattan was no different except that he wore a full beard and black turban, the first Sikh in a generation allowed to complete U.S. Army basic officer training without sacrificing the articles of his faith. He completed the nine-week training Monday after Army officials made an exemption to a policy that has effectively prevented Sikhs from enlisting since 1984.

"I'm feeling very humbled. I'm a soldier," said the 31-year-old dentist, smiling after the ceremony at Fort Sam Houston. "This has been my dream."

A.

"This is a big fucking deal."

Another reason why I love Joe Biden:

'We Got a Banquette Full o' Broads, They Got a Table Full o' Fellas'

Today in pictures:

 

Reuters Pictures 15 minutes ago

U.S. President Barack Obama signs the healthcare legislation during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, March 23, 2010. Obama sealed a hard-fought victory on Tuesday by signing into law a landmark healthcare reform measure that will help shape his legacy and the Democrats' chances of holding power in the U.S. Congress.

AP Photo 16 hours ago

House Republican Conference Chairman Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind, accompanied by Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash. , discusses health care legislation during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, March 23, 2010.

A.

So What Happens Now?

Let the Rude Pundit take it away:

Here's what's going to happen after the vote on the reconciliation bill in the House on Sunday: Almost every Tea Partyer who was out there protesting will go the fuck away. They will devote whatever energy they have left to posting comments on blogs and Facebook pages. Their leaders, desperate to still be relevant and still draw a paycheck, will try to come up with some other phantom issue to whip up enthusiasm. But once it passes, no one will give a shit except the people it helps. The Civil War won't be re-fought. The Constitution won't be shredded. One or two states might try to force their misinterpretation of the 10th Amendment. Soon, Beck and Hannity and Michele Bachmann and Steve King will discover another Republic-ending crisis, probably immigration reform, and we'll start the magical cycle all over again.

You are a political booty call to these people. Always have been, always will be.

A.