Genius Jim Wrong Again: It's The Masons!!

It seems as if it were only yesterday ... oh, it was? How funny, then, that Jim Hoft, The Gateways Pundit, thought the DHS was full of it, in re: the potential for reactionary white people (Could one even be whiter than a Norgie?) to commit acts of terror.

So, was today's terror in Oslo all Muslim & al-Qaeda? Nope, looks as if Anders Behring Breivik is a Mason.

Granted, we found this shot of the Masonic (alleged) Murderer at Limeyland's MailOnline, which isn't much more credible than Genius Jim.

Us, Not So Much

Rockin' It Republican-Stylee W/ The Ramones

Think Progress video from Think Progress.

The Lazy Old Party

Palin Advisers Want Her to Run Different Campaign
Karl Rove was asked on Fox News whether Sarah Palin can run a non-conventional campaign for president.

Said Rove: "Her people think so. They've talked with people about it, whom I've talked to, and they've been very explicit about it -- that she doesn't need to go to Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina, press the flesh and go to all these local events in order to cultivate the local leadership. She can talk to people over that. She doesn't need to cultivate the fundraisers and the bundlers, because her mere presence in the race will generate the cash needed for the campaign."

The same approach has been working quite well for Newt Gingrich & his "unconventional" campaign w/ all those big ideas, innit?

We Have Always Been At War W/ The Middle East!

Some of Arizona's tiniest minds type:

“I am insulted that local TV news crews are now calling this kind of storm a haboob,” Don Yonts, a resident of Gilbert, Ariz., wrote to The Arizona Republic after a particularly fierce, mile-high dust storm swept through the state on July 5. “How do they think our soldiers feel coming back to Arizona and hearing some Middle Eastern term?”

Insulted, you hear?

No Comment

REPORTING AND WRITING

Tricks of the Trade With The Atlantic’s Senior Editor Megan McArdle

Rabid Bats Invade L.A., Ventura Counties

We link to this only because we enjoy pointing out that Moorpark is Kraproom backwards. And an influx of rabid bats is a good thing.

Ventura and Los Angeles counties have both reported larger than normal numbers of rabid bats this summer.

Twelve have been found so far this year scattered throughout Los Angeles County. In typical years, eight to 10 rabid bats are found, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said.

In Ventura County, the rabid bats have been concentrated in Spence's neighborhood near Moorpark College.

"In a typical year, all Ventura County might have seven or eight [rabid] bats," said John Brand, an analyst in the Moorpark city manager's office. "Now we've collected 10 in a 60-day period in one neighborhood. One house is the most suspect."

Probably not so good a thing for the bitee at the "suspect" house, of course. No schadenfreude, honest.

Confused Again

What is it w/ all the (Any, even!) adverts for gout medication?

Gout has increased in frequency in recent decades affecting approximately one to two percent of the Western population at some point in their lives. The increase is believed to be due to increasing risk factors in the population, such as metabolic syndrome, longer life expectancy and changes in diet. Gout was historically known as "the disease of kings" or "rich man's disease".

Trying to class up the place by stealing from Wikipedia.

Whatever the Wikiteer means by "Western population" we dunno, but why adverts everywhere if only one or two percent of the idiots stuffing themselves like the pigs they are get it? We certainly don't need to see them. Get back to advertising the crap that every American thinks he needs: Cars & mobile 'phone plans.

We expect the Heritage Foundation will soon issue a report claiming that as we now have "rich man's disease," poverty has been eradicated.

That At Which The Sheep Look Up

Hey, it's a list! In response to a comment, & we suppose it all ties back to this, a list of actual attendance in theaters by Americans, not box office receipts.

Uh-oh. Didn't realize Ed Driscoll was involved. We just can't help but wonder what his take on the Sarah Palin hagio-pic hype was, if he dared to type on the subject.

Anyway, see what the rest of you sheep have liked over the yrs.

Our Stupid "Warriors"

Alternate title: Dep't. of Arrogance

It became instantly obvious that this flight was going to carry a large number of Afghanistan-based American contractors and active-duty military personnel back home. It wasn't that the soldiers were in uniform -- American soldiers don't travel in uniform on international flights, for security reasons -- but they may as well have been. One small example: I was sitting, at one point, next to an American man of obvious military bearing, a real barrel-chested freedom fighter sort, who wore a polo shirt inscribed with the words, "Army Aviation Association." He was also carrying a camouflage tactical rucksack with his last name stitched on the back. He seemed like a senior-enough guy to have a Google profile, so I typed into my iPhone his last name, plus Afghanistan, plus "army aviation" and came up with his exact identity in 20 seconds. He is one of the key leaders of the military's drone programs in Afghanistan. Now if I weren't a patriot, but instead an anti-American jihadist, I might have seen this as an opportunity to do some damage.

Now of course, we were in an airport, a good airport with what I think is good security, but still, it seemed as if these people were inadvertently making themselves into obvious targets. I counted, in the crowd waiting to board the flight, five different guys wearing "Dyncorp" hats or shirts; Dyncorp is one of the biggest military contractors. I saw others wearing shirts labeled "General Dynamics" and "Iomax" and still others were wearing "Bagram Air Base" t-shirts, and almost all of these men -- dozens and dozens of them -- were wearing khaki tactical pants, Caterpillar boots, the whole non-uniform uniform. (And fanny-packs and those ridiculous wallet-on-a-string-around-your-neck things, but that is a separate fashion conversation.)

Copied & pasted.

Surprise!

Spotify update: Three MP3s we did not know (or care) were hidden in the bowels of the box.

Run Spot Run

Rec'd. a Spotify invitation eight hrs. ago, just made an acc't. & downloaded the thing, but haven't any desire even to search for listening material, let alone listen to crap.

How The Mighty Have Fallen

Pretty much not caring any more, but this will do for an obligatory item. "Did it" (& not by ourself, wise-ass) in this park once. 1983ish, we're guessing.

Not in the neighborhood any more, & the last thing we did in the park was shop at the farmer's marklet.

"Steadfast and Loyal"

And just a bit tightly-wrapped.

From: Z112 West, Allen
Sent: Tuesday, July 19, 2011 04:48 PM
To: Wasserman Schultz, Debbie
Cc: McCarthy, Kevin; Blyth, Jonathan; Pelosi, Nancy; Cantor, Eric
Subject: Unprofessional and Inappropriate Sophomoric Behavior from Wasserman-Schultz

Look, Debbie, I understand that after I departed the House floor you directed your floor speech comments directly towards me. Let me make myself perfectly clear, you want a personal fight, I am happy to oblige. You are the most vile, unprofessional ,and despicable member of the US House of Representatives. If you have something to say to me, stop being a coward and say it to my face, otherwise, shut the heck up. Focus on your own congressional district!

I am bringing your actions today to our Majority Leader and Majority Whip and from this time forward, understand that I shall defend myself forthright against your heinous characterless behavior……which dates back to the disgusting protest you ordered at my campaign hqs, October 2010 in Deerfield Beach.

You have proven repeatedly that you are not a Lady, therefore, shall not be afforded due respect from me!

Steadfast and Loyal

Congressman Allen B West (R-FL)

This bastard is fucking dangerous. Representative Wasserman Schultz should be watching her back.

TWO MINDS, ONE THOUGHT UPDATE (2059PDT): Incisive commentary.

aimai - July 19, 2011 | 7:59 pm · Link

Can I just say that the valence of this is very creepy? The whole “say it to my face” thing when a loose cannon like West says it is aimed at intimidation, a very sexist kind of intimidation. This is exactly what led Prosser to grab the other judge by the neck. There’s a certain kind of guy who has always relied on physicality and women’s reticence to dominate a room and an issue. They totally lose it when they, as they see it, lose face, are not “respected” or can’t retaliate physically.

This reminds me of the old line:

Men are afraid women will laugh at them.
Women are afraid men will kill them.

West is a lunatic and he’s done himself no good with this bizarre mix of rage and spittle. But that doesn’t mean the congresswoman shouldn’t watch her back.

aimai

More Michele Migraine

THUGS!!! THUGS!!!

That’s when things got interesting. Ross dashed after Bachmann, repeatedly asking whether she had ever missed a House vote due to a migraine. She ignored him. Ross pursued her into a parking area behind the stage. Her aides grew alarmed. When Ross made a beeline for the white SUV waiting to carry Bachmann away, two Bachmann men pounced on him, grabbing and pushing him multiple times with what looked to me like unusual force. In fact, I have never seen a reporter treated so roughly at a campaign event, especially not a presidential one. Ross was finally able to break away and lob his question at Bachmann one more time, but she continued to ignore him.

Afterward, I asked Ross — a hard-nosed pro who nevertheless seemed slightly shaken — whether he had ever been treated so roughly. “A few times,” he told me. “Mostly by Mafia people.”

As noted at The Plum Line.

You Know Who Else Knew What To Do About "Threats To The Gene Pool?"

Crazed drooling lunatic moron ninny Allen West (An elected representative! And a war criminal!) denies polling results & warns of peril to our genetic material:

The voices of the American people who want sound fiscal, taxation, and regulatory policy need to be heard this week. I am issuing a “call to action” – let the White House, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid hear how you feel. Are there REALLY 80% of Americans who want higher taxes?

I must confess, when I see anyone with an Obama 2012 bumper sticker, I recognize them as a threat to the gene pool.

Steadfast and Loyal,

Allen

Michele's Migraines Up-Date

Alex Pareene examines the Daily Caller accusations we noted in the item immediately below.

Is the Daily Caller's Michele Bachmann piece the quintessential Daily Caller story? It's by Jonathan Strong, the sexed-up headline isn't supported by the text, and Tucker Carlson's already defensive about it.

You'll note we advised it be taken w/ a "grain of salt." Suckers!!

Migraine In The Membrane

Leftist media smears Michele Bachmann:

Sources who spoke to The Daily Caller said they did so because they are terrified about the impact the condition could have on Bachmann’s performance if she actually became president. They also worry that the issue could blow up in the general election campaign, giving President Obama an easy path to re-election.

“It’s a careful choice of words I used: ‘incapacitated,’” the adviser says.

“As president, when she’s in crisis management mode, is she going to have the physical ability to withstand the most difficult challenges facing America?” the former aide asks.

TheDC agreed to provide the sources anonymity because they were providing information only a select group of people could know, at great professional risk.

Two sources independently provided detailed accounts of Bachmann’s condition. A third source confirmed that Bachmann frequently suffers from headache episodes.

Oh, sorry, it was the intrepid staff of The Daily Caller.

Which, perhaps, should be taken w/ a grain of salt.

Although this could lead to some tension headaches.

Shopping help comes from another quarter, as well. Before Vice President Dick Cheney's visit this past summer, Bachmann's husband, Marcus, hit the stores -- "he's got a good sense of style" -- and came home with "a sleek, simple hourglass dress with a yoke collar in winter white." He even bought a matching coat and shoes. "I just slipped it on."

Above via:

I feel like plenty of Republican voters can relate to hoping Jesus comes back real soon, but how many GOP husbands out there would be able to buy their wives full outfits -- that match and fit properly -- on anything resembling short notice?

Maybe it is the heels:

To staff, Bachmann has implausibly blamed the headaches on uncomfortable high-heel shoes, but those who have worked closely with her cite stress, a busy schedule and anything going badly for Bachmann as causes.

"Since I was a little girl, I either wore my mother's high heels or aspired to wear high heels," she said a few days later by cell phone while being driven to a postelection appearance on "Almanac," a public affairs TV show. Tune in, she said, to see a good example of her style.

Fuck W/ Us?

Go ahead. You'll get what you deserve.

Sadly, judging from our cruise of the Hollywood Borders that was shutting down, there isn't shit (or there is nothing but shit: What a word "shit" is!) left in the stores. Even if they apply serious rather than mere 30% reductions to whatever's still in the stores, or warehouses.

We hope the witch who fired us from the already-closed Westwood Borders is now completely out of a job. (She was still a "manager" there when we were homeless & using the dump as a reading room. A shame she never recognized us & reminded us we'd been told to "stay out of the building.") Screw her. Wish we could remember her name so we could insult her publicly, & we hope she too is homeless soon.

Another Dog Bites Man Story

FIVE MONTHS AFTER a grand-jury report blasted the Archdiocese of Philadelphia for failing to investigate claims of sexual abuse by priests against children, Pope Benedict XVI will accept Cardinal Justin Rigali's resignation this week, the Daily News has learned.

Ho hum. Anything new?

No More, But ...

What about those who use the Mullholland Drive bridge that's just been knocked down? Aren't those poor bastards going to be "Carmageddon'd" until a new bridge is constructed? And if the other side won't be demolished for another 11 mos., when will there be a new overpass? We're somewhat surprised more nasty rich hill-dwellers haven't been bitching.

Bring On The RICO

Murdoch's News Corporation: Differently corrupt in these United Snakes, but corrupt nonetheless.

News America was led by Paul V. Carlucci, who, according to Forbes, used to show the sales staff the scene in “The Untouchables” in which Al Capone beats a man to death with a baseball bat. Mr. Emmel testified that Mr. Carlucci was clear about the guiding corporate philosophy.

According to Mr. Emmel’s testimony, Mr. Carlucci said that if there were employees uncomfortable with the company’s philosophy — “bed-wetting liberals in particular was the description he used” Mr. Emmel testified — then he could arrange to have those employees “outplaced from the company.”

Clearly, given the size of the payouts, along with the evidence and testimony in the lawsuits, the News Corporation must have known it had another rogue on its hands, one who needed to be dealt with. After all, Mr. Carlucci, who became chairman and chief executive of News America in 1997, had overseen a division that had drawn the scrutiny of government investigators and set off lawsuits that chipped away at the bottom line.

And while Mr. Murdoch might reasonably maintain that he did not have knowledge of the culture of permission created by Mr. Hinton and Ms. Brooks, by now he has 655 million reasons to know that Mr. Carlucci colored outside the lines.

So what became of him? Mr. Carlucci, as it happens, became the publisher of The New York Post in 2005 and continues to serve as head of News America, which doesn’t exactly square with Mr. Murdoch’s recently stated desire to “absolutely establish our integrity in the eyes of the public.”

If Only

Help.

I'm stuck in traffic on the 2 freeway, two days now on the bridge over the Los Angeles River. Carmageddon. Drivers have given up and abandoned their vehicles, roving gangs are robbing and killing, I haven't seen a highway patrol officer in days. All I can hear is gunfire, wailing and illegal aliens. All I can see are the smoldering ruins of a dead civilization. Situation desperate. Running out of food, water and air. Can someone send help?

Just don't take the 405.

Brick

(Via e-mail.)

Hamburger On The Highway Up-Date

First intelligent & informed statement we've seen about the whole non-mess:

As the traffic experts say, it doesn't take many drivers to change their ways for congestion to go away.

If it only takes a few to improve flow, let's keep on keeping these fools out of their shitmobiles.

Little Annie Fannie

Episodes 18-21, 1965.

Clydesdales, Mink Farms & Videotape

Sure, all of these clowns getting the financial shaft warms the cockles of our schadenfreude-infected heart, but this is special.

Thanks to 1970s hits like “Cat Scratch Fever” and “Stranglehold,” hard rock guitarist Ted Nugent was at one time among the highest-grossing concert attractions in America, Unlike many other rock musicians his age, he has famously never indulged in drugs or alcohol, instead preferring such diversions as hunting and running a “Kamp for Kids.”

Unfortunately, he still ended up broke. The Nuge found himself in this very situation after his managers invested his considerable wealth into a series of bad business ventures, such as investments in Clydesdale horses and mink farms. Nugent declared bankruptcy in 1980 as a result, but he recovered before the decade’s end and still enjoys a busy career today.

Too bad the ending's so happy.

Less so: Marvin Gaye. We made a couple hundred bucks from his attempt to sabotage the album from which Anna Gordy was to profit.

The late Marvin Gaye is known as one of the greatest soul singers of all time, known for such classic songs as “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” and timeless albums like What’s Going On. However, his love life didn’t match the success of his singing career. His marriage to Anna Gordy was damaged beyond repair when he had an affair with a woman and fathered two children with her.

Gordy filed for divorce, but Gaye had very little money for alimony and child support payments. Despite his impressive record sales, his bank account was nearly depleted, thanks to extravagant spending on cars, real estate and cocaine. Believing that it was the only way she was going to see any money from him, she agreed to take $600,000 in royalties from his next album instead.
Gaye filed for bankruptcy in 1976, and the album in which she held a stake, bitterly titled Here, My Dear, was released in 1978 to scathing reviews and poor sales.

We managed our little profit by working for an outfit that provided video services to touring acts in the pre-MTV days of Don Kirshner's Rock Concert, when bands suddenly realized they couldn't keep up if they remained ugly shoegazers, & had better jazz up the visual part of the show.

Not that there much necessity of that w/ Marvin: The tour to promote the album was an expensive Vegas spectacle, & hiring [REDACTED] Video Systems to videotape the rehearsals for reference was another extravagance to lessen whatever money the aggrieved Ms. Gordy would see from the album.

Hell, we should listen to it sometime to see if the album itself was a deliberate suckfest.

Obligatory Daily America Hate

Late Enough For Music

You Thought They Couldn't Get Any Loonier, But ...

Do not expect a split between the allegedly not-religious-at-all Tea Party & the Religious Right. Paranoia just draws them closer together.

But this convergence between the two groups goes well beyond coalition politics and reflects a radicalization of conservative evangelical elites that is just as striking as the rise of the Tea Party itself. Indeed, the worldview of many Christian Right leaders has evolved into an understanding of government (at least under secularist management) as a satanic presence that seeks to displace God and the churches through social programs, to practice infanticide and euthanasia, to destroy parental control of children, to reward vice and punish virtue, and to thwart America’s divinely appointed destiny as a redeemer nation fighting for Christ against the world’s many infidels.

This is followed by a laundry list of lunacy from James Robison, & a conclusion.

After examining the beliefs of the contemporary Christian Right, candidates like Bachmann and  Perry seem less like pols cleverly straddling factions and more like leaders of a single constituency. In particular, the fiery “constitutional conservatism” espoused by many of them reflects a belief in a God-given Founders’ design that equally demands limited government, absolute property rights, a ban on abortion (including some forms of contraception) and same-sex relationships, the right to a Christian education, a stern attitude towards economic “losers,” and hostility to foreign countries other than Israel.

When the Christian Right leaders convened by James Robison come together in Houston on August 6 at Rick Perry’s invitation to hold a “national call to prayer for a nation in crisis,” it may or may not be connected to a presidential run by its host. But it will illustrate that the Christian Right is hardly dead or asleep, and is no longer by any means at odds with the fiscal and economic radicalism gripping the rest of the conservative movement.

A recap of some of the more colorful Xians who'll be praying 6 August.Masochists/aficionados/connoisseurs of the genre will find longer versions here.

Today's Dimbulb

Rick Perry:

Sure, Rick, because nowhere else on this planet is there even a concept of personal property or ownership. Only in America is a man able to own things that are his own! (Covered here, but the best part was missed!)

Today's First Runner-Up:

Mittens Romney, Constitutional Scholar.

None of you can deny that your species is incontrovertibly fucked in every hole. W/ a splintered broomstick. Enjoy your descent into the abyss, & don't come to us whining for help.

Passing For French

Melvin Jerome Blank.