Froth Slosh B'Gosh

Just a programming note, if you want to know the best times to check in for new content, I usually get home from work between 4:45 and 5:15 PM (depending on traffic) so most posts go up late in the afternoon or early evening during the week. I generally do not post on the weekends, but there are exceptions. Hope that helps!

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We Spread Santorum Last Night!

Spent an enjoyable evening at The Sharp Edge with our local Drinking Liberally group, sharing food, beverages and conversation with Shelagh, Tony, Tony's son, Paul, Mary, Bonnie and Austin.  Paul was following the returns in New Hampshire via his phone, and when he announced Santorum was doing poorly, the Santorum jokes started making the rounds.  Apparently though, not everyone is aware of Lil' Ricky's "Google problem."

As I was headed for the restroom, I overheard one of the waitresses asking a waiter what we were all laughing about.  He said, "Oh, you've never seen that?  Here, let me show you!"  He pulled out his cellphone, entered "Santorum" and showed the result. "OH MY GOD THATS DISGUSTING!!!" she exclaimed, while giggling furiously.  "Its also hilarious!" she added.

Santorum spread!

The Other Orie Shoe Drops

I speculated about it recently, and now the Post-Gazette confirms it:  State Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin IS a target of a criminal investigation.

Justice Joan Orie Melvin continues to sit on the state Supreme Court even after receiving a letter last month identifying her as the target of a criminal investigation.

Justice Melvin, a Republican, received the letter and subpoena to appear before the Allegheny County investigating grand jury on Dec. 15 -- the day before additional charges were filed against her sister Janine.

The justice received the letter and subpoena about a week before. She did not testify and has not been charged.

The paper goes on to cite Chief Justice Ronald D. Castille as saying Melvin would likely be suspended with pay if she's formally charged.  Timing is everything, if Melvin is charged, that would leave the Supreme Court's makeup tied between Republicans and Democrats at a time when the Court is likely to rule on the GOP's redistricting plan. 

While I find the  grand jury's timing interesting, let us not forget what Judge Melvin is alleged to have said to the Republican faithful while she was running for office.  Let's check in via the wayback machine to October of 2009 with Gort 42:

In her previous visit to Wilkes-Barre in May she gave a long rambling speech to the local GOP faithful. In that speech she listed as one of her selling points was the upcoming redistricting after the 2010 Census telling the partisan crowd that they needed a Republican on the court to rule in favor of Republicans in any challenges to whatever plan emerges.

So much for Judges being above politics.

Payback?

If charges are brought, and I were in Melvin's shoes, I'd resign, thereby giving Governor Bought 'n' Paid For the ability to appoint a new justice pending a special election. 

What Duncan Said

Can't think of anything more to add, its spot-on.

We are ruled by fools who think mass poverty is the solution to a bad economy.

Yep.

 

And its Romney for the win in NH, Little Ricky lags far behind.

Wage Theft

Pretty sure that even if the perps are identified, no one will go to prison.

Such so-called wage theft - a term that state regulators avoid - can occur in a variety of ways. They include: workers who are paid below the minimum wage; workers who aren't paid the overtime they are owed; workers who aren't paid at all or are only paid part of what they are owed; and workers who don't receive their final paycheck after they depart from a job.
In the state and across the nation, wage theft is more prevalent in low-wage industries such as retailing and restaurants, according to the Justice Center.
It's a growing problem in North Carolina. The amount of money employers short-changed employees rose by 21 percent in fiscal year 2011 compared to the previous year; the number of employees who were shortchanged rose 37 percent.

Just another reason to belong to a union!

Asset Testing

I see this move by Harrisburg as unnessessarily cruel.

Department of Public Welfare said that as of May 1, people under age 60 with more than $2,000 in savings and other assets will no longer be eligible for food stamps. For people over 60, the limit is $3,250.

So basically, you must be absolutly destitute to get any sort of help.  Doesn't take much at all to reach a $2,000 asset level.

Critics of the DPW plan say it particularly punishes elderly people saving for their burials; poor people trying to save enough money to get out of poverty; and working- and middle-class people who lost their jobs in the recession and may now have to liquidate assets to feed their families.

Exactly.  Its just another way to punish the poor and jobless for being poor and jobless.

Tebowned

I hate to say it, but Denver deserved to win that game.  They played much, much better than the Steelers did, in my opinion. 

Pitchers and catchers report next month!

Playoffs!

Its the Steelers at Denver today! We've got black and gold chips, guacamole, salsa, hummus, chicken wings with Quaker Steak and Lube hot sauce, and a big pot of haluski. The Terrible Towel shrine is draped over the teevee, and I'm ready for some hard core football watching.

Here's some Steelerbation thread to Steelerbate to!

Don't You Dare!

Don't you dare call them racists!

Kansas House Speaker Mike O'Neal on Thursday apologized for an email that made fun of first lady Michelle Obama's hair style and mockingly called her "Mrs. YoMama."

As I'm fond of typing, if you don't want to be accused of being a racist, you should probably avoid saying or doing racist stuff.

Romney's Tax Plan Benefits Wealthy At Expense Of Poor

No real surprise there.

Mitt Romney's tax plan would cut taxes for fewer than half of American households, with the wealthy getting most of the benefits, according to an independent analysis released Thursday.
Some taxpayers at the lower end of the scale — those who make less than $40,000 a year — could face a tax increase under Romney's plan....

The plan also would "add hundreds of billions of dollars to the deficit"

Again, Republicans don't really care about the deficit, or jobs, or the economy. They only care about culture war issues and making the wealthy and powerful even more wealthy and powerful.

Feudalism, here we come!