A good Friday

I got up at a decent time this morning, got my workout done, and had a nice lunch with my mother-in-law! We had a nice chat and many laughs (including about certain mutual acquaintances), and it was a pleasant, sunny day, although it was a little on the cool side. I’m battling a little bit of a headache due to the food coma thing, although I didn’t overeat. Just a half a sandwich (fried green tomato turkey club...YUM!) and some steamed vegetables, but I don’t usually eat that much for lunch. Usually I eat...nothing. But it was good, and it was a fun visit! I’ll have the other half of the sandwich for dinner tonight. I’m not doing very well with cleaning out the freezer, darn it! But I have something yummy in mind for Ken’s return on Sunday that involves a sirloin steak that’s in the freezer...a lot of work, but I’ve got a hankering for it, and it was really good when I made it before. Details to come, but it’s an Emeril Lagasse recipe, so you know it’s good! And I get to use my meat mallet, so that’s always a plus.

I also have something neat happening tomorrow (Saturday), and I’ll write about it afterwards. TEASE!

I haven’t gone back to see how many times I’ve written about politics in the past month, but I don’t think it’s been very often. I’ve been trying to figure out how I’m feeling about things, and I actually feel kind of sad and disgusted. Don’t get me wrong...I plan on doing work for Obama’s campaign this summer, and I still support him completely. Most of my disgust comes with the outrageous things being said by the Republicans and the failure of the rank and file Repubs to rebuke extremists like Limbaugh for their horrid comments. There have been plenty of targets, but I’m going to focus on their attitude towards women again. Not just the Sandra Fluke “slut” remarks from Limbo. He recently said this about Hillary Clinton:

And now Hillary has reached the pinnacle, and all she is is a secretary. She’s the Secretary of Defense – State, whatever. But still a secretary. I don’t know. The left has the strangest definitions of success.

That’s right. One of the most powerful women in the world, with an approval rating through the roof, one who has proven herself to be an incredible and capable diplomat, and he calls her just “a secretary.” That’s Secretary of Em-Effin STATE, you limp-dick tub o’ lard. UGH. (Hillary 2016! C’mon, Hill, do it just so Limbaugh’s head will go all splodey!)

I’m also appalled by the effect of the Citizens United ruling, which has essentially put our elections up for sale to the highest bidder. This is a bipartisan abomination, and I hope that the Supreme Court will choose to address it again and reverse their decision. Oh, and Mittens tells college students this week to ask their parents for a loan for college, or to start a business. Seriously? Does he have any idea that millions of people in this country do NOT have the money to loan to their kids? Wake up, people! This guy is clueless to what average Americans are dealing with right now!

Errr, anyway...so I’m still reading about all of this stuff, still taking it all in, still learning and being informed...but my respect for our election process has taken a major hit. Partisanship has become insane, and although it happens on both sides, I think one side saying that their main goal is to make Obama a one term President should be a clear indication that SOME parties are more partisan than others...not to mention any names. *cough* republicans *cough*

I am still engaged, still fired up and ready to go, and still ready to do what I can to give my President another term. I’m trying to balance it with other reading (Summer for the Gods is fantastic...I’m about halfway through and will be doing an entry about it when I’m done), music, exercise, and family and friends. I can get very frustrated and angry with some of the things I read, and I simply cannot allow that to rule my life. As we get closer to the election, I’m sure I’ll get more deeply involved and vocal (that last week is going to be every bit of a bitch as the last week before the 2008 election, I just know it!), but for now I’m trying to stay mellow. 

However, as I typed that last sentence just now, I realized that an evil grin appeared on my face, and my eyebrow arched automatically. This doesn’t bode well.

Sabotage!

In the latest round of right wingnuttery so astounding that I'm left shaking my head as I attempt to plunge two freshly sharpened Number 2 pencils into my eardrums, a couple of people address the massive oil spew going on in the Gulf.

First is former Bush press secretary Dana Perino, who said on "Fox and Friends" that she was "not trying to introduce a conspiracy theory," then went on to ask "But was this deliberate?" She finished, "...if there was sabotage involved."

Then there is Limbocontin:

Now, lest we forget, ladies and gentlemen, the carbon tax bill, cap and trade that was scheduled to be announced on Earth Day. I remember that. And then it was postponed for a couple of days later after Earth Day, and then of course immigration has now moved in front of it. But this bill, the cap-and-trade bill, was strongly criticized by hardcore environmentalist wackos because it supposedly allowed more offshore drilling and nuclear plants, nuclear plant investment. So, since they're sending SWAT teams down there, folks, since they're sending SWAT teams to inspect the other rigs, what better way to head off more oil drilling, nuclear plants, than by blowing up a rig? I'm just noting the timing here.

People, people, people...anyone who thinks either of these two scenarios are reasonable or possible is just as retarded as Limbaugh, and apparently as Perino...although she always seemed somewhat reasonable and not at all as idiotic as she sounded in these latest statements.

This is insane. I continue to be amazed at the lunacy of such remarks. Anyone who thinks that either the Obama administration or environmentalists are responsible for this oil well going kablooey is...hm, let me think on how to word this delicately...fucking stupid. And let me make my apologies to regular stupid people—I’m not disrespecting you, because this is a special kind of stupid beyond what you could ever achieve.

If you're so desperate in your hatred of Obama that you think he would order the destruction of an oil well in order to...well, what exactly do you think that would accomplish? I don't get the logic there. Same goes for environmentalists. If you think any environmentalist would deliberately destroy an entire coastline, ecosystem, and fishing industry in order to make some sort of a point about off-shore drilling, then you are an IDIOT.

I'm so dismayed by the current tenor of debate that I am in tears right now. Even those of us who pretty much agree on issues are contentious and ready to brawl, and I include myself in that. I've always tried to debate using reason, facts, and persuasion, but I'm finding that that is out the fucking window these days. How do you deal with someone who, when presented with hard facts, numbers, and logic simply says, "I don't believe you" or "You're wrong"? How do you deal with someone who thinks it's amusing to join a group that prays for the death of our President, apparently forgetting what our country went through in the 60s when our President got his head blown off, and then a peaceful man trying to effect change and gain equal rights for all Americans got his head blown off, and then another guy who was trying to prosecute bad guys (and who also happened to be the brother of the first guy) got HIS head blown off?

I've lost my sense of humor about this. I don't find this funny, and I don't find an atmosphere of hateful rhetoric funny. I see it as the possibility that some mentally unbalanced loon will decide that it is his duty to put a stop to it all by blowing another head off. At the very least, it has all of us bickering rather than finding solutions, and that is really a crying shame.

I am going to pick myself up, dust myself off…and listen to some Beasties. They’re good for what ails ya.

A special needs entry

Okay, I'm going to wade into the fray here, although I know this is a very controversial topic lately--and you all know how I try to avoid controversy! I'm sure some of you will disagree with me on this, and I'm okay with that. I'm not trying to convince anyone of anything here, merely offering my own opinion.

I'm sure you've all read about the kerfuffle (AKA kerfluffle) over Rahm Emanuel's remark calling some in his own party "fucking retards." I find it more than a little amusing that the kerfuffle didn't come from him dropping yet another F-bomb, but from what some people are now calling the "R-word."

Of course, Sarah Palin saw an opportunity there, so she called him out on her Facebook page (Best line I've heard so far, from Andy Samberg as Rahm: "You call me out on Facebook?! What are you, fourteen?"), asking not just for an apology, but for Rahm to either resign or President Obama to fire him. Personally, I think that would be a bit of an overreaction, but in the strange world of Sarah Palin, that was a perfectly reasonable response.

Although...when Rush Limbaugh did it the following day, using the word not once, but several times, she not only didn't call for his big fat head on a platter, she didn't even mention him by name. She just said that it wasn't acceptable for anyone to use the word. In an interview with Chris Wallace, she maintained that Rush was merely using satire to get his point across, and wasn't calling any person or group retards. What do you think?

Our political correct society is acting like some giant insult's taken place by calling a bunch of people who are retards, retards. I think their big news is he's out there calling Obama's number one supporters f'ing retards. So now there's going to be a meeting. There's going to be a retard summit at the White House.

Kind of sounds to me like he explicitly called a group of people retards, even called a meeting of said group a "retard summit."

This tells me a few things.

1. Palin is an asskisser who is afraid to piss off Rush because he could hurt her political future
2. Palin is a hypocrite, playing the insulted mother and defender of her child only when the "attacker" is someone she doesn't like or doesn't align herself with politically
3. Palin is an idiot who doesn't understand the concept of satire and mistakenly thinks that was what Limbaugh was doing

Asskisser, hypocrite, and idiot? No breaking news there.

Now this is where I may part ways with some of you; I don't think using the word "retarded" is that big of a deal. In fact, I use it sometimes myself (and have friends who use it). Not often, and usually among like-minded friends, but yeah, I use it. Context is important, however. I can state unequivocally that I would never call someone who is mentally challenged that word. The phrase "mentally retarded" is no longer used when referring to such individuals. In fact, even mentally handicapped or mentally challenged is no longer used. The new term is intellectual and developmental disabilities. I maintain that the word "retarded" has entered colloquial usage, just as previous terms like "idiot," "cretin," and "simpleminded" have. All terms that used to be used when referring to such individuals, and now generic terms for anyone who behaves stupidly.

Someone raised the argument that it's still not cool, that it's like saying "That's so gay!" as an insult (which I do not do). I don't think it is, because a segment of the population identifies themselves as gay; the word "retarded" is no longer used as a term to identify certain disabled individuals.

I know that not everyone feels the same way, and there are still people who feel that it is an insult to disabled people. I believe that it's an insult only to able individuals who are acting like idiots, and there are plenty of those around. I'm not going to stop using it, but I will be careful around who I use it, keeping in mind that some would find it offensive. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time that someone found something I said offensive!

As for the new terminology, "intellectually and developmentally disabled," I'd say that Sarah Palin is most definitely intellectually disabled, so I'll join Stephen Colbert and others in saying that Sarah Palin is fucking retarded. I enjoyed Lewis Black's take on it, though, just because his frenzied outrage makes me laugh.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Back in Black - The R-Word
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

A rebuttal

I was so happy to see this.

Rachel Maddow spoke with the Haitian ambassador to the U.S., and before he said anything else, he had to address the idiotic remarks made by Pat Robertson. For this poor man, who has seen the devastation and death in his country—he may have very well lost family members and friends—to have to hear those remarks disparaging his country, and to have to respond at a time when he is mourning the tragedy of his homeland, just infuriates me. His thoughts must surely be on his fellow Haitians as they struggle to survive, and to hear about how his ancestors brought this upon his country because they made a pact with the devil had to be humiliating and maddening. Watch as the Haitian ambassador delivers a righteous and mighty smackdown to Robertson (without even mentioning his name). It’s a beautiful thing.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

I really hope that the people of Haiti do not believe that Robertson speaks for all Americans. He does not. Merely for a minority segment of slack-jawed drones who think that whatever he says is gospel. I hope the outpouring of help will convince them that most of us have decency and compassion. I realize that Robertson was asking for donations to help Haiti…but why did he have to throw that lunacy about a pact with the devil in there? It really is ridiculous and it is demeaning to an entire country and its people; no matter how much money he gets people to contribute, he should not have said it. It merely shows his ignorance and contempt for those who are not like his “godly” self.

Of course, that gasbag Limbaugh had to weigh in with his disgusting opinion that President Obama is taking advantage of this tragedy to get closer to the “light-skinned and dark-skinned black [communities] in this country.” He cites Rahm Emanuel’s quote about a crisis too good to pass up. To say that anything about this horrible tragedy is “good” is absolutely disgusting. It’s a pretty fucking stupid argument, too—I’d say that our President has plenty of support from both “light-skinned and dark-skinned” blacks in this country, and to suggest that he would exploit the death of thousands in Haiti (estimates are currently 45-50,000) in order to cull political favor is simply abominable.

If you listen to either of these fucktards, I hope you’ll reconsider. With such comments, they have shown their true colors; the masks have dropped, and we can all clearly see that they are the ones exploiting this tragedy, Robertson attempting to feed his particular brand of religious mania to anyone willing to listen and Limbocontin trying to further his anti-Obama crusade and his wish that our President will fail. I find both men abhorrent, and their behavior and words are heinous. Olbermann delivered a smackdown of his own, and said it better than I can.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Revisiting an Infection Connection

It seems timely to mention an old entry about Influenza. In that entry from almost a year ago, I wrote mainly about the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic, but Influenza is a growing concern at the moment. The CDC reports that 37 states have widespread flu activity; data show that we are not into seasonal flu yet, and that these are swine flu (H1N1) cases.

The first wave of H1N1 was relatively mild, but we're already seeing it get nastier on this go-round. Sadly, an 11-year-old girl died in our city last week of this strain of influenza. Some schools in our area are showing a 20% absentee rate. I don't see any reason to panic, but continue to be careful. You've all heard the precautions (And we should all be practicing them! My personal favorite is the Dracula Sneeze.), and there is plenty of information about symptoms, vaccinations, and generally all things flu at a great website called Flu.gov. I'll get my flu shot through Ken's workplace this year, although I have to admit I'm getting a little antsy about not having gotten it yet. There will be plenty available eventually, but initial demand was incredibly high. When the H1N1 shot becomes widely available, I will get that one, too. Now that I'm not working at the lab, I'm not in a high risk category anymore, so others should get it before me. I could probably stretch it since I have the beginnings of emphysema, but plenty are at higher risk than I am, so I'll wait my turn.

I don't see this becoming as lethal as the 1918 outbreak, because our preparedness is much higher than it was then. But that's the thing about viruses, and what I wrote about in my entry from a year ago...they can change so profoundly that they can take everyone by surprise. Stay cautious, and keep washing those hands! And if you were smart enough to buy stock in any company that makes hand sanitizer, you're probably feeling quite smug and pleased with yourself right about now, aren't you, Mr. and Ms. Smartypants?

~~~~~

Speaking of health, the Senate Committee Finance bill was voted on today, and passed 14-9, with Olympia Snowe of Maine being the lone Republican to vote for it. Hail, Olympia! (Joe Lieberman continues to show that he's not exactly sure what he thinks about things, or who he wants to be when he grows up, and voted no.) There is still plenty of work to be done, and I still want to see that public option as part of the mix, but I am encouraged. I'm also reading that there is a certain "air of inevitability" in Washington right now concerning this, with many feeling that there will be something passed this year. I feel it, too.

Oh, and did you hear about that Colorado baby who was initially denied coverage because he was over the top of the weight chart? In other words, they told his parents that he was "too fat." The father was pretty funny, saying something like hey, he's a baby...it's not like we can put him on the Atkins diet or on a treadmill. The insurance company quickly moved to rectify the situation, and the kid can get insurance now.

And people have the gall to talk about rationing under a health care reform bill, or a government bureaucrat coming between a doctor and their patient? Crackuh, please. Just what in the holy hell do you think insurance companies have been doing all these years? What a stupid argument.

~~~~~

I don't like to write much about this gasbag, because I think it's a waste of space, but I found Rush Limbaugh's word association exercise in an interview broadcast on "The Today Show" an interesting one.

President Obama: "Disaster"
Michelle Obama: "Garden. Plants a garden out there."
Former President Jimmy Carter: "An utter disgrace and embarrassment."
Sarah Palin: "Misunderstood and underestimated."
Former President Bush: "Most decent, down-to-earth real man you'd ever hope to meet."
Glenn Beck: "Look what I have spawned. Glenn Beck to me is 'Right on, Daddy-O.' "
Hillary Clinton: "Nurse Ratchet."

I think a good psychologist (maybe I need to enlist my pal Dr. Will) would be able to read much into his responses. One of the most telling is his response to Michelle...the woman is a lawyer, a Princeton graduate, and all he can say is that she planted a garden? Could he be any more condescending and dismissive of such a strong woman? Hmm...Oedipal complex? Then there's Beck: "Look what I have spawned." Delusions of godhood and grandeur. Sarah Palin is “misunderstood and underestimated?” Well, that's just stupid, and quite possibly indicative of full-blown psychosis, but apparently he prefers empty-headed fluff who will see him as a conduit to a position of power and look up to him as some sort of father figure. The exact opposite of a strong, intelligent woman like Michelle Obama, or Hillary Clinton, which brings us to what is probably his most offensive remark here, comparing Secretary of State Clinton to Nurse Ratchet. The guy obviously has issues.

This kind of makes me feel good, though, because based on his opinion of the women mentioned in this, I'm reasonably certain that he would seriously dislike me. I'm cool with that.

~~~~~

To cleanse my palate after writing about that bloated bag o' foul wind, I'll mention Rahm Emanuel. I don't know all the details, but it seems that GQ magazine has picked him at the top of their list of influential people. I'm not sure if there is more to it (perhaps a sartorial element), but Rahm is #1! And still a hottie. We really aren't hearing much about Rahm these days, but I'm betting that he's working hard behind the scenes, kicking ass and taking names, not later, but right then so he knows that people know they're on his List. Keep being the Enforcer, Rahm, and do some of that on health care reform, how about it?

Snip Snip

With the announcement on Friday that the 2016 Summer Olympics were not going to Chicago, it came as no surprise to me to see the level of happiness exhibited by those who delight in any perceived failing of our President. I felt it was inevitable, but even I was surprised at the level of schadenfreude and malicious glee we've seen. It certainly seems to me to be a case of cutting off your nose to spite your face. Here are a few choice tidbits.

From Glenn Beck's radio show (read the full transcript here):

STU: Ya, sure. The first round of voting is up for the Olympic games, and the first...

GLENN: Wait for it! Wait for it! Enjoy this. Savor this moment.

STU: And the first city to be eliminated is... Chicago. Yes, our president flew all the way over there to fail.

GLENN: Not one plane. Just in one plane?

STU: No. Two planes. We need more breaking news. There we go. Two planes.

GLENN: Two planes.

STU: His wife Oprah Winfrey, all the jet fuel needed to lift them.

GLENN: All the massive amounts of corruption that was promised.

STU: All the greenhouse gas emissions, all the publicity, all the excitement.

GLENN: For nothing.

STU: For as the kids call it, an epic fail.

[snip]

GLENN: Are you saying that the president failed?

STU: Glenn, there is no honest observer who could disagree with that statement.

GLENN: Let me ask you this, Stu: In his failure to bring the Olympic games, didn't Putin go over and get the Olympic games?

STU: Yes, he did, Glenn.

GLENN: Wasn't Tony Blair the first to go over and get the Olympic games?

STU: I believe you're correct on that, Glenn.

GLENN: So this would make the is it possible that this is the first head of state of any major country that has ever gone over and made the pitch in person and then failed?

STU: I don't know if that's true, but I'm choosing to believe it, Glenn.

GLENN: We can always hope.

STU: And Glenn, by the way, I don't know if you're noticing this. This is the first absolute undisputable [sic] proof of Rush's comment being true: I hope he fails because we're going to need the money. Well, he's failed and guaranteed we've saved money by his failure.

GLENN: Unbelievable.

STU: So it's actually, it's proven to be true.

GLENN: Do you notice there in Daley plaza they have a sign up on one of the buildings: Imagine.

STU: Imagine failure, Glenn.

GLENN: No, no. It says...

STU: You don't need to imagine it anymore. It's here.

GLENN: It says Chicago 2016, imagine. And that's exactly what they're going to have to do. In 2016 they'll stand around and imagine what it would have been like to have the Olympics in Chicago.

STU: Welcome to the 2016 imaginary games.

From Rush Limbaugh's radio show:

The worst day of Obama's presidency, folks. The ego has landed. The world has rejected Obama. For those of you who are upset that I sound gleeful, I am. I don't deny it. I'm happy. Anything that gets in the way of Barack Obama accomplishing his domestic agenda is fine with me.

From the conservative blog Red State's Erick Erickson:

Hahahahaha. So Obama's pimped us to every two bit thug and dictator in the world, made promises to half the Olympic committee, and they did not even kiss him. So much for improving America's standing in the world, Barry O.

From the Weekly Standard editor John McCormack in a post titled "Chicago Loses! Chicago Loses!":

Cheers erupt at Weekly Standard world headquarters. As a citizen of the world who believes that no one nation can or should try to dominate another nation, I'm glad that the Obama White House's jingoist rhetoric and attempt to pay back Chicago cronies at the expense of undermining our relationships with our allies failed.

"Jingoist?" This, after eight years of President Bush? Good grief. I'm surprised his tongue didn't leap out of his mouth and run screaming down the hall.

Here's an idea. For any of these folks who are loving the fact that Chicago didn't get the Olympics because they see it as a failure on President Obama's part, I recommend that you make a pilgrimage to Chicago. Stand on any street in the city and shout to all passersby that you are thrilled that Chicago didn't get the Olympics. Confront Chicagoans as they walk to work, or walk on their way to the unemployment office, or as they hit the streets trying to find a job because they've been out of work for months. Although the city was split on getting the Olympics, you can bet there were plenty who were hoping for the work the Games would bring to the city. Stand on the corner and assail those passing by and tell them how glad you are that they lost the Olympics, because you want so desperately to see President Obama--a guy who has lived in their city for several years now and calls it home--FAIL.

Go on. I'm sure they'd appreciate your thoughts and feelings, and would love to hear what you have to say about it.

I have to say that I am stunned by some of these comments from right wingers who hate Obama. If you didn't pick up on it, they are quite happy we failed in our bid to bring the Olympics here, simply because they feel it is a failure on Obama's part. They are happy that Chicago didn't win, and they are happy that our country didn't win. It is always a great honor to host the Games, and people around the world would have focused on our country and the great city of Chicago, and it would have been a great chance to continue to repair the damage that has been done to our international relationships and to our standing in the world.

These people were happy that our country failed.

It seems obvious to me that their hatred of Obama has overtaken their ability to think rationally and to think of things that would mean a lot to our country and to one of our greatest cities. When you cannot get beyond your own blind and irrational hatred, you have lost your capacity for reasonable discourse and logical thought.

If any of you support these people, or think that they make sense, I urge you to stop and take a look at what they have said about this, and ask yourself if they have the best interests of our country at heart. Take a look at the faces of Chicagoans who were so disappointed to see their bid rejected, and take time to wonder if people like Beck, Limbaugh, et al, had those people in mind when they made these remarks on their show or in their blogs. If you also found it amusing to see Chicago lose its bid, if you got a real kick out of it, if you got a good laugh....

Pay a visit to Chicago. Really. Feel free to tell everyone how you thought it was so funny that they didn't win their bid.

I just hope you have good health insurance.

Godwin, I presume?

Here are a couple of definitions for you from the Urban Dictionary (one of my favorite reference sources):

1. Godwin's law

There is a tradition in many groups that, once this occurs, that thread is over, and whoever mentioned the Nazis has automatically lost whatever argument was in progress. Godwin's Law thus practically guarantees the existence of an upper bound on thread length in those groups. However there is also a widely-recognized codicil that any intentional triggering of Godwin's Law in order to invoke its thread-ending effects will be unsuccessful.

Example: "As a Usenet discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one."

2. Godwin's Law

A term that originated on Usenet, Godwin's Law states that as an online argument grows longer and more heated, it becomes increasingly likely that somebody will bring up Adolf Hitler or the Nazis. When such an event occurs, the person guilty of invoking Godwin's Law has effectively forfeited the argument.

Example: "Dude, shut up. Nobody cares what you think."

"Oh, so now you're trying to censor me? Go to hell, you damn Nazi!"

It can also be used as a verb, to Godwin, as in "Aww, man, you just Godwinned the thread! You lose!"

Nancy Pelosi recently commented on some of the recent town hall protests, saying "They're carrying swastikas and symbols like that to a town meeting on healthcare." Well, that's a statement of fact, as you can see in the picture. However, many people have interpreted that as her calling them Nazis.

Rush Limbaugh went a little further, though, saying this:

"Obama's got a healthcare logo that's right out of Adolf Hitler's playbook. Now, what are the similarities between the Democrat Party of today and the Nazi Party in Germany? Well, the Nazis were against big business — they hated big business . . . They were insanely, irrationally against pollution . . . They had a whole bunch of make-work projects to keep people working . . . They were for abortion and euthanasia of the undesirables, as we all know, and they were for cradle-to-grave nationalized healthcare."

Limbaugh not only Godwinned the discussion, he Godwinned himself! What a maroon! You lose!

I'm not even going to dignify his comparison with all the reasons why it's untrue, patently absurd, and just plain goofy. I have to comment, however, on the "insanely, irrationally against pollution" statement. The Nazis weren't insanely against pollution, obviously, but the bigger concept here is that in Limbaugh's Bizarro World, being anti-pollution is insane and irrational. Who IS this guy, honestly? Talk about insane and irrational!

At the meeting that Ken and I went to, a couple of people angrily demanded an apology from Speaker Pelosi...as if Congressman Donnelly could do anything about that. I felt like yelling, "Then Limbaugh needs to apologize to our President!" But I didn't. Why? Because I don't believe that sort of arguing serves any purpose to further the discussion, and in fact, has the opposite effect, bringing the discussion to an end.

We've all seen on the news lately the angry rhetoric being shouted at town hall meetings. Legislators trying to speak and to explain things have been shouted down; a Congressman was hanged in effigy at one meeting; another was chased through a parking lot by an angry mob; others have received death threats. Limbaugh and others of his ilk are feeding this hysteria with their words. They are no longer informing; they are inciting. Sarah Palin gets all pissy with people for picking on her kids, then brings her own kid up when she says Obama's "death panels" will kill him...then she turns around and calls for civility in the discussion. I submit to you that she and Limbaugh and others are harming the country they claim to love so dearly by fomenting unrest and anger in the place of civil, rational discussion, and by promoting and furthering misinformation. When discussion ends, fighting begins. Is that really what they, or anyone, wants in our country?

I have no problem with anyone speaking their mind, or discussing issues with their legislators either in private or in a public meeting. I have a big problem with those who would shout down those with opposing views rather than let them speak in a public forum, and those who continue to spew misinformation like they're some sort of walking, talking chain letter.

If this continues to fester, someone somewhere will eventually get hurt. It's not a question of if, it's a matter of when. I will blame haters like Limbaugh with their incendiary remarks, and liars like Palin with her imaginary "death panels." It will rest solidly on their shoulders. Of course, they won't care, because they're beyond the fray, out of the reach of the huddled masses, above it all. They don't care about their country, and they don't care about us. They care about their ratings, and Palin cares about...well, I don't know what the hell she cares about.

It’s a free for all!

The infighting continues among the GOP, with some attempting to jockey into a position of front-runner for 2012, others trying to inject a calm voice of reason into the debate...and then there's Limbaugh. Sort of like "And then there's Maude!" Wouldn't you love to see how Maude would have dealt with Limbaugh? What a comedic goldmine that would have been! But I digress.

The latest brouhaha started with Mitt Romney commenting on only two Republicans appearing in Time's 100 most influential people in the world: Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh. He tried to make some joke about how maybe it was really a list of the most beautiful people rather than most influential. Silly Mitt. Obviously not, since Limbaugh is on the list! Many Palin supporters took offense at that, thinking that he was being dismissive of her qualifications. Silly Palin supporters. What qualifications? [grin] So a group of Palin supporters came out with this video:

I had seen it earlier yesterday, and when Ken saw it last night, we both started laughing. Not at the video, but at the continued snarky infighting going on in the GOP. But wait, there's more!

Colin Powell spoke Monday about the problems the GOP is facing, and believes that one of them is Limbaugh. "I think what Rush does as an entertainer diminishes the party and intrudes or inserts into our public life a kind of nastiness that we would be better to do without." Limbaugh fired back today (surprise, surprise), calling Powell "just another liberal," and stating again that Powell's endorsement of Obama was about nothing more than race. He said, "He’s just mad at me because I’m the one person in the country who had the guts to explain [the endorsement]. There can be no other explanation for it." He suggested that Powell leave the Republican party and become a Democrat.

A few things here.

This sort of fighting amongst themselves is very unattractive. While Ken and I laughed about it, we also agreed that it's exactly this sort of thing that made us stop calling ourselves Republicans, and why we'll switch our affiliation to Independent. While I had made up my mind a while before the election about who I would vote for, Ken's ultimate deciding point was the nasty turn that the McCain campaign took at the end, especially Palin's attack dog tactics. I know some will disagree, but I believe that instead of offering real solutions and plans, their primary campaign platform was to tear down the opposition and paint them as bad people and scary characters. When I see that sort of behavior, it really turns me off, and I much prefer hearing someone clearly articulate their plans and refrain from character attacks.

In that light, Colin Powell is completely correct. I believe that the majority of people are like us in not enjoying such unseemly attacks, and I also completely disagree with their social platform, which I find horribly exclusive and discriminatory--that's another reason they lost me. The fact is that only 21% of Americans identify themselves as Republicans now. They certainly lost me and Ken in this last election, and it would seem obvious (it's certainly obvious to me) that what they're doing isn't working. What don't people like Limbaugh get about that?

As for Limbaugh, his remark that Powell's endorsement of Obama was about nothing more than race is offensive and completely unfair to General Powell. It implies that Powell is neither intelligent enough or impartial enough to make an informed decision, that he voted for Obama only because he's black. Obama wouldn't have been elected without a significant number of white votes, so that's a stupid argument. Also another reason why the GOP is hemorrhaging members. Being so dismissive of an obviously intelligent, decorated member of the military--who also happens to be black--would seem imprudent, don't you think? Suggesting that they leave the party seems even more foolish. I suspect that Limbaugh won't be satisfied until everyone who is still left in the party (after he gets done with his exclusionary tactics) is in complete goosestep with him. Yeah...good luck with that.

In honor of the GOP's free for all, here's the Motor City Madman himself, Ted Nugent, in his gonzo glory days. I believe Ted is quite the conservative, so this seems especially fitting...just like Ted's pants. Nuge is a little crazy, but he's one of my favorite guitarists!

Hahaha!

According to the site that is selling this T-shirt,

There are two Rushes that rule the airwaves. One is a friendly force for good that sings epic allegories with awesome drum solos. The other spews hate and vitriol daily on hundreds of stations across America.

Unfortunately, the good Rush's influence has diminished since their heyday in the late 1970s and early 1980s, while the bad Rush continues to grow in power and reach. It's time to reverse the trend -- up with Lee, Lifeson and Peart, and down with Limbaugh!

Without further ado, here is Good Rush Bad Rush!

Mulligan!

You probably all saw that President Obama took the oath of office a second time, due to Chief Justice Roberts' misspeaking on Tuesday. As soon as it happened, I knew it was inevitable that there would be some that would question whether or not he was really President. As sure as night follows day, the question was raised, so the oath was given a second time. Apparently, there was no constitutional basis for the redo, because at noon on Tuesday, George Bush ceased being President, and Barack Obama became our new President. The oath followed a few minutes later. Considering all the brouhaha over whether or not he should have been the Democratic nominee, then whether he was a Christian or a Muslim (which has no bearing on his eligibility for President), then whether or not he was even an American citizen, they decided that a "do-over" was prudent. I agree. Even if you're not happy about him being our President, I think it's time to accept it and move on!

I had a couple of emails from my Supervisor at the lab, Mary. The only person I ever worked with who maybe knew more about Microbiology than Mary was the Ph.D. who ran the Micro lab where I worked in North Dakota. I feel like I learned a lot from her in the ten years we worked together, and I think she is a remarkable woman. Anyhoo, when the primaries were going on, and the fight between Senator Clinton and Senator Obama was heating up, I was curious to get her opinion on Obama. Mary is from Chicago, and I wanted her perspective as a black woman, so one day I asked her what she thought about Obama. She told me that she had originally supported Clinton, but she was starting to find out more about Obama, and that she was really impressed by him. I don't think she had thrown her support behind him at that time, but she was pretty close. After I stopped working, we exchanged the occasional email about the election, and realized we were on the same page.

She ended up doing a lot of work for Obama's campaign, and come to find out, she got to go to the inauguration! She took her granddaughter, who is probably around 10 or so now, too. How cool is that? I asked for her impressions about it, and for her permission to put her thoughts up here. She kindly granted permission, so here is Mary's take on it.

As for the trip, all I can say is that if you remember how you felt watching it on TV, it was 10 times that being there among the millions. To be standing there full of emotion, among so many other people also full of emotion, watching even more people also full of emotion, observing history in the making, was overwhelming! It felt like being filled up almost to the point of being "airborne". It will be a week tomorrow and I still feel like I am bouncing up and down on my toes.

Yes, President Obama is just a man, but those who fail to grasp the significance of having this man, as president at this time, just do not get it. To have such a pessimistic outlook and not dare to hope, is their loss. Yes, he is the first African-American president, and that in itself is huge, but who he is, the extent and the direction he wants to move this country at this time of need (2 wars, financial disasters and economic crisis, etc., etc.,) is HUGE!

It is generally agreed that the economy will get worse before it gets better. We have a lot to be afraid of, but I would rather choose hope, to feel and believe that there will be a positive outcome under the leadership of our new president. He is someone who sees the big picture, feels compassion for those affected, listens to all with courtesy and respect, and is so smart and goal-oriented, that he can see how to navigate toward the goal. The hardest part will be to get others to understand so that they can help, and if they cannot, convince them to not stand in the way of others.

I'm so happy for her that she got to go. Just seeing pictures of it gets to me, so I can just imagine the emotions that she experienced being there. I also think that my friend Mary needs to sit Rush Limbaugh down and have a good talk with him and tell him to get out of the way. I don't think Mister I-Hope-He-Fails would stand a chance with her. I bet all my friends at the lab who know Mary are going, "Yep, you're probably right." Ha ha! You find out pretty quickly that it's useless to get into an argument with Mary. You can't win. She has an amazing talent.

Remember a while back when I said that I don't get the mentality of anyone who would actually wish for the guy to fail? He's the leader of our country...if he fails, our country suffers. Leave it to Limbaugh to come right out and say that he hopes Obama fails. He backpedaled like mad, saying that of course he wants the liberal agenda to fail, blah-di-blah-blah, but I don't doubt for a moment that he meant exactly what he said the first time. He wants Obama to fail. I was happy to hear that Obama called him and the GOP on the carpet about it and basically said they can either stick with Rush or they can get things done. About time someone shot an arrow at that gasbag's balloon.

I'm sure Limbaugh would think that the picture with the caption that I made is a little juvenile. Oh yeah? Well, I know you are, but what am I?

Maybe tomorrow I'll tell you more about how I really feel! [grin]