Aug 23 2010
Crossposted at Daily Kos and The Stars Hollow Gazette
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Note: Due to a deluge of editorial cartoons over the past week or so, I’m going to, time permitting, post Part II of this weekly diary in the next few days. In addition to some of the issues covered in this edition, I’ll include more cartoons on the floods in Pakistan, the withdrawal of combat U.S. forces in Iraq, and Rupert Murdoch’s $1 million contribution to the GOP.
Aug 17 2010
( Note:My computer and internet connection has been a bastard all weekend, and then it locked up badly on the first thing I wrote this am, and I can’t get @#$%^&*#$%^& effing iphoto to stop crashing everything else, and photobucket sucks, so you’re getting this instead. Deal with it. )
1. Reid breaks with Obama, comes out against Ground Zero mosque.
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-…
“The First Amendment protects freedom of religion,” Reid spokesman Jim Manley said in a statement. “Sen. Reid respects that but thinks that the mosque should be built someplace else.”Reid is the most senior Democrat to come out in opposition to the mosque.
Sen. Joe Lieberman (Conn.), an Independent who caucuses with Democrats, had questioned the wisdom of building the mosque, too.
We’re all glad that you candidates have so much time on your hands after solving the rest of the nation’s problems, that Sen Reid, via his trusty spokesperson, and Exxon via Shakespalin can get into a pissing match over New York real estate to help get re elected. I know for sure that every am every unemployed Nevadan gets up every am and thinks, if only the zoning in Manhattan was different, I wouldn’t have lost my house to foreclosure and we’d get more tourists visiting again.
2. McChrystal to Teach at Yale in fall of 2010
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-…
The course will be offered in fall 2010 by Yale’s Jackson Institute for Global Affairs, where McChrystal has been appointed a senior fellow.
teach what ? A graduate course on leadership ? You’d think that West Point would be interested. Oh, wait….
3. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to Retire Sometime in 2011
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/…“I think that it would be a mistake to wait until January 2012,” he said. It might be hard to find a good person to take the job so late, with just one year to go in the president’s current term. And, he added, “This is not the kind of job you want to fill in the spring of an election year.”
It isn’t ?
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/a…Gates quickly intervened, taking both programs outside normal channels. He added $16 billion to build more MRAPs on a crash schedule. And he fired the Air Force’s chief of staff, Gen T. Michael Moseley, in part for negligence with the nuclear command, but mainly, according to knowledgeable officials, for his sluggishness on the drones.
So, near the end of 2007, Gates called on Gen. David Petraeus, then the U.S. commander in Iraq and the architect of the counterinsurgency strategy there, to chair that year’s Army promotion board, which would advance 40 colonels to the rank of brigadier general. More than a dozen of the Army’s promising colonels, at least one of whom had been passed over twice, got their stars. With this single stroke, the Army’s culture — the signals sent to the troops of what kind of soldiers get promoted and what kind don’t — changed dramatically.
Even before Obama’s term formally began, Gates launched a three-month review of every major line item in the half-trillion-dollar defense budget, drawing the entire building — the highest-level civilian analysts and military officers — into the process. By April 2009, his teams had compiled a list of 50 programs primed for change. Gates decided to kill, slash, or restructure 33 of them, including some of the services’ most cherished weapons systems.
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All told, Congress approved 31 of Gates’s 33 cuts. The other two — the C-17 cargo plane and an alternative engine for the F-35 fighter — Gates has vowed to kill this year.
…. Even before Obama’s term began….
The article almost doesn’t sound like a puff piece until the part where Gates started waxing eloquent about necon PNAC “military analyst” Frederick Kagan and the American Enterprise Institute, Frederick Kagan and his wife Kimberly Kagan, who runs the “Institute for the Study of War,” (more links here: https://www.docudharma.com/diar… )
are the two hired right wing think tank hacks the Pentagon trots out now and then to make up excuses to keep doing the same thing over and over.
Gates says we aren’t the Soviets in Afghanistan because we didn’t kill a million and displace 5 million more- ignoring the fact that is what happened in Iraq under Bush, Cheney, L Paul Bremer, and his predecessor, Def. Sec. Rumsfeld. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R…
The humorous part comes from the fact that Gates is pushing for reforms in weapons contracting at the Pentagon in preparation for selling more armaments and weapons to “allies,” and that he is “passionate, “revved up” and “stoked” about these military budget economies. Time to deploy that Golden Parachute as a Military Weapons Procurement Consultant Dude !
Aug 10 2010
Crossposted at Daily Kos and The Stars Hollow Gazette
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Jul 25 2010
Crossposted at Daily Kos and The Stars Hollow Gazette
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12
Jul 21 2010
Sometimes you just have to say, “You can’t make this shit up.”
Sometimes, alas, we do have to make this shit up. I know, Sarah, I get it. I do it so often, my real life friends coined yet another word for it, “Dianisms.” No, I am not making that part up.
I love making up words. I love making up plausible explanations to questions, too, just to see if they will fly. The more dead-pan the better. I love that moment when I can no longer contain the smile lines from the corners of my eyes, and hear, “Wait. Is that true or is that a Dianism?” or “Is that really a word?”
re fute ree fyoot Verb
1. Prove (a statement or theory) to be wrong or false; disprove.
2. Prove that (someone) is wrong.re pu di ate ri pyoo dee aat Verb
1. Refuse to accept or be associated with.
2. Deny the truth or validity of.
I’d like to take a moment here and defend Sarah Palin. I mean, peaceful Muslims should “refudiate” the subject of the building of a Mosque several blocks away from Ground Zero. Seriously.
Jun 06 2010
Full title: $$$ 10 MILLION DOLLAR REWARD $$$ for Sarah Palin to eat a ‘Drill here, drill now’ Shrimp Cocktail announced! (With a nod to Chris Hedges)
(A ‘Drill here, drill now’ Shrimp Cocktail is one made from a delightful blend of authentic, freshly killed Gulf of Mexico shrimp, Gulf Crude, and BP-approved dispersants. All served in a decorative shrimp cocktail glass, with an anti-corrosive long spoon.)
I’m pleased to announce a $$$ 10 MILLION DOLLAR REWARD $$$ for Sarah Palin to demonstrate her faith in her “Drill here, drill now” religion! For a woman like Sarah Palin, who would never recommend such a course of action unless her it was also a rational belief, based on knowledge of the state of regulation of the oil industry, and knowledge of their true liability, it’s important to demonstrate that all her deeds are consistent with those beliefs. After all, she might be a candidate for POTUS, and we certainly wouldn’t want a hypocrite for POTUS, would we?
We want Sarah Palin to eat a Drill Here, Drill Now shrimp cocktail, so as to inspire the residents of the US and Mexico with her deeply held faith; you know, that she really was right, after all. Yes, in spite of the spin that the liberal media is giving that silly Gull spill. After all, some folks in the liberal media think that the livelihoods of people in the Gulf – fishermen, tourist trade, etc., are going to be RUINED. And in an economy which is dipping back into recession, at that. (For which we can thank Obama more than Palin, but that’s off topic, here.) And others actually think that dumping toxic dispersants might kill humans who eat fish which absorb chemicals.
What is wrong with these people? Don’t they know about the wonders of the free market? Don’t they have faith in America, and in the free enterprise system? When they read “The Jungle” in high school (probably inserted into the curiculum by America-hating liberals, BTW), didn’t they realize that this book is complete fiction, and the Meat Inspection Act that it inspired was just because of the hysteria created by the liberal, America-hating media?
Because of the dangers of socialized first aid squads, when Sarah is richly rewarded for demonstrating her failth in America’s greatness, we can promise not to call any socialized first aid squad if she has any adverse reaction to our special shrimp cocktail. No!, we’ll let Sarah’s private healthcare plan deal with any tummy ache she may develop, so Sarah, please bring your health insurance contact info with you, along with your deeply held faith.
So, to Sarah Palin I say: eat our special ‘Drill here, drill now’ shrimp cocktail, and claim your $10 million dollars!!! Inspire us with your deeds, not just your words!!!
Apr 28 2010
Crossposted at Daily Kos
THE WEEK IN EDITORIAL CARTOONS
This weekly diary takes a look at the past week’s important news stories from the perspective of our leading editorial cartoonists (including a few foreign ones) with analysis and commentary added in by me.
When evaluating a cartoon, ask yourself these questions:
1. Does a cartoon add to my existing knowledge base and help crystallize my thinking about the issue depicted?
2. Does the cartoonist have any obvious biases that distort reality?
3. Is the cartoonist reflecting prevailing public opinion or trying to shape it?The answers will help determine the effectiveness of the cartoonist’s message.
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Bill Day, Comics.com (Memphis Commercial-Appeal)
Apr 14 2010
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An Independent Senator From a Northeast State Expresses Joy at the news that the Democratic President and Party is less Popular in the Polls Because The Independents Who Voted For Him…. Don’t Feel “Cared About.”
The Hill, April 14, 2010
Minutes 9 thru 11:15 on video
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-…
“There were a lot of people, particularly Democrats, who were declaring after the 2008 election that we were beginning a period of Democratic dominance that would go on for decades,” Lieberman said during an interview with the conservative Newsmax magazine.“Now, all of a sudden, the momentum is with the Republicans. And that’s – thank God – that’s the way people have spoken, you know? That’s our democracy.”
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Q. The Obama administration is saying to the world, If you attack us with biological or chemical weapons, we will not attack you with nuclear weapons first if you don’t have them. What does that say to our enemies who might want to wipe us out ?
Appropriate ambiguity up to now…. We reserve the right to use nuclear weapons …. if the attack was bad enough.I prefer that ambiguity. I don’t support the change the Obama administration has made. Like swiss cheese, full of holes. There are plenty of reasons the US could find a reason to respond.
Bottom line, I want any nation thinking of doing anything as extreme as to attack America to fear we would respond with a nuclear attack. I hope we never get to that point. I want our enemies to be uncertain and afraid.
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Q. Should President Obama have dropped the term “Islamic Extremism ?” What do you make of that ?
I don’t like that change. I don’t understand it. I think it’s fundamentally dishonest. I don’t think it gains anything I think it loses us some support in the Muslim world. The fact is, we’re not in a war with some nebulous group of violent extremists, ah
we not in a war with environmental extremists, white supremist extremists, we’re in a war with Violent Islamist Extremists and Terrorists.
the people who attacked us on 9 – 11 were not just violent and extreme, they were motivated by an ideology of Islamic extremism, which took the religion of Islam and essentially transformed it into a radical political ideology.
(video minute 4)
and if we don’t call it what it is, first up, we are violating the first rule of war for thousands of years: Know Your Enemy.
Secondly, how do you defeat your enemy unless you describe what it is , and 3rd, in many ways it is an ideological conflict between one set of values and this violent Islamic extremist ideology. Most people in the Muslim world reject this, but if we don’t say there’s a difference, between most Muslims in the world, and the violent Muslim extremists and terrorists, we disrespect most Muslims, and I don’t think we gain any favors from that . I think that our enemies … must be laughing at the word game, and our friends can’t be encouraged by it.
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Time to use military force in Iran?
time to have plans ….. when we say it’s unacceptable for Iran to go nuclear.next step is tough sanctions… to hurt. …. last chance before using force. This is a turning point in history. If we allow Iran to go nuclear the world becomes unsafe for everybody …. all the work, it’s over. The chance of peace between Israel and Palestinians is over.
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Oh, and the former Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin?
You underestimate her at your peril, says the Independent Senator.
“Everybody should listen.”
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http://www.mercurynews.com/top…
4/13/2010 Contra Costa Times
Palin’s speaker’s contract found in dumpster with other shredded documents at Cal State, Senator Yee had sought them in public disclosure request
” In addition to the bendable straw and Learjet that Palin required, the contract also stipulated that she be picked up at the airport by SUV or black towncar; that her name be registered at (an upscale) hotel under an alias; that autographs not be allowed; that all photographs be taken by a professional photographer; and that personal cameras, cell-phone cameras and any other recording devices are to be turned off wherever she is.
…. A representative of WSB (Washington Speakers Bureau) or the Speaker”s party will open the water at an appropriate time…. ”“It is truly shocking and a gross violation of the public trust that such documents would be thrown away and destroyed during a pending investigation.”
The students, Alicia Lewis and Ashli Briggs, submitted the documents to the attorney general”s office Tuesday to buttress an investigation already underway into whether Cal State Stanislaus violated the California Public Records Act.“The linkage is absolutely intertwined,” he (Yee) said. “It”s like having a fundraising operation in my Capitol office.”
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Sarah Palin Raises Over 12 Million Dollars Over 9 Months Since Leaving Office Last July- Whoopie !
http://blog.seattlepi.com/seat… Seattle PI 4/13/2010
It was at the logging conference that Palin denounced as “a bunch of snake oil science” scientists’ studies linking climate change to emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. She also denounced California’s Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has taken efforts to curb emissions.
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“Since we all wear clothes …. and women wear most of them, I thought I could use my love of fine apparel to promote a fashion line which real Americans would find uplifting, something that would strengthen America’s foundations. ”
– Sarah Palin, April 2010, source, Huffington Post
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what the handlers must be thinking:
Thanks, Joe, for the referral ! Those kids didn’t need cheaper college tuition anyway.
Apr 06 2010
Crossposted at Daily Kos
THE WEEK IN EDITORIAL CARTOONS
This weekly diary takes a look at the past week’s important news stories from the perspective of our leading editorial cartoonists (including a few foreign ones) with analysis and commentary added in by me.
When evaluating a cartoon, ask yourself these questions:
1. Does a cartoon add to my existing knowledge base and help crystallize my thinking about the issue depicted?
2. Does the cartoonist have any obvious biases that distort reality?
3. Is the cartoonist reflecting prevailing public opinion or trying to shape it?The answers will help determine the effectiveness of the cartoonist’s message.
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Hypocrisy
Dave Granlund, Politicalcartoons.com, Buy this cartoon
Feb 11 2010
Crossposted at Daily Kos
Sarah Palin’s been responsible for so much poetry being written in the past two years that it would make romantic poets like William Wordsworth take notice. The awe-inspiring poems written about her have captured the very essence of what makes her tick and appeal to so many Birthers, Wingers, Deathers, and Tea Partiers, however mad they might be in their political orientation.
After her breath-taking performance last weekend at the Tea Party Convention in Nashville, don’t be surprised that what we get next is a series of country music hits about Palin from Music City.
Tea Party Ogre in Nashville, TN
Adam Zyglis, Buffalo News, Buy this cartoon
Feb 08 2010
Crossposted at Daily Kos
THE WEEK IN EDITORIAL CARTOONS
This weekly diary takes a look at the past week’s important news stories from the perspective of our leading editorial cartoonists (including a few foreign ones) with analysis and commentary added in by me.
When evaluating a cartoon, ask yourself these questions:
1. Does a cartoon add to my existing knowledge base and help crystallize my thinking about the issue depicted?
2. Does the cartoonist have any obvious biases that distort reality?
3. Is the cartoonist reflecting prevailing public opinion or trying to shape it?The answers will help determine the effectiveness of the cartoonist’s message.
:: ::
Steve Sack, Comics.com
