Obscanity: You'll know it when you see it

Mmmm, yummy morals and values. Jesus would be proud.

Oh, wait.

I’ve been saying all along that the current Republican strategy is to let the economy tank, and fight against every possible measure designed to prevent that from happening. They *want* the economy to fail, at least until 2010 and 2012, and they’re willing to do anything to make that happen. Then when we’re all in the poorhouse or jumping out of windows like in 1929, the Republicans will say, “Hey, look, the Democrats failed. Elect us instead.” Hopefully the American people won’t be stupid enough to fall for it – especially now that they’ve admitted outright what they are trying to do:

“We will lose on legislation. But we will win the message war every day, and every week, until November 2010,” said Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., an outspoken conservative who has participated on the GOP message teams. “Our goal is to bring down approval numbers for [Speaker Nancy] Pelosi and for House Democrats. That will take repetition. This is a marathon, not a sprint.”

U.S. divorce rates: for various faith groups, age groups and geographical areas.

Guess what, folks? Not only do the “liberal, family hating” west and northeast have LOWER divorce rates than the marriage-protecting south and midwest (which, to be fair, probably has something to do with wealth and education as well as religion), but those who fight the MOST to prevent gay people from marrying – fundamentalist, evangelical Christians – actually have HIGHER divorce rates than atheists and agnostics! Jews are the highest in proportion by a slight margin, but hey, guess what? Judaism doesn’t prohibit divorce, and in fact the marriage contract itself usually includes protections for the woman in case of divorce.

But do the religious fundamentalists accept that they might ACTUALLY be hypocrites? Of course not. I love that the conservative Christian response is essentially to say, “But we know that can’t possibly be true, because these people are Christian, so of course they wouldn’t get divorced, because they’re living a Christian lifestyle, which doesn’t include divorce,” or “Well, they weren’t really Christian if they got divorced, so that doesn’t count.” But hey – these are the same people who say “These facts are true. We know they are true, because the Bible says they’re true. And we know the Bible is right, because the Bible says it’s right You see? There’s your proof. You can’t ignore the facts.”

Citigroup breaks the buck – Mar. 5, 2009.

This really SUCKS for people who have worked for Citibank for 30+ years, and have relied on the promise of a pension, and stayed with Citibank because they had a pension plan, and have received their annual bonuses in the form of stock options. Hey, guess what? These people now have little to nothing remaining of the pensions, healthcare, and options they earned over three decades’ span. We’re not talking about executives, CEOs and rich investors. We’re talking about middle class employees. What are they supposed to do now?

With Twitter Envy, Facebook Adds (Near) Real-time Web Capabilities.

The question is, will we LIKE the new capabilities?

California Court to Weigh Gay Marriage Ban – NYTimes.com.

Clinton criticizes Israel plan to raze Palestinian homes – Los Angeles Times.

What could Israel possibly be thinking?

I’ve always wondered what the big fight is over east Jerusalem. Jerusalem belongs to all of us. I do not understand why Israel is unwilling to relinquish the eastern section, which if I remember it correctly is already predominately, if not entirely, composed of Arab residents.

California Supreme Court may reveal stance on Prop. 8 on Thursday – Los Angeles Times.

Reporting from San Francisco — The California Supreme Court may reveal Thursday whether it intends to uphold Proposition 8, and if so, whether an estimated 18,000 same-sex marriages will remain valid, during a high-stakes televised session that has sparked plans for demonstrations throughout the state.

By now, the court already has drafted a decision on the case, with an author and at least three other justices willing to sign it. Oral arguments sometimes result in changes to the draft, but rarely do they change the majority position. The ruling is due in 90 days.

(Read the article)

California high court reviews gay marriage ban | Reuters.

The countdown starts.

Man guilty of killing ‘Harry Potter’ actor – CNN.com.

The Note: Rush to POTUS: Bring it On.

HAHAHAHA. Rush Limbaugh WISHES he was important enough to merit attention from President Obama. I hope the White House answers his challenge with a stamp-signed photograph of the President staring pensively out at the Grand Canyon. That’s what I got when I wrote to George Bush Sr. as a 3rd grader and asked him to please save the planet for us kids by not polluting.

I’m Sorry Rush – by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Funny stuff. 🙂

So You Want to Boycott Israel?.

The Raw Story | McDonald’s: No workers comp for employee shot protecting patron.

I could alllllmost understand their argument (but not really) if this had been an actual robbery and the kid just decided to be a hero (but even then I’d be raising my eyebrows). But this was NOT a robbery. It was not an attempted robbery. It was not even an attempted mugging of a customer in a McDonald’s store. From all I can see from the accounts, it was a case of an employee ejecting a troublesome patron for the safety of others. I can see how McDonald’s is greedy and selfish and evil enough to deny this claim, but I cannot see how they are STUPID enough to do it. Hello, bad PR, coming right up!

Just shot off this letter to McDonald’s corporate:

I am absolutely appalled by the news that McDonald’s has denied worker’s compensation benefits to a young man who was shot during the course of his employment with you.

I understand that McDonald’s takes the position that in a robbery situation he should have called 9-11 rather than being a hero. I doubt that is a legitimate position, but even if you had a legal leg to stand on with that argument, it does not apply in this case, because this WAS NOT A ROBBERY.

Your employee had no reason to expect that the patron he ejected from your store would have a gun or would use it against him, and therefore even if your argument was viable in a real robbery situation (which I doubt it would be), it certainly cannot apply here.

This young man did a commendable thing by ejecting a troublesome customer, and you are punishing him for that. But guess what? By punishing him for being a good employee and a good person, you only punish yourself. This news will spread like wildfire, and your selfishness will be exposed to good and decent people across the nation.

As for me, in addition to being appalled by your treatment of this employee, I also cannot feel safe in a McDonald’s restaurant if I know that the employees are prohibited from protecting their customers in the case of loud, unruly or violent patrons because they will not be protected if the patrons turn on them.

Therefore, I will no longer be visiting McDonald’s restaurants.

Facebook faces furor over content rights – CNN.com.

Joss Whedon: Slayers, Dolls And Singing Villains : NPR.

TPMMuckraker | Talking Points Memo | Blackwater Is Dead! Long Live … Xe?.

One of the comments:

Well in Greek iconography "XE" or "XC" is a common abbreviation for Christ. IE|XE NI|KA written above and below on the Greek cross means "Jesus (IE) Christ (XE) conquers (NIKA). Who knows if this the real meaning but American fundamentalist Christians see themselves as returning to the true practice of Christianity before it was perverted by the churchmen. They have adopted many ancient and now obscure Christian symbols like the Christian fish to reflect their fidelity with ancient Christianity and their status as persecuted saints in pagan society.

A simple Google search confirms that “XE” is sort of an esoteric reference to “Christ Everlasting.”

Great. So now instead of being a band of secretly-fundamentalist private mercenaries, they’re a band of openly fundamentalist private mercenaries. Why didn’t they just call themselves the Xrusaders?

Judges Plead Guilty in Payoffs for Jailing Youths – NYTimes.com.

Yeah, you read that correctly – the judges received kickbacks in exchange for sentencing teenagers to serve time in private juvenile detention centers. What the hell have we come to as a nation when kids are sold into months of imprisonment for such minor infractions as setting up a spoof MySpace profile (with a disclaimer) of her school’s vice principal?

I’ve seen calls for a steeper punishment for these judges, who will be serving about 87 months (a little over 7 years) for their crime. If that was their only punishment, I would say it is not harsh enough. But the judges will be disbarred (meaning they cannot work as lawyers or judges again), and will lose their pensions (a harsh blow considering they’re damned near retirement), and will presumably be vulnerable to countless civil law suits on behalf of the kids who were detained. It seems like the punishment is fitting the crime, in a way – they imprisoned these kids for financial gain, and instead they face financial ruin. Seems appropriate to me! Just like the kids who were only imprisoned for a short time but will be dealing with the ramifications forever, these guys will get to reap what they sowed for years after they serve their prison terms.

Someday our children will look up at us, shake their little heads, and say, “Did the federal government learn nothing from Prohibition? I’m so glad we live in a more enlightened era.”

Cenk Uygur: Why Firing Phelps Might Cost Kellogg’s More Customers.

Yes, there is still a certain percentage of the country that is mental about this. They have no problem if their son drinks two gallons of alcohol, but a joint and they lose it. I think this is a cultural thing more than anything else. I think pot represents hippies, liberals and all that’s wrong with America to them. And yes, this is about 25% of the country.

But what about the other 75%? You annoy them when you side with the prudish minority. You offend their sensibilities when you kowtow to the puritan zealots. Every single person I have spoken to says they are less likely to buy Kellogg products now that they have fired Michael Phelps. Not because we love Michael Phelps, not because we think you can make pants out of hemp, but because it seems like they are choosing sides in the culture war. And it’s the wrong side.

Sean Carman: Suddenly, It All Makes Sense.

If there’s any justice in the world, the Olympic committee will give Phelps another gold medal, just for doing more in the Olympics than we knew at the time. Forget all those athletes on performance-enhancing drugs. Phelps won 8 golds on one of the most potent performance-diminishing drugs known to man.

Paul Armentano: Why Are We Condemning Michael Phelps’ Pot Use?.

Sure, there will be some who will say that this latest chapter in Phelp’s life is deserving of criticism because the 14-time gold medalist is sending a poor message to young children. And what message would that be? That you can occasionally smoke marijuana and still be successful in life. Well sorry if the truth hurts.

Keli Goff: Michael Phelps Deserves a Spanking, But Not for Getting Caught with Pot.

This article is pretty much in line with the email I sent to Kellogg’s – I think it’s ridiculous that they hired him knowing he had a DUI arrest in his recent background (at age 19, no less), but somehow that’s perfectly acceptable, while smoking some marijuana (and NOT driving) is an offense worthy of termination.

Usmagazine.com | News – EXCLUSIVE: Katherine Heigl, T.R. Knight Leaving Grey’s Anatomy, Says Costar.

Everybody seems to think they’re leaving because they couldn’t get enough money. I’m more inclined to think they’re leaving because of the extremely homophobic executive jackassery that has been affecting the writing of the show so deeply the past season or so. They made them purge storylines, change storylines, change character paths… I’d want the hell out of a show if the directors didn’t want storylines depicting people like me, too.

Prop 8 donor map.

This is fantastic. I love GoogleMaps. Look up your address and see if your neighbors secretly hate you! What a fun and depressing tool!

Robert Reich’s Blog: Why Republicans Won’t Support the Stimulus.

Frankly, I think the Republicans need a taste of the same poison they fed to the Dems when they were in charge. Do their floor mics REALLY need to be on?

It’s so depressing, but not at all surprising – the Congressional Republicans WANT the economy to fail, because it’s the only way they have any hope of recovering Congress in 2010. They have no interest in the wellbeing of the country or in our economic recovery – they care only about their own power. Is that the kind of “leadership” we need right now? No, it’s not, and that’s why we elected a Democratic government.

Doctor loses license in live birth abortion case – CNN.com.

WTH? Note to doctors’ staff: If a six month old fetus is completely severed from the mother’s body and is still breathing, you take it to an INCUBATOR, not a fucking trash can. Seriously, people! (That said, what the hell, how do you not know that you’re 6 months pregnant?! Talk about irresponsibility!)

Senators debate stimulus after reported deal – CNN.com.

Why do Republicans hate education?

I mean, duh, I know why, but WHY???

Pam’s House Blend:: More Racist Emails from Florida Republicans.

The GOP committeewoman thought it would be hilarious to make some jokes about the large number of black people going to the inauguration and how it proves they should have been able to get themselves out of New Orleans for Katrina.

Read the email – and then read her “apology.” How is this “joke” even funny? I mean, the woman demonstrates in one fell swoop her 1) racism; 2) class insensitivity; 3) able-ism; 4) ignorance of massive government failure; and 5) stupidity: making a racist comment to 5 people as opposed to 500 doesn’t make you proportionately less racist; it just means you’re proportionately less likely to be exposed. But guess what? OOOOPS.