The Israel Lobby, reading now

I'm plugging away at this thing. It's depressing, but it is enlightening, sort of. I really have a hard time understanding the crazy things people do because they are brainwashed by some religious fanatics.

I appreciate the fact that I was born in a country that allows freedom of religion and by the same token allows me freedom from religion. We're supposed to have separation of church and state in this country, but by the looks of things lately, some of these whackos really dislike that. Hopefully ist's just the clown car circus rhetoric.

The Middle East is a weird place. I don't understand why the Taliban is bombing shit because some Korans were burned by mistake. That is not to say that I don't understand Afghan anger because of the war.

I'm not thrilled that AIPAC "influences" (read controls) so much foreign policy in the Middle East. Their agenda ain't working for the US or Israel very well right now.

Read a little about the book at wikipedia.

Purchase at Overstock.com

Once again, speculators behind sharply rising oil and gasoline prices

Once again, speculators behind sharply rising oil and gasoline prices
Posted on Tuesday, February 21, 2012
By Kevin G. Hall | McClatchy Newspapers

"...Historically, financial speculators accounted for about 30 percent of oil trading in commodity markets, while producers and end users made up about 70 percent. Today it's almost the reverse..."

The other night my congressman had another one of those telephonic town hall meetings and for some reason I get called. This time I didn't hang up and kept a running commentary going. There is a warning that you might be recorded. Good. I hope they recorded me strongly requesting that he bring up speculation in the oil markets as he was babbling on about some pie in the sky algae crap and whining about ethanol mixes and the price of gasoline. I didn't place myself in the queue for questions because I'm not diplomatic in the least. Mostly it was a chance for him to spew RepugnanThuglican talking points and a chance for "his constituents" to bitch about Obama.

Sometimes I hate the fact that I can filter out the bullshit. *sigh*

What Real Class Warfare Looks Like

What Real Class Warfare Looks Like

The American Prospect

PAUL WALDMAN FEBRUARY 17, 2012
Republicans find a way to stick it to the poor.

"So it looks as though Republicans are going to cave on the extension of the payroll tax cut, pretty much the only tax cut they don't like, seeing as it doesn't do much for the wealthy. But on their way to that capitulation, they made sure they could exact a price: drug testing of people applying for unemployment compensation! After all, we need to send these people a message...."

"...Demanding drug tests from government contractors or people who take advantage of tax deductions would be crazy, of course. On the other hand, testing people on welfare or people who are unemployed makes perfect sense. Why? Because they're poor...."


Guillotines ladies and gents, guillotines. I've had it with these fucking fucks. I've never had a drug habit and I found it de-humanizing and humiliating to pee in a cup for a couple days work at minimum wage, and that's what the temp agencies did, even though they asked the companies to pay two or three times what they paid me. Especially so when I was treated like a dumb hamster in a cage to doing dirty work for a company so steeped in the fraudulent housing market that even someone like me who had never seen mortgage documents figured it out.

Do you think ANY of the idiots who propose these laws EVER went through that?

The Whistleblower

2010 R 112 minutes
Sent to Bosnia to train cops in the aftermath of that country's brutal civil war, American policewoman Kathryn Bolkovac (Rachel Weisz) uncovers evidence that U.N. peacekeepers are complicit in a flourishing sex-trafficking trade. But when she brings her allegations to light, she discovers that her foes are more powerful than the law. Based on a true story, this thriller from director Larysa Kondracki co-stars Monica Bellucci and David Strathairn.

Fucking DynCorp. My husband had a run in with those corrupt, arrogant, lazy fuckers when he was in the service, and he is next to impossible to piss off, and he was pissed when he got home from work. Anyway, I remember reading this article within a couple years of it being written. When the phrase "diplomatic immunity" showed up in the movie I had to take a break as I was picturing myself going after one of the characters in the movie with a baseball bat. "Immunize that, you fucker!" I thougt.

The DynCorp "See No Evil" Monkey
Posted: 02/10/2012 10:56 am
David Isenberg
Author, 'Shadow Force: Private Security Contractors in Iraq'

Broken wings: both current and former employees of DynCorp, one of the federal government's largest contractors, have accused the company of taking a fly-by-night attitude toward maintenance of military aircraft
by Kelly Patricia O'Meara

Aug 02, 2011
Contractor Accountability and Human Trafficking at Center of Upcoming Film, The Whistleblower
"...Dyncorp employees ran a “prostitution ring” that imported prostitutes from Kuwait into Baghdad in armored vehicles and operated out of hotels along the Tigris River, according to Barry Halley, a former Dyncorp subcontractor. The women appeared to be adults from Eastern Europe, he said..."

And believe me, it aint just DynCorp:

‘Gentlemen, We Shot a Judge’ and Other Tales of Blackwater, DynCorp, and Triple Canopy’s Rampage Through Iraq

Does the 99% have support within the Occupy Movement?

I know somebody who lives in a "right to work" state and it's commonly known as the "right to starve" state.

As I was watching this clip I wondered how do the land/buliding owners, or property management corporations expect to collect disgustingly high rents if people who are working are living in their cars? If the 1% are so fucking organized why can't they talk to each other and figure this shit out?

Because they're NOT brilliant and they ain't gonna figure out shit until they are headed for the guillotines.

7 Marines die in training accident

Crash was 1 of deadliest for Marines in years
By JULIE WATSON
The Associated Press

"SAN DIEGO — A collision that killed seven Marines in one of the Marine Corps' deadliest aviation training accidents in years occurred over a sprawling desert range favored by the U.S. military because its craggy mountains and hot, dusty conditions are similar to Afghanistan's harsh environment.;;;"

"...It was the fifth aviation accident since March involving the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing headquartered at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station in San Diego. Throughout the Navy and Marine Corps, there have only been two other aviation training accidents in the past five years involving seven or more deaths, according to the military's Naval Safety Center..."

*sigh*

Seriously? This is considered a "top headline" for Findlaw?

Monaco Heir's Jaw Broken in Royal Brawl
By Andrew Lu on February 21, 2012 3:01 PM | No TrackBacks

I think I'll go read this book.
The Israel Lobby and U. S. Foreign Policy
byJohn J. Mearsheimer,Stephen M. Walt

Republicans just suck ass sometimes

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

When I think about women in these states who register and vote Republican I am baffled at the thought, "Jeez, how fucking dumb or brain rattled by some violent religious fucktard are these bitches?"

1/2 dozen one way 6 the other

I've been burned out watching the clown car circus called the rethug prez primary so I decided to do more stuff that is productive for me. Like investing in a vacuum cleaner I can stand using and dusting what I can with it as I do the floors. After all, watching the clowns is exhausting and my head hurts from...



So at least I'm tired and I got something done.

Art's classical nudes get Photoshopped to be skinnier

William-Adolphe Bouguereau's 'La Naissance de Vénus

Dude is one of my favorite painters and this pisses me off. It aint broke and it don't need fixing.

How a Filthy Rich 196 People Will Buy Our Election

Ari Berman at TomDispatch reposted at AlterNet

"...In the fourth quarter of 2011, Romney outraised Obama among the top firms on Wall Street by a margin of 11 to 1. His top three campaign contributions are from employees of Goldman Sachs ($496,430), JPMorgan ($317,400) and Morgan Stanley ($277,850). The banks have fallen out of favor with the public, but their campaign cash is indispensable among the political class and so they remain as powerful as ever in American politics..."

In 2011, 196 individual donors provided nearly 80 percent of the money raised by super PACs

(read the whole thing)

Happy Valentines Day y'all!

He can't eat chocolate, so the cake, the strawberries, and the pot roast are for him. He's a pot roast kinda guy. And oh yeah his card aint all gooey, it's funny. After 16 years ya need some funny.

Wikileaks: Does Bradley Manning deserve a Nobel Peace Prize?

Icelandic lawmakers nominate the accused secret spiller — reigniting a debate over whether Manning aided the world, or aided the enemy
POSTED ON FEBRUARY 9, 2012, AT 3:10 PM

A "Free Bradley Manning" sign hangs from barbed wire in Fort Meade, Maryland: The accused WikiLeaks informant has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/ Getty Images SEE ALL 49 PHOTOS
Best Opinion: Salem-News, TIME, Hot Air

Well Jeez, at least it's labled an opinion piece, good, since it links to Hot Air, the "conservative" blog founded by Michelle Malkin. I'd tell ya what I nicknamed her, but it's really really really mean.

WikiLeaks suspect arraignment for February 23
(AFP) – By Agence France-Presse
Thursday, February 9, 2012 22:45 EST

National Mortgage Settlement All But Inevitable As California, New York Join Deal [UPDATE]

I would really like to know what changed Harris and Schneiderm­an's minds? Ooooh, the banksters keep everything secret, never mind that it affects one state with 37 million people in it.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

hmmm, this was in my email this morning from Courage Campaign:

"The sweetheart deal is no more, and we have Attorney General Kamala Harris and all of YOU to thank for that. Today AG Harris joined the 49-state settlement with the Big Banks, but only after it had been vastly improved by her steely negotiations on behalf of California's homeowners. There is still much work to be done. This was only Round 1 in a fearsome fight to make the Big Banks pay for the rampant fraud and abuse they perpetrated against homeowners across the country...

... The settlement includes up to $18 billion for California, a huge improvement over the $4 billion we were offered in September. A minimum of $12 billion will be spent on mortgage principal reductions, with strong enforcement provisions. $849 million is dedicated to refinancing the loans of 28,000 California homeowners who are current on their payments but underwater on their loans, and $279 million is dedicated to restitution for approximately 140,000 Californians foreclosed upon between 2008-11..."

Ron Paul Set to Speak to 'Sovereign Citizens'—Just As FBI Issues Warning About Them

February 08, 2012 11:00 AM
By David Neiwert
at Crooks and Liars

Shit, how am I going to get through to Papou on this loon?

Birkenstocks

Because even ugly feet deserve to be comfortable.

Yes these are my shoes and every pair is a different pair. My feet, I know, scary aint they? At least they don't stink, unless I wear the pair on the top right 2 days in a row because she used her own suede instead of a Birkenstock footbed liner when they were replaced.

Resole count - 6

Footbed liner replacement on pairs - 2

The absurd life of an Abercrombie & Fitch model

How did a regular guy like me stumble into a job of emaciated youths and anonymous six-packs? Funny you should ask
SATURDAY, FEB 4, 2012 12:00 PM PST
BY TERRY MCCOY

I'm reading this article, and Friday's Left Right and Center is only getting a small portion of my attention because I'm laughing so hard.

Maine Freezes While Washington Snoozes

"There is a profound lack in this administra­tion's understand­ing of the functionin­g of oil markets. "

There is a profound "guided" interest of ALL markets in this administra­tion.
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

oooh, shiny pretty

My friend teases me that some women get mani-pedis and I get new Birks, but that is a relatively new development.

These are actually not a Birkenstock, but a brand licensed by Birkenstock. They are a

"

Papillio Womens Florida Pepe Bronze Leather "

and they are kicking my ass. They were not manufactured this year, so the leather was cracking and the stuff that makes them shiny/pretty also makes them stiff. A bit of mink oil on the inside of the straps did the trick. The last two pairs I bought were wool soft footbeds so the break in time was negligible.... er... nonexistent really. Breaking in leather Birks with a regular footbed sucks, and I haven't done it in years.

Stone Temple Pilots - Vasoline

Howl

"Howl

2010

R

84 minutes

James Franco steps into the shoes of famed Beat poet Allen Ginsberg in this star-studded biopic centered around Ginsberg's poem "Howl" -- and the widely publicized obscenity trial that followed its publication in 1957. Documentarians Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman (The Times of Harvey Milk) direct, with an A-list ensemble cast that includes Jon Hamm, David Strathairn, Jeff Daniels and Mary-Louise Parker."

So I'm trying to watch this thing and I must have drifted off to sleep and what wakes me up is "Holy, Holy Holy this Holy that..." and my first semi coherent thought is "Holy CRAP what the FUCK is that annoying noise?" as I struggle to focus on James Franco's form in the black and white moving image.

Hijole, some artists are soooooooo fucking pretentious. Bleh. It's one of the reasons I usually avoid watching any extras, or especially commentary on DVDs. I HATE listening to Hollyweird congratulate itself on how fucking brilliant it is. Who the fuck they trying to kid? Some of the dumbest movies ever made make lots of money, and some of the stuff that wins accolades is barely watchable and only won awards because of the political climate at the time.

Masters of the Universe - The Secret Birth of the Federal Reserve (Documentary).avi

Masters of the Universe - The Secret Birth of the Federal Reserve (Documentary).avi

Watching now. Most of the information so far has been covered in the three books that I have read on the Fed, but the footage of dissent from the depression is great, I've never seen it before. I'm enjoying the interviews also.

US Media Gobble Up US/Israel Case Against Iran

Published on Tuesday, January 31, 2012 by Common Dreams
Israeli President Peres: "No Option Should Be Ruled Out" for Dealing With Iran
- Common Dreams staff

Gawd this nonsense gets tedious.

Climate change? What climate change?

Update Feb 1, 2012
11th victim found days after deadly crash on I-75

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) - The Florida Highway Patrol says the body of an eleventh person has been found in a pickup truck days after a deadly pileup on Interstate 75.

Police: At least 9 dead in Florida in multiple crashes
By the CNN Wire Staff
January 29, 2012 -- Updated 1652 GMT (0052 HKT)

"(CNN) -- At least nine people were killed in a series of overnight accidents in northern Florida, blamed on poor visibility from smoke from a nearby brush fire, the Alachua County Sheriff's Office said..."

At least 9 dead from wrecks on I-75
Posted: Sunday, January 29, 2012 11:07 am | Updated: 11:59 am, Sun Jan 29, 2012.
By Emily Morrow, Alligator Staff Writer | 0 comments

"...Traffic is being diverted from I-75 to us U.S. 441, which reopened at 10 a.m. this morning after a brief overnight closure due to similar accidents."


Biodiversity and land Use principals/leads: Susan Cameron Devitt, Jennifer Ruth Seavey Contributors: Tom Hoctor, Reed Noss, Corrie Rainyn, Martin Main, Odemari Mbuya

"...Florida’s abundant and unique biological resources are at particularly high risk for climate change impacts because of its low topography, extensive coastline, and frequency of large storm events. Climate change is already making large sweeping changes to Florida’s land- scape, especially along the coasts. The drivers of this change are both physical and biological in nature. Changes in air and water tempera- ture, freshwater availability, salt water intrusion, ocean acidification, natural disturbance regime shifts (e.g. fire, storms, flood), and loss of land area have already been observed in Florida..."

State Of The Union Addresses Past: A Look Back At A History Of Forgotten Promises

In a pay to play system it's surprising that politician­s lie to their constituen­ts?

Bwaaahahah­ahahhaha
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

I missed all but 2 minutes of the GOP debate last night.

Last Night's GOP Debate Was Like Bad 1950's-Style Science-Fiction
Richard (RJ) Eskow
Posted: 01/27/2012 1:00 am

"The GOP presidential candidates continue to play their parts in an implausible story of a world that could never exist, acting out nonexistent conflicts while delivering dialog that insults the intelligence. That's not because they're stupid. It's because they think you are..."

Dudn't look Iike I missed much.


update stolen from OB Rag on FB Jan 29 2012

bleh

I don't give a crap today.

Kappa Beta Phi ASSHOLES

Yup, us little monkeys look up into the tree and that's what we see are assholes. 
 (hat tip to Ted over at They gave us a republic) 

 JANUARY 20, 2012, 9:52 PM INVESTMENT BANKING | WALL STREET
  A Raucous Hazing at a Wall St. Fraternity 
BY KEVIN ROOSE 

"...The Occupy movement was fodder for several after-dinner skits. In one, a documentary filmed during the protests, James Lebenthal, a bond specialist, joked with a protester whose face was appeared to be tattooed. “Go home, wash that off your face, and get back to work,” Mr. Lebenthal told the protester. Reached through his daughter on Friday, Mr. Lebenthal declined to comment..."

I'm thinking these dickheads could learn something from Dr. Robert Sapolsky.

Moyers!!!!

David Stockman on Crony Capitalism from BillMoyers.com on Vimeo.

Sick of Romney

but this was interesting:
 FRIDAY, JAN 20, 2012 12:00 PM PST
  The roots of Bain Capital in El Salvador’s civil war
"Romney tapped El Salvador's wealthy families, including one linked to right-wing death squads..."

 For some reason every time I see an article that mentions El Salvador I'm reminded not only of the social structure of Latin America which is notoriously plagued by vast inequality (possibly leftover from it's European colonial past) but I'm also reminded of one of the nastiest gangs in the Americas:

 January 1st, 2008
  El Salvador: Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13)
 "...Mara Salvatrucha, otherwise known as MS-13, formed in Los Angeles during the 1980s when refugees of El Salvador’s 12-year civil war settled in Southern California and fell into life on the streets...."

El Salvador Fears Ties Between Cartels, Street Gangs (part 3)
by JASON BEAUBIEN
Part 1  and  Part 2

 And even MS-13 are not as big as M18 or  Mara-18 or 18th St 
(different name, same shitheads) 

"..The 18th Street gang grew by expanding its membership to other nationalities and races, and it was among the first multiracial, multiethnic gangs in Los Angeles. It's considered to be the largest transnational criminal street gang in Los Angeles, California. .."

Have I ever mentioned how much I loathe the gangs? They terrorize and intimidate people here, especially newer immigrants from nations whose justice systems are grossly corrupt (mordida).

and finally, unrelated, but I like this:

FRIDAY, JAN 20, 2012 1:19 PM PST
  Reid bows to online protest
Protest against SOPA derails the Senate bill favored by the majority leader
 BY NANCY SCOLA