Come Saturday Morning: Folks R US

There are no Dairy Queens in Australia...?

Wow. What a strange place that must be.

Karen,

Great thread - wish I were there with you. Sounds like you'll be having a very rich day!

Keep us posted, and wave to Garth for me!

Posted by: sparrow at July 7, 2007 04:05 AM

Sparrow,

Great recap! My favorite line:

So I said, "No problem. But since you're here, how do you spell "Obstruction?"

I love that :0)

Carol, Christy...lol

Karen--great day planned for you. Have fun! I wish I could be there.

Carol, I thought the timing on that was hilarious too. I loved the irony!(I didn't think it was necessarily intentional obstruction at that point since they were only the first car. But as the second and third car obstructed the view...)

OH...I also want to add...for the people walking by and reading the sign, (both those who asked and those who didn't) I'm happy to think of them trying to 'spin' me as a 'Bush hater' instead of a "Truth lover".

I really LOVE that sign!

ReOpen911, a France-based Web site devoted to investigating what took place in New York, Washington, D.C., and a field in Pennsylvania on that fateful day in 2001, and whatever events might have led up to it, is now featuring a video clip shot in November of last year in which Boutin - at that time still not a cabinet minister - is asked: "Do you think that Bush could [have been] behind these attacks?"

Boutin responds: "I think that it's possible."

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=15archive/&entry_id=18296

If you can read French

http://www.reopen911.info/

Do you know what I think would happen if they impeached the dick and georgie freak show?

I think we would be foreced to go back to the ORIGINAL LIE... The one where people FIRST started dying.

On 911.

I think the lies of the Iraq War were used deliberately to cover the lies of 911.

Damn I wish I could read French.

Paul Krugman: Sacrifice Is for Suckers

On this Fourth of July, President Bush compared the Iraq war to the Revolutionary War, and called for “more patience, more courage and more sacrifice.” Unfortunately, it seems that nobody asked the obvious question: “What sacrifices have you and your friends made, Mr. President?”

On second thought, there would be no point in asking that question. In Mr. Bush’s world, only the little people make sacrifices.

You see, the Iraq war, although Mr. Bush insists that it’s part of a Global War on Terror™, a fight to the death between good and evil, isn’t like America’s other great wars — wars in which the wealthy shared the financial burden through higher taxes and many members of the elite fought for their country.

This time around, Mr. Bush celebrated Mission Accomplished by cutting tax rates on dividends and capital gains, while handing out huge no-bid contracts to politically connected corporations. And in the four years since, as the insurgency Mr. Bush initially taunted with the cry of “Bring them on” has claimed the lives of thousands of Americans and left thousands more grievously wounded, the children of the elite — especially the Republican elite — have been conspicuously absent from the battlefield.

The Bushies, it seems, like starting fights, but they don’t believe in paying any of the cost of those fights or bearing any of the risks. Above all, they don’t believe that they or their friends should face any personal or professional penalties for trivial sins like distorting intelligence to get America into an unnecessary war, or totally botching that war’s execution.

The Web site Think Progress has a summary of what happened to the men behind the war after we didn’t find W.M.D., and weren’t welcomed as liberators: “The architects of war: Where are they now?” To read that summary is to be awed by the comprehensiveness and generosity of the neocon welfare system. Even Paul Wolfowitz, who managed the rare feat of messing up not one but two high-level jobs, has found refuge at the American Enterprise Institute.

Which brings us to the case of I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby Jr.

The hysteria of the neocons over the prospect that Mr. Libby might actually do time for committing perjury was a sight to behold. In an opinion piece in The Wall Street Journal titled “Fallen Soldier,” Fouad Ajami of Johns Hopkins University cited the soldier’s creed: “I will never leave a fallen comrade.” He went on to declare that “Scooter Libby was a soldier in your — our — war in Iraq.”

Ah, yes. Shuffling papers in an air-conditioned Washington office is exactly like putting your life on the line in Anbar or Baghdad. Spending 30 months in a minimum-security prison, with a comfortable think-tank job waiting at the other end, is exactly like having half your face or both your legs blown off by an I.E.D.

What lay behind the hysteria, of course, was the prospect that for the very first time one of the people who tricked America into war, then endangered national security yet again in the effort to cover their tracks, might pay some price. But Mr. Ajami needn’t have worried.

Back when the investigation into the leak of Valerie Plame Wilson’s identity began, Mr. Bush insisted that if anyone in his administration had violated the law, “that person will be taken care of.” Now we know what he meant. Mr. Bush hasn’t challenged the verdict in the Libby case, and other people convicted of similar offenses have spent substantial periods of time in prison. But Mr. Libby goes free.

Oh, and don’t fret about the fact that Mr. Libby still had to pay a fine. Does anyone doubt that his friends will find a way to pick up the tab?

Mr. Bush says that Mr. Libby’s punishment remains “harsh” because his reputation is “forever damaged.” Meanwhile, Mr. Bush employs, as a deputy national security adviser, none other than Elliott Abrams, who pleaded guilty to unlawfully withholding information from Congress in the Iran-contra affair. Mr. Abrams was one of six Iran-contra defendants pardoned by Mr. Bush’s father, who was himself a subject of the special prosecutor’s investigation of the scandal.

In other words, obstruction of justice when it gets too close to home is a family tradition. And being a loyal Bushie means never having to say you’re sorry.

Postscript: Commenter Davol White gives us this pearl:

I was watching a show on PBS with certain rightwing pundits exchanging ideas and opinions with lefties about this subject. I recall one righty talking about Valerie and Joe Wilson's upcoming movie and book deals saying, "I wish my career could be ruined like Valerie's". This ruffled my patriotism feathers at the time when I wanted to bitch slap that pundit for his treasonous comment, and remind everyone that this is about an act of treason that shut down a CIA operation, which was thwarting the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction. This act of treason was so blatant, and so counterproductive to the proclaimed reasons for war that I'm inclined to think there is more to it then just bad-mouthing a critic of the war who had already done his editorial damage. I think Valerie Plame was onto these liars about WMD's, and I've read articles that she was instrumental in stopping a shipment of VX Nerve gas from entering Iraq through Turkey right before this war. I think if I was the CIA agent who stopped these neo-cons from planting WMD's in Iraq before the war I would be in danger of being outed too. As far as Libby goes, $160,000 a year job, no jail for my felony, among other perks. I wish my career could be ruined like Libby's.

http://welcome-to-pottersville.blogspot.com/2007/07/paul-krugman-sacrifice-is-for-suckers.html

By the time we get to the bottom of all this, we are going to be one humiliated and horrified nation.

Christy,
I am already feeling pretty humiliated and horrified.

Amen Karen.

Is it just me, but it is hard to look at them anymore. If I look at his punk ass war mongering chimp face too long I start feeling like I am being raped.

It is the only word I know to describe it.

He makes me want to vomit, but I can no longer listen to him because I want his voice out of my head, I want his very IDEALS to quit sliming me. His very presence makes me furious.

I try to control the animal part of my heart, because I do believe in God and justice, but I can not help myself in just wishing he would die.

God forgive me, but I wish he would just fall over dead.

If cheneys pacemaker would just freaking explode, at least we could take comfort in knowing death always settles the score.

I want them tried and hanged for all the MURDER they have left in their wake and the war crimes they committed. I want to know wtf happened on 911.

I want to walk away from this not feeling violated to my very soul.

In my mind, other than an inconvienant pacemaker, impeachment is the only path we have out of this. It is a Hail Mary Pass. It is our last hope of righting these wrongs.

It is the only way to get our PRIDE back.

When I look at him, I feel so ashamed. I am so sick of feeling that way.

I think we all are.

Not. Gonna. Take. It. Anymore.

We are having sound issues here in DC, including on the live webcast. Sharing a bench with a man from San Francisco whose grand-niece was the young woman who delivered the missive to President Bush a few weeks ago.

Leah Anthony Libresco is this gentlemen's nephew's daughter and she is a remarkable young person, according to her doting grand-uncle. Leah is off to Yale this Fall. That was quite a brave act; speaking truth to power, so to speak. Not so different from what sparrow does regularly, but still remarkable!

Christy, Come to DC. We can take them.

Sound working online anyway:

http://entimg.msn.com/i/ExperienceData/p1-7/en-us/x.htm?sh=LiveEarthLive&g=9f240073-cf25-4402-bbb0-bd77c597c4ab

If I came to DC I would probably get myself, and a whole lot of other people too.

My number one priority in DC would still to this day not be the WH.

It would be the Washington Post.

And I would still bring orange.

It is never too late for a good idea.

I'm watching LiveEarth on Bravo. They just had the band of scientists in Antarctica.

Five guys in winter coats playing their rock song on the ice with the water as background.

That was totally awesome.

and a whole lot of other people too.

In trouble I meant to say... Sorry I was getting hugs from my kids.

Christy--I told you, I'm in, except I want FOX.

Al Gore just called for a 90% reduction in emissions and no new coal plants without sequestration, which in Richard's world means the end of coal plants. He does not believe sequestration is gonna happen...

Karen, I am not a leader to command the focus it would require to amass the numbers needed for a blockade.

BUT... if it could be done, there are already enough numbers there to do it.

Two fronts, 1) an effective ...slogan... if you will to sweep them in and get their attention.

And 2)... the words needed to hold them there. This part is covered as the WaPo themselves have provided all we need to maintain a singular focus for an extended period of time.

The longer it goes on, the more effective it will be.

Karen

When you referred to people like Condi and Cheney and said "there was no way that they would ever, could ever understand the phenomenon I was experiencing" - that's one reason I go to any "Celebration of Life" I can find. I believe they not only don't understand but know just enough to want to stamp it all out. I have felt that way ever since I was a teen during the Vietnam War. I soon figured out it was not just the rebellion of my age against authority but that we needed to continue to Question Authority when they are Taleban/Blue Meanie types.

I doubt FOX News would last a week without totally freaking out.

They are already way too paranoid for it not to be a joke. I can just imagine what would happen when the Fox and Friends team suddenly realizes there are 2 hippis chained to their anchor desk begging them to just be honest. And 1000 more on the sidewalk outside.

HAHAHA!! I would pay real money to see it.

Christy
Go to Babel Fish and it'll translate it by computer - the syntax will be all messed up but you can get the essence of some of it.

There are conspiracy theories around all of the tragedies, back to Pearl Harbor. What I think is that the truth is probably uglier and scarier than any of the conspirators could create in their minds.

Follow the money behind Atta.

Also went back and read Sparrow's story. It's very hard for me to understand the stifling of dissent and that people didn't support it - UNTIL I think back to the town of 500 people that I grew up in.

That's where some of the upstanding patriotic citizens tried to run my boyfriend and me into a semi. That's where people working in the kitchen threw food on me because I didn't support the Vietnam war. That's where they threw rocks at my saxophone when I was marching down the street.

The town I lived in is a ghost town. No jobs, no future. Kids leave by the droves. Alot of good it's ever done them to vote for people like Bush. I checked on the internet and they voted for him for both of the last elections, with an incredible majority. I have never gone to any of my class reunions.

The most decent man who ever came from South Dakota was George McGovern.

"..the truth is probably uglier and scarier.."

Just what we can see is already pretty damn ugly.

If worse is yet to come I am ready to see that too, just to freaking get it over with already.

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Hardball_David_Shusters_Libby_smackdown_extravaganza_0707.html

On MSNBC's Hardball on Friday, guest host David Shuster reported on a fresh controversy surrounding the Scooter Libby pardon.

In a Wall Street Journal column on June 8, conservative Fouad Ajami wrote "Scooter Libby was a soldier in your -- our -- war in Iraq. He can't be left behind as a casualty of a war our country had once proudly claimed as its own." That remark has sparked widespread outrage.

Ajami appeared with Shuster to defend himself, saying testily, "I don't really need to be lectured on the soldiers killed in Iraq. ... I have a nephew serving with the US military as a lieutenant in Iraq. ... You have to be able to handle a metaphor." Ajami then began laying out a set of standard talking-points, begining with the familiar argument that Libby was not really the person who leaked Valerie Plame's identity.

"I know where you're going with this," interrupted Shuster. "You said, 'Oh, we know that Richard Armitage wasn't the leaker,' as if there was just one leaker. ... Richard Armitage would have only had this information about Valerie Wilson only because Scooter Libby asked the State Department for the information. ... Seven different people talked with Scooter Libby about Valerie Wilson. ... Vice President Cheney told Scooter Libby about Valerie Wilson."

When Ajami attempted to continue with the assertion that "there had been no underlying crime," Shuster broke in again, pointing out that "the whole issue was that because Scooter Libby lied and obstructed the investigation, Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald was not able to make a call."

"This should never have been criminalized to begin with," insisted Ajami. "This was part of the debate on the Iraq War."

"Why do you believe that Scooter Libby lied to the FBI, lied to the grand jury if this was simply a matter of politics?" Shuster replied.

Shuster then invited Iraq veteran Paul Rieckhoff, founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, to respond to Ajami's comments. Rieckhoff said, "I think it's absurd David. I think it's a new low and an act of desperation here to defend a man, comparing him to fallen soldiers. ... part of the soldier's creed is to say that you will uphold the Army values and live the Army values. Those values include honor, integrity, personal courage. They don't include lying and breaking the law."

Rieckhoff continued, "If you are going to use us as props for a political argument to defend Scooter Libby, you have to understand that we're going to push back. Scooter Libby does not embody the Army values. He is not an honorable soldier by breaking the law and lying."

At the end of the segment, Fouad Ajami came back on with an attempt to connect the 9/11 attacks to the war in Iraq. Shuster quickly cut him off, saying, "Mr. Ajami, I'm not going to let you end this with the idea that Iraq was part of 9/11, when everybody knows that Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11."

The following video clips are from MSNBC's Hardball, broadcast on July 6.

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Hardball_David_Shusters_Libby_smackdown_extravaganza_0707.html

Wow, that is really beautiful when you think about it.

SiCKO TICKETS: http://www.sickotix.com

DC Concert:
http://entimg.msn.com/i/LiveEarth/player/altplayer/q.html?StreamName=US2.smi

IMPEACHING CHENEY: SEND EMAILS VIA WORKING ASSETS TO YOUR CONGRESSMEMBERS -

http://actforchange.workingassets.com/campaign/impeach_cheney

Tell Congress: Impeach Dick Cheney Former President George H.W. Bush said it best when he called those who reveal the identities of covert agents "the most insidious of traitors." In reviewing testimony from the Scooter Libby trial, there's simply no question that Libby acted at the direction of his superiors when he leaked Valerie Plame's identity to multiple reporters. Libby worked, of course, directly for the Vice President.

The exposure of Plame's identity as a CIA agent almost certainly has had severe consequences for everyone she worked with overseas in trying to stop the spread of weapons of mass destruction. The loss of these assets and networks has done immeasurable harm to our country's security. Dick Cheney is directly responsible for that harm.

Mr. Cheney has also:

systematically deceived Congress and the citizens of the United States regarding the potential threat of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq;
systematically deceived Congress and the citizens of the United States in fabricating links between Iraq and al Qaeda which have never existed; and
repeatedly threatened aggression against Iran, in violation of the United Nations charter, a treaty which the U.S. has signed and is thus -- according to our Constitution -- the supreme law of the land.
These last three charges form the basis of House Resolution 333, Articles of Impeachment against Dick Cheney, introduced by Representative Kucinich of Ohio. As of late June 2007, fourteen members of Congress have signed on to H.R. 333. Ask your representative to sign on as a co-sponsor.

Ralpheh
see also Act for Change - I went through them this morning and send also to other people. I sent to my Congressperson and Senators.

Christy
"Wear orange" is catching on.
http://www.worldcantwait.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4174&Itemid=223

Working Assets is the same as Act for Change

same petition....

Impeach Cheney petition at US Alone

85,000 signers so far

IMPEACH CHENEY POLL AND BLOG

http://www.usalone.com/cheney_impeachment.php

I am not quite sure what this blog actually does but I think it sends a message to your three congressmembers calling for Cheney's impeachment. It also tallies your vote for impeaching Cheney....

Gonzales petition and video:

Watch the Video and
Sign the Petition Now

Since Monday, over 41,000 people have called for the impeachment of U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. Please join us by signing the petition right now:

http://www.ImpeachGonzales.org

Here is some of the buzz:

The Nation1: This is a classic "it's-about-time" development. Democracy for America and Greenwald are giving the American people an opportunity to demand that Congress get serious about holding an errant executive branch to account.

The Boston Globe2: It's time for an impeachment, not just to oust Gonzales, but as a salutary warning to his superiors.

DailyKos3: Making those Republicans squirm on this vote makes it worth it in and of itself. Add in the political pressure of the just announced Impeach Gonzales by DFA and BraveNewFilms, this is one issue that's not going to go away for Gonzo, for Bush, or for the GOP.

And in her front page post today, Arianna Huffington4 restates her belief that "the impeachment of Gonzalez is richly deserved." The movement to impeach Gonzales is growing. Please sign the petition now:

http://www.ImpeachGonzales.org

When asked about the Senate's push for a possible no-confidence vote against Gonzales to take place in a few weeks, President Bush accused critics of engaging in "pure political theater." He added, "I stand by Al Gonzales."

President Bush has no intention to fire Gonzales. To restore integrity to the Justice Department, Congress has only one option.

If the President thinks this is political theater, it is up to us to make sure impeachment is Alberto Gonzales' curtain call. Please sign the petition right now and then pass it on.

Thank you for moving America forward,

Jim Dean
Chair

Posted by: not my president at July 7, 2007 11:25 AM

Sounds a lot like my town, even though I am in a rich California suburb.

The natives are leaving, because the housing costs have become unaffordable. They are being replaced by Chinese, Korean, and Asian Indian nouveaux-riches who want big government services without paying the taxes for them. And that's pretty much exactly what W intends to do - bring in supporters from overseas.

There are plenty of Lexuses here. Very few were bought with legitimate income - most were bought with tax evasion money. John Roberts is laughing all the way to the bank. (And there is also the issue of the Chinese and Korean "patriots" who claim to hate Japan for all the things it's done to their home countries - but keep buying Lexuses nevertheless.)

And this place is so overwhelmingly pro-W that I was the only one to not have a Bush-Cheney '04 sign out.

The only good news is that I will be getting the hell out of here by year-end. I'm also looking into ways to expand my family business into the NorCal liberal wacko territory, as Fe once suggested me, because that's where I feel I belong ideologically. (If I can survive all the human rights/living wage ordinances of San Francisco, I'll have great niches cut out for me.)

And I've refused to attend my high school and college reunions as well.

I attended high school in another SoCal suburb - just as right-wing and just as Asian nouveaux-riches. They will NEVER accept me for who I've become.

I went to the most Republican, most Christo-fascist member of the Ivy League for college. They've completely botched my name change application, and were outright hostile to me when I complained about the Christo-fascists invading my private space. Needless to say, all the alumni magazines and other offers from the university go straight into my recycling bin.

Ally
So click on my name - "American Chinatown" - I exaggerated slightly but it's infiltrated alot with "W" values and ideals. Blech.

Sorry wrong link
now try though enjoy The Stranger!

Nice site from my nice legislative district representative

If you are interested in following a particular piece
of legislation through the legislative process, the website hosted by the Library of Congress at http://thomas.loc.gov is extremely helpful. It provides a wealth of information about legislation under consideration in the current Congress as well as bills introduced in earlier sessions. The site is called Thomas to honor President Thomas Jefferson and his belief in public access to the workings of government.

My Email to WAPO reporter Gellman about his Cheney series:

You said in Your Big Series on Cheney (5 years late in coming, I would say), that Cheney showed kindness to lowly, expendable subordinates.

Can you give just ONE example of Cheney's kindness. I have read quite the opposite about Mr. Cheney - he is ruthless in firing subordinates he finds not sufficiently deferent or "on-message" or "Bushie". There were two firings by Cheney mentioned in the book, "One Percent Doctrine" by Suskind. (And Cheney may have had a heavy hand in the AttorneyGate Firings, who knows....)

In the Libby trial, it was revealed that when Cathie Martin, Cheney's chief press person, was not sycophantically-Cheney enough, she was frozen out of all the media decisions and contacts around the Joe Wilson/ Yellowcake scandal....

It is also been said that "kind" Mr. Cheney has not spoken to or communicated with Scooter Libby since he was indicted.

I wonder, also, how much Mr. Cheney speaks with the lawyer he shot while quail hunting in Texas. I suspect very little...

what say you????

Check out South Africa's Live Earth concert...They're really rockin'!

http://entimg.msn.com/i/LiveEarth/player/altplayer/q.html?StreamName=SouthAfrica.smi

Posted by: not my president at July 7, 2007 01:10 PM

You know, I have an idea inspired by you - I need to do a photo essay of all the Korean extremist churches that dot my landscape (along with one Korean church that is non-extremist - a Church of Christ congregation).

That's another piece of Americana to share.

Was returning from my pharmacist when some moron almost sideswiped my car, by changing lanes without signaling and without checking the blind spot. So many moronic drivers in Los Angeles. Just had to get this out of my system.

Ladies & Gentleman..This is SPINAL TAP!!!

http://entimg.msn.com/i/LiveEarth/player/altplayer/q.html?StreamName=UK.smi

Excellent posts here:

http://www.dailykos.com/comments/2007/7/7/43157/01077/247#c247 MichiganGirl

http://www.dailykos.com/comments/2007/7/7/43157/01077/216#c216 notimportant

Spinal Tap iz rockin' da houze in da UK. Playing "Big Bottom" with nearly a dozen all-star electric bassists all cookin' in sync right now -- being as how yr hmbl otr crspndnt has been a bassist himself for 3-1/2 decades now, it's an especially fun schtick to watch here on Planet Otter. (Hmm, come to think of it, my new bossman is a bassist himself from way back in the day -- ever listen to The Electras' recording debut from 1965)?

Meanwhile, am also switching back and forth thru the magic of live streaming web video between that Spinal Tap (which just ended even as we type) to The Parlotones in South Africa, Jack Johnson in Australia, and J.K. Tunstall in New York (who also just ended her set even as we type, too). The video streaming is working out rather well, courtesy of co-sponsor MSN's gigantic layers of global server technology that they dedicated to making sure this event comes off without a hitch. And Bravo is carrying big chunks of the various feeds on their cable-broadcast channel all day today, too.

Considering how under-promoted this event was in terms of convincing the MSM to cover the story more than a day or two in advance -- which, I suppose, is another thing we ought to thank Scooter Libby for, since that bumped everything else off the feeds for a whole week -- there's a lot of buzz getting generated by this gig this weekend. Here's hoping it lingers long enough to do some lasting good for the planet, hey?

I have a new mission in life.

I want to be a Spinal Tap doo-wop girl.

My formerly Republican uncle just sent his son and I the link for free Anne Coulter mailings. I told him that I already did it and she sold my name to Newt Gingrich within 2 days, but I recommended NewsMax and Free Republic. Now they like to spy on the right with me. I also gave them links for impeaching Cheney, wearing orange, tracking legislation in Congress and watching the concerts.

The other side of the family is hopeless.

http://www.jerryosborne.com/electras.jpg

See Big John on bass!
I used to play bass back in the day - with "The Homewreckers" LOL

Watching homeboy Chris Cornell (Soundgarden) do an acoustic set in Germany.

sparrow... congratulations on holding the #1 spot on the daily kos rec list all day today.

Tremendous stories and sharing going on over there.

Go say hi over there if you haven't and give sparrow a tip and a recommend.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/7/7/43157/01077

The "Silence is Complicity" diary which you can also see under the last thread is now #1 Recommended Diary at DailyKos, with over 300 comments! I just recommended it. I am not a regular there but went to check. Right on!

DW
Thanks for posting the link

Great speech by Melissa Etheridge in New Jersey...

She nailed it, focusing the all-American energy into activism for a better planet, and for a better country.

Great work, sparrow, and congrats on that dKos diary.

cover over there blown now. lol

Oh well. It was worth it.

Thanks DW, ally, dianne, madam, karendc, oncall and others for your wonderful support there!

Another great story there:
http://www.dailykos.com/comments/2007/7/7/43157/01077/302#c302

On a lighter note...

(This invitation is for Karen, but any DCPer may participate)

You've been tagged to participate in a blog meme. There is no obligation to do so, but it'll be fun if you do.

Please check my blog for rules and instructions on what to do.

http://rachelkso.blogspot.com/2007/07/ive-been-tagged-by.html

(Karen, you can thank my writing mentor, CodePink's Gayle Brandeis, for bringing me into this thing. She drives a Civic hybrid just like yours!)

Woz...

Got a letter from Carlos and Melida. Looks like despite all the people who couldn't figure out how to vote that the 58 who successfully could vote may have won him 3 out of top five.

That means the video will be made.

Everyone here who voted for him, thank you!!!

Posted by: karen at July 7, 2007 10:47 AM

Karen,

Thanks for the 'speaking truth to power' comment, though I have no idea how well I would do if I ever came within Bush or Cheney or Condiliar's reach.

I don't think I would be as well behaved as Leah was.

No way!

Are you kidding me?

I'm likely to pull the MOM out at him (them) and give them a talkin' too like they've never apparently had before.

I would do the same thing to them that I made my 3 year old do when she stole candy. APOLOGIZE and GIVE IT BACK. I'd give them a talk about RESPECT of neighbor and NOT BULLYING. I'd stick them in the corner in TIME OUT--and given that my policy was Timeout time= One minute per each of their years (and per misdeed)... Bush, Cheney and Condiliar would be in time out for a very long time!

I would be teaching them a lot more than their parents ever did. Maybe they'd be better people for it.

Or maybe the secret service would step in and defend them from my 'mommy' tactics.

Oh..Secret Service folks...I'm not threatening violence. Just the mommy treatment.

Right is right, son and wrong is wrong.

TIME OUT!

Code pinkies love those crowns don't they?!

sparrow: I think your tactics are quite appropriate and I would have to join you in the Time Out moment.

When my kids were little someone reminded me that when you send them to their rooms for TIME OUTs, you are really protecting them from your wrath.

I think that understanding works well for the current so-called leaders as well.

Laughing my head off at the picture of Larry. Well rested but at least he's a mature progressive!

Here's a fun Compass quiz I got from a poster at Kos.

http://www.politicalcompass.org/test

Posted by: sparrow at July 7, 2007 07:35 PM

Thanks for sharing, sparrow.

I've taken that test before, but it was nice to take it again.

It's nice to know how they distinguish social libertarians from economic libertarians (neoliberals, as they properly call them).

I'm economically moderate left and socially moderate libertarian.

I didn't do anything exciting or glamorous today - I cleaned the refridgerator and threw out things with code dates before 2004. There were quite a few from 2002 and 2003 because that's when I was really busy on-line.

And I'm hanging with Gandhi and Nelson Mandela, as usual.

NMP: That really scares me. Didn't I eat out of that refrigerator once?

I just took the test. I'm hanging with Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, and the Dali Lama.

BTW...why are the left called liberals when the right is neo-liberals. Sounds like misnaming to me.

NMP--glad to know you've cleaned out your fridge. Maybe you can sell some penicillin.

Karen, Sparrow

What does not destroy me makes me stronger.
Nietsche

I just learned I will be getting another young French houseguest for the summer, this time a young woman, who will study in London in fall. She is daughter of my best friend's ex business partner who doesn't have room for her, and they have an apartment in Paris.

I love having young people stay and the ones from abroad are very stimulating and interesting. We've had Marc and Sebastien from France, Kit from London and we had quite a few from Japan over the years. I also used to teach ESL through Experimental College and UW and the City and I miss the students alot.

NMP: She is lucky! The others had no IDEA what they were risking!! That refrigerator....

(heeheehee)

Yes - it is a rite de passage to stay here

Christy - here I am - late again. I'm sure that someone has pointed out that there's an English translation on that website about 9/11

When I look at him, I feel so ashamed. I am so sick of feeling that way.

I think we all are.

Not. Gonna. Take. It. Anymore.

Posted by: Christy at July 7, 2007 10:46 AM

Christy, I know how you feel. Whenever I hear the huff-n-puff pompous-knowall voice of our PM, I feel I need a bucket beside me. I keep the remote handy and down goes the volume. I probably miss a few good comments from others, but he really makes me sick. And I don't need it.

Very health-related article. There is a huge increase in children with autism. MMR shots are implicated in some peoples' minds but the establishment attacks this idea. This article alone is going to keep the controversy going among parents of autistic children. There is alot of anecdotal evidence about a type of situation where the children seemed very social, responsive and normal and then suddenly regressed following certain medical treatments. The theory is that immune and GI responses are involved which indirectly affect the brain, similar to the naturopathic "leaky gut" theory.
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,2121521,00.html

We have a healthcare system where depleted uranium effects are denied and where those with post-traumatic stress can be decreased in rank and charged with cowardice rather than treated.

It's a system where the government and corporations don't care about health of the people. If you are very rich, you can buy care. If we hadn't had FDR and JFK we would have not had services in the first place. Who started Social Security and Medicare? Not the Republicans. Who tried to improve healthcare, working conditions and the schools? Not the Republicans.

NMP--Congrats on your new house guest. It was a good time to take out the things running around in your 'fridge.

I know at school, I actually love helping the ESL students.

They've adopted me!

:0

Everyone here who voted for him, thank you!!!

Posted by: sparrow at July 7, 2007 06:43 PM

Thanks sparrow. I'm glad.

Electric motorcycle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrFPMLAfs3s&eurl=

Just to set some minds at ease, everything pre-2004 in my fridge was in a jar and some didn't seem spoiled at all, but I dutifully ran hot water into them and ran them down the drain, recycled the jars - things like salsa, BBQ sauce, pickles. I could have cooked with them for a long time and no one would have been the wiser, probably not me either.

I have had a few things fly out of cereal boxes but not for a long time.

NMP/Otter:

Bass players of the world unite!

Chuck in Houston (Once and future bass player)

As I've noted before, we've got drummers and bass players on this blogs, but we lack singers and guitarists (I can play guitar if absolutely needs be -- can sing also with the same caveat -- back-up is no problem). Also, we don't seem to have any keyboards around ever.

Chuck in Houston

BTW...why are the left called liberals when the right is neo-liberals. Sounds like misnaming to me.

Posted by: sparrow at July 7, 2007 08:39 PM

Yeah sparrow. It's really confusing to we NON liberals here in Oz. Our PM is a Liberal - of the Liberal party. Yesterday I'd typed Liberal and then wiped it out and typed Coalition instead. Our Liberal party is the conservative R(e)ich; the wealthy; the big corporation donors; the untouchables; the liars; the cheats. Is this sounding at all like any political party you know?

The Labor (as opposed to laboUr = hard work) Party is for the masses, the bullied, the poverty stricken, the underdog and yes - it supports the unions. This is being blown up in the media that Labor is under the control of the unions. It's probably a pretty good thing really. I think they win another vote for Labor every time they sneer the union line.

Each time we've been a long time engaged in unwinnable wars, the people get sick of the Liberal propaganda and vote for Labor. Here's hoping that works this time.

As for Spinal Tap:

(1) What's wrong with being sexy?

(2) Hello Cleveland!

Chuck in Houston

And Christy, there probably are Dairy Queens in Australia. I just never go to those places and haven't a clue. Am I missing anything?

Woz:

Labor means unions? Geez! Go figure! I thought this was an autonomous commune!

But seriously, strong unions mean good jobs with good wages and benefits for the common worker. Also, the apex of the union movement in the US is coterminous with the apex of US respect and power in the world. I guess there is a lesson in there somewhere, but I for one am too stupid to divine it.

Chuck in "Right to Work" Houston

Posted by: not my president at July 7, 2007 09:34 PM

nmp, I've always been of the opinion that autism and other developmental disorders and delays are probably because of the air that we're compelled to breath. Who knows what kind of invisible cocktail we inhale.

That's right Chuck. And after 10 years of taking union power away, work related accidents happen on a far more regular basis. And people are sacked if they don't sign the Liberal Party's contract to say that they'll work longer hours with no penalty rates and for less pay. The Libs shot themselves in the foot with this one. Even they are trying to pull it out, but it's too late. A union boss was filmed abusing an employer and he was a member of the Labor Party.

This was televised to "show what the ALP really is - controlled by these bully-boy tactics." And what happened a week later on that worksite? 2 very large chunks of concrete fell about 50 floors to the ground below. That Union official was abusive because workplace health and safety was non existent. ALP 1; Libs 0

Chuck,
Don;t tell anyone, but Richard sings really well.

And so does Fe...

I wish there was some website where you could sing into a microphone, it'd digitize it and then tell you what the song is, if you can't think of it. I'm going nuts trying to remember what movie this one tune is from - it's instrumental and it's not "Last Tango in Paris" -

Chuck
I do karaoke if I've had a few drinks - Patsy Cline, Pretenders, Carpenters, even Tina Turner or Aretha - but it's pretty pathetic.

And Christy, there probably are Dairy Queens in Australia. I just never go to those places and haven't a clue. Am I missing anything?

Posted by: woz at July 7, 2007 10:03 PM

Only a million different preservatives and flavorings.

I don't even want to think about toxins or botchulism or rodent things.

Chuck.

I sing.

Off-key.

I play the keyboard.

I play a mean chopstix.

And speaking of guitar-playing musicians, today is the first anniversary of Syd Barrett's shuffling off this mortal coil due to complications of diabetes.

still wish you were here,
Otter

Chuck...I play guitar...and sing...play some basic keyboard...and rock out on my electric violin regularly :)

Chuck...you old rocker you...are you watching Live Earth right now? Roger Waters is on in NY. It's on streaming video here
http://entimg.msn.com/i/LiveEarth/player/altplayer/q.html?StreamName=US.smi

or on Bravo tv station on cable.

And for those who care, the Police are coming up next...

I must have the wrong channel - she doesn't look like the Roger Waters I remember ..

This one is great. You'll love it.

http://www.dailykos.com/comments/2007/7/7/43157/01077/368#c368

Chuck...I play guitar...and sing...play some basic keyboard...and rock out on my electric violin regularly :)

Posted by: V at July 7, 2007 10:40 PM

V-

Electric violin? Can it be heard even when the headset is on? The one we got my daughter doesn't mute!

Posted by: Chuck at July 7, 2007 10:08 PM

And I have a feeling that the neoliberals let the Chinese and the Japanese take American manufacturing jobs, and sell out the manufacturing base of the country, just to weaken union influence.

Of course, then these foreigners are allowed to make "concessions" to America by creating low-pay anti-union (it's one thing to be non-union, and another to be anti-union) jobs in the Deep South.

In an ideal world, Toyota would be running unionized shops in Detroit right alongside Ford and GM, and would be making even better cars than they now do in Kentucky and Mississippi with perpetual temps. Many American-built Japanese cars still have a reputation for being inferior to their Japanese-built twins.

I'm sick and tired of Toyota and other foreign manufacturers treating American workers as second fiddle, compared to their homeland workers.

I do karaoke if I've had a few drinks - Patsy Cline, Pretenders, Carpenters, even Tina Turner or Aretha - but it's pretty pathetic.

Posted by: not my president at July 7, 2007 10:33 PM

You can't be any more pathetic than me. I just don't have a natural female range, period.

BTW...why are the left called liberals when the right is neo-liberals. Sounds like misnaming to me.

Posted by: sparrow at July 7, 2007 08:39 PM

As I previously stated many threads ago...

Neoliberals are not really liberals.
Neoconservatives are not really conservatives.

Ally
Classic liberals and classic conservatives there were.

Ally

I think you're confusing people because politically speaking, people formerly referred to what are now called progressives as liberals (fiscally liberal, socially liberal), though that is an oversimplification. People still refer to paleoconservatives as conservatives (fiscally conservative, socially conservative).

Neoconservatives reject liberalism and 60s counterculture aftermath. They were borne up under the Reagan era of liberals who defected to the other side. They made criticism from the right acceptable because they were intellectuals. They are not conservatives in the traditional sense. So they are the PNAC crowd. They are economically liberal (ie they espouse free trade) and forced democracy.

What are neoliberals? They follow the market rather than putting limits on it to protect our economy or jobs. After the Depression and WWs, the economy was more controlled. So it's the Friedman school of economics and they also advocate capitalism through military intervention to protect our interests. Their opponent would be, say, Noam Chomsky.

So wouldn't you say neoconservatives and neoliberals are the same thing, except with a shift of emphasis? I know it's confusing but I know kind of where you've been heading and I'm only an amateur student of this stuff.

So wouldn't you say neoconservatives and neoliberals are the same thing, except with a shift of emphasis?

Posted by: not my president at July 8, 2007 12:23 AM

You could definitely argue that... Very good point.

And there is indeed a huge overlap between the neocons (who control the Republican Party) and the neoliberals (who claim to be Libertarians but usually vote Republican).

Yikes!

American Nightmare

Neoliberalism, Neoconservatism, and De-Democratization

Wendy Brown
University of California, Berkeley

Neoliberalism and neoconservatism are two distinct political rationalities in the contemporary United States. They have few overlapping formal characteristics, and even appear contradictory in many respects. Yet they converge not only in the current presidential administration but also in their de-democratizing effects. Their respective devaluation of political liberty, equality, substantive citizenship, and the rule of law in favor of governance according to market criteria on the one side, and valorization of state power for putatively moral ends on the other, undermines both the culture and institutions of constitutional democracy. Above all, the two rationalities work symbiotically to produce a subject relatively indifferent to veracity and accountability in government and to political freedom and equality among the citizenry.

http://ptx.sagepub.com/cgi/content/refs/34/6/690

Excuse my bluntness, but screw them all.

Ally
You mean neoliberal is the person who hates taxes and hates poor people and wants government to leave them alone, and neoconservative is the person who hates taxes and hates poor people and wants to peek in our bedrooms? & the neoliberal wants to defend the free market and the neoconservative wants to impose democracy by force?

We're definitely in the Twilight Zone.

Ally

I think you are right.

Reading Kristol, neocons are the ex-liberals who want to impose democracy by force and they have an alliance with the traditional conservatives by emphasizing the cultural moral stuff. Then these are joined by the neoliberals/conservative libertarians who are conservative in economics but don't care about whether culture is conservative (that is to say, they want their guns but don't care about drugs, gays etc.) The neocons are powerful because they're willing to allign themselves with social conservatives when they really don't care about that stuff. The neoliberals will do so only superficially, if they are greedy enough.

They all suck. Also, neocons don't do as well in Europe yet because they don't have enough religious people to suck up to. There is a great religious tradition but secularism is strong there too. Here it's weaker and the problem with the neocons is that alot of them are intellectual and secular but have sold out to the devil because of lust for power. Some of them actually believe in their delusional idea of imposing democracy by force. They are insane.

We get a lot of TV programs from the UK. Last night while watching an interview program, the 3rd guest was Robin Williams who slipped in some great comments about GWB. You can watch it here. Robyn Williams must get mighty tired considering the rate at which his thoughts change and are blurted.

http://parkinson.tangozebra.com/video_clips.phtml?show_id=61

Sorry. I couldn't get the entire video to play. Here is the transcript. I forgot about his reference to Cheney. He spits out these gems at such a rate it's impossible to keep hold of them. I've put the whole piece in for you to skim if you wish. And it was on UK tv in December 06.

Michael: My final guest tonight possesses by his own admission a legitimate insanity, he's one of the great names of modern comedy, much imitated, rarely equalled and never surpassed. Ladies and gentlemen, Robin Williams. (Applause)

Robin: (Puts on foreign accent) 'My English better today! I am happy to be here with the man they raised so much money for, it is great to see you wear a tie that could have been a couch!' (Laughter)

Michael: James Bond question first of all.

Robin: (Does Sean Connery impression) Yes, I grew up watching Sean Connery basically doing everything and as a friend said, 'A prick on legs!' (Laughter) 'What is this Moneypenny?' 'Look what I've made for you James, it's a cruise missile and a vibrator, slowly insert it, look where it goes, good luck!' (Laughter) Congratulations though, you showed them, well done sir (to Daniel).

Michael: Now lets talk about playing penguins.

Robin: That's a nice transition! (Laughter)

Michael: Penguins, Happy Feet because what's interesting...

Robin: They're good eating too!

Michael: Are they?

Robin: No, even the explorers they said, 'Lets go with the dogs.' (Laughter)

Michael: But the two of you are neck and neck at the box office.

Robin: Yes, birds beat Bond! Yeah right, good luck! Happy Feeet has legs but it's just nice to know people are going to the movies. You know you try not to go and find out what happened on Monday, if you are in L.A. even the cab drivers go, 'I'm very sorry to hear, I read Variety, the movie... good luck to you!' (Laughter) It's good to know both are well and the penguins did good.

Michael: They did good and it's a happy film...

Robin: A happy film! With a name like Happy Feet, very good!

Michael: It's about dancing penguins.

Robin: Dancing penguins better than jumping squirrel.

Michael: Maybe, maybe. I hadn't thought about that.

Robin: It'll be interesting soon, when you talk about all those shows, soon though they'll run out of people and it will have to be singing animals! It's sad you know.

Michael: Did you have to do a lot of research on penguins?

Robin: No, not at all. (Laughter)

Michael: You didn't.

Robin: No, you watch one nature special you realise they move like this (walks like a penguin) and basically you realise even Chaplin's going alright it's mine. They swim, they're beautiful when they swim, they mate for life, no, not for life, at least until they find another nice bird. (Laughter) I found out today from the Norwegians that one in every ten penguins is gay! (Laughter) I don't know how they did that, did they play some Peter Allen and if the bird went (looks up), I'm sorry sir it's a gay penguin! (Laughter) You can't stay in this nest, sorry you'll have to move on! (Laughter) I'm worried about gay penguins now, 'What are you doing?' 'Oh, I'm decorating! I've arranged the pebbles as best I could!' (Laughter)

Michael: You play Ramon?

Robin: Ramon is one and the other one is Lovelace.

Michael: Lovelace, now he's very charismatic isn't he.

Robin: Charismatic in a very white kind of way. barely White!

Michael: Shall we see what we're talking about?

Robin: Whatever you like sir! Shall we pimp the film! Shall we do what we're here for! (Laughter)

Excerpt from Happy Feet (Applause)

Michael: I didn't realise that penguins were such good singers.

Robin: (Silly voice) Well you know you got to let yourself find your voice, like he (Ben) was talking about reality shows. I think like what he said they should have famous politicians like Condoleezza Rice, the whitest black woman in history, who makes Oprah look like a crack 'ho! (Laughter) I do believe there's moments like when Donald Rumsfeld left she was going, 'Bye-bye Don, take care, good luck, I'll just be playing cello, good luck.' (Laughter) The moment he closes that door she's on the phone to Oprah, (shouts) 'Girl, he's gone! Donald is gone! I want my Colin Powell back girl, my cruise missile man! Bring him back to me now! R E S P E C T! Mm-mmm' (Laughter) Yes, I think you should have famous politicians singing, I think W could be doing country western songs, he'd be great, or either that or If I Had A Brain from The Wizard of Oz! (Laughter) It's getting there, I believe what you (Ben) said, pretty soon voting for office will be like a talent show.

Michael: It's interesting because when I was talking to Ben about that I remembered that your next film which is to be released quite shortly here, Man of the Year, the premise of that is a comic running for office.

Robin: We've had clowns, why not go that way! (Laughter) Listen, I live in California, it's sixty percent Hispanic and we have an Austrian governor. Every time Arnold talks about immigration I feel like saying, 'Get in the car children, come along, we're going!' And Arnold basically wants to solve the immigration problem by building a wall, which even the Chinese are going, 'This will not work!' (Laughter) Advert break

Michael: What do you make of British politics, do you see a difference between what happens here and in America?

Robin: The only difference is that whenever I see Tony Blair standing next to W I feel like there should be a telethon, (Tony Blair impression) 'I now realise we have involved ourselves in something which could be an extreme morass.' And you see W going, (George Bush impression)'Wish I could have said that.' (Laughter) 'Dam that's a big word! Whenever I think more-ass I'm looking at Laura!' (Laughter) Here's the man who said about American education, 'Is our children learning.' (Laughter)

Michael: You've got a while left of his company haven't you?

Robin: Oh yes, we have two more years in the reign of George II. I think it's very interesting, we just elected a democratic house and a democratic congress so at least he has to learn to play with others for a while.

Michael: What about as well, can I ask you about your friend Mr Lance Armstrong?

Robin: The uni-baller! (Laughter)

Michael: Because you yourself I know, you are a keen cyclist.

Robin: Yes I am a bike-sexual, I like to ride the bike! (Laughter) Take one pill you ride long you ride hard it's wonderful! For me it's my medication it's what I do, I live in San Francisco so I can get on my bike ride across the bridge and ride about twenty miles, sometimes it's about forty or fifty miles and it's great, beautiful.

Michael: He's an amazing man Armstrong isn't he.

Robin: Yes, it's always amazing because they keep on accusing him of doing drugs, which I've said, 'You idiot it's chemotherapy number one!' And even the French will go, 'He's got one testicle, it's aerodynamic!' (Laughter) 'Everyone cut off one ball, you will be quicker!' (Laughter) And they held his urine for a year, it's like a Chardonnay by then! (Laughter)

Michael: This is the thing, you can say the un-sayable.

Robin: Not everything but that was close! (Laughter) It's like in America right now, they always talk about intelligent design, this concept, look at the human body, you have a waste processing plant next to a recreation area. (Laughter) The iPod is intelligent design, the human body is pretty much infinite design, it's pretty crazy but the idea of pushing the boundaries of comedy, Ben does it, it's part of the job, it's the drill of what you have to do as a comic.

Michael: But where are the areas that you dare not go?

Robin: The colon! (Laughter) I don't know, it all depends, obviously things that have happened recently with Mel and The Pacific Coast Highway, you have to be careful you know. I just find it ironic that Mel Gibson find the only Jewish highway patrolman. (Laughter) And recently I went to rehab in wine country so that helps. (Laughter)

Michael: How was rehab, was it alright?

Robin: It was good, dry! (Laughter) I realised when I was drinking I was violating my standards quicker than I could lower them! (Laughter) Once you come out you realise this is the way to go, alcohol is not my friend and I find out I'm not alone so there's other people to help me which is great.

Michael: It always lurks there I suppose.

Robin: It lurks there! It lurks! A simple reminder that one drink and you can end up in a field with a small animal! (Laughter)

Michael: I was thinking there again, whilst we were talking about the unmentionable, making jokes about things other people steer clear of, that your great friend was Christopher Reeve.

Robin: Oh yes, a great friend,

Michael: You were telling us a wonderful story up there about when you went to visit him.

Robin: When I went to visit him, yes. He as a wonderful man, he's the godfather of my son and this is when he had just had the accident and people were making decisions as whether or not to keep him on life support and I came in dressed as a doctor and I said I was a Russian proctologist. Most of the other doctors looked scared but he saw me and said, 'Hey brother what's up? I said, 'I'm going to do a brief examination, if you feel two fingers it's your luck!' (Laughter) And he laughed, even in the face of that. He was an extraordinary guy. He's missed and his wife is missed. Like talk about a one-two punch. But both sons and his daughter are amazing and they are carrying on the tradition.

Michael: And finally back to the business, Happy Feet making dosh.

Robin: Bond making dosh. And like you said when it came out, the crap they threw at you and then when it does well it's like, 'Yes!'Business is good, I think it's good for everyone that way.

Michael: Mr Williams thank you very much indeed.

Robin: Mr Parkinson thank you sir! (Applause)

V-

Electric violin? Can it be heard even when the headset is on? The one we got my daughter doesn't mute!

Posted by: sparrow at July 7, 2007 11:16 PM

You can barely hear it when it's not plugged in, enough to hear what you're playing, but not loud enough that somebody in the next room (even with thin walls) could hear you. You don't need to mute it, it just has no resonation to it, so unless it's plugged in, the sound really doesn't build up at all.

Which was one of the reasons I got it, living in an apartment with VERY thin walls...The other reason of course was for the band I played in :)

Posted by: V at July 8, 2007 07:47 AM

Good morning V

The problem is that she doesn't want anyone to hear it at all. But you DO hear it. So she won't play it. And because she hasn't practiced she knows she sounds crappy. It's one of those vicious cycles.

When are you going to go to DC? (Trying to coordinate timings here...)

Hey Ally,

I appreciate what you said on my blog. I really do. I can not however respond as far as the case goes.

Perhaps soon I can speak freely about it, however if a miracle happens and her body is returned, I hope to never speak of it again. Not even with my own children.

Right now it is simply a wait and see thing for everybody, no one knows which way to jump.

I will check out the other thing though soon as I get my kids distracted for the day. Damn summer vacation is just dumb, they sit around bored for 3 months of the year.

You know, I am getting very p*ssed at the narrative they keep using for Pharaoh Hatshepsut.

She did not STEAL the throne from her stepson. It was SHE that was fully royal. He was born of a lesser wife.

She's been dead for thousands of years but still the smearing ensues. Can't a sister get any damn love?

Why are they still reffering to her as Queen..? She was a living GOD.

Pharaoh.

I guess there is what is SUPPOSSED to be.

And then what actually happened.

For Chuck, V, me, et al:

http://icanhascheezburger.com/2007/07/07/freebird/

Oh, yeah, and then again there is a...

** new thread **

As usual, I don't get it. Too serious to be a humorist, first, I've lost all sense of it with voting issues, the criminal war, and so on, except as irony.

Is that site a for real animal and enviro activist site? Is that pig latin to go with the pig photo, however misplaced with the kitties? The memory these days, I don't even remember pig latin.