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Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty: Giving hunters — and human beings — a bad name... 
(Hat-tip Nick Baumann @ MoJo)"T-Paw" is taking a well-deserved drubbing from the outdoor community for not bothering to track down a wounded deer he shot on the opening day of Minnesota's firearm deer season. A headline on deerhuntingchat.com calls the possible '12 presidential contender a "slob hunter" for wounding a deer on Nov. 7th and then leaving for a Republican fundraiser in Iowa before the animal could be found. One contributor wrote: "What kind of slob hunter goes out opening morning and shoots a deer knowing full well you won't have time to retrieve it or tend to it? One whose presidential ambitions override his hunting ethics, that's what kind." After the governor shot the deer from more than 200 yards away (a long shot that would only be ethically taken by a well-seasoned hunter, which Pawlenty is not), he and his brother Dan went to the spot where they last saw the animal. Finding blood but no deer, they returned to base camp for breakfast and to consider their next move. Due in Iowa that night for a fundraiser, Pawlenty left, and there has been no sign of the animal since. As the Deer Hunting Guide says: "A responsible hunter, who is also an ethical hunter, will be prepared to spend hours trailing a wounded deer; even come back the next day if needed. You must make every effort to retrieve a wounded animal. It's the right ethical thing to do." P.S. WTF, T-Paw? Everyone knows that real hunters gun down wolves from helicopters. That, or they shoot their friends in the face pen-raised quail. Tags: asshole, hunting, loathsome people, tim pawlenty
From: Chicago
Mood:  Pyew
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Hey, Mittens - when you're finished pissing & moaning about the President "not protecting our troops" in Afghanistan, please drop me a line and let us know when even one of your five brave sons will be headed over there to join the battle. You know, just like you served your country when called...  Oh, wait. You didn't serve, either. You received a deferment from the draft as a Mormon "minister of religion" in France for two and a half years, then wriggled out nearly three more years of deferments for your "academic studies." I'd say Axelrod's got your number, asshole. By the way, where was your "outrage" when Bush, Cheney and your fellow Republican leaders all but abandoned the troops in Afghanistan to wage a phony war in Iraq, hm? Tags: afghanistan, asshole, chickenhawks, mitt romney, phony soldiers, republican hypocrisy
From: Chicago
Mood: Pyew
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...well, one of 'em, at least. Woke up this morning with that all-too familiar, deep pain in my lower back and a terrible stomach ache. Pretty much kept me on the couch the entire day, complete with a low-grade fever, chills and zero appetite...  Sure enough, I just woke from a long nap, went to take a whiz and - *whomp* - was nearly knocked to my knees by a passing kidney stone. Big fucker, too. Shit really hurts. So, how was your day? :/ Tags: jesus fucking christ, kidney stones, medicine, ouch
From: Chicago
Mood:  Sore
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Some skeptics are already calling tonight's WBO Welterweight title fight between Miguel Cotto (34-1 27 KOs) and Manny Pacquiao (49-3, 37 KOs) a mismatch, but I think it's got the potential to be the fight of the year... 
(Hat-tip Jake Emen)It's hard not pick Pacquiao, who continues his meteoric rise from the 108 lb. weight class when he first started fighting to his current 145 catch-weight against Cotto. To move up six divisions and still maintain the power to knock out Ricky Hatton, like Pacquiao did at 140 lbs, is impressive. That being said, Cotto is the biggest, most powerful fighter Pacquiao has faced to date, and he's not afraid to brawl. Still, Cotto may be damaged goods after his bloody loss to Antonio Margarito (in which it was revealed in Margarito's next fight that he was using an illegal hardening substance in his hand wraps). And Cotto is not only easy to hit, he cuts easily, too. ( 4 Questions That Will Decide The Fight... )My pick? In my heart, I'd love to see Cotto (currently at +250 odds) win the fight. My head, however gives it to Pacquiao (at -300) by TKO in/around the 8th round, to claim a history-making seventh title in seven different divisions. The legendary Burt Sugar has a great analysis here. So, what do you think? Poll #1485403 Pacquiao vs. Cotto
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 8 Who ya got? P.S. For those of you not willing/able to pay the $54.99 PPV fee, I'm told the fight can be seen for free at http://atdhe.net/ (thanks to ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) revwry for the tip). Tags: boxing, reader poll, sports
From: Chicago
Mood:  Anticipatory
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It's not for me."  Don't click on that link. Seriously. Just don't. I only posted it here as a self-reminder... Damned, dirty apes. ETA: At least tonight's Chicago Bears game will help cheer me up, right? Oh, wait... Tags: animal abuse, cats, dogs, factory farming, jesus fucking christ, loathsome people, nature bats last, torture
From: Planet of the Apes
Mood:  Loathing
Now Playing: 'Beautiful World' - Devo
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FTW: Venison tacos. Damn they're good. FTL: 'Check Engine' light. Fourth fuckin' time. (According to my $700-richer mechanic, it "must" be a faulty computer, and is supposedly covered under an 8/80 warranty if I take it to the dealer. We'll see.) FTW: My boy came home with an all-B report card, and promised me n' his mom he'd notch it up even higher before the school year's end. He's shooting for the '03 Saab his grandma promised him, which he'll be able to drive come June as long as he maintains a B average. FTL: A week ago, my Mac had 325 GB of available storage. Two days ago, it had 98. Today, it's got 95. I haven't installed anything new, and my external backup drive still has 325. And, of course, my AppleCare expired last summer. A $125 tech call is not what I needed right now. Any ideas? FTW: Organizing a very special event for our children's charity. Stay tuned, because I may need a little help from you kids. FTL: Three days of 24-hour urine collection for the new kidney doc, and I have to take the jug all the way to the University of Chicago on the south side. 30 miles. Each way. Every morning. To arrive no later than 7:30 AM. Trazodone, take me away. FTW: Tomorrow's Veteran's Day (i.e. no school), and my daughter and I have a date for lunch. :) FTL: The hospital is calling, looking for their seven grand. Thanks for precious little, Aetna. FTW: Red and white seedless grapes through the juicer is better than sex (well, better than sex with me, anyway). Ten pounds of grapes = one gallon of juice, and I got 'em from the "ripe" cart at the fruit stand for just under six bucks. I hope that's why my pee is green. :/ FTIDK: My kid has been expressing interest in the Navy or Coast Guard. Not quite sure how I feel about this yet. On the upside, my cousin is a top Navy recruiter and told me he could get the kid stationed stateside. It will also give him the opportunity to A) serve his country, B) earn some money toward college, and C) get covered under the GI Bill (including lifetime medical coverage). Obviously, Madame is dead-set against it. Over n' out. Tags: fatherhood, food, friends, kidney stones
From: Chicago
Mood:  Good & Bad
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Barring a last minute intervention by Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, "Beltway Sniper" John Allen Muhammad will be executed by lethal injection this evening at 9 o'clock Eastern...  Muhammad and his accomplice Lee Boyd Malvo were convicted for the murder of 10 people in 2002. The pair is also suspected of killings in Louisiana, Alabama and Arizona, but Malvo - who has already confessed to as many as 27 shootings - won't testify unless he's granted immunity, so those murders remain officially "unsolved." Muhammad's attorneys asked Kaine to commute his sentence to life in prison because they say he is mentally ill, but Kaine has refused. The U.S. Supreme Court turned down Muhammad's final appeal yesterday. P.S. For those interested in serial killers, I highly recommend Michael Newton's Hunting Humans (available at half.com for as little as a buck), which documents more than 750 killers, 60% of whom have never been mentioned in a published book before. Quite a read. Tags: crime, death penalty, justic, loathsome people, murder
From: Chicago
Now Playing: 'Gallows Pole' - Leadbelly
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Hat-tip Dave Neiwert... No sooner was the identity of the Fort Hood shooter — Nadal Malik Hasan — released a few hours ago than the wingnuts sprang into predictable action: A jihadi embarking on a murderous terrorism spree! Pam "Atlas Barks" Geller immediately proclaimed it "an obvious act terrorism" and ran a big, all-cap headline declaring: "IT'S THE JIHAD STUPID." Elsewhere in the right blogosphere, people like the folks at Hot Air jumped all over the "news" that Hasan was a convert to Islam. Then, Fox News' Shepard Smith interviewed Hasan's cousin, and we found out that the "terrorism" angle was a pile of tripe: • Hasan was American born and educated, but raised Muslim. He was not a convert.
• He had never previously been deployed to Iraq or anywhere overseas, for that matter. (So much for the theories he suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.)
• He had been awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the Army Service Ribbon.
• He was reportedly abused regularly by his colleagues for being Muslim — called a "raghead" and other such terms — and had been seeking to get out of the military because the environment had become so hostile. Another interview (on just before this one) that Smith had with a former colleague of Hasan's indicated that Hasan was prone to making outrageous remarks about Muslims "defending themselves," particularly in reference to last summer's shooting of two military recruiters in Arkansas by a Muslim convert. There are also reports that he had recently been the victim of a hate crime: His car was vandalized, with the word "Allah" scratched into the paint, and he was reportedly extremely upset by it. It's obviously a terribly complicated and tragic story, and we'd all be well-advised to reserve speculation (and anti-Muslim fervor) as the actual, hard facts continue to emerge. And no, it's not the Jihad, stupid. Tags: crime, military, murder, right-wing lunatics
From: Chicago
Mood:  Troubled
Now Playing: CNN
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...or completely ruin it. First, watch this mess: Done laughing (and/or gagging)? Gotta be a parody... an awful YouTube gag video.... right? OK, now read this altogether frightening fascinating piece - "The Very Separate World of Conservative Republicans" - based on a focus group study conducted by the Democracy Corps. Seriously, read it all the way through. Thoughts/opinions most welcome (especially from the small handful of right-wingers that read this journal). Excerpted: "(I)t was striking how these voters constantly characterized themselves as part of a group of individuals who share a set of beliefs, a unique knowledge, and a commitment of opposition to Obama that sets them apart from the majority of the country [...] They also believe they possess a level of knowledge and understanding gained from a rejection of the mainstream media and an embrace of conservative media and pundits such as Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh, which sets them apart even more.
"Further, they believe this position leaves them with a responsibility to spread the word, to educate those who do not share their insights, and to take back the country that they love [...] confident that their numbers will grow, and that they will ultimately defeat Barack Obama and the shadowy forces driving his hidden agenda.
And yet, remarkably, these voters had virtually nothing positive to say about the Republican Party..." Thanks to darksumomo for the article link. Tags: barack obama, politics, right-wing lunatics, tea bagging, youtube
From: Chicago
Mood: *boggle*
Now Playing: Juicer (Fresh Pears Today)
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 • First off, birthday wishes (belated and otherwise) to electragiselle, fengi, livsmama, pacotelic, photogfrog, matrexius and theamaranth. • Haven't been feeling up to doing any serious cooking lately, but I did manage to make some absolutely knockout venison burgers (panned in butter, worcestershire & minced garlic) and cabbage/pepper salad on Halloween. Madame then topped it off perfectly with a homemade pumpkin pie. Feels good to be getting my appetite back. Can't wait to get back into the kitchen. • Speaking of appetites, somebody better hide the god-damned Butterfingers before I inhale them all. Shit's like heroin. • Speaking of treats, my ever-amazing dad gave me this magnificent creation as a get-well gift, and I've been going absolutely nuts with it - apples, pears, kiwis, bananas, berries, veggies - you name it. Nectar of the gods, I tellya. And my local fruit & veggie place has a daily "very ripe" cart with all kinds of stuff priced dimes on the dollar... perfect for juicing on a budget like mine. • Met with my new internist today ( great guy, for a change), and he put me through a full exam, top to bottom. So far, we know there's still a significant amount of blood in my urine, and my white blood cell count is still off the charts. I'm awaiting additional results, but it appears we're looking not only at renal lithiasis (with possible pyelonephritis and/or hydronephrosis, but an extremely stubborn staph epidermidis infection (most likely from the the stent and/or the unsanitary hospital conditions), cholelithiasis and steatohepatitis... I know, right? Next step is a full renal exam by my (new) nephrologist on Wednesday, then - if worse comes to worst - a hepatologist (and/or liver CT scan) referral. I tellya, I'm really getting sick of this shit (no pun intended). • Quick consumer note: If you're thinking about using Carbonite for online back-up, forget it. It's a steaming bowl of suck. Slow, clumsy and unreliable (not to mention the piss-poor "customer service"). • And finally, a couple of recent family pics under the cut - one of my daughter in her "Candy Rapper" Halloween costume and — fair warning — one of me n' my son with the massive (230-pound) whitetail buck he shot a few weeks back: ( Clicky )Tags: friends, halloween, hunting, medicine
From: Chicago
Mood:  Groggy
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We woke up this morning with images on cable news and the Internet of President Obama solemnly saluting as the casket of a fallen soldier was carried in honor from a C-17 in Dover back home into the United States. The president, through his visit, brought a national spotlight onto the grimmest reality of the war in Afghanistan... 
(Hat-tip Tom Matzzie)This return would've otherwise gone without much notice just like the thousands before it. The images of America's troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan in caskets have been few and far between in the eight years since the wars began. That fact has too often created distance between the American people and the military families who carry their grief. President Obama didn't have to go to Dover. George W. Bush never did. Obama could've stayed back at the White House and kept some distance from the war — almost suggesting it is the responsibility of the former president. But instead, he chose to put himself firmly in front as the Commander in Chief. He chose to create an image that will likely endure through his presidency and as part of his legacy. What a dramatic contrast to images from the last presidency of George W. Bush flying over a battered New Orleans or the now-infamous " Mission Accomplished" day. Unfortunately, although it is only a few hours since the president returned from Dover, we should expect that the Rush Limbaughs and Glenn Becks of the world will start whining about the president's visit accusing him of exploiting the event. Their vile script is so predictable that I can write this just after 9 AM with confidence that they'll do it. But our president should always be reminding the American people of the sacrifice our troops make. As of a few days, ago October has been the deadliest month yet of the war in Afghanistan — with 54 American soldiers making the ultimate sacrifice. No matter what your political views are or your position on the wars, we should never forget those making that sacrifice. Mr. President, thank you for reminding all of us. Tags: afghanistan, barack obama, dead u.s. troops, iraq, military, veterans, war
From: Chicago
Mood:  Thoughtful
Now Playing: Pumpkin carving
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• Well, whattya know... could President's Obama's terrifying stimulus package actually be working? • Ever hear of a guy named Ahmed Wali Karzai? No? You should. Not only is he the drug-running brother of Afghan president Hamid Karzai, you're paying his salary. • Say hello to your new military budget, which includes a broad expansion of hate-crimes legislation and scraps a host of overpriced weapons systems (including the ridiculous F-22 fighter). • It's no secret why lying scumbag Joe Lieberman is trying to kill the public option. Now we learn that Evan Bayh - another "blue dog" against the public option - has a little secret of his own (hint: he's married to it). • Congratulations to former Senator Edward Brooke for receiving the Congressional Gold Medal. Well-earned, sir. • And finally - the self-immolation of George W. Bush continues: Tags: asshole, bush, corruption, economy, health care, joe lieberman, jon stewart, politics, rachel maddow
From: Chicago
Mood: Staphylococcus Epidermidis
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Of possible interest to veterans, veterans' families (and non-veterans alike), by way of prader...  pdx42 has founded a new community called ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif) soldiers_heart, dedicated to dealing with/helping overcome the effects of PTSD for Veterans Forms of expression include text, photography, poetry, etc. From the bio: In the era of the United States Civil War, the most barbaric modern conflict up to that time, veterans returning home were often said to have “soldier’s heart.” Unstable emotions, frequently spurred by guilt, led to withdrawal from their families and from life. Their concerned loved ones needed a way to frame this condition that changed the men they knew before the war...
Then, as now, returning warriors lived with a combination of anger, horror, guilt, fear, and ingrained survival instinct that would not go away. For many, the only relief to be found was in a bottle. For others, solace could only be found in death. Suicide. Terminal Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: Soldier’s Heart.
Over the years, with changing societal views of war, of warriors, and of psychiatry, the name given to soldier’s heart has changed as well. During World War I, with its trench warfare, advanced field artillery and the introduction of tanks as weapons, “Shell Shock” seemed the appropriate name to describe the soldier and his “thousand yard stare”. World War II saw protracted campaigns with troops commonly serving through years of one battle after another: day after day of killing and dying from one island to another, or one hilltop to the next, leading many to suffer from “Battle Fatigue.” It wasn’t until several years after the Vietnam War that the military, the Veterans Administration, the medical community and society saw that whenever people endure any trauma (this is not limited to combat), physical and mental residue is left behind after the trauma is gone. Thus, today we have “"Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.”
Whatever the name, and whatever the conflict, combat-related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder affects a large number of military veterans. From the current US conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is estimated that as many as 35% of the 1.2 million U.S. servicemembers who have cycled through the region are already exhibiting signs of PTSD, an illness known for its tendency to lay dormant for years or decades." Please feel free to stop by, join, contribute and - by all means - share the link with any veterans on your FL. All the mod asks is that you respect the fellow members of the community (no spam, no spite, graphic images under a cut, appropriate trigger warnings, etc.). Thanks again to all that serve. Tags: cool links, friends, livejournal, military, war
From: Chicago
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Well I'll be damned.... it looks like Senator Spineless is good for something, after all...  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid today announced that the merged health care bill will include a public option allowing states to opt-out. "Under this concept, states will be able to determine whether the public option works best for them," Reid told reporters, adding that it was the "fairest" way to go. Reid said after "countless hours" of talking to his caucus, there is a "strong consensus" for this plan. "As we've gone through this process, I've concluded, with the support of the White House and Senators. Dodd and Baucus, that the best way to move forward is to include a public option with an opt-out provision for states," Reid said. In the next several hours, he will send the CBO a draft bill with alternative provisions on certain issues, to get a range of cost estimates on the plan he'll bring to the floor. * * *Y'know, if this thing actually passes, I can't wait to see which of the Red States opt out first: Texas? Arizona? Oklahoma? South Carolina? Personally, I hope they all do. They'd only put a drain on the public option insurance that I want to be able to afford, anyway. Of course, as letstatdelc points out, the chances are none of them will — just like when they "refused" to accept federal stimulus funds, then folded like cheap card tables in the end. Just imagine being a Governor or state legislator and trying to sell to your constituents that you're limiting their choice in insurance when other states have more (and better) options. It's an instant political third rail. Step lightly, wingnuts. ☺P.S. I'll also be looking forward to seeing all those GOP congress members opposed to a public option give up their own government-run plans. McConnell? Kyl? Chambliss? McCain? Inhofe? Hatch? Let's go, fellas! ETA: More here.Tags: harry reid, health care, human rights, republican hypocrisy, right-wing lunatics
From: Chicago
Mood:  Getting There
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From rhinos to redwoods, this decade has spelled the end for myriad species of plants and animals. Many have not been sighted in their natural habitat for some time, while others, quite sadly, have been declared officially extinct... 
Once one of the most common large mammals of northern Africa, the Scimitar-horned oryx
(Oryx dammah) was overhunted for its meat, hide and magnificent horns. Combined with
habitat loss and other factors, the species simply crashed, and by the end of
the 20th century, none were known to remain in the wild.
And so it goes...P.S. The backbone of all life on Earth, including our own, is biodiversity – the intricate network of animals, plants and the places where they live. To learn more about what you can do to help conserve and protect this most basic element of life itself, please visit the IUCN web site, and help spread the word. Tags: animals, ecological disaster, environment, extinction, overpopulation, poaching, pollution, wildlife
From: Chicago
Mood: Ashamed
Now Playing: 'Am I Losing You' - Jim Reeves
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In a yet another rich example of Republican hypocrisy, the GOP congressman leading the fight to have Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY) ousted as chair of the House's top tax-writing body turns out to have a few rather glaring ethics problems of his own...  Rep. John Carter (R-TX) had nearly $300,000 in unreported profits from oil stock sales in 2006 and 2007, Roll Call reported yesterday. It was Carter who earlier this month introduced the failed resolution to have Rangel removed from his chairmanship of the House Ways and Means committee. Carter told Fox News that Rangel had been getting "special treatment from the IRS," and that his problems were "embarrassing to the Congress." But in 2006, Carter made $199,000 in profits through the sale of Exxon stock. He made another $97,000 the following year. And in neither case did he list the profit on his financial disclosure form. Not to defend Rangel here (i.e., I say if he's guilty of ethics violations and/or breaking the law, throw the book at him), but I find it absolutely delicious that the GOP chose a weasel to chase a ferret. Kinda reminds me of Gingrich leading the war cry to impeach Clinton while he was cheating on his second wife (whom he married after cheating on his first wife). The implosion continues. And I'm loving it. Tags: loathsome people, republican corruption, republican hypocrisy
From: Chicago
Mood:  Amused
Now Playing: Girls Making Brownies
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3 (37.5%)
Fight Night
Confused
Sore
Creepy
WTF?
Happy Weekend
Tortured
Previous
