 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
When it comes to the political "controversy" surrounding Benghazi, I no longer know what McCain is grousing about. He's raised questions, which have been answered. He's raised theories, which have been debunked. He's smeared Susan Rice, when he damned-well knows that her only "crime" was sharing credible intelligence on a Sunday talk show. And yesterday, McCain's slow, steady descent into complete incoherence reached new depths. For those who can't watch clips online, McCain appeared on Faux News (where else?) to raise a series of weird complaints, and roll out a truly bizarre new analogy. "[W]ho changed the talking points that was used by Ambassador Rice? And why? And on what circumstances? Why was reference to Al Qaeda left out? There are so many things that have happened. And the interesting thing is, finally, Neil, we knew within hours of all the details when we got bin Laden in the raid there, every bitty one of them. They are making a movie out of it.
"And here we are 10 weeks later, and finally our ambassador to the United Nations who appeared on every national Sunday show has now said that she gave false information concerning how this tragedy happened as far as the spontaneity of a demonstration triggered by a hateful video." We already know who changed the talking points. And we know why and under what circumstances. And we know why al Qaeda references were removed. And we know Rice didn't deliberately deceive anyone. But comparing this to the raid on bin Laden's compound is a special kind of dumb. I realize national security and foreign policy are issues McCain struggles with, but this isn't complicated: the bin Laden raid was our idea. It was our mission. We planned it and we executed it. We knew the details "within hours" because, unlike the terrorists' attack on Benghazi, the raid in Abbottabad was carried out by our guys, not their guys. Honestly, I'm not sure whether to be annoyed by McCain's nonsense or feel sorry for him. I'm reminded of this recent piece from Time's Joe Klein, who remembers when McCain used to be "an honorable public servant," before he became the bitter, self-serving politician we all know today. [H]e's now a political caricature, severely debilitated by anger and envy. His trigger-happy foreign policy beliefs have always been questionable, but this Benghazi crusade has put in the weird circle inhabited by nutcases and conspiracy theorists like Michele Bachmann and Allen West. He should honor the memory of those who lost their lives that terrible night by putting a cork in his disgraceful behavior immediately. We can speculate as to why McCain has become so unhinged -- but the fact remains he's now impossible to take seriously. Don't worry, though, I'm sure he'll be able to explain himself in more detail on a Sunday show very soon. As one person put it: "McCain was physically and mentally broken in the "Hanoi Hilton, and we've had to suffer half a century of his Performance Art. Lately, he has been auditioning for the lead in King Lear." Tags: asshole, benghazi, john mccain, libya, loathsome people, right-wing lunatics
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Attention K-Mart (and Target, and Wal-Mart, and Sears, and Best Buy, ad infinitum) shoppers...  Tags: black friday, dumb americans, greed, holidays, shopping, stupidity, wretched excess
From: Planet of the Apes
Now Playing: 'Please Release Me' - Jim Reeves
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Former world champion Hector "Macho" Camacho -- one of the flashiest fighters of my generation -- has been declared brain-dead after being shot in the head and neck last night in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, the victim of gunmen who fired on the car in which he was a passenger. Reportedly, the police have a suspect or person of interest in custody.  The latest developments mark the final, sad chapter in the life of the talented fighter with a career as tumultuous as it was triumphant Camacho went 79-6-3 with 38 knockouts in a career that spanned 30 years, winning the featherweight, lightweight and light welterweight titles in both the WBO and WBC. His greatest success came during the 1980s and early ‘90s (although he mounted several comebacks as recently as 2010), when he faced some of the sports greatest fighters,including Julio Cesar Chavez, Sugar Ray Leonard and Oscar De La Hoya. But Camacho has always been known as a troubled soul, beset by issues with domestic violence, drugs and other personal missteps. Most recently, he appeared in Orange County court on charges of child abuse after allegedly picking his teenage son by his neck, slamming him to the ground and stomping on him. There obviously seem to be issues other than incidental contact when at least one gunman opened fire on Camacho’s vehicle in the city of Bayamon, according to a statement from police. Another man in the car was killed. Clearly, Camacho was a victim here. But was it a random shooting? Is it fair to connect the dots of this incident to Camacho's troubled past? I suspect there is something more to the story than random violence.  I sincerely hope he makes it out of his latest tragedy. But to paraphrase Dexter, the popular show on Showtime, Camacho has always had a dark passenger by his side. Let’s hope he survives, and finally ditches him. P.S. The shooting also reflects a serious issue that is largely under reported by U.S. media -- the skyrocketing homicide rate in Puerto Rico, currently five times higher than the U.S. average. Per capita, Puerto Rico has 26 murders for every 100,000 people -- exceeding even Mexico’s much-covered homicide crisis. Drug-related violence is estimated to account for 50 to 80 percent of the murders in Puerto Rico. In 2011, 1,136 people were murdered on the island with a population of 3.7 million. The violence has continued well into 2012. In just a single weekend in July, 19 people were murdered. Tags: boxing, crime, death, farewell old friend, murder, puerto rico, sports, violence
From: Chicago
Mood: Troubled
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
As much as I'd enjoy watching MSNBC tonight, i.e., celebrating with my allies, I think I'll keep it tuned to Fox "News," instead. Toe-Sucker Morris's exploding skull alone will be worth the price of admission. ☺ P.S. For anyone tempted to reply with "JB, take the high road!" or "don't stoop to their level, Blaque!" or "Jon, this is a time for the nation to heal!" ... Don't waste your breath. Seriously. Tags: '12 elections, barack obama, mitt romney, republican scum, right-wing lunatics, teabaggers
Mood: Makin' Popcorn
Now Playing: 'Ave Maria' - Maria Callas
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rather than find ways to cooperate with the natural world, America's agribusiness titans almost always opt for the next quick (read: most profitable) fix in a futile effort to overpower nature, regardless of the ill effects on the land or its very own customers. Their attitude is that if brute force isn't working, they're probably not using enough of it.  Monsanto, for example, has banked a fortune by selling a corn seed that it genetically manipulated to produce corn plants that won't die when sprayed with infamously poisonous Roundup weedkiller. Not coincidentally, Monsanto also happens to manufacture Roundup. It profits from the seed and from the huge jump in Roundup sales that the seed generates. Pretty slick, yes? But Mother Nature, as usual, has rebelled. So much of the poison was spread in the past decade that weeds naturally began to resist it. As a Dow Chemical agronomist explained, "The real need here is to diversify our weed management systems." Exactly right! We need non-chemical, sustainable systems that work with nature and without genetically altered crops... but, no, the Dow man didn't mean that at all. He was calling for more brute force in the form of Dow's new genetically altered corn seed that can absorb their über toxic 2,4-D weedkiller (marketed under the "Enlist" brand name). Use this stuff, he says, and nature will be defeated. Wrong, for as we've seen time and time again, but never seem to learn, Nature always bats last. The weeds will keep evolving and will adapt to Dow's high-tech fix, too. By pushing the same old thing relentlessly, say scientists, agribusiness interests continue to ratchet up our dependence on the use of herbicides, at the expense of the environment and our own health. It's time to start listening to the weeds — and cooperating with Mother Nature. To advance this common sense approach, a national coalition is backing California's Proposition 37 -- the "Right to Know" initiative, requiring the labeling of genetically altered foods. To learn more, check out the Organic Consumers Association at www.OrganicConsumers.org. P.S. Not all that long ago, in this very forum, I had a self-proclaimed "libertarian" tell me -- with a straight face -- that government food labeling requirements of any kind are a "drag on the free market," and that consumers should be solely responsible for independently researching the ingredients in the foods they buy. All the food they buy. I shit you not. Tags: dow chemical, ecology, farming, food, gmo, greed, herbicides, monsanto, nature bats last, pesticides, stupidity
Mood: Vote!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Women constitute more than half of the population of this country. In 2008, 60% of voters were women. This coming Tuesday, it's estimated that 10 million more women than men will go the polls... Remember Leslie Gore's 1964 hit single? Prepare for a good, old fashioned thrashing, you assholes. Tags: '12 elections, abortion, barefoot & pregnant, birth control, health care, lily ledbetter, republican scum, roe v wade, women
Mood: Four More Days, Four More Years
Now Playing: 'If You're Gonna Be Dumb, You Gotta be Tough"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Something to think about when you hear the Republican Corporatist Party (and their slack-jawed, tea party bootlickers) condemning the EPA as "government glut," and/or a "threat to free enterprise": If for no other reason on Earth to vote next week, vote for the Earth next week. Tags: '12 elections, coal, corporatist party, ecological disaster, environment, epa, greed, pollution, right-wing lunatics, teabaggers, toxic waste, youtube
Mood: Seven Days
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Overheard at IHOP this morning: Typical, greasy-chinned teabagger type (see above) expressing to his cud-chewing ladyfriend the hope that Sandy "wipes the shit out of [the East Coast], because "then, Obama'll lose the election for sure." America, fuck yeah. Tags: asshole, fema, hurricanes, hypocrisy, natural disasters, rednecks, right-wing lunatics, scumbags, teabaggers
From: Planet of the Apes
Mood: Eight More Days
Now Playing: 'Act Naturally' - Buck Owens
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
My personal, virtual fish-wrap, filtered for politics, ecology, sports, science and other stuff you might be interested in — http://paper.li/jblaqueSubscribe to mine (free), create your own (also free), or both. Or neither. Top stories: Trouble in Mitt's Socialist Hospital Paradise
Wilkerson: "My Party 'Full of Racists'"
Tags: '12 elections, colin powell, health care, health care crisis, politics, racism, right-wing hack, science
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Emanuel Steward, earnest yet easygoing, proved rough and tough wasn't the only way to win in boxing. With a twinkle in his eyes, a smile on his face and a soothing voice, he developed unique bonds in and out of the ring with a long line of champions that included Thomas Hearns, Lennox Lewis, Oscar De La Hoya and Wladimir Klitschko... ( Read moreCollapse )Tags: boxing, death, farewell old friend, mortality, sports
Mood:  nostalgic
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The lovely & talented Mr. Stewart delivers another jovial kill shot... and in so doing, reminds us why the next four years are going to be so fucking enjoyable: http://bit.ly/S54Jxv
"For nearly four years you have had an Administration which instead of twirling its thumbs has rolled up its sleeves... We had to struggle with the old enemies of peace: business and financial monopoly, speculation, reckless banking, class antagonism, sectionalism, war profiteering. They had begun to consider the Government of the United States as a mere appendage to their own affairs. We know now that Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob. Never before in all our history have these forces been so united against one candidate as they stand today. They are unanimous in their hate for me – and I welcome their hatred." ~ FDR, 1936 Tags: '12 elections, comedy, fox news, hate, jon stewart, lying liars, racism, right-wing lunatics, teabaggers
Mood:  Predatory
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Ossining, NY (1940) -- Martin 'Bugsy' Goldstein, leader of the Brooklyn murder syndicate, and Harry 'Pittsburgh' Strauss, a co-terrorist, are shown on the train as they near Sing Sing prison, where they are Scheduled to die in the electric chair the week of Nov. 4th for the slaying of Irving 'Puggy' Feinstein.Tags: crime, death penalty, justice, murder, photography
Mood:  awake
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By now, I'm sure most (if not all) of you are aware of Google's new Privacy Policy (or, more accurately, their Lack of Privacy Policy), set to take effect at midnight tonight. If you have a Google account (e.g., Gmail, Google+, Google Checkout), and have not specifically located and paused your Web History setting, Google will now be keeping track of every search you make, every site you visit, personal info such as your name, address, IP, mobile phone number, Gmail activity (with the ability to read, copy, collect and share your incoming and outgoing e-mails with third parties) and more -- most anything and everything they can get their hands on, in fact. Up to now, this data has been separated from other Google products, but tomorrow, when the new policy goes into effect, it will be shared across all of the Google products you use. If you'd like to prevent Google from combining this potentially sensitive data with the information it has collected from your YouTube, Google+ and other Google accounts, you can remove your Web History and stop it from being recorded moving forward. Simple, really: 1) After logging into your Google account, type https://www.google.com/history into your browser. (Alternatively, you can choose Account Settings from the pull-down menu in the upper-right corner of a Google product such as Gmail, Google+, or Google.com.) 2) From the Account Settings page, scroll down to the Services header and click on the Go to Web History link.) If your Web History is enabled, you'll see a list of recent searches and sites visited. 3) Click the gray Remove All Web History button at the top of the page and a subsequent OK button to clear your Web History. This action also pauses the Web History feature so that it will no longer track your Web searches and whereabouts. If you'd like to fire it back up in the future, simply click the blue Resume button. There you go... history erased, collection mechanism disabled, and your dark, lurid little secrets protected. ☺Tags: friends, google
Mood:  Distrust
Now Playing: 'Hush, Darling' ~ Gregory Isaacs
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Please click on the image and tell Congress to reauthorize vital programs that protect elephants. Reposting to your LJ, Twitter, Facebook, etc. is also appreciated...  More on the elephant poaching crisis from the IFAW, Center for Conservation Biology Guardian, Wildlife Extra and Elephant Newswire. Left up to me, there'd be a worldwide, shoot-on-sight helicopter hunting season for poachers... I'd hang their fuckin' heads in my den with glee. Tags: africa, animals, crime, elephants, environment, extinction, poaching, scumbags
From: Chicago
Mood: Bastards
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Never thought I'd agree with anything Bill Bennett had to say... "If Herman Cain wants to be taken seriously as a public advocate for anything, never mind running for the chief executive and commander in chief...he needs to give a full press conference dedicated exclusively to this issue and these allegations... For we who led the charge against Bill Clinton on a number of related issues to continue to blame the media or other campaigns or say it simply doesn't matter makes us the hypocrites as well.
"[...] If Herman Cain cannot stand up to these charges, if he refuses to, then he should step out of the race. A man big enough to run for president should be big enough to have a full and candid press conference on all of this -- he wants us to elect him president after all, he's asking us to trust our lives and the country's life to him. This could be one of his finest moments and it could be one of his worst. But either way, he must confront the moment candidly and manfully." Not that this blowhard coward had a shot at the nomination to begin with. Shame, really. I'd have relished seeing him publicly disemboweled. Looks like you're still stuck with this piece of shit, 'Pugs... Good luck with that. ☺Tags: '12 elections, herman cain, loathsome people, republican sex scandals, scumbags
From: Chicago
Mood:  Amused
Now Playing: 'The Boogie Man' - The Cadillacs
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
jblaque
optimistic
Out of Hibernation
Speechless
Fuck You
Personhoody
Nostalgic
Cautiously Pleasant
Previous
