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The place where the world comes together in honesty and mirth.
Windmills Tilted, Scared Cows Butchered, Lies Skewered on the Lance of Reality ... or something to that effect.


Thursday, February 11, 2010

As repugicans overreach, Democrats think about reforming the filibuster

The Democrats are finally starting to get mad.
They're only about six months behind me.

repugicans overreach

Obama wins 'showdown' with repugicans


Senate OKs nominees after faceoff

According to an administration account, the president told Mitch McConnell that he was holding up an extraordinary number of appointments.

The Senate confirmed a huge bloc of administration nominees on Thursday, following a tense exchange between President Barack Obama and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (retard-Kentucky).

At a White House meeting with bipartisan congressional leaders on Tuesday, Obama warned that he would make recess appointments if the logjam over nominees wasn’t broken before the Senate left for the Presidents’ Day break.

“Mitch, this is unprecedented,” the president said, gesturing forcefully on the Cabinet Room table, according to aides. “If you don’t move any, I’m going to do some [recess] appointments.”

American Samoa braces for Tropical Cyclone Rene

Residents are stocking up on bottled water, flashlights and candles as Tropical Cyclone Rene nears the U.S. Pacific island territory of American Samoa.

American Samoa braces for Tropical Cyclone Rene

U.S. Troops close off Taliban escape routes

U.S. and Afghan soldiers linked up with Marines on the outskirts of the Taliban stronghold of Marjah on Thursday, sealing off escape routes ...

Full Story

Store Unveils Cashmere Toilet Paper

A high-end British supermarket promises its latest brand of toilet paper, made with cashmere, is "the most luxurious yet."

Carla Smith, buyer for supermarket Waitrose, said the cashmere paper is the latest in a line that includes toilet paper with aloe vera and jojoba extracts.

Cashmere Toilet Paper

From the Paratroopers instruction manual

Count to ten, pull the ripcord of your main chute, if it fails to open pull your reserve chute, if it fails to open you have twenty seconds to learn to fly.

Daily Funny

A man in a hot air balloon realized he was lost. He reduced altitude and spotted a woman below.

He descended a bit more and shouted, "Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don't know where I am." The woman below replied, "You're in a hot air balloon hovering approximately 30 feet above the ground. You're between 40 and 41 degrees north latitude and between 59 and 60 degrees west longitude."

"You must be an engineer," said the balloonist.

"I am," replied the woman, "How did you know?"

"Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you told me is technically correct, but I've no idea what to make of your information, and the fact is I'm still lost. Frankly, you've not been much help at all. If anything, you've delayed my trip."

The woman below responded, "You must be in Sales."

"I am," replied the balloonist, "but how did you know?"

"Well," said the woman, "you don't know where you are or where you're going. You have risen to where you are due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise, which you've no idea how to keep, and you expect people beneath you to solve your problems. The fact is you are in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but now, somehow, it's my fault."

Childhood obesity linked to early death

Childhood obesity linked to early death

Obese children are twice as likely to die before age 55 as normal-weight children, a study finds.

Tips for changing your career path

Tips for changing your career path

Preparation and the right frame of mind are key if you're serious about making a switch.

Ways to stop wasting cash

Ways to stop wasting cash

Buying generic brands and raising the deductible on your insurance can mean big savings.

Autism-diagnosis changes anger 'Aspies'

Autism-diagnosis changes anger 'Aspies'

Many Asperger's syndrome sufferers are upset about a new way to classify their condition.

How to avoid taxes when you retire

How to avoid taxes when you retire

If tax rates go up in coming years, only one kind of retirement account will be unaffected.

Pilot program gives foreclosures extra time

Pilot program gives foreclosures extra time

A major bank will let homeowners on the verge of foreclosure stay for six more months — on one condition.

Details
Also:

Feds skip best weapon against Asian carp

Feds skip best weapon against Asian carp

A $78.5 mil plan to keep the fish from invading the Great Lakes passes over the surest solution.

Giant 'Breachers' join fight against Taliban

Giant 'Breachers' join fight against Taliban

The Marines call in 40-foot, 72-ton explosives-laden behemoths to take on Afghan mines and IEDs.

Thriving in just 178 square feet of space

Thriving in just 178 square feet of space

Zach Motl believes that the more stuff you put in a room, the bigger it seems.

Bill Clinton hospitalized in New York

Bill Clinton hospitalized in New York

The former president, 63, is said to be "in good spirits" after undergoing a heart procedure.

FAUX and the repugicans want Brennan fired for speaking the truth

Deputy National Security Advisor John Brennan has had it with the repugican's political games over national security. And, he's been calling them out for it:
Politically motivated criticism and unfounded fear-mongering only serve the goals of al-Qaeda. Terrorists are not 100-feet tall. Nor do they deserve the abject fear they seek to instill. They will, however, be dismantled and destroyed, by our military, our intelligence services and our law enforcement community. And the notion that America's counterterrorism professionals and America's system of justice are unable to handle these murderous miscreants is absurd.
The repugican party functions solely on its political motivations -- even when national security is involved. That was the underlying premise of the shrub/Rove years.

Now, if we know one thing about repugicans, they're very, very thin-skinned. And, they completely hyperventilate and overreact when someone busts them. They're not used to being challenged. And, Brennan really let them have it.

So, that means repugicans are in attack mode -- at Brennan (whose job it is to keep us safe.) It's important to see who is saying what -- and where it's being said. It's no real surprise who is pushing the story and where it's being pushed:
On Faux News' Special Report, senior White House correspondent Major Garrett reported that Congressional repugicans "stepped up their calls for President Obama's top counterterrorism advisor, John Brennan, to resign or be fired." Pete Hoekstra: "This guy is poisoning the well. I think the President probably should fire this guy, because he's off-base and inconsistent with how national security issues should be dealt with." Kit Bond "called on Brennan...to resign yesterday and...repeated that, somewhat indirectly, today."

Appearing on Faux News' Special Report, Roll Call's Mort Kondracke contended Brennan "made a serious political mistake when he accused repugicans of aiding Al Qaeda. ... It ought to be just off the table. And he did that toward Republicans and that's not the way you ought to treat the people who oversee the intelligence community." Tucker Carlson, also on Faux News' Special Report, said, "You can't accuse your opponent, simply because they disagree with you, of putting the country at risk. ... This is over the top. And the White House clearly was behind it."

Also appearing on Faux News' Special Report, Charles Krauthammer commented, "The reason the Administration is so defensive is because it's on the wrong side of what is obviously a bad decision it made on Christmas Day."
It's all politics for FAUX and the repugicans.

The repugican's newest fake outrage

The repugicans newest fake outrage is that Obama killing too many terrorists.

Now that's a new one.

Then again, maybe this time it isn't fake outrage - after all the terrorists are their not so secret bedfellows.

School handcuffs 6-year-old, sends her to mental facility

A 6-year-old Port St. Lucie girl being disruptive at school first was handcuffed to bring her under control.

Full Story

Energy Efficient All-Terrain Robot Walkers to be Built for Military

From Treehugger:
In STAR WARS: Revenge of the Empire they were called AT-AT's.

robot-walker-sustainable.jpg
Image via Boston Dynamics

We should have just assumed by the rate technology was advancing that we'd live to see the day when those robot walkers from Star Wars were actually developed for the military. After all, we've got drones flying over Afghanistan piloted by men in New Mexico with X-box controllers. So why not an all-terrain robotic mule that can carry 400 lbs, provide a power source, and aid in combat operations? Boston Dynamics was just awarded $32 million to develop exactly that. And CleanTechnica reports that it may have some green uses to boot.

Burj Khalifa Shut Down By Elevator Failure

From Treehugger:
burj-lightning.jpg
A few days ago the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, was closed "indefinitely" due to " electrical problems." May thought that it was more than just that, and the speculation was rampant that the Dubai meltdown had affected even this iconic building. The owners didn't help the situation; as the Guardian puts it:

"Despite repeated requests, a spokeswoman for Emaar was unable to provide further details or rule out the possibility of foul play. Greg Sang, Emaar's director of projects and the man charged with coordinating the tower's construction, could not be reached."

Now it is revealed that the problem was an elevator failure; instead of just stopping, there was what sounded like an explosion and one observer said they saw smoke. The developer claims in Top News that he kept quiet for "security reasons", but that everything is now fixed and the tower will reopen on February 14th.

"There are no dissidents in China."

Or more likely it is just a case of delusion?
MOFAbeijing.jpg "There are no dissidents in China."

That's a direct quote from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman.

Ma Zhaoxu was asked earlier today about a Beijing court upholding an 11 year jail term for Liu Xiaobo, one of China's most high-profile activists.

According to him, they simply don't exist.

And with the Lunar New Year around the corner, China's foreign ministry spokesman also wished reporters at the press conference a "Happy New Year." But that wish came with a warning.

Ma said, "I just want to remind all journalists that next year is the Year of the Tiger and to be very careful when asking questions, to be cautious at our pressers. Otherwise the tiger here might not be very happy with you."

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs then proceeded to give a toy tiger to each reporter in the room.

*****

Loco is the Spanish word for this, yes, Loco.

Poll finds most Americans are unhappy with government and Sarah Palin

The palm reading hockey mom is falling out of favor even with her wingnut troglodyte base.

More on Palin and Broder here.

Poll finds most Americans are unhappy with
government and Sarah Palin

Somali pirates hold science to ransom

Pirates in the Indian Ocean are a hazard to more than shipping – they are also killing scientific research and may be indirectly damaging the ocean's ecosystem.

Somali pirates hold science to ransom

Damaged brains escape the material world

People who lose a specific part of their brain have more transcendental feelings.

Plotting Darwin's path out of Africa

Analysis of the DNA of Darwin's great-great-grandson shows his ancestors left Africa for the Middle East about 45,000 years ago, says Wendy Zukerman.

Liars and Fools

The Liar and Fool for the day is:

Lush Dimbulb lies saying "People are going hungry and are out of work because of Obama's socialism".
Actually, you fat fuck it was the shrub and cabal's Fascism that are still forcing people to go hungry and lose their livelihoods. Also, learn what socialism means before using the word incorrectly again, asshole.

My Fair Munster

The only know color footage of the original pilot for the 'Munsters' TV show.
Only Fred and Al made the regular show cast (it was their show so they better have, right).

Health Care Hell in America

Pretty much sums it up quiet nicely, don't you think.

And you wonder why we're the joke of the world for health care?!

And I Quote

We are all worms, but I do believe I am a glow-worm.

~ Winston Churchill

Ancient man's genes reveal surprises

Ancient man's genes reveal surprises

DNA from a Greenlander who died 4,000 years ago helps answer questions about our ancestors.

Urban Outhouse is the New Loo

From Treehugger:

outside lavatory.photo
Image from the Guardian

Some TreeHuggers, mainly men, love to write about toilets and composting and poo. They should move to Britain: an estimated 40,000 houses in the UK still have outdoor toilets in their backyards. And the owners love them.

Article continues: Urban Outhouse is the New Loo

Georgia official arrested for demanding bribes to make RIAA copyright notices go away

The University of Georgia has fired Dorin Lucian Dehelean, a security analyst who was responsible for passing on RIAA copyright infringement notices to the student body, alleging that he demanded bribes from students to make the record of their supposed infractions go away.
According to UGA campus police chief Jimmy Williamson, Dehelean "offered to make the situation go away in exchange for money." He promised not to inform Judicial Programs, so the student in question would be free from any kind of disciplinary measures the University usually takes in similar cases.

The student in question didn't have any money and alerted a University employee who called in the police. The police decided to look into the case and sent over an undercover officer who went over to Dehelean, impersonating the student.

After Dehelean accepted the payment he was fired immediately and taken into custody for extortion practices. According to the campus police, Dehelean may have tried the same trick with other students, and they believe that at least one other student paid up.

Cop News

TSA detains Middle-Eastern Studies major for carrying Arabic-English flashcards

Another example of incompetence:

Nicholas George, a senior in Middle-Eastern Studies at Pomona College, was detained, handcuffed, and intensively questioned by the TSA while trying to catch a flight back to school from Philadelphia. The TSA guards found English-Arabic flashcards in his luggage and said that because Osama bin Laden spoke Arabic, "these cards are suspicious." The FBI was called in, and an agent called him a "fucking idiot" when he asked why he was being held. After being asked if he was a communist or a Muslim, he was released. He was not read his rights at any time.

The ACLU has taken on his case, and they're suing.

TSA supervisor: "You know who did 9/11?"

George: "Osama bin Laden."

TSA supervisor: "Do you know what language he spoke?"

George: "Arabic."

TSA supervisor: "Do you see why these cards are suspicious?"

Today is ...

Today is Thursday, February 11, the 42nd day of 2010.

There are 323 days left in the year.

Today In History February 11

Today's unusual holidays and celebrations include:

Be Electrific Day

and

White Shirt Day

Our Readers

Some of our readers today have been in:

Leeds, England, United Kingdom
Aberdeen, Scotland, United kingdom
Muscat, Masqat, Oman
Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Aachen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
Tallinn, Harjumaa, Estonia
Maracibo, Zulia, Venezuela

as well as Colombia, France, Hungary, Israel, and the United States

Daily Horoscope

Today's horoscope says:

Feeling restless?
Feeling as if you need to expand your horizons a touch by getting to know some new friends?
Well, you're right on track, and the universe will be only too happy to help.
When an invitation arrives -- and it will, probably sooner rather than later -- you should jump right on it, get yourself dressed, and greet your new peer group.
Will it be that easy?
It sure will!

Easy, new friends - cool!