She's Gone

Now that even Clinton has conceded she will not be the nominee of the Democratic party this year, finger-wagging beyond Stephen Colbert's most contentious dreams has begun in earnest.

Steve Benen considers lists of reasons offered by sources like the Wall Street Joural and Time as to why the once seemingly-inevitable nominee ended up disappointing.

From "misjudging the mood" to "Clinton fatigue," he sums them up nicely:

She went positive when voters were less engaged, and negative when voters were more engaged, which became a drag on her favorability numbers. The media that was too quick to call her the presumptive nominee became something of a foil. The “sniper” controversy and the “gas-tax holiday” idea raised serious doubts about her credibility.

I still can't eat their toadburgers, but this is going to sell them a sundae, fries and a coke

I'm reminded of one of my favorite throwaway gags in Howard Cruse’s “Wendel” comic (for those of you who don’t know it, it was a gay-themed strip).

Wendel, the hero, is leaving McDonald’s with his partner, Ollie’s, young son Farley, who is getting his first hit of a sugar rush.

“Ronald McDonald is gay, Uncle Wendel!” he giggles.

“Now now, Farley, flamboyant clothes are not necessarily any indication of-”

Oh, what reminds me of that? Well...

WorldNetDaily is complaining.
The religious right is crazed.
Rev. Wildmon, founder of the American Family Association, is on a tear.
The conservative gorillas at Free Republic & townhall.com are making panicky "jokes."

Someone, somewhere, must be suggesting that homosexuals are actual human beings.

Yes. And to their horror, it's coming from that all-American mascot, Ronald McDonald.

John McCain courts the women's vote

Like this:

Senator John McCain’s campaign is taking a more lighthearted approach to chatting up these women, at least in a new blog it debuted last night, The McCain Report.
The latest entry says, “Attention disaffected Hillary supporters, John McCain is a huge ABBA fan. Seriously.”

Yeah, that oughta do it.

Embedded is a YouTube video with the famous refrain:
If you change your mind, I’m the first in line
Honey I’m still free
Take a chance on me

Oh, you gotta be kidding me...

Get me, I'm a badass

Legolas Greenleaf

A naturally skilled companion to those around you, you earnestly use your prowess out of concern to those you care about.

This forest is old. Very old. Full of memory... and anger.

I'll marry and have kids with the woman that can fit this

(I'm going on the assumption, of course, that she has the mind of a Holly Hunter character and the face of Anne Hathaway. Come to think of it, I wouldn't mind if she had the face of Holly Hunter, either)

Show 'em how it's done, boys!

This picture (below) of Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean and Barack Obama makes me smile. It--and what it represents--makes me think: we might actually win this thing, and (this time) it might actually make a difference.

For all the painting of Obama as a pretty-boy who some have chosen to turn into a Christ figure.

For all the wishful thinking of people like Pajamas Media CEO Roger L. Simon--who just over a month ago thought Obama's campaign was "cratering."

For all Hillary Clinton's selfishness (my current favorite: Her issuing a statement that the Vice Presidency is Obama's choice. How generous of her.)

For all the echoing "Dean scream.”

For all the clowns who thought the rest of us care more than we do about what church Obama attends.

For all the questioning of Obama's patriotism.

For all that, ladies and gentlemen, these are The New Democrats. Amazing.

They keep getting smarter, and the Republicans keep getting stupider. For all that I'm frustrated with the (old) Democrats for not speedily impeaching Bush, I'm also convinced that if the Republicans had moved to clean house (and maybe brought Bush & Cheney up on war crimes), they might still win.

But they were too stupid to do that when they had a chance. And now, looking at Bush and McCain is like trying to tell Pepé Le Pew from the black cat with the white stripe down her back.

(I'm not even sure which is Bush and which is McCain in that metaphor...which is kind of the point.)

If I were inclined towards corny metaphors, I might say that it gives me an umbrella of hope.

Fortunately for all concerned, I am not so inclined.

Nation, world, tries to contain their shock

Headline:

Senate committee: Bush knew Iraq claims weren't true

Well, thank you, Senate commitee. Now, if you'll be so good as to step into this time machine, I'll just take you back to three or four years ago when the rest of us figured that out.

In previous days, headlines such as this, combined with Bush's new-low 25% approval rating, would have led me to ask, again, can we impeach them nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooow?

However, I've become resigned to the idea that this is never going to happen. In spite of what Americans want, in spite of what's just. Among other reasons, there just isn't enough time. Impeachment proceedings should have started at least two years ago.

It should have been item one, first page, day one after the Democrats retook the house and Senate. But it wasn't. And I'm just going to have to learn to be OK with that.

Clinton (both of them) shutting the fuck up and getting the fuck out of Dodge would be a great start.

Eine freie Fotographie eines blanken woman*

*For die von Ihnen, die dort glauben, kann solch eine Sache überhaupt wirklich sein, selbstverständlich.

Andy Warhol was right: Soup cans are art!

I'm feeling cynical. When I'm cynical, I get bitter.

Or maybe it's the other way around. But at any rate: Long-timers among you may remember back in November of 2004, when I said:

The people who re-elected Bush clearly have no empathy for "my people", so I'll be damned if I'm gonna waste any more of what Barbara Bush so rightly called "my beautiful mind" on their NASCAR-spawn.

That wasn't really what I thought then, and isn't what I think now. But I was feeling bitter, and when I'm bitter, I get cynical.

You may wonder why I'm bringing this up.

Senator Hillary Clinton is holding the Democratic Party hostage, refusing to concede unless Obama offers her the VP slot.

At least, that's how I read this AP story (via AmericaBlog)

I would just like to say, here and now and for the record: I would rather see Lindsay Lohan as Obama's VP than Hillary Clinton.

And I would also like to say, though I'm genuinely saddened that it's come to this:

Somebody needs to smack that bitch down.

But of course, as I say, I'm feeling bitter and cynical. So I don't really mean that.

(Except for the bit about wanting to see Obama offer Lohan the VP slot. That is Gospel.)

Bush misundertood the part about "making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country." He thought it referred to his fellow Americans.

Ok. If you know me, or even if you read this blog more than oh, say, a day, you know what I think of George W. Bush. I think he's an immature, inhumane chicken-hawk. That said, even I have trouble believing this one (as relayed by Tom Engelhardt) ...

Let me briefly set the scene, as [former commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, Lieutenant General Ricardo] Sanchez tells it on pages 349-350 of [his memoir] Wiser in Battle. It's April 6, 2004. L. Paul Bremer III, head of the occupation's Coalition Provisional Authority, as well as the President's colonial viceroy in Baghdad, and Gen. Sanchez were in Iraq in video teleconference with the President, Secretary of State Colin Powell, and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. (Assumedly, the event was recorded …

According to Sanchez, Powell was talking tough that day: "We've got to smash somebody's ass quickly," the general reports him saying. "There has to be a total victory somewhere. We must have a brute demonstration of power."

Quick aside: Ah, Colin Powell. I remember him when he still had credibility. Heck, there was even a time--I think it lasted one afternoon--when I could have voted for him if he'd run for president in the '90s.

But now--well, just look at him, pretending like he had a spine. That's so cute.

Not long after that, the President "launched" what an evidently bewildered Sanchez politely describes as "a kind of confused pep talk regarding both Fallujah and our upcoming southern campaign [against the Mahdi Army]." Here then is that "pep talk." While you read it, try to imagine anything like it coming out of the mouth of any other American president, or anything not like it coming out of the mouth of any evil enemy leader in the films of the President's -- and my -- childhood:

"'Kick ass!' [Bush] said, echoing Colin Powell's tough talk. 'If somebody tries to stop the march to democracy, we will seek them out and kill them! We must be tougher than hell! This Vietnam stuff, this is not even close. It is a mind-set. We can't send that message. It's an excuse to prepare us for withdrawal.

"There is a series of moments and this is one of them. Our will is being tested, but we are resolute. We have a better way. Stay strong! Stay the course! Kill them! Be confident! Prevail! We are going to wipe them out! We are not blinking!'"

…Evidently…the President was intent on imitating George C. Scott playing General George Patton -- or perhaps even inadvertently channeling one of the evil villains of his onscreen childhood.

Even I didn't think he was that deranged...

Getting back to McCain...

According to the advance text of a speech John McCain gave today, he again questioned what good would come of meeting with the Iranian leadership. He said:

it’s hard to see what such a summit with President Ahmadinejad would actually gain, except an earful of anti-Semitic rants, and a worldwide audience for a man who denies one Holocaust and talks before frenzied crowds about starting another.

Really. Forgive me if I'm surprised that sort of thing bothers you, Senator, because as reported in The Nation (via Yahoo!)

In his sermon, "The Final Dictator," [John] Hagee described the Antichrist as a seductive figure with "fierce features." He will be "a blasphemer and a homosexual," the pastor announced. Then, Hagee boomed, "There's a phrase in Scripture used solely to identify the Jewish people. It suggests that this man [the Antichrist] is at least going to be partially Jewish, as was Adolph Hitler, as was Karl Marx."

Exposed here for the first time, Hagee's comments identifying the Antichrist as a partly Jewish homosexual arrive in the wake of a furor the pastor provoked by describing the Holocaust as an act of God. Hagee's chilling sermon about the Holocaust prompted Sen. John McCain to reject the preacher's support, an unexpected turnabout after McCain spent over a year soliciting his endorsement.

Emphasis mine.

But now that Hagee's political allies have listened to the preacher's sermon identifying the Antichrist as a homosexual Jew, how can they still share a stage with him? Is attributing Jewish ancestry to the Man of Sin not anti-Semitism in its most classical form? Are the conspiratorial screeds of Nesta Webster,Henry Ford, and David Duke not replete with passages disturbingly similar to this most recently revealed jeremiad of Hagee and to many of his past sermons?

Later in the NYT blog post about the speech by Michael Cooper, we find:

Mr. McCain – who has taken a hard-line stance on Iran, and who joked early in the campaign by suggesting renaming the Beach Boys song “Barbara Ann’’ as “Bomb Iran” – referred in his speech here to creating “real-world pressures’’ on Iran.

To me, this appears as though McCain invented that joke--which would be sobering enough on the face of it, a would-be world leader joking in public about making war. But in fact, McCain was just repeating a joke I remember being fairly common in 1979...when I was in elementary school.

Cooper's to blame for that one, but McCain continues:

“If our troops are ordered to make a forced retreat, we risk all-out civil war, genocide, and a failed state in the heart of the Middle East. Al Qaeda terrorists would rejoice in the defeat of the United States. Allowing a potential terrorist sanctuary would profoundly affect the security of the United States, Israel, and our other friends, and would invite further intervention from Iraq’s neighbors, including an emboldened Iran.

Yes. God forbid Iraq should become a terrorist sanctuary. A civil war in Iraq? My gracious, that would be terrible, wouldn't it?

McCain strikes me as a referee who arrives after the soccer riot has already started. Or like Kevin Bacon in Animal House, standing up, screaming "All is well!" as the crowd tramps over him. Or like the driver who thinks to check his brakes after he's already started down Lombard Street.

The final words

I read this American Prospect post on the damage Clinton is doing yeterday, but didn't post it because, I figure, you know what I think, and you know what you think. But the final sentences stayed with me, coming back much later in the day. So...

By threatening to keep the campaign rolling into summer, though, Clinton isn't just running up against the Obama forces; she's taking on Newton's Third Law of Motion: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. There are few if any Clinton-uber-alles supporters among the 200 or so still undeclared superdelegates. Nothing would push them more firmly into Obama's camp than a Clinton attempt to prolong the agony of the Democrats' contest (which, if it were a Shakespearean play, would now be into Act VIII). Indeed, if Clinton presses on beyond next week, when Obama will surely win the number of delegates required for nomination, it won't be surprising if some of the superdelegates who back Clinton shift to Obama's column. By keeping her campaign going, Hillary Clinton can damage Barack Obama and herself. The only presidential candidate she can't damage is John McCain.

Texas women...

"There's an old Texas expression. If you don't have anything nice to say, go to London and say it in front of 2,000 people."

-Natalie Maines, 2003.





I love Texas women.

(ETA) Also see: Kelly Clarkson.

Cindy Crawford looks to be aging well.

And down this beaten path, and up this cobbled lane I’m walking in my old footsteps, once again

IMG_2790
Originally uploaded by Mifeng'

is it a life or Just a play my worries away?

100_2790
Originally uploaded by duskie78

To repeat: Sometimes, you've just gotta laugh

Sen. Lindsey Graham, Republican, giving a speech yesterday, was given pause for thought when he mentioned Bush in his opening remarks. And nobody applauded. Nobody shouted. Nobody whistled. There was dead silence for the president of the United States.

What makes the setup even better, is he was speaking in South "We'd Like To Be Known As Even Stupider Than Tennessee" Carolina.

To the state GOP comvention.

My god. They're gonna get creamed in this election...

More fun with photos

"Oh no! She's got a taste for human blood!"

"RUN!"

And, in the interests of equality:



Senator Obama smiled at the fat park ranger's Lou Costello-like cries of "Heeey Baaaraaack!" while calling subtly with his left hand for the others to intervene.

Revenge of the Fixx

I don't know exactly what the song "Saved By Zero" by The Fixx means, but I like it.

A YouTuber called electricboa offers one interpretation, putting together a video edit of the villains of Star Wars to the song.



It works perfectly.

Give me a ha-ppy en-ding ev-e-ry time

Fair enough, though "16 Candles" isn't one of my favorite High School movies...

Take the Which Character Am I? Quiz

The protocol of Virgos

Star Wars Horoscope for Virgo

You show efficiency when working for a good cause. But you tend to be a bit fussy when it comes to doing something out of the ordinary. Like many Virgos, you want to stay out of the spotlight. You do well at picking up the smallest details. Star wars character you are most like: C3P0

What Is Your Star Wars Horoscope?

Tina Fey? I'm a movie written by Tina Fey?

Well, at least I'll be well-promoted.

What movie r u?

Mean Girls You r just plain old mean and cant ever stop picking on ppl!! jk On the other hand, I do like the outfits (but have I got the legs for it?)

Do, or do not. There is no try.

Or, "The student becomes the teacher."

Which Star Wars Character Are You? Luke Skywalker You are a very heroic person. You strive to do whats right despite what anyone says.

Click Here to Take This Quiz Brought to you by YouThink.com quizzes and personality tests.

Which Star Wars Jedi/Sith are you? Yoda Dynamite in a small package, and long-lasting, like the Energizer bunny. While you are wise and calm, you are able to call on your killer instincts and be kick-ass. Some may call you a ‘sleeper’. With such great power comes some arrogance, but you are quick to return to humility and fix your mistakes. You have certainly left your mark on the world, in good and bad ways, and it was kinda sad to see you go. But no need to worry, you have gained immortality even though you can’t wield your toothpick of a lightsabre anymore.

Click Here to Take This Quiz Brought to you by YouThink.com quizzes and personality tests.

Wouldn't you know I could only be the one in green?

Which Batman Nemesis Are You??? The Riddler Also with a bit of comical darkness similar to the Joker, The Riddler is a red head dressed in green looking for mayhem in all the wrong spots, as he tries to over power batman after his non-villian true self, Edward Nygma, is denied his idea to brainwash towns people with his t.v. involved invention called "The Box". His plans are foiled though, and he is sent straight into a mental hospital where he spent his remaining years claiming he infact was..Batman.

Click Here to Take This Quiz Brought to you by YouThink.com quizzes and personality tests.

We march to a different drum machine

You are a Rockhopper penguin! Other penguins see you as being loud, noisy, and feisty! By nature you are very curious and outgoing, but you may have a quick temper. You are provoked very easily and will attack if you get too aggravated. Most overlook this flaw because you are just so darned cute!

What kind of penguin are you?

Well. The good news is, I will be around a lot of girls in bikinis...unfortunately, I'll be killing them

Which Super Villian Are You?

Jason Voorhies

You are a brutal, mindless, killing machine!

Totally.

Which Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle are You? (pics)

Leonardo

You're mature and get the job done. You are a natural born leader, and normally want to be the better of the group. You take your job seriously. You must! It may NOT be a game. When you select a sport, or something you want to do, you train continueously, constantly trying to perfect it. You're always prepared for a challenge, and are normally found one step ahead of your enemies. Loving family more than life itself, you are a good friend, and can be depended on at all times.

I'm sillier than I am friendly...I think I like that

How to make a Ben Varkentine

Ingredients: 1 part friendliness 5 parts silliness 1 part beauty

Method: Combine in a tall glass half filled with crushed ice. Top it off with a sprinkle of lustfulness and enjoy!

Username:

Personality cocktail
From Go-Quiz.com

I am the very model of a super stretchy lunatic

Which member of the JLA are you? Plasticman When small time crook Eel O'Brian was making an escape he was doused with an unknown chemical and his body changed into a rubbery substance that could stretch and take any shape he imagines. Deciding to switch to crime fighting after a coin toss he often the jokester of the League.

Click Here to Take This Quiz Brought to you by YouThink.com quizzes and personality tests.

Vark Phoenix (and other quiz results)

Most Comprehensive X-Men Personality Quiz 2.0 created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Jean Grey Jean Grey is likely the most powerful X-Man. She loves Cyclops very much but she has a soft spot for Wolverine. She's psychic so she can sense how others are feeling and tries to help them. She also has to control her amazing powers or the malevolent Phoenix entity could take control of her and wreak havok. Powers: Telekinetic, Telepathic

ETA: On the other hand...

You Are 40% Psychic

You are barely psychic. Sure, you sometimes predict things... But is it a matter of luck? Or something more? Pay closer attention to your first intuitions You may be more psychic than you know!

Are You Psychic?

ETA, Again: Hmm. Make of this what you will...

What dragon species are you? (Stunning pics)

Psi Dragon

You knew you'd get this result didnt you? the psi dragopn is more like a spiritual or host of dragon. You have the sixth sense of premonition and knows things before they happen, hence giving you an advantage over most of your adversaries. You feel you are smart and significantly better then all others.

The first two times I took this, I kept getting Davros.

What Doctor Who character are You? created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as 4th Doctor Wild, eccentric, wacky! do you want a jelly babie? 4th Doctor 75% 10th Doctor 67% 1st Doctor 58% 9th Doctor 33% 5th Doctor 33% 2nd doctor 33% 3rd doctor 33% 8th Doctor 25% 7th Doctor 17% Davros 8% 6th doctor 8% a Dalek 0%

Chicks 'n captions

Ironically, the song she's singing? "I ain't got nobody. (Nobody cares for me.) Nobody nobody..."



























That's funny...all of a sudden I feel like eating some potato chips...



That's one sexy chipmunk.



Is it wrong that all I can think of when I look at this picture is..."Man is it gonna hurt when she rips the tape off..."