Bah!

An Australian Christian group is trying to block gay & lesbian couples from adopting children. (Single homosexuals can adopt, but their partners are not recognized as parents.) Here's a particularly charming excerpt from their argument:

"Not content with having discrimination removed, (they) are now pursuing symbolic gains and holding up children as trophies for their own agenda."


Riiiiiiiiiiiiiight. (Also, I think that makes me a trophy! Weeeeee!)

Young Barack

NPR found a 1994 commentary by that dude, Barack Obama.

Jindal is Kenneth!

Turns out, Bobby Jindal (who republitards think would be a good candidate for president) is just like Kenneth from 30 Rock. Don't believe me? Huffington Post has the evidence. (As do I now.)

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Gainesville Discrimination

Gainesville, FL residents will vote on whether to legalize discrimination against gay people on March 24. If passed, homosexuals (or I'm guessing those believed to be gay-like in some way) can be fired, refused service, or evicted legally. Yikes.

NUTBAG ALERT!

The country still hates Republicans.

hahahaha

Take that, Fox News.

Animaniacs Presidents

OK, a little outdated, but fun & informative nonetheless. (Slog)

Only the 36th Worst!

Stimulus Bill

After all that haggling, it looks like what Obama asked for in the first place:

But as a deal emerged from the tumultuous negotiations of the past two days, the bill followed remarkably closely to the broad outline that Obama had painted more than a month ago. The overall cost is just $14 billion more than his original top-end target, while the portion of tax cuts comes to 36 percent, only slightly below his initial goal. (Washington Post)

Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Here is the story of a Kansas National Guard enlisted woman who was discharged under Don't Ask, Don't Tell, because her civilian coworker called the military. That coworker is a bitch. Aside from that, here is an interesting fact about half way through the article:

In 2003, 33 percent of all discharges based on homosexual conduct involved women, although females comprised 15 percent of the military personnel, the report said. The report, which contained the most recent available statistics, was based on data gathered from the government under the Freedom of Information Act.

Alabama = Iran & Zimbabwe?

Somebody compared international and national Gallup polls asking the question, "Is religion an important part of your daily life?" Based on the percentage of respondents saying "yes," Alabamians are on par with Zimbabweans and Iranians (maybe we should change Arab, AL to Persia, AL), with around 82% of respondents saying yes. Those heathen-y New Englanders (Vermont!) look like Switzerland and Canada (around 43% saying yes). As a comparison, the world-wide median is 82%.

High School Politicians

http://www.vetocorleone.com/2009/02/amazing-yearbook-photos-of-us.html

Hahahaha

Mass. Rep. Somebody or Another rips those nasty bank CEOs a new one. It's all very enjoyable. (Except maybe for the part where he says he would put one penny in their banks...doesn't that seem like a dangerous thing for a public official to say? Like something that might set off a bank run?)

Yikes

Iranian President Pretends He'll Meet with US

In a speech given at the 30th anniversary of the Iranian Revolution, the Iranian president claimed he would meet with the US if "fundamental changes" were made in US policy. He also included this: "The world does not want the dark era of [George Bush] to be repeated. . . . If some people seek to repeat that experience... they should know they will face a much worse fate that Bush's." Um, so yeah, no one liked Bush, but to that little threat, I say, SUCK IT, AHMADINEJACRAZY. What an irritating pipsqueak. (BBC)

Holocaust Denier, Inquisition Apologist

That nasty bishop the Pope ex-excommunicated is going to look into this Holocaust thing and see if there's any support for it. There's also a lovely defense of the Inquisition over at the Society of St. Pius X (the anit-Vatican II society the nasty bishop is part of). It's long, but here are some gems:

"Nevertheless, the most serious historical studies have henceforth recognized that the Inquisition was an honest tribunal, which sought to convert heretics more than to punish them, which condemned relatively few people to the flames, and which only employed torture in exceptional cases."

Oh, well, OK then.

"But if the Church recognizes the freedom of conscience of the individual in his innermost heart, if the individual is free, at the risk of his salvation, to refuse the faith, it does not follow that he can propagate his errors and thus lead other souls to hell. So, the Church respects the freedom of conscience of individuals, but not the freedom of expression of false doctrines." (bold in original)


"Remember above all that the Inquisition did not concern itself with the private opinions of the heretics, but solely with the public propagation of the heresy. The Inquisition did not commit any offense against the individual conscience, but acted solely against the exterior activities of the heretics."

(Via Slog)

Disclosure Laws Open Citizens to Harassment

A website that overlays Prop 8 donors with google maps has created some controversy. Some idiots have been emailing and calling the donors (most of whom donated small sums of money ~$100) and harassing them. I don't think the website itself is a problem, but people need to have a little respect for the political process and the right for anyone to donate their money however they see fit. Boycott businesses if you want, but don't bother people at their private homes because they donated $100 to a cause you disagree with.

Hahaha

Hillary disses Bill's attempt at a kiss and gets a kiss from Obama instead! She's a real team player.

Gibbs Fumbles

Oh, my little Gibbsy. That was quite an embarrassing tumble there. I still love you, mostly because you're from Alabama and because of this. I have confidence you'll humorously destroy a silly interviewer in the future. Chin up!

"Why do intelligent people do dumb things?"

Because they are, in fact, quite dumb? A GOP official in Florida lost her job after she sent out the following "humorous" email.

From: Carol Carter
Friday, January 30, 9:30 AM
Subject: FW: Amazing!

I’m confused

How can 2,000,000 blacks get into Washington, DC in 1 day in sub zero temps when 200,000 couldn’t get out of New Orleans in 85 degree temps with four days notice?

Carol Carter

"Theatrical"

Backroom negotiations are trying to cut out some of the not-so-economically-stimulating pieces of the stimulus bill. It seems like there's a lot can that can be cut. On the floor of the senate, people are getting feisty. My favorite part:

Moments later, Senator Barbara Boxer, Democrat of California, interrupted Mr. Graham saying she wanted to ask a question, but in fact she wanted to chastise him for waving around a copy of the bill. “Theatrical,” she exclaimed. “Did you do that when George Bush was president and he sent down a bill twice as big as that? Did you ever do that? You can do that. That’s theatrics. You can do that.”

NYTimes

Barack in the District

Newsweek has a spoof video of The City starring Barack in The District. (NYMag)

Wonkette Hates Reagan

Yikes. Maybe that's just a teeny tiny little bit too harsh?

Slate tells Obama how to sell stimulus

Joan Walsh over at Slate tells Obama how he has to sell the stimulus plan.

We're not just socialists! We're Communists! Coming to get you!!!

Glenn Beck is an idiot. See below where he shows how we've already gone down the socialist road straight to full-on communism, comrades. I particularly enjoy when he claims that requiring institutions WHO TAKE GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE to make some concessions is communist and good capitalist have no business telling people what to make. I mean, I would argue that it would be MORE socialist to not give the money with strings attached. The assumption would then be that they'll do right with the money, because it's for the greater good.

Don't Divorce Them.

A campaign ad to encourage people to write to the California Supreme Court, urging them to continue to recognize the same-sex marriages that took place legally in California.

Don't hold your breath for Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Dan Savage is mopey because the Obama squad has indicated they want the military to "study" the effect lifting the ban will have on military discipline. I don't think he's going back on the promise to get rid of the idiotic policy, but he wants to do it in a way that will actually accomplish things. Of course, this could blow up in Obama's face. It seems at least plausible that the military will determine that gay-ing up the armed forces will make them all throw down their weapons and have lots of gay sex, further emboldening our enemies.

Highway Appropriations

How much is your state planning to spend of their stimulus check on highways? In NC, it's 79%.