SoonerBlue

In case you missed it.

What a surveillance tool this is. Play with it for awhile. You will be amazed. With these Super Hi-Def robot cameras the Secret Service has a photo record of everyone who attended 2009 Inauguration.

This is absolutely the BEST in 'high definition'..... really amazing. Double-click an area and watch it focus. Then zoom in some more... and wait for focus. It has 1,474 megapixel...295 times the standard 5 megapixel camera.

It was a Canon that pulled together over 200 individual shots. Each zoom in takes a second to focus...and then you can see some amazing detail.

http://gigapan.org/viewGigapanFullscreen.php?auth=033ef14483ee899496648c2b4b06233c

Good onya UPS! Stalking and harassing people you disagree with is against the law. Now, Amanda, it's time to file suit for defamation...make him defend his right to LIE in court.

Reasons to love United Parcel Service.......

The first reason is that they awarded $70,000 in environmental grants to Keep America Beautiful (KAB) affiliates that design volunteer projects tot prevent litter, reduce waste and beautify public spaces...

http://www.pressroom.ups.com/pressreleases/archives/archive/0,1363,5072,00.html

Next reason is that UPS is deploying 300 new delivery trucks powered by Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) to seven cities in Colorado, Georgia, Oklahoma and California...which will further reduce dependence on fossil fuels like gasoline and diesel. "UPS already operates the largest private fleet of alternative fuel vehicles in its industry - 1,819 in total with these additions."

http://www.pressroom.ups.com/pressreleases/current/0,1088,5092,00.html

Another great reason is that UPS and Teamsters agreed on new five-year contract covering approximately 240,000 full and part-time US employees.

http://www.pressroom.ups.com/pressreleases/current/0,1088,4933,00.html

But the number one reason to love United Parcel Service is:

UPS will stop advertising on Bill O’Reilly’s show. Here is a statement UPS emailed to people who complained about a certain harrassment:

"Thank you for sending an e-mail expressing concern about UPS advertising during the Bill O’Reilly show on FOX News. We do consider such comments as we review ad placement decisions which involve a variety of news, entertainment and sports programming. At this time, we have no plans to continue advertising during this show."

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/03/27/ups-oreilly/

This was in response to over 10,000 emails complaining that Bill-O disparages rape and sent his producers to stalk and ambush a woman who dared write about it - Amanda Terkel. Here's a delicious Keith Olbermann video about it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nW5hAxSn2Rg

A broken heart cries out for simple understanding...from the back seat of a Bentley.

Here's an executive VP who made a $750,000 bonus from AIG and now his little feelings are hurt because of all the mean things that are being said about him, so he's going to quit and give his bonus to charity.

He didn't mention anything about getting his charitable deduction, but I'll betcha he screams bloody murder if he doesn't get it.

So now he's having a public tantrum just when he should be keeping a low public profile. Tell me again why these guys are so smart that their companies can't do without them? I keep forgetting.

Okay, okay...He says he worked in the commodities division and had nothing to do with the CDOs so he should be blameless. Well, even if that's true, the whole company would have tanked without the government bailout and then what would he have? Nothing. Bonus contracts with bankrupt companies aren't worth the paper they're printed on.

Anyway, good riddance. Somehow the pundits have gotten the notion that we need to keep those guys around to clean up the mess they made. Poppycock!

Here's what I'm talking about: "Dear A.I.G., I Quit!"

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/25/opinion/25desantis.html

These AIG jerks were more than happy to accept their salaries and bonuses while the company was flying high on phony investments...well, now it's time to pay for the excesses.

You know, if Main Street Joes and Janes screwed up big time at work they'd probably be quickly fired with NO bonus...or at the very least, be expected to fix whatever mess they made.

And then there's this: "AIG Europe Execs: Returning Bonuses Is Blackmail"

From cnbc.com: "[..[ AIG Financial Products unit head Gerald Pasciucco told a staff meeting for UK and Paris employees on Monday that he thought a demand for repayments was to a certain extent "blackmail," said a London-based recipient of one of the retention bonuses from the bailed-out insurer.

"The vast majority of people in London have made the decision that the request is pretty offensive," the employee said. "It effectively constitutes blackmail whether it is criminal or not. There is no moral reason to give it back." [..]"

http://www.cnbc.com/id/29890568

Excuse me...morals? Did he really say "morals"?

What next...a lecture on business ethics?

Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn what those AIG guys in London or NY find offensive...because the entire country finds them offensive. Let us know how "offensive" the unemployment line is and get back to us.

The more I listen to these people complain the more I wonder if we shouldn't just let them go completely under and restart from scratch.

BTW - Rolling Stone has an awesome piece on how AIG went down.

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My first blog (that I had for two years) suddenly has connection probs, I suspect foul play:

http://soonerbeblue.bloghi.com/

So I commiserate with Amanda Terkel who sat down with Keith Olbermann to discuss how Bill O'Reilly's FOX News producer stalked her for two hours across state lines to harass her with an ambush interview...just because she dared to criticize Bill-O in a blog post.

Bill-O was upset because a blog had said something about his insensitivity to rape...so he sent two men to track Amanda in a car to confront her with hostile questions while she was on vacation.

And then he lied to his viewers and said that Amanda had attacked rape victims and a rape victims’ support organization. See Amanda's side of it in these videos:

From thinkprogress.org: "Tonight, Amanda discussed O’Reilly’s harassment machine — of which she is hardly the first victim — with MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann. Amanda noted the disturbing irony of O’Reilly trying to defend his comments about rape by sending out two men to stalk her:

Bill O’Reilly was trying to show that he cares about women who have been victims of crime. So to make that point, he sends two men to find my home address and to follow me on vacation? I mean, it was incredibly disturbing. The rest of the weekend, I was constantly looking over my shoulder, wondering how long they had been following me, if they’re still following me.[..]

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/03/24/amanda-on-olbermann/

Lest we forget - In the past, O’Reilly has implied that women who dress in a certain way - a miniskirt, a halter top - should perhaps expect to be raped.

Also, lest we forget - It's a fact that there are rapist psychos in the world who target females regardless of what they wear...including military uniforms. Females of all ages, from children to grandmothers.

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My first blog (that I had for two years) suddenly has connection probs, I suspect foul play:

http://soonerbeblue.bloghi.com/

Delivery in an unmarked brown paper bag seems to be taking place as we speak...

Wow, how 'bout that DOW! It shot up almost 500 points when it heard that free money was on the way...and Wall Street's stupid mistakes will be taken care of by all of us sugar daddies on Main Street.

You'd think they'd been given a lifetime supply of free booze and free hookers.

But I'm not complaining...at least the "Bankers Gone Wild" log-jam is breaking.

Hmm...and the righties kept telling me how much the Market hates President Obama...and his TelePrompter.

Republicans are going to have to rewrite their socialism whine...it just isn’t making any sense.

From nytimes.com: "Details of the government’s plans to clean up the nation’s banks ignited a blazing stock market rally on Monday, lifting Wall Street to its best one-day performance in five months and tempting some investors to imagine what they would not have dared just a few weeks ago — that the worst may finally be over.

The Dow surged nearly 500 points, and the Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index rose more than 7 percent, in what amounted to a rare cheer from Wall Street for the Obama administration and Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner. [..]"

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/24/business/24markets.html?hp

Maybe Wall Street is so happy because it doesn't seem that Geithner is going to immediately nationalize the banks...and the SEC won’t be throwing all the CEOs in jail.

Or maybe the market is so excited because there actually is a plan...even if it’s a flawed one.

I've done my part in raggin' on Geithner, but the President trusts him, and I still trust the president...

~~~~~~

My first blog (that I had two years) is currently having connection probs:

http://soonerbeblue.bloghi.com/

I got a kick out of this, maybe you will too. Here's what you can do if you have a heavy drinking habit, lots of spare time and several hundred empty beer bottles -- Beer bottle dominos.

Yet...the video is a paradox. You'd have to drink a lot of beer to get all those bottles...you'd have to drink a lot of beer to want to build this...you'd have to be totally sober to pull it off.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SMorJXe5l4

Bravo! Nice to know that college kids are the same all over the world.

Now who will clean up the mess?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My first blog (that I had two years) is currently having connection probs:

http://soonerbeblue.bloghi.com/

Check out these recent Pepsi ads. Insulting...and a blatant rip-off of the Obama logo, I don't know whether to laugh or get mad. Pepsi's use of antique racist slang for the sake of enticing young "hip" consumers is just laughable.

These were seen on a billboard and by a bus stop...courtesy of Kiss My Black Ads, a site I'm definitely going to be checking out on a regular basis:

http://kissmyblackads.blogspot.com/2009/01/pepsi-fo-sho.html

So, Pepsi...you are trying to use what you consider hip, edgy, urban phrases to appeal to young hip, edgy consumers. You don't realize that doing so offends young blacks and makes you look like exactly what you are - a multinational corporation run by a bunch of white dudes trying to sound like hip, edgy, urban.

A complete waste of money...open wide Pepsi. Then hire a new ad agency.

Next time, you may want to consider the past racist baggage attached to a phrase like "Fo' Sho"...you know, just so you don't come off as a bunch of racists.

Just sayin'...

"The buck stops with me."

Today President Obama did a town hall meeting in Costa Mesa, California which was televised. For about an hour he took questions in an open forum. He was on fire.

When Republicans and pundits see him in this type of forum, I don’t understand how they can whine that "he can’t speak without a teleprompter" or that "people are losing faith in the President."

He also said something today that he should have said days ago. "The buck stops with me." Standing up and taking responsibility gives people confidence. They don’t expect miracles, but they want courage, at least in performance, which Obama can deliver without breaking a sweat.

As long as Obama is willing to face the public like he did today the people will stand with him.

He has the ability to explain things and make us feel more confident that things will be okay. Think FDR and his fireside chats...those were not just because he like to hear himself talk. FDR knew the people needed to be reminded that he was there, on the job, working to fix things.

I do think he could've answered that last question better...given that fellow more hope. There should be some sort of criteria for truly reformed felons who have proven that they have turned their lives around. Maybe after ten years of decent living they could petition the court to have their records sealed from employment and credit searches...and their right to vote should also be reinstated.

But the rest of the meeting was excellent. He sure explained the hell out of the housing meltdown.

Obama is 110 percent engaged in running this country and doing his job, and while I don’t agree with all the moves and decisions made, I appreciate that level of engagement. It’s been missing for the last eight years.

One of the things I especially like about Obama is that he has an open mind...he seems more than willing to listen if you have a better idea or a better argument against what he’s thinking of doing.

And when it comes down to it, would anyone want John McCain in charge right now?

Thank you Mr. President, for taking up such a huge challenge with such calm and grace. I'm proud of all that you try to do to help this country.

"The Department of Homeland Security plans to study the possibility that the human body - that human body odor could be used to tell whether people are lying or not. You can smell someone and tell by their odor whether they're lying. You thought you hated your job. O.K.?" -- Jay Leno

"According to the New York Times, President Obama plans to nominate Dr. Margaret Hamburg, a former New York City health commissioner to be the new head of the Food and Drug Administration. See, I think this is a chance for President Obama to step across party lines. You know who he should nominate for this job? Rush Limbaugh. No, no, think about it. Who has had more experience with food and drugs than Rush Limbaugh?" --Jay Leno

"Well, the insurance company A.I.G. has done it again. They announced they're giving their executives another $165 million in bonuses. So they bankrupt the company, took $170 billion of our dollars, and they're giving out bonuses. You know the main thing they want to reward their people for? Convincing the Treasury Department to give out $170 billion to a failing company so they can give out bonuses for a job well done. It's very well thought out." --Jay Leno

"Here's the best part. They don't have to account for any of this. Now it turns out they gave $35 billion -- not million -- $35 billion of our money to bail out European banks. See, this is how a global economy works. Our hard earned tax dollars are used to bail out German banks for making bad investments in American companies that shut down because their Japanese owners moved the whole thing to India, China and Mexico. You follow?" --Jay Leno

"And some sad news. Bristol Palin, Sarah Palin's daughter, has broken up with babydaddy Levi Johnston. I was stunned when I heard. I mean, really, if two kids without a decent education and no jobs and a baby can't make it, what hope is there for the rest of us?" --Jay Leno

"No, Levi told a friend, 'I should have spent more time picking a mate,' which is the same thing John McCain said about Sarah Palin." --Jay Leno

"Hey, good news, the stock market was up for the fourth day in a row. See, I don't know what makes me happier, seeing the stock market going up, or Bernie Madoff going down." -- Jay Leno

"Right about now, Bernie Madoff is hearing the two scariest words of his life. 'Lights out!'" -- Jay Leno

"I got kind of a moral dilemma here. Do you think, and be honest about this, do you think it's too soon for me to hit on Bernie Madoff's wife?" -- David Letterman

"Police in Illinois claim that Gary Skoien, the former chairman of the Cook County Republican party, was in his children's playroom at one in the morning with two hookers, when his wife walked in, caught him and beat him up with a toy guitar. As always, people are shocked. What, a Chicago politician involved in an illegal activity that didn't involve a bribe? Is that possible?" -- Jay Leno

"Because of the bad economy, they're laying off employees on 'Sesame Street.' It's pretty sad. Elmo is now out on the street letting people tickle him for $5." -- Jay Leno

"The Federal Reserve says Americans last year lost 11 trillion dollars in household wealth. You know, that is our own stupid, greedy fault for putting the money in banks. If we'd lost it in Las Vegas, they would have at least comped the room." -- Bill Maher

"Michael Steele, the head of the Republican party, is in very hot water this week, once again, for suggesting that, actually, it is the woman's choice, if she's pregnant, what to do. And also suggesting that homosexuality is something you're born with. Rush Limbaugh attacked him today for being dangerously sane." -- Bill Maher

"Today it's been one year since former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer resigned. One year! It's just flown by. ...At one point, he just decided that he enjoyed whores more than governing, and he would have rendezvous in swanky, classy, expensive hotel suites. Now, that's the difference between Republicans and Democrats when they have affairs. Democrats, it's always the swanky expensive suite. Republicans, it's always an airport men's room. It's not right." -- David Letterman

"Hey, Obama is being criticized for trying to solve too many problems at the same time. I'll tell you one thing. This never would have happened if Bush were still president. We wouldn't even be having this conversation." -- Jimmy Fallon

"President Obama said we have let our schools crumble and other nations are outpacing us in learning. But the good news, we're still No. 1 in the number of students sleeping with their teachers. So, yeah!" -- Jay Leno

"Give you an idea of how bad the economy is. Rush Limbaugh down to just three meals a day. That's how bad it is." -- Jay Leno

"Former presidential candidate John Edwards spoke to Brown University last night to a crowd of 600 people. I think the topic was 'From Hair to Paternity.'" -- Jay Leno

"He spoke to the students at Brown about poverty and morals. Yeah, and who better to lecture young people about poverty and morals than a rich personal injury attorney who knocked up his mistress?" -- Jay Leno

"The journalist who threw his shoes at George Bush was convicted on Thursday in an Iraqi court. He was sentenced to three years of non-stop high-fives." -- Jimmy Fallon

"Hey, before we get started tonight, I want to remind any potential cabinet members you have until April 15th to not pay your taxes, okay?" -- Jay Leno

"Well, earlier this week, President Obama took on the teachers union by saying he wants merit pay for teachers and to fire the ones who do not perform well. That is pretty bold. A Democrat taking on the unions? That's like Rush Limbaugh going after the donut manufacturers." -- Jay Leno

"There was a big rally on Wall Street yesterday after Citigroup reported a profit for the first two months of the year. That just goes to show you what determination, hard work, and $45 billion of our bailout dollars can do." -- Jay Leno

"Here's a sign that the times are a-changin'. The governor of Virginia has signed a new law banning smoking in bars and restaurants. In Virginia. See, that's significant because Virginia is, like, the tobacco state. That would be like the governor of California banning breast implants." -- Jay Leno

"And the Republican Party says they want a big tent. They want to be all-inclusive, they want the big tent, and they're going to make it out of Rush Limbaugh's pants." -- David Letterman

This economic mess makes my head hurt, but I've been trying to educate myself...

If our very own Treasury Secretary didn’t even find out about the disgusting AIG bonuses until months after AIG decided to pay them - and cannot make his decision stick that they should NOT be paid - AIG is not even accountable to the government.

That means that AIG’s executives - using $170 billion of our money, so far - are accountable to NO ONE.

Nationalize AIG...Nationalize NOW!

We the people - of both political parties - are sufficiently outraged to be behind such a move. If AIG really is too big to fail, then the Obama administration has no choice. It's either a takeover or they live with the AIG monkey on their backs throwing feces at them for the next four years.

Okay, if you don't like the word "nationalization" we could use the word "receivership." Nationalization makes it seem that the government wants to run the company for the long haul. "Receivership" is a common term used in bankruptcy proceedings...meant as a temporary fix.

The government takes over, assesses the damage and invests the capital. People who work there are either fired or have to sign new contracts with the government. Then the government rides herd until they can sell the stock back to the market and get paid back some taxpayer money.

Receivership cleans up the company and then either returns it to private hands...or sells the assets and ends the business, period. Maybe AIG needs to be broken down into smaller companies. Companies that wouldn't dare thumb their noses at the White House when asked why are they giving taxpayer dollars in bonuses to the same incompetent managers who helped drive the company into the ground.

AIG Chairman Edward Liddy's air of arrogant entitlement drives me mad! This AIG mess shows better than anything so far why the government should take over any institution that’s ‘too big to fail’...especially one which has cost taxpayers so dearly.

And if Obama doesn't call down AIG about this bonus mess the White House will look weak...something the President doesn't need right now, especially if he wants to get any new stimulus or bailout program through Congress. People have the Bailout Blues and will balk.

There is a way out of this mess for Obama's administration -- nationalize AIG. Nationalize them NOW.

Can't let this get by without poking some fun. I don't care what political party they belong to, Illinois politicians sure are entertaining. This one was caught by his wife with two hookers in his kids' playroom at 1 AM...enraged wife beat him with an electric guitar...he calls the police and has her locked up for two days.

From the Chicago Sun Times: "Inverness Police say former Cook County Republican Chairman Gary Skoien admitted having two prostitutes in his children’s playroom when his wife walked in on him early Sunday morning.

The allegation is in a domestic battery report from Skoien, 55, against his 36-year-old, 5-foot-4-inch, 110-pound wife. He said she beat him with her fists and an electric guitar.[..]"

http://www.suntimes.com/news/24-7/1472092,gary-skokien-prostitutes-toy-guitar-031109.article

From the Daily Herald: "...No money was exchanged. Nobody was naked," Skoien, 55, said. "I'm a politician. You think I'd call police if I weren't afraid for my life?"

Eni Skoien, 36, was charged with misdemeanor domestic battery in the incident and given a March 19 court date in Rolling Meadows. Gary Skoien said he filed a 21-day restraining order against his wife on Tuesday. This could not be independently confirmed Wednesday...."

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=278385&src=1

Aw shoot, it was only a toy electric guitar...I was hoping for a Les Paul...or a Fender Stratocaster.

Anyway, don't worry Gary honey, you'll probably still be able to continue your political career. Sen. Vitter is still on the Senate floor...and he was tied up and wearing only a diaper when he was caught with his prostitutes; and last I read, Sen. Wide Stance Craig of the airport mens's room is still around.

"Basic Cable Personality Clash Skirmish '09"

I just read that CNBC's Jim Cramer is going to be on "The Daily Show" tomorrow (Thursday) night. That outta be interesting...let's see if the pendejo has the cojones to show.

Also, if you haven't seen it, here is Jon Stewart's latest take-down of CNBC and Cramer.

http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=220510&title=basic-cable-personality-clash

Very amusing to first watch Cramer act so pleased with himself when he thinks Stewart is apologizing...then go rigid when the sucker punch is landed.

I thought Cramer was just a clown when I caught his act before...now I see that he has no integrity and might even be a con artist who needs to be investigated by the SEC for fraud and insider trading.

Does he really think he can bully Jon Stewart or bluff his way out of that criminally stupid interview video? I don't think so, Cramer honey. I'd be on a fast jet out of the country if I were you...real quick like.

So, President Obama reverses Bush's ban on funding fetal stem cell research and the religious right - along with the politicians who pander to them for votes - came out of the woodwork.

Because, you see, using these 150 cell-bundles (blastocysts) for research is "killing babies."

While the Bush administration was accommodating these anti-science freaks they remained reasonably quiet. But now they're back in full force with their protest signs.

Most of the fetal cell tissue that Obama will now allow to be used in research comes from some of the 600,000 fertilized eggs, frozen and stored at fertility clinics. If they're not used they are unceremoniously buried in red plastic bags marked, "Medical Waste."

So, where were these self righteous protectors of "unborn babies" while all that was going on?

Not protesting outside fertility clinics, that's for dang sure. All these years, all those protests in front of family planning clinics and not a single right-to-lifer protested the thousands of imaginary frozen humans being dumped in medical waste bags and deposited in the trash -- year in, year out.

No, that didn't seem to phase them one little bit. And when was the last time you read of a right-to-lifer shooting at a fertility clinic doctor, or harassing women going in to have their eggs fertilized and frozen...some of which will almost certainly be destroyed later?

Don't hold your breath...because it's not about killing babies. Our Christian Taliban want to kill choice. The religious right will have little to say about a single, unemployed, emotionally unstable young woman having 14 children, but all hell breaks loose if a single blastocyst will be used for important medical research that might lead to a cure for serious diseases like diabetes and Parkinson's disease, etc.

Yeah, yeah...I know they say they protest because they don't want federal money spent on something they find objectionable. Well, big deal...I objected to my tax dollars being spent on the unnecessary Iraq war. Besides, we all know that they don't want ANY money spent on stem cell research.

Hopefully this is the first step in pushing religion out of Government, for simply recognizing it for what it is -- a Bronze Age outdated system of controlling society that no longer applies to modern times.

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http://soonerbeblue.bloghi.com

The other day on ABC's "This Week" NYTime's columnist David Brooks, to his credit, said what many of his conservative buddies want to say, but they're probably too scared of the big sweaty hopped-up dude, Chairman Rush.

Brooks was talking about Republican leaders -- "The problem with them and the problem with Limbaugh in terms of intellectual philosophy is they are stuck with Reagan. They are stuck with the idea that government is always the problem. A lot of Republicans up in Capitol Hill right now are calling for a spending freeze in a middle of a recession/depression. That is insane.

But they are thinking the way they thought in 1982, if we can only think that way again, that is just insane. And there are a lot of Republicans like David Frum ... who are trying to say Reagan was right for his era, but it is time to move on. And there are just not a lot of them on Capitol Hill right now, and I think the party is looking for that kind of Republican."

http://tinyurl.com/bor4vh

Brooks did the GOP a service by laying it on the line -- no candy-coating -- suggesting that what Republican leaders are recommending is "insane".

What a short memory those Republicans seem to have. They've forgotten the inconvenient truth that Reagan RAISED taxes. He raised them several times. Conservatives -- like Gingrich and the WSJ editorial page -- who are whining constantly about President Obama's proposed tax increases on the wealthy, are the very same ones who complained bitterly about Reagan's tax increases in 1982.

Brooks is right...conservative Republican lawmakers want desperately to turn back the clock to the 1980s. But they're not only wrong about today's economy, they're not even getting the '80s right.

They were wrong about Reagan's tax increases. They were wrong about Clinton's tax increases. They were wrong about Bush's tax cuts...so I take with a grain of salt what they say about Obama's tax policy.

It's funny to me that Republicans are always saying that Democrats worship Obama and call him the Messiah, yet, every time I turn around they are worshipping at the feet of Reagan...Reganomics...Reagan the great communicator, etc., etc.

I'm happy with Obama but I don't think I worship him. I can disagree with him when I think he is wrong - certain cabinet appointments. And the only ones I've heard call him a Messiah are the righties.

I truly prefer a good healthy two party system. It's a shame that conservatism is no longer the party of Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt. It no longer cares about conserving the earth, fighting for individual civil liberties, keeping the government out of our bedrooms and doctors' offices, etc.

But, if they need a hero...Reagan must look better on a pedestal than Ike, Nixon or Bush the First.

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http://soonerbeblue.bloghi.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2I0QN-FYkpw

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http://soonerbeblue.bloghi.com/

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Great State of Oklahoma...America's Iran.

You gotta love the Oklahoma legislature...though some of them are not much good except for comic relief. For example - my favorite Oklahoma law is the one banning whaling on the Red River. But I guess that law makes sense. The Red River whaling industry obviously wiped out the whale population because there ain't no whales there now.

And now Republicans in the Oklahoma House have introduced a resolution criticizing the University of Oklahoma for teaching modern biology...and denouncing an invitation to biologist Richard Dawkins to speak on campus.

It's the 21st century...just thought I'd mention that.

"March 06, 2009 - Proposed Oklahoma Resolutions Criticize Pro-Evolution Teaching At State University

Two House Resolutions recently introduced in the Oklahoma legislature express concern with teaching of evolution at the University of Oklahoma and oppose the invitation that has been extended to British biologist Richard Dawkins to speak on campus. HR 1014 and HR 1015 [Word.docs] are similar in content and deal with both concerns. Here is a portion of HR 1014:

[T]he Oklahoma House of Representatives hereby expresses its disapproval of the current indoctrination of the Darwinian theory of evolution at the University of Oklahoma and further requests that an open, dignified, and fair discussion of this idea and all other ideas be engaged in on campus which is the approach that a public institution should be engaged in and which represents the desire and interest of the citizens of Oklahoma

...[T]he Oklahoma House of Representative strongly opposes the invitation to speak on the campus of the University of Oklahoma to Richard Dawkins of Oxford University, whose published statements on the theory of evolution and opinion about those who do not believe in the theory are contrary and offensive to the views and opinions of most citizens of Oklahoma.[..]"

http://religionclause.blogspot.com/2009/03/proposed-oklahoma-resolutions-criticize.html

Let it be noted...They Do Not Speak For This Okie.

Hopefully this resolution has no chance of being passed, and would have no effect even if were. This is just Republican lawmakers grandstanding for religious voters.

I just hate how stupid and backward it makes us look.

Please remember that in 1940, Bertrand Russell had his appointment to City College of New York annulled by court order because he was "morally unfit". 70 years behind times...yeah, that sounds about right.

And isn't it amazing how Republicans always believe in "small and limited government"...unless and until religious beliefs come into play....then they become the American Taliban.

BTW- I guess this means the OK State House Republicans won't be seeking any medical treatment then, since it's based on "modern biology"...

Dawkins addressed the controversy a bit in his lecture, with humor:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTmYfFye7Hg.

If you're tired of predictable movies made by Hollywood suits, you might want to consider "Frozen River" next time you rent a movie.

Personal tastes being what they are, I don't like to recommend a movie...but "Frozen River" has been hanging around the back of my mind ever since I saw it.

It's a little independent film, very well acted and directed...made on a shoestring by first-time director/screenwriter Courtney Hunt. Winner of the Grand Jury Prize for Best Dramatic Feature at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival.

The lead actress, Melissa Leo, was nominated for Best Actress at last month's Oscars. She lost. No, she's not a big name star, but she's a hell of an actress. She was also in another of my favorite indie films - "The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada" - the one Tommy Lee Jones wrote, directed and starred in (sort of rough around the edges, but so is he).

But back to "Frozen River." It's so real that it will hold your attention from beginning to end. I promise you it is not predictable. It's the story of an upstate New York trailer mom who struggles to feed her two kids after her gambling-addicted husband takes off with all the money...including what she'd saved up for a new doublewide.

No, it's definitely not a chick-flick...it's raw and takes you where hard-working Americans struggle to put food on the table. It touches on illegal immigration, ethnic tension, depressed real estate and high gas prices.

It takes place in a gray landscape of frozen mud and slush dotted with trailers and discount stores. The closest thing to a social club is a bingo parlor on the Mohawk reservation.

Although it is days before Christmas, there is no joy here, and as the movie goes along, its chill begins to seep into your bones.

Desperate for money, this trailer mom teams up with a smuggler, a Mohawk girl who lives on a reservation that straddles the US-Canadian border. The two begin making runs across the frozen St. Lawrence River carrying illegal Chinese immigrants in the trunk of her Dodge Spirit....which has a pop-up trunk lid so you don't have to get out of the car.

It's good money and she's only going to do it until she gets the down payment on a decent trailer for her kids.

The film makes you wonder if you were this desperate, would you do the same?

It gives an inside look at poverty in America. Yet it's also incredibly compelling and intense and I can't think of another film that's this small and powerful.

That's the Republican Party right now...it's a circular firing squad.

The original 'Operation Chaos' was Rush Limbaugh's brilliant plan to cause chaos in the Democratic Party...black rioting and blood flowing in the streets at the Democratic Convention if Hillary Clinton got the nomination?

This is Rush Limbaugh on his radio show, bragging about interfering in the Democratic primary, 2008 (this is your brain on drugs):

"Both yesterday and today, we have had callers from Texas who are foot soldiers, enlisted officers, in Operation Chaos. Both of these gentlemen, one in Austin, the most recent from Galveston that you just heard, not only voted for Hillary Clinton in the Texas primary, but they went a step further. They went back and caucused. Operation Chaos operatives went back and caucused. These two are just two of many. These two are now delegates to the Texas state convention. They are delegates for Hillary Clinton to the Texas state Democrat convention. They will be there undercover."

(BTW-- when Republicans use states' open primary systems to interfere in Democratic nominations, it's called 'Operation Chaos' and bragged about for months on end over the airways...but if Democrats were to try to interfer in Republican primaries, you would have spittle-flecked righties screaming to high heavens.)

I bring this up to show that Rush Limbaugh's brilliance is entirely overrated. His 'Operation Chaos' was a huge bust, as President Obama sitting up there in the White House demonstrates. Rush's cunning plan to sink the Democrats' chances in '08 just plain flopped. Obama won by an electoral landslide, complete with Democratic majorities in both houses of Congress.

'Operation Chaos' must have been conjured up in an oxycontin addled brain.

Oh, and when Limbaugh bashed John McCain in the primaries to prevent him from getting the nomination...oops, that didn't work either.

But, even as Obama scores high marks with Americans, Republicans continue to follow their fearless talking head.

You know...the Republicans need somebody who has guts - I almost said 'stones' but it could be a woman - to stand up and say Rush doesn't represent all of the views of the Republican Party...and then not break their neck to apologize to him. I'll bet you whoever does that could end up as the nominee of the party come next election. Because the crazies who worship Rush make the most noise but they're a small percentage of the overall party.

"Hey, the Obamas are expecting the arrival of the first dog in April. Actually, it's Obama's second choice of a dog. The first dog, he had some tax problems." --Jay Leno

"Well, let's see what's going on in the world. It was this week in 1854 that the Republican Party was founded with only a handful of true believers. Just like today." --Jay Leno

"Actually, this past weekend, the Conservative Political Action Conference picked Mitt Romney over Sarah Palin in their straw poll to be the next presidential candidate. Yeah. Well, it's kind of interesting. I mean, one is just a pretty face, obsessed with makeup and hair. And the other, of course, is the governor of Alaska." --Jay Leno

"Welcome to the first episode of 'Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.' I have been getting so much encouragement. In fact, just before I went on, Rush Limbaugh called me up and said he wants me to fail." --Jimmy Fallon

"President Obama announced that he plans to bring the troops home from Iraq in 18 months. But the troops actually responded and said, 'Thank you, but the economy's better over here, so we're going to stay.'" --Jimmy Fallon

"Did you hear about President Obama's new budget? Actually, Obama will explain it all in his next major address, brought to you by China." --Jimmy Fallon

"Despite the recession, Microsoft is planning to open stores to compete with Apple. Microsoft says that they'll be just like the Apple stores, except the staff will freeze when you ask them a question." --Jimmy Fallon

"Secretary of Defense Robert Gates was on 'Meet the Press' yesterday. And he said that Barack Obama is more analytical than President Bush. Well, there's a shock, huh? I think Tickle Me Elmo is more analytical than President Bush." --Jay Leno

"During his trip to Ottawa, Canada, President Obama said he was too embarrassed to admit to the Canadians that he'd never actually seen a hockey game, to which the Canadians said, 'Oh, don't worry, we've never seen a black guy.'" --Jay Leno

"China has announced plans to create their own 24-hour news channel. They said it's going to be like a Chinese CNN, basically. In fact, they've already hired Lou Dobbs to complain about illegal Mongolians sneaking over the border." --Jay Leno

"Well, the Catholic observance of Lent started last week. How many have already given up their 401(k)s?" --Jay Leno

"And after giving AIG $85 billion in September and then another $65 billion, what, in November, they're now asking for another $30 billion. The government says they need to restructure the bailout. Restructure? How about rethink or revoke?" --Jay Leno

"Well, it's being reported that the octomom's home is in danger of foreclosure. Apparently, the family is getting pretty desperate for money. I understand three of her kids are already working for Nike." --Jay Leno

"Well, we got a big snowstorm here in New York City. Whew! I want to tell you, that Mayor Bloomberg is up to his ears in trouble." --David Letterman

"But the good news is that the foot of snow broke the fall of jumping stockbrokers." --David Letterman

"I had so much snow in the suburbs, you can't see the foreclosure signs." --David Letterman

"Here in California, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's approval ratings have been down lately. People seem to be having second thoughts about having elected a robot to run the state." --Jimmy Kimmel

"A huge blizzard covered the East Coast with 10 inches of snow. Police said there would've been traffic jams if people still had jobs to go to." --Craig Ferguson

Jon Stewart on CPAC...

"So, to summarize, the Conservative Political Action Conference consisted of the deriding of veterans, open calls for presidential failure, and the annihilation of an American city, all to save the United States from unpatriotic Democrats. Apparently, the only time you have to love this country is when it's controlled by Republicans." --Jon Stewart

Hilarious video clip from The Daily Show:

http://www.indecisionforever.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=219518

Remember how Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal was trashing the economic stimulus package in his rebuttal of President Obama's speech last Tuesday? Said it was "larded with wasteful spending"?

One of Jindal's examples - "something called volcano monitoring" - has already been proven worthwhile. Knowing when a volcano is likely to erupt can save many lives. And since there’s no incentive for private money to be spent on monitoring, it's the sort of thing that has to be tackled by the government.

But then Louisiana doesn’t have volcanoes, so why should Jindal care? I'll bet that people who live in Washington and Oregon have a different opinion. Why don’t we ask the residents around Mt. St. Helen’s what a volcano early warning system is worth?

Maybe we should ask Jindal if he's in favor of shutting down that wasteful US weather service and all those expensive satellites and Dopler radars that monitor hurricanes and tornados.

Another thing Jindal was railing about was the "$8 billion for high-speed rail projects"...but surprise, surprise...it seems that his state is seeking a New Orleans-Baton Rouge passenger rail line from Obama's stimulus package.

From nola.com/news: "BATON ROUGE - Louisiana's transportation department plans to request federal dollars for a New Orleans to Baton Rouge passenger rail service from the same pot of railroad money in the president's economic stimulus package that Gov. Bobby Jindal criticized as unnecessary pork on national television Tuesday night. [..]"

http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2009/02/louisiana_to_seek_new_orleansb.html

Well, what's he gonna do now? I hope he does not take the money, perhaps then the voters will throw him out next election. Maybe we should say that Jindal's career is "Shovel Ready"..

For the last eight years we were asked to pay taxes for bloated defense budgets and nation building wars...all the while listening to Republicans preach about how inefficient "big government" is when it comes to disaster relief and prevention, health care, and education.

Well, no more...we now have a president who puts we the people first.

And I have finally figured out why Republicans hate government so much - because whenever they’re in power, they do such a crappy job with it that its failure becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

The real argument should not be that government is the problem, but that INCOMPETENT government is the problem. And we are fixing that right now, after eight long sorry years.

While I take occasional satisfaction in watching Republicans flounder, I'm also somewhat saddened that the party of Lincoln has come to this.

Looks like their rising star just entered the atmosphere and burned up. Jindal doesn't stand a snowball's chance in an active volcano to win the GOP nomination in 2012.

Now we're back to Gov. Palin. Good, she's more interesting...except she probably won't be able to hold up under pressure. It only took her a month as the VP candidate before she started babbling. She's a basketcase who will cave early...mark my words.

So, the question is -- who gets to lose to Obama in a landslide?