RealityFuel -> 50 Book Challenge

I do most of my reading at work, so I'll have to e-mail myself notes and post in the evenings...
but 50 books should be no problem...never counted how many I read a year so this should be interesting...

Metro Pulse/Gamut/Our Sacred Ditty: "The 'at least' could also be understood to mean that there's not much to being an American, that freedom's some kind of a base condition, leaving much to be desired. I Googled the phrase 'at least I know,' and one of the most quoted uses of the phrase after Mr. Greenwood's came from Timothy McVeigh's mother: 'At least I know he's human,' she said. Well, that's something to start with. "

via South Knox Bubba
which I probably found offa Atrios...

anyway, wow...the whole article is great...but the McVeigh reference is just perfect...

Salon.com | Manufacturing the environment: "McKinney insisted that NAM is just trying to play the same game as the 'Sierra Club, sky-is-falling crowd.' As he explained it, 'We're all part of the same ballgame, we have the same goals -- to get our message out through the media, make our case as best we can, and convince voters to get the type of policymakers in office who will see things our way.' "

uhhh...no...
their game is about saving the planet...your game is about $$$....

Salon.com Politics

that's brilliant! maybe he IS a role model after all!

Salon.com News | U.S. uses 1800s law to target Greenpeace

my anger makes it hard for me to even express what I'm thinking...
these are the guys we trust only to use the partriot act against terrorists?
the ones going after greenpeace with the ancient anti pimp law?

the Federal Entertainment Authority Cabaret at the Axiom

I am Kid Ornery.
It's true.
I'm not much of a musical director,
but I've got a great band and they pick up the slack.
Come see the show!
it's going to be great!

Discourse.net: Bush Labor Dept. Explains to Employers How to Avoid Paying Overtime

leaving me speechless yet again...

Eschaton

I'm amazed at what is going on in the administration...
Yes, I'm still amazed...the shenanigans at the EPA should be enough to make him unelectable...
but what I really don't get is why the media continues to play ball with these folks?
Why would the NYT make the changes Atrios points out? What the hell is going on?

O.k.
I think as someone who is going to support the Democrats this time around I have to call them out when I see them doing something really wrong. Timoney is heading up security for the convention in Boston and we have to let them know that this is unacceptable. I can't give any money to people with no respect for the bill of rights. Just can't do it.

Texas housewife busted for hawking erotic toys / Sales rep for Brisbane firm sold vibrator to undercover agents: "u"

File under: Ashamed to be from Texas...
via Atrios...

slacktivist: Reagan's Bind
finally...something worth naming after Reagan...

O.k I saw one of the democratic debates this weekend and it got me to thinking...
I have a question I'd like to hear in a debate...any debate...and it's a followup question,
but I bet it could be worked in to almost every Presidential debate from here till the election.

"That's very interesting but in no way adresses the question you were asked. My followup then is if you cannont listen to and respond to a question put directly to you in a debate, when that is your only responsiblity how can the American public trust you to listen to and respond to their questions and concerns?"

I didn't bother counting but I know this question could have been asked several times just in the half or so of the last debate I saw.

Answer the damn questions people!
We aren't just asking them to hear ourselves talk!
Spew your rhetoric on your own time!

The Raitt Stuff

My main machine is down...so blogging has been and will be light for awhile...
but this was too good not to point it out...

Soros's Deep Pockets vs. Bush (washingtonpost.com):
"'It is the central focus of my life,' Soros said, his blue eyes settled on an unseen target. The 2004 presidential race, he said in an interview, is 'a matter of life and death.' "

God Bless Soros!
If he's to be our Scaife he needs to actually get into the heart of the battle and maybe help fund The Gaurdian's operations over here, or start his own magazine/newspaper. We need REAL investigative journalists let loose on the shrub and his cronies... I'm even willing to bring down Tom Delay with lies and innuendo if we can get it to work... Whatever it takes.
Anyone but Bush '04.

Mike Switzer

The Neal Pollack Invasion

Y'know with all this recent flap about "The Reagans" mini-series I really wish I had a "REAGAN SUCKS!" shirt (not exactly right, but sadly enough the closest I could find...). Someone recently suggested we make "REAGAN STILL SUCKS!" shirts, but it just doesn't have the same ring to it...

M

Upcoming Shows and Events

Suchu Dance...
if you haven't seen them before go see this show...
if you have already seen them you're already planning on going...

Good stuff... I promise.

~~~TBOGG~~~:


"Which leads to my theory what causes genetic conservatism: some people grew up with mean, scary mothers like Nancy Reagan, and this leads them to seek out authoritarian father-figures who will protect them from scary stuff -- when these ersatz fathers aren't telling them to just grow up, make lots of money, and be men, thus reinforcing their secret fears about their masculinity. And deep down inside, these damaged souls are still looking for a thin, brittle, cold girl, just like the one who married dear, old dad -- which is why they also like Ann Coulter, and want to see her nude.

Anyway, just a theory. "

I can't find the right words to describe how reading the above made me feel...suffice to say it's a good thing...and look, he didn't have to attack Nader once...

M

Ian over at esemplastic just turned me on to GeoURL. If I did it right we'll be able to see websites whose subjects are physically near me by clicking on that lovely green geoURL link on the right..
who knows? If I didn't do it right that link will basically say, "you didn't do it right." and then I'll feel stupid.
Ideally about 10 minutes after I post this it should work...
why is there no emoticon for fingers crossed?

M

Something's Got to Break :: The Time is Coming

it's called "crony capitalism" and it's all the rage!

~~~TBOGG~~~
Grrr...
Ok...I went and registered as a Democrat...but this constant harping on Nader really makes me want to go change it back to independent and let y'all fight for yourselves. I'm in Texas, GW has the thing sewed up here...It won't matter how I actually vote.
But right now I do plan on supporting the Dems any way I can, because it's obvoius we have to beat Bush.

But I would like to say this one last time for those of you who weren't paying attention the first time.

Gore lost the election.
Nobody lost it for him.
It was his to lose.
If it wasn't the case that he was so similar to Bush that it made no difference, how come he couldn't make the damn case?
He could have offered the Greens something and I bet most of us would have come around...moratorium on the death penalty? repeal taft-hartley? anything? no? nothing...well FUCK YOU! If Nader hadn't run I wouldn't have bothered to vote...
I'm a conspiracy nut and I even didn't think Bush could be THIS bad... I was afraid of his domestic policies. I never even thought about Iraq, Neo-conservatives, any of that stuff...and I don't remember a lot of dialogue about any of that before the election. Anyway I hope you're happy...this time I'll remember politics isn't about voting for the right guy...it's about voting against the wrong one...thank you for making my life more negative, cause that's what I really need...
If you want to talk about somebody costing you the election maybe you could rant & rave about Jeb and Katherine Harris?
Nader is a principled man who has saved a whole lot of lives...and he invigorated the process with his campaign.
Maybe you'd prefer it if folks like me still didn't bother to vote? or get involved at all?
Remember it wasn't just Dems who voted for Nader, but Republicans, and Independents, and oh yeah, GREENS!
If the Democrats want to be able to count on the left wing base they have to play ball...
Where's our John Ashcroft? Why don't any of our NUTS get appointments when the Dems run things?
I could rant all night, but I won't...
I'll go cook dinner and try not to think about it...
I'll really try...till tomorrow when I'm reading some intelligent leftie blog that makes good points and then suddenly remembers it hasn't take a potshot at Nader this week and decides to rectify the situation with comments like the one linked to above...

Mike
Unrepentant Nader Voter