Politics Plus

Another day, more cravings.  I had to spend a good portion of the day yesterday under the covers.  It was a very cold day for Oregon, and my apartment dropped below 60°.  Comments are up top date.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 3:42 (average 4:33).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From Mediaite: Keith Olbermann, the ex-MNSBC host who’s headed to Current TV as boss of all things, says his FOK News Channel website will go live tonight–most likely. In a tweet to followers of @FOKNewsChannel on Twitter, Olbermann wrote, “Bulletin: FOKNewsChannel site, humble and presumably bug-ridden though it may be, goes live tonight. Puhhhhhhrobably [sic].”

FOK stands for Friends of Keith.  I’m looking forward to this.

From Reuters: The United States on Friday imposed sanctions on the Libyan government, targeting its longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi, his family and other senior officials.

President Barack Obama signed an executive order freezing any financial assets tied to Gaddafi’s government that were held by U.S. banks and institutions throughout the world.

It’s a start.  More needed.

From Right Wing Watch: Opponents of marriage equality continue to demand that Republicans put up a huge fight against the Obama administration’s decision to stop defending DOMA, and Rep. Steve King (R-IA) is even threatening by tweet that “if President Obama won’t redirect Holder’s DOJ to aggressively defend U.S. DOMA law, I will move aggressively to cut their budget.”

Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council is meeting with congressional Republican leaders to plot strategy, and yesterday appeared on Bill Bennett’s “Morning in America” to discuss why he believes the Department of Justice made the decision that DOMA is unconstitutional.

Perkins initially likened Obama to a Middle East dictator for his actions on DOMA.

We knew this was coming.  Republicans hate gay people.

Cartoon:

May all Republicans, who are hypocrites, forget how to vote.

Yesterday was just another craving day.  I started to return visits, but could not focus.  I’m sick of this.  I’m up earlier than usual today, so I have not gotten to comments yet.  I shall.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 4:08 (average 5:03).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From Washington Post: "We’re all concerned about David [Wu] and his health and well-being," said Oregon Republican Party Chairman Allen Alley. "The most important thing is for David to get the help that he needs."

Bullshit!  He wants the seat!

From Think Progress: But with state Sen. Bill Ketron’s (R) new Senate Bill 1028, Tennessee wins the honor of most radical response to a non-existent threat. Introduced last Thursday, the bill claims that Shariah law “continues to plague the United States generally and Tennessee in particular” and requires Muslims “to actively and passively support the replacement of America’s constitutional republic” with an Islamic state. Thus, adherence to the “legal-political-military doctrine” of Shariah law “is treasonous” and “a felony, punishable by 15 years in jail”…

One thing that Kentron clearly does not know is the Constitution.

From Mother Jones: Just when abortion rights supporters thought they had beaten a controversial bill they believe would legalize the killing of abortion providers, it has cropped up again—this time in a more expansive form that has drawn the concern of law enforcement officials.

Last week, South Dakota’s legislature shelved a bill, introduced by Republican state Rep. Phil Jensen, which would have allowed the use of the "justifiable homicide" defense for killings intended to prevent harm to a fetus. Now a nearly identical bill is being considered in neighboring Nebraska, where on Wednesday the state legislature held a hearing on the measure.

RepubliSpeak Dictionary – Pro Life: Legalized killing.

Cartoon:

Never give up!  Day 10.

Yesterday I hung on by the skin of my teeth.  It’s been one week since I quit and there has been no letup in the constant craving.  I’m up to date on comments.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 4:03 (average 4:36).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From Las Vegas Examiner: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) will be addressing the full body of the Nevada Legislature today at 11:00am, and rumors of his speech have Nevada’s Brothel industry worried.

Apparently the brothel industry believes that Reid will call on the legislature to end the legal sex trade industry in all counties because it makes Nevada look sleazy to outside business’s [sic].

This could be a shrewd move on Reid’s part.  What better way could there be to keep Republicans away than causing a shortage of hookers?

From Huffington Post:

Wisconsin supports the unions.

From Think Progress: National tea party groups like Americans for Prosperity have been bussing conservative activists to Madison, WI to confront protesters there standing up to Gov. Scott Walker’s (R) union busting. But Tea Party Nation and Mark Williams, the disgraced former chairman of Tea Party Express, who was forced to resign after making offensive racial comments, are calling for a more radical approach. In an email alert to supporters sent last night, Tea Party Nation promotes Williams’ “great idea” to impersonate SEIU organizers at upcoming labor rallies in an attempt to embarrass and discredit the union

Why can’t Republicans be honest?  If they were only 2% would vote for them.

Cartoon:

OGIT!

Yesterday I ran errands.  My last stop was a convenience store to pick up a couple necessary staples, and as I stood at the counter, I stared at the cigarette display fully in my face.  My hands were shaking so bad that I dropped my change on the floor.  I did not buy a pack.  This morning the news cycle is still dominated by the same stories that most of us have been beating to death for days.  My aggregator normally has 400 – 500 articles for me to review.  Today it had only 84.  I have a couple items that are pretty fresh, and one of them, I have to make up.  I’m current on comments.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 3:41 (3:58 average).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From Forbes: For Governor Walker, there is good news. The law in Wisconsin provides that an elected official may not be recalled until that official has served one year in office. That means it’s hands off Walker until January 2012.

That just sucks so bad. 🙁

From Aljazeera: Libyan security forces have reportedly opened fire at a funeral in the eastern city of Benghazi, killing at least 15 people and injuring scores more as protests against Muammar Gaddafi, the country’s long-time ruler, continued.

The victims on Saturday were mourning the loss of protesters who had been killed during anti-government demonstrations in the city during the past week, witnesses said, bringing the death toll to more than 100 in six days of unrest, according to opposition groups.

And Bush took him on as a client when he agreed to oppose Al Qaeda.

From The Vile Plutocrat: Federal authorities charged more than 100 doctors, nurses and physical therapists in nine cities with Medicare fraud Thursday, part of a massive nationwide bust that snared more suspects than any other in history.

Getting richer the Republican way, through fraud, is costing Medicare $60 – $90 billion per year.

Cartoon:

Learn something today!  Day 6.