Monday, September 29, 2008

092908

Sunday, September 28, 2008

COBRA CLAW












A Swiss adventurer using a jet-propelled wing has flown across the English Channel from France in less than 10 minutes.

A May 14, 2008 file photo shows Switzerland's Yves Rossy flying with a jet-propelled single wing over the Alps in Bex, Switzerland. Weather permitting, Rossy will leap from a plane more than 2,500 meters (2,700 yards) off the ground, fire up his jets and try to make the 35-kilometer (22-mile) from Calais in France to Dover in England in about 12 minutes on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2008, according to a statement put out by his organizers.

Yves Rossy landed safely in a field near Dover on Friday. He leapt from a plane at an altitude of more than 8,800 feet, fired up his jets and made the 22-mile trip from Calais, France, to Dover, England.
Yeah, but Cobra was there first...

Friday, September 26, 2008

FROM K CHRONICLES BY KEITH KNIGHT

EASY TO RELATE TO

Thursday, September 25, 2008

HOW DO YOU SPELL POTATO?

NEW YORK - Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin defended her remark that the close proximity of Russia to her home state of Alaska gives her foreign policy experience, explaining in a CBS interview airing Thursday that "we have trade missions back and forth."

Palin has never visited Russia and until last year the 44-year-old Alaska governor had never traveled outside North America. She also had never met a foreign leader until her trip this week to New York. In the CBS interview, she did not offer any examples of having been involved in any negotiations with the Russians.

Palin's foreign policy experience came up when she gave her first major interview, on Sept. 11 to ABC News. Asked what insight she had gained from living so close to Russia, she said: "They're our next-door neighbors and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska."

I just want to point out that she's merely commenting that a connection was made between her eyeball and her brain. She reported that she saw a landmass across a body of water. That doesn't count as a thought. You have to actually think to have an insight.

In the interview with CBS News anchor Katie Couric, Palin said: "It's funny that a comment like that was, kind of made to ... I don't know, you know? Reporters ..."

Couric said, "Mock?"

"Yeah," Palin said, "mocked, I guess that's the word, yeah."

When Couric asked how Alaska's closeness to Russia enhanced her foreign policy experience, Palin said, "Well, it certainly does because our ... our next-door neighbors are foreign countries." Alaska shares a border with Canada.

So she knows that Russia is close to Alaska. So do most fifth graders. I thought Doonesbury was being tough on her. I was wrong. What really is interesting is that way no one is really disturbed by this. Her answers should be jaw-droppingly embarrassing. Republicans should be shocked that she was picked. Then I remember Dan Quayle, and Dubya's re-election. So ladies and bots, meet your next V.P.

One word sums up probably the responsibility of any vice president, and that one word is 'to be prepared'.
Dan Quayle, 12/6/89

AWWWWW

(emotional context:humor)

Another influential Democrat, Sen. Max Baucus of Montana, proposed tax penalties on the compensation of top executives who earn more than the U.S. president; their pay would only be tax-deductible up to $400,000. Large golden parachutes also would be taxed heavily under the plan by Baucus, the Finance Committee chairman.

Paulson says such limits would discourage participation in the program.


Gee, those CEOs (CEOi?) would feel discouraged? Oh, that's so awful and I'm sure everyone can sympathize. We wouldn't want them to feel the slightest discomfort, except when I slap them in the balls and demand, "Gimme 5 dollars!"

Sunday, September 14, 2008

EXACTLY

from Huffingtonpost.com by Tony Sachs.

It's one of the most cringe-worthy moments in recent American political history:

"Do you believe in the Bush Doctrine?"

The awkward pause, then the smug, patronizing comeback.

"In what respect, Charlie?"

Charlie Gibson, taken aback, perhaps realizing that this is The Moment for which he'll be known for the rest of his career.

"The Bush -- w-w-well, what do you interpret it to be?"

And then the painful, filibustering non-answer that I can hardly bear to watch without feeling embarrassed for Sarah Palin, John McCain, and this great nation of ours.

I'm not saying that every American besides Governor Palin knows what the Bush Doctrine is. Hell, I wasn't sure I knew what it was until Charlie Gibson confirmed it for me. But then again, I'm not a Republican governor who's running for national office.

Now, if Joe Biden had said this on national TV, the election would be over. Obama would either be calling Hillary Clinton and begging her to take over the #2 slot or he'd be busy getting to work on his concession speech.

But these are the Republicans, they of vaunted attack machines and vast right-wing conspiracies. Masters of spin, purveyors of semi-libelous commercials, wizards of righteous indignation and instigators of class warfare. If Sarah Palin doesn't know what the Bush Doctrine is, well, my goodness, neither do a lot of hardworking, God-fearing hockey moms out there in the heartland. They don't have time to read those fancy city newspapers with lots of big words explaining the Bush Doctrine. They're not eggheads like Barack Obama and Joe Biden, those elitist intellectuals who sit around studying doctrines while raising taxes on hardworking Americans like you and me.

You think Governor Palin is going to waste her time reading books about the Bush Doctrine? No, she's busy with the responsibilities that come with being governor of the great state of Alaska. She's got moose to field-dress, bridges to nowhere to say "No" to, jets to sell on eBay. Maybe community organizers have the time to talk about the Bush Doctrine. But Sarah Palin's too busy trying to reform Washington. By way of Alaska.

Before long, Obama and Biden will have to defend themselves against accusations that they're smart. They'll start claiming that they not only didn't know what the Bush Doctrine is but that they were unaware that Bush was even president. "We thought we were running against his father," they'll say. "We were too busy going to church and shooting animals and saying 'No' to lobbyists to pay attention to any of that Washington election nonsense. Hell, we don't even know how to read."

And the election will become about who's dumber and more ignorant.

And you know which party's going to win that one.

Friday, September 12, 2008

Y-IKE(s)!


yeah, it's an awful pun but fuck it. ; P

Sunday, September 07, 2008

MCNASTY!




For real.....here excerpt: "As McCain continued walking, Jane Duke Gaylor , the mother of another missing serviceman, approached the senator. Gaylor, in a wheelchair equipped with portable oxygen, stretched her arms toward McCain.

"McCain stopped, glared at her, raised his left arm ready to strike her, composed himself and pushed the wheelchair away from him," according to Eleanor Apodaca , the sister of an Air Force captain missing since 1967."

Saturday, September 06, 2008

Resentment Strategy

Resentment Strategy by Paul Krugman.
here

excerpts...

"What struck me as I watched the convention speeches, however, is how much of the anger on the right is based not on the claim that Democrats have done bad things, but on the perception — generally based on no evidence whatsoever — that Democrats look down their noses at regular people.

Thus Mr. Giuliani asserted that Wasilla, Alaska, isn’t “flashy enough” for Mr. Obama, who never said any such thing. And Ms. Palin asserted that Democrats “look down” on small-town mayors — again, without any evidence.

What the G.O.P. is selling, in other words, is the pure politics of resentment; you’re supposed to vote Republican to stick it to an elite that thinks it’s better than you.

Wednesday, September 03, 2008

Dyson DC07

I caved, but it works well.
and for any Arrested Development fans..."What did you expect, mother? I'm half-machine!"