+18 = losing --- your mainstream media hard at work doing what they do best -- misinforming . . . .

This is why I'm of the view that the mainstream media/press in this country isn't worth a warm pile of dog shit.

Only in the mainstream media could a Democratic Senate majority advantage of 59-41 be translated into this headline (courtesy of the Philly Metro) - "How will Dems recover after losing majority?"

What a sad fucking state of affairs we have with the 4th estate in America today - honestly.



----k

A Time magazine article from last September that likely flew under the radar or was willfully and blissfully ignored by most Americans and politicians. It pretty much gets at the heart of the insanity of the Afghanistan conflict, America's involvement there and more or less demonstrates that the only benefit of the U.S. actions there are monetary in nature to both the Taliban and America's defense industry. In other words --- a great big clusterfuck with no feasible goals or end in sight.


How Crime Pays for the Taliban
By Aryn Baker / Kunduz Monday, Sep. 07, 2009

To understand why America and its allies are losing the war in Afghanistan, consider the story behind one deadly attack. On July 6, in the northern Afghan province of Kunduz, a powerful improvised explosive device, or IED, detonated under the wheels of a U.S. humvee. Four soldiers died, as did their translator and a bystander. The makeshift bomb was assembled with goods from the local bazaar. The man who placed it was probably paid the going rate of $750, according to government officials, or more if he captured video proof of dead soldiers. And though the local Taliban covered his expenses and fees, the cash very likely came from money donated by the international community to rebuild Afghanistan's roads, bridges, clinics and schools.

Just a week before the explosion, Hajji Lala Jan, a local businessman subcontracted by a local firm working for the German government — aid agency GTZ to build a road in Kunduz, handed some $15,000 in cash to a Taliban middleman to ensure that his project wouldn't be attacked, according to local officials — though Jan himself denies it. The Taliban cash flow has many sources, and it's impossible to say if German taxpayer dollars directly paid for that IED. Andreas Clausing, country director for GTZ, says such payoffs are "impossible. It is forbidden in our contracts, and we have very strict monitoring." Nevertheless, it is likely that a substantial amount of aid money from many countries — including the U.S. — has made its way, directly or indirectly, into the Taliban's coffers. "Here we have internationals and Afghans turning a blind eye to the fact that we are paying off the very Taliban that we claim to be fighting," says an adviser to the Afghan Ministry of Interior. "It becomes a self-sustaining war, a self-licking ice cream."

----k

The Caitlin Principle . . .

Ahhh -- you have to love America. Especially the America with one of it's more endearing (albeit perverse) characteristics -- the uncanny ability of some of our citizens to fail miserably and spectacularly upward in life (provided you have money and family or political connections of course).

Remember this giant of intellectual prowess?:

Former Miss South Carolina Teen USA Caitlin Upton, who gained notoriety after her awkward response to a question in 2007's Miss Teen USA pageant, is hoping to redeem herself with a trek around the globe. Caitlin and her boyfriend Brent Horne will compete for $1 million dollars on the 16th edition of CBS's "The Amazing Race."

During the 2007 Miss Teen USA pageant Caitlin became infamous after she was asked about America's lack of geography skills during the Q&A portion of the show. Her gaff garnered over 39 millions views on YouTube.

Just fucking shoot me now.



----k

SCOTUS sells America down the river . . . .

If ever conclusive evidence existed, proving beyond doubt, that the United States of America no longer has a government of the people, by the people and for the people it's today's Supreme Court decision which in essence has declared that corporations are --- yep, you guessed it --- people.

Imagine that!

Corporations now have the same rights as afforded your average U.S. born, tax-paying, voting citizen! And since the 5-4 decision was carried forward to victory by the conservatives on the SCOTUS, no doubt conservatards and Teabaggers from all corners of the good ol' US of A are rejoicing across the land tonight!

Of course it does beg the question though as to what form of pyrrhic victory it truly is considering this little bit of reality:

A very large percentage of U.S. corporations are owned by foreign persons or entities. In 2006, USA Today reported: "Nearly one in five U.S. oil refineries is owned by foreign companies. Foreign companies also have a sizable presence in running power plants, chemical factories and water treatment facilities in the United States." It was also reported that, "Roads and bridges built by U.S. taxpayers are starting to be sold off, and so far foreign-owned companies are doing the buying." In 2008, it was reported that foreign ownership of U.S. companies "more than doubled" between 1996 and 2005. To get a fix on the spending power, consider this: "The total receipts of foreign-owned companies were $1.7 trillion in 1996 and just $39 billion in 1971."

But then again we all know that reality has a well known liberal bias - don't we?

Yes! That's it conservatards! Turn the keys to the American kingdom over to foreign entities! Mind numbingly fucking brilliant!! Who are the traitors now?


----k

Whatta the Repugs got that the Dems ain't got? Courage . . .

For some odd reason these days, hearing the words "Democrats" and "courage" mentioned in the same sentence makes me feel ill. Pointing out the obviousness of that sad reality, as this blogger does, simply serves to magnify the critical and pathetic state of affairs within the Democratic power structure and highlights the fate that awaits the Democratic party if they don't start growing a collective spine. Every time I see Harry Reid or one of those fucking back-stabbing Blue Dog Democrats on television and hear their feckless mewling and whining it makes me think of this:

	delivered by Bert Lahr - The Wizard of Oz - The Lion on Courage .mp3
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

Just saying . . .



----k

Wonder when Fox will broadcast Brown's Fox-sponsored coronation? . . .

In the wake of GOP Teabagger, nude model Scott Brown's Senate victory in Massachusetts yesterday, a certain public airwaves using media outlet, posing as a legitimate news organization, laid all of their biased cards on the table.

Gee -- I wonder who in the world that could be? ? ?

Jon Stewart took rapt notice and proceeds to demolish any remaining vestige of journalistic integrity and credibility that Fox News had (frankly I think they never had any to begin with) by highlighting the Fox team giggling and crowing over Brown's win and basically reacting and behaving like high school cheerleaders who've just witnessed their school football team win the state championship.

Not like I need to say this any more than I've said it over the years but - -

"FAIR AND BALANCED" my fucking ass.

Fox is the primary reason why when people try to make the ludicrous "the media is liberal! the media is liberal" argument to me, I simply laugh in their faces and tell them to pull their heads out of their bungholes and spend a 24 hour cycle watching Fox News. Oh - I also tell them to STFU.

Just saying . . .

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Fox News Covers Scott Brown's Victory
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

----k

Pathetic

If the Democratic leadership had a microscopic ounce of the spinal DNA of Rep. Alan Grayson, yesterday's loss of Ted Kennedy's senate seat to the Teabagger guy not only would not have occurred, but would have been a blowout in the opposite direction.

Instead, we progressives are treated today to the craven and smug talking heads on television proclaiming to the world that the political party which currently holds a 59-41 seat majority in the senate and a 257-178 seat majority in the house of representatives, is a doomed political party. WTF??

And to make matters worse, a handful of Blue Dog (Republican wannabe types) Democrats are running around to all the news shows pulling their hair, wringing their hands -- whining like the lily-livered invertebrates that they are and more or less feeding the bullshit narrative frenzy that the Massachusetts loss was the worst thing to happen to the Democratic party since a glob of Bill Clinton's mojo juice was found plastered on Monica Lewinsky's blue dress. Holy Fuck these bastards piss me off! How in the hell did I ever get stuck in a political party with such a bunch of quavery fucking whiners and quitters like these current Democrat handjobs? Jeebus effing Christmas it's infuriating!



----k

Yep -- a flamethrower ought to do the trick . . .

I watched disinterested yesterday as some Teabagger, Playgirl centerfold Republican won Edward Kennedy's long held Massachusetts Senate seat.

I say disinterested because I've known for weeks the slack-jawed Democrats were going to lose this race.

The stupid fucking Democratic leadership did exactly what I expected them to do -- they picked a wealthy, WASPish, bland and out of touch Attorney General Martha Coakley to fill Kennedy's seat, fully believing that because Kennedy was so beloved by his Massachusetts constituents, voters would just roll over and vote her in on his martyred coattails. I'll say it again - stupid fucking Democratic leadership.

In a way I'm thinking this is probably for the best. Because post-election polling in Massachusetts indicates Democratic and Independent voters are very disappointed in the Democrats inability (more like cowardice) to stand up and actually fight for the working people of this country instead of kowtowing to the minority GOP, the special interest health care lobbyists and the big, crooked financial institutions and banks. I mean -- it's been said before -- voters given the choice between a real Republican and a fake one (like Coakley) will almost always go for the real one.

I'll be even more blunt -- to paraphrase Al Pacino from the movie "Scent of a Woman" - - I believe it's time we progressives take a goddamn flamethrower to the Democratic party and purge these spineless, groveling, backstabbing, corporate owned fucking DINO's from their positions of power and get on with the business of running this country for the people instead of the corporate and moneyed institutions that gambled this country's future away in the name of greed and got us all into our present economic state. Kinda like this:

If I were the man I was five years ago, I'd take a flamethrower to this place! sound bite  Al Pacino sound bites

Know what I mean Vern?



----k

3 of 4 top GOP candidates for Prez in 2012 on Fox New's payroll . . .

I'm baffled as to what exactly does it take for people to just fucking admit the eye-ball burning obviousness of the role that Fox News plays as an overtly active propaganda outlet for the Republican party.

Huckabee, Palin, Gingrich -- all collecting a paycheck from the Fox piggy (pun intended) bank.

And even though the 4th top GOP candidate Mitt Romney has yet to suckle at the teat of Fox's ethically challenged media sow, you can bet his pasty-white Mormon ass that as the 2012 election nears, the Mittster will find it increasingly difficult to withstand the urge to grovel at Roger Ailes' feet and will be damn sure that he gets him a hunky slice of that good ol' Fox News, GOP free publicity pie.

I've said it before, I'll state it again -- if conservatives would just be honest and flat out admit that Fox News is neither "Fair" or "Balanced", that they have no journalistic standards or journalistic ethics whatsoever and that they are in the bag for the GOP -- I'll shut my big mouth about them from this day forward and forever more.

[crickets chirping]

Yeah --- that's what I thought.




----k