Archives for August 2013

— This is the very definition of insanity!

— Don’t be an asshole…VOTE!

— I think we should call this “the GOP Cancer Strategy”: “House Republicans will take a carefully orchestrated, staunchly anti-Washington campaign to voters this month, blaming President Barack Obama and his fellow Democrats for Americans’ unhappiness with government.“

— Cool! Farmer’s Market Finder for Washington and Oregon

— Woodland Park Zoo’s baby boom.

— A CEO weighs in: Law promoting STEM education is a win for Washington.

— The new Dr. Who.

— The RNC threatens NBC and CNN. Reince Priebus threatens cutting networks from debate access if they air Clinton programs.

Last week’s contest was won by BA1959. It was the site of the Vancouver hotel (then under construction) where actor Cory Monteith was found dead.

This week’s is a random location somewhere in the world, good luck!

Oh, right … with Carl taking a well-deserved vacation, the rest of us were supposed to step in and take up the slack. So, here I am.

By “here”, at this moment I refer to PHL. I got to the airport well in advance of my return flight to Seatac, and while waiting I’m quaffing a refreshing Yuengling Lager between keystrokes. Unfortunately, their Porter (a longtime favorite of mine) is rather more difficult to find.

I’ve been here in the mid-Atlantic for a week, largely to attend the annual SABR convention. Arriving several days ahead of the meeting, I also visited my brother in Bucks County (about 50 miles north of the city) and my 90-something year old aunt in Dutchess County NY.

The city of my youth is a much nicer place than it once was. Center City is lively, studded with restaurants and bars. Best of all, the convention hotel was immediately adjacent to the Reading Terminal Market, a space not unlike our own Pike Place Market … that is, if the food stalls carried cheesesteaks (wit wiz, of course), hoagies, roast pork sandwiches, pastrami, and such instead of that tasteless healthy stuff that populates the dull vegan-friendly cuisine of Pike Place and Seattle in general.

The principal difference — well, aside from the flavors and aromas — between the RT and PP Markets is that the latter is a venerable farmers’ market saved from the wrecking ball of “urban renewal” whereas the former is an exemplary reuse of a once-decaying anachronism. It’s been decades since you could Take A Ride On The Reading, and the line’s Center City terminal was nearly demolished before it was transformed.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time here in my old stomping grounds, but I’ll be happy to leave the heat and humidity behind. Not that it was unbearable this week, but I know it’s just a matter of a few days before the next bout of 90-90 weather.

Now, which gate do I need to find??

Matthew 5:28
But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Discuss.

The vanishing snows of Kilimanjaro.

Lawrence O’Donnell: Mitt Romney tries to rewrite Mitt Romney:

Congressman Asshat of Iowa:

• Thom takes on Rep. Steve King (R-IA).
• Matt Binder: “Mexican kids are drug mules!”, says asshat Rep. Steve King (R-IA)
• Sam Seder: Is it okay to laugh at asshats like Rep. Steve King?

Sharpton: Sarah Palin’s ‘maverick’ hypocrisy exposed.

Bill Maher with some new rules.

White House: West Wing Week.

This is the 40th time!

Bashir and Eugene Robinson: History shows when Republicans shut down government, they lose.

John Fugelsang: We’re in the golden age of slut-shaming.

Fast Foods Forward and FAUX Fumbles:

• John Oliver: Fast food workers and FAUX News pundits.
• Thom schools Hannity on hamburger costs.
• Lawrence O’Donnell: The case to increase the minimum wage.
• Thom: Can anyone survive on $7.25

Kimmel: This week in Unnecessary Censorship.

ONN: Onion Week in Review.

Thom: The Good, The Bad, and The Very, Very Ugly.

Melissa Harris-Perry: New law forces clinics to close in North Carolina.

Jimmy Dore does Bill O’Reilly.

Sharpton: How FAUX, O’Reilly, and fellow right wingers are failing miserably in the racism conversation.

Mental Floss: 79 common mispronunciations.

Katrina vanden Heuvel: Helen Thomas’s legacy:

FAUX’s Worst Interview Ever:

• Young Turks: Worst interview ever???
• Michael Brooks: Even FAUX News should be ashamed of this interview.
• Young Turks: FAUX News tries to defend the “worst interview ever”
• Reza Aslan on his now infamous FAUX News interview.
• Here come the Spoofs!

Liberal Viewer: Would NSA spying program prevent 9/11 attacks?.

Thom: How the G.O.P. causes child prostitution.

Sam Seder: DOJ sues Texas over voting laws.

Mark Fiore: Syria’s Royal Easel.

John Fugelsang plays six degrees of Edward Snowden:

Melissa Harris-Perry: Judge grants reprieve for WI health clinics.

Ruse Harstel on his racist homophobic cousin.

Red State Update: Podcast episode 37.

ONN: New Pew poll says nation just wants to be safe, happy, rich, comfortable, entertained at all times.

Young Turks: Rand Paul and Chris Chrstie duke it out!

Inappropriate Mayorial Material:

• Anthony Weiner refuses to quit.
• Young Turks: Weiner aide vs Weiner intern catfight
• Broadway goes Weiner:
• Chris Hayes: FAUX News smears Huma Abedin with baseless claims of terrorism ties.
• Matt Binder: FAUX News attacks Huma Abedin
• John Oliver: Anthony Weiner’s ‘Not Quitting’ ad.
• Stephen defends San Diego Mayor Bob Filner.

Melissa Harris-Perry: Do nothing Congress takes a recess.

Young Turks: The G.O.P. War on Women™ gets expensive.

John Fugelsang: Politicians fiddlin’ while North Carolina burns.

Thom: Conservatives are driving us to suicide.

Lawrence O’Donnell: The Republican disease of dysfunction in washington.

Last week’s Friday Night Multimedia Extravaganza can be found here.

The State Supreme Court issued a pretty damning opinion.

However, several justices nevertheless expressed concern about the issues raised, saying race is often a factor – conscious or unconscious – when lawyers use their peremptory challenges to dismiss potential jurors from cases.

“Peremptory challenges are used in trial courts throughout this state, often based largely or entirely on racial stereotypes or generalizations,” Justice Steven Gonzalez wrote. “As a result, many qualified persons in this state are being excluded from jury service because of race.”

When lawyers question members of a jury pool in Washington, they can ask prospects to be removed for cause, such as some evidence the juror would not be able to sit impartially on the case. They are also allowed three peremptory challenges, by which they can have jurors removed for no reason at all, as long as the effect is not purposeful discrimination.

Even though the Supreme Court upheld the conviction in this case, this is still a shot across the bow. And hopefully it will lead to actual changes.

I’m sort of already on vacation mode, so here’s a post that (a) is another damn library post and (b) has vacation planning as the intro. Also, (c) the post doesn’t really know what it wants to do and (d) is pretty short, but that’s just me being me. Sorry in advance!

I was at the library trying to find something light but interesting to take on vacation. I looked through the science section, and I came across a fair amount of intelligent design and similar nonsense mixed into the actual science and popular science books. I was rather startled, but I suppose it’s better than them not being available.

To be clear I certainly don’t want to be censorious or to tell librarians how to do their jobs. And if people want to read it, well then I guess it should be at the library. I mean, it isn’t the library’s job to say what books are good and bad science. It’s just surprising to see it.

– It’s too bad that the state’s unions have to justify their existence, but they do a good job of it.

– Everybody get your rotten tomatoes ready, Scott Walker is coming to town.

– Taking pictures is not a problem, and certainly not worthy of escalating a situation, King County and Seattle police.

– I’m on the record in the Hillary Clinton is great camp, but if she runs (and I’m not saying either way) there is going to be a lot of stupid. Even by the standards of the manufacturers of stupid.

– From the first day the first troll king pooped out his first troll-sac full of butt-eggs (and then told his placenta to eat less/exercise more, fatty), the conventional wisdom has been to ignore them. Ignore them and they’ll go away. Stop feeding them and they’ll starve. Except…has that worked?

– And a heads up: I’m on vacation next week. I may do a few posts, but will probably be more preoccupied with family stuff. Darryl will be around, and maybe the rest of the front pagers.