HorsesAss.Org

Open Thread 10/28

by — ,

– Sorry, Jon Stewart, but whenever you pick up right wing propaganda, you get it wrong. Community Power Works has so far done good work.

– It takes a walloping amount of willful cluelessness to look at a mass of people holding up signs and claim that they have no message.

– What?

– Whaaaaaat?

– Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?

– Transit Riders Union survey of Metro bus riders (and how you can help with it).

– Ordinary Muslim Man (h/t)

– the only high-class drink in history that involves Red Bull

Comments

  2. 2

    – Sorry, Jon Stewart, but whenever you pick up right wing propaganda, you get it wrong. Community Power Works has so far done good work.

    This is not surprising since Jon’s “research team” is a bunch of comedy writers working on a tight deadline.

    Still, in his defense, he does a better job of serious news reporting than FoxFaux News.

  3. 3

    According to the right-wing media, which has showered the movement with endless coverage for the last six weeks and done its best (worst?) to demonize it, Occupy Wall Street and its protesters are “anti-American,” “communist, Nazi….pot-smoking, sex addicted morons.” They’re “anti-Semitic” “whiners,” “loons,” “parasites,” and “petulant little children.” They’re lunatic,” “comrade”, “losers” who represent the radical “fringe of the fringe of the fringe,” are becoming “increasingly violent” and follow the lead of Hamas. They’re “anarchists,” and “smug stupid idiots” who “sound like the Unabomber.”

    The disconnect? According to the latest CBS/New York Times poll, a plurality of Americans support Occupy Wall Street.

    http://mediamatters.org/blog/201110280010

  4. 4

    Imagine that. A bunch of rabble (Occupy Wall Street AKA the 99%ers) completely unhinge the carefully planned Wall Street campaign to destroy Main Street. All of a sudden the Herman Cain message ‘If You Don’t Have A Job And You’re Not Rich, Blame Yourself’ is no longer playing well.

  5. 5

    Biden sues private mortgage registry for violating Delaware Law

    On October 27, 2011 Attorney General Beau Biden filed a lawsuit against the mortgage registry MERS that is at the center of the housing crisis. The suit charges that MERS has repeatedly violated the Delaware’s Deceptive Trade Practices Act.

    You got a mortgage? Chances are your mortgage lender sent it to MERS where it was bundled with a bunch of worthless crap that was then sold on Wall Street.

  7. 7

    Panetta’s “finest” US Navy “that has ever existed” has shrunk from 316 battleforce ships in 2001 to 287 in 2011, a decline of 10 percent. It is not a smaller, newer fleet; it is a smaller, older fleet-about four years older per ship, on average, than it was in 2001. Also, for the past year the press has been constantly reporting on severe maintenance and readiness problems throughout the fleet.

    Panetta’s best ever Air Force declined from 142 fighter and bomber squadrons to 72 during the same 2001-2012 period, a decline of 49 percent, and the inventory has increased to an all-time high average for aircraft age: 23 years. Fighter pilot air training hours today are one-half of what they were in the 1970s, an era not touted for high readiness.

    The Army’s brigade combat teams did grow from 44 to 45. But major Army equipment inventories are mostly older, and in 2006, the House Armed Services Committee leaked a memo documenting historic lows in the readiness of active Army units in the US. The analysis has not been publicly updated; we should worry that it has gotten worse, not better.

    We got this smaller, older, less ready force not because of less money but because of more. In addition to the $1.3 trillion spent on the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere, Congress and Presidents Bush and Obama added another $1 trillion to the “base” (non-war) parts of the defense budget.

    http://www.cdi.org/program/doc.....from_page=../index.cfm

    This is history repeating itself in my view. I remember that after Vietnam the military was in terrible shape readiness-wise. But did Pentagon budgets go down during the 70’s? Not really. They increased every year as I recall. It was just being spent poorly. That continues today. ON STEROIDS!

    The DOD is the most terribly managed part of the federal government and that’s a Bush-administration OMB assessment. The DOD was tasked back in the early nineties to clean up its act accountability-wise and deadline after deadline has been blown off.

    We can’t afford this any longer.

  9. 9

    A pattern is emerging in how Texas Gov. Rick Perry handles innocence claims in death penalty cases: He blows them off, ignoring evidence that the jury verdict may have been wrong.

    Sure, every convict says he’s innocent, and death cases are rigorously reviewed in the courts. But governors have a role to play in the justice system, too, and you’ve got to ask why Perry is deferring to juries so much.

    Here’s one possible reason. It takes analysis and critical judgment to sort through the conflicting claims of guilt and innocence — it’s work — and maybe Perry is just lazy, or maybe he isn’t mentally equipped to do it.

    In either case, if he can’t (or won’t) do this part of a governor’s job, then why should we entrust him with the much greater responsibilities of presidential decision-making?

    The answer, of course, is we shouldn’t. If Henry Skinner is innocent (as Cameron Todd Willingham probably was), and is put to death because Perry refused to allow a DNA test before authorizing the Texas prison system to throw the switch on him, then he absolutely cannot be trusted with the lives of millions of human beings.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/.....d=webmail4

  10. 10

    8 – Good article..

    The top 1 percent have an tried-and-true strategy: discredit and outlast.

    And our trolls, right on cue, have marched to these orders.

  11. 11

    “Firefighter Endorsed.”

    Who cares if firefighters endorse a candidate or not? They are experts at where to spray a hose on a fire, and a few other tasks.

    What’s next? “Drywall-Hanger Endorsed?”

  12. 12

    @11 What’s next? “Drywall-Hanger Endorsed?”

    No, Troll Endorsed. Which, of course, means don’t vote for that guy.

  13. 13

    # 11: Try telling that to the firefighters as they effect a rescue from car, cliff, or burning house. I dare you.

  14. 14

    # 9: In other words, Perry is saying …

    “If I authorize this DNA test, it might prove that the police, prosecutors, and jury were wrong. More than that, it might prove I was wrong to continue to insist on his execution. Better that he be executed than take the chance that I might be proven wrong, about anything – it might hurt my political career!”

  16. 16

    On a completely different subject:

    The scandal-plagued NCAA has just approved changes to it’s rules – one of the most sweeping set of changes in years.

    One of the changes most likely to impact the athlete-student is that now the school can award multi-year scholarships, rather than just year-to-year. In the past schools would rely upon those one-year scholarships to effectively “cut” quite a few atheletes so they can use those slots to bid on the next hot freshman prospect to come along.

    But that created lots of problems for the “cut” students – many had been lured to out-of-state schools by the promise of full scholarships, only to have to drop out when their parents can’t afford the out-of-state tuition. The NCAA rules didn’t make transfers easy, either. Most students would have to sit out a year before resuming their sports, and few college coaches wanted to use up one of their scholarship slots on someone who hadn’t played in a year, and only had two years of eligibility left.

    Another problem was coaches cutting scholarships for students who became injured in their freshman year – some coaches didn’t want to spend althetic department resources on treating the student’s injuries, or having a student-athlete around with a nagging injury issue.

    The NCAA change doesn’t mandate multi-year scholarships, however – it only authorizes them. Therefore expect that only the most highly-sought prospects will be offered a “full ride” for up to five years, while everyone else has to settle for the current year-to-year scholarships.

    Also, it does nothing to solve the problem of coaches who routinely “over-commit”, promising more scholarships than are available. Some over-commitment is unintentional, because coaches know that every athlete won’t report for school, or last beyond the first couple of weeks of school or practice, for any variety of reasons. But some coaches have routinely promised far more scholarships than they are allowed to issue, telling their students when they arrive that they are “very sorry, but someone made a mistake”, and offering to put in a good word at the financial aid office on their behalf and hope they will stay in school for a year so they can take a look at them again after the season is over. What the coach is really doing is simply making sure the prospect isn’t available to other schools, even though he has no more scholarships to offer.

    Other changes include authorizing payment of a stipend of up to $2,000 to students to defray their miscellaneous costs of attending school – something they weren’t able to do since 1971.

  17. 17

    I am so tired of this I-1183 blitz in the media..

    I won’t stop shopping at Costco but they really went off the deep end on this one.

    VOTE NO!

  20. 20

    Rick Perry is dumber than a Rock.
    GW Bush looks like a genius in comparison.
    (Yeah, hard to believe.)

    So how did Rick Perry get to be Texas Governor for 10 years?

    Only answer I can think of is he must be the perfect corporate tool. Does exactly and only what he is directed to do. Then his corporate masters do the rest to keep him in office.

  25. 25

    Who says this Congress is “do-nothing”???

    They’ve been very busy.

    Destroying jobs:

    the GOP succeeded in passing massive spending reductions as part of a continuing resolution that kept the government operating. According to a new report from the Center for American Progress’ Scott Lilly, those cuts didn’t result in the job creating boon Republicans insisted would follow. Instead, it has done just the opposite, as those cuts will result in the destruction of roughly 370,000 jobs.

    http://thinkprogress.org/econo.....370k-jobs/

    Why are they doing this?? Need I ask?

  27. 27

    Hey, did you guys know there’s no sales tax on gun safes? I’m all for gun safes, they’re a good idea. But, if you can afford a gun safe and a CZ Bobwhite to put in the safe, you can afford the sales tax on the gun safe.

    http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/def.....=82.08.832
    Exemptions — Sales of gun safes.

    (1) The tax levied by RCW 82.08.020 does not apply to sales of gun safes.

    (2) As used in this section and RCW 82.12.832, “gun safe” means an enclosure specifically designed or modified for the purpose of storing a firearm and equipped with a padlock, key lock, combination lock, or similar locking device which, when locked, prevents the unauthorized use of the firearm.

    [1998 c 178 § 1.]

    Notes:

  28. 28

    Interesting story from the flaming liberals at http://www.businessinsider.com/

    As the events that led to Oakland protester Scott Olsen’s head injury continue to unfold and investigations begin, we thought it important to offer some perspective.
    This comment is from a former Marine with special operations in crowd control.
    He points out that shooting canisters such as those that likely hit Scott Olsen is prohibited under rules of engagements in Iraq and Afghanistan. Regardless of any political position on the Occupy protests, these are some Interesting insights:

    Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com.....z1c8UzGbZv

  30. 30

    @29
    Dude, if you can afford an $800 dollar shotgun you can afford the sales tax on the gun safe. It’s ridiculous.

  31. 31

    Are we having fun yet?

    House Speaker John Boehner attacked the Obama administration for financing failed solar-panel maker Solyndra LLC, saying government shouldn’t pick winners and losers. That hasn’t stopped him from demanding that the U.S. make a winner of a nuclear-fuel plant in Ohio, his home state.
    Boehner is backing a $2 billion Energy Department loan guarantee sought by USEC Inc. (USU) for its American Centrifuge Plant in Piketon, Ohio, aimed at enriching uranium for commercial nuclear reactors.
    http://www.bloomberg.com/news/.....yndra.html

  32. 32

    Just visited the Kennedy Space Center. When did we stop dreaming of doing big things? When did “me” paying the lowest taxes become our highest goal as a nation?

  35. 35

    When did “me” paying the lowest taxes become our highest goal as a nation?

    Well that’s so the “job creators” can create the jobs we need.

    Working out great so far isn’t it?

  36. 36

    @32

    When did we stop dreaming of doing big things?

    It started with Nixon and finished with Reagan. That the hippies and Clinton took the easy way out of every fucking thing helped it along.

    The space center’s an amazing place.

  37. 37

    My perennial favorite sales tax exemption:

    http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/def.....82.08.0272
    RCW 82.08.0272
    Exemptions — Sales of semen for artificial insemination of livestock.

    The tax levied by RCW 82.08.020 shall not apply to sales of semen for use in the artificial insemination of livestock.

    [1980 c 37 § 38. Formerly RCW 82.08.030(20).]

    Notes:
    Intent — 1980 c 37: See note following RCW 82.04.4281.

  38. 38

    Hey, Maxie, wherever you are:

    My World Series prediction beat the shit out of yours. Any chance you want to man up and acknowledge that? That said, it was a great Series with regard to drama. When my wife gets into a baseball game, we got drama going. We had drama.

  39. 39

    @36

    We should dream big again. To put NASA budgets back at Apollo levels would take only $18 billion/year.

    I say we land someone on Mars in 10 years. No quick “out and back” this time, establish a research station and keep it occupied.

    For more inspiration: http://saganseries.com/

  40. 40

    On 1125, I get that tolls are probably the wave of the future. The question is, should your toll payments go toward the road you are on, or be diverted to other uses? Sure you money may go to repair the next road over, but it could just as easily go toward private religious schools and absence only eduction or what ever use the next conservative Governor and legislature wants to spend it on. I know those are silly examples, but that’s the way the laws are written. If conservatives want a pay as you go society, let’s be consistent.

  41. 41

    @38

    Its all good Proud Commie – you got me on the prediction….congrats to you and the Cardinals.

    :)

  42. 42

    @34

    I never could figure out people who mix sports and politics..

    I’m guessing they are pretty much losers(that should be a given). Probably the fat pudgy types that never played a sport beyond 2nd grade Tee ball….you know, the ones that talk shit on the internet from their basement…ya, those types.

    leave the purity of sport away from the sliminess of politics

  43. 43

    Just visited the Kennedy Space Center. When did we stop dreaming of doing big things?
    For me, it seemed to happen in the 1980s. No society that thinks “Greed is Good” and idolizes fictional characters like Gordon Gecko or Donald Trump has space in their brain for Big Things. When “Give me mine, to hell with you” became our national mantra, Big Things are just a waste of time.
    Now we cannot do small things, let along big things.

    So is tearing down the Viaduct and digging the Tunnel a Big Thing?
    Was the Monorail a Big Thing?
    Were the Stadii big things?

    What would you say the last big things we did?

  47. 47

    For me, the loss of the dreams about “Big Things” happened about the same time as CyberPunk genre fad. The visionaries looked ahead and all they saw was mega corporations and decay. Then the visionaries and dreamers gave up on the near future entirely and went fantasy or far future or fantasy set in modern day. Kunstler is one of the few I know about writing about the Near Now and he’s depressing.

  48. 48

    Kunstler is one of the few I know about writing about the Near Now and he’s depressing.

    When he’s not being terrifying!

  50. 50

    I was listening to KIRO radio. They had a Halloween segment on what people hate about Halloween. They interviewed Mike Medved. I hope he was kidding or there is a man with a dead soul. He said he was against Halloween on the principle that it taught kids that they could get stuff for free just by asking for it.

  51. 51

    Herman Cain is on Face the Nation. He’s charming like Reagan, but it’s like listening to an oily used car salesman.

  52. 52

    Another fine Kunlser type moment from the internet

    As surplus energy to society becomes more and more scarce the frivolous consumeris­m will vanish and only the core economy will be left–if we are lucky. Agricultur­e, durable good and renewable energy production will be the entirety of labor that people will derive value from in the near future. The more disconnect­ed from actual food/durab­le good/energ­y production a job is, the more like that job will disappear.

    Sorry all you adjunct assistant secretary to the critical race theorist professors out there–you­r job depends on abundant cheap oil, and that oil is almost gone. When you lose your job, make the intelligen­t choice and learn to grow vegetables and raise rabbits.

  53. 53

    52 – Kunstler is a good writer and an entertaining critic but he was wrong on y2k and simple physics says he’ll probably be wrong on energy.

    See here and here.

  54. 54

    I don’t think Cain ever thought he had a real shot at being President. He is more into selling his book for a profit. He is even using campaign funds to purchase books from his own company. And that is against the law. But when has that ever bothered a GOPper?

Can’t Bring Yourself to Type the Word “Ass”?

Eager to share our brilliant political commentary and blunt media criticism, but too genteel to link to horsesass.org? Well, good news, ladies: we also answer to HASeattle.com, because, you know, whatever. You're welcome!

Follow Goldy

[iire_social_icons]

HA Commenting Policy

It may be hard to believe from the vile nature of the threads, but yes, we have a commenting policy. Comments containing libel, copyright violations, spam, blatant sock puppetry, and deliberate off-topic trolling are all strictly prohibited, and may be deleted on an entirely arbitrary, sporadic, and selective basis. And repeat offenders may be banned! This is my blog. Life isn’t fair.