In the middle of a busy week. Here’s a bunch of random stuff:
I’m surprised that no one had pointed this out already, but (barring unforeseen disaster) Obama’s nomination speech on the last day of the Democratic National Convention will be on the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
A list of possible McCain slogans.
A substitute teacher in Florida lost his job after he was accused of ‘Wizardry’ (for doing a magic trick in front of middle school students).
Can the San Diego State University fraternities busted this week for drug distribution legally be considered “gangs”? The President of San Diego State’s chapter of Students for Sensible Drug Policy speaks out.
What do the current British and Canadian governments have in common? They’re both threatening to ignore their own appointed advisors in order to fall in line with the drug war.
Which is the more infuriating drug war story: this or this?
Some amazing photos of a volcanic eruption in Chile.
A strong contender for the Nobel Prize in Marketing.
Game 1 of the Flyers-Penguins Eastern Conference Finals is tomorrow. If you’re looking for a good place to watch the game, head to Spitfire at 2219 4th Ave in Belltown.
This week’s Birds Eye View Contest is posted along with a special announcement.
Lee,
You forgot this one!
http://www.chron.com/disp/stor.....64886.html
Friends of yours???
I can just see it… Get a good buzz on, talk about your favorite “head shops” and the next thing you know, someone says, “hey, duuude… ya know what’d be reeeaaally funny???”
@1
Yikes, that’s creepy.
FlipFlop McCain seems to have more to hide. He won’t release his wife’s tax records. All the Dems running for President have released their spouses tax records. Again the right wants accountability – just not on themselves.
GOP Scandal of the Day
Rep. Vito Fossella (R-NY) acknowledged having an illegimate child from an extramarital affair after being arrested on drunk driving charges. I wonder if he eats raw oysters, too?
Yep, Hillary needs an unforeseen disaster! Hey, stranger things have happened! They’re making pennies out of zinc again! (Copper is worth too much to use it in our money.)
BBG @ 3
Well… Could it be because the other candidates file JOINT tax returns??!! Their spouses’ tax records are their tax records.
The McCains, as per their prenup, maintain separate finances. It is not up to him to release her finances. In fact, I don’t know that he legally could do it if she objected.
But facts have never stopped you and the other Loony Lefties from twisting headlines, so why should this be any different?
If you’re bored, perhaps we could talk about:
Obama + Rezko + Nadhmi Auchi + Saddam Hussein
or would you rather discuss Obama’s links to Aiham Alsammarae?
Liberal talk show host Scandel of the Day:
05-08) 15:02 PDT SAN FRANCISCO — Bernie Ward, a prominent radio talk show host and reporter in the Bay Area for more than two decades, admitted today to distributing child pornography in a plea deal that will send him to federal prison for at least five years.
Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker was prepared to accept Ward’s guilty plea at a hearing in San Francisco to one count of distributing child pornography, but agreed to hold off at the request of Ward’s attorney, Doron Weinberg. Had the guilty plea been officially submitted today, Ward could have been sent to prison immediately.
Instead, Ward is to be sentenced Aug. 28. Weinberg said federal prosecutors intend to ask Walker to send the former talk show host to prison for nine years. Under federal law, the minimum term Ward could receive is five years.
As part of the plea agreement, two other child pornography counts against Ward will be dropped.
Ward, 57, has admitted that he downloaded and sent pornographic images of children on the Internet in 2004, but said he had been doing research for a book. Federal law, however, prohibits receipt, possession and distribution of child pornography regardless of intent.
@6 The answer is her records are hers, and he cannot release them, only she can.
I saw that interview with Cindy McCain today (you know, the wife who Grampy once referred to as both a cunt and a trollop in the same sentence). She said that not only would she not release her individual tax returns before the election, but she would not release her annual returns as First Lady. Any of you righties see a problem with this, ye who demanded that the Clintons release names of anyone whom they might fantasize about? C’mon righties, justify this one.
So our choices are:
A lawyer married to a lawyer who’s a bitch.
A lawyer who’s a bitch, married to a lawyer.
or a war hero, with a multimillionaire wife who has big boobs and owns a beer distributorship?
On the drug/alcohol war front – Both those cases were Nanny State governments overreaching their authority. How can any Democrat complain about big government intruding into people’s lives?
TRM @ 6
Is your memory short, or merely convenient?
From a legal stand point McCain can not legally release his wife’s tax records…otherwise he would be called on the carpet for violating her financial privacy and I am sure evryone demanding HE release HER tax info would be sure to jump on that bandwagon.
Yeah DJ I remember the talk of Heinz tax info, but if I recall it wasn’t that big an issue for most, a few like BBG raised holy hell about it but for most (as is the same case here in 2008) it was not a big deal.
I saw that interview with Cindy McCain today (you know, the wife who Grampy once referred to as both a cunt and a trollop in the same sentence).
That is nothing compared to what Obama called his wife. Geesh.
@ 13
Cindy McCain’s tax returns wouldn’t be an issue except for the extent to which her wealth allows John McCain to skirt the very campaign finance reform laws that he supported.
Another slogan:
“our true Republican base is the racist South and we have zero chance of losing the armpit states of America.”
GOP Scandal of the Day
Rep. Vito Fossella (R-NY) acknowledged having an …..an extramarital affair
Hell that is standard operating procedure for democrats.
Don Joe,
I actually don’t know that the release of any of the candidates’ tax records is that informative. We all know they’re all rich. And if they want to hide questionable money, they know how (see: Clinton library).
So, I didn’t care about Kerry’s taxes, nor do I care about Obama’s, Clinton’s or McCain’s.
A democrat will have an extramarital affair between phone calls in the oval office. Of course listen to rabbit is a little like listening to an unemployed motivational speaker so what else is new. hehhehe
Democrats are race pimps. Just ask the smartest woman is the world.
well it seems to me from what i’ve read on here AND that senator “wut’s his name” and every body else who is against mr eyman’s ideas are IDIOTS. seem since i’ve been in this piece of shit GOD forbidden state it all boils down to one STUPID entity. THE PEOPLE!!! i garuntee that i can win ANY office in this state with just ONE promise. if i promise to raise taxes and make the people of washington pay more money i WILL GARUNTEE get elected. you washington state people are just a BUNCH of STUPID fucks who only care about ONE thing. What can mr. John Q public spend and/or give this piece of shit state. oh yeah piece of shit state i said it, and why, BECAUSE OF YOU STUPID FUCKING PEOPLE WHO WANT TO PAY THE GOVERNMENT MORE MONEY!!! where i say WHERE is there a more stupid public?? let me know. if you agree with me then damn it let it be known. SPEAK UP!!! don’t vote for the money bags!!! vote for somebody who KNOWS what it’s like to be poor. FUCK the WASHINGTON SENATE get real, down to earth, home people in office. oh wait a minute, im talking to washingtononians who am i kidding. lmao
@ 18
So, in answer to my question, you’re pleading ignorance?
Dang, but it’d be nice to get a straight answer out of you guys just once in a while.
And not even a modicum of acknowledgement that Democrats have some right to make a stink about Cindy McCain’s taxes given the stink that Republicans made about Teresa Heinz Kerry’s taxes? Why the double standard?
Only democrats should have their tax returns scrutinized. After all they are not called the “tax and spend” party for nothing.
DJ @ 22
Not pleading ignorance at all. I knew about it, but it didn’t really matter to me back then and it doesn’t matter to me now.
The “double standard” only applies to the person taking the original stand and only if they’re against the same standard now. In other words, you can grouse about Rove and others IF they defend Cindy McCain’s right to not disclose, but you have no standing to say something to me.
Then, of course, we get into that whole argument of whether ALL positions of ALL members of a group to which you belong can be attributed to you personally. Do you want to be held accountable for everything Howard Dean says, just because you’re a Dem? What about people who are (or who pretend to be) spokespersons for the Dems and or the Left? If you don’t associate with them personally and/or support them in any way, should you be held accountable, just because you’re both Dems?
Better tax and spend than borrow and spend. Only a dog would believe that thr R’s represent fiscal responsibility.
K spews:
Better tax and spend than borrow and spend.
No way. I would rather spend and borrow. The more money we take away from future guvmint the better.
Woof to your Chinese Masters, Dog.
“Not pleading ignorance at all. I knew about it, but it didn’t really matter to me back then and it doesn’t matter to me now.”
It mattered enough for you to chime in with:
“But facts have never stopped you and the other Loony Lefties from twisting headlines, so why should this be any different?”
And that’s not a double standard? Did you refer to the National Review as Loony Righties when they raised the same issue?
By the way, as I pointed out earlier, one of the reasons that Cindy McCain’s finances are an issue is the fact that she makes private jets available to John McCain to use for his campaign. How can the claim separate finances when she’s making assets available to his campaign? Is the hypocrisy of McCain skirting the same campaign finance reform laws that he sponsored lost on you?
Just curiousl
HEY FUCK HEAD @3 EVER HEAR OF JOHN KERRY WHEN DID HIS WIFE RELEASE HER TAXES.McCAINS WIFE HAS FILED HER OWN TAXES FOR 29 YEARS.GET A BRAIN THEN GO TO YOUR ROOM AND PLAY WITH MARY PALM.
GEE ISNT THERE AN ATTORNEY GENERAL DEM IN SOME STATE IS DEEP SHIT FOR PORKING SOME ONE OTHER THAN HIS WIFE BUT NOT A WORD AT HA FIGURES.PROBLEY BECAUSE HE GAVE HER THE CLAP
re 6: The letter of the law always trumps the spirit of the law in WingNutland.
Maybe they ‘file separately’ to hide potentially politically embarassing financial matters. That would seem to be the case. How does McCain maintain 8 mansions on $300,000 a year?
Oh, yeah! Their finances are ‘separate’.
The reason Republican misdeeds are reported with such alacrity on HA is because we: “…hate Repuplicans and everything they stand for.” Howard Dean
Hope that sheds some light on that subject for you — because, you know — I really care about what you’ve been told to think.
Yes this is rich. The righties LOVE to bring Democrat candidate’s families into these discussions when it suits them. But in a case where there’s clearly something to hide – and the GOP is hiding it – that is okay.
You have to wonder if even the retarded right doesn’t get tired of its own horseshit sometimes.
26 Egg….suuuuuuuckin’ daaaaawg……
Unionparamedic @ 7,
Wow, that tops Roger’s screed @ 4.
Does this San Fran guy know Daddly NAMBLA? Might just be a connectiont there!
I don’t see how McCain’s wife’s tax returns mean anything to us. She isn’t running for president: McCain is.
It’s the same as the media dipshits criticizing Howard Dean’s wife for maintaining a low profile and not campaigning for Howard when he was running for president a few years ago.
If Cindy McCain doesn’t want to put her tax returns into public view, then so be it. It’s her decision keep her financial affairs private the same way it was for Howard Dean’s wife to stay in the background and just be a Vermont doctor rather than being a politician’s wife and dong campaigning for Dean.
One way that dirty money can make its way to a candidate is though the spouse. We’ve seen this again and again (especially in the last few years from the Party of Corruption). There’s no way to know if, when, and how this is happening without financial disclosure.
Those who disclose can be presumed to have nothing to hide, and those who do not disclose can be presumed to be hiding something.
Fuck “I’m not the candidate.” John McCain is running as the candidate of the Party of Corruption, so one would think he would be eager to prove that he is not a shallow, self-serving cynic or a hypocritical thief collecting Cindy welfare. But instead, he cheats us all by agreeing to the concealment of the assets that he is using to live (and campaign). Pathetic bullshit.
When John McCain agreed to use his wife’s assets to campaign, her right to a presumption of financial privacy ended.
How do you bribe a politician? If you just walk up to him and hand him a big envelope full of cash, you’re a fool. No, you buy a property of theirs for more than it’s worth, or you sell them one for less than it’s worth. You set up a holding company with them and funnel your assets into it, then agree that it is now worth more and let them draw a big salary for being a “director” or some such lying nonsense. But with nearly all of the financial activities of McCain the Couple flowing through Cindy, how are Americans to know that Johnny Mac is not in someone’s pocket without her disclosure?
After viewing those amazing photos of vulcan Chaiten, it’s obvious that; God is mad at gays in New Orleans, supports making the tax cuts permanent and wholeheartedly supports the war on Tear (war on olive-skinned guys with black hair). The problem is that God is a neocon, and he mistakenly fired off the vulcano in the wrong country. Heckofajob God.
As a result, the commission’s executive director Wayne Barnett filed charges accusing McIver of ethics violations for awarding a city contract to a company where a longtime friend was employed.
I read the article, sounds downright bushish. And this same person was also charged with beating his wife? Oh, how republican of him.
Reading the article, I didn’t see his party affiliation listed so with that and no mention of his bushlike cronyism on this blog means one thing… he’s a democrat.
In Wisconsin, I asked her if she was offended by Bill Clinton’s use of the phrase ‘fairytale’ to describe her husband’s characterisation of his position on the Iraq war. At first, Obama responded with a curt ‘No’. But, after a few seconds, she affected a funny voice. ‘I want to rip his eyes out!’ she said, clawing at the air with her fingernails. One of her advisers gave her a nervous look. ‘Kidding!’ Obama said. ‘See, this is what gets me into trouble.’
Good thing her advisor was there to give her a nervous look, otherwise who knows what she would have said next. She might have been brutally honest.
The original budget for land acquisition was $6 million; it had already increased to $15.7 million.
…
Commissioner Lloyd Hara pointed out that much of the $16.5 million cruise-ship facility built at Terminal 30 just five years ago will be sold for scrap metal because the Port can’t find another use for it.
What, no mention of another government estimate being jacked up? Oh yeah, the 16%ers think the government is God and the costs are justified.
How stupid does one have to be to get suckered by the government every time.,
Maybe the 16%ers are right, under bush the constitution and all rights are being stripped away.
Maybe if she said she was aborting the money she would have a right to privacy?
Still waiting for the name change story.
@42
Reading the article, I didn’t see his party affiliation listed so with that and no mention of his bushlike cronyism on this blog means one thing… he’s a democrat.
Our city council positions are non-partisan. That’s why party affiliation isn’t listed, genius.
Kudos. At least you’re not trying to pretend he’s not a democrat.
But that still doesn’t explain why he’s not being held to the same standards the 16%ers hold republicans to. Do the 16%ers not expect better out of their party?
@47 Actually when McIver first was arrested for DV, it came out via the news and even people here on HA, that he is a “dem”. Hell he is on the Seattle City council which we all know is in “democrat” King County and Seattle…we all know in politics there is no such thing as “non partisan”
@47
First of all, who are the 16%ers? Can you please supply a definition?
Second, no one at this blog sees the city council members as “one of us.” In fact, the only time I can remember expressing a positive opinion of McIver was for this.
Marvin, the reason you’re a laughingstock around here is because you still manage to convince yourself that everyone in the world is neatly divided up into two simple categories of “left” and “right”. You’re not in 3rd grade any more. Grow up.
@48
Actually when McIver first was arrested for DV, it came out via the news and even people here on HA, that he is a “dem”.
Hannah, can you provide links to that?
45 MS
So you support McCain’s attempt to hide his corrupt financial transactions?
Do I look like dictionary.com? Is it my job to tell you if you’re one of the 16%ers?
Wow! Pot-Kettle. Look at the how the majority of the regulars on this blog how they view all conservatives/republicans. (#33, #34 just in this thread alone) Why aren’t you calling them laughingstocks? Hypocrite? Yup, you are.
Funny you’re jumping all over this post about the ethically challenged city council person. What’s your connection to him?
All politicians are corrupt. Even Mr. Change & Hope has a rezko in his closet.
All politicians hide their money. Even democrats.
McIver may or may not vote Democratic when the time comes. But he is not a Democratic representative.
Personally, I have never liked him and never supported him. I’ve always considered him to be a little skeevy. Of course, I don’t live in the city, either.
53 MS
The Obamas and the Clintons have released their tax returns.
McCain is hiding behind his wife’s lame claims, even though virtually all of their joint financial activites as a couple flow thourgh her fortune, and her financial instruments, and her companies. Sorry, that won’t wash.
Oh, and MS, Ted Kennedy, like most rich people, was and is using the very simple, safe, and totally legal means available to avoid some amount of taxation. Even Republicans surely understand that tax policy influences financial behavior. Do it legally and you’re fine. Do it illegally and you’re liable. Are the McCains doing anything illegal with their vast fortune? Who knows, because his wife is keeping her finances secret!
Hewy, here’s a news flash:
Because the surge is like, awesome, dude!
Of course, you know that it’s American warplanes, bombs, and Predator drones that have been and will be doing the “intense fighting.” They’re going to render Sadr City uninhabitable, and when the thousands of civilians who, like many poverty-stricken slum dwellers, lack the capacity to pick up and leave in time (or don’t trust the government) are killed, we’ll just say they had their warning and move on. Who cares? Just a bunch of less-than-human brown people here.
This is why the war must end.
Not even mentioning that that fact that we and our stooges in the Iranian-backed Iraqi government are restricting food, water, and medical supplies from entering Sadr City is known as “collective punishment,” which is a war crime for those of you not paying attention.
Pop quiz: If US forces are seeing this happen and not doing anything about it, what does it makes them?
What do you think would happen if a Republican Senator who chairs a powerful committee had been stumping for Barack Obama for six months? Republicans don’t take to that sort of thing at all. What do you think would happen? What would Mitch McConnell do?
Joe Lieberman, your days are numbered.
@50 – Lee, did you notice the ” marks around the word “dem”?
When I am not dying from a serious cold and have the patience to go thru HA comments from when McIver was arrested on DV charges, I will take the time to find many of those comments.
You can just google McIver democrat and you will find articles with him linkied to democrats…ex:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/.....ver11.html
Dawn Mason ex state rep?
And here were his campaign contributions…notice how many of these same contributors also contribute to the democtrat party?
http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/et.....mciric.htm
BTW as far as I recall, the charges were dropped for the DV as the wife refused to co-operate with the PA. So, no he has no DV conviction.
@52
Do I look like dictionary.com? Is it my job to tell you if you’re one of the 16%ers?
Hahaha! You don’t even know what it means!
Wow! Pot-Kettle. Look at the how the majority of the regulars on this blog how they view all conservatives/republicans. (#33, #34 just in this thread alone) Why aren’t you calling them laughingstocks? Hypocrite? Yup, you are.
I’m not those people. All of the commenters here are different people. I’ve often criticized commenters (you saw me go ballistic on Headless Lucy last week) that are on my “side”. Right now, though, you’re acting very typically of a modern conservative, you’re attempting to point at others when you can’t come to grips with the fact that you’ve said something incredibly stupid.
@61
Of course McIver is linked to Democrats. Everyone in this city who’s in politics is linked to Democrats. But as a councilman, his position is non-partisan. I’m asking you to find where Goldy or Will or Geov or anyone else who writes at this site has considered him a representative of the Democratic Party.
re 48: Tell that story about politics never being non-partisan to the Attorney General of WA.
here, then
re 63: But you have to admit, headless was right and you were wrong. Sorry Lee, but when I squint my eyes and pull back the corners with my index fingers, that’s the way I see it!
@1
From the article you linked to:
“The three boys, all home-schooled”
Too bad for them that they didn’t attend public school.
@64 – I don’t recall you or Goldy or Geov stating he is a dem, but I do remember the “trolls” pointing it out and the “lefties” defending McIver during the DV arrest. So now that he is being linked to ethics issues, no one is coming to his defense now? Why come to his defense in a DV investigation and arrest? Most here will defend who they believe in til they are blue in the face, when it suits them best, but will jump ship when it is a problem. Kinda like Pelosi not being a “democrat” all of a sudden? Yet when she does what someone on the left wants her to do, she is a dem but when she kinda sits on an issue, they fire at her.
Saying pelosi wasn’t a democrat is one of the funniest things I’ve seen here. Either it was said by an idiot or someone so faaaar left that pelosi looks moderate.
And of course, none of the 16%ers said otherwise.
@70 – Yeah I was shocked as all hell when I read that line the other day…can’t remember who said it though!
How can anyone say pelosi isn’t a democrat.
On 3/17/2008 she said “If the votes of the superdelegates overturn what’s happened in the elections, it would be harmful to the Democratic party.”
and then she flip-flopped
On 4/1/2008 she said “These superdelegates have the right to vote their conscience and who they think would be the better president, or who can win, but they also then should get involved in the campaigns and make their power known there.”
That’s about as democrat as you can get, elected in a city as far left as you can get. And take into consideration her hypocrisy about unions being good for society except for her hotels, restaurants & vineyards.
And let’s not forget how rich she is. But like we all know, only the rich republicans are evil.
Handicapped BoyDifferently abled person @ 72:Both statements are true and neither is in conflict with the other.
Where’s the flip flop?
It would hurt the party if a few “Super Delegates” overturned the popular vote, especially considering Obama’s inroads with the youth vote 18-29 year olds (future of the party), expanding the minority vote involvement (growing the base of the party) and he’s a freaking cash cow (let’s face it, elections, especially close ones, are won and lost on “SHOW ME THE $$$).
But, the Super Delegates do have the right and the prerogative to vote as they please. If that overturns the will of the party’s members then so be it.
You should seriously consider taking calculus and trigonometry classes. The brain exercises will help stimulate your critical thinking skills and elevate you from retarded to high school GED.
Good luck with that.
What if Clinton wins the popular vote and Obama has the delegates, is it then OK to overturn the will of the people?
With Obama supporters, I’m afraid that is exactly the way it is.
Know what I mean, Vern.
The only thing that determines who gets the nomination in the Democratic Party is . . . wait for it, . . . wait for it . . . Delegates.
The popular vote may come into consideration for a super delegate but there is no metric that uses popular vote trumping pledge delegates.
re 76: Yeah. I remember the Obama camp saying that very same thing when he had the popular vote and Hillary had the delegates.
Or… was … it… just the opposite. I think it was the opposite.
So, the Obamatarians want it BOTH ways! Whatever is expedient.
16%ers – according to two unidentified sources, this is the percentage of Republican officials who are child rapists.
@78: About your twisted obsession …
Marvin…here’s the comment of Pelosi not being a democrat:
Foster Farms chickens
Of course the Moronic John DOH forgets why people were asking for Tereza Heinz Kerry’s returns.
Steve: Wrong on the 16%ers
@ 81
Oh, I remember the scurrilous accusations that Teresa Heinz Kerry was underreporting her income and the absurd demands that she prove the accusations false. I also remember that the New York Times had wanted to do some analysis on the extent to which the Kerrey’s had benefitted from various tax cuts, and that Teresa Heinz Kerry made enough information public to enable that analysis. It’s worth noting that Cindy McCain hasn’t even gone as far as Teresa Heinz Kerry went.
Yes, the Puddy Parade of Partial Punditry claims to have perfect memory, but, as we have seen time and time again, the Puddy Parade of Partial Punditry is based on a very selective memory.
Selective Memory John DOH?
URLs?
Simpleton Blatherings – YES!
Did I comment on Cindy McCain and her tax returns? No I didn’t.
So as we can see from John DOH (repeat Homer Simpson’s 32 DOH’s), he’s delusional again…
No partial punditry here, just straight talk like always…
Yes.
The only time the Puddy Parade of Partial Punditry goes into retreat is when you bring up an issue that the Puddy Parade doesn’t want to talk about. Further proof that the Puddy Parade of Partial Punditry only wants to discuss some of the facts on an issue.
If it’s not partial punditry, then why are there relevant facts that you don’t want to discuss?