Due to the work of dogged investigative reporting, it has been uncovered that the GOP is actually a scripted “reality” show for the Fox network.
The tipoffs were all there, if you used Morse code to decrypt all of Sarah Palin’s winks, you would have gotten the messages, “Hi Mom!”, “I buried John McCain.” and “I’m not this dumb in real life, really.”
What a colorful array of characters they cast:
You can’t make this stuff up.
I do have to say that Fox is great at marketing, everyone’s tuning into this show to see what they say and do next, lots of people can repeat each episode word for word but I think the writing has gotten a bit weak.
Like always having every character lying, that’s getting so old. And it’s very hackneyed to claim that everything they don’t like is “going to destroy our nation”. So played out, how about something new for a change, please?
They do always seem to throw a curve when things start to get predictable, like the Powerpoint presentation that was “leaked”, dissing their own donors as fearful and egotistical. Very funny, I wouldn’t have thought of that.
I’d have to say that my favorite character in the show is that female ex-governor from Alaska, she cracks me up! I think she’s being written by some of The Simpsons writers at Fox (the ones who write Mr. Burns?), her dialog and what she does is so cartoonish, you know? The way she’s so seemingly oblivious to how attention and power hungry she is and how ridiculously greedy, you know? Telling her clueless fans that she’s just a poor rural gal while she rakes in millions from books and appearances and grabs armfuls of loot from Oscar gift rooms.
She’s so funny! That death panel thing was hilarious! And her writing on her hand when she was attacking reading off teleprompters? Classic!
What gets a bit annoying though are the amount of reruns. If I have to see those episodes over and over again where they call Obama “a socialist” or claim the country is about to be nuked if the Senate uses a democratic, majority vote to pass legislation, I’m going to quit Tivoing it for a while.
However, I must admit that I am looking forward to next season when they play “Survivor” to see who gets to run for president. They’ve got some wild characters in the wings who will be joining the show then, there’s that two-faced, slick-as-a-used-car-salesman ex-Gov from MA and the conspiracy theory wingnut from TX with his cult following.
One question though, when is Fox ever going to take credit for this show and let people know it’s their “Blair Witch” faux-reality hoax? I mean, some people think it’s real!
This morning as I was watching last night’s Craig Ferguson Show that we tape since we can’t stay up that late, his monologue struck a chord with me.
He stated that he’s been feeling rather depressed lately, and I have to admit that so have I, and I wonder if anyone else has been feeling the same.
I find it depressing to read the news every day and every day the news seems to be nothing but doom and gloom.
If it’s not articles about the Party of NO, it’s stories about Limbaugh’s and Beck’s latest bloviations, Sarah Palin’s Charismatic Apostolic Warriors taking over our government, the 244% increase in hate groups, unemployment, foreclosures, Americans suffering without health care, earthquakes in Haiti and Chile.
I’ve been thinking about the typical platitude of counting my blessings, and I do have innumerable blessings in my life, and focusing on the positives rather than negatives, and then I log onto the Internet and the depressing cycle starts again.
So, I started thinking of what I can do in my every day life to get around the blues and decided that I need an attitude adjustment.
Today is the day that I am starting my personal movement to cheer up, by finding at least one good news story every single day.
I have also decided to stop playing into the negativity by referring to Tea Party people as teabaggers, and instead calling them, well, Tea Party People or referring to the group as the Tea Party Movement.
I am going to try very hard to speak about Republicans, Palin, Limbaugh and Beck, et all, in a respectful manner, taking a cue from Van Jones and his graciousness in telling Beck that he loves him, even if it was tongue in cheek, but I think the man really meant it.
In other words, I’m going to try to play nice and not lower myself to the opposition’s level.
Have you ever gotten really angry with someone and blew up and told them off?
How did it make you feel afterward?
I’ve done that a few times in my life, and every single time I’ve regretted it afterward and I felt horrible and worse than I did about whatever offense occurred to bring on my anger or hurt feelings.
I’m taking the high road, or going to try my damnedest to do that, as it is healthier for my frame of mind.
My feel good story of the day is this one –
Veterinarian Wins Pay It Forward
Dear Sarah,
Thank you for pointing out the basic offensiveness of our decision to change GOP to SOP.
However, since being politically correct, politically intelligent, politically relevant or politically astute seems to no longer be a prerequisite for actually being a member of the Republican Party – we feel that our decision is the correct one.
After careful consideration, we could no longer find an argument or even any reason for the “Grand” in Grand Old Party. Nonetheless, we were encouraged to keep at least some of the moniker – mostly because of brand recognition.
Therefore, the change from GOP to SOP will remain and we are sorry that your feelings have been hurt by this change. However, we can assure you that Special Olympics Party (SOP) is the right choice.
Yours Truly,
America
Here’s the audio for the trailer of the new horror movie (for the GOP), “Night of the Living Reform”
Yes, momentum and possibly even reason has returned to the minds of Democrats in Congress. Their brilliant minds seem to have recovered from the Scott Brown election mentality of “Only 59 seats now! We’re helpless!” to “Hey…if we can’t do anything with 59 seats, how can I win re-election by saying keep us in the majority?”
So, a growing number of Dems in the House and most importantly, in The Senate are championing bringing back real HCR including a public option and using reconciliation to get through the changes to the Senate bill that couldn’t pass a filibuster. Just as many of us have been hammering them to do for a long time.
The House is 100% right not to sign the Senate bill until its horrible provisions have been overridden by the reconciliation bill…which needs to include a Public Option. If that is done, public opinion on all of this will turn around.
The main reason most opposed the bill was because the public option was killed and there would be mandatory purchase of policies from insurance companies who can, as Anthem tried, raise premiums 39% at a time and bankrupt citizens who would be breaking the law and penalized for not allowing themselves to be bankrupted.
This two step approach is so simple and reasoned. Pass the aspects that all can agree on then pass the aspects that favor Americans over corporations by 51 Dem votes.
Aside from reforming the filibuster, reconciliation is the only path for the Dems and Obama to turn around the perception of a gridlocked and helpless government. It is an absolute. And they must not stop here, just as the GOP is using the filibuster to block everything, the Dems must use reconciliation to pass everything they possibly can through that method.
That means a jobs bill, bank and Wall Street reform, energy and carbon emissions bills, etc. Of course, there must be a budgetary element to any bill to qualify for reconciliation but how difficult would that be to have financial elements involved in each of these bills?
To me, it’s very simple. If the GOP is going to pull the emergency cord on every bill, the Dems should be prepared to pull their emergency cord in response. They are in the better position and could even use that as leverage to make agreements that if the GOP won’t filibuster, they won’t go around them with reconciliation and let them be part of the process.
I doubt this would work for a while but do they want to go 8 years without having any influence on any legislation? If public opinion turns around to support the progress occurring under Obama and Dems in Congress, what will they have to campaign on? Not one vote for anything?
I am FINALLY encouraged again that momentum is on our side but we need to keep it up and keep hammering any of our Senators and Congresspeople who are not already on board.
BTW, MoveOn.org is collaborating with DailyKos and a number of other sites and groups on Feb 24th to organize a 1 million message protest which I recommend to all members here to join. Here is a link to their site, click the article to sign up if you wish: http://moveon.org/
This can really happen if we fight hard enough against the GOP and corporations and for real health care reform, for all Americans, current and future!
As everyone probably knows by now, the great Tea Party Convention is in full swing this weekend in Nashville.
A whopping 600 teabaggers are gathered to hear their leaders, and are especially excited to hear Sarah Palin.
The convention kicked off to a great start with notable speaker Tom Tancredo –
Tancredo told the audience that the country had elected “a committed socialist ideologue in the White House” because “we do not have a civics, literary test before people can vote in this country“:
The opening-night speaker at the first National Tea Party Convention ripped into President Obama, Sen. John McCain and “the cult of multiculturalism,” asserting that Obama was elected because “we do not have a civics, literacy test before people can vote in this country.”
The speaker, former Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., told about 600 delegates in a Nashville, Tenn., ballroom that in the 2008 election, America “put a committed socialist ideologue in the White House … Barack Hussein Obama.”
Tancredo says Obama won because we lack a ‘literacy test before people can vote in this country.’
Another speaker was Steven Millroy who claimed –
President Obama is not a U.S. socialist. He’s an international socialist. He envisions one world government. That’s what his whole plan is.
How Dare You Say We Believe This Stuff!
And there were these words of wisdom from Joseph Farah –
My dream is that IF Barack Obama even seeks re-election as president in 2012, he won’t be able to go to any city, any town, any hamlet in America without seeing signs that ask, “Where’s the birth certificate?”
What I’ll say today at 1st Tea Party Convention
The Tea Party Movement is claiming victory for Scott Brown winning Senator Kennedy’s seat in Massachusetts and Brown’s win has bolstered the movement.
The Tea Party Express PAC spent $285,000 for Brown’s campaign, and there are reportedly several other smaller Tea Party PACs from Tennessee to California, which are working on campaigns for Tea Party candidates.
The Tea Party is looking to corporations, since the SCOTUS ruling –
Tea party looking for corporate donations
The US Supreme Court’s recent decision to scale back part of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reforms could also come to play a role. Tea party organizers gathered in Nashville, Tenn., say corporations are welcome to donate.
The establishment of various tea-party-related campaign funds is part of a rush by genuine organizers, K Street lobbyists, established party operatives, and even hucksters to cash in on the tea party moniker – a criticism that has been leveled from both outside and inside the movement against Tea Party Nation, the for-profit group that’s bringing former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to Nashville for a speech Saturday night.
New Tea Party PAC: Can it raise $10 million for midterm revolt?
But there are problems within the Tea Party Movement itself, with protests from within.
A splinter group has emerged due to the price of the convention and the feeling of being scammed by the Tea Party leaders.
Meanwhile, a splinter group plans to stage a guerilla press conference on the grounds of the Opryland Resort to denounce the convention for its cost and failure to represent the tea party spirit.
Harnessing ‘tea party’ spirit won’t be easy. Convention is proof.
Can Sarah Palin unite her loyal teabaggers or will her appearance divide the movement further?
Stay tuned.
OK I get the feeling some of you did not do your home work so here is a pop quiz.
Bonus Question: What yet undiscovered particles make up Huckaboson?
Send you answers to the kquark@planetpov.com and the aswers and the winner’s moniker will be posted on the Friday Planet Music Night thread.
You will probably need to click on the image to enlarge it to read all the names in question.
The Planet now has it’s very own political parody of the Periodic Table. I first want to thank everyone who helped me with the nomenclature. This table is based on most of the craziness that has occurred during the first year of Obama’s presidency. Any comments or suggestions are welcome. The table is below and you will probably have to click on it to enlarge to read all the names
The official Super Bowl Sunday began January 15th, 1967 when the Green Bay Packers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs.
The NFL had full control of the game since 1920, until the AFL began in 1960.
June 8th, 1966, the two leagues agreed on a merger, with the condition that the winners from both leagues play against each other to determine the champion.
Originally, NFL Commissioner, Pete Rozelle, wanted to call the game “The Big One”, but it was the AFL founder and owner of the Kansas City Chiefs, Lamar Hunt, who suggested “Super Bowl” and the name has stuck ever since.
Super Bowl Fun Facts:
http://www.yumsugar.com/125068
My husband and I plan on staying home for the game and eating the traditional guacamole and chili (both homemade) and plenty of beer, of course, which will probably result in some scented sound effects around half time! 
GO COLTS!
I need your help because my ideas are drying up. This is what I have so far and I’ve thought of about a dozen more to add that I can think of including the SCOTUS judges, and usual rabble of right wing talking heads. I need help identifying the lying and corrupt politicians, blowhards and business execs that destroy America. Also if you have some creative names that would be appreciated. Don’t worry about the formatting I’ll do that last. Here is what I have so far on paper. Click to enlarge the PTOE.
I was browsing some old pictures to download to my phone and I came across one of the funniest and most poignant images I came across during the election. To think that we gave the country over to this people is mind boggling and worse is the fact that we might do it again.
Periodic Table of Criminal Elements
To satisfy my scientific post of the week as well following this paragraph are a few interesting versions of the periodic table. There are many interactive versions of the Periodic Table some including quizzes on the internet and you can find those with a Google search. Click HERE to see most versions of the periodic table scientists have developed through the decades. Probably the most “accurate” form of the periodic table in 2D are the spiral configurations but the 3D interpretations are best. Click on the Periodic Tables to enlarge to full size.
Most Up to Date Traditional Configuration of the Periodic Table of Elements (PTOE)
Traditional PTOE with Pictures of the Elements in Their Native Form.
An Interesting Classic Version of the PTOE Showing Electron Orbitals and Their Wave Functions
Early Spiral Version of the PTOE
Latest Spiral Version of the PTOE (this Spiral Version of the PTOE is actually a phenomenal on line interactive Shockwave version you can access by clicking HERE)
Another Spiral Version That Represents how the Electron Shells Form
This was my personal favorite of the PTOE but it never took off after it was developed in the mid 70’s
Click HERE to see one of the better interactive versions of the Periodic Table of Elements which link to Wiki entries on each element.
I thought I’d tackle the very serious issue of climate change by penning a Hank Williamsy, cry-in-your-beer c&w love song about it. As for the quality, you’ve heard of The Basement Tapes, right? Well, think of this as a whatever is below the basement tape. The great musicianship should be attributed to my buddy, Guy (not THE Buddy Guy, my friend Guy, who provides the stunning guitar work). Lyrics and singing can be blamed on yours truly.
Note: There is no ferret in the picture, just arctic critters, so you can spare yourself the search.
Warmer Than My Heart
Cherry trees in Tokyo are blossoming in March
New Yorkers in January picnic in the park
I read you letter late last night and sat there in the dark
every place it’s warmer than my heart
Moscow in the winter is like Paris in the spring
I wonder why in old Shanghai the birds have come to sing
in Berlin I saw you girl in your brand new boyfriend’s car
every place it’s warmer than my heart
(refrain)
we’re told that we must heed the warning
or life as we know it could well come to an end
but I’m hoping that global warming
will melt your heart and bring you back, back to me again
businessmen pay scientists to say it isn’t so
on the slopes skiers hope for just a little snow
if you want to cool things down, I know the place to start
every place it’s warmer than my heart
The climate crime rate’s going up just like the mercury
the way you cooled our romance down seems like a crime to me
we had a good thing going till you blew it all apart
now every place it’s warmer than my heart
On a winter’s day in two thousand ten
A decision was made by five crazy men
Their words were all heard by the little boy, Trent
Who then asked his mother what all of this meant.
“Corporations are people? That seems very odd.
I haven’t met one in my class or schoolyard.”
“Do they have arms and legs? Do they like to kick balls?
Do they lick ice cream cones? Do they yell in the halls?”
His mother replied with a shake of her head,
“No they don’t but they’re people, the Justices said.”
“Do they like to climb trees? Do they walk? Do they run?
Do they like to breathe air? Do they sing just for fun?”
His mother replied with a face that was red,
“No they don’t but they’re people, the Justices said.”
“Do they vote in elections? Or drive a fast car?
Do they give birth to babies? Or wish on a star?”
His mother looked weary and ready for bed,
“No they don’t but they’re people, the Justices said.”
“Do they live? Do they die? Or even have souls?
Do they pour lots of milk in their cereal bowls?”
His mother’s heart fell as if weighted by lead,
“No they don’t but they’re people, the Justices said.”
The little boy Trent had had quite enough,
He started to frown, he started to huff,
“What kind of people don’t breathe or have souls?
Don’t live and don’t die or have cereal bowls?”
“Those five men are dumber than all in my class,
My decision for them? They can all kiss my ass!”
This year just may be the one when the most notorious “curse” in all of American professional sports is lifted. The city of Cleveland has experienced a drought unlike any other city hosting multiple professional sports teams. The last championship they can boast of was when the Cleveland Browns won the NFL title in 1964, before a little thing called the Super Bowl was invented! Before that, you have to go back to 1948, when the Indians won the World Series. Although not necessarily clear favorites for the title this year, the Lebron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers are, at the time of this writing, one of the best teams in the NBA. They were the first team to chalk up 25, and then 30 wins, and with the season now more than half over, there is little doubt that this team will go deep into the playoffs, if not all the way.
Without question, the biggest sport of all in Ohio is Ohio State University football. Though not a professional sport, it is most definitely an industry, and I’d be willing to bet there is at least one OSU alum on every single NFL team. The Buckeyes have won their share of national championships (as recently as 2002, in fact), and when that happens, Cleveland fans cheer as loudly as anyone in the state outside of Columbus, (where the stadium is located). Still, having a local champion to shine rays of light on the beleagured citizenry (the skies above Cleveland are generally unremittingly gray) is a matter of intense longing for Clevelanders, who have so often been denied. Cleveland has names for its heartbreaks, and the star villains of these episodes are some of the biggest names in pro sports. “The Catch”, by Willie Mays (in the 1954 World Series), “The Drive” engineered by John Elway to win the 1987 AFC Championship game, and “The Shot” by Michael Jordan (a buzzer beater that ended the playoff run of the Cavs in 1989) are a few among many stories of unlikely episodes that dashed the championship hopes of Cleveland’s pro teams. It’s bad enough that the city has lost over half its population from its peak of nearly a million in 1950. Bad enough that it is referred to as “The Mistake on the Lake” and has the Kent State Massacre and the burning of the Cuyahoga River to live down. Clevelanders can put up with that. There is pride in the city that, although it might seem unmerited to most Americans, is deeply felt by its residents. But, to go so long without a championship, to have come so close and fallen short so often, is a thorn in the city’s side it would dearly love to extract.
Enter Lebron James. There are two things about him that mark him as a city saviour right out of central casting: he’s great, and he’s local. Born and raised in nearby Akron, for the last ten years, beginning with his stellar high school career, he has been an icon of Northern Ohio sports. By a happy set of circumstances that seem almost ordained, the formerly woeful Cavaliers were able to sign James right out of St. Vincent-St. Mary HS, and the man-boy even had the temerity to promise the city a championship when he signed. Even in a superb year for rookies (that included Carmelo Anthony, considered by some to be the greatest college baller of all time), Lebron stood out. He was the cream of his class in scoring, and, at the tender age of eighteen, put up all around offensive numbers that most seasoned veterans can only dream about. Rookie of the Year seemed deserved enough (though “Melo” Anthony’s fans may argue), as this bright new addition to the Cavs helped the team’s record improve from a dismal 17-65 the previous season to a much better 35-47 in 2003/4.. Cleveland was ecstatic! If “The Chosen One” (he actually has this tattooed across his impossibly broad shoulders- all the better to hoist a city with?) continued to progress along the trajectory his career had charted thus far, could a championship be far behind?
And yet, and yet. The Lebron James Era is now seven years old, and the Cavs have yet to achieve that which Cleveland covets above all else, that elusive championship. No one can deny that with James leading them, the team has ascended to the highest echelon of the NBA, alongside the L.A. Lakers and the Boston Celtics. They overachieved their way to a Finals match-up with the San Antonio Spurs three years ago, and were summarily swept off the court in four games. The current version is much improved over that team. Still, up to this point Lebron can’t even add to his stellar resume a Finals victory, much less a championship.
But wait. It gets worse. For this is the year when Lebron’s current contract runs out, and he can opt, if he decides that his chances of winning a championship (or multiple championships, which he needs to be considered among the all time greats) to take his superhuman ability elsewhere, leaving Cleveland without the championship he promised it, and scant prospects for one any time soon. So, Cavs owner Dan Ferry and his back office minions have done everything they could to create a Cavs team with a genuine chance of going all the way this year. How could King James walk away from the best team on the planet, after all? The biggest (and I do mean BIGGEST) change to the team is the addition of Shaquille O’Neal, who has been on four championship teams in his career, as many as anyone still on the court today. Shaq is a giant, a guaranteed Hall of Famer, and probably the strongest man to ever play professional basketball (he actually brought down the entire framework, down to the floor bolts, of a basket during a slam dunk once, and walked away after bringing the shot clock down on his back as a result). But the Shaq of 2009/2010 is clearly past his prime. His formidable presence is not what it once was, by a long shot. Had these two physical specimens, Shaq and Lebron, shared the floor when they were both in their prime, they would probably have been an unstoppable force such as the NBA has rarely seen. But Shaq is still a monster. Furthermore, recognizing his diminished powers, he has magnanimously stated that his goal is to win “a ring for the King (James)”. He’d definitely like one more of his own, too. Particularly since this is probably his last season, and that ring, were it to happen, would almost surely be plucked off the finger of Kobe Bryant of the Lakers, his former teammate who also has four championships to his credit, as a Cavs championship is likely to go through the Lakers (best team in the West) this season. Kobe still has some good years, perhaps many good years, in him. So Shaq would at least like to be the first of them to get a ring for each finger. Lebron wants to get his first, badly. And Cleveland? This City of Broken Dreams wants something of even greater value, the lifting of a curse, and, even if its for just one lousy year, something to brag about.
Chernynkaya Looks like our Planet is acting up again: No images appear for Time Out/OT or for KQuark’s... A New Low for Huffy
boomer1949 Cher, He was born in 1940 and missed the Boomer Era by 6 years. So he must be in Limbo, right?... Time Out for O/Tboomer1949 Cher, Bless you my child, bless you… 
boomer Time Out for O/T
KQuark I saw that as well and agree with Markos 100%. Kucinich above all people is not worrying about... Time Out for O/TChernynkaya Boomer, I do!! Time Out for O/TChernynkaya I watched Markos Moulitsas on KO the other night and my jaw kind of dropped. I agree with him... Time Out for O/TChernynkaya Boomer, I think he is actually somewhere in between “the greatest generation” and we... Time Out for O/Tboomer1949 Cher, See why I’ve whined all winter about the parents leaving San Diego? boomer Time Out for O/T
nellie All I can say is “Wow.” Is this a challenge to Kucinich from the left or from the... Time Out for O/Tboomer1949 javaz, And Tom has conveniently forgotten, or maybe it’s early dementia, that he is one of... Time Out for O/TChernynkaya I agree, Nellie. It will seem underhanded to many and to me, it seems an unnecessary controversy. This Big Change Almost Sneaked ByChernynkaya I think– and fervently hope– that this POS Beck has finally, at long last, gone too... Glen Beckistan Strikes Again but this Time with a DemKQuark Yup. You can only use one image for the thumbnail so the other images you use can be any size you... A Coalition of Church and State – Part 1nellie I don’t. I’ve read those remarks everywhere. Young progressives think that Bush... Time Out for O/Tnellie As much as I support the proposed changes in the student loan process, I wish congress would... This Big Change Almost Sneaked By
javaz Has anyone else been noticing the criticism of the baby boomer generation lately? Some are... Time Out for O/T
