"William And Kate's Big, Fat Anglican Wedding" - Or - "Let Them Eat (Wedding) Cake!"

Re: The "Royal Wedding" of KaWill (or is it Willate?)...

* Here's a little Non-British Bonus:

Those of us who live outside of Great Britain may enjoy watching the shiny shindig (or not) from a distance...

Smiling throughout as we gaze at the happy couple, admire the exquisite dresses, sit slack-jawed gaping at the ornate carriages and - depending upon the camera angles - possibly notice the higher level of security and the number security personnel present (some of whom, I learned only yesterday, were soldiers serving overseas who were unexpectedly called back from/pulled out of Afghanistan to work the wedding).

Perhaps we'll have enjoyed the festivities just a little more than many of our fellow Royal-revelers whom actually live in Great Britain, because we can take comfort in the knowledge that- and feel genuine relief that - our taxes aren't being siphoned off to pay for half of the, undoubtedly, expensive and pretty pomp and circumstance.

I do feel sympathetic outrage for Britain's citizenry, especially since I learned that they are being forced to pay for half of the undoubtedly exorbitant costs (taken out of taxes collected) as well as having to face and deal with recently passed severe austerity measures scheduled to go into effect shortly

What's wrong with this picture?

Uh... Hello?  Unless the Crown Jewels have been stolen (amongst other treasures) or something and the Royals are simply keeping up appearances and being tight-lipped about suddenly becoming destit...

(Nah, who'm I kidding?)

... dropping a few notches on the Forbes List, or whatever -

Well, isn't the Royal Family... uh, Rich?

I mean, it would be beyond utterly ridiculous for anyone to suggest - with any seriousness - that any amount of American tax monies collected should be put aside to pay for any sitting President's offspring's nuptials... Right?


I could be misunderstanding the situation - although I doubt it - but. it looks to me like the land-owning, upper-crusty, genuine gems & countless carat-wearing lords/ladies/dukes and duchesses have all been invited to and are attending a dazzling, once-in-a-lifetime, wedding spectacular... which is being bankrolled - under duress - by Britain's hard working working-class.

It seems very unfair and so very "... let them eat cake."-ish to me.

What do you think?

Peace.
L.

Daily Show: Friends Without Benefits. GOP Sen. Stearns Says FU To 1st Responders...

Off all the Bone-Headed, Idiotic & Infinitely-Offensive Congressional Amendments shoved into a bill before they'd begrudgingly approve it...

As if Congress's taking 9 yrs. just to pass a Healthcare Bill that would assist our 9/11 First Responders in paying for their medical expenses - paying for treatment of the cancers and the respiratory diseases they've developed after sifting through the World Trade Center Tower rubble (for weeks on end) - tirelessly searching through the still-smouldering devastation, dust and blood for remains so that those still missing could, finally, be identified and their families could, eventually, have some sort of closure... As if that wasn't enough ...

Nope, apparently not...

In an "Insult To Injury" Amendment added by Senator Cliff Stearns (R.FL)...

America's 9/11 First Responders (the ones who haven't already Died from injuries sustained doing those heroic duties) who submit a claim so that they can pay for their medical treatment, must first undergo a background check/be checked against the Terrorist Watch List before receiving money for their chemotherapy.

Ugh!... sometimes I Really Dislike human beings.

(From last night's The Daily Show.)

* I'd encourage you to watch the segment - in its entirety - as broadcast in the whole episode (It's the first segment in the episode).  For some reason, Comedy Central chopped it into two pieces and "the whole is more than the sum of its parts" - as some wise person once said.

First clip (3:36)

Second clip (5:20)

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart (April 26, 2011)

Enjoy!

Peace.
L.

Krugman Reviews: Deluded P.Ryan; bi-partisan if it kills ya Obama & Progressive Yes We Can Plans

Hey Boys & Girls:

Below you will find a crystal clear, concise, to-the-point & user-friendly overview of the current federal budget proposals - Courtesy of Mr. Paul "Listen to the Voice of Reason" Krugman over at NYT.

Mr. Krugman touches on the Big Three:

Mr. Paul "I'm not Courageous/But I'm Cute - for a Republican" Ryan's Magical Thinking-Non Deficit Reducing-Robin Hoodlum GOP Plan; President Barack "Bi-Partisanship Is Overrated" (Yeah, I know it's wishful thinking) Obama's More Practical-Deficit Reducing-Could Be Even Better Plan & the *Congressional Progressive Caucus' Plan.

*Psst - Between you, me and the water-cooler - That last Plan is the Only One that Really Can Balance The Federal Budget In 10 Years - No Magical Thinking, No Crushing Debt Nor Devastating Disappointment Required!

Hey, Senator Ryan (and GOP-paid "Ain't Paul Brave?" Pep Squad):

Wisely , Fairly, & Successfully Reducing the Federal Deficit Whilst,  Simultaneously, Nurturing A Healthy Economy Doesn't take an Iota of Courage - not that you've shown anything resembling that, either.

It only requires a handful of priceless characteristics: Honesty, Integrity, (Un)Common Sense... Oh, and Mad Math Skills (or someone who has them) .

Here's the link:

Let’s Take a Hike  By PAUL KRUGMAN  Published: April 24, 2011

11-Year Old Texas Girl Gang-Raped By 18+ Men & Boys. Community Expresses Concerns For... Her Rapists!

Rape is a Crime of Violence.  {Period.}

Regardless of Appearance/Manner of Dress - No One "Asks for it" or "Deserves it".  {Period.}

And yet, despite this - somehow - the practice of victim-blaming continues... even in respected media outlets... even when the rape victims are children.

In a Just World, during the trials of rapists, details on such minutiae as: the victim's make-up application/style of dress; the kind of shoes worn; and discussing whether the rape victim had been drinking/was intoxicated would all be considered Inadmissible in the courtroom.

Why? 

Because such details and others like them are Irrelevant.  Period.

Why?

(Please refer to the first line of this Blog.)

Last November in Cleveland, Texas, an 11-yr. old girl was brutally gang-raped in a trash-filled and abandoned trailer by at least 18 men & boys - several of whom felt the grueling assault was a significant enough event as to be worth recording - so they filmed it on their cell-phones and later showed the films to friends of theirs.

(That's Strange... I suddenly feel an inexplicable urge to gather a tool-kit - just like the one Dexter Morgan uses for his extra-curricular activities - and take a trip to Texas. I say "Inexplicable", because I've never had any urge to/interest in going to Texas before.)

The details of the heinous crime are bad enough... Yet, that's not the end of the story.

Also Bad (very bad): Many of Cleveland,Texas' residents made statements which indicated that their primary concern was in regards to the possible long-term negative effects the upcoming trials and likely convictions would have on...

(I kid you not) the rapists.

Making A Bad Bad Situation Significantly Worse: Both the Houston Chronicle newspaper and the Houston Bureau Chief of the New York Times, James C. McKinley Jr., proceeded to sink so low - as in "Fox News" low - as to be compelled to go beyond simply reporting the facts: They made a point to heartily stoke the already-smoldering fires of the practice "victim-blaming" by printing several statements made by various members of the community - all of whom indicated that they were placing the blame for the 18-man gang-rape on either: A.) the 11-yr. old victim or B.) the victim's Mother (As in the outraged, "Where was her Mother?!" and "What kind of Mother lets her 11-year old child wander around like that?".  To which I would respond with an opposing - and more pertinent question... like: "What kind of Mother doesn't teach her sons not to rape?")

In the 21st Century, such misplaced sympathy, ludicrous questions & callous insensitivity - dare I say misogyny - and an utterly indefensible refusal to hold men responsible & accountable for brutally and forcibly violating other human beings is not just beyond Disgusting... It is beyond Comprehension.

To offer you the best means to decide for yourself via various perspectives on this stunning story...

Here's the initial Ms. Magazine article which caught my eye and from which I gleaned the links to the New York Times And Houston Chronicle articles (found below):

Did The New York Times Blame the 11-Year-Old Victim of a Texas Gang Rape?  (Ms.Magazine)

Vicious Assault Shakes Texas Town  (New York Times - Houston Bureau)

Girl's sex assault rocks Cleveland  (Houston Chronicle)

I hope the young girl - who is in a new school (in Gifted classes) and has, since the attack, been placed into foster care because local authorities are concerned for her safety - and her Mother, sisters and brother (who have also had to move to another town out of the same concern for their safety) - continue to heal, receive all the support they needs and that they are able to enjoy safe, happy and fulfilling lives.

As for the 18-20+ men and boys who threatened, kidnapped, gang-raped, taped the rapes and then did a show-and-tell with the videos as well as uploading them onto the internet AND have threatened her and her family since the arrests began...  I'll simply say this, "May each and every one of you receive all that you deserve - and may it be a good lesson to you."

Peace.

 L.

*Thanks to One Million Pissed Off Women for bringing this story to my attention!

Daily Show: Tales of Principled Behavior- Obama Birth Cert. Mystery, Or Bill O'Reilly Just Blew My Mind

If anyone at any moment throughout my Life had ever suggested to me that I would be expressing the following sentiment, I would have been either: A.) rendered completely helpless for a good five minutes (at least) due to convulsing into hysterical fits of laughter or... B.) suggested that they had - in that very instant - simply become irrevocably insane.

The words that I never (in a million-trillion years) would have ever believed I would ever utter (not even in jest) are these:

Pappa Bear Bill O'Reilly has accomplished something which I would have previously considered Impossible - if I had ever ventured to consider such an unlikely act coming from the man behind The O'Reilly Factor (on Fox). A feat which, when I first watched the tape, left me momentarily stunned & speechless and one which I willingly admit is deserving of our respect and is the kind of use of time and resources for which I would encourage him to engage in more often.

What did O'Reilly do?

He spent some of his On-Air time during The O'Reilly Factor reviewing some of the most pervasive online myths regarding President Obama and then stating to his (inexplicably) wide audience that they are, indeed, False claims and then exposing the Truth Behind The Lie/Myth.

To say I was stunned to see the historically right-wing and non fact-checking Mr. O'Reilly's participating in Truth-Seeking and Myth-Busting - especially when it concerns our Democratic President and especially on-the-record and On-The-Air during his own program... is the epitome of understatement.

First, he Trumped ridiculous Wanna-Be Republican Candidate for President, Donald Trump, following the D-oh-nald's laughable attempt to lend credence to the already-busted and now simply delusional "Birther" myth/belief that President Obama wasn't born in Hawaii/America.

And that was just for starters.

Uh... Way to go, Bill!  And, umm.... Keep up the great work!

(F.Y.I. ~ Hell has just frozen over.)

Here's the clip that blew my mind and... restored my faith in hum... (Nah...) restored my belief that Anything's Possible:

(From Wednesday, April 13, 2011's The Daily Show)
Daily Show: Tales of Principled Behavior - Obama Birth Certificate Mystery

4/18/11 Breaking News: San Francisco Bay Area Earthquake!

Yippie-kai-yay!

We just had an Earthquake. It was entered somewhat South of San Francisco.

I felt a jolt-rumbling-jolt as the floor jerked and the walls rattled as I sat in my bedroom in a 100+yr. old Victorian.

Current Estimate is: 3.8 on Richter.

(My Dad says the smaller quakes release pressure, thereby staving off bigger quakes. *I don't know if that's true- but, it makes me feel better :) .)

Had my windows open... No one else in my immediate vicinity seemed to notice it.

Gotta Love California!

Peace,

L.

Inquiring Minds Wanted To Know: Was Sarah Palin's Pregnancy A Hoax?

Sure, throughout history, there have been women who chose to make an intentionally false claim of Pregnancy.

But, never ever has any woman made such a claim on the scale of this recent example...

Half-Governor Sarah Palin.  And uh, no... I Kid You Not.

Scandalous?

Absolutely!

Still... Apparently, La Palin wasn't actually preggers.

And, not only that, but Trig isn't Palin's son - he's her grandson.

Don't believe me?  I don't blame you.

I wouldn't have believed it myself... Sounds too National Enquirer-ish, right?

If you would simply suspend your disbelief for just a moment and listen to this:

There's a very real and growing body of evidence that all points to it being True that Sarah Palin's pregnancy was a great, big, manipulative Hoax.  I read through it and it has convinced me of its veracity.

Now, obviously, the mainstream press bowed and cowed in '08.

So, Now Is The Time To Investigate! (No time like the present, right?)

Hello Boys & Girls! Today's word is: "Fraud"... as in: "Sarah Palin, et al. perpetrated an enormous Fraud on the American people."

Hell... Where are those "Birthers" when you need them? (La Palin has yet to produce an authentic/official birth certificate, amongst other discrepancies.)

 Check out the documented evidence for yourself in the article from Business Insider (below).

Thanks to One Million Pissed Off Women for bringing this gem to my attention.

P.S.~ This is not a case of "going after someone's children", although that's what the first outraged defenders of Palin will, undoubtedly, cry out - with much gnashing of teeth and rending of clothes..

What it Is:  A case of then-Alaska governor and candidate for Vice President of the U.S.A., Palin, and untold numbers of helpers attempting to - well, no... they did put one over on all of America.

And I, for one, think that their bunko behavior Sucks.

I also think that all of the people who were instrumental/complicit in perpetrating this hoax need to be exposed, publicly,  as the Liars, Deceivers & Frauds that they work so hard to be and truly are.

Enjoy!

Peace,

L.

Versace 2011: That's Mighty White Of Them...

"That's Mighty White Of Them..."

Umm...

I must say that, after having perused Versace's Fall/Winter 2011 Collection runway fashion show images, that I'm...  Wow...  Well, I'm...

I guess "Stunned" would be a good word.

Mind you, I don't mean "Stunned" in good way.

"Why?", you might ask... (Please Ask.)

Because every single runway model - in both Versace's men's & women's collections - is... oh... Uber-Caucasian.

In fact... (personally) I found the men extremely Aryan-looking and not all that physically-attractive - for my own tastes, anyway.  As I looked at them, I kept seeing Prince Charles, for some reason...

And, in the spirit of "full-disclosure", to be honest: looking at high-end European facist... (oops!)... I meant fashion... show models is something that I never do, usually.

Like you, I have infinitely more important things to do taking up so called "time" in my life - like watching grass grow - but I had to grit my teeth and do a little slumming while doing research for one of my upcoming eBay listings.

So, I have yet to compare Versace's dismal, pasty-faced parade to the diversity (or lack thereof) found at other fashion power-houses...

But, now that Versace's glaring lack of color - not to mention evolution - has gotten my ire up...
What can I say?

It's a dirty job... but, somebody's gotta do it.  And, as is often the case in such situations, I pick... Me.


So, in the coming days, I'll be going undercover... I'll become a "Pretender".

The "Pretend": I'll become a style-conscious Fashionista... getting a line on all the glamour-gossip... rubbing virtual shoulders with the chi-chi and the (eww!) trendy...

(Sigh...)

And then, after I've taken a very long, very hot shower (or three) and scrubbed all of the over-the-top superficiality off of me... I'll let you know what I've uncovered.


Peace,
L.

*The House of Versace has been run by sister Donatella since Gianni was murdered in the 1990's.

P.S. ~ Check out the photos for yourselves and let me know what You think:

Versace's Fall/Winter 2011 Women's Collection.

Versace's Fall/Winter 2011 Men's Collection.

This one's short & sweet: *Best Shop Sign (*Ever)...

Best Shop Sign*:
(*Ever)

"Unattended Children Will Be Either Eaten Or Sold Into Slavery." 

- Braindrops Piercing & Tattoo (You gotta Love Tha Haight.)


I happened to see this sign after deciding to let my facial piercing (self-pierced by Yours Truly) close and get a new professional piercing done in its place.
Me: Hollow piercing needles?  Go figure!  What will they think of next?
(I'd MacGyver'd my current piercing - several years back - using only a large sewing needle and an eraser.)

 

 

Photo Credit: sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Porpoise rescued from rice field after Japan tsunami

Pet shop owner Ryo Taira rescues the young fin-less porpoise from a flooded rice paddy two km (1mi) inland. (AFP/Asahi)

(Yess!) I just found this golden nugget of Good News originating from tsunami-devastated Sendai, Japan (Insert visual of me doing the "Happy Dance", here):

Japanese animal rescue volunteers have saved a porpoise from a rice field after it washed two kilometres inland by the March 11 tsunami.

Ryo Taira and his group were in the devastated area around Sendai rescuing cats and dogs when they received a phone call that took them a while to comprehend, the Asahi daily reported.

"There's a dolphin in the rice fields!" said the caller, Masayuki Sato, 55, confusing the baby porpoise with the similar-looking sea mammal.

The volunteers rushed to the site at nearby Ishinomaki, where they saw the animal - a finless porpoise or Neophocaena phocaenoides - wriggling in a flooded rice field.

Read the rest of this inspiring (and brief) rescue story, here: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/03/23/3172015.htm

Enjoy (I certainly did)!
L.

Victim of Bullying A Web Hero! Have YOU Body-Slammed A Bully Today?!

A Warning To Bullies Everywhere:

No matter how big and bad you think you are - there's going to be someone bigger and badder than you.

And, there's this (I'm speaking now as a former bullied kid):

You think you're getting away with... you do it all the time... anytime... to anyone...

And well, hell, no one's raised a finger to stop you.

And (contrary to what nearly every single adult suggest kids do in these situations), of course, they won't tell on you, won't be tattle-tales, won't rat you out.

(You know that they're afraid they'd get worse if they did.)

No one's told (Yet.).

So, you go on bullying.

Saying all kinds of ugly, nasty, hurtful things... inflicting physical pain, humiliation and embarrassment... causing tears to fall... drawing blood... touching...

And all the while, you think you're on top... you're unstoppable... Top o' the food chain.

You're confident that they're all afraid... terrified even... that they could be they next one targeted by you... and well, sure, that may seem True... at the moment.

But, I'd like to point out that, just in case you weren't aware:

Still waters not only run deep...  They often run... Dark.

In those situations where one's being subjected to emotional and physical torment (often repeated/prolonged) and the victims feel powerless to stop it - they can't physically overtake their abuser...

And well, yeah, everybody hates a Rat... so, telling anyone's out.

In such situations, pig-headed bullies can never really know if or when someone who has been bullied, ridiculed and abused - often mercilessly and often for years...

Someone the bully and others think is already destined to be a victim for the rest of their life...

They just will never know when that "victim" is going to reach a moment when something inside them snaps... goes "click"...

 And, the victim just doesn't care anymore. They just don't want to hurt anymore.
And, they're gonna make it all stop... Now.

(Example: Columbine High School. Those two boys were victims of repeated/prolonged bullying. They reached that point. They'd had enough. It was going to stop. And, everyone who'd participated in/laughed at their misery would be sorry.)


What victim of perpetual bullying hasn't wanted to blow away his abusers?

So, consider yourselves warned, assholes.

Bullying Sucks!

I think I'll get bumper-stickers made:  "Have YOU Body-Slammed a Bully Today?!"

(If you haven't, that's O.K., you've got plenty of time left.)

Why am I Blogging about Bullying?  You might ask...

Because of this Awesome story that's come out of Australia (with video, of course):

The video was captured in an, apparently, unsupervised area of a school and shows one chubby boy getting bullied (punched in the face and torso) and taunted by another, scrawnier, boy as other kids watch and laugh at his situation.

The attack goes on for a few moments - until the former "victim" reaches that moment when he's finally had enough.

He's taken the abuse and the taunts and he's turned the other cheek and he's walked away and there's just no end in sight.  So...  Well, you'll see...

All I have to say is: "Go Casey!"

You'll find the article and video at the link below:
(From: The Daily Telegraph.com.au)

Victim of school bullying a web hero -Bruce McDougall

Peace,

L.

Japan's Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant: Where 3 Isn't Company - It's A Catastrophe.

As if you didn't need anymore reasons to dislike Mondays...

As if the devastating 8.9 quake and subsequent tsunami in Japan, followed shortly thereafter by the news (with video) of an explosion at the building housing a nuclear reactor at one of Japan's 50 nuclear plants wasn't enough...

Here's an update:
There are three reactors at Fukushima's Dai-ichi nuclear power plant which are now facing possible meltdown.

This Is Not A Drill, People.

Gee. No... G.E., actually.
(As in "General Electric") :P

What does GE have to do with any of this? You might ask...
Well, in some I-wish-I-could-say "surprising news", it turns out there have long been known vulnerabilities with GE's Mark 1 containment structures - such as are found in the three Japanese reactors which are now creeping - like tectonic plates - toward Epic (not to mention avoidable) Man-Made Disaster Status.

Here's an enlightening - if not irritating article on the matter from The Guardian (thankfully not - I hope - a subsidiary of corporate blob GE):
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/mar/14/nuclearpower-energy

Pray... Think "Good Thoughts"... Whatever feels "right" to you.

Looking On "The Bright Side"...
Here's hope and optimism that, at the very least, the horrible man-made disasters we are now experiencing - ones which followed what were - without exception - inevitable (if not predictable) natural disasters will usher in The End Times for the nuclear power industry.

Peace,
L.

Location Location Location, Right? So, How Did Japan End Up W/50 Nuclear Plants?

Japan is one nation I'd never have expected to go with the perpetually-poisonous (toxic waste w/half-lives) and potentially disastrous-beyond-belief route of energy production that is nuclear power.

Boy, was I wrong.

Despite it's geographical location, which is smack in the midst of " The Ring of Fire" and despite being struck, frequently, by sizable Earthquakes which are often followed by Tsunami - the archipelago that is Japan (formed by one tectonic plate moving under another in a process called subduction) has 50 (that's five-0) nuclear power plants.

Fifty nuclear power plants scattered across beautiful islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Hmmm... How is it that, apparently, no national and/or international chorus of scientists. statisticians, people who understand how priceless and fragile ecosystems are... or even just those fortunate ones who possess Common Sense rose up to Protest, declaring for those blinded by greed(?) "This is a Stupid Idea!"? {rhetorical question}

Sigh.  Well, as was - without exception - bound to happen at some point - Yesterday. Friday, Japan was hit by an 8.9 magnitude earthquake.

Japan has declared an atomic power emergency. At one of the 50 plants, Daiichi, residents within a 6-mile radius of the plant have been ordered to evacuate.  The neighboring Daini plant is also reporting offline reactors. Members of the world's scientific community are voicing concern that Japanese officials are being less than forthcoming with timely and accurate information.

Initially, Daiichi had reported falling back on back-up power sources to provide the energy required to continue pumping the huge amounts of water through the reactors which is necessary in order to keep the nuclear cores cool. About an hour later - after the tsunami had struck - they had lost that back-up power source.

The worst-case scenario?  A very real possibility: nuclear meltdown.

The last news report I heard said that at least 10 of Japan's reactors were off-line due to the quake and subsequent tsunami.

I sincerely hope that those rocket scientists who promoted the idea that Japan was the perfect location for nuclear power plants also made a point to build some state-of-the-art concrete plants close-by...

Well, not too close-by...

Last night, TRMS offered a clear, concise and to-the-point segment on the ongoing and worrisome situation in Japan with a physicist from The Union Of Concerned Scientists.
Check it out:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Peace,
L.

Apathetic Americans: Please Take A Lesson From The Inspiring People Of Wisconsin.

Wisconsin's Republican Governor Walker and Republican State Legislators are in the midst of a Modern Day Witch-hunt... A Union-Busting, Democratic Campaign Donation-Eradicating Witch-hunt.


It appears that they thought that if they:
A.)Lied about the reasons for their actions. and if they

B.) Steam-rolled and strong-armed their anti-middle class legislation through like greased lightning...

Well, no one would figure out what they were doing... at least not in time to stop them.

Their Goal: To Destroy Labor Unions*. (*Except for the 3 who backed Walker's election campaign.)
Yep, No more organizing.  No more collective bargaining for workers.  And, workplace safety?  Well, it's safe... enough... It looks safe...

Their (Publicly stated) Reasoning/Justification:  To Fix Wisconsin's $100+ Million budget deficit.

That sounds "Reasonable", except...

The Elephant(s) in the Room: 1.) Wisconsin is expecting to have a budget surplus this year.  2.) Governor Walker just gave away $140 Million (Dollars) in tax breaks to businesses. And 3.) Nowhere in all of the fiscally-influential and utterly fiscally inert items in the legislation are Wisconsin's top 2%-ers  being forced to give anything up.

This union-busting crusade is specifically targeting state workers and the middle class. (Ugh.)

*And. similar anti-labor legislation is being (far too quietly) proposed and passed in other states as well.

This is Not a Good Thing, America.  (Sigh.)

But, wait... Hold on... All is not lost.  Not by a long shot...

The Good News:  The Wisconsin Legislature's Democrats have collectively went AWOL - they left the state of Wisconsin - in order to stall the bill/prevent a quorum (Since neither Walker nor the GOP legislators were willing to talk/discuss/negotiate/reconsider/etc.... Anything... Leaving was the only strategy left. The Dems wanted to give time to the people of Wisconsin to hear about what's Really Going On and to understand how - if passed - it will affect them.

And, In Even Better News:  The Great People of Wisconsin aren't simply rolling over and letting this happen.
They aren't saying, "Oh well. What can I do about it?  I'm only one person.", and giving in and surrendering.

Nope.

Apathetic Americans: Please Take A Lesson From The Inspiring People Of Wisconsin.

And, why don't you get in the ring, Governor Walker...
And face the 25,000+ Wisconsin citizens who figured out what was about to be done to them - without even being asked for their input... who got angry and active and who've organized and gathered and are protesting at Wisconsin's state capital (and several other cities).

I Salute You, Wisconsin

(From last night's TRMS: The Details) Enjoy!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

!

The Bane Of The GOP And Of Congress: House Majority Speaker John Boehner

Post Mid-Term Elections: Republicans snookered enough voters to take a majority of seats in The House Of Representatives.

The reigning GOP leadership - individually and collectively - made a point to declare before the press and for-the-record that: The Republican Party is "... all about Jobs. Jobs. And Jobs.".

O.K., so be it.  Make it so, Mr. Speaker. Create more jobs for Americans. Like you promised you would.

So... What have they/has he accomplished?

Well... one and one-half months into the GOP-controlled House's legislative activities (Drum Roll, please)...

There hasn't been even a single Jobs-Creating Bill proposed.

But, hey, the House Republicans have managed to propose a total of Three (3) sweeping anti-abortion bills.
 (Yippee? Sigh. Nah.)

And, most recently, at a press conference that Mr. Boehner, himself, called together...
Referring to his GOP-controlled House's blatant inability to pass urgently-needed budget legislation (required before March if we are to keep our government up and running - despite the fact that the legislation has been rendered virtually immobile from the 400 Amendments members have tacked onto it - of which only 4 have been discussed)...

John Boehner flatly stated that, "If this (the GOP's current inability to pass the budget) causes people to lose jobs - well, then, so be it."

Yes, Mr. "Jobs. Jobs. Jobs" actually said that if his and his fellow GOP House members' incompetence at their jobs happens to result in other hard-working Americans losing their jobs... "Well, Then, So Be It".

Before the press, on-camera and on-the-record.

Well, I suppose that we can/should - at the least - be thankful that he didn't simply start blubbering and bawling, as he has often done before cameras in the recent past.

Nope... This time the Republican Party's Number 1 Guy came across as "The Iceman": Cold and utterly unencumbered by a little thing human beings refer to as "Compassion".

Hey, at least he's consistent: Mr. Boehner consistently declares that he'll do one thing and, then, he doesn't... again and again and again.

Keep showing America your True Colors, John!

Here's a brief clip from TRMS with the facts/details... Enjoy!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

"There's Something In The Soul That Cries Out For Freedom (MLK) ~ Egypt Is Free! (Victorious Egyptians)

Breaking News From Egypt:

It's been 18 days since the beginning of spontaneous and growing non-violent protests and demands for Real Change - For Democracy - which have rocked Egypt and left 300 people dead...

And now... after having, apparently, finally accepted what was - for him - the most difficult-to-swallow fact that the people of Egypt would not be denied their Freedom... President Hosni Mubarak (who has been in office for 30 years - since the assassination of Anwar Sadat) Has Stepped Down.

We Are Witnessing History...

As President Obama remarked, "There's Something In The Soul That Cries Out For Freedom." (Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.).

As I understand it, the word "Tahrir" Means "Liberation" and I'm Happily Celebrating (despite tears filling my eyes) - not only with the beautiful and  brave men and women of Egypt (both in Tahrir Square and across their nation) - but also with every Freedom-Loving person who declared/showed their support from around the entire world - The Liberation of the Egyptian People from tyranny and the Inspirational and Undeniable Success of their Non-Violent Revolution.

Hearing the official announcement of Mubarak's imminent departure, joyous and victorious protesters were heard to cry out: "Egypt Is Free!"  "Egypt Is Free!"

Egypt Is Free.

Power To The People.

Pin The Debt On The Donkey Or, More Accurately: Pin The Tail On The Pachyderm

A Brief Clip From Tonight's Rachel Maddow Show:

On Pin The Debt On The Donkey, Game-Show Contestants Try To Outsmart Each Other By Correctly Guessing Which Recent President Has The Distinction Of Being The One Who Saddled The U.S./Us With The Most Debt.

(Think not in $Millions... not in $Billions... But, in $$$ Trillions).

Stumped?

Here's A Hint: Pin The Tail On The Pachyderm Would Be Much More Accurate.
Enjoy!
L.

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Earth-sized spheres in vicinity of Sun? - National Breakthrough Energy

Things That Make You Go "Hmm...?":

*Please Note: I'm only acting as a Messenger, here.

NASA’s Stereo Spacecraft monitors the Sun.

On or around 12/18/10, NASA's spacecraft began registering and sending back images of the sun which also showed huge spherical UFOs in its vicinity.

It's been noted that the surface of the spheres appears to reflect sunlight - as if they were metallic in nature.

Of course, if the objects were planets or asteroids/comets, they'd have already been pulled, swiftly, into the Sun by its tremendous force of gravity - like the recent comet.
(From: examiner.com)

Although NASA later claimed the perceived spheres were not really there and were caused by some sort of mechanical failure... they, inexplicably, felt compelled to pull the images off of their website.

Enjoy!

Earth-sized spheres in vicinity of Sun? - National Breakthrough Energy

"This is Done.", Obama Signs DADT Repeal. (And, the fight for Civil Rights continues...)

"This is Done."

After moving the ceremony to an auditorium because so many wanted to be there to witness it, and with those 3 words, President Obama put an end to DADT.

I am very proud of our country, our military (they're way ahead of the general population on this - in 30 U.S. states, you can still be fired from your job for being gay) and of President Obama.

A clip from TRMS on our continuing struggle for civil rights for all Americans with Melissa Harris-Perry of Princeton University.
Enjoy!

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CIA's New Anti-WikiLeaks Task Force Is Called "WikiLeaks Task Force" a.k.a. WTF ;)

The CIA has formed a special CIA Task Force to deal specifically with their Wikileaks concerns. The name given to that special CIA task force? (drum roll, please): "Wikileaks Task Force"... a.k.a. WTF. ;)

Here's a clip from The Rachel Maddow Show that focuses on our post-9/11 Intelligence Strategies and if we're getting our money's worth...
(Director Clapper - US Intelligence Czar?... London Terrorist Arrests?)
Well, you'll see.
Enjoy!

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