VOLUNTEERING IS EVIL!

So says Glenn Beck. At least, that's what it sounds like. I'm never absolutely sure what he's trying to communicate, except for a general mania.

First this new pièce de résistance of the Beck collection so far:



What. The. Hell.

Ok, I get that he's trying to communicate that the Evil Librul Media™ is collaborating with Chairman MaObama™ (came up with that all by myself--I should see if I can sell it to the crazies) to get us to give over to the power of...HELPING OTHER PEOPLE!! (THUNDERCLAP!)

Sorry, but I'm not buying that aspect of it, and the rest of it just sounds like he's being down on volunteering. I mean, this is just getting rediculous. They've nuked the fridge, jumped the shark, and, just for good measure, jumped the fridge and nuked the shark at this point.

Is there anything that the President could support that these folks wouldn't jump up and down screaming about? I mean he could speak in support taking care of sick kids and---(sigh)---never mind...

It's been... a while.

You see, I've been meeting my bloggery needs mostly through twitter these days, but I wanted to say a few things at greater length.

First, I am so jealous of everyone who was able to participate in the march today. I wish I'd been able to be there.

Also, there has been a lot said in the past week about President Obama and his action--well, actually his lack thereof--on LGBT rights. Andrew Sullivan broke out his potty mouth, and Joe Solmonese got out his apologist britches (or are they slacks?).

Frankly, re: Obama; he's done jack diddly. I'm sorry, but giving a few speeches to LGBT audiences doesn't really cut it. Sure the Hate Crimes bill will be up for his signature (maybe, hopefully) soon. Sure there's stuff going on. But it seems to have mostly moved without him.

I'll grant that it's possible that these things wouldn't be moving without his presence in the White House, and I'm no insider, so I don't know what goes on in the smoke-filled back rooms. But really, by all appearances, he's coasting on this.

And here are a few more opinions, courtesy of CNN/YouTube.

Money quote from Lt. Dan Choi: "When I hear the word 'incrementalism', I think I hear the words 'shut up'."





(One last note: I know it's a bit juvenile to comment upon this, but I have to say it. Hillary Rosen's voice drives me absolutely up a wall. All nasally and irritating. Ergh!)

Those representatives of the people don't represent the people!

Want to hear some crazy?

Listen in:



So, now that they lack the "activist judges" argument for Vermont, what tack to they take? "THOSE REPRESENTATIVES ELECTED BY THE PEOPLE AREN'T REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PEOPLE."

They just sound crazier and crazier.

And just as a side note, the people in Vermont, according to polls, DO support same-sex marriage. So, sorry. You're just flat wrong about what the people of Vermont "really want". Not every state is a small-minded, but much larger, version of the offices of the "Liberty" [HA] Council.

And then there's the typical lines of crap about "activist judges" "changing the definition of marriage" in Iowa. These people are just impossible to take.

What the hell matters so much about denying me my rights that they spend this much time on it? Why are they so obsessed with it? Why can't they spend their lives actually doing good and helping people in a real and tangible way, instead of in their theoretical/political way?

Audio source: Audio: As our rights become 'marrier', our opposition becomes scarier - Good As You

More Good News from Iowa

The Iowa State Senate president stands up for same-sex marriage. A beautiful statement.

“‘You guys don’t understand. You’ve already lost.’ … No, Senator McKinley, I will not co-sponsor a leadership bill with you.”

(The first part is quoting his daughter, but...well, he still said that on the floor.)

Iowa Senate President Blocks Same-Sex Marriage Ban | Box Turtle Bulletin

Dear Vermont Legislature,

Just wanted to say


THANK YOU

Love,

Me

Same-Sex Marriage Legalized in Vermont | News | Advocate.com

Dear Governor Douglas,

Why don't you go give up your marriage and enter into one of those "perfectly sufficent" civil unions with your wife?


JACKASS

Sincerely,

Me

V-T- gets its irrational E O - Good As You:: Gay and Lesbian Activism With a Sense of Humor

The religious right and torture memos--What's in it for them?

I was reading an interesting article today on The Daily Beast about some recent political wrangling over Bush era torture memos. Republicans are threatening to filibuster two of Obama's legal apointments (Remember when Republicans were arguing that it was impermissible to filibuster apointments, back when their guy was in office and it was those meanies, the Democrats, who were doing the filibustering? Oh how the times do change!) if Obama releases some of the potentially incriminating memos.

Full article is here: Are Republicans Blackmailing Obama? - The Daily Beast

But besides all that other stuff (which is, sadly, just typical Washington) I saw this little nugget:

[One of the nominees up for confirmation,] Johnsen has met recently with moderate Republican Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, both of whom are being lobbied heavily by colleagues and religious right groups to oppose her nomination. [Emphasis mine]

What stake, exactly, do religious groups have in opposing releasing torture memos? This sounds like a purely political move on the part of any religious group participating in this.

Has it finally happened? The Religious Right has not subsumed, but been subsumed by the political machine it sought to control?

Or is this a mutual back-scratching arrangement: "You pester Arlen to protect our political ass, and we will go out and get the 'homos' and 'baby-killers' for you. (Or at least pretend to.)"

UPDATE: Or, perhaps, the third option: the politico right wants these nominations to go down and they've fed the religious right some lines about her being an "abortionist" or a "homosexual activist" or somesuch in order to prompt them to oppose her.

In which case the relationship would be more Pavlov and Dog than subsumption or mutuality.

IOWA: What the Tweeple on the street say

First off: HORAY FOR IOWA!

And second, here are my collected reactions from the folks I follow on Twitter:



But the award for best reaction goes to one of my favorite guests on Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me, a comedienne appearing tonight in Des Moines, Paula Poundstone:

Dalek found in pond

They are coming: Dr Who Dalek found in pond - Telegraph.

"Sales executive Marc Oakland was pushing a rake around the bed of the shallow pool when he found the object with its distinctive eye stalk.

The 42-year-old said: 'I'd just shifted a tree branch with my foot when I noticed something dark and round slowly coming up to the surface.

'I got the shock of my life when a Dalek head bobbed up right in front of me."

If that had happened to me, I think I would have lost control of my bowels. I would have, pardon my french, SHIT myself. Messed my britches. Went whoop in my shorts. [Feel free to mentally add any folksy euphemisms of your own here.]

I can think of few things that would frighten me more than what appeared to be a Dalek rising out of the water in front of me in real life. I am not joking. They are terrifying enough on the TV.

(Shudder.)

UPDATE:
Additional Coverage:

• The Dalek of the deep: Doctor Who's nemesis is found in pond [Daily Mail]

• Extract me, mate! [The Sun]

• Dalek pulled from murky pond [Metro]

• Dalek Found Submerged in Pond [The Doctor Who News Page]

And, from The Sun another photograph:


EHH! Even as pond junk, it gives me the flying heebie-jeebies.

The Obligatory Rush Limbaugh Post

The Daily Beast has a series of videos up covering the more outrageous moments of the career of a certain professional loudmouth who's been much in the news as of late: The Nine Lives of Rush Limbaugh

One video in particular stuck out at me:



His callous disregard for people living with and dying from AIDS is startling. Now, I can understand being ruffled by hecklers (that was kind of the point of ACT UP), but to frame your defense of your position's correctness in terms of, "Most people agree with me, [neener neener neener] so I'm right"? Beyond requiring a startling lack of thought, that takes chutzpah. And clearly this putz has plenty of that.

What a schmuck.