Have a Happy!!!

| by TFLS | 7:48 PM |

Live and Direct from the British Empire!

| by Anonymous | 12:22 PM |

It's Not the al Jazeera Memo
But It's Not Bad!

BlairWatch asks, we publish! Here are a couple documents The Poodle doesn't want you to read. Of course we don't torture! (says Tony).

Background:

The UK government has been quick to deny that we practice, or tolerate the practice of Torture. So it is perhaps not suprising that they are determined that you should not see the following documents:
http://users.pandora.be/quarsan/craig/telegrams.pdf
http://users.pandora.be/quarsan/craig/npaper.jpg

Craig Murray was the UK ambassador to Uzbekistan, until his complaints and protest at the use of intelligence gained by torture got too much for Jack Straw and the Foreign Office, who set about attempting to unsuccessfully smear him, and to successfully remove him from office.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3750370.stm
http://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2005/04/timeline_of_cra.html

The Foreign Office has had the draft of Craig's book for clearance for over 3 months now, and they are doing everything they can to try and prevent him from publishing his side of the story. Their latest attempt to cover their own backs was to inform him, the night before Christmas Eve, that these two documents cannot be published, and that he was to return or destroy all copies immediately.

Read more here.

tags: tony blair craig murray al jazeera memo torture uzbekistan

Agents Provocateur?

| by TFLS | 5:48 PM |



There is a seeming seeming illogic on the face of it when you see a Phyllis Shafley or Ann Coulter flogging for something that will eventually rise up and bite them in the ass. It’s baffling, I know – but there are two possibilities for this form of blindness. One - they really don't believe what they say, and are doing it for the money. Case in point: Rush Limbaugh, a button-pushing, right-wing radio talk show host who makes his living edging those less educated towards outright violence. Why do I say his opinions are bogus? A number of year’s back I heard Mr. Limbaugh interviewed by Phil Donohue and Vladimir Posner (these men had a political show geared toward open understanding between the US and the then USSR). Limbaugh openly admitted that the face he presents to the public on his radio show was a character he created in order to drive ratings, and gain notoriety. When queried as to his own personal belief structure, Mr. Limbaugh indicated he did not necessarily agree with everything he said, but, what the fuck, it padded the bank account.

Now, I believe you have to have a real hole in your soul to foment universal discontent in order to line your pockets. Unfortunately, this practice seems to be a kind of disease with the Limbaugh’s and O’Reilly’s of the world. Perhaps Ms.’s Shafley and Coulter suffer from it as well. Certainly many so-called journalists do – how many is it now that have been caught with their hands in the cookie jar? Both here and abroad? The second possibility is one I do not think is limited to opponents of women’s rights et all (though I think it manifests itself in that arena most often); and that is an aura of invulnerability. It could be that these women consider themselves essentially immune from whatever fallout may occur should their opinions codify into law. It is too simple to berate them as traitors to their sex; it goes far beyond that. They fail to see that they are essentially being tolerated – like a kind of pet – by the men whose hands they so earnestly lick.

Let me offer this up as an analogy. I knew someone - a Saudi doctor - female, and fully in support of all the laws and restrictions governing women in that society - including the wearing of full Purdah at all times. We met while she was attending a medical conference in Dublin, and kept in touch over many years. Our discussions were always open, fulsome, and fully inclusive regarding our differing cultures and attitudes toward women and society in general. I often expressed concern over the relative inflexibility of Sharia law. She pooh-poohed me, claiming what restrictions existed were all for the good – helping women as opposed to harming them. It didn’t bother her that she had to receive written permission to leave her town, let alone the country; because she could never conceive of a time when it would be denied her. Nothing she truly wanted had ever been denied her, you see – not as the only daughter of a loving and indulgent (for Saudi standards) father.

Well, that all changed when she married (arranged, of course). She didn’t conceive - even after several years – and her husband’s family demanded she be ‘put aside’ in favor of a younger wife that would. Maimoona (her name, ironically means beloved one) suddenly found herself at the mercy of those laws and customs she had so vigorously defended. Suddenly, her formally sweet and adoring father refused to take her back in as she was (according to strict Islamic law), no longer his responsibility; leaving her to the mercy of her husband and his hateful family. My heart hurt when she wrote me about this. I told her she would always be welcome with me; though the offer was an empty one – how could she, when it was illegal for women to travel without express permission from the male members of their family? She wasn’t likely to get that – not from anybody. I wish I could tell you it turned out all right, but she stopped writing me shortly after 9/11, and repeated calls to the hospital she worked at have turned up nothing.

Perhaps Ann Coulter and her ilk truly believe they will remain in favor; as if carrying water in the trenches grants them some special privilege or exemption. It has escaped them that history is rife with examples of collaborators, along with their eventual, sticky ends. You see, people who hate, or court hatred, like to feel they are special; as if God singled them out for some kind of sainthood. What they never seem to realize is, when all the supposed ‘riff-raff’ has been disposed of – the hate still remains. And those in power will simply transfer that hatred somewhere else. They will look around at who is left standing, and choose.

An Agitprop Christmas

| by Anonymous | 9:09 PM |

The list. The list of "Media Operations that Traffic in Defamation™." Early Christmas morning, we jumped out of bed, ran to the tree, shoved all the iPods, sweaters, and cheese logs out of the way, and found our laptop. Eagerly we logged on, clicked "the link," and ... nothing. Nothing! Bill O'Reilly left us the blogging equivalent of coal in our stocking. Eleven O'Reilly posts since our War on the War on the War on Christmas started, and ... nothing!

So what now? To quote one of our favorite philosophers: "Of course, you know, 'dis means war!"

tags: bill o'reilly fox news o'reilly enemies list war on christmas

We Wish You Some Happy Holidays!

| by Anonymous | 3:40 PM |

Hey Bill ...



This is one of three trees we've put up over at Agitprop in our continuing efforts to get O'Reilly to add us to his list of "Media Operations that Traffic in Defamation™." Head on over and see the rest of the smearing.

tags: bill o'reilly fox news o'reilly enemies list war on christmas
graphic: HelenWheels

Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy!!!

| by TFLS | 6:06 PM |

Ho, Ho, Ho – A very Merry Christmas to you all! I wanted to offer up two rather different ways of looking at this most contentious of holidays. The first dates back to the 1950’s, and is typical of what was popular during the Eisenhower head in the sand era. Keep in mind, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was a 50’s comfit – just the thing post-war Americans preferred with their morning coffee early on Christmas morning. Perhaps that’s why the 60’s featured so much activity and upheaval – all that sugar finally kicked in!


I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas is one of my husband’s favorite holiday songs. He originally heard it on Dr. Demento, a brilliant font for all things obscure and kitschy. If you don’t know Demento, you should acquaint yourself. Hubby was a devoted Demento fan (weren’t we all); I mean, that’s where I first heard ‘The Vatican Rag’, one of Tom Lehrer’s finest (did you know he used to teach mathematics at UC Santa Cruz?). I absolutely adore that man! His lectures used to be so packed; it was strictly SRO for every class. But I digress. So – click on the song title, and it will take you to a recording of blond belter Gayla Peevey singing her little heart out (you could hear this kid in Poughkeepsie). The song was revived some years back when the Oklahoma City Zoo needed to raise money to purchase; you guessed it, a hippo. It worked too.

For those of you needing a little vinegar to cut all that sugar, may I recommend this delightfully skewed take on today’s obsession with being politically correct. Another gift from my always interesting friend Elaine, the comic in the video clip has obviously had it with the Christmas war from all sides – and his interpretation of ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas’ takes the cake. I nearly fell off my chair, I was laughing so hard. So – here you go; remember now - it might take a couple of minutes to load – so just be patient. I promise it’s worth the wait!

Twas The Night Before Christmas

Funny stuff – yes? I thought so. Well – have a happy one, folks; take care and be safe – no side trips as you go over the river and through the woods on your way to Grandmama’s, or Aunt Bertha, or even just to your sister’s place down the street. We don’t want you getting lost out there. Also – try and avoid wolves at all costs; especially if you’re partial to the color red. Me – I’m staying home and cooking up a storm – all traditional junk – turkey, pumpkin pie, cornbread stuffing, fresh veggies – definitely lots of leftover’s to go in the fridge for future munching! So – Merry Christmas to all, and to all one hell of a good fucking night!

Future? What Future?

| by Agi | 3:25 PM |

Last week I wrote a post about the Eastern philosophical foundations of defeatism. The comment thread evolved into an interesting discussion about peoples' favorite philosophers. Unfortunately the thread vanished into the abyss of Blogspot when our new Fugee template was installed.

One comment stood out in my mind and I've been thinking about it this week. Someone wrote that Karl Marx would be the philosopher of the 21st century, and that they were excited about the future of Marxism. I immediately thought to myself...how could anyone hope for the triumph of Marxism during the 21st century after all the oppression, carnage and war Karl's ideas caused during the last century. Granted, capitalism killed a fair share of people too, but Marxist ideas spawned some of the most horrible mass murderers of the 21st century--Stalin, Mao and Pol Pot to name a few.

I'm not saying Marx directly intended for his theories to be translated into genocidial social engineering, but hell, there is no way of enforcing his program as listed in the Communist Manifesto without resorting to brutal oppression and totalitarianism.



I thought Marx was cool when I read his shit in my political theory classes in college. Then I realized that his whole goal is to highten the antagonistic relationships in society (not resolve them) and create an unnatural, unrealistic society governed by a "dictatorship of the proletariat".

I might be a lefty, but I ain't no statist.

Have at it if you will.

(cross-posted at the defeatists!) (image from Bureaucrash)

what i learned from president bush

| by El Serracho! | 3:06 PM |

the headline reads; Bush Sees Good 2005, Warns of Terrorism Fight

read that again - Bush Sees Good 2005, Warns of Terrorism Fight

WASHINGTON (AFP) - US

President George W. Bush called 2005 "a good year for the American people," but cautioned that terrorists like those who carried out the September 11 attacks still posed a threat.

if dubya has taught me anything, it's that reading the papers and staying up on the news of the world can only lead to unhappiness. why worry about so-called "news" and "facts" when you can stay so much happier by simply assuming that everything is A-ok.

hurricane katrina? sure i heard something about that.. little storm or something. i got to go hang out in my old party town for a few days. dirtier than i remember it but you know.. heh heh..my memory's kinda fuzzy from those days. besides, momma told me folks is better off now anyhow. good year.. let me tell ya. and that war business.. whoo boy is that ever going well. good year for those folks what is still alive anyhow.

yep. a fine fine year. i cant think of anything that went wrong.

this next year, the quitter's gonna make an effort to be even less informed than ever. i'll stick my head in the sand and just let folks i know tell me how things is goin. i don't have time for this crap.

happy new year and merry ex-mas.

oh yeah and watch our fer terrorists. they're comin to git ya!

(cross-posted at thedefeatists!)

Agitprop's Left-Wing Smearing - Day 1

| by Anonymous | 1:33 PM |

We're Making His List! ...
At Firedoglake (re: making O'Reilly's list): "Our hopes for 2006 are renewed. Who knew O'Reilly could read?" [via Robot Buddha]

Birmingham Blues directed us here for a delightful bit of mockery by Rosa Brooks called "The Grinch Factor" - we give only an except, but you must read the whole thing:

THE WHOS down in Who-ville
Were a tolerant lot:
Who Christians, Who Muslims - a Who melting pot.
Who Hindus! Who atheists! Who Buddhists, Who Jews!
Who Confucians, Who pagans,
And even Who Druze!

The Who 1st Amendment's Establishment Clause
Said, "No creches in courts," and the Whos loved their laws.
Because somehow . they worked. The Whos rarely fought,
Mostly, each Who did just what he ought.
Every Who down in Who-ville
Loved the Consti-Who-tion a lot.
But the O'Reilly, who lived up in Fox-ville,
Did NOT!

The O'Reilly DETESTED the Who Consti-Who-tion,
He thought it was some sort of liberal pollution.
Now, please don't ask why, for I really don't know.
Perhaps it had something to do with his show.
It could be that his head wasn't screwed on quite right.
Or it could be, perhaps, that his shoes were too tight.
But I think that the most likely reason of all
May have been that his RATINGS
Were two sizes too small.

Well, whatever it was, bad ratings or tight shoes,
He stood there one Christmas, just hating the Whos. [more]

hat tip (graphic): Doug Hoffman (Senator Joseph McFalafel, designed specially for Agitprop)

tags: bill o'reilly fox news o'reilly enemies list war on christmas

O'Reilly Wants Cab Drivers Shot Dead!

| by Anonymous | 9:21 PM |

At Agitprop, We Hear and Obey ...

Media Matters reports that O'Reilly has ordered left-wing smear sites to print the above admission. As a blog that aspires to make O'Reilly's list of "Media Operations that Traffic in Defamation™," how could Agitprop refuse?!

tags: bill o'reilly fox news o'reilly enemies list war on christmas

Agitprop Asks For Your Help

| by Anonymous | 7:10 PM |

Wherein We Momentarily Stop
Holding Our Breath Until We Turn Blue

So we haven't stopped trying to get onto O'Reilly's list of "Media Operations that Traffic in Defamation™," but we have re-evaluated our approach. First, O'Reilly said his list would be of "the names of all who support the smear merchants ...." Fair enough ... who wouldn't qualify? But then O'Reilly upped the ante: now the list is of media that "helped distribute defamation and false information supplied by far left websites." [emphasis supplied.] Aha! This is why we have not been blacklisted!

Clearly, a change of tactics is in order. We can't qualify by merely mocking Falafel Claus; we have to distribute the mockery. If Bill Googles "O'Reilly left wing smear" Agitprop must be the first result!

Therefore, if you care about Agitprop, if you want to see our Adsense revenue ever crawl above a buck a day, you know what you must do. Forward every smear of O'Reilly you see. Snail mail, email, we don't care. We'll link to it all. If you write it, we will publish it. Link to this post. If you Photoshop him, up it goes here at Agitprop. If you build it, we will come.

tags: bill o'reilly fox news o'reilly enemies list war on christmas

WRONG NUMBER

| by The Heretik | 7:49 PM |

THE PRESIDENT ALWAYS calls collect. Reverse the charges. Pay up, kids. MORE

Agitprop on the Edge

| by Anonymous | 1:33 PM |

What Do We Have To Do ... Bitch-Slap Rupert Murdoch?

The New Yorker has made O'Reilly's list of "Media Operations that Traffic in Defamation™." We at Agitprop offer our heartiest congratulations.

But this raises a troubling issue ... what does Agitprop have to do to make O'Reilly's enemies list? We have mocked.O'Reilly.at.every.turn. We have run the picture you see two or three times. We regularly join in a chorus of "Jolly Old St. Falafel." Again and again we have posted on this steaming pile of dishonesty. But nothing.

So what to do? It is critical that Agitprop make the list if we are to bring our Rejectionist, Defeatist message to a wider world. So we ask you, our readership. What do we have to do to get on the damn list? Please help us. Our very viability is stake.

tags: bill o'reilly fox news o'reilly enemies list rupert murdoch
photo by blogenfreude (taken in NYC's currently non-functioning subway)

Drunk With Power

| by Agi | 3:04 PM |

Seasons Greetings from the Prez:



It's perfectly legal to spy on Merkins. The Constitution says I can.

Have a bling Christmas. Peace out, bitches!

cross-posted at The PFC

Admit You're A Terrorist ... Win Fabulous Prizes!

| by Anonymous | 12:45 PM |

Since we're being watched, and the Dear Leader said he intends to keep watching, we might as well just fess up and get it over with. So Agitprop asks ... what are you, and why? Best answer wins a left-leaning t-shirt. Are you:

1. A Saddamist?
2. A Rejectionist?
3. A Terrorist?
4. A Defeatist?
5. A combination?

Here at Agitprop, depending on the day and the phase of the moon, we mostly find ourselves part Saddamist, part Defeatist. We miss that wacky Saddam, but only because he's keeping us from finding real terrorists. However, it's also true that the terrorists are now mostly in Iraq, and that should make them easier to find. We are part Defeatist because, well, the Dear Leader has decided to stay the course. He wants victory!

So head over to Agitprop to play, and make sure and line up according to belief ... get ready for your extraordinary rendition! Stopping in the U.K. and Poland ... all aboard!

tags: iraq war on terror impeach bush george bush extraordinary rendition

"Wanted"

| by The Heretik | 9:04 PM |

JOB WANTED Strong, decisive type. Psycho Sociopath Go getter go get Osama someday preferred. Must not take no for an answer. Must be willing to sell people, arguments short McKrap TM 24/7. No obstacle in Constitution will stand in way of successful not so successful businessman candidate businessman with friends for president of up and coming country company. No military service, okay. Must be willing to relocate all Constitutional power in White House. English as foreign language skill helpful. Paranoia Ability to work with others a plus. Must be willing to take entire month of August off to work long hours to achieve defined goals. Come climb the September Eleventh pile of rubble again climb the ladder of success with us.

WE ARE NOW spied on to protect "us" from "them." Welcome to the Not So Fun House where the mirrors reveal things are not as they seem.

A CASE OF NATIONAL Attention Deficit Disorder? How did we get to this point? With the rise of Bush perhaps is revealed a large case of national Attention Deficit Disorder. This ADD revealed itself first in Bush's um election when counting the actual votes just would have taken too long. We needed results as soon as possible. Look what we got. Can't wait for threats to emerge? Look what we got. That detainee might have info, let's get it however we can as quick as we can even if the results aren't quite true! Look what we got! We've got laws, but they take too long to comply with. Look what we got. What we got was screwed. We now live a mutual national delusion of one man. The number of spy agencies multiplies to keep “us” safe from “them.”

WORDS HAVE MEANING At least they used to. Those who counsel a strict construction of the constitution who now suggest Bush did not step all over the Constitution with his recent traipse over the Fourth Amendment and his trespass with the NSA spying incidents in the the domestic sphere are fooling themselves. Not to mention jumping through hoops of inconsistent logic. Or running in circles as they chase the tail or is it the the tale of the President? A certain duplicity reveals itself. What is untold when told later may tell us there is more here than what the President claims is "limited."

SHORTCUTS SIMPLY shred Constitution to shreds. Declaring the president of the United States has some Constitutional authority and some statutory authority as Condoleezza Rice did yesterday and not being able to give even one example yesterday as Condoleezza Rice did yesterday because she is not a lawyer just makes obvious how bankrupt the declarations are. Repeat as necessary. There is no line of French in the Constitution that says L’etat, c’et moi. The state is me is nowhere there stated.

SAYING SOMETHING IS SO does not make it so. We live with a president who consistently believes restating his premise proves his premise. At some point people are going to have to take George Bush seriously both for what he says and what he does. That point is now. Casual asides reveal a more serious center, slightly off center. If one can say three examples prove a point, consider the famous or is it infamous citation of George Bush and his approach to his job. It would be a lot easier if this were a dictatorship, as long as he was the dictator. Said not once, but three separate times. Consider that Bush has declared he has on thirty separate times given the same order to the NSA to spy on citizens. Dictator? You decide. Some cynics would day dictator is term two syllables to long for what Bush has done here.

THOSE PESKY LAWS Orcinus considers “the problem:” These "annoying" laws exist for a reason fundamental to the very foundations of modern society: This is a nation of laws, not men. And while it's easy and convenient to discard those principles in the flimsy context of a movie, doing so in real life has profound and lasting complications.
I think what you can say is that the Bush team is cynically manipulating public sentiment for the sake of pushing the limits of presidential power. It's a brilliant move, really, tapping into an aspect of the psyche that has been preconditioned by a hoary myth that has been perpetuated over the years by Hollywood: the notion that the action-driven hero's instincts for "saving lives" are superior to careful reasoning and principled restraint.
But it sure is weird for a bunch of people who make a living out of deriding "Hollywood values."

THE HERETIK SUGGESTS we may end our national delusion if we stop feeding it with watching shows like 24. Can it be done? Even I confess I am sickly drawn to it. We see the fantasy. How many of us really want to live it?

WHAT'S OUT THERE BLOWING IN THE WIND?
CALLS FOR INVESTIGATION Democrats and Republicans called separately yesterday for congressional investigations into President Bush's decision after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to allow domestic eavesdropping without court approval.
"The president has, I think, made up a law that we never passed," said Sen. Russell Feingold (D-Wis.).

PUBLIC ENEMY? Joe Keohane offers a synopsis and review of the newly re-issued Sinclair Lewis novel It Can’t Happen Here written in the all to familiar 1930s: PICTURE THIS: A folksy, self-consciously plainspoken Southern politician rises to power during a period of profound unrest in America. The nation is facing one of the half-dozen or so of its worst existential crises to date, and the people, once sunny, confident, and striving, are now scared, angry, and disillusioned.
This politician, a ''Professional Common Man,'' executes his rise by relentlessly attacking the liberal media, fancy-talking intellectuals, shiftless progressives, pinkos, promiscuity, and welfare hangers-on, all the while clamoring for a return to traditional values, to love of country, to the pie-scented days of old when things made sense and Americans were indisputably American. He speaks almost entirely in ''noble but slippery abstractions''-Liberty, Freedom, Equality-and people love him, even if they can't fully articulate why without resorting to abstractions themselves.
Through a combination of factors-his easy bearing chief among them (along with massive cash donations from Big Business; disorganization in the liberal opposition; a stuffy, aloof opponent; and support from religious fanatics who feel they've been unfairly marginalized)-he wins the presidential election.

THE HERETIK HAS PREVIOUSLY stated a belief in a certain circularity to history and a skepticism of progress. We face the same monsters again and again, the problems are as old as Proteus, the enemy returns like the multiplying heads of the Hydra, the face we see against us morphs in the mirror.

MORE ON WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT
NEW TECH BEHIND NSA SNOOP CASE? There's more to the NSA domestic spying case than the current storyline -- that much is clear. The idea that the Bush Administration needed to bypass the courts to get wiretaps quickly makes no sense; under the current system, you can start eavesdropping, and get a warrant later. The notion that disclosing the surveillance would somehow tip off potential terrorists is laughable, too; Al Qaeda types know they're being monitored.
That's all assuming, of course, that the wiretaps in this case are the same as in any other. But maybe they're not. Maybe there's something different about this surveillance. It could be in its scope, as Laura suggests. But I'm guessing -- and this is just a guess -- that the real difference is in the technology of the wiretaps themselves.

Scary Daddy, Aware That We are Slightly Less Terrified, Sets About Correcting That Little Problem

| by eRobin | 9:02 PM |

I'm often unwilling to chime in on something that everyone in blogtopia (hail skippy) will be writing about but I couldn't resist listing the examples of negative framing that Dear Leader used today in his appearance as Angry Daddy today in the East Wing. Negative framing is meant to terrify us to the point that we acknowledge that only Daddy can keep us safe from the dangers that surround us and that only he can see. The only way to combat this technique is to shine some light on it.

I can't figure out how to use extended entry, where I wanted to put the whole post so here are some of the greatest hits:

• After September the 11th, one question my administration had to answer was, using the authorities I have, how do we effectively detect enemies hiding in our midst and prevent them from striking us again?

We know that a two-minute phone conversation between somebody linked to Al Qaida here and an operative overseas could lead directly to the loss of thousands of lives. To save American lives, we must be able to act fast and to detect these conversations so we can prevent new attacks.

• I've reauthorized this program more than 30 times since September the 11th attacks, and I intend to do so for so long as the nation faces the continuing threat of an enemy that wants to kill our American citizens.

• The terrorists want to strike America again. And they hope to inflict even greater damage than they did on September the 11th.

• In the war on terror, we cannot afford to be without this law for a single moment.

• The fact that we're discussing this program is helping the enemy.

You've got to understand, and I hope the American people understand, there is still an enemy that would like to strike the United States of America, and they're very dangerous.

• This is an enemy which is quick and it's lethal. And sometimes we have to move very, very quickly. But if there is a need based upon evidence, we will take that evidence to a court in order to be able to monitor calls within the United States.

And that's really only the tip of the scary iceberg. (OHMYGOD! ICEBERGS?!) The rest is at my place.

A Question from El Comandante

| by Anonymous | 8:52 PM |

Fellow Refugee Comandante Agi. T. Prop asks:

So do we have a mission statement or some kind of focus or purpose on The Refugees? Or is it a free-for-all blog orgy?

Readers, what do you want to see? Members, what do you want to do? My personal goal is to get as many spy agencies reading this blog as possible. We want to make The General proud.

blogenfreude

Join The Party Party

| by Agi | 8:35 PM |

To celebrate the inauguration of the Refugees' newly designed digs, I think we need some music. Props to The Heretik and Shakespeare's Sister for their work on the site.

We will, in fact, be greeted as liberators.

Want to hear President Bush say "kiss my ass" and "who's the nigga"?

Of course you do. Check out The Party Party, a new mash-up album by Rx, a DJ/political remix artist. Try Dick is a Killer.

Cross-posted at Pime Forest Collective

my bomb is bigger than your bomb!

| by El Serracho! | 8:21 PM |

Report: Nuclear Truck Bomb Would Kill 1.6M In NYC

yaawwnn.... huh? oh yea. i was commenting on that scintillating headline.

Report: Nuclear Bomb of the Approximate Size and Shape of the Empire State Building Would Kill Damn Near Everyone!

Don't be afraid, the government will protect you and the freedoms that this great nation was founded on*. Unless it does not, then you will not have died in vain because umm.. we will be vigilant and never forget.

ever.

*some freedoms may not apply

| by TFLS | 8:03 PM |

OK - This is my last try. It's been cutting off my text in the middle, and won't let me post an immage. Here goes! You can find it at my home blog.

Come meet the face of dissident thought and organized terrorism facing the United States today: Hello! Fat Lady Sings, here! And I am about as dangerous a fugitive as there comes. I have read, in their entirety, the works of Voltaire, Sartre, Camus, Plato, Adler, Ionesco, De Sade (that ought to twist your knickers) Jefferson (as in ex-president) and that hothead of organized dissent – Benjamin Franklin (who happens to be a relative). I am also Irish – and that makes me ethnically dangerous as well. My Uncle stood up to Black Watch thugs in 1920 and was almost beaten to death for the privilege, and my cousin used to be Taoiseach – so you see – there is no hope; my gene pool has been irrevocably corrupted (O’Reilly notwithstanding). I know I should hang my head in shame – but I refuse! I am proud my people spawned the likes of Wilde and Shaw and C. S. Lewis (yes, that bastion of Christian thought was not only Irish but Catholic to boot!). I also hereby promise that on this March 17th I will join my fellow greenies and quaff generous amounts of Guinness in celebratory bliss. So put that in your pipe and smoke it!

And you don’t have to look far for my record! Oh no, ma petite! It’s in your own FBI files – go ahead; look carefully – its there; I know - I’ve seen a copy! During the late 1970’s I joined one of the most subversive organizations around; no, not the Communist Party (though I’ve read Marx, and trust me- it wasn’t much of a party). I became a card-carrying member of The Society for Creative Anachronism. Yes, I know I should hang my head in shame – but those swords and all that armor looked so inviting! Yet you saw through their medieval charade, didn’t you; and pegged them for the anti-American’s they truly are. I mean - these people frequent Ren-Faires, for heaven’s sake; and play D & D – a definite no no under Reagan’s heavy hand; not to mention conducting their own wars – without Herr Bush’s permission I might add! Hell - Nixon was convinced the SCA meant to blow up the Capital (though God knows no one at Pennsic would know a firearm if it shot them in the ass). So the government sent you, the Fucking Ball-busting Imbecile’s to suss it out. Pity your investigator decided to join up, though - wasn’t it? Doesn’t look good in the final analysis. I guess he got all corrupted and shit after whacking hay bales with a broadsword. Or maybe it was the kilt – you cannot discount the lure of homo-eroticism, you know. It’s what’s kept the military strong since history began.

How do I know all this? It’s in my file; along with that guy I dated when I was in High School whose dad worked with some mob idiots and (gasp!) worst of all – my college friend who had joined the evil Hispanic support gang Venceremos. Of course – there was that whole Cinque, SLA, Patty Hearst connection; and we might have been involved - but where did you think we kept her hidden? In our snoods? Guess it didn’t matter that they turned radical some years after she left – but it was terribly important to harass 18 year old girls back then. And you did such a crack-up job at it! Tapping her phone, following us around (those transcripts you made of our term paper discussions were pitch-perfect) – word-for-word – but (shhhh - here’s a secret) that was code! You knew it then, you sly dogs – when you put down that she had a friend (me) whose boyfriend was (horror of horrors!) black. I guess that made me guilty by association – and that’s all the rage now, I hear. After all, didn’t I approach your surveillance vehicle and tell your agents to fuck off and die? Well there you go – a direct threat to the FBI and all of its employees! Why, I could have done more damage than John Walker Jr. or Robert Hanssen combined (though they really did catch you with your pants down –hmmm?).

Finally, let us not forget I have an ARREST record. Oh yes – you all remember - that unexpected stop in Madera, California, where I was arrested for being the only white girl in a car full of young black men – one of them being gay? Flamboyantly so, too! Sporting an afro, paisley pants, pointed collars and extra high daisy covered orange platform shoes! Horror of horrors – look who I was associating with – one religion major, a math whiz and a loquacious budding theatre professional named Theo; yes, all claimed to be college students going to Mexico for the weekend, but we know that was nothing but a ploy. After all, as the arresting officer so kindly pointed out – no decent white girl would be caught dead with a black man; so that makes me indecent, and you know how those evangelicals feel about decency! Of course, it may weaken your case that the judge let us all go after I promised to contact the media and raise a huge stink (didn’t want his quaint little town to look racist) – but you can always doctor the records to make it seem I was guilty. Something I suspect you have lots of experience with, yes? Why don’t you say we were all sporting Black Panther t-shirts, or carrying copies of Mao’s little red book. Though I’d nix the latter – might piss off the Chinese and screw up trade.

So here I am – The Fat Lady Sings – right out in the open where you cannot help but find me. I promise not to run and hide, either. And if it makes you job easier – I smoke pot (or used to), support human rights, have friends who are not either straight or white and point blank refuse to knuckle under to this illegitimate, criminal, immoral, iniquitous villain of a President and his cabal of convicts in waiting. So come and get me, motherfuckers; I’ll remember to leave the light on!

Secret Flights? What Secret Flights?

| by Anonymous | 7:06 PM |

Oy. [from UPI]

The British Foreign Office privately accepts that CIA rendition flights did pass through its territory, a diplomatic source told United Press International.

The well-placed source said the Foreign Office "totally accepts" that the United States used British airfields to transfer prisoners abroad for interrogation, and is "extremely worried" about the political consequences.

The revelation comes amid growing signs of divergence between London and Washington over the way in which the war on terror should be conducted.

When British Prime Minister Tony Blair learnt in April 2003 that the United States had bombed a Baghdad hotel in which several media organizations were housed, killing three journalists, he "literally jumped out of his chair," the source told UPI. The Foreign Office was "horrified," considering the attack to be "obscene," the source said.

London took the same attitude towards a U.S. suggestion that it would attack the Qatar headquarters of the Arabic language television al-Jazeera, the source said.

Foreign Office officials threatened to resign if the Americans went ahead with the attacks, revealed in a Downing Street memo leaked to the British media earlier this year.

Blair reportedly talked U.S. President George W. Bush out of the attacks, warning it could fuel a worldwide backlash. The Mirror newspaper quoted a source as saying: "There's no doubt what Bush wanted, and no doubt Blair didn't want him to do it."

cross-posted at BlairWatch and Agitprop
tags: war on terror impeach bush george bush tony blair extraordinary rendition

CONNECTING THE DOTS

| by Neil Shakespeare | 7:00 PM |

Let me say something about the Patriot Act

You know, there's an interesting debate in Washington - and you're part of it - that says: Well, they didn't connect the dots prior to September the 11th

people were pretty adamant about hauling people up to testify and wondering how come the dots weren't connected

Well, the Patriot Act helps us connect the dots.

It is inexcusable to say, on the one hand, connect the dots and not give us a chance to do so

We've connected the dots - are trying to connect the dots

we're connecting dots as best as we possibly can

And so - I forgot what got me on this subject. But, nevertheless, we're doing the right thing.

EXCERPTS FROM THE PRESS CONFERENCE OF MR. CONNECT-THE-DOTS 12/19/05

Fighting Dems

| by Melissa McEwan | 7:00 PM |

Raw Story’s Larisa Alexander and John Byrne are reporting that tomorrow the Democrats will release a massive report critiquing the administration’s Iraq war policies.

House Judiciary Committee Democrats, spearheaded by Congressman John Conyers (D-MI), are set to release possibly the sharpest congressional critique to date surrounding Iraq, RAW STORY has learned.

The report, titled "The Constitution in Crisis: The Downing Street Minutes and Deception, Manipulation, Torture, Retribution and Coverups in the Iraq War," is slotted to be made available to the public Tuesday...

According to Democratic aides, the report will focus on alleged manipulation of pre-war intelligence by the White House, specifically covering such topics as the Downing Street Minutes as well as the White House position on the Geneva Conventions and international law as regards its policies toward prisoners of war. Sources say the report is slated to be published as a book.

I’m…speechless. And I’m looking forward to reading this document.

(Crossposted at Shakes.)

Maher to Dear Leader: Game OVER!

| by Anonymous | 4:24 PM |

A Maher Proposal

Mr. President, this job can't be fun for you any more. There's no more money to spend - you used up all of that. You can't start another war because you used up the army. And now, darn the luck, the rest of your term has become the Bush family nightmare: helping poor people. Listen to your Mom. The cupboard's bare, the credit card's maxed out. No one's speaking to you. Mission accomplished.

Now it's time to do what you've always done best: lose interest and walk away, like you did with your military service and the oil company and the baseball team. It's time, time to move on and try the next fantasy job. How about cowboy or space man?

Now I know what you're saying: there're so many other things that you as President could involve yourself in. Please don't. I know, I know, there's a lot left to do. There's a war with Venezuela, eliminating the sales tax on yachts, turning the space program over to the church and Social Security to Fannie Mae, and giving embryos the vote.

But, sir, none of that is going to happen now. Why? Because you govern like Billy Joel drives. You've performed so poorly I'm surprised that you haven't given yourself a medal. You're a catastrophe that walks like a man. Herbert Hoover was a shitty president, but even he never conceded an entire city to rising water and snakes.

On your watch, we've lost almost all of our allies, the surplus, four airliners, two trade centers, a piece of the Pentagon, and the city of New Orleans. Maybe you're just not lucky. I'm not saying you don't love this country. I'm just wondering how much worse it could be if you were on the other side.

So, yes, God does speak to you. What he's saying is: 'Take a hint.'

tags: impeach bush george bush bill maher
hat tip: Judy at Billionaires for Bush

CSI: TYPEPAD REFUGEEZ

| by Neil Shakespeare | 9:00 PM |

Hello everyone. Are you getting enough food, water, medical care?

I must admit to a feeling of oddness. I suppose that comes from the ennui associated with being an honorary refugee. The long hours spent doing nothing, waiting for help to arrive. The garbage piling up all around. Can't blog. Forced to watch either football or FOX.

"Can somebody change the channel?

Oh, Jesus. TIME, I see, is giving the "Persons of the Year" cover to Bill & Melinda Masterbates and Boner, their long lost love child. Sure, why not? Let's give it to the two richest people in the world and their whiny bastard son, why don't we?

I can't hear the sound from here. There's so much noise. Probably a good thing. I sure as hell don't wanna hear Boner whining about how wonderful he is.

I see those two "homosocials", William Jefferson Bush and George Herbert Walker Clinton holding hands while stepping off a plane together. Must be another appearance for their new movie, "Brokeback Tsunami".

Oops, there's Dick the Prick over in Iraq. Guess he must have needed an oil change. And there's Brainless John McCain talking on his cellphone as he enters the White House. I wonder what he's saying. Maybe it's:

"Motherfucking Typepad Refugees! Goddamnit! We never should have invaded Typepad! All we've done is strengthened their movement!

Good, somebody switched the channel. Local news. Holy cow! There's been a murder/suicide in Voidsville! What the heck?! We NEVER have murders around here! Lots of suicides, but never any murders. They're not releasing the names...details pending...investigation ongoing. Ongoing. Where have I heard that before?

Well heck. Boy, now I've really got something to think about. I have to go now. Make some phone calls. Find out about this murder/suicide. All they can say is that, "The murderer and victim seemed to know each other." Hmmm. Not a lot to go on. But I'll keep you posted, right here at...

CSI: TYPEPAD REFUGEEZ...

Agitprop's Dear Leader Death Watch

| by Anonymous | 2:18 PM |

And Now, The Moment You've All Been Waiting For ...

The President, Vice President, and all civil officers of the United States shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and conviction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors. U.S. Constitution, Art. II, Sec. 4.

The Dear Leader has admitted on national television that he broke the law. If you want to eavesdrop on conversations originating or ending in the U.S., you have to run it by the FISA court, which has denied exactly five requests since its creation in 1978. You can even start listening in and notify the court within 72 hours.

But did the Dear Leader bother? Nope. If politicians from both parties have any guts, we might not have to wait for Bush to get an extramarital blowjob to send him back to Crawford. Or to prison (oh please oh please). And there will be hearings.

tags: dear leader death watch war on terror impeach bush george bush

Eastern Philosophical Foundations of Defeatism

| by Agi | 9:31 PM |

Well, the defeatists! still looks like crap on Typepad. But we don't really care, because after all, we are defeatists! I wrote the following piece at our place on Typepad but I'm also cross-posting it here to give you all a short primer on defeatism. Enjoy.

. . .

Although Eastern Philosophy is Holier Than Mao's area of expertise, I'd like to take a brief look at the philosophical underpinnings of the defeatist ethos. There are definite Taoist and well as Buddhist parallels to the defeatist way of life.

The following excerpt comes from Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh and is titled "Hope as an Obstacle":

Hope is important, because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today. But that is the most that hope can do for us—to make some hardship lighter. When I think deeply about the nature of hope in the future, we do not focus our energies and capabilities on the present moment. We use hope to believe something better will happen in the future, that we will arrive at peace, or the Kingdom of God. Hope becomes a kind of obstacle. If you can refrain from hoping, you can bring yourself entirely into the present moment and discover the joy that is already here.

In other words, only by losing all hope is one able to experience true freedom. Hope is an illusion, even a prison, that prevents us from experiencing real freedom today.

Then there's the concept of delayed gratification which keeps us waiting and waiting for our "savior" which never arrives. The thought of achieving pleasure in the future may keep us moving forward, but we never actually reach that destination.

Enjoy life today, not tomorrow.

I Think I'm Back (Maybe)

| by TFLS | 5:45 PM |

Well - now I can finally find me (I won't go into the entire metaphysical aspects of that statement) - though it seems others cannot. Typepad may have eased its head partially out of its ass, but there are still people having trouble. And Donna isn't the only one to tell me all they get is an error message while trying to find my blog. What's this - 38 hours and counting?

So I guess I get to have more intimate email exchanges with Carla - where she can assume I've never seen a computer before in my life and once again suggest I re-boot. All I have to say about that is, honey - I had an Apple II that I brought back stateside from Japan in '86, and my hubby was building his own whirligigs way back in the late 70's. I think we know from basic maintenance and operation 101, thank you. And I may not be able to code with my hubby's panache and ability, but I do know how to find the power button - and this machine isn't an old tube-driven TV set. Whacking it soundly a couple ‘a times does NOT produce a better picture!

Anyway – so folks – what are we gonna do about this new blog we’ve birthed? I say keep it up and thriving. Of course, it doesn’t seem to have any direction in life yet – but what infant does? How’s about we let it grow, and see what kind of kid we created? Ya never know – it might just turn out to be something grand. Lord knows there’s enough of us to provide pithy and interesting content; and such an eclectic and opinionated group as well! Think how yummy the cinnamon buns could be! (Sorry – hubby’s been on a baking kick lately).

So whaddya say? Obviously we all still need the outlet as Typepad continues to flail about, looking way too much like Bush’s cabinet for my taste. But after – and I am assuming an after there will most definitely be – perhaps we can all put in a good movie and decide to stay a while. Dunno - Just a thought.

The Silence of the Blogs

| by Anonymous | 4:10 PM |

Fun and games at Technorati.
And I've decided on a nickname for our little home-away-from-home:

Typepad Refugees: The Superdome of Blogs

it must be because of the war on Christmas!

| by nina | 3:17 PM |

Well, despite being royally pissed off at TypePad like everyone else, I must admit it's been kinda fun getting together with other folks and making new blogs. I am one of the lucky ones whose TypePad blog appears to be for the most part restored. This will not, however, stop me from blabbing all over the damn place, for now I am experiencing a crisis of a different nature, a crisis that could involve the wailing of a six year old, for I cannot find the Christmas tree stand.

We live in a very old house and let me tell you that poking around in its nether regions is no fun. It's dark and smelly and full of things that I am officially not bothered by but still don't want to encounter unexpectedly. I have looked in every possible nook and cranny, and while I have found several boxes of old toys, a broken printer, a camp stove, and the kidlet's toddler bed, the tree stand ain't nowhere. I know this problem seems easily solved. We can venture to the store and purchase a new tree stand for all of six dollars. But I just know that the minute I do that, the old stand will magically appear in some obvious place. And then next year I'll have two stands to lose.

I'm Still Screwed!!!

| by TFLS | 3:15 PM |

Well, boys and girls - Typepad still well and truly has me by the short hairs. New content on my weblog is only visible if the viewer (either from within the belly of the beast, or entering the cave alone and unaided) clicks on my title bar. If you just drop on by to say howdy - all most of you will be able to see are my posts from December 12th - the arbitrary date Typepad picked as most worthy, I guess. 1/2 dozen 'fix the fucking thing' tickets later, and I am being told everything is just fine - no problem here! Just re-publish your files, clear your cache, crush all your cookies into infinitesimally tiny motes of dust and it will all go away. (Of course you must stand on one foot and cackle like a chicken while doing it - without that, everything else is moot).

Well, it hasn't gone away - and I have done everything up to and including complicated voodoo rituals (it helps having a hubby who does this sort of thing for a living - computers, that is; not voodoo). So - two things. First, I hope you all don't mind if I hang out here and party a while. Second, could you please stop by my blog and tell me what you see? (The Fat Lady Sings) Typepad is not helping one little bit - they keep telling me everything on their end's fine - it's me who's screwed up. (They're coming to take me away, ho ho, ha, ha, he, he). Well - hubby and I are already hunting for a new home - which is incredibly stressful and a bitch to boot! I mean, I was putting finishing touches on a more individualistic design, creating an alternate page for my fiction work, and trying to smooth out my first podcast - all through Typepad, the nasty little trolls!

So you will excuse me for saying I'M PISSED!!!!!! And if you will also excuse the expression - Carla at Typepad can kiss my ever lovin' ass!

Happy Belated Birthday

| by Anonymous | 2:27 PM |



Agitprop was ready ... all set to go. Yesterday Beethoven would have been 235 years old. He would have looked it too. Photo? Check. Dates? Check (1770-1827). Typepad? Feh. We were cast into the wilderness.

So happy birthday big guy. And Typepad ... this is going to require more than a free month.

tags: ludwig van beethoven six apart typepad photo by blogenfreude (cross-posted at Agitprop)

A New Dialogue Begins from a Jail Cell

| by eRobin | 2:17 AM |

Jim Wallis and over a hundred other religious activists were arrested today for blocking a door to a federal office building.

115 religious leaders were arrested in front of the Cannon House Office Building while kneeling in prayer to protest the immoral budget and tax agenda which slashes spending on the poor to finance tax breaks for the rich. Led by Jim Wallis of Call to Renewal, national faith leaders, clergy and faith-based providers of services to the poor held a press conference.

Following the press conference the leaders kneeled in prayer blocking the entrance to the Cannon House Office Building on the corner of Independence and New Jersey Avenues. The Capitol Police began arresting the participants after warning them three times to move from the entrance. The participants were escorted one at a time into one of two Metro buses transported to a Capitol Police warehouse facility at 67 K St., SW (South Capitol and K Street) where they are being processed at this hour. Also at this hour a vigil in support of those who participated in today’s civil disobedience is taking place at the same location. The first release of those arrested is expected around 5:00PM EST.

Iddybud has the story and some (predictable and detestible) reaction from the right. Testimonies from those arrested here.

Typepad Lies!!!

| by TFLS | 12:32 AM |

So - I try to post to my blog, and what happens? Not a damn thing, that's what! Oh - but Typepad says everything's A-OK - nothing wrong - everything's fixed!! Send up fireworks everybody!

Liar, liar pants on fire!! They are still hosed - as in FUBAR - gone the way of the Dodo. So, I can't even put up a sign that says 'Sorry - it's broke'. And I sure as hell can't re-post those entries Typepad 'misplaced'. I tried - no go. Oh, and they have also managed to lose all my graphics and photos as well. Isn't that special?

If I could get one of those fruit bats on the phone, I would give them much more than a piece of my mind - I would graphically prove exactly what I learned all those years working on a Navy base!! Blasted, two-faced, bloody liars!!!!

Just Skip Ahead to the Part That's Gonna Piss Me Off

| by eRobin | 12:21 AM |

Typepad still isn't letting me into the Promised Land, although they have let me get a glimpse of it. So I'm setting up a tent in camp.

While I'm back on the outskirts of blogtopia, I want to note the passing of John Spencer, who suffered a heart attack and died earlier today. He made McGarry hands down the most believeable character on that show - during the bad times and this year during the rebound. I'm going to miss him.

Our Theme Song

| by Agi | 10:24 PM |



Refugee ~ Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

We got somethin' we both know it
We don't talk too much about it
Yeah it ain't no real big secret all the same
Somehow we get around it
Listen it don't really matter to me baby
You believe what you want to believe
You see you don't have to live like a refugee

Somewhere, somehow somebody
Must have kicked you around some
Tell me why you wanna lay there
And revel in your abandon
Listen it don't make no difference to me baby
Everybody's had to fight to be free
You see you don't have to live like a refugee
Now baby you don't have to live like a refugee

Baby we ain't the first
I'm sure a lot of other lover's been burned
Right now this seems real to you
But it's one of those things
You gotta feel to be true

Somewhere, somehow somebody
Must have kicked you around some
Who knows, maybe you were kidnapped
Tied up, taken away and held for ransom
It don't really matter to me
Everybody's had to fight to be free
You see you don't have to live like a refugee
I said you don't have to live like a refugee

bittersweet

| by El Serracho! | 10:07 PM |

the defeatists! is back up.. more or less. .. i can probably post there if wanted to, but it's kind of sad leaving the refugee camp. what do we do with this place now that we have to go home again?

will you sign my yearbook? don't forget to write. we'll be best friends forerever and talk on the phone every night.



i promise.

The light at the end of the tunnel ...

| by Anonymous | 9:34 PM |

Look! Images back by Monday! Mirabile dictu!

Friday Features

| by TFLS | 9:17 PM |

Ice Storm!!!! It’s a veritable winter wonderland – not at all usual this far south. Now, when I lived in North Carolina, we used to get these all the time – trees sheathed in opaque ice; suspended rivulets dripping down like some kind of mutant Spanish moss. So ethereal and beautiful – rather eerie; everything frozen and twisted into fantastical shapes from the wind. Its like I went through the wardrobe and found Narnia still encased in perpetual winter. No Mr. Tumnus, though – just dogs that are fascinated by the phenomenon and not at all sure what to do about it. Crunching ice under puppy toes has become a very popular game. Smokey has lived with snow, so this is old hat to him. Ginger, on the other hand keeps trying to run away from the sound her tippy-toes make as she scoots along. It’s quite amusing, really. Girlfriend never wants to come in – too many things to sample - evidently the pine trees taste really good frozen.

So – this week I have several more wonderful blogs for you to have a gander at. The first one is sheer puppy love. At least it features a puppy that I love the hell out of. Cairo’s Place is truly a boxer’s blog. Its author you will all probably recognize as the former proprietor of AGITPROP, a wonderful blog now capably and intelligently managed by Blogenfreude (who invited me here - a very kind man). Well, to liven up his retirement, the Commandante got himself a wonderful, beautiful, destructive little angel named Cairo – and presto-chango, Cairo got her own blog. You can decide who made out better in the exchange; I say both found perfection – with each other, of course; as all happy pet owners already know. Cairo’s Place faithfully chronicles her exploits – from beanie-baby infancy, to super sweet destructo puppy – everything’s there – all digitally arrayed for your viewing pleasure. So, if you want that ‘Ohhhh! Ahhhh!’ factor gazing out at you from a pair of limpid brown eyes, this blogs for you.

And then there’s Night Bird’s Fountain – pure poetry in more ways than one. I am enamored of Lizzy’s light touch, and facile mind. She writes tiny dreams that float the reader into a different world. She is also the beating heart that gives Night Bird its wings. Eli informs – just the facts, maam – but he always has them, and quite succinctly lays everything out. Cyn shouts – working visually, making sure all hear her crystal clear voice. Mack unveils; he’s a father, steadfast - always standing up for his beliefs. Barbi quotes the truth-sayers, so we don’t forget – “An unconstitutional law, in legal contemplation, is as inoperative as if it had never passed.” Nygreg outlines his truth, reasonably, calmly; explaining so you cannot help but see. Chuck – he punches through, visceral work – your attention is demanded and held. Dorsano – well, Dorsano’s métier is humor – and it’s definitely on display here. As for Amanda, or Beantown Bob – I haven’t run into them yet – but I am sure their contributions are as interesting and informed as their colleagues.

Finally, I would like to introduce you to Brother Kenya’s Paradigm – a serious blog written by someone whose humor borders on self-deprecating. The author is Kevin Brennan, and he says he’s just a guy in a hair shirt trying to make his way through life without filing an insurance claim. Well, good luck with that; but I wouldn’t count my chickens if I were you. Amusing – yes; yet he tackles serious subjects head on, and without beating about the bush (pun intended). You really should read his post on the death of Stanley ‘Tookie’ Williams. No one gets off easy – not Williams, not the Governor and certainly not society at large. Me? I especially loved his piece memorializing the brilliant and ethical Eugene McCarthy, not to mention his memory riff on the passing of John Lennon and how it marked the end of that era. So – this blog is part remembrance, part opinion and wholly Kevin Brennan. If you visit, I promise you will stay.

And another week rushes to a close with Christmas looming on the horizon. Well – at least it’s finally beginning to look like Christmas – though I must say I really do miss having snow. Hubby has been home sick, and I’m afraid he’s given whatever the hell he has to me. Lord – please let me get through the holidays with my sanity intact! I hope that for you as well. So - till next time -----

The Fat Lady Sings

As is obvious – Typepad proceeded to lose everyone's blog last night. God alone knows if they will ever find it again - these guys are so far off they couldn't hit a bull in the behind with a bass fiddle in broad daylight! And if, by some miracle of creation, they do find their and everybody else's ass, how much of it will still exist? I prefer the British take on tragedy - kick your tushie into gear and get on with it. So, that’s why this post is late, and why I am considering moving to better digs. So, my good friends – tell me – do you like your blog carrier; and if so – what the hell is it?

Ka-POW

| by Melissa McEwan | 8:51 PM |

Check out this rant by darling Spudsy. Yowza!

(WARNING: Your monitor may explode.)

And the Kool Ade Award for 2005 Goes To ...

| by Anonymous | 8:45 PM |

Ben Stein: "Bush is going to down in history as one of the great peacemakers."

Twelve Steps

| by Lance Mannion | 8:38 PM |

"Hi. My name is Lance, and I'm a blogaholic."

"Hi, Lance!"

This is kind of sad, isn't it? None of us can bear to be without our blogs for even one whole day?

Anybody have any idea what's going on with Typepad? I mean, really going on?

"During routine maintenance of our network and storage systems last night, we experienced an issue with our primary disk system where data from published blogs are stored."

I think I saw that episode.

"Hey, Moe! Look!"

"What's that?"

"I don't know. I just pulled on it and it came off."

"C'm'ere, porcupine."

"Oh oh oh oh!"

For a year I loved Typepad. Never a problem. Never a lost post. Oh, how fun it was, laughing at the kids on blogger. But since fall...

Seems like once a week Typepad's had some kind of nervous breakdown. You'd think that at the point where they were offering rebates to us for blogging time lost, somebody there would have said, "Hey, I got an idea! What if we just went back to doing what we were doing before we changed things and introduced all those bugs?"

There's probably a good explanation for why they don't do that. My cynical soul believes that it's because what changed was somebody in management. A new grand poohbah appeared on the scene and determined to flex his or her ego and forever stamp Typepad as their own ordered fixed what was not broken, thereby, of course, invoking Murphy's Law.

Now, although it's become clear that the new grand poohbah didn't know spit from shinola, nobody dares suggest that the decision was wrong.

Of course, the grand poohbah now admits that the changes the poohbah instituted didn't go as planned---the new code was welcomed, it just wasn't a peaceful welcome---that the initial Intel was faulty, but Typepad must not give in to the defeatists. Stay the course! Anybody who criticizes Typepad is aiding Blogger.

Or am I confusing Typepad with some other set of screw ups?

This is infuriating! (But it's sooo nice not to be all alone:))

| by TFLS | 8:29 PM |

First I want to thank you all for the invite - it has been a dreadful day - sick hubby, ice storm, dogs with cabin fever chasing cats all over hell and gone while destroying the house in the process - and the piece de resistance - Typepad now telling me this might take days to fix. So this is truly a bright spot. Bless you all!! Now, I am still hoping the situation gets taken care of sooner than anticipated, but if it gets much later, I will definitely post my Friday Features article here - and then move it (providing there is a place to move it to, of course!)

Anyway - I'm open for suggestions on where to go after the dust settles. Typepad has been nothing but trouble for ages – and I have had it with this shit. So, who do you all think is reliable? Hell – I’d post on the moon if the servers held!

take a moment and revel in the ignorance of Jeff Goldstein and his blind followers

| by El Serracho! | 8:16 PM |

the folks at protein wisdom, both the walking-typing ego that is Jeff Goldstein and his followers, are the funniest bunch of folks that ever took themselves seriously.

where comments, honest, sometimes begin as stupidly as this:

Marc --

I’m not calling you soft on Islamofascism...

and anyone who opposes government intervention in their daily lives is an "efette fucktard".

where "limpwristed" suddenly is not an euphemism for gay and the 5th column - that is anyone to the left of rick santorum - is gonna really regret this or that the day the "next attacks" come (i swear, someone in their comments section says this every damn day, it's hilarious).

have a little fun. go, read, fuck with them.

see if you can drive them into a rage like i did.

they love war, torture, and spying, only slightly less than jeff g. is in love with hisself.

you'll thank me for it

MORE ONGOING BS

| by The Heretik | 7:49 PM |

degraded

| by El Serracho! | 7:39 PM |

this thing looks suspiciously like the terror-level sign. perhaps they are in cahoots.

What A Shitty Day

| by ntodd | 7:33 PM |

Typepad craps out. My flight from LGA to BTV has been delayed, cancelled, reinstated, delayed...who knows if I'll get home tonight. At least there have been no NYTimes reports about my signing executive orders to spy on Americans.

ntodd

Filibustered!

| by Melissa McEwan | 7:17 PM |

The Senate fell seven votes short of ending a filibuster directed at blocking legislation renewing the Patriot Act. Think Progress has more, including video of Russ Feingold, infamously the lone no-vote against the original Patriot Act, who swore to filibuster its renewal this time.

No Joke

| by The Heretik | 6:49 PM |

We Are A Nation Founded By Terrorists

| by Agi | 6:32 PM |

Stephen VanDyke explains.

I personally would prefer to dump Starbucks coffee into Los Angeles harbor, but that's another story...

Friday Fun

| by Melissa McEwan | 6:30 PM |

Jackassery-a-go-go!

Hallooooo!

| by Melissa McEwan | 6:15 PM |

I'm not a Typepad Refugee; I just want to hang out with the cool kids!

Kafka Dreams of Typepad

| by The Heretik | 5:45 PM |

Words have no meaning. I am a Typepad Refugee.

The Heretik

Agitprop Reports

| by Anonymous | 5:23 PM |

Some of my content is back (up to the point where I was mocking Alex Witt).

Let's Rig The Vote

| by Agi | 5:15 PM |

Go here and nominate The Defeatists for Best Group Blog.

also, nominate these people...

Most Deserving of Wider Recognition: The Heretik

Best New Blog: Agitprop

Let's stuff the ballot boxes! Let's be like the Republicans!

Let's Pretend We're British!

| by Anonymous | 5:02 PM |

Click here to pretend you are British and demand a public inquiry into the London Bombings ...

When Tragedy Strikes

| by Agi | 4:42 PM |

Sometimes I don't have the ability to deal with horrible news stories like this one.

Our culture is in grave danger.

kris kringle must die

| by El Serracho! | 4:38 PM |

fred bieling brings has just informed the fugees of a post from the frontlines.

please. support our troops.

Typepad, You Suck

| by Agi | 4:25 PM |



I was planning to unveil a nice post this morning and then you and your pipeweed-smoking Hobbits decided to crash the entire Typepad server.

So, I was busy watching this movie this morning and found myself amazed.

JESUS NEVER EXISTED. JESUS WAS A MYTH.

Must check out these clips.

SENATE BLOCKS PATRIOT ACT!

| by Anonymous | 4:22 PM |

On the same day we learn that the Dear Leader has been spying on ordinary Amurricans like you and me ... THIS!

meanwhile, life goes on in the u.s. senate

| by El Serracho! | 4:15 PM |

hammer of truth is covering the action and calling you out to call your senators out.

get to it.

Another Stake to the Heart ...

| by Anonymous | 4:07 PM |

Novakula is [almost] dead.

something to pass the time

| by El Serracho! | 3:43 PM |

if you haven't read the finest christmas story of the year, please do so now.

heartwarming.

We are the Refugees of Typepad ...

| by Anonymous | 3:01 PM |

It's Beethoven's birthday and we can't post to Agitprop ... WTF?

photo by blogenfreude