The Siren Song of Fungi

Those strange little buggers.  You'd not assume they were worth a second glance most of the time.  But cook them up just right and they release a most delectable aroma and flavor!  Yummmmmm!  And the seduction is only heightened by the thought that if you choose unwisely you just might end up dead as the fallen tree they were sprouting from.

Well, it seems the fungi-mania in Italy this year is taking its toll on the "fungaioli".

In related news we've got chef Mario Batali openng up Eataly, a massive epicurian emporium of all things Italian, just steps from my office.  Signs say opening "precisely at 4pm" today.  The boss, a big time foodie himself, has already made it known that he expects the office to clear out around that time.  I'll certainly be checking out the shroom selection.

Another 1st Amendment moron

I'm constantly mazed at how many supposedly intelligent people have no clue about what their 1st Amendment rights really involve. 

Like Dr. Laura Schlessinger for instance;

"At the end of the year, when my contract runs out, I've decided not to do a radio show anymore. I want my First Amendment rights back, which I can't have on radio without the threat of attack on my advertisers and stations. I would like to make it clear that I am not retiring -- I'm too young for that -- and I'm not quitting. I will be stronger and freer to say my mind through my books, my YouTube Channel, my blog and my website. And I'll be on TV more, because I'll have the freedom to speak my mind."

Seriously?  Does the erudite doctor REALLY believe that the 1st Amendment is supposed to protect her and her sponsors/employers from the repercussions of her speech?  I'm constantly dumbfounded when I hear this.  And no one ever calls them on it.  Is she really that stupid?  And do the people she's doling out self-help advice to know this? 

I want my 1st Amendment rights back!  In other words, I want to be able to be shielded from any repercussions from the offensive things I say or do.

It's right up there with, I want my country back!

And people wonder why Obama hasn't magically "transformed" the country. 

He wasn't a criminal....

....when he bought the semi-automatic handgun that he used to kill 8 of his co-workers.

[photo credit: AP Photo/Journal Inquirer, Jessica Hill]

How often have you heard it said that banning things like assault rifles will ensure that only the criminals have them?  Well, Omar Thornton wasn't a criminal when he bought his semi-automatic handgun.  But he is now.  I suppose he just bought the gun for self-protection, right?  Yeah.  That's it.  For protection.

But "something just snapped in him". 

He was never violent.  Until today.

And now 8 innocent people are dead.  Eight families are torn apart.

But at least Omar Thornton's 2nd Amendment rights are intact.

Burn baby burn!

This is a lovely piece from Huffington Post.

The reason I am posting this is to illustrate a point.  What happens everytime some radical muslim cleric makes some ridiculous threat against non-muslims?  It gets tons of press.  It's all over the media.  It becomes a defacto aspect of Islam.  The xenophobic public ratchets up their fear and hatred of all things muslim.

So here we have a radical Christianist engaging in a ridiculous act of intolerance and blanket hatred of non-Christians.  It's getting some press.  Think about how western Christians react to the Muslim radicals and you can understand how muslims will react to these idiots. 

What would Jesus burn?

Kids.

Just wanted to note how often I find myself profoundly struck and inspired by the thoughts expressed by my kids.  Such pure honesty and wonder.  Somebody's gotta figure out how to keep us from losing that. 

Where's snark?

There's a snark in this photo.  Can you find him?

From the House of Blues closing night party at Netroots Nation 2010.

Ask the Speaker

Nancy Pelosi was well received. She's a very gracious lady. She began by thanking everyone from the netroots for all the thousands of roses that were sent to her following the passage of healthcare reform. She says what has been accomplished since she became Speaker is that they have "pushed open the gate". Haven’t passed through yet but the gate is open and it would have been impossible without citizen activists. She spoke about her conversation with Obama following the passage of “healthcare for all Americans”. Huh? Do we have universal care now? Anyway, she spoke to Obama and he said that he was happier that day than he was the day he was elected. Right. And she said no, because had he not been elected it would never have happened. Then she introduces a video address to Netroots Nation from Obama. Pretty cool. Obama says he knows change not happening fast enough for some, especially those at NN. But points to what has been accomplished and the film cuts to clips of Maddow reporting on many of the big legislative achievements of the past 2 years. Nice touch. Maybe he can get around to sitting for an interview with her one of these days. Good comment from Maddow, “the last time any president achieved as much in office booze was illegal”. Got a good laugh. Cut back to Obama who reminds us that change does not, and will not happen from the top down but from the bottom up. Calls us to keep the pressure on him.


Speaker Pelosi then sat with the moderator, Cheryl Contee, and answered about 10 questions on a range of legislative issues. She was good, didn’t hedge too much. But most of the answers fell into the “we’re trying hard but the Republicans are obstructing us in the Senate” format.

I’ll follow up on that later.

[Managed to connect to the wireless network.  Got to meet Alan Grayson at the end of the Citizens United panel.  Nice guy.  Thanked him for all his work on the DISCLOSE Act.  He really took the time to shake peoples hands even though he was trying to take 5 minutes to shove some food in his face before taking part in the lunch panel on building a "progressive economic vision".]

Netroots Nation 2010

It's Vegas baby!

Well, it is Vegas so I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that I got addressed as "baby" and asked if I wanted to go have a good time not once but twice on the Rio casino floor Thursday night.  Hope I don't look that desperate!  But they are working girls so I guess the real go getters get the proverbial nut, eh?

NN2010 got off to a good start last night.  Met some interesting characters before and during the opening keynote event.  The event itself was interesting.  Nevada State Senator Steven Horsford started things off with an attempt at a spirited defense of the accomplishments of the Obama administration, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi.  He fought the good fight but the response was less than raucous.  Ultimately acknowledging that what has been accomplished thus far must serve as the "building blocks" of true progressive reform in the US moving forward.  They showed a great AFSCME/Brave New Films promo about taking on the lies of the right wing.  That got the attendees attention.  Majora Carter spoke passionately about her work through "Greening the Ghetto" and about the impact of "environmental sacrifice" zones on the poor in both urban and rural settings. 

Then Ed Schultz came out!  Wow!  What a fireball of energy that guy is.  He knows how to work a room.  Launched right into an all out attack on the Democratic Party and the administration and Congress.  He had a great line, which may be one of his regulars.  After talking about how we need to stop throwing ourselves at Wall Street he said, "I stick up for the people who take a shower AFTER work!"  Asked where is our moral compass as a nation and as a party.  Over the whole Sherrod incident he said he's sure they have a war room in the White House and they must also have a "sissy room".  Stop responding to FOX.  We complained to the Bush White House for 8 years.   They didn't respond once!   He busted his ass for Obama's election and he's not being "anti-Obama".  He knows where we'd be if he'd lost.  But, he said, "we're in the locker room and it's halftime" and we gotta perform better in the second half or things ain't gonna go our way.  The guy has amazing energy.

Markos came out and spoke briefly to introduce Gov. Brian Schweitzer.  He talked about the growth of the netroots since the first YealyKos 4 years ago.  The challanges facing a progressive movement that has a 25+ years structural disadvantage too the rightwing machine.  Called Harry Reid the luckiest guy in politics and thanked the tea baggers for Sharron Angle, Rand Paul and Linda McMahon!  Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you!

Brian Schweitzer was a terrific speaker as well.  He spoke at length and told some great stories.  A really likable, sensible guy.  I'll right some more about his comments later. 

Off to breakfast and COFFEE!  Late night last night.  There was a sponsored karaoke party at one of the Rio bars.  Drinks were flowing.  Played some cards.  And I'm happy to report that I am, currently, ahead!

Suburban Paradise!

So you move to the 'burbs partially to avoid scenes like this;

But this is basically the scene that confronted me and a train load of other commuters as we returned to our little hamlet yesterday evening.  There, in the middle of a permit-only town owned parking lot, up on four jacks, was a beautiful new shiny red Nissan Maxima with it's tires stripped off!  Unbelievable!  In broad daylight, in a lot where cars are regularly ticketed for expired registrations/inspections or for parking head out so that the permit sticker required on the rear bumper is not visible.  And reportedly this is not the first incident of this kind.  We have a very visible police presence in our town.  From cruisers to mountain bike patrols.  You never have to look far to spot a town police officer.  And one look at your annual property tax bill is all the reminder you need of what such visibility costs.  But somehow it seems that the main focus of our peace officers has devolved to revenue generation for the town coffers.  Many of the times you notice them it's because they're engaged in issuing someone a ticket for some traffic or parking infraction.  It's somewhat ironic that they seem to focus on activities that will bring in the revenue needed to perpetuate their own employment.  Perhaps a little less focus on the inspection status of the vehicles in the town lots and a bit more on the teams of lowlifes stripping them down is needed? 

Just a thought.

Supersize me!

Surprise, surprise!  Turns out that the perentage of million dollar plus homes of "the wealthy" (or those who thought they were wealthy) that are in default to lenders is higher than that of homes below the million dollar level.  But weren't we told that it was Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac underwriting mortgages to the poor and unqualified that caused the housing bubble and resulting crash?  Hmmmmm.  Seems there was quite a bit of overreach on the part of the McMansion set as well.  Of course these "wealthy" defaulters can afford to just walk away and start over.  Just another bad investment to be shrugged off. 

Must be a lotta nice bargains out there these days.

If you can stomach the fare.

Fuck!

All the prayers in the world didn't seem to help Germany today as they fell to an energized Spanish team in the World Cup semis. Lacking the services of Thomas Mueller they couldn't put together enough offense to overcome the Spanish onslaught and went down 0-1.  Seriously bummed.  They'll play Uraguay on Saturday in the consolation game.

I'll be pulling for L'Oranje in the final.

SHOCKING news! Truly shocking!

Now, I know this is out of the liberal cesspool that is the New York Times, but it appears that YET ANOTHER investigation has lead to the exoneration of one of the "Climategate" scientists!

Now, why, after splashing the initial "Climategate" story all over its front page, would you think that the uber-lib rag The Times would choose to run this little tidbit buried in the Science section?

Just a teeny tiny bit of consistancy would be nice, no?

Things that make you go hmmmmm....

With the level of shrill shreiking from the Left over how Obama is just the same as Bush and how he has no intention of leaving Iraq one has to wonder how they are dealing with stories like this.

Sure sounds like someone's leaving.

GOP game plan: Attack Thurgood Marshall?

Seems the GOP isn't just taking pages from FOX News these days.

They've adopted the entire playbook and hired Glenn Beck as head coach!

What other genius could have considered attacking Justice Marshall to be the best way to expand their appeal?

FIFA needs goal line technology

I'm incredibly glad that Germany defeated England in the round of 16 game on Sunday. I'm even more incredibly glad that the end result was not 2-1 in Germany's favor because that would have meant that the World Cup hopes of the English ended as the result of a blatantly bad call on the part of the referees. They blew an easy call that should have had the game tied 2-2 towards the end of the first half. Even though the missed goal did not wind up being the determining goal of the game (the Germans really did outplay the English) the fact that it was such a bad call almost certainly had a negative effect on the heads of the English side. They came out lackluster in the second half and really allowed the Germans to dominate. As time ticked away and they pressed for the equalizer they opened themselves up to a couple of nice German breaks that put the game totally out of hand.


It's terrible that a tournament with such worldwide appeal is being directed by such poor officiating. The game that followed between Argentina and Mexico also had a blatantly missed offside call on the opening goal by Argentina.  The goal should have been disallowed.  And these two examples are not the only ones from this years tournament.

Come on FIFA!  Get your heads out of your asses! 

Crazy Louie Gohmert

Every time I think that the Republicans in Congress cannot get any crazier and unhinged then they have previously shown themselves to be....

... manage to prove me wrong.

WTF is wrong with these people?

This shit is happening on the floor of the House of Representatives!  Congressmen comparing President Barack Obama to Adolf Hitler!

[shaking head]

Go Deutschland!

Oh yeah....Let's go USA too!

Big day for both teams.  It's win and move on in the World Cup for both.

So the guy want to a yacht race?

Maybe it's just me but....

Who really gives a crap that Tony Hayward went to a yacht race?  Seriously.  What does he need to do cloister himself in a monastery or something? 

People are fucking nuts.   And it's the faux outrage over crap like this that really makes me question the efficacy of relying on these same outraged people to make sound judgements about the governance of the nation.

World Cup 2010!

Ya know what I love about the World Cup?

It's pretty cool that a major part of the world population is all passionately caught up in the same event for several weeks.   Like the Olympics but in a more primal way.  Sorta helps you appreciate that we're all basically the same.

Go Deutschland!   

Olbermann goes GBCW at DailyKos!

Boo hoo!  The great Keith Olbermann took his ball and went home yesterday over at DailyKos.  All because he and Rachel Maddow were criticized for their reaction to Obama's oval office address.  He called out one comment in particular accusing him of staging his reaction to the speech.  A comment!  He couldn't brush off a single pathetic comment.  What a drip. 

Conventional wisdom from The Left?

Obama needed to be more Bush-like in his Oval Office address last night.

Not enough executive swagger it seems.

....ppfthht!

Obama limerick!

There once was a man named Obama.
A black man born of a white mama.
He flew to the top.
But the gusher he could not stop.
And he fell just as fast.
Oh, the drama!

Consider this an open contest.

Giant Flaming Jesus!

I'm sure the congregants will find some positive message in the conflagration.

They always do.

WHAT!!! Are you serious?

Words I never thought I'd hear out of the mouth of a self-professed progressive;

I'd rather have a Republican president in office at this point.

Sorry, that's just absolutely batshit fucking crazy delusional.  Think what you will of Obama's corporate centrism but he's miles better for "the progressive cause" than ANY republican will ever be.  I know, such sentiments can be played off as just venting steam.  But come on.  Get a grip.  It's bullshit.  And quite frankly counterproductive.  Tearing down Obama in the hopes of what?  Some shining light progressive savior who's gonna magically navigate his/her way through the American political system to the White House on a platform that there's no way the majority of Americans will embrace and that the corporate power brokers will shill out their last dollar to thwart?  Gonna throw your eggs in a Sestak/Grayson basket?  Good luck with that.  You think Joe Biden is a gaffe machine just wait til Alan Gayson gets some really good scrutiny.  And Joe Sestak is a former admiral.  Think he's just gonna walk in and pull us out of Iraq and Afghanistan?  It's easy to talk big when that's all you can do.  When the reality of actually having to make the decision and weigh the options and the risks/benefits comes into play it's a different story.  He's military.  He knows that better than anyone. Oy!  And the thought that they could have enough nationwide appeal on a truly progressive platform to get elected is, frankly, just silly.  The derangement.   

I love progressives, but sometimes they're as ideologically blind as the rightwing zombies.  I've no love lost for Obama these days.  But to think that you'd be better off with a GOP tool in the White House? 

But hey, good luck with that.  Should put your agenda on the fast track to no where.  But at least you'll have even more to gripe about.