She's lost that loving feeling...

Well...she really didn't lose it. Turns out Goose and Maverick were just fishing with the wrong bait.


This really comes as no surprise. I mean, after all, Top Gun was one of the greatest scripts ever written in the history of Hollywood. Why? Because while you think its about a bunch of fighter pilots, it's really about a man's struggle with his own homosexuality.

When Presidents talk, Americans get hurt

If you haven't been watching ABC's Better of Dead, you should. It is a good show. Last night's show was preempted by President Obama's address. This parody ad about the preemption is a good example of the shows humor. Check it out.

Heckuva hypocrisy there Brownie

I don't know what is sadder: the fact that former FEMA chief Michael Brown thinks he is qualified to be spoutin' his opinions on the government's response to a potential pandemic or the fact that Neil Cavuto completely ignores the fact that Brownie resigned in disgrace and thinks he has any credibility whatsoever.

Either way...its fun all around.

State Senator Vincent Sheheen to visit Florence

Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate and state Sen. Vince Sheheen will be in Florence the Morning of May 13th at Horne's Restaurant.

As of right now, Sheheen is arguably the front-runner to be the Democratic candidate for Governor. Make plans to come out and hear what Sheheen has to say about his candidacy. I will post a time as soon as I get it. Usually, these start at 7:15 am.

Katy bar the door...

Arlen Specter's defection to the Democratic Party has led to a little discussion over at SC6. Reino did a post on Specter and there have been several comments over the subject. I posted my thoughts on the matter on Tuesday. As a follow up, take a look at how Fox Nation responded to Republican Senator Olympia Snowe's Op-Ed in the Times: "Don't let the Door Hit You..."

In the Op-Ed, Snowe was simply relating the political reality that it seems a lot of "true Republicans" don't want to face:

In my view, the political environment that has made it inhospitable for a
moderate Republican in Pennsylvania is a microcosm of a deeper, more pervasive
problem that places our party in jeopardy nationwide.

I have said that, without question, we cannot prevail as a party
without conservatives. But it is equally certain we cannot prevail in the future
without moderates.

So, after losing one Senator, bringing the Dems to the cloture number of 60 (which they will have when Norm Coleman faces reality in Minnesota), Fox Nation's response is that the Dems can have Snowe too?

Really?

Okay.


Seriously, are these folks trying to build a compound or something? If you ain't a true believer, must you be banished? It's like the sentiment is to want to bar the door and await the apocalypse they just know is a-comin'.

Disagree with my opinions all you want folks, but it is a mathmatical fact that you don't win elections by reducing your number of votes. Just ask Norm Coleman...

Hattip to Benen and Media Matters.

Bachmann: Swine Flu is Democrats fault

In an interview today, resident GOP crazyperson posterchild Rep. Michelle Bachmann found it "interesting that it was back in the 1970s that the swine flu broke out then under another Democrat president Jimmy Carter."

I find it interesting that Bachmann can take time out from investigating the NAFTA Superhighway and World Currency to NOT actually fact check her history. It was under Gerald Ford that the swine flu broke out in the '70s. But that's ok...what do facts matter when you're preaching to the choir, sista. Bachmann tried to appear not batshit crazy by stating, "I'm not blaming Obama..." Of course, that begs the question, then what's so effin interesting about it, 'Chelle? Oh...I know. How about, God's punishment for gay marriage and Arlen switching for $100, Alex?

Now please, tell me more about the Democrats plan to poison us all with fluoride in the water supply...

Is Marion Barry back on the pipe?

Bringing into question whether or not he is back on the pipe, current D.C. Council member and former Mayor, Marion Barry, spoke out today against gay marriage at a rally. Why would this lead someone to question Barry's sobriety? It could be due to the fact in spite of calling gay marriage immoral today, Barry is one of the co-sponsors of the bill the council proposed making it legal.

When Barry was asked at the rally Tuesday why he co-introduced the amendment and later called for its defeat, Barry denied ever supporting it, saying, "I didn't sign anything."

As Andrew Sullivan noted, perhaps Barry's new cry will be: The Gays Set Me Up!

Red Rover, Red Rover...Send Arlen on over.

In a move that is as much as political survival as anything, Senator Arlen Specter announced today that he is switching parties and will run for re-election as a Democrat.

The political reality is well-known. Specter would lose in the upcoming Republican primary. I think he's got some good writers, as I love his comment in his statement below dealing with that (the comment about representing all the people of Pennsylvania).

Make of it what you will, but there is no denying this: Specter has long been the Republicans' moderate. And he no longer can win the Republican nomination. I am sure he will get killed with the RINO remarks, but Republicans should be asking themselves what that means. Is that widening the tent? Is it a good sign of where your party is headed? Because when you boil this down to the brass tacks, what it's really saying is that the Palins, Ditto-heads, tea-baggers and Michele Bachmans of the world just forced one of your own to move his seat across the aisle. I'm not real sure that is how your party is going to find its way...

"I have been a Republican since 1966. I have been working extremely hard
for the Party, for its candidates and for the ideals of a Republican Party whose
tent is big enough to welcome diverse points of view. While I have been
comfortable being a Republican, my Party has not defined who I am. I have taken
each issue one at a time and have exercised independent judgment to do what I
thought was best for Pennsylvania and the nation.

Since my election in 1980, as part of the Reagan Big Tent, the
Republican Party has moved far to the right. Last year, more than 200,000
Republicans in Pennsylvania changed their registration to become Democrats. I
now find my political philosophy more in line with Democrats than
Republicans.

When I supported the stimulus package, I knew that it would not be
popular with the Republican Party. But, I saw the stimulus as necessary to
lessen the risk of a far more serious recession than we are now
experiencing.

Since then, I have traveled the State, talked to Republican leaders and
office-holders and my supporters and I have carefully examined public opinion.
It has become clear to me that the stimulus vote caused a schism which makes our
differences irreconcilable. On this state of the record, I am unwilling to have
my twenty-nine year Senate record judged by the Pennsylvania Republican primary
electorate. I have not represented the Republican Party. I have represented the
people of Pennsylvania.

I have decided to run for re-election in 2010 in the Democratic
primary.
I am ready, willing and anxious to take on all comers and have my
candidacy for re-election determined in a general election.

I deeply regret that I will be disappointing many friends and
supporters. I can understand their disappointment. I am also disappointed that
so many in the Party I have worked for for more than four decades do not want me
to be their candidate. It is very painful on both sides. I thank specially
Senators McConnell and Cornyn for their forbearance.

I am not making this decision because there are no important and
interesting opportunities outside the Senate. I take on this complicated run for
re-election because I am deeply concerned about the future of our country and I
believe I have a significant contribution to make on many of the key issues of
the day, especially medical research. NIH funding has saved or lengthened
thousands of lives, including mine, and much more needs to be done. And my
seniority is very important to continue to bring important projects vital to
Pennsylvania's economy.

I am taking this action now because there are fewer
than thirteen months to the 2010 Pennsylvania Primary and there is much to be
done in preparation for that election. Upon request, I will return campaign
contributions contributed during this cycle.

While each member of the Senate caucuses with his Party, what each of
us hopes to accomplish is distinct from his party affiliation. The American
people do not care which Party solves the problems confronting our nation. And
no Senator, no matter how loyal he is to his Party, should or would put party
loyalty above his duty to the state and nation.

My change in party affiliation does not mean that I will be a
party-line voter any more for the Democrats that I have been for the
Republicans. Unlike Senator Jeffords' switch which changed party control, I will
not be an automatic 60th vote for cloture. For example, my position on Employees
Free Choice (Card Check) will not change.

Whatever my party affiliation, I will continue to be guided by
President Kennedy's statement that sometimes Party asks too much. When it does,
I will continue my independent voting and follow my conscience on what I think
is best for Pennsylvania and America."

Of course, all this could simply be yet another in one of GOP Chairman Michael Steele's briliant ploys to find out where everyone is on the chessboard, baby! (Think Pink and The Brain...)

Guess who may be running for Lt. Governor?

The BTPC was hanging out in Columbia this weekend and heard that someone from Florence was contemplating a run for Lt. Governor.

I'll give you a hint. It's someone in this picture whose last name is not Wukela and whose first name is not Frank.

I can't say that it's true, but I can say that more than one source has confirmed this person is "considering" a run.

A Golden Girl passes on

Bea Arthur, the "Maude" and "Golden Girls" star, died Saturday at the age of 86. Bea's tv career shot off after she appeared as Edith Bunker's outspoken, liberal cousin, who played the foil to Archie's conservative crumedgeonous on "All in the Family."

She was such a hit, that it landed her a show of her own, "Maude," for which she won an Emmy in 1977. Then in 1985, she started her run as Dorothy on "The Golden Girls," the hit show which garnered 10 Emmys.

Arthur may best be remembered by recent generations, as the butt of Roastmaster Jeff Ross' best delivered zinger during the Comedy Central Roast of Jerry Stiller. After a weird and uncomfortable rendition of Heart's "Magic Man" by roaster Sandra Bernhardt for bewildered Stiller, Ross came to the podium and announced:

"I wouldn't fuck Sandra Bernhardt with Bea Arthur's dick."

It was a zing a comedian like Arthur loved. RIP, Bea.

Henson's Eleven

Kermit gets a crew together for a once-in-a-lifetime caper...

Family Guy celebrates 420

As only Seth MacFarlane can do, Family Guy tackled the legalization of marijuana last night. I think MacFarlane is on to something: people can be won over by humorous musicals.

National Pot Smokers Day

It's about 11:30 p.m. April 20th as I write this post. That means if you haven't hit the bong yet, you've got approximately 30 minutes left to celebrate National Pot Smokers Day. Why April 20th, you ask? Well...I guess you never heard the term 420 used.

Huffington Post has several posts up on the subject including an interesting one on the origin of the phrase 420 (it was not actually a reference to the police radio code for smoking in progress) and an even better argument by former Seattle Police Chief Norm Stamper on the need for legalization. Stamper is a member of LEAP, an organization of "former cops and other criminal justice practitioners who have witnessed firsthand the futility and manifold injustices of the drug war."

If you are against the legalization of pot, read the post and look at some of the facts Stamper lays out about marijuana versus alcohol. I won't recite them all here, but I did find a question he poses to fellow law enforcement officers compelling. After pointing out that in approximately 3 million cases of violent crimes last year, the offender had been drinking, Stamper relates this:

Over the past four years I've asked police officers throughout the U.S. (and in
Canada) two questions. When's the last time you had to fight someone under the
influence of marijuana? (I'm talking marijuana only, not pot plus a six-pack or
a fifth of tequila.) My colleagues pause, they reflect. Their eyes widen as they
realize that in their five or fifteen or thirty years on the job they have never
had to fight a marijuana user. I then ask: When's the last time you had to fight
a drunk? They look at their watches.

It's time to get sensible about this War on Drugs. We are not winning. And if you can read this email to Andrew Sullivan and still be against the legalization of a natural substance that medicine and science agree offers a vast marjority of pros over cons, then your like a combo of the Tinman and the Scarecrow there Dorothy.

The Danger of Handshakes?

It's a new week and that means it's time for a new ridiculous argument on how President Obama is threatening you, your family and your way of life. What has he done now? He shook hands with and greeted Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez at the Summit of the Americas.

I know, I know...How dare he? What was he thinking? He's "bolstering the enemies of America" (Newt Gingrich). He's being "irresponsible" (Rep. Congress members Judd Gregg and John Ensign). This is outrageous!

Obama apparently expected the excessive whining, and noted over the weekend
the "great differences" he has with Chavez, including the Venezuelan president's
"inflammatory" rhetoric and his unhelpful role in Latin America.

"It's unlikely that as a consequence of me shaking hands or having a
polite conversation with Mr. Chavez that we are endangering the strategic
interests of the United States," Obama told reporters. "I don't think anybody
can find any evidence that that would do so. Even within this imaginative crowd,
I think you would be hard-pressed to paint a scenario in which U.S. interests
would be damaged as a consequence of us having a more constructive relationship
with Venezuela."

As Benen pointed out,

What I find odd, though, is the underlying message. Leading Republicans
make it sound as if America's stature is so fragile, it is easily weakened by
casual courtesies at an international forum. President Obama, in contrast, acts
as if America's stature is strong, and can withstand a handshake with a foreign
head of state. Since when does the GOP find it useful to promote the idea of
American weakness?

Obama added, "We had this debate throughout the campaign, and the whole
notion was, is that somehow if we showed courtesy or opened up dialogue with
governments that had previously been hostile to us, that that somehow would be a
sign of weakness -- the American people didn't buy it. And there's a good reason
the American people didn't buy it -- because it doesn't make sense."

Are they ever gonna cut out the hyperbole? Come on, get a grip.

A new way to shop for groceries in Florence

There is a cool new way for you to shop for groceries here in Florence. I got my email today informing me that the Pee Dee CSA is now accepting orders for shares on this year's crops.

What is a CSA? It stands for Community Supported Agriculture and it is a creation that connects farmers directly with consumers in an effort to strengthen local food systems. The idea originated in Japan in the 1960s and had spread to European countries by the 1970s as people became concerned with the industrialization their food systems. Basically, people buy shares in the CSA. This does three main things. First, it spreads the risk of each crop among all shareholders, alleviating much of the financial concern small local farmers face. Second, it provides money for the upfront costs these farmers have to actual get the seed in the ground and to care for the land and crop. Finally, this easing of the financial burden allows the farmers to concentrate on tending their crops, land and livestock, resulting in greater care that comes through in the quality of the product.

We are very lucky here in the Florence area to have several local farmers who are very active in promoting organic farming and are even luckier that they are pitching in to get this Pee Dee CSA up and running. All vegetables will be grown from Dickson's Organics Farm in Timmonsville, SC. The Pee Dee CSA in unique because in addition to vegetables, Charlie Caldwell of Ovis Hill Farm and John Rogers of Hill Creek Farm have joined the project and are offering Beef, Lamb and Chicken shares.

If you've ever purchased any of the produce or meat, chicken and lamb from the Farmers Market in the Naturally Outdoors parking lot on Saturdays, then you know the quality of this stuff. If you have not, then you are missing some of the best food stock you can get in the area.

The first shares are scheduled to be delivered MAY 2ND, so if you're interested, you're a little under the gun. Unfortunately, given the wide variety of options, it took the CSA a while to come up with a price structure that worked and the best way to offer that variety through a share system.

The way it works, is you buy a full or half share of what you want for the season, and then each Saturday from May 2nd until October 21, you go to the Farmers Market at Naturally Outdoors between 10 am and 1 pm and pick up your fresh, organic goodies. In addition to getting great, healthy food at reasonable prices, you are also helping the environment. These farmers don't use chemicals and pesticides in growing these crops or tending their stocks. They also leave very small carbon footprints. And when you eat local, you cut out much of the energy that is wasted through the packing and shipping of the inventory that fills our local grocery stores. Two friends of mine recently went a year with eating nothing but local food and they are involved in organizing the Pee Dee CSA. They were featured in the Florence Morning News and had a blog that was updated regularly while their project was going on: The Carolina Food Project. If you are interested in eating locally and organically, check it out.

Share prices are as follows:

Vegetable: Full $600, Half $350

Beef: $560, $290

Lamb: $230, $120

Chicken: $200, $110

Beef Poultry combo: $300, $160

If you would like an information sheet and an order form, please send a request to PeeDeeCSA@gmail.com

The Incredible Bust

ESPN has a new interview up with former Michigan State and #2 pick in the 1989 NFL draft, Tony Mandarich. (Troy Aikman went #1 that year). It's an interview that pretty much mirrors the one Mandarich gave Insided the NFL back in October, but its pretty good.

Of course, the biggest bust of all-time is probably Ryan Leaf.

For the record, I was a Leaf guy. Manning had never won a big game and Leaf just dwarfed him in physical talent, he was bigger and stronger. Seriously, go back and look at the video of Leaf in college. He was an athletic Drew Bledsoe. Leaf had also ended WSU's 60+ year Rose Bowl drought after helping them win their first PAC-10 Championship in history. Manning could never beat Florida and TN had gotten owned in the Orange Bowl that year by Nebraska.

Of course, what I was not privy to, was how much of an immature prick Leaf was at the time. There's a report that the Colts asked them both what would happen if they took the other guy. Leaf kind of blew them off and said whatever, your loss. Manning told them he would never lose to them and work to make sure they regretted the decision the rest of his career. It should be said, Leaf's "laid back" attitude was known and reported at the time and many thought it would benefit him in the NFL. Basically the theory was that the pressure and stress would roll off him, not get to him. Anyone who remembers his tirade at the reporter after his miserable 3rd game against KC (1-15, 3 fumbles, 2 ints) knows that ain't so.

So next week, when hope springs eternal for us NFL fans, remember, the draft is a crapshoot.

Burning Fight...remembering the nineties hardcore scene

A new book is about to drop, which documents the hardcore scene from the 1990s. Burning Fight: The Nineties Hardcore Revolution in Ethics, Politics, Spirit and Sound will be released in May. You can pre-order it here.

(Pictured above, book cover & Prevail and Stretch Armstrong circa 1995)

Here's the blurb from the order site:

Although some define hardcore as a specific sound, most believe it's more than that; a set of varying ideas, ethics, principles, attitudes and, yes, music, that converge to form a community. "Burning Fight: The Nineties Hardcore Revolution In Ethics, Politics, Spirit, And Sound" by Brian Peterson provides some answers, but also brings up a whole new set of questions for those who've been drawn to the scene's political, social, ethical and spiritual ideas amidst
the screamed vocals and abrasive chords. "Burning Fight" features commentary
from approximately 150 participants from the nineties hardcore scene as well as
oral history articles about straight edge, politics, vegetarianism and
interviews with a variety of influential bands such as: Avail, Burn, Earth
Crisis, Inside Out, Integrity, Los Crudos, Spitboy, Strife, Texas Is The Reason,
Unbroken and more. 503 pages.

Peterson has interviews with a host of people and bands who experienced the scene, including:

108, Avail, Burn, Cave In, Coalesce, Damnation A.D., Deadguy, Disembodied, Downcast, Earth Crisis, Endpoint, Groundwork, Guilt, Inside Out, Integrity, Los Crudos, Mouthpiece, Racetraitor, Ressurection, Rorshcach, Shelter, Spitboy, Split Lip/Chamberlain, StrifeSwing Kids, Texas Is The Reason, Threadbare, Trial, Unbroken, Undertow, Vegan Reich

One band that was interviewed, but didn't make the cut was Florence's own Prevail. If you are my age and were into music, especially hardcore or punk, you probably saw these guys out at the Cootie Hut back in the early '90s. All the guys in Prevail were good guys. Being good friends with some of the members, I went on a road trip with them probably sometime around '94 or '95. They played a straightedge festival in Cleveland. And I am taking this chance to apologize to them. If I had not woke a dozing-off Jaime up from behind the wheel as we entered Ohio, they (along with me) would have probably all died in a fiery crash. Meeting such an end would have guaranteed they made the cut for this book. My apologies.

Anyway, having not made the cut, I had posted their interview, but have since removed it. My apologies to Mr. Peterson.

How strong are our beliefs?

Apparently not very.

In case you missed it, the Department of Justice today released several memos concerning our country's use of torture. If you can't read these memos and see that we abandoned our highest ideals, then you are crazy. Think for one minute whether or not the treatment "justified" in these memos would be acceptable for one of your loved ones. Before you go all, "But these are terrorists" on me, remember, the same people who are so convinced all these people are terrorists, are the same people who were convinced Iraq had WMDs and who haven't been able to capture Bin Laden in almost 8 years. And no, Islamic radicals would not extend us these same courtesies. That is exactly why we do extend them. They are the foundation of our very society. They are our moral justification. Without them, we are no better than any other barbaric regime.

Here's the President's statement on the memos:

The Department of Justice will today release certain memos issued by
the Office of Legal Counsel between 2002 and 2005 as part of an ongoing court
case. These memos speak to techniques that were used in the interrogation of
terrorism suspects during that period, and their release is required by the rule
of law.

My judgment on the content of these memos is a matter of record. In
one of my very first acts as President, I prohibited the use of these
interrogation techniques by the United States because they undermine our moral
authority and do not make us safer. Enlisting our values in the protection of
our people makes us stronger and more secure. A democracy as resilient as ours
must reject the false choice between our security and our ideals, and that is
why these methods of interrogation are already a thing of the past. But that is
not what compelled the release of these legal documents today.

Late Update: For anyone who wants to argue that the conduct authorized in these memos isn't really that bad, simply look here. These are the same practices that our government has condemned other countries for using. Simply because WE do it, does not make it right.

How important is music?

We all know a good soundtrack can make a movie. But now we have dispositive evidence that if you change the theme song to a show, you completely change it. I dare you to watch this and not get creeped out by Conrad. And we thought the bike shop owner was a pederast.

Madden Retires...Schedule now clear for a fall wedding to Favre?

Boom...John Madden has retired from broadcasting, effective immediately. I wonder who will now state the obvious to millions of network viewers during primetime football games now. More importantly, is it a coincidence that Madden retires the same season as his mancrush target Brett Favre?

I don't want to start any rumors here, but some intrepid investigative journalist may want to start going through rehearsal hall bookings in Iowa and Vermont.

Cavuto sucks at math

We already know Neil Cavuto is not good with history. Now, however, we learn he sucks at math. Listen, I suck at math. And on occasion, I have been a fool. But at least I'm not an outright liar. Looks like I've got that on Cavuto...

Fast Food Folk'n

The best part is at the end.

Breaking News: Glenn Beck is a d-bag.

This isn't a post to talk about what a raving lunatic Glenn Beck is. Why bother? The guy is either a) completely off his rocker or, b) a whore willing to do anything to up his ratings. Personally, I go with c) Both. In case you missed it, Mr. Beck yesterday pimped secession. I don't know what's sadder, that Beck is trying to convince people we need a another civil war; that he completely misrepresented a Davy Crockett quote to do it; or, that there are some blind faith idiots out there that will hear this nonsense and say, "Hey...he's right!"

I'm gonna go with the misappropriation of the Crockett quote. I mean, I expect the other two choices, but I'll be damned if I'm gonna let him sit here and sully the hero of the Alamo!

In all seriousness, when something bad happens because of this lunatics ravings, can I volunteer to string the noose for him and light the fire to the FoxNews studio? Can I? Please?

Test post from my Crackberry

President Pwns! Pundits & Pirates

I'm sure most of you have heard about the resolution of the Somali Pirate situation. Funny...if you had been watching tv this weekend, you would have thought the US was about to fall off the precipice thanks to the incompetence of the Obama administration.

Look at the video below. Most of these clips were being recorded DURING the actual rescue. Newt was actually twittering about how bad President Obama was doing right up until the news broke. Then the tweets...Just. Stopped.

That's some rescue: taking out pirates and shutting up one of the all-time blowhards...

Now, I am in no way insinuating that the President had much of anything to do with this rescue. But what he did do, by all accounts, was assess the situation. Listen to the advice of his military commanders. Give the go ahead. Then he left it in the hands of the command and the operators. Hey, Newt and Co., in case you were wondering, that's real leadership. It ain't coming out in front of cameras and talking tough. It's making decisions, letting the folks who's job it is go about their business and then being there at the end to accept responsibility: good or bad. I don't think President Obama deserves any special accolades for this. And I ain't stupid enough to think he'd get any from these jagoffs. But in this case, the silence is deafening...and it says a lot. Sit. Down. And. Shut. The. Eff. Up.

Blowhard meet egg. Enjoy.

Late Update: Last night on Hannity's show, Bernard Goldberg (the Real Sports Guy...by no means an Obama fan), called Hannity to task on an increasing problem in the conservative community: the fanatical desire to attack President Obama on everything he does.

"I'm sorry, Sean ... but we have to stop going out of our way to find fault with
every single thing [the president] does.... If something bad happened here, and
thank God it didn't, but if something bad happened here, I guarantee you, I'll
tell you who would have been leading the crusade against [Obama]: you."

It brings up any interesting issue for the most vehement Obama-haters: Where will you go from here? Seriously, the guy has been in office less than half a year and he is already a commie-facist (not sure how that's possible) who is surrendering the United States to terrorists while talking with them in code. Hey, Chicken Little...what you gonna tell everyone when the sky don't fall?

Glutton for punishment

Guess who lost AGAIN in Minnesota? No...not the Vikings. No...not the Gophers. No...not the Twins. It's Norm Coleman, silly.

But don't you worry. Norm's gonna keep knockin' that noggin into the wall until he the wall breaks (not hardly) or he turns every one off with the bloody carnage that is his political career. Meanwhile, an interesting question may be how many judges are left on the bench to hear any further appeal.

Perhaps Norm's rubbin his sore noggin' in this pic. Poor little fella.

Check out Kanye's latest hit

Matt and Trey do it again. It ain't just that its funny, because it most assuredly is that. But its also good. I now can't get the song out of my head.

Changing of the Guard for Florence GOP

Yesterday, the Florence County Republican Party held their Convention. If you pay attention to local politics, you know that locally, a group called the Pee Dee Republicans got together and proposed a slate of candidates to run for all the positions.

This was not exactly an earth shattering development. It is not unusual for factions in a political party to run a slate of candidates. However, it is a bit unheard of for it to happen in a small locale like Florence County. Why? Because one would think that any group of people involved enough to take up such an endeavor would have also been pretty involved in the local party as it was. That means there would be some bad feelings amongst the folk in charge towards such a movement. Why? Because you are basically saying the current leadership blew it. And tensions did run high. Cruise over to Reino's blog and take a look at the comments for his posts on the subject.

Nevertheless, the Convention was held yesterday and the guard was changed, by all accounts, rather peacefully. Not that anyone could think things would get out of hand. If Tommy and Co. were not expecting to get the axe, then they are even worse at reading the tea leaves than I thought. Anyone who has paid attention to local politics realizes as far as GOP matters go, this PDR thing appears to have energized and organized a lot more republicans to take an interest in their party than anything else in recent memory. So it was pretty much a fait accompli.

The PDR swept the races. There was apparently only one contested race: Chairman. For that race, Ken Ard opened up a can on Tommy Phillips to the tune of 105 - 5.

So Congrats to the new officers of the Florence County Republican Party. Listen, it won't take much to make your party better. All you have to do is become a true party, where the party recruits, supports and encourages candidates. If your rank and file have a say in this, I think you can consider yourself a success. Because we all know, that ain't the way things have worked in the past.

As I have said on multiple occasions, I am a big believer in the two party system. A strong opponent makes you better. So congrats to those that won and those that put in work and effort to make the win happen. And here's to hoping your guys really change the way the Republican party in Florence Country goes about doing things.

(hattip to Reino for the pic of the new officers above)

Come on, Mr. President...

I am more than a little concerned that the Obama administration appears to be dragging their feet on some things that candidate Obama was fully against. And these things are issues a former attorney and con law professor knows are wrong.

The Obama administration has apparently embraced W's "state secrets privilege" and in the prosecution of Gitmo detainees, prosecutors are eff'ing with discovery. Failing to turn over Exculpatory Evidence! That is horseshit.

David Cynamon -- a lawyer for four Kuwaiti Gitmo detainees who are bringing
habeas corpus claims against the government -- said that the Justice Department
has been consistently dragging its heels in the case, denying detainees their
basic due process rights and furthering what he called the "abandonment of the
rule of law."

"The Department of Justice has been doing everything in its power to
delay and obstruct these cases," said Cynamon

Now I can understand everything can't happen quickly. But a man of Obama's background ought to see this stuff and he should be offended as I am and should be jerking a knot in Justice. Closing Gitmo is great, but it doesn't help if the entire attitude of how to treat the detainees is not changed. As Cynamon explains:

"What I have been hoping for, and am getting increasingly
frustrated about, is to see that closing Guantanamo be matched with a change in
policy at the Justice Department to actually try to get these cases heard to
test the evidence and then to determine, if there's no evidence, to release
these people. That part I haven't seen at all."

Pot, meet Kettle

Greg Sargent has a post up pointing out the difference between Broder's outrage at Bill Clinton and his outrage at W. Namely, how there is none.

“I understand the reluctance to open a wide-ranging probe of past practices. It seems to me we are better off focusing on cleaning up the policies and practices for the future than trying to settle scores for past actions.”

versus

“He came in here and he trashed the place, and it’s not his place.”

Hell...I'd point out that the SOB said the "honorable" thing for Clinton to have done after the whole Monica thing was resign. I guess lying to start a war is a little more honorable, huh? This is the same guy who chastised people for covering Karl Rove's alleged role in the Plame leak and has criticized the hearings into the US attorney scandal. All because apparently he's eaten quail at Rove's table and looked at the pretty countryside from the quaint little cabin he has. Apparently, the Clintons should have had Broder over more.

And this guy won a Pulitzer???

Seinfeld...the Porno?

The show famous for being about nothing enters the genre of film known for being about nothing (but gettin' it on).

Anyone care to guess what famous lines could pop up? A few possibilities:

-"There was shrinkage."

-"And now I'm driving the bus."

-"Maybe the dingo ate your, baby?"

-"There was a second spitter."

-"Koko the monkey boy."

-"It's a very important appendage."

-"Giddy-up."

-"And you want to be my latex salesman?"

"The first time I graduated High School"

Meet Rick Rosner. If you're a fan of Jimmy Kimmel, Adam Corolla, Bill Simmons or Errol Morris, you probably know him. Simmons had him on his most recent podcast and it kicked ass. After listening to it, I got on You Tube and watched Morris' One in a Million Trillion episode of his First Person tv show, about Rosner.

Short rundown: He's super smart. Graduated High School in 1979, then went back several times to "get it right." Has been a stripper, bouncer and nude model. And a Who Wants to Be A Millionaire contestant.

That last tidbit, frames Morris' work, as he relates how obsessed Rosner became over his appearances (yes, more than one) on the show. Rosner felt he got jobbed on his first fast finger deal. It's hard not think he may be right about that first appearance when you look at what happened on number 2.

Anyway, he's got an interesting story. Check it out. FWIW, I love Morris' stuff (Fog of War with McNamara is probably the best documentary ever in my opinion. I love it.), but I thought the podcast was better. Enjoy.

Bravo to Karl Rove!

Hey...in case you missed it, Karl Rove weighed in on the responsibility of the Vice President to tell the truth the other day.

You see, he was referring to comments Vice President Biden had made earlier this week on CNN, where he an exchange he had with W in the Oval Office.

Bush said, "Well, Joe ... I'm a leader."

Biden responded: “Mr. President, turn around and look behind you. No one is following.”

What was Rove's response? He called Biden a "liar," "Blowhard," and "serial exaggerator."

"It didn't happen," Rove said. "It's his imagination. It's a made-up,
fictional world. He ought to get out of it and get back to reality.”

"You should not exaggerate and lie like this when you are the vice
president of the United States.”

You may think here is where I would slam Karl Rove. But, I agree with him. A Vice President should live in "reality" and not "lie and exaggerate." You know, a VP should not do things like:

-Claim that "we don't torture," when in fact we do. Cheney's ridiculous attempts to garner the justification to state this went from ordering attorneys to draft "legal" opinions which said they did not torture. These were neither "legal" (waterboarding is defined in treaties as torture and we've even accused others who do it of torture), nor "opinions" (an opinion in this sense is you asking someone to answer a question for you. You do not tell the person the answer and then tell them to make it fit).

-Claim that the things we are doing that ain't torture (wink, wink) have yielded results and foiled attacks. Cheney on the use of our "enhanced interrogation techniques:"

"Did it produce the desired results? I think it did. I think, for example,
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who was the number three man in al-Qaeda, the man who planned the attacks of 9/11, provided us with a wealth of information. There was a period of time there, three or four years ago, when about half of everything
we knew about al-Qaeda came from that one source."

Compare that (hattip: Andy Worthington) to FBI director Robert Mueller:

I ask Mueller: So far as he is aware, have any attacks on America been
disrupted thanks to intelligence obtained through what the administration still
calls "enhanced techniques"?

"I'm really reluctant to answer that," Mueller says. He pauses, looks
at an aide, and then says quietly, declining to elaborate: "I don't believe that
has been the case."

Plus Cheney's comments came at the exact time a Vanity Fair article by David Rose listed numerous officials at the FBI and CIA refuting Cheney's claims.

-Claim that detainees at Gitmo have a "fair and honest judgment made about their guilt or innocence" through the Military Commissions there. If that was the case, how come not only every single Defense counsel appointed has risked their career to protest the system? Or how then, do you explain Col. Morris Davis, the former chief prosecutor, who complained of political interference? Or Lt. Col. Darrel Vandeveld, who complained that evidence vital to the defense was routinely withheld?

-Claim that Saddam Hussein was close to having nuclear weapons. Google: "Cheney + Niger + Yellowcake + State of the Union."

-Claim through perpetuation that there is any real link between Saddam and 9/11. Read this MTP transcript and look how damn pained Cheney is to dance around the question, because he knows he can't say "Yes," but he certainly does everything he can to insinuate it. I guess this is why he says, "it’s not surprising that people make that connection."

-Claim we will be greeted as "liberators" in invading Iraq. If this is how liberators are treated, perhaps freedom and democracy aren't such a good thing in Iraq, huh?

So, Mr. Rove...I salute you. I takes a true patriot to come around to the theory that Vice Presidents should tell the truth and not intentionally mislead the people. I am certain this is not partisan hackery, but a true watershed moment in your political enlightening.

Bad Guys, Good Conversation

As the result of a little Facebook back and forth, I was reminded of this skit for the current season of SNL. One of the best in recent memory.

Uh..Georgie...

It's never a good idea when your own paper's cartoonists are taking shots at your lunacy.

The Gavins and the boys from 62 Truck are back

Tonight on FX, Rescue Me starts season number 5 at 10 p.m.

If you've never watched the show, you should. It's pretty good. In fact, not only is the show good, but the music is damn good too. You should check out the Rescue Me soundtrack.

Part of what makes it work, is that the core is really made up of Leary and his comic buddies. Take "Uncle Teddy," in real life, Leary's buddy and '80s Saloon Comic icon Lenny Clarke. If you've never seen the Comedy Central Roast of Dennis Leary, Leary tells a great story about Lenny running for Mayor of Cambridge, MA. Bruce's campaign slogan was "Fuck the Kennedys." His idea of publicity was to steal a bus and personally chauffeur people around. If you've never seen the video of Leary and Clarke in the Red Sox broadcast booth, click here. Good stuff.

You go, Sister...

"Maybe it's not out of a fear that we will wreck the institution. Maybe it's out of a fear that we will do marriage just a little bit better than the straights have."--Andrew Sullivan on the resistance to marriage equality.

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! Oy! Oy! Oy!

Meet Sophie, an Australian Cattle Dog with quite a story. After spending her entire life as a housepet, Sophie had to go all Survivor recently. After going overboard ala Goldie Hawn last November, Sophie swam five nautical miles to an island St. Bees in the Great Barrier Reef. There she was first spotted by rangers as looking pretty bad, but soon she started looking pretty healthy. Once young wild goat carcasses started showing up, the rangers figured out how.

After 4 months, the rangers trapped her and brought her back to the mainland. And supposedly, once she saw her owners, she went right back to being the perfect household pooch. I say supposedly, because as my momma once told me: "Once a dog sucks eggs, he always sucks eggs." Ask any squirrel in our backyard and they can confirm this is a fact.

Any way, nice story to end a bad day. I always liked Aussie Cattle Dogs. We had one once. At least now, I can hope she swam back to Australia, instead of the more likely scenario of being creamed on Pamplico Highway.

Harold and Kumar go to the White House

Ok...it's just Kumar. For those of you who don't watch the tv show House, last night viewers got a bit of surprise when Kal Penn's character, Kutner...SPOILER ALERT.........SPOILER ALERT.....................................SPOILER ALERT....................................................SPOILER ALERT...............................................SPOILER ALERT.......................................................................................................................








committed suicide.

Why? Because it seems like Mr. Penn has heard the call of public service. Penn asked to leave the show so that he could assume a role in President Obama's administration. Here's Penn explaining:

I was incredibly honored a couple of months ago to get the opportunity to
go work in the White House. I got to know the President and some of the staff
during the campaign and had expressed interest in working there, so I'm going to
be the associate director in the White House office of public liaison. They do
outreach with the American public and with different organizations. They're
basically the front door of the White House. They take out all of the red tape
that falls between the general public and the White House. It's similar to what
I was doing on the campaign.

So I'm not sure if it was the dirty truth he uncovered about our country's use of torture during Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay or if he was spurred on to do everything he could to legalize weed and prostitution in filming Harold and Kumar Go to Amsterdam. (Here's to hoping he does have success in making this administration take the legalization of grass seriously).

In all seriousness, here's to Kal Penn for putting his money where his mouth is and remembering the activist spirit his grandparents displayed when they marched with Ghandi.

This toke's for you.

Take a bow, Big V!

Today, Vermont became the first state in the country to, through purely legislative acts, make marriage equality the law. With this historic act, Vermont becomes just the fourth state in the Union to permit same-sex marriages (Iowa just legalized it through their Court system yesterday).

The Legislature voted Tuesday to override Gov. Jim Douglas' veto of a bill allowing gays and lesbians to marry. The vote was 23-5 to override in the state Senate and 100-49 to override in the House. Under Vermont law, two-thirds of each chamber had to vote for override.

I have never understood the opposition to same-sex marriage. The opposition has always been a religious argument and the State has absolutely no right or business endorsing any particular religious view. If you believe in any particular religion, great. I know faith helps millions of people every day deal with their lives and strive to be better people. I get that and it's cool. But when you start denying rights to people based on your faith, than you are crossing over the line. You don't get to legislate belief. Feel free to go join a compound or to simply sit back and make snide remarks about it. But if you believe your religion allows you to deny the same rights you enjoy to others...sorry.

That ain't how we say cricket and it ain't how we play chess. This is, after all, America. Love it or leave it.

Now...I just hope doubling the number of states with marriage equality means doubling the chances of seeing more choreographed wedding dances like this:

Late add: Looks like DC is "coming out" as well. As my girl Pink said, you better get this party started.

Later add: Best quote on resistance to marriage equality goes to Andrew Sullivan: "Maybe it's not out of a fear that we will wreck the institution. Maybe it's out of a fear that we will do marriage just a little bit better than the straights have."