Gerry Studds Dies

This is sad.

BOSTON - Former U.S. Rep. Gerry Studds, the first openly gay person elected to Congress, died early Saturday at Boston Medical Center, several days after he collapsed while walking his dog, his husband said.

Studds fell unconscious Oct. 3 because of what doctors later determined was a blood clot in his lung, Dean Hara said.

Studds regained consciousness, remained in the hospital, and seemed to be improving. He was scheduled to be transferred to a rehabilitation center, but his condition deteriorated Friday and he died at about 1:30 a.m. Saturday, Hara said.

Studds was censured for sexual misconduct in 1983. Republicans have attempted to paint Democrat response to the Studds affair as hypocrisy, because of their efforts in the Mark Foley scandal. The difference in his case is the 17-year old page Studds was involved with agreed their relationship was consensual … quite a big difference from Foley, of whom pages have stated their being made uncomfortable by his communications.

It's just another Republican attempt to deflect criticism of their hypocrisy and failed initiatives.

Job Description: U.S. President

John Stewart helps the White House Human Resources Department, and George Bush, describe the job description for President of the United States.

Jesus Would be Proud

The Real Meaning of Being Christian.

The Amish have said they’d like some of the money to go to the family of the killer. There was one bank account set up specifically for his family. In addition to that, the accountability committee, on behalf of the church leadership, has said that if there are needs beyond that fund, they want to make sure that some of the money that comes in designated for Nickel Mines victims [goes to the killer's family]. Nickel Mines victims include [that] family, in their definition. There are conversations about what the family's needs are, such as scholarship funds for the children. The committee will contribute as it becomes clear what the needs are.

Not being a believer, this is how I have always imagined what being a Christian was all about ... not those who use the word "christian" as a conspicuous modifier meant to improve their standing (such as: Christian Taxpayer), or those who wear it on their lapel, saying “See, I’m a Christian.” More often than not, their actions prove them liars.

Beaning Leads to Jailtime

This is pathetic.

UNIONTOWN, Pa. (AP) - A youth baseball coach accused of offering an 8-year-old money to bean an autistic teammate so he couldn't play was sentenced Thursday to one to six years in prison.

Fayette County Judge Ralph Warman sentenced 29-year-old Mark R. Downs Jr. of Dunbar, Pa. to consecutive six-to-36-month sentences for corruption of minors and criminal solicitation to commit simple assault. A jury convicted Downs in September.

Warman revoked Downs' bond and sent him to prison.

Downs didn't speak at the sentencing but told reporters "I didn't do nothing" as he was led out of the courtroom.

The win-at-all-costs mentality of the Bushies is no different than what this butthead did. In fact, the behavior exhibited by this clown is a direct result of the conservative culture war, in my opinion.

More Post-Plane Crash Thoughts

This is eerie.

You read about these things, you watch some hair-netted nitwit peer into Geraldo's camera and declare, "By golly, I was gonna go in that car with him" ... and you roll your eyes, numb to the tale's banality. Someone was always gonna go in that car with him. Or eat that burger. Or take that plane flight.

Been there ... late one night at a bar I was asked if I wanted to go on a run, middle 1970s parlance meaning "Do you want to get high?" Since I had to work early the next morning I declined.

The next day I heard that car had been driven off the road. The driver and a passenger were killed, former girlfriend and another passenger were in intensive care (both survived).

Those little decisions can make all the difference.

Being a Politician is Good for the Pocketbook

I wish I could do this.

Baghdad is Just Thrilling in the Summer

Wouldn't it be fun to visit Baghdad ... it must be nice, right? The conservative press says so. Or, just ask Bob. Maybe not.

Another Building Hit by Plane

Apparently, New York Yankees pitcher, Cory Lidle, flew his plane into a Manhattan high rise today. I did not know Lidle, except that he was a pitcher and that I had acquired him last year in my fantasy league, then traded him to another team before the beginning of this winter season.

From all accounts he was a well-liked guy who had relatively recently gotten hooked on flying. Tragically, that new-found hobby was the cause of his demise.

I can't help but think of John Kennedy, Jr. and his unhappy flight to oblivion. And I have to wonder if there is something lacking in the training of these part-time pilots ... should standards be a little tougher to acquire a pilots license?

Nevertheless, it is sad news.

They're So Naughty

Been too busy painting the new addition to the home to blog much. However found this oldie. For my gay friends and for daddio29 and godlike Rick Esenberg (stolen from whomever referred to him as "coming down from his Olympian heights ...), presenting more of the Daily Show and the "Homometer."

Good Night

For blue collar conservative, those voting for the marriage amendment and my friend James, just to annoy him a little because I know this is his favorite song.

Parents, We're in this Together

Parenthood has a way of uniting us. This from E.J. Dionne, Jr. at Working for Change:

And, by the way, isn't it strange that politicians who expressed moral objections to the desire of adult gays and lesbians to marry seemed to take the Foley matter so lightly when it first came to their attention? Where is the morality here?

I would ask my friends who are Christian conservatives to think about this. But I'd also ask my liberal friends to be more willing to come out as family-oriented people. Gay marriage is not the greatest threat to the heterosexual family. Misbehavior and irresponsibility by married heterosexuals do far more damage to families and children. Liberals should be unafraid to embrace the language of personal responsibility. In my experience, there's not a dime's worth of difference between my morally conservative friends and neighbors and me in our attitudes toward the obligations of parenthood.

This is Madness

h/t Jay Bullock at folkbum rambles and rants

We have a few tragic, but isolated, incidents of crazies entering and shooting up schools and suddenly the United States has become Thailand and Israel … the answer … let’s arm the teachers, Representative Frank Lasee (R-Bellevue), says. Heck, why not the National Guard. It's not like they're being overused.

The clown prince of darkness, Chris, of spottedhorse 2 fame, says: “Hell I am not saying you have to meet them in a hall way like Gary Cooper in High Noon it isn’t that hard to shoot someone in that back or even force the gunman to flee.” Me thinks Chris needs to grow out of the Cowboys and Indians phase of his adolescence, and stop watching so much TV (which accounts for his lack of social skills).

That Owen Robinson would call this a “good idea” doesn’t surprise Jay Bullock (who probably has had more experience with Owen) but it does surprise me. I thought him saner than that. Maybe his recent trip to see the Aggies play with Jed was still heavy on his mind … or his stomach, that burrito was huge.

And I read the piece that Jay alluded to at dad29’s site. I don’t agree that daddio was befouling Principal Klang’s memory, but come on, you gotta know that daddio is going to agree with Lasee. Hell, he’s probably in favor of providing guns to babies at birth. Now, thanks to daddio, I’ve got this weird image of diaper-wearing toddlers packing heat … that bulge in the diapee ain’t what it used to mean.

All fun aside for something that really isn’t that funny … introducing weaponry into schools is not the answer, nor is it a reason for conceal and carry. One wonders whether these incidents haven’t been staged just to promote that crazy idea?

No, I don’t believe that so don’t go nuts! Listen, I like Clint Eastwood as much as the next guy, but Republicans have got to get this romantic view of the American West out of their collective minds. Packing heat is not the way to go. I know how to handle a weapon and I still wouldn’t feel right holding one in public.

The amount of times a person will be required to protect oneself or family from harm is so miniscule as to be inconsequential. I’m more fearful of unbalanced people, such as a couple of bloggers who masquerade as being sane adults, being allowed to carry. Considering their responses to posts and/or comments in the blogosphere, if conceal and carry were to become law … Be afraid. Be very afraid.

It's a Brave New World

So much for our freedoms.

h/t This Modern World

Republican Ancestor Found

OSLO, Norway (AP) -- Researchers on Thursday announced the discovery of the remains of a short-necked repuglosaur, a prehistoric marine reptile the size of a bus, that they believe is the first complete skeleton of a Republican ever found.

The 150 million year old remains of the 33-foot ocean going predator were found in August on the remote Svalbard Islands of the Arctic, the University of Oslo announced.

Fragments of repuglosaur have been found elsewhere, including in England, Russia, and the House of Representatives, but researchers say the partially fossilized find appears to be the first whole example, though other researchers say that Bob Dohnal may be a true descendant.

The voracious repuglosaur was like the Tyrannosaurus Rex of the oceans, except its head was much bigger. Big head reptiles, curiously, had smaller cranial capacity, hence smaller brains.

The University's Natural History Museum said the reptile was as long as a bus, with teeth larger than cucumbers ... in a head that could swallow an adult human whole, separate the minorities from the northern European humans, and send them to the back for quicker digestion.

Comments Not Working

My wife and I purchased software to block access to certain sites, ensuring that our children will not accidently roam there. After finishing the post "Convolusion," a comment was received from Chris, the center of the story. His reply was so vulgar and pornographic that the software will not let me access comments for that post to make a reply.

So, in reply ... his reply says it all.

Dad29: I have nothing against guns. But I am also not a fan of the NRA and their tactics. btw: My grandpa was a sharpshooter in WWI. He taught me how to shoot. Let's say I had a good teacher.

Another Moral Conservative

I always think of this when I hear Newt Gingrich speaking about Bill Clinton.

Newt Gingrich, married three times. Gingrich campaign worker Anne Manning admitted that she gave Newt oral sex while he was still married to his first wife. Informed one wife he was filing for divorce while she was in the hospital recovering from cancer treatments.

Just the Facts

Media hype over Clinton v Wallace. As usual, the Daily Show hits it on the head.

Pat is a Good Conservative

Testing to see how YouTube works.

Convolusion

I’ve known Mike Mathias for a number of years. Mike and his wife, Anne, have a very good blog titled Pundit Nation. Theirs is an insightful and often irreverent view of the world. They also have a regular segment about guns titled "Guns Protecting America." In their words: Guns Protecting America is an occasional feature of Pundit Nation highlighting how guns and the Second Amendment make all of us safer.

A recent post in this series caused that paragon of profundity, Chris at Spotted Horse 2 to respond. One wonders if Jessica McBride, on her high horse about lib bloggers and how nasty they can be, will direct the same measure of fire toward this goof. Here is his response:

ok guns are evil that gun loaded it self and told the deputy to ignore what ever saftey training he had been given and then told the deputy to shoot himself.

fools like you will never get it you never blame the person it is always the guns fault.

it must be hard to write post on guns when you have your head so far up your ass

are you going to ban the Mississippi River Mike since La Cross college kids keep getting drunk and falling into it. Makes about as much sense as what you are saying with this post

You are such an Fucking Ass you know that Mike.

Keep in mind that the post never mentioned Chris, wasn't directed at Chris, entirely ignored Chris. The response was truly unwarranted. However, unlike Ms. McBride, no one here is suggesting censorship of any kind. It's better that Chris be given all the space he needs to alert the world to his one-of-a-kind genius and Joyce-like stream of consciousness burping.

The blogosphere can be a tough place. You have to have a thick skin to survive. Mine wasn’t when I first started, but it soon became calloused and tough. The point is, if you are going to engage in blogging, look out. Someone is going to make fun of you, take offense and retaliate … it will happen.

Heck, I’ve had fun with McBride. I have a little series titled "Mindless Automaton" in which I place a picture of McBride into “This Modern World” cartoons (apologies to Tom Tomorrow) … obviously she plays the role of the previously mentioned automaton.

Truth be told, I think her commentary sophomoric and she leaves herself open to irony when she makes silly statements about others being less than civil, or less than utterly complimentary and adoring of anything she writes.

Fact is I don't want to see any form of censorship. I say let the goofs of the world have their day in the sun. That way we can see them better for what they really are. That's what the marketplace of ideas is all about.

And if you really don't like a comment someone has made, just delete it. You are god of your blog.

To Everything ... Spin, Spin, Spin

New from Rosco.

You are House Speaker Dennis Hastert and inquiring minds want to know why you did a "Catholic Church" regarding overly friendly e-mails sent by a colleague of yours to an underage page ... what is a House Speaker to do?

Press down and spin. Distract the public and confuse your listeners. Just press down and spin. Now only $10.95 plus tax. Comes with life- like Matt Drudge, Rush Limbaugh and Jessica McBride rubber heads. Remove the red top, and squeeze the rubber head over the little bear torso for a realistic spin.

Come to think of it. Do Rush or Matt have children? Me thinks they protest too much. Who's got e-mails? Call Paul Bucher. Oh, that's right. Better not. He'll be out of a job soon.

(disclaimer: author born and raised catholic, though somewhat lapsed)