A Spork in the Drawer

Li'l Ricky!

The great Lewis Black on America's favorate dog-lovin' Senator.

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Dishonesty in Action

The Wall Street Journal:

President Bush, among others, has since assailed the press for revealing the program, and the Times has responded by wrapping itself in the First Amendment, the public's right to know and even The Wall Street Journal. We published a story on the same subject on the same day, and the Times has since claimed us as its ideological wingman. So allow us to explain what actually happened, putting this episode within the larger context of a newspaper's obligations during wartime.

I don't remember Congress declaring war.

We recount all this because more than a few commentators have tried to link the Journal and Times at the hip. On the left, the motive is to help shield the Times from political criticism. On the right, the goal is to tar everyone in the "mainstream media." But anyone who understands how publishing decisions are made knows that different newspapers make up their minds differently.

Nice try, WSJ. You published the story just Like The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times. Your reporters did their jobs. Don't take to the editorial page and attack them.

And don't lie.

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A Bit O' Daily Scaife

It's a big suprise that the Trib runs against the tide:

Justice Clarence Thomas, in dissent, is keenly aware of the peril:

"'(C)ivilized peoples' would take into account the context of military commission trials against unlawful combatants in the war on terrorism, including the need to keep certain information secret in the interest of preventing future attacks ... ."

In this week before Independence Day, Mr. Justice Thomas understands what is at stake.

The Trib wouldn't know "independence" if the word slapped Dickie Scaife across the face.

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Hamdan

I'm sorry, I just can't get excited about this Supreme Court ruling.

When over the last 5+ years has this administration given a damn about the law and the Constitution?

Alberto Abu Ghraib Guantanamo Gonzales will simply re-define words and nothing will change. Congress will do nothing, as usual.

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Why Is This "News"?

CNN:

Warren Buffett's new philanthropic alliance with fellow billionaire Bill Gates won widespread praise this week, but anti-abortion activists did not join in, instead assailing the two donors for their longtime support of Planned Parenthood and international birth-control programs.

Why are the Christofascists taken seriously? They want to destroy the United States as much as as the Islamofascists.

"The merger of Gates and Buffett may spell doom for the families of the developing world," said the Rev. Thomas Euteneuer, a Roman Catholic priest who is president of Human Life International.

Referring to Josef Mengele, the infamous Nazi death camp doctor, Euteneuer said Buffett "will be known as the Dr. Mengele of philanthropy unless he repents."

Jesus Fucking Christ, these "people" are sick.

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WTF?

Fox News Channel is going off the air in Mexico in advance of Sunday's presidential election to steer clear of that country's restrictions on campaign ads and public surveys, cable channel executives said Wednesday.

So much for reporting the "news".

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They Get Letters IV

Jack Roseman reminds us of what is important:

I usually take the photographs in the paper for granted, not giving them a second thought. However, on Page 1 of the Local News section on June 21, your paper had a photo of a blue heron that had just caught a fish in the North Park Lake.

What a great picture Bob Donaldson took! The shot really ought to win an award. It is outstanding.

The photograph has enlightened me to take more notice of others in the future. Bob Donaldson's photos surely enhance the paper. My compliments and thanks to him.

The pic:

(Poor fish.)

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They Get Letters III

(Boy, the P-G is a cornucopia today!)

Stupid Pittsburgh left! I'm not referring to those liberals among us -- that rant can wait.

Jorgensen (of Chico, California...!) is talking about cars and stoplights and Stillers quarterback Ben Rufflesridges.

I can't wait for Kurt's rant against the left! Maybe *he's* French.

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They Get Letters II

Not unreasonable

In response to your June 22 editorial "Cheesesteak Politics," let me say first that even though I am a registered Republican, I do not support Rick Santorum nor will I vote for him. I feel that he will do anything if he believes it will enhance his chance for re-election.

However, I do have to take issue with the premise in your editorial that Joey Vento in Philadelphia is discriminating on the basis of race or national origin.

One cannot change one's race or national origin, but one can learn to speak English. That is all Mr. Vento is asking.

SUZAN SEAMANS
New Milford, Pa.

Damn French again.

If only the Damn French would speak English this wouldn't be an issue. But, no, the Damn French have to go speaking their Damn French language and making Marie and Suzan uncomfortable.

It's a crime, I tell ya. A crime.

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They Get Letters

Annotated edition!

Shop owner's right

In response to Tony Norman's June 13 column "Cheesesteaks, With a Side of Bigotry": Mr. Norman's personal attack on Joey Vento and his sandwich shop smacks of bigotry.

That's rich.

This has nothing to do with Hispanics or any other immigrant group "changing the complexion and ethnic balance of the neighborhood."

The fact is, this is America, where English is the official language.

No, it isn't.

All immigrants should learn and speak English. Joey Vento has a right to place these signs in his sandwich shop.

And I have the right to call Joey Vento and Marie C. Barkovich bigots. So there.

In case Tony Norman hasn't been keeping up on current events, illegal immigration is out of control in this country.

"Out of control"? Is it? Oh, my.

As for the Statue of Liberty, she should not be holding a torch; she should be holding a stop sign.

She's French, ya know. Damn French!

MARIE C. BARKOVIC
Center

Of course you are. Enjoy the little world that is Center Township.

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Message to Dems:

Get brutal.

Look, I'd rather have some way to redistrict in a non-partisan fashion.

I'd also like candy-cotton mountains and rivers of life-affirming chocolate. But it's not going to happen.

So Democratic legislatures: Gerrymander the hell out of your potential districts. The Supreme Court says it's OK.

Yesterday, the Supremes said anything goes political-wise.

If we're not going to, y'know, have a fair vote then we might as well rig it for our side.

It's the Republican way.

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Tarbox

Crooks and Liars has a transcript and video of E.D. Hill seeming to threaten New York Times editor Bill Keller on "Fox & Friends".

I bring this up merely to mention that 25 or so years ago Hill was a news anchor here in Pittsburgh. At that time she was going by the name "Edie Tarbox".

Tarbox.

I'm not making this up.

Tarbox.

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Patriotism

Attaturk sums it up.

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Insane

Absolutely insane:

The New York Times committed treason by revealing an anti-terrorism program that checks international banking records of Americans and others, U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning said yesterday.

[...]

The Kentucky Republican said Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez should empanel a grand jury to decide whether the New York Times' publisher, editors and writers who were involved in the story should be indicted for treason.

Honestly, these people have lost their senses. It smacks of desperation. Unfortunately, they could take the Constitution, and all of us, down with them.

[Via Romanesko.]

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Net Neutrality

The Senate Commerce Committee will likely hold a vote on net neutrality today. Our best chance to keep the internet free from corporate control is to get the Snowe-Dorgan Amendment added to the larger Telecom Act (S. 2686).

Light up the switchboards.

Contact info for members of the Commerce Committee.

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Ouch

Harold Meyerson raises his hand and smacks the GOP:

The Democrats think too much, say the Republicans; such men are dangerous. Vote for us; we're dumb but tough. This may not be a surefire prescription for electoral success, but given the hole the Republicans have dug themselves into, I think Nixon would be proud.

That's gonna leave a mark.

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The Yipping of a Very Small Dog

Our Glorious Leader's™ signing statements are under fire:

A bipartisan group of senators and scholars denounced President Bush yesterday for using scores of "signing statements" to reserve the right to ignore or reinterpret provisions of measures that he has signed into law.

That's all very well and good but if Congress doesn't like Bush's use of signing statements as diktats then Congress can bloody well tell him to cut it out. By impeachment if necessary. But this is all simply for show (on the GOP side, at least).

And, of course, the fierce chihuahua known as Arlen Specter stamps his little feet:

The Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing marked the latest effort by Chairman Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) and panel Democrats to reclaim authority that they say the president has usurped as he has expanded the power of the executive branch. It came on the same day Bush gave a speech pushing for a line-item veto that would allow him to strike spending and tax provisions from legislation without vetoing the bill.

Prediction: Snarlin' Arlen will yip yip yip until DeFib Dick Cheney agrees to meet with him, after which Specter will emerge and say something like, "I'm happy to report the vice-president shares my views and will work with the committee on this issue" and then Arlen will say nothing more.

It's what a small, annoying dog does.

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A Difference

Headline you'll never see in the New York Times:

'Fuck, I'm stunned,' new foreign secretary told Blair

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Wednesday Boot

Wow. Max seems a little depressed and - dare I say it? - thoughtful:

I have never been a dogmatist on the issue of troop levels. I was not one of those who criticized the original invasion force in 2003 for being too small. There were enough troops to take Baghdad, and there were legitimate reasons to fear that sending too many Americans would cause a backlash. Better to have focused on supporting Iraqi security forces — except there were none to support. The Iraqi army was dissolved by the U.S., and no serious effort was made for a whole year to field a replacement force, creating a security vacuum that has never been filled.

By now it should be obvious that the "light footprint" approach has not worked. It has increased, not decreased, resentment of the United States because Iraqis are aggrieved by the breakdown of law and order. Yet there appears to be no serious rethinking of this flawed strategy at either the Pentagon or the White House.

[...]

The fact that the administration continues to "stay the course" with a losing strategy suggests the need for a change of strategists. The president needs a new secretary of Defense — and possibly new generals — who would be more focused on finding a way to win rather than to withdraw.

Max argues that more troops rather than less are needed in Iraq. Maybe three years ago that would have worked but not anymore. Of course, the smart move would have been to not invade and occupy Iraq at all but at least he is trying to think this through. And the depressed tone seems to indicate that Max has looked into the future and is realizing that his neocon dreams are not to be.

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Of Flags and Viagra

Reg Henry:

The idea that a patriotic American can simultaneously support the troops and oppose the war drives people on the right nuts. "How does that work?" they ask incredulously.

I will tell them in a minute, but first let me say that the simple pleasure of being irritating is surely reason and incentive enough for waverers on this point to adopt the sane position of pro-troops, anti-war.

Worth a read.

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The First Amendment Lives

Flag amendment fails by one vote.

Go on, you know you wanna:

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