FOD

Soledad O'Brien's thinly veiled enthusiasm for Blowie on display at the close of an interview following Whitney Houston's funeral:



A couple of weeks ago, Soledad and Roland Martin high-fived after a piece recounting her attack on Mitt Romney. I'm no Romney fan, but whatever happened to journalism - finding and reporting facts? I don't need Soledad or Roland or any other media hack telling me how to interpret a candidate's statements. Nor do I have any respect for 'journalists' that congratulate themselves for such trivial shite. You can skip to the end to see the limp wristed high-five:



CNN, pro-Blowie all the time.

What color is the sky in Robert Gibbs' world?

I am trying not to wet my pants as I re-read Gibby's statement on ABC's "This Week" this morning:

(Gibbs)...says GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum went "well over the line" when he questioned Obama's Christian values.

Robert Gibbs tells ABC's "This Week" that it's time "to get rid of this mindset in our politics that, if we disagree, we have to question character and faith."

Here are a few things that have come out of Blowie's mouth that might make a reasonable person question his faith.  Mind you, Blowie is the one that (on certain days) claims to be a Christian, thereby creating the confusion pointed out by Rick Santorum.  

"It's not surprising, then, they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."

"Whatever we once were, we're no longer a Christian nation."

"As a student of history, I also know civilization's debt to Islam."

"Islam is not part of the problem in combating violent extremism - it is an important part of promoting peace."

"The Holy Koran tells us, "O mankind! We have created you male and a female; and we have made you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another."

Quoting the Koran, praising Islam, saying we are no longer a Christian nation and characterizing Christians as bitter Bible-clingers.   Yet, Santorum is the one who 'crossed a line' in questioning Blowie's faith.

Welcome to Bizarro World.  At least it is good for a laugh every now and then.

The Yeas

Here are the 293 House members asshats that voted to extend the payroll tax-cut extension: 

(Republicans in roman; Democrats in italic; Independents underlined)

Alexander, Altmire, Amodei, Andrews, Austria, Baca, Baldwin, Barletta, Barrow, Bartlett, Bass (CA), Bass (NH), Becerra, Benishek, Berg, Berkley, Berman, Biggert, Bilbray, Bilirakis, Bishop (GA), Bishop , (NY), Blumenauer, Bonamici, Boren, Boswell, Brady (PA), Brady (TX), Braley (IA), Buchanan, Bucshon, Butterfield, Calvert, Camp, Canseco, Cantor, Capito, Capps, Carnahan, Carney, Carson (IN), Castor(FL), Chandler, Chu, Cicilline, Clarke (MI), Clyburn, Coble, Coffman (CO), Cohen, Cole, Conaway, Conyers, Costa, Courtney, Cravaack, Crawford, Crenshaw, Critz, Crowley, Cuellar, Culberson, Davis (CA), Davis (KY), DeGette, DeLauro, Denham, Dent, Deutch, Diaz-Balart, Dicks, Dingell, Doggett, Dold, Donnelly (IN), Doyle, Dreier, Duffy, Ellmers, Emerson, Engel, Eshoo, Fattah, Fincher, Fitzpatrick, Fleischmann, Flores, Frank (MA), Frelinghuysen, Garamendi, Gerlach, Gibbs, Gibson, Gonzalez, Green, Al, Green, Gene, Griffin (AR), Grijalva, Grimm, Guinta, Guthrie, Hahn, Hanabusa, Hanna, Harper, Hartzler, Hastings (WA), Hayworth, Heck, Heinrich, Hensarling, Herger, Herrera Beutler, Higgins, Himes, Hinchey, Hinojosa, Hirono, Hochul, Holden, Holt, Honda, Huelskamp, Huizenga (MI), Hultgren, Hunter, Hurt, Inslee, Israel, Issa, Jackson (IL), Jackson Lee (TX), Jenkins, Johnson (OH), Johnson, Sam, Jones, Kaptur, Keating, Kelly, Kildee, King (NY), Kinzinger (IL), Kissell, Kline, Kucinich, Lance, Langevin, Larsen (WA), Larson (CT), Latham, LaTourette, Latta, Levin, Lewis (CA), Lewis (GA), Lipinski, LoBiondo, Loebsack, Lofgren, Zoe, Long, Lowey, Lucas, Luetkemeyer, Luján, Lungren, Daniel , E., Mack, Maloney, Manzullo, Marchant, Marino, Markey, Matheson, Matsui, McCarthy (CA), McCarthy (NY), McCaul, McCollum, McGovern, McHenry, McIntyre, McKeon, McMorris Rodgers, McNerney, Meehan, Meeks, Michaud, Miller (MI), Miller (NC), Miller, Gary, Miller, George, Moore, Murphy (CT), Murphy (PA), Myrick, Nadler, Napolitano, Neal, Nunes, Nunnelee, Olver, Owens, Palazzo, Pallone, Pascrell, Pastor (AZ), Paulsen, Pelosi, Pence, Perlmutter, Peters, Pitts, Platts, Polis, Price (GA), Price (NC), Quigley, Rahall, Reed, Rehberg, Reichert, Renacci, Ribble, Richardson, Richmond, Rigell, Rivera, Rogers (KY), Rogers (MI), Rooney, Ros-Lehtinen, Roskam, Ross (AR), Rothman (NJ), Roybal-Allard, Runyan, Ruppersberger, Rush, Sánchez, Linda T., Sanchez, Loretta, Scalise, Schakowsky, Schiff, Schilling, Schock, Schwartz, Schweikert, Scott (SC), Scott, David, Serrano, Sewell, Sherman, Shimkus, Shuster, Sires, Slaughter, Smith (NE), Smith (NJ), Smith (TX), Southerland, Speier, Stark, Stearns, Stivers, Stutzman, Sutton, Thompson (MS), Thompson (PA), Tiberi, Tierney, Tipton, Tonko, Towns, Tsongas, Turner (NY), Turner (OH), Upton, Velázquez, Walden, Walsh (IL), Walz(MN), Wasserman Schultz, Waters, Watt, Waxman, Webster, Westmoreland, Wittman, Womack, Yarmuth, Yoder, Young (AK), Young (FL), Young (IN)

 Here are the 60 Senators:

Akaka (D-HI) Ayotte (R-NH) Baucus (D-MT) Begich (D-AK) Bennet (D-CO) Blumenthal (D-CT) Boxer (D-CA) Brown (D-OH) Brown (R-MA) Cantwell (D-WA) Carper (D-DE) Casey (D-PA) Cochran (R-MS) Collins (R-ME) Conrad (D-ND) Coons (D-DE) Durbin (D-IL) Feinstein (D-CA) Franken (D-MN) Gillibrand (D-NY)

Graham (R-SC) Grassley (R-IA) Hagan (D-NC) Heller (R-NV) Hoeven (R-ND) Inouye (D-HI) Johnson (D-SD) Kerry (D-MA) Klobuchar (D-MN) Kohl (D-WI) Landrieu (D-LA) Lautenberg (D-NJ) Leahy (D-VT) Levin (D-MI) Lieberman (ID-CT) Lugar (R-IN) McCaskill (D-MO) McConnell (R-KY) Menendez (D-NJ) Merkley (D-OR)

Murkowski (R-AK) Murray (D-WA) Nelson (D-FL) Nelson (D-NE) Pryor (D-AR) Reed (D-RI) Reid (D-NV) Rockefeller (D-WV) Rubio (R-FL) Schumer (D-NY) Shaheen (D-NH) Snowe (R-ME) Stabenow (D-MI) Tester (D-MT) Udall (D-CO) Udall (D-NM) Webb (D-VA) Whitehouse (D-RI) Wicker (R-MS) Wyden (D-OR)

For those keeping track, those votes were for a $143 BILLION package that is unfunded.

If you see one of your representatives on this list, and they are up for reelection, I suggest voting their ass out of office.

Target as Big Brother

Target's bullseye logo is on our backs.

This is too scary to summarize, you need to go read the whole thing.

If I ever have to shop at Target again, which I vow to avoid, I will be paying cash.  Data mining, stalking creeps.

Parenting lamentations

Do you ever have those days/weeks/months that make you wonder where the hell you went wrong as a parent?  This week has been a doozy in the parenting department.

Crash.  Well, Crash is four.  He is the revenge child.  You know, the one that my mom warned would come.  The one that will give back everything I gave to my parents, and then some.  Crash can wing a Hot Wheels car at about 92 mph.  At the back of my head.  While I am driving.  Yes, I have searched his scalp for the mark of the beast.  It is clear, so now I blame his dad's genes.

The Princess is a dramatic, attention-grabbing presence at home.  At school she tends to be dangerously passive.  Yesterday, she reported to an after-school activity that, unbeknownst to her and a few others, had been cancelled.  Did she call me, seek an adult for help, find her big brother?  No.  She sat outside to wait it out for 45 minutes until her regularly scheduled pick up time.  Sure, I place a little blame on the school for not being more proactive in making sure everyone got the word about the cancellation and not questioning why a third grader was sitting alone outside for nearly an hour.  But, sheesh, haven't I done a good enough job teaching her what she should do in situations like that? 

Let's not overlook the fact that a substitute teacher did notice her, and waited with her the last few minutes - never knowing the whole story and, instead, gave me the stink-eye, assuming I was just extremely late in picking up my kids.  Nothing like a little undeserved humiliation thrown in.

Bang is literal.  Infuriatingly literal.  He can't move past this point right here and now and think ahead.  'How many words is your research paper supposed to be?' I asked.

'I don't know, I could check.'

Twelve hours later, getting ready to leave for school, 'Bang, write a note to yourself in your planner to find out how many words your research paper is supposed to be,' I say.

'Okay, but it is probably in the packet I have in my room.'

*Blink, blink*

'I thought you said you didn't know how many words and you would have to check?'  I say.

'Yeah, I don't know.  I meant I would have to check in the packet in my room.'

OMG, give me a break, kid.  I don't have room in my brain to try to remember all the things you need to remember to do. 

And Boom.  Christ, where have I failed with this one?  Five months short of 18.  Three months from graduation.  Major project she could have done over the summer, still working.  That little driver's license and car thing, couldn't care less.  Investigative research paper assigned before Christmas and due next week?  She'll get to it this weekend.  Two-year record of community service and volunteer work in blog form for IB diploma?  She says she'll do it over spring break.   

She wanted to wait until she got her braces off to have her senior pictures taken.  The braces came off the week after Christmas.  My conditions before scheduling the photographer were simple: figure out what sort of outfits you want to wear and if there needs to be any shopping done and decide your hair and let me know what to schedule at the salon.  I got nothing.  No plans, no appointments, no pictures.  I have requests for photos for the senior banquet slide show.  I need to have graduation announcements printed.  I am tempted to use an assortment of naked-in-the-bathtub-with-my-brother and middle school yearbook photos.  Deadlines are well before anything could be booked with a professional photographer.  Does she care that she is missing these high school experiences?  Apparently not.  I guess I need to quit caring too.

She has no social life.  It isn't like she is out partying or hanging out with friends.  I think that drives me nuts just as much as the procrastination.  There is so little to restrict her from, that there is no incentive for her to get things done.  Except for prom.

So there is my parenting failure to cap off the week.  I let everything get to the point that I have told Boom she can't go to her prom if she doesn't get the school work done.  Actually, knowing that she thinks March 31st is light-years away and she has plenty of time, I told her that she couldn't even go dress shopping until the work was done.  That gives her, oh, to about this Sunday to get her work done, if she hopes to find anything remotely pretty, appropriate and correctly-sized. 

I know that some people would be thankful for my problems and I am not ungrateful that my kids are healthy, mostly happy and smart.  I really don't think I have been unreasonable, and I know they are capable of doing everything that I ask of them, which brings me back to the conclusion that this is all a failure in my parenting abilities. 

Now is where you all tell me this is normal...

Shoulda clicked 'ignore'

I just clicked send on an email to my kid's principal, right as I realized that I agreed to let spell check change his name to 'Calzone'.  His last name is not supposed to be an Italian entree.

You would have thought I would be more careful, as I had just sent another email to a teacher at the school whose name is remarkably similar to 'stroganoff' and made sure that spell check left it alone. 

Walmart hates old people

I don't know about your neighborhood Wally World, but at mine, there is a long-serving contingent of retirement age people that greet shoppers, inspect returns and dole out stickers to the kiddos.  Wal-Mart has decided that they don't need that job position anymore.

Walmart announced it's no longer staffing the greeters at its front doors. The workers are being moved deeper into the stores to help shoppers find what they're looking for.

But, but...who will put the little stickers on the return items?  Who will jump in front of the carts when the security system goes off?  Who will demand to see receipts for items that aren't in bags?

At my neighborhood Wally World, many of the greeters are allowed to sit at their post.  Some of their physical conditions would prohibit them doing a job that requires being on their feet much.

Company officials will still try to accommodate workers who have physical difficulties with tasks, Hardie said.

Hmmm.  They will 'try' to accommodate.  Why not phase out greeters by attrition?  No offense, but it isn't that much of a long term strategy.  Instead, the old and infirm will be forced to shuffle around the store, trying to help people.

I got news, I know where every item in Walmart is.  I know when they re-arrange.  This innate knowledge must show, because people stop me all the time and ask where stuff is at Walmart.  I got answers.  On the rare occasion that something has been moved or I am looking for something new and I have asked about it - Walmart employees have never been helpful.

I take that back.  At Christmas we were looking for a particular candy, Christmas shaped Milky Way bars.  They had the Snicker's Santas and the Russell Stover marshmallow trees, but Bang had a Secret Santa gift to buy and he wanted Milky Ways.  Boom was shopping with us and caught the attention of a (young, cute, male) employee who went out of his way to go in the back and talk to the candy rep that happened to be in the store that day, to find out about the Milky Ways.  But that is one time out of 50 and Boom gets the flirting credit.

Why is Walmart eliminating the one job position in the store that so easily accommodated older people and those with disabilities that require them to sit?

Watch out, seniors!  The sewing counter, paint department and dressing room positions will be next.  They are coming for the old folks. Who needs medical insurance death panels for the elderly when America's largest employer is going to kick them to the curb?