Monthly archives: September, 2009

Ernie Anastos: “Keep f—ing that chicken”

September 21, 2009
Humor
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This is Ernie Anastos of FOX News, WNYW, New York.

Yes, he said, “Keep f—ing that chicken.”

FOX news at its best.

Enjoy.

The Terrible Tragedy of Chris Kelly’s Death

September 15, 2009
ChicagoChicagolandDrugsEthicsIllinoisLegalPhilosophicalViolence
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I absolutely feel nothing but profound regret learning of the death of Chris Kelly, one of the ex-governor’s closest friends and advisers.  I fear that this terrible tragedy is only harbinger of things to come in the weird mess that is Rod Blagojevich’s soap opera.

I can’t even comment on Blago’s response in the aftermath of Kelly’s death, today ruled a suicide by Country Club Hills police.

From the Sun-Times:

Country Club Hills police confirmed today that Chris Kelly — a one-time top aide to former Gov. Blagojevich — committed suicide Saturday.

No one else is believed to have been involved in his death.

The political insider, who sources said ingested an “extraordinarily large dose of aspirin,’’ did so in a construction trailer in a lot where he kept construction equipment, police said.

A sleeping bag, photos of his three children, an empty bottle of Aleve, and an unopened box of rat poison were found at the scene near 173rd and Cicero, police said.

How tragic.  What a terrible way to go.

And it’s not over.  The legacy of Rod Blagojevich is shrouded in the blood of his friends.

From the Chicago Tribune:

[Country Club Hills Police Chief Regina] Evans said the suburb’s investigation has concluded the death “was an apparent suicide” and no one else was involved. “There is no evidence whatsoever of involvement by other persons.”

The chief said a friend of Kelly’s gave police a note that may have been written by Kelly. She stopped short of calling it a suicide note, and declined to describe its contents in deference to Kelly’s family. 

Evans described the note as rambling and “personal in nature,” but not addressed to anyone in particular.

She said it hasn’t even been confirmed it was written by Kelly, but the “implication was it may have been.” The note has been sent to the state crime lab for analysis, she said.

What a mess.  Thanks, Rod.  Continue to argue for your innocence.

But, remember, Rod, the death of Chris Kelly is now your legacy.

Kanye West Interrupts President Obama’s Speech

September 15, 2009
Humor
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Yes, this is a remix.  Yes, this is humor.  Yes, you will have to click through to Turning Left to see this video.

Remember When the President Couldn’t Speak English?

September 14, 2009
AmericaEducation
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Some great sound-bytes from President George W. Bush, who, in spite of his apparent lack of command of the English language, sent our troops to a war that he refused to fund.

Enjoy the video.

Health Insurance Industry Shill Newt Gingrich Wants You to Stop Demonizing Other Shills

September 13, 2009
AmericaBarack ObamaEconomyEthicsHealth CareHillary ClintonWhite House
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Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich is a shill for whoever is padding his wallet.  Make no mistake, the most frightening thing for Newt Gingrich and other health insurance industry shills is the fact that taxes will have to rise for people who make over $250,000 a year.

That’s just a fact of economics.

On this week’s Meet the Press, Newt Gingrich said the Democrats are demonizing those showing up to protest at town hall meetings.  That would include, I presume, the man who bit off another man’s finger at a health care rally:

California authorities say a clash between opponents and supporters of health care reform ended with one man biting off another man’s finger.

Ventura County Sheriff’s Capt. Frank O’Hanlon says about 100 people demonstrating in favor of health care reforms rallied Wednesday night on a street corner. One protester walked across the street to confront about 25 counter-demonstrators.

O’Hanlon says the man got into an argument and fist fight, during which he bit off the left pinky of a 65-year-old man who opposed health care reform.

A hospital spokeswoman says the man lost half the finger, but doctors reattached it and he was sent home the same night.

She says he had Medicare.

The protestor who bit off the man’s finger was demonstrating against health care reform.

Remember, Newt Gingrich tried to kill Medicare in 1995.  Had he succeeded, where would that leave grandma today?

Since 1995, Republicans have done everything and anything to weaken and dismantle Medicare and any other government program that keeps money from the health insurance industry, that weakens the health insurance industry’s ongoing efforts to capitalize on your health.

Look, the Republicans waged a war in Iraq without paying for it.  Any Democrat who dared to protest the war in Iraq was completely demonized by the Right Wing Conspiracy.

The health insurance industry shills want to keep money in their own pockets, making sure that the United States of America remains the only democracy on the planet that does not provide health care for all.  And everyone else is providing health care at half the cost the United States is spending.

Here are the most recent statistics from the World Health Organization for the United States and other democratic nations:

Statistics for the United States:

  • Total population: 302,841,000
  • Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 44,070
  • Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 75/80
  • Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 67/71
  • Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 8
  • Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 137/80
  • Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 6,714
  • Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 15.3

Statistics from Canada:

  • Total population: 32,577,000
  • Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 36,280
  • Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 78/83
  • Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 70/74
  • Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 6
  • Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 89/55
  • Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 3,672
  • Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 10.0

Statistics from France:

  • Total population: 61,330,000
  • Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 32,240
  • Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 77/84
  • Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 69/75
  • Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 5
  • Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 124/57
  • Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 3,554
  • Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 11.1

Statistics from the United Kingdom:

  • Total population: 60,512,000
  • Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 33,650
  • Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 77/81
  • Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 69/72
  • Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 6
  • Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 98/61
  • Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 2,784
  • Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 8.4

Statistics from Germany:

  • Total population: 82,641,000
  • Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 32,680
  • Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 77/82
  • Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 70/74
  • Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 5
  • Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 106/55
  • Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 3,328
  • Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 10.4

The world’s other major democracies spend almost half on health compared with what the United States spends per capita, and they’re all living longer than we are — even the Brits.  In some of these countries, for-profit health insurance is illegal.  You can run a company and sell all the widgets you want, making wonderful profits, but you can’t run a health insurance company that exists to take people’s money and then stand between a doctor and patient, refusing money for treatment.

Do you know the term the health insurance industry in the United States uses for those instances where they actually have to provide payment for medical treatment?  They call it a medical loss.  The health insurance industry in the United States actually measures the medical-loss ratio.

Every other democracy provides health insurance, in one way or another, through their government.

Remember all of these FACTS the next time you hear Newt Gingrich or any other health insurance industry shill criticize reform efforts.

The Noise Lunacy of the Grand Old Party

September 13, 2009
EconomyPhilosophicalRepublicans
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I learned a new phrase tonight: “Noise lunacy.”

It’s how the writers at the Conservative News Digest (CND) describe the current leadership of the Republican Party.

These people seem desperate in their attempt to restore conservatism to its, what, true roots?  It’s difficult for me to really understand what “true conservatism” means, although I was, at one time, quite the conservative, I’m sure.  In high school, I fought for every conservative cause, wanting desperately to champion every Catholic cause the Christian Brothers threw my way.

I’m glad I eventually met some thinking Catholics.

At any rate, it appears the writers of the CND are looking for some true conservative thinkers:

Government is not the problem.  Movement conservatives are the problem, and they’re ruining our party.  The Republican Party must disown them.

We desperately need the leadership and direction from those who still have a spark of moderation, like Senator John McCain.

The Tea Parties must stop.  The Birthers must be silenced.  As it stands now, wise conservative voices are lost in the bedlam of movement conservatism.  The inmates are running the asylum.  We must take our party back and focus once again on ideas, not ideology.

We must ask ourselves, which do we love more: the United States of America, or the noise lunacy our current Republican leaders substitute for leadership?

This really blows me away. I’ve read about movement conservatives from Paul Krugman, but never heard of conservatives who, well, owned the term, so to speak.

Well, if you look at the last sentence of that inglorious post, you’ll see the words “noise lunacy,” and I agree, that’s a great discription of the Teabagging Birthers.

Let’s all get back to the table, and talk ideas.

Charlie Weis Throws the Game to Michigan

September 12, 2009
Sports
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Commentary from an Angry Domer

Charlie Weis made sure Michigan would beat Notre Dame today. This Domer is not pleased.

And I love these quotes from Michigan:

A dropped TD pass didn’t deflate Tate Forcier. The Michigan freshman simply threw another one on the next play.

After LaTerryal Savory bobbled and dropped a reception that would’ve been a go-ahead touchdown with just seconds remaining, Forcier hit Greg Mathews for a 5-yard score with 11 seconds left, lifting the Wolverines to a 38-34 win over No. 18 Notre Dame on Saturday.

"It will go down in history as one of the greatest games in the Michigan-Notre Dame rivalry," Mathews said. "I’m glad I got a chance to play in it."

Armando Allen ran for a touchdown and got the 2-point conversion on a nifty Statue of Liberty play with 5:13 left after Jimmy Clausen threw his third touchdown pass to give the Fighting Irish (1-1) the lead. But Charlie Weis chose to throw instead of trying to run time off the clock and Notre Dame’s defense could not deny Forcier and the Wolverines (2-0).

"I think it was mistake that they were throwing the ball because they let us save our timeouts," Forcier said. "Those timeouts definitely came in handy.

"I wasn’t expecting them to throw the ball. It really helped us."

No kidding.

I was having dinner with a friend at a local Chinese restaurant watching the game. With Notre Dame in the lead, all Charlie Weis’ fair-haired boy Jimmy Clausen had to do was run the ball. Run time off the clock. Make Michigan use its time-outs. Just don’t, don’t, under any circumstances, don’t throw the ball. Don’t take a chance on an interception. Don’t throw the ball. Control the game. And, of course, don’t throw the ball.

But Charlie had other plans. Charlie wanted to make Notre Dame work for the victory, and give Michigan another chance.

Charlie ordered pass plays. And Clausen failed miserably, unable to connect with any of his receivers, some of his passes flying wildly off-target.

From the Chicago Sun-Times:

Clausen completed 25 of 42 passes for 336 yards and three TDs, but he missed some throws throughout the game that proved to be costly.

That kind of thing tends to happen when you’re over-confident.

My dad tells me Weis boasted before the game that ND had a superior team, that Michigan would be no problem at all.

Sorry, Charlie. That’s the kind of arrogance that loses ball games.

Congratulations to Michigan. Did Charlie Weis bet against the Irish? I doubt it.

But he made certain they wouldn’t win.

Where the Hell is Matt?

September 10, 2009
GeneralHumor
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A new friend of mine showed this to me today. I never heard of Matt before today.

Apparently, over 24 million people already know who Matt is. Nice to meet you, Matt.

This is just too, too cool. And a wonderful moment of Zen.

A little bit about Matt:

Matt is a 32-year-old deadbeat from Connecticut who used to think that all he ever wanted to do in life was make and play videogames. Matt achieved this goal pretty early and enjoyed it for a while, but eventually realized there might be other stuff he was missing out on. In February of 2003, he quit his job in Brisbane, Australia and used the money he’d saved to wander around Asia until it ran out. He made this site so he could keep his family and friends updated about where he is.

A few months into his trip, a travel buddy gave Matt an idea. They were standing around taking pictures in Hanoi, and his friend said "Hey, why don’t you stand over there and do that dance. I’ll record it." He was referring to a particular dance Matt does. It’s actually the only dance Matt does. He does it badly. Anyway, this turned out to be a very good idea.

A couple years later, someone found the video online and passed it to someone else, who passed it to someone else, and so on. Now Matt is quasi-famous as "That guy who dances on the internet. No, not that guy. The other one. No, not him either. I’ll send you the link. It’s funny."

The response to the first video brought Matt to the attention of the nice people at Stride gum. They asked Matt if he’d be interested in taking another trip around the world to make a new video. Matt asked if they’d be paying for it. They said yes. Matt thought this sounded like another very good idea.

UPDATE: A huge tip of the hat to PENGUINSIX for the lyrics to Praan, the "Stream of Life" song. First, a transliteration of the original, which is sung in Bengali, from the composer’s blog, followed by a translation:

Praan Lyrics – Transliteration

Some people have asked for this. So here you go.

Bhulbona ar shohojete
Shei praan e mon uthbe mete
Mrittu majhe dhaka ache
je ontohin praan

Bojre tomar baje bashi
She ki shohoj gaan
Shei shurete jagbo ami
(Repeat 3X)

Shei jhor jeno shoi anonde
Chittobinar taare
Shotto-shundu dosh digonto
Nachao je jhonkare!

Bojre tomar baje bashi
She ki shohoj gaan
Shei shurete jagbo ami

Stream of Life
by Rabindranath Tagore

The same stream of life that runs through my veins night and day
runs through the world and dances in rhythmic measures.

It is the same life that shoots in joy through the dust of the earth
in numberless blades of grass
and breaks into tumultuous waves of leaves and flowers.

It is the same life that is rocked in the ocean-cradle of birth
and of death, in ebb and in flow.

I feel my limbs are made glorious by the touch of this world of life.
And my pride is from the life-throb of ages dancing in my blood this moment.

Want to dance with Matt? Go here for more: http://wherethehellismatt.com/

Download the song Praan, by Garry Schyman, here.

Text of Letter to President Obama from Senator Edward M. Kennedy

September 9, 2009
AmericaBarack ObamaCongressEthicsHealth CareRepublicansWhite House
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Below is the text of the letter from Senator Edward M. Kennedy referenced by the President in tonight’s address to a Joint Session of Congress.

May 12, 2009

Dear Mr. President,

I wanted to write a few final words to you to express my gratitude for your repeated personal kindness to me – and one last time, to salute your leadership in giving our country back its future and its truth.

On a personal level, you and Michelle reached out to Vicki, to our family and me in so many different ways.  You helped to make these difficult months a happy time in my life.

You also made it a time of hope for me and for our country.

When I thought of all the years, all the battles, and all the memories of my long public life, I felt confident in these closing days that while I will not be there when it happens, you will be the President who at long last signs into law the health care reform that is the great unfinished business of our society.  For me, this cause stretched across decades; it has been disappointed, but never finally defeated.  It was the cause of my life.  And in the past year, the prospect of victory sustained me – and the work of achieving it summoned my energy and determination.

There will be struggles – there always have been – and they are already underway again.  But as we moved forward in these months, I learned that you will not yield to calls to retreat – that you will stay with the cause until it is won.  I saw your conviction that the time is now and witnessed your unwavering commitment and understanding that health care is a decisive issue for our future prosperity.  But you have also reminded all of us that it concerns more than material things; that what we face is above all a moral issue, that at stake are not just the details of policy, but fundamental principles of social justice and the character of our country.

And so because of your vision and resolve, I came to believe that soon, very soon, affordable health coverage will be available to all, in an America where the state of a family’s health will never again depend on the amount of a family’s wealth.  And while I will not see the victory, I was able to look forward and know that we will – yes, we will fulfill the promise of health care in America as a right and not a privilege.

In closing, let me say again how proud I was to be part of your campaign – and proud as well to play a part in the early months of a new era of high purpose and achievement.  I entered public life with a young President who inspired a generation and the world.  It gives me great hope that as I leave, another young President inspires another generation and once more on America’s behalf inspires the entire world.

So, I wrote this to thank you one last time as a friend – and to stand with you one last time for change and the America we can become.

At the Denver Convention where you were nominated, I said the dream lives on.

And I finished this letter with unshakable faith that the dream will be fulfilled for this generation, and preserved and enlarged for generations to come.

With deep respect and abiding affection.

[Ted]

Source: whitehouse.gov

Open Letter to Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC)

September 9, 2009
Barack ObamaCongressDemocratic NewsEthicsReligion
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Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) stood up and heckled the President of the United States this evening during the President’s speech to a joint session of Congress.  Rep. Joe Wilson tried to turn the speech into a Republican Town Hall scream-fest.

Rep. Joe Wilson’s office number is busy right now. And his website is running incredibly slow. Bombard him with calls and emails: 202.225.2452.  Contact him here on his Web site, which, we hope, will bear someone else’s name after

Turning Left’s open letter to Rep. Joe Wilson:

Dear Health Insurance Industry Shill Rep. Wilson:

If one Democrat had EVER heckled a sitting president while he was addressing a joint session of Congress, you BET Democrats themselves would be outraged, as would Republicans.

AND THEY WOULD BE RIGHT!

Your actions tonight were a disgrace to the halls of Congress, and the people of the United States of America.

You owe the President of the United States, each and every member of Congress, and the American People an apology…

… and your resignation.

Rep. Joe Wilson, the new voice of the Republican Party.

Tip of the hat to Shannyn Moore for this:

The Republican, Joe Wilson from South Carolina called the president a liar tonight. Joe Wilson has a challenger in Rob Miller, a Democrat.

Here is his donation page.

I called Mr. Wilson and let him know I felt strong enough about his outburst that I donated to his opponent.

And I’m doing likewise.

Would this have happened if the current president was white?  No way, no how.  This is about race, pure and simple.  Rep. Wilson wanted to put Obama back down in his place.