A Chicken Is Not Pillage

Mission Accomplished?

Okay. So. It's over.

Last weekend, my beloved said something in jest that I love her for, and I feel deeply today.  "I like my beer like I like my man, bitter."  I am bitter, and this is one of the biggest reasons.  I began commenting on blogs outside of my good friend's place because I was horrified that we would attack a nation based on shoddy intel and do so blatantly.  I began this blog in part because I wanted a personal forum to rail against the obvious injustice being perpetrated abroad and here at home.  All voices against the great Iraqi adventure fell on truly deaf ears.  We had invaded by the time I started this blog, and little changed for so very long.

I certainly didn't expect anyone to listen to little ol' me.  But I did expect that we would be smarter as a country, full of voters.  Instead, I have been subjected to all kinds of claims that I don't understand or care about international affairs.  I have listened as jackwads, most of which were dead silent 9 years ago when we invaded,  told me that we would never leave Iraq.  I  have not so patiently waited while my betters told me that we would never have less than 50 thousand troops in country and our $50,000,000 bases would never be turned over to the Iraqis.  Not anyone reading this hasn't heard the jokes or seen the cartoons about how we should just 'glass' the entire region.

I guess I'm not so bitter as I am tired.  The assholes who've all told me how wrong my country is will not ever admit how they were wrong in prediction.  The money's already been spent and the lives, 4500+ lives, have already been lost.  But yet, the American Empire marches on.  And those who claim such were wrong before and remain wrong now.  Somehow, I'm certain, this is my fault.  Yeah, I'm pretty bitter, and tired.

I am weakly and wearily happy that our country is turning Iraq over to the Iraqis.  I wish them luck.  I wish our troops a great "Welcome Home".  I want healing to begin.

But, the Iraq war caused more than just death and suffering.  It has polarized the opinions of people more than I can express, and caused a rise in what was already a burgeoning police state here at home.   John McCain thinks that our declaring an end to the Iraq war signals that the terrorists have won.  I'm certain that his buddy LIEberman shares that view.  Strangely, those views appear the most harmless.  What does damage is the fact that Congress has avoided responsibility for the horror they brought, and now blame the guy who actually ended this stuff.  The damage is multiplied because the left seeks desperately to believe the message from the right.  This will not end well.

The authoritarian state grows.  I've been warning about this for 8 years.  Iraq, and the thinking that led to it's invasion, is precisely what gives credence to the crap spewed today.  We needn't worry about invading Iran.  That will happen when the Repulicants take over governance because they keep the super-secret knowledge of what will help us internationally.  We *really* need to worry about that stealth Republican in the White House.  Obama needs to lose and that will make the Iraq war all worth while.

~sigh~

No.  No mission was accomplished here, save enriching Halliburton and Blackwater.

Thank you to the troops who did what they were asked.  Thank you.  I will do whatever I can to help you come to grips with the horrors you've been sold.  I hope for you that life goes on and becomes worthwhile.  (I work in providing materials to higher ed, and that's not a hollow offer I make.)

They See Me Rollin'. They Hatin'

I got hit with something last night that I admit leaves me angry and gobsmacked.  While chiding problembear for attempting unfunny humor about the mass death of our government, he decided to play internet tough guy.  He claimed that the 'bear' smacks 'the dog' across the floor.  So I had some fun with him, pointing out that he was agreeing with Rush Limbaugh, and I would love to see a fight between 'the bear' and 'the hog'.  My comment:

If you think yourself that tough, take on Limbaugh. You share the same sense of humor.

I’ve always wanted to watch a fight between a bear and a hog. My money’s on the hog.

It's his response that set me back more than just a bit.  Problembear:

this from someone who is only tough enough to threaten j-girl……

Wow.  That was rather shocking, considering that I've never threatened jhwygirl.  (Don't fret that you can't see those comments.  The Drama Queen is excellent at ass-covering.  That's why I copied those comments verbatum, with html.)  Ive had the Drama Twins (JC and Lizard) accuse me of slander (It's libel, dickheads) but they've never had the guts to actually provide any proof.  And here problembear accuses me of an actually crime, threatening is a crime online or off, and my surprise was overwhelming.  It was also educational.

I've butted heads with most every wingnut blogger in this state.  We've called each other names, and accused each other of all manner of ill-behavior.  Not once, not even once, has anyone accused me of threats against their person or lively hood.  Very much like Tokarski, it took "progressives" to cross that foolish line.  I give problembear this much credit.  He had the chutzpa to actually speak the truth.  He won't actually tell where this information came from, and his tracks of courage have been erased by the weak.  No surprise there.

I've been amazed, truly, at how virulent the anger at me has been from 4 & 20 Egobirds.  Now I at least know why.  Those folk are convinced that I have threatened the poor girl, with what I still have no idea and likely never will.  But the question remains out there.  How did these pricks get the idea that I threatened jhwygirl?  There is an obvious answer that suggests itself.  But none of them will actually give it.  And if they try, JC will delete it.

Jhwygirl has said that I am dedicated to hating on 4 & 20 Egobirds.  I wasn't before.  I am now.  Liars, egoists, assholes.  I am not happy with this decision, but it really doesn't matter does it?

Quotes of the Days

Tengrain:

Obama Appoints Record Number of Gays – Less than halfway through his first term, President Barack Obama has appointed more openly gay officials than any other president in history. “And none of them have any rights either, so quit whining,” Obama did not say. (AP)

Blue Texan:

You know that woman who goaded those brownshirts patriotic, Teabagger supporters of Rand Paul into stomping on her head? She’s an unhinged, left-wing, MoveOn eco-moonbat.

Bitch had it coming.

And do read the quotes from the noble right ...

Driftglass:

"If you want a picture of the Teabaggers, imagine a boot that was paid for by Medicare stomping on a human face -- forever." -- George Orwell v 2.0

The graphic is priceless.

Mistermix:

I assume the reason Rand Paul supporters literally kicked this woman to the curb and stomped her head was because she had a Muslim appearance and made them nervous. I’m not discounting the theory that this was simply a harmless fraternity prank that was misunderstood, nor the possibility that the bitch ran her big mouth and got what she deserved.

Dougj:

What I’ve learned over the past few days is that both sides do it. Whether it’s a left-leaning writer using the phrase “curb-stomping” or an angry mob of conservatives actually performing a curb-stomping, whether it’s a liberal drawing a Hitler mustache on George W. Bush or a right-wing militia member blowing up a federal building, whether it’s two black guys in berets standing outside a polling station or a hundred years of Jim Crow laws. It’s all the same stuff and we should just admit it.

Kyle-Anne Shiver:

From where I’m sitting, all of these seemingly coordinated efforts by Democrats and their press minions to label Party dissidents as “insane” are not only creepy, they smack of tactics widely used by the most repressive, most brutal tyrannies the world has ever known.

They smack of Soviet-style, scientific tyranny in the worst way imaginable.

Really?  Stomping a woman's head into concrete is sane?

Barbara Morrill:

Now we know why Rand Paul spent the past twelve or so hours blaming the vicious assault of Lauren Valle by his supporters on "both sides" and a "daze of lights flashing" -- because one of the assailants is Tim Profitt, the Bourbon County coordinator for Paul's campaign.

According to Mr. Profitt:

... the camera angle made the scuffle Monday night appear worse that it was.

Tammy Webber, AP:

Gay voters angry at Democrats could sway election*

Across the country, activists say gay voters are angry — at the lack of progress on issues from eliminating employment discrimination to uncertainty over serving in the military to the economy — and some are choosing to sit out this election or look for other candidates.

Y'know, just once, I'd like to see a story from the press about how people, (Gay, Het, Poly, White, Black, Red, Yellow, Male, Female, Rich and Not) are going to swing this election because they're tired of the damned stupidity, extremism, violence (physical, verbal and virtual) and bullshit coming from the "Tea Party" who want to take back America from the overwhelming majority of Americans to whatever goddamned fantasy they live in.

 

*Don't even start with the "You're blaming the gays for a vote that isn't in!" shit.  I'm not.  If you actually start to think about it for a second, Tammy Webber just invited one to do so.  But she offers no proof that the GBLT vote has that kind of sway in swing districts.  The press, having been willing accomplices to Tea Party excess, is now in CYA mode.  And what handier scapegoat could they offer than the Gay voter who doesn't vote.  Other than Obama, of course ...

UPDATE:  And like cockroaches, the vermin keep returning.

UPDATE 2:  I said, ~hrumph~, like cockroaches, the vermin keep returning.

 

 

Quote of the Day

Meticulous paperwork, a sense of security, and the confidence they are professionals is why people go to banks. This is the most basic service they screwed up. Not processing loan documents accurately or carefully is akin to a mechanic pouring motor oil in the wiper fluid receptacle or a professional cook not being able to make a roux.

They’ve literally fucked up everything they have touched.

I've been saying that for years.

Enough, Part 1, The Trolling (Updated)

I've had enough of Mr. Tokarski.  It's time that the whole sorry and sad tale be wrote.

I started this blog 7 years ago.  As such, it is the oldest active blog running in consistent form in the state (with possible exception of Jeff's, if he would post more than twice a year.)   I don't write that as a statement of arrogant importance; but it is germane to what follows.  My 'blog-fathers' were my friend Jon, who started blogging 1998 in order to keep in touch with his people in distant locations, and my friends Craig and David.  Craig has gone silent, save for his humanitarian efforts, and David is now a corporate shill  (~wink~).

I've learned a great deal from each of them.  From Jon I learned more than I can express here, save that what happens online can have very real and wonderful consequence in your existence.  Hi Batgrl.  From David, I've learned to love where you're at and love what you say about where you're at.  Honesty is fun, online.  From Craig, I've learned one of the most important lessons.  Support your peeps, whether you agree with them or not.  The online community was onto something new and righteous, and they needed every ounce of support they could get.  In truth, I think I've done a pretty damned outstanding job of the latter.  I hosted the first and second Montana Weblog awards, sadly now defunct.  I hosted the first Montana blogger get-together in my back yard.   I've spoken about community at a gathering of one of Montana's best online communities hosted by one of Montana's best bloggers.  I tried to get a viable "drinking Liberally" community going here in Bozeman.  I've attended and supported meetings for online activism and it's expansion (Hi Jeff).  I've promoted Montana blogs at such sites as Metafilter and I've frequently linked Montana websites to nationally renowned websites like Daily Kos.  I think I've done my bit.

When it came to the Montana Weblog Awards 2007, I sent out an email to one who had claimed that I was fixing the results.  I had hoped that we might have something in common.  The response was less human than anticipated, and the weblog awards died.  I'm not blaming anyone else.  It was my decision.  I was tired of taking abuse from halfwits, and decided that enough is enough.  Should any get the wrong idea, no, it wasn't Mark Tokarski.  But still, a few things can be gleaned from this anecdote.  I do what I do because it's fun in the same manner that collecting stamps is fun, or collecting friends on Facebook is fun,  or just hanging discussing with others is fun.  When it becomes not fun, and personally abusive, it just isn't fun anymore.

Enter Mark Tokarski.  Mark waded into the Montana blog-o-tubes with a unique attitude, and was actually well received because of it.  Many, if not most of us, attempted to promote and display his offerings.  But, because the whole deal didn't become about him, and all about him, things went wrong.  It started slow, no doubts, but accelerated quickly.

Someone tried to get me fired.    I'm oh so certain that it was only coincidence that that very morning my website had an unbelievable number of hits relating to John Sinrud.   I was pissed off.  Very Pissed off, so I wrote a post about it.   To that post, I got this comment:

Your wit is as sharp as a butter knife.

Funny.  That comment came from the same IP address as Mark Tokarski used at the time.   I tried to be somewhat polite about it, considering that someone had just tried to get my ass fired.

"Monty", my response to you is posted within your comment in the thread above. If you have a question, state it. Quit with the shit.

Mark's response was this:

Touchy aren't we. Everyone else was drooling over your writing skills that I thought I would add my admiration as well.

And people actually question why I have a problem with Mark Totardski?  So I called him on his bullshit:

Mark T. (for Tokarski) is posting under the nom de plume of "Monty" from IP address 216.166.168.55.  I can only assume that he is doing so to get me to expose why I wrote a previous post without explanation for those who have no need to know.  He'd have been better off just emailing me to ask, but no.  He sought to stir shit up, by being contrary and rather rude.  I would expect that from Eric, or one of his pets, but not from a "friendly", as it were.

Mark's response, and this where it gets really funny, is that someone stole his IP address. 

Well, I've had an email exchange with Mr. Kailey, and from what he has shown me there, there was indeed a nasty email exchange between him and a person calling himself Monty and using a bogus email address, and using my IP address.

It was not me, but I have to say, the evidence is pretty damning. the IP address is mine. I look guilty as hell.

But I'm not.

Please, read all the comments to that thread.  You will see that Mark is arguing that his IP address was stolen and that he's arguing against 3 IT professionals who know better.  He even blamed Craig, an honorable man, of having done this nefarious deed.  No.  All 3 of us told Marktard that it didn't happen, and couldn't.  Of course, the ironically amusing part is this:

God this sucks. I can see why people are getting out of blogging. It's been taken over by trolls. I am not one of them.

Yes, he really is one of them.   Notice, Mark didn't get out of blogging.  He just decided to character assassinate anyone who knew the truth of his poor decisions, just as he attempted in that thread.  It would be nice, and kind, if these were the wost of Mark Tokardski's foibles.  But they aren't.  Kindly pay attention when part 2 comes.

Update:  I confess, after 4 years of dealing with Mark's condescending critiques of my blog and my person, I'm having a great time watching the liar dig himself in deeper.  His latest shovel full is that I fabricated the "monty" comments to "punk" him.  Why I would do such a thing to him will remain an eternal mystery.  Whoops ...

That right there is a screenshot of the typepad comment edit function.  Clicken to biggin.  Notice that I can alter comments, including email or poster.  But what I can't do is to change the IP address, or time and date in which a comment is left.  Now, it would be posible to morph one of Mark's other comments into this, given that the IP was definately his.  But you'd think Mark would have noticed that I done that.  No, his claim now and then isn't that I altered a comment he had left, but that he never left a comment at all.  And now he claims that I just made it up.  Sorry, Charlie.  But do try again, Mark.  Because I'm enjoying myself now.

Good? Bad? I'm The Guy With The Gun.

It seems there's a lot of folks who want to argue that the Health Care Reform bill was bad, 0r maybe it was good.  What's truly intriguing to me is the idea that things have to get worse before they can get better.  In truth, I tend to agree with the latter.  But the funny part is this.  Not everything has to get worse for health reform to get better.  Yet it appears that many think it does.

Insurance companies are profit taking.  Health care reform appears to be more of a dismal failure than before the HCR act.  McDonalds isn't even going to be able to offer their crap coverage any more because of OBAMACARE!  EVERYBODY PANIC!  My point?  That's a good thing.  But there are many still obsessed that we didn't get single payer/public option out of the box.

So, those folk are talking letting the Republicants take the reigns again.  How bad can it be, right?  Well, how 'bout this bad.  Teapublicants take the Congress in November.  Forget a repeal of DADT.  Expect a further expansion of state Amendments that ban gay marriage.  The culture wars heat up with further erosion of Roe v. Wade.  The mandates for Health Insurance get repealed (the only thing that actually saves money according to the CBO), and we move back to the status quo of 2004.   Congress overrules any CiC mandate for withdrawal of troops because we are at war.  Bush's tax cuts are extended in their entirety.  And there is no faint hope of getting a public option for insurance.  The retirement age for SS is raised to 70, and more jobs continue to be lost.  I'm leaving a lot of stuff out, but it doesn't matter because progressives won't focus.

I agree that pain is a necessary part of progress.  If one is concerned about health care reform, then those sympathetic to those concerns should be protected.  It's only coincidence that most of those folk are Democrats, I suppose. The dealio is this;  concern for one issue is not justification for abandoning all others, unless pain is precisely the desire.  I've lived as an adult through the Reagan years, and the Bush years.  I'm fricking tired of watching people abandon any real progress because it hurts ... so they call for more hurt.

If you want real health care reform, watch things play out with the actors who might actually do something.  We can get rid of Baucus in 2014.  We can get rid of a lot of Congress between now and then.  But getting rid of the people who might actually help because of issues that have nothing to do with *your* issue?   Seriously?  Be careful of the trades you're making.

Your Favorite Bumper Sticker Sucks

There's an old adage popularized on pickup truck bumpers throughout Montana:   A bad day fishing is still better than a good day working.  I wish to take issue with that, right here and now.  I just came off the river hot, tired, scratched up, bitten and minus one fishing net, which managed to release itself from the knot on the creel.  And no fish.  In order to avoid everybody else hanging out on the bank in their lawn chairs, I went up past the tributary washes and beaver dams.  That was some rough brush to push through.  And still, no fish.  I only got one nibble, yet many dirty looks from fly fisherman who saw me lure fishing.  Trust me, they didn't have any better luck than I did.  I was especially impressed, though, by the 2 guys who managed to tangle their lines casting on the same slow water.   Way too many people on the rivers here abouts.  This was not a good day fishing.  Maybe I needed more beer.

I'll probably change my mind again, come Monday

Perfect Outrage

You knew that had to come from John Cole, right?

WTF is he talking about? That just makes no sense whatsoever. None. Zero. One of the main justifications of the tax cuts back in 2001 was that the surplus was too large and we didn’t want the government having to reinvest or have too much money, so we would cut taxes so the government would have less money and give it back to “the people who earned it.” Now McConnell says that despite the fact that there is several trillion dollars less in the government cofferes because of the tax cuts, those tax cuts bring in more revenue. So why did the surplus not increase?

How do they get away with this shit? Any journalist who doesn’t laugh in the face of someone spewing this nonsense should go home, rip up their j-school diploma, and then do the honorable thing.

Or perhaps, Krgthulu:

In short, the notion that tax cuts pay for themselves has no empirical support. And yet the GOP leadership — which claims to be oh so worried about the deficit — is willing to stake America’s solvency on its belief that tax cuts are free.

Update: Also, for those readers who complain that I’m too partisan, that I should admit that there are two sides to the issues, this is a prime example of my problem. How am I supposed to pretend that these are serious people? The facts really do have a well-known liberal bias.

But we all know that the real outrage is that ... one ... in the White House.

After all, as Eric Alterman said:

Few progressives would take issue with the argument that, significant accomplishments notwithstanding, the Obama presidency has been a big disappointment.

Yeah, there's my outrage.  Significant things notwithstanding, I guess most things kinda suck.  Who wouldn't be outraged by that?

In Which The NRA Proves Itself Irrelevant

The SrCOTUS has ruled, finally taking a stand on what they've avoided for decades.  McDonald v. Chicago has established precedent that all law abiding American citizens have the right to keep and bear arms, under the Second Amendment.  Most of us hoped that this ruling would come out of Heller v. D.C., but no.  Still, hopes and aspirations aside, the ruling has been made.  All you wusses out there  wailing, whining and moaning that the ruling was "only" 5-4 need to just cowboy up.  Look at history.  Any SrCOTUS precedent is very hard to overturn.  For all of us who favor a more liberal interpretation of the 2nd, this was a huge victory.   (Liberal in the truest sense since the precedent clause of the amendment has now been ruled null and void.)  We have what we want, the uninfringed right to own and keep our personal firearms.

This is and has been the goal of the NRA for at least a quarter of a century.  They have stopped putting their resources into firearm education and hunter's safety, and begun a period of lobbying, partying and buying politician's good will.  The last time I contributed to their cause was about 25 years ago.  I won't give them a damn dime at this point, and haven't for quite a spell.

Several evenings ago, I got a call from the NRA.  Caller ID is a wonderful thing.  The ruling on McDonald had already been made, so I wondered just exactly why the NRA would be calling me.  A polite young man responded when I said "hello".  It went quickly down hill from there, precisely as I intended.

NRA Dude:  Hi, I'm from the NRA and I'd like

W: ~chuckle~

NRA Dude: Excuse me sir, but why you laughing?

W:  Never mind, what do you want?

NRA Dude:  Have I said something funny?

W:  You have now; what is your pitch?

NRA Dude:  Look what are you laughing ... what do you mean?

W:  Dude, get to the point.  What do you want?  ~chuckle~

NRA Dude: Look, What's your problem?  I just want ...

W:  Get to the fricken point!

NRA Dude:  I don't need to ... What's your problem?

~click~

The McDonald ruling renders the NRA irrelevant.  They know this.  Their callers begging for your money know this.  They are back on their heels and totally defensive, and they should be.  They've rejected the good work of actually training shooters, and embraced lobbyist partying.  They have nothing left to offer.  They've gotten what they want, and feel it's incidental that it's what we Americans want as well.  They only want to keep the party going, so they hire stooges to treat me like I don't understand reality so that they can get money to keep the party going.  The NRA is at this point completely and utterly irrelevant.

But that won't stop them from seeking relevance by fucking the rest of us over as much as they can.  And so, the NRA seeks an exemption from bankruptcy law, such that a gun owner need not put such a valuable asset forward when declaring bankruptcy, foreclosure or any other debt abatement.

Please understand that I think the most idiotic and perversely retarded thing I've ever encountered.  But our Congress is weak and wimpy.  They will likely cave to the demands of the NRA, even though most of the rest of us clearly see them as irrelevant at this point.  So, my advice to you, gentle reader, is to put is to hock yourself to the limit.  Mortgage your house to 3 times its value.  Cash in you retirement.  Put every ounce of wealth you have into firearms and ammo.  Disregard the idea that that stands against every bit of "honesty" that conservatives and libertarians claim they hold dear.  This is banks against commodity.  Glenn Beck is a moron.   Don't pay cash for gold.  Pay cash for weapons.

You'll need them when the water wars come ...

And if those wars don't?  Well, sucks to be you, bullet boy.  Keep givin' to the NRA.  They give a shit about your sorry ass, I gahrahnTEEEE.

I Concur

Damn.  This picture is worth a lot more than just a thousand words.