A Chicken Is Not Pillage

Some Links To Stuff That Ought Be Read

Jay tells us that the Health Care Reform passed by Congress has survived the first of many Constitutional challenges.  I note Jay's post as opposed to the direct newspaper reporting because Jay shows exactly what Fair and Balanced *should* mean.  (Also, I know it's goofy to post links to LitW, because anyone who reads here has already read over there.)

Also from LitW, Matthew Koehler shows us that wolves aren't the only reason that there are fewer trophy Elk out and about.  Sometimes, the problem is wingnut poachers.

Since 4 & 20 Blackbirds is receiving spam regarding their rankings on the Great Gazoogle, I figured I'd do my part to help them out.  jhwygirl has a terrific post concerning Montana's Right to Die statute, and the challenges it faces.  If you only watch one YouTube video this year (as if) make it that one.

There has got to be something wicked weird about the water in Northwest Montana.  Constitutionalists, militias and now this.  An artist's work displayed in Loveland, Colorado apparently depicting Jesus getting a holy hummer.  Some folks had a problem with that.  So they protested.  But it was a resident of Kalispell, Montana who came through for the win.  Kathleen Folden 'martyred' herself, by violently critiquing the blasphemous piece ... with a crowbar.  I thought the lunatics only came out at the full moon.

This one's for Eric.  Bill Schneider at New West is always a great read.  And he has a terrific article up about the NRA and Jon Tester.  It shows pretty clearly that NRA does stand for National Republican Army.  Tester's stands on firearm rights may not make him many friends among progressives, but he represents this gun owning liberal just fine.

It seems that Blacks are pretty down on black-white relations right now.  John Cole explains exactly why that is.  And he's right on the money.

Having apparently applied a salve to the deep wound given her by Robert Gibbs, Jane Hamsher (*THE* Professional Left and don't you forget it!)  has posted a terrific analysis of how things may not be as dire for Democrats in November as the media would have us believe.

Nate Silver thinks it's still pretty dire.

But what if the GOP doesn't take the House and Senate?

Remember that Republicant freak out about Obama maybe having gotten foreign money donations?  Yeah, about that ... IOKIYAAR.

Dead people been getting your money.  YOUR MONEY!  The Obama administration is attempting to stop such nonsense.  So who's fault is it that DEAD PEOPLE ARE GETTING YOUR MONEY?  Obama's, of course.  Never forget.  IOKIYAAR.

That's prolly enough for now.  So I'll leave you with a laugh.

Random Thoughts

It's really rude when you're accomplishing things and you have to stop for a wimpy thunderstorm wannabe.

If you take a look at a chart of my web traffic over the last two weeks, it seems to spell "Aman".  What does that mean?

My beloved having gone elsewhere, I am a lonely bachelor for the night.  Do I hire hookers and have a soiree?   Uh, no.  I got blisters working in the yard.  Yeah, I'm kinda dumb.  Maybe I'll watch a zombie flick tonight.  Probably Romero, hallowed be his name.

Unless you've been living in a cave, which no doubts some of you might, you probably know that there are a couple of new political websites in the state.    There is Montana Cowgirl and then there's, well, Gary.  MC's site is dedicated to political gossip and attack.  Gary's is apparently dedicated to wingnut scat fantasies.  MC's site is well designed and active.  I give her the standard 3 years, but expect that she will last far longer if life doesn't intrude.  Gary?  His website features wingnut boiler-plate and bad photoshops of poo.  Though that speaks to the obvious involvement of "Rusty Shackleford", I give him 3 months.  Tops.  Heap on the racism, piss poor design and fear, I'm uncertain he'll even make the 3.

I have a demon inside me.  I live across from a bar that supposedly opens at 4, yet their doors were open admitting people at 3:30.  Their "OPEN" sign was on well before 4.  I really just wish they would follow the rules they agreed to follow.  Since the beloved is gone, I pulled the truck into the driveway.  Out front is now parked a classic convertible Firebird ... and all I really want to do is put things in 4 low and drive right over the top of it.  It's a really sweet car and I just really want to crush it.  I have  a demon inside me.

When my beloved left, it took Teddy 2 hours to get over his blue funk that he didn't get to go with her.  Even when I took him to the big hill, he kept expecting her to be there.  He hasn't a clue that I loath her absence more than he does.  But then, I'm human.  It would be a great thing if people were more like dogs.

I want to make a Summer mix CD.  I have my ideas but would appreciate input.  What I have:

Black Water - Doobie Brothers

Summer Breeze - Seals and Crofts

Modern Day Cowboy - Tesla

Listen To A Country Song - Loggins and Messina

Hotel California - Eagles

Okay, so I have a bunch more.   But I really want input.  Give it up, folks.

You Don't Have To Be A Good Shot ...

The wind has died down.  Mike, at least this time, you done good.

Though the burgers that bear his name are very good, I would be remiss if I didn't point out that Ben Roeslithberger got off easy.  Way too damned easy.  I just wonder how the Steelers are going to recover from 0-6.  Charlie Batch?  Is anyone really serious about that?

The most creative posting about yard work, I think I've ever read:

Apparently I was targeted this week by the global dandelion jihad, and they successfully ran attacks all over my property without my noticing. I’ve been running clear and hold missions for the last hour or so, but I may have to venture into my neighbors yard, because I can tell the dandelion jihad is being given safe harbor there.

Part of my many-faceted job is to sell Apple products, so you can imagine that I have been very amused by the Porn Ban instituted at the Apple Apps Store.  Notice please that the Apps Apple approves include Playboy.  Notice also that Apple Apps are not limited to just the iPhone, but run on the iPad as well.  Notice please that the iPad, iPhone and iTouch all run Safari, where porn is a click away on the worldly wide Interwebs.  And finely, notice, I don't think it's all that damned brilliant for Apple's genius founder to be telling people to buy other products.   Maybe that was Google's plan all along.  Victory through the arrogance of the enemy.  Then again, when you know your opposition is evil ...

I am ashamed.  I have had the worst cravings for Tex-Mex recently.  Fajitas (pronounced Fahgeetaas) the other night.  Disgustingly overloaded Nachos tonight.  I am a sad little man.

I really truly thought that Harry Ried was doomed in November.  But Chickens for Checkups  seems to have taken hold as a meme, (though I still prefer Blowjobs for Babies).  Lowden is toast.  But, there are those who think we're being elitist for suggesting that Lowden is being stupid.  People really have had to barter for medical service.  What I find most surprising is that this comes from a webmistress who rails incessantly against women having to barter their lives and bodies for acceptance in the white male patriarchy.  Finding the latter abhorrent does not breed empathy for the claim so ridiculous in the former.  Just because one has had to barter for health care with good ol' Doc Simmenschowner in Two Dot Montana, doesn't make it elitist to point out how f'ing stupid the suggestion is now in 2010.  Sorry, Melissa, but I grew up in rural America; and on this point, I think you are in error.  (Cue up those who will think this triangulation by whatever our Overlord of the day is.)

Goldman Ball Sacks goes full on FOX news.  "They hate us and are trying to destroy us, but we're just so gosh-darned important to you ..."

The race for Montana Congressional District One (the only one) is actually becoming intriguing.  Not that an endorsement from me means jack-squat, but I've been seriously on the fence here.  McDonald doesn't appeal to me at all, except as a name.  Gernant appeals to me, a lot.  But I don't see any way this young man gets elected.  Gopher is the real deal, and next to nobody knows she's running, until now.  Unfortunately, the people who have been educated about her are the Democrats who favor winning, and she just took shots at their favored chess piece.  I'll be honest.  I think the best chance of defeating Rehberg is for every single Democratic voter in Montana to cross ballot and vote for Otjen.  And then, for every Rehberg voter, thinking he's a shoe-in, to cross ballot and vote for ... whoever, probably Gopher since they think that Montana will never elect ... 'one of those'.  Woman, Native ... pick your "those".  Regardless, it will be interesting.

(Side note to Ms. Gopher.  We were the first state to send a woman to the Congress, before women could even vote.  And we sent her twice.  That's not a terrible angle to play.  Just suggesting ...)

Best Buy in Bozeman?  Seriously?  I'm gonna bet dollars to donuts, that we are the best connected community in Montana, and anything one can buy at BB, they can get online cheaper.  This is one to watch.

Finally, if anyone has suggestions for a dungeon an unassisted living facility that accepts nothing more than a meager SS check, I'm all ears.

The Magic Pill

Regardless of those who deride the feeling, our national zeitgeist is all hopey-changey right now.  People want results and they want them in a hurry.  You've got the teabaggers who want change even if they can't focus on what they really want, other than it stands against what is.  You've got the FireDogPumas who desperately hope that they will get what they want by working with those who will guarantee that the FDPs don't get what they want as punishment for the betrayal the FDPs feel at not getting what they want this very instant ... THIS VERY INSTANT I TELL YOU!  You've got the Avatards seeking easy release from living in the desperate hope that blue skin and Pandora's muted light will cure their persistent acne.  You've got the Obama-bot haters who love to smirk that no one has gotten what they want, and hope that somehow that will change to be what they want as long as Obama-bots lose hope.  You've got the Conservatives hoping that an idiot can rise to position of Fuhrer, and change things back to Torquemada's beautiful vision of death and pain for the pagan infidel ... oh and, save the babies and get womenz back to the kitchens.  You have the extreme left hoping for communist utopiana, and even less likely, a successful Nader Presidency.

Folks, this is fucked up.  Blame it on the coming new decade if you wish, but people really are all about hope and change.  The vast majority of people will blame specific groups of others, but then claim that we're all at fault, in the lamest attempt I've seen to shift responsibility since my mother's last snit.  I could get a whole lot more egregious with my examples here, but seriously, I'm too sick and tired to do that right now.  Everybody wants change, but no one seems capable of steering the ship on a consistent tack.  Personally, I think Obama is doing a splendid job navigating these waters, but people want what they want and they want it NOW!  "What have you done for me lately" has become "what are you doing for me right now".  Mayhaps this is the fault of the information age.  Hope is defeated because the bad news that one isn't a special snowflake is immediate, and change is slow.  That's truly the sin of Obama, in equating that hope and change work on the same schedule.  Uhhh, n'they don't.

People want a magic pill.  They do one thing, (vote Democrat, Vote Republicant, vote Teabags for Tits Palin, rail, weep and vote against the socialist "muslin" nigra in the Whitey House) and all will be well with the universe.  Scream at a Representative and unicorns will piss flowers on the home you just left in foreclosure.  Tell the gubmint not to touch your special gubmint program and happy will ensue.  Talk nice-nice with those who will drive a spike through your genitals just to spite you and things will get better.  Gosh damned ain't we a bunch of hopers and ain't we just fricking miserable that we aren't the change we believed that others would hand to us on a fantasy/PCP dusted platter garnished with the wings of dead fairies we didn't clap hard enough for.   We want that magic pill.  We needs it, my precious, oh we needs IT!

Stop.  Sit back.  Especially you cynical pissants who count coup by claiming that you knew we wouldn't get the change that you hoped we'd get and it's all our fault that your hope was spilt needlessly like the blood of the Nav'i.  Just.knock.it.off.  Change is inevitable.  To struggle is an option.  And too many are struggling too needlessly.  There is no magic pill; get used to that fact.  Here's where the football talk begins, so leave if you wish.

Anyone who's followed the NFL for some time has seen this sad drama take place time and again.  Coaches sacrifice players who go on to stellar careers with other teams because we need results now.  Bad coaches save their own jobs by sacrificing underlings, coordinators, as if the functions of a coordinator isn't the job of a head coach.  GMs think coaches are responsible for not having good enough talent.  Owners only want wins.  Magic Pill, time and again.  Coaches seek the next great player that will make all things better.  Quarterbacks will save a franchise, if only we can find that very one who will be what I want him to be.  Magic pills.

Owners are the very worst at this.  Perhaps I should have called this post "magic beans" because owners are always looking for the beanstalk leading to the golden goose who lays the golden eggs.  Oh yes, there is always the hope and the change, but rarely do those seem to coincide in the move to victory.  Witness Seattle.

Pete Carroll has a winning record at USC, one almost unparalleled.  Leave aside the fact that USC will likely have it's ass sanctioned off for the next several years, and focus on what Carroll did there.  He was agreat coach at USC.  No doubts.  So now he goes to Seattle to rebuild the Seahawks.  He's little to nothing more than a a magic pill.  Hopey/changey.  Look at what Seattle has faced.  4 years ago, they were in the Super Bowl.  They lost, I would argue because Holmgren didn't trust running the ball  against a team suspect against the run when the Broncos showed that very fact two weeks earlier in the AFC Championship game. *pthew*  Regardless, since that time, Seattle has suffered due to injury and lack of depth on the bench.  They also have failed because players have not produced when they have shown the ability to do so.  Sean Alexander?  Anybody heard that name in a while?  These are personnel issues.  A college coach cannot and will not solve them, and don't pretend that Carroll is not the definition of a college coach.  The professional game is not college recruiting.  You have to get the best from what you have, draft what you need and pay them exorbitant money; and Carroll's rah-rah stylee thing won't get the job done in the pro ranks.  The Seahawks would have done much better to pay ex-Steelers coach Bill Cowher a shit-ton of money because no one else has been able to get more from less than Cowher has.  Ever.

This is basic problem solving.  Define the problem, define it's limits, and only then can you narrow the problem to be within acceptable parameters.  Hope for change defies that very obvious procedure.  It's evident in the NFL, as coaches and coordinators travel like gypsies to the very next failure.  But that serves what "we" the people believe.  It is our phantom that haunts us at all times.  We want to hope that change will be what we hope that it is.  Change is what it is, and we often have little to do with it when blinded by our hopes.  Change is inevitable; to struggle is an option so we damned well better struggle with knowledge of what we seek.  I give Carroll two years in Seattle before he goes back to the college ranks or becomes a coordinator somewhere, only to get blamed when he isn't the magic pill there either.

There is no magic pill.  Carroll, Nader, Obama, Shanahan, Palin ... no one is going to ride in on a magic horse and save us if we don't understand what we need saving from.

Catching Up

First, I've changed the last post to include the URL instead of the embedded video.  It was breaking things.

Second, I'm having a hella difficult time caring even one iota about the Roman Polanski 'issue'.  Yes, he's a rapist.  This is not in question.  And, despite the caterwauls of some, I've yet to read anyone 'apologizing' for his activities as a rapist or excusing those actions away because of his 'art'.  The vast majority of "Leave Polanski alone" arguments boil down to this:  Locking this asshole up after 30 years of exile will do precisely zero good.  None.  Notta.  It will not reform him.  By all accounts, he's already reformed.  It will not aid our society.  Despite the wailing about justice, locking an old man up for a crime he committed in the stupidity of his youth really doesn't accomplish' justice'.  That's why we have a statute of limitations on most crime.  The law has already been subverted when he fled to Europe.  Extraditing him now won't show any efficacy to our legal stature.  It will rather more appear petty.  Vengeance is not just retribution.  The man is not a rapist witch to be stoned for trafficking with the Devil.  He's a man, a sad stupid man.  He's a sad stupid man that we, as a "just" society let escape us many many years ago.

Third, I'm sick of the Teabagging asshats.  I'm completely over them.  They have traded importance for bullying.  The best evidence of that is in a post titled "Obama Lies, Grandma dies".  Notice, nowhere in the post does the ignorant author piece of shit put forth any evidence that Obama has lied or that Grandma will die under "Obamacare".  These people are fucked up, seriously.  The fact is, they don't even speak the native language they so demand of others.  Let's have a look:

Our message was loud and clear: we are feed up with Obamacare and uncontrolled government spending.  There were a lot of people I met who have never been involved in political grassroots until April 15^th, the first Tea Party.

Well, if you feed on Obamacare, that can't be all bad.  " I hate this restaurant; the food is awful and the portions are small ..."  And what the Hoof really just said is that he's dealing with a bunch of ignorant fucks who never paid attention during the Bush spending fiasco but should be celebrated for protesting the cleaning up of that putrid mess.  What a dick.

To me the phrase “Don’t Tread on Me” means a lot.  You have to love liberals who think healthcare is free, but what price do we have to pay for it??

Show me such a liberal, you liar.  Yeah, TheHoff doesn't want anyone to tread on him, but he's perfectly happy to lie his stinking ass off.  I think we all should tread on him, like the pissant liar he is.

I noticed a bull statue painted with white dollar signs.  It symbolized how Wall Street has failed us through the Federal Reserve.  It made me to think that this is not the America I used to live in.  I feel my freedoms are slowly being taken away and for what – Only God knows.

Where the fuck was the Hoff when Bush curtailed the 1st, 4th, 5th and 6th amendments?  I'm asking a serious question here.  This toilet dropping actually thinks that the taking of freedoms is a) slow, and b) began with Obama.  What a fucking tool.

Fourth,  I am deeply in love with Representative Alan Grayson is absolutely right.  The Republicants controlled the whole of government for 6 years.  They have been influential for 3 years since.  I have a question:  Did they, in any of that time, propose even one fucking bill to reform health care in America?  No.  They didn't.  And now they talk about a plan that has never, not once, been submitted as if they should have the moral high ground and the better idea.  All they have is shit, people.  They demand you eat it.  As Grayson so ably said:  don't get sick on that feces, and if you do, die quickly.

Fifth, I'm much happier that the readers of Left In The West have finally taken a stand against the trolls who (see the third.)

Sixth, good letter.  I agree.

From Every Ending, A New Beginning Comes

... unless, of course, it's the Rapture ... which strangely didn't happen in 2007 as predicted.  Hmmm.

First, Happy New Year to you all.  Since I've been flailing around like a plastic bag caught in a tree top, I didn't get around to wishing you the best greetings for Christmas or the New Year in any individual form.  Hopefully this small greet will do.

Second, to Randy.  There was an Act Two, but it was really anti-climatic.  It was obvious when Jackoff called that A)  he wanted to soak me for money, and B) he expected me to stiff him.  After he called it was truly my intention to do just that, let him pay for his 50 dollar ladder all by himself.  But, after a day of conscience pangs, I figured I'd do the right thing.  I called my insurance company and put in the claim, with the knowledge that I will be screwed on rates, and the hope that he will attempt insurance fraud.  Regardless, I am comforted by these things:  A)  He's the one with the employee who will risk his clients and assets (the dogs and the sleds and the truck) by parking in the middle of the road, B)  I can still screw with him by advertising his employee's lapse in judgment (though I strangely haven't yet), and C) global warming will put his ass out of business soon enough.

Third, there's been some folk crowing because the DOJ isn't looking up Conrad Burns' ass with a microscope anymore.   Disregarding their erroneous assumption that the DOJ ever did any such thing with diligence, I find it amusing that so many see this as a victory of some sort.  It's almost as if there are those who think that Jon Tester should give his seat back to Conrad Burns.  To me, it's just amusing.  Almost universally, people are confusing the legal definition of 'guilty' with the opinionated assessment that Burns is a slimeball.  Those aren't the same thing.  No, he won't be prosecuted.  At no point does that mean that Burns was good Senator for Montana, or that anyone owes an apology for saying so.  The better man won, and I'm actually proud of that fact.  So, some of those other folk can just suck it up and deal.

Along those same lines, I'm noticing a real disturbing trend among those who revile Tester for *not* bringing the pork to Montana.  They're often the same people who don't like governmental pork spending, and supported Conrad Burns anyway.  But Tester bad, Burns good?  Burns did bring the pork ... to Michigan, the Marianas, Alaska and most of the South.  Montana too, until he got that old time conservatism religion.  All I can say is, suck the teat or wean yourselves.  Which is it to be? And to that special commenter out there (at another website) who seems to believe that everyone who voted Tester regrets it, I don't.  It was the right thing to do, and I'm proud of most of what he's done.

Fourth, My predictions for the Iowa caucuses:  I don't care.   Shane had it exactly right.

Fifth, Hey, moron, links to or from websites aren't indictments.  My sincerest 2008 wish for you is that you grasp the obvious hint that disagreement isn't evil.  Sometimes, it's even a healthy thing.

Sixth, support your national bloodsucker (or demonic entity).   Personally, I prefer zombies.  You can just shoot them in the head.

Seventh, I Am Legend exceeded my expectations.  The Last Man On Earth is still most true to Matheson's book, but that's not a knock for the current film.  And if Will Smith doesn't at least get an Oscar nomination for the film, then it's definitely time to riot in the streets.

The rest is just football, so skip on by, if you are so inclined.

Eighth, I really do hate the Patriots, but not for the things that Craig brought up in his podcast last night.  It's Randy Moss, who I do morally loath, Bill Belachick (same reason) and the mythification of a team called the 'Patriots'.  Regardless, they are beautiful to watch, and I hope that Jacksonville crushes them into the dirt.  I will congratulate them if ... IF ... they can finish what they've started.

Ninth, sorry Jack the blogger, but the AFC West isn't the worst.  They tied for really bad with the NFC West, but the NFC South really stunk the place up.  In all fairness, Atlanta had too much to deal with this year, and Carolina ... well they just stunk.  If I were Tampa Bay, I wouldn't be planning a long haul in the playoffs.

Tenth, I'm spoiled.  The Broncos have had so few (4?) losing seasons in the last quarter century that I am just not used to them losing.  It's bad; it hurts my soul.  They failed at the two things that I thought they would fail at; pressure on the quarterback and run defense.  The most tragic thing is that they have faced every bit as much of the injury woes as Indianapolis and still lost when they needed to win.  Worse, they got blown out in 4 games ... one by the Raiders.  I just can't cope with that kind of 'FAIL!'  But, on the plus side, they did whip the Chiefs in Arrowhead.

I should get my playoff predictions up tomorrow.  'Till then, peace out.

Friday Shots

I've done enough Scattergun posts (usually on a Friday) that its about time they had their own category.

To all those local Democratic folk out there who feel that opposition to Hillary Clinton requires the cheap shots, kindly remember that everything you throw in the gutter will be found by those already crawling the sewers.  Just thought you might need a reminder.

What gets the Montana right all fired up?  Rule breakers.  They support 'em.  That is as long as it's only rules they don't like that get broked.  Somebody prolly ought to remind 'em that ASUM ain't the government.  It's student government, and they can pass whatever ridiculous rule they want.  That's kinda what the 9th circuit said, as I read it.  But if these proud defenders of "free speech"  really do believe that money talks, (and should be able to buy elections) then I have 3 words for them:  President Mitt Romney.

I thought stuff like this was supposed to require a disclaimer, something along the lines of "Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead is purely coincidental".

It's always so pleasant to be lectured on the sensible state of non-partisan bickering.  Don't you think?

We missed our chance to party like it's Six Zero Uno One!  Dammit, I better get an invite for Six Zero Uno Two.

via Kit, Winchester makes me as hawhpy as a leettle gurll.  *Nipple tweak*  And while you're at it, go congratulate the killer hunter person, Great White Huntress.  (I know I haven't, but I don't want to sully her rep with my lib cooties.  Kit, consider this a hearty WELL DONE!)