For realz.

Might as well hear from the Son himself: "If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned." -John 15:6

Can you feel the love? . . .

I close with a sermon by John the Beatle:

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people living for today

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people living life in peace

You, you may say
I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will be as one

My problem with the bible is I've read it, and even studied it in college. So I'm just an intolerant bigot, just like American hero and icon, Mark Twain. Here's his take on the Bible and religious teaching:

"It is full of interest. It has noble poetry in it; and some clever fables; and some blood-drenched history; and some good morals; and a wealth of obscenity; and upwards of a thousand lies." -"Letters from the Earth" (published posthumously, 1938)

"The Christian's Bible is a drug store. Its contents remain the same; but the medical practice changes. ... The world has corrected the Bible. The church never corrects it; and also never fails to drop in at the tail of the procession -- and take the credit of the correction. ... During many ages there were witches. The Bible said so. The Bible commanded that they should not be allowed to live. Therefore the Church, after eight hundred years, gathered up its halters, thumb-screws, and firebrands, and set about its holy work in earnest. She worked hard at it night and day during nine centuries and imprisoned, tortured, hanged, and burned whole hordes and armies of witches, and washed the Christian world clean with their foul blood. Then it was discovered that there was no such thing as witches, and never had been. One does not know whether to laugh or to cry. ... There are no witches. The witch text remains; only the practice has changed. Hell fire is gone, but the text remains. Infant damnation is gone, but the text remains. More than two hundred death penalties are gone from the law books, but the texts that authorized them remain." -excerpts from "Bible Teaching and Religious Practice" (1890)

I notice you don't address your meaning of "huge difference" as I and another requested. Pray tell?

. . . Fred and Barney." -Stephen Wright

Fact is, LeRage has made it much harder for the Republicans to win the seat in November. What Republican candidate would want to campaign with the nut? They'll avoid him like the plague.

Well then, it must be true! I can see your literature review was extensive, dear.

First off, Mother Theresa said poverty was a gift from god. How quaint. Her "miracle" (like all "miracles") was a sham, one that was fast-tracked by the Vatican 'cause Sainthood sells.

It's clear to some that condoms are a left-wing cover up. But the secret is still under wraps. Now is not the time to plug diaphragms. And the pill is just too hard for the Pope to swallow, never mind that women have no say whatsoever in the Catholic Church. Jesus to Mary: "Woman, what have I to do with thee?" -John ii,4

Birth control prevents abortion. Duh. Orgasm as sin? Sounds like somebody's not doing it right.

Robin Williams offers the best natural birth control method:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-Fy3mDHvjM

I had the pleasure of being at Black Mountain with my kids to alpine ski, and it was wonderful to see the Nordic races and be around the high-school skiers and their cheering parents, families, and friends. Just great representatives of their schools, and the vibe was so positive. Congrats to the winners, and to Black Mountain's staff for making the most out of such a miserable winter.

. . . but I am green with envy!

A wonderful succes story, nonetheless. Vive la vida!

The Dow at it's highest since 2008. It's just shy of a 13,000 now. Yes, facts are stubborn things.

http://money.cnn.com/2012/02/17/markets/stocks/

How do the wood skis handle double green circles? So extreme . . . they go uphill!

Great article and video. I must own a pair of these soon. Niche skis are all the rage these days. (Probably because so many big brands are now made in China.) To have wood ones from Maine would be beyond cool.

Saddleback is my favorite Maine mountain -- best glades in Maine, bar none -- minus its Chair of Tears main double chair. It also need more bump runs, but now I'm just being picky.

Lucid is also an absinthe brand. Wood skis and absinthe? -- I'm in.

And how do you know if there's a ski patrol member in the bar? Don't worry, he'll tell you.

Enjoy this winter we're not having. . . .

. . . yes, you are unhip. Tragically so, medically speaking.

But at least you let my spelling error go. I know how the parrot hates being called "ubhip."

Are you looking up recipes yet for the crow you'll be eating in November? . . .

Or healthier? Wow.

Hip people get it. Ubhip people clearly do not. Michelle Obama really cares about kids:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CoLK0-Maks

It depends on what the definition of (drunk] is.

My point was the power of language. "Drunk" is a far more visceral word than "impaired," and especially and "cell-phone-using."

I can't see you. Everything . . . getting . . . blurrier. . . .

And can you believe the price of tissues these days?

And I listen. I'm not after seniors in particular in my rant. But almost all seniors I know are on a litany of (legally prescribed) pills to make the Golden Years a little less rugged, including psychotropics and painkillers. But okay, I shouldn't have used 'especially.' However, it's clear that pills are being gobbled daily by the masses -- and pushed by too many doctors and Big Pharma. (Just look at the ubiquitous and nefarious TV ads.) And people are driving on 'em every day.

My ultimate point is that there are too many distracted or impaired drivers on the road, period. We lose sight of the fact that the most dangerous thing most people typically do in a day is drive a vehicle. Approximately 40,000 deaths a year on average result from auto crashes, which is the number one killer of people ages 2-34.

If I told you where the body is, I could get in trouble. Never mind the extension cord running to that rusty freezer in my back yard, it's nobody's business.

My opinion stems from, ah, er, ummm . . . extensive zymological research and rigorous testing, Bob. You wouldn't understand.

How 'bout a Fresca? ("I've sent boys younger than you to the gas chamber. Didn't want to do it. Felt I 'owed' it to them." -Judge Smails)

I will not condone drinking and driving. However, 0.08 isn't drunk. It is legally impaired. 0.11 is getting closer to drunk, but still not there yet. To paraphrase Justice Stewart, I can't define drunk, but I know it when I see it. But the language matters. Forever forward, Swanson, Jr. will have his Google search define him as 'drunk.' The price one pays, yes. But a terrifying price nonetheless for those of us who can honestly say we've (wrongly) gotten away with it one time or another in our pasts. (Let me guess: I am the only one here. Sure.)

Yet millions of drivers are using cell phones everyday, everywhere -- right now -- to gab, text and play [Stupid] Birds, when the NTSB, using the same science methods they used to determine the 0.08 legal limit, clearly states that using a cell phone or other similar device at the wheel is identical in risk as an 0.08 BAC. Yet if you get caught cell-phone-using and driving, your life isn't ruined by the social taboo of cell-phone-using while driving. Drunk driving is a far worse charge in the eyes of public opinion, yet cell-phone-using and driving is just as bad. So many indignant people in the world in cases like this, yet they'll be on their cell phones in their cars later this morning. I (don't) love the smell of hypocrisy in the morning.

Having been rear-ended recently by an unrepentant texter, I say ban the damn things in the car. (And in the supermarket, the airplane, the subway . . .) The NTSB agrees -- scientifically.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2011-12-13/cellphone-driving-b...

And cripes, how many people, especially seniors (no offense, AARP), are driving around with a literal pharmacopeia coursing through their veins in this pill-popping, Soma-taking society? (Huxley's Brave New World, anyone?)

. . . the right-wingers and LeRage are up in arms over welfare, this is certainly one of their valid reasons. It's a travesty that TANF or ASPIRE benefits are not fully regulated (and ultimately enforced) appropriately, and it's an insult to all taxpayers on both sides of the isle. I lean left, yes; but on this issue, drastic, possibly draconian reform is needed. Booze, ciggy butts, chips, soda, candy, cash . . . and bail? Holy cow. ASPIRE my keister. FAILURE should be the acronym for this government-assistance-gone-wild boondoggle.

. . . for misspelling Sisyphean. I'm sure Prometheus would understand, though. ("Mmmmm . . . liver." -Homer Simpson)

Being LeRage's communications director must be akin to being Mel Gibson's publicist. *shudder*

Yes, we need more kids attending religious schools that teach thousands-of-years-old dogma instead of today and tomorrow's science and technology. It's done well for the multitudes of brainwashed Muslim children, who blow up so quick these days *sigh*, from Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Pakistan, et al.

Maybe kids can read their bibles, Korans, or Torahs on holy iPads, and then write digital "reports" debunking evolution and science -- analogous structures, the fossil record, and radioactive dating be damned -- while espousing the hypocrisies, lies, and blood-drenched stories of their holy books. (Leviticus and Revelations would be great reality TV. The proper stoning of misbehaving children would certainly command high Nielsen ratings, I'm sure.)

I presume the taxpayer dollars of god-fearing (and rational-thought denying) Christians would also go to help fund a Madras in Portland, right? Or is the "choice" only for Christian schools (no, not the Mormons, silly), and maybe one or two for the Jews, as long as they don't complain too much about having to hear Merry Christmas at Christmastime? (Eight days of gifts for Hanukkah? Sign me up, man.)

But I will not defend the teacher's union. Bad teachers, like bad employees, need to be fired. And good teachers should be compensated well (read: better), which would attract the upper quartile of college graduates to the education field, not from the bottom quartile, as is currently the case in this country.

I now turn things over to the Glenn Beck acolytes and Ron Paul groupies.

. . . in "extremely useful" "private messages," I can't help you, Mike. But there are certain types of chat rooms all over the web where you might make those certain connections you apparently crave. I think the SJ blog's set-up is just fine the way it is, thanks.

Please feel free to have the last word on this. New day, new topic for this "angry child." (Mom said no snacks today, gosh darn it!)

. . . for "private messages" to other users? I say take your wide stance right here in the blog. Or go to eHarmony for your "extremely useful" clandestine correspondence opportunities.

How about free beer for us regular bloggers? Seems fair. Good. It's settled then.

. . . but from what I know of him, he's a highly competent gentlemen and a good guy to tee up the all-important white sphere with. Since LeRage hired him, I have to give LeRage some kudos too, which is painful for me, indeed.

Your quote: "If it were me I would have told my student to get back in the bus ans [sic] turned off my reds let the pickup go then the whole thing could have been avoided." You and Mark Wahlberg sure would save the day.

Your quick thinking would all happen in split-second, real-time? Would you have prepared yourself a fresh-squeezed lemonade right before the crash too? Plenty of time, right?

You neveh, eveh veer into the oncoming lane, Cathy. Period.

And of course one should routinely check one's mirrors. That's why they're there, dear.

. . . have no sense of humor, obviously. Or sense of spelling.

Sure, he probably didn't write 'em, and might not even be that closed minded. But he did ostensibly sign off on 'em, and it's his name on the mastheads, correct? Yet he won't show his tax returns. Why? Because they'll show he made most of his money from said newsletters with their racist, anti-Semitic, and bigoted content from time to time.

The buck stops where? . . .

Actual quotes from Moon Unit's, er, Ron Paul's newsletters and pamphlets -- with his name on the mastheads -- from the '90s, as detailed today in the Washington Post:

"The articles included racial, anti-Semitic and anti-gay content. They claimed, for example, that the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. “seduced underage girls and boys’’; they ridiculed black activists by suggesting that New York be named “Zooville” or “Lazyopolis”; and they said the 1992 Los Angeles riots ended “when it came time for the blacks to pick up their welfare checks.’’ The June 1990 edition of the Ron Paul Political Report included the statement: “Homosexuals, not to speak of the rest of society, were far better off when social pressure forced them to hide their activities.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/ron-paul-signed-off-on-racist-new...

Yeah, what a candidate in Utopian Anarchy, USA. Population: All too many.

I'll say it again, LeRage looks and acts like the portly, hot-tempered Clint Clobber from the lousy Gene Dietch years of Tom and Jerry.

https://www.google.com/search?q=clint+clobber&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=...

Close the schools? Isn't LeRage's mind already closed enough? Lies, threats, profanity, pettiness -- he's a total, absolute embarrassment to the state of Maine.

Christopher Hitchens, RIP, on the baffonery of the GOP's god in name only, Ronald Reagan:

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/fighting_words/2004/06/n...

. . . the Anti-Christ's, er, Obama's plan is to bamboozle Americans into believing in a New World Order that will result in U.N. guards at Baxter State Park (Roxanne Quimby, Rosemary's Baby?) and a mass gathering of other demonic, anti-GOP forces, in grand preparation for the imminent Holy Land steel-cage death match between Obama/Satan/Beelzebub/The Beast/Justin Beiber and the newly returned and totally jacked Jesus Christ. Christ is favored by 7 in Vegas, but I'm taking the under because of the hot and arid playing-field conditions, especially in May. Go Fighting Jesuses!

And yes, I am sure to purchase ample food storage and survival items from Hannity-, Beck-, Savage-, and Ingraham-endorsed foodinsurance.com, the Rapture contradiction notwithstanding. (Glenn prefers the canned Vienna sausages, as do I -- preserved, just like my soul.)

. . . is by far the best value in Maine -- with 1,150 vertical feet for alpine skiing, and a killer Nordic trail system. Especially if you have kids, check it out this winter. The tubing park is a kids' favorite. Really nice people work and volunteer there too. (And the bar ain't bad either.)

Total frickin' idiots, the lot of 'em. Like a "deal" is more important that taking in Thanksgiving with family and friends, and being thankful we live in a free country. This crap says a lot about the state of our nation -- owning more "stuff" is more important than building and maintaining community, or appreciating what we already have, which is more than some 5 to 6 other billion people on this planet.

More than half of the members of the U.S. Senate and House are in the top 1% -- those making more than $560,000 a year. And we wonder why they can't get anything done for the rest of us? Why would they? when their real interests are padding their portfolios and getting reelected.

Until we take the money out of politics (the disastrous Citizens United v. FEC ruling only makes matters far worse), we will not see any effective governance for the citizens of this country.

Give me break, Chris. Labonte being unopposed in the election has no relevance whatsoever. As mayor-elect, he's part of the future of Auburn. To exclude him in this "job-creating" roundtable is petty. And Lepage has consistently shown that he is indeed a petty man, more interested in high-school bullying than civic-minded solutions.

I hope he fulfills his desire to make the state look like the ragged interior and exterior of Marden's on Main St., Lewiston. Sure, it looks like [feces], but it's making a buck and everyone's getting a deal. (And admittedly, they do have some good deals. And a ton of crap.)

. . . without plastic?

I'm all for less is more, however, the tangible causes of death -- which isn't happening until nearly 80, on average -- are typically heart disease, complications of diabetes, car accidents, strokes, etc. -- not BPA poisoning. (And what about soy? It's an estrogen analog too. But isn't soy supposed to be good for you? Confusing to say the least.)

While we do need to know what's in our products and know that the materials aren't akin to lead, arsenic, and the other all-natural toxins known to cause real harm, let's face it: our lives would be a lot less convenient without materials science. (This is also why we still use fossil fuels. Imagine the disruption, nay, the halt, of daily life if fossil fuels were banned tomorrow. I'm all for solar and renewables, but again, where is the frickin' pragmatism?)

And let's not forget the Epstein Barr virus, dust, stress, et al. as the other natural agents of disease.

I agree that they're plenty to worry about. However, too many liberals are crippling themselves with these types of fears. (Of course, the right fears gays, Muslims, Hispanics, blacks, secular thought....)

. . . solipsism is essentially the philosophy that only the self exists. If one is a true solipsist, as Rand said she was, it's a license to screw everyone else, the consequences be damned. Maybe open a dictionary sometime -- or read something besides Rand's Utopian anarchistic garbage.

Ayn's world view: "What is good for me is right." The quote's original utterer was William Hickman, a serial killer and rapist. Yeah, what a role model.

Alan Greenspan, former longstanding Fed chairman? A Randian acolyte. And look where that got our economy -- Turdsville. As he testified in front of a House panel in 2008:

"'Those of us who have looked to the self-interest of lending institutions to protect shareholder's equity (myself especially) are in a state of shocked disbelief.' He conceded that he has 'found a flaw' in his [Randian] ideology and said he was 'distressed by that.'"

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122476545437862295.html

She romanticized and plagiarized a serial killer for cripe's sake. And she died alone, with no friends, worse than the fictional Great Gatsby, who at least threw killer parties.

And the recent movie, Atlas Shrugged, was a total flop. For good reason -- her views are whacked. Killing people over ideology? And to think Paul Ryan makes all his staff read her solipsistic drivel. They should read Orwell's 1984 instead -- Ignorance is Strength.

Mind you, Prescott used to be an Ayn Rand acolyte, till he came to his senses and became an Randian apostate:
http://michaelprescott.net/hickman.htm

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/os-bianchi-joe-paterno-penn-state-...

You go, girls!

And this USA Today story today, Patti? Give me a break. It's not like I'm a cavalier rogue here. Again, facts are stubborn things.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/story/2011-11-08/penn-state-abuse-...

. . . and Joe Paterno stole their game plan from the Catholic Church's playbook.

To think Paterno doesn't have the honor to resign as he most certainly should. And Sandusky? A real-life monster who hopefully gets whacked in prison -- or in the street.

. . . we agree on something! (Mmmmm . . . Heather.) On that note, good day to you.

If you believe it, I believe it.

Please explain to me the Reagan Recession. Let me guess -- it was Carter's fault?

Have fun. Stay angry.

. . . and what about his 11 tax hikes? You seem, in your superfluousness, to have forgotten to address that issue, which again, no right-wing blogger here has EVER done.

. . . are the ones who got us where we are today. Clinton and Bush passed the buck for 16 years, and now it's come to full-blown calamity.

Ron's right: Go back to Reagan's tax rates. Remember, taxes were increased 11 times under his administration, and yet Reagan is a god to the GOP. How is that? I'm still waiting for one GOP blogger to address that undeniable fact.

Oh, and take Grover Nordquist stupid, dogmatic anti-tax pledge and burn it. To think he's even against closing tax loopholes -- unconscionable. You simply can't cut taxes even more when you owe 14 trillion frickin' dollars. Duh.

Yeah, he was forced to sue his good friend's grandfather, who the dog belonged to. A long story, but my friend was asked to get to know the dog, he bent down to pet him, and the dog just lunged and chomped off his left nostril off. A bad scene, for sure.

I had a fraternity brother who had part of his nose bitten off by a German shepherd and it cost him 90 grand and years of plastic surgery to get to looking back to normal.

What person bites people? Crazy times are these.

. . . for the Hamburgler's endorsement.

I concur, Eric.

This new legislation is a modern day poll tax, nothing less. Its goal is to dissuade minorities (one estimate shows that 25% of minorities lack photo ID) and young people from taking the democratic plunge -- and voting against Republicans. (Republican bumper sticker: Repeal the Enlightenment!)

I will be voting Yes on 1, fo' shizzle.

. . . hold the Hollandaise sauce. *gag*

Talk about pigs in a blanket. Hey, nice sausage!

As they say, you are what you eat. Tossed salad, anyone?

Streaked is a moderate climb in wintertime snow, but you're rewarded with some sweet freshies for several hundred feet -- for free.

. . . bath salts for a relaxing soak. What's next? Hallucinogenic potpourri? Dude, apple-cinnamon is awesome!

The wisdom of Watterson:

http://slyoyster.hypervocal.com/cheap-thrills/2011/decades-old-calvin-an...

If you have less detritus -- grass clippings, leaf fragments -- in your lawn, you'll tend to have less mushrooms, as they're decomposers.

You obviously don't pay attention: http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2011/1013/Why-China-trade-war-bill...

Let me guess: the CSM is a liberal rag. Sure.

You're a true Patriot -- as long as everyone agrees with you, I'm sure.

No gun, even empty, should point towards anybody, no matter what. Duh.

And the guns -- aren't they shiny! -- lay there as holy tributes to Freud.

Looks like this moose didn't run. Just got ambushed and shot. Now that's sport for ya.

Look at the one gun at the photo pointing right at the girl's head. So much for gun safety.

Yeah, those Moose sure put up a fight. They just stand there -- a real tough kill, sure.

Sure, I'm an anti-theist, yet I still feel compelled to say: Godspeed, Pastor Paul. Good luck in Bradenton. Along with your shelter, your efforts during the holidays to feed the hungry and shut-ins in and around L-A have been highly commendable indeed. Pax vobiscum.

Aren't the Mullahs preaching the same dangerous nonsense? Allahu Akbar, fo' shizzle.

"Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?" -Epicurus

It was disgusting, as Williams is to look at. The fact that you sit here and try to deflect the sickening reality of his interview is instructive, disturbingly so. Even the Fox clowns were visibly uncomfortable.

Don't you see that calling Obama a Kenyan is racist? If his dad was from Italy, would he be an Italian? He's a mixed race natural citizen of the U.S., which you and millions of whites can't, nay, won't accept. Yet here I am [urinating] into the wind trying to have a quasi-reasonable argument with you.

No more, not tonight. My enchiladas verde in the oven are far more important.

So if I can be bought and sold, that's your idea of right and wrong? Defending Williams? Figures.

Hey, it takes two to tango, Cap'n Cranky. Maybe take a Pamprin, take a nap in your cabin, and blog me in the morning.

As Sgt. Hulka said in "Stripes": Lighten up, Francis.

The smart money is on Apple. Androids will be the next Palm Pilot, relegated to the dust bin of tech. history.

Nice angle, no-eyed Pirate. You proud of his disgusting comments? Besides, Obama isn't Hitler -- he's just a Muslim Kenyan Commie, right?

http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/04/showbiz/williams-football/index.html?hpt=h...

And Williams is so thick-headed he can't understand that different ideologcal stripes can actually play golf together -- essentially do "things" (except actually legislate) together -- even though they vociferously disagree politically. He blasts partisanship by being insanely partisan and profoundly crude and uneducated. Not a whole lot of logic in the Williams -- or TEA Party -- camp.

Are you ready for some denial?

We crave fat, sugar, protein, and salt because they were so hard to come by for hunter/gatherer modern humans. Relatively recent advances in agriculture, industry, and commerce have made the these goodies omnipresent in developed nations; yet those nations without self discipline -- and different economies, which are tacking more Westerly as I type -- as a more essential fabric of their societies (see: America vs. China) have far greater rates of obesity, generally, than far more societally disciplined Asians. Japan, for goodness sake, has 45,000 citizens 100 and older. Why? They don't culinary indulge as we do. Their food, like authentic Chinese and other Asian food, isn't all fried, loaded with salt, sugar, too much meat (protein), and fats. Americans like big cars, big guns, and big diets.

And typically, nutritional education comes across as nannying. (Look at the heat Michelle got from Sarah Palin regarding her healthy eating campaign.)

Before I (most certainly) get called a Commie for my opinion, mind you that I loathe food snobs and am making deep-fried Buffalo wings tonight for Monday Night Football. I also could lose 10 pounds. Maybe even 15. (Any more and I'd have to start amputating limbs.) But one cannot deny that ours is a culture of excess, especially of cheap, overly abundant calories, protein, and salt.

But if living to 102 means eating raw fish and tofu, well, I dunno about that.

And I'll live my life here and now.

Eternity is a joke.

Mark Twain on the Bible: "It is full of interest. It has noble poetry in it; and some clever fables; and some blood-drenched history; and some good morals; and a wealth of obscenity; and upwards of a thousand lies."

. . . we'd be relatively fine with our health-care system. Said system (Medicare, Medicaid, VA) however, as is, was designed when we lived, on average, into our late '60s. Do the math. (And how an unfunded Plan D got passed by a "conservative" president, who knows?)

Also, until we have tort reform and significantly reduce defensive medicine -- needless, expensive tests & procedures -- our current system is hosed.

And why aren't prices listed like at a deli? Every procedure, test, operation, physical therapy should have a defined price BEFORE one gets the bill. If people knew what this sort of stuff costs, they may very well say, Heck, I don't need it. Which leads me to . . .

We have TOO MUCH health care. The average American sees more doctors and has more tests and procedures than any peoples of other developed nations, yet we aren't at the top of the global health care metrics. We're not even in the top 10 in many areas, such as infant mortality. I taught biology and vocational physics at Morse High School years ago, and the school's policy was that all sick kids had to have a note from a doctor. Think about that one for a minute. Sure, the intent is good. But the reality? Utter fiscal (and nannying) insanity.

The Catch-22 is this: Our health care system is for profit. While profit motive draws in the best and brightest doctors (the crappy ones notwithstanding), there are too many avenues for billing abuse, fraud, and malpractice.

Hell, I need a beer.

. . . you're referring to the Magna Carta and Veritas' point.

What about Magnum condoms? Puts a lot of pressure on us men, don't you think. Who orders the "petite"? Not me.

"Pinko's"? Is that a copy center for Commies, Sen. McCarthy?

Hey, it ain't your job to police the blog. If you have a problem, go and whine to Ms. Reeves -- yet again.

Give me Nirchi's or Mario's in (poor, terribly flooded) Binghamton, NY, any day.

Herman's Not Able is against abortion in the case of rape and incest. That's enough for me to say: "crazy."

. . . the science, math, and reading/writing test scores of our children in this country? We need the best and the brightest, period, no matter where they come from. Albert Einstein comes to mind. Oh wait, he was white, so he gets a free pass.

I worked with very capable New Delhi Indians at AMEX in Phoenix who had better English handwriting than you and me, and were technical wizards. The Filipinos, and other non-European nationals at AMEX, were highly skilled too, and damn good people. Many were looking to get green cards and stay here to raise productive families. We should welcome people -- any creed or color -- who can make our nation even better, not shut the doors and go isolationist, Pat Buchanan-style. Immigrants are STILL very important to America. Once they aren't, America won't be at the top, and the American Dream, founded on the backs of immigrants, will be a has-been, once-was.

And the one thing all species are programmed to do in their DNA is to try and produce viable young. We may arguably be the pinnacle of evolution, but we still like, nay, need to, ah, er . . . Turn On Our Lovelights.

Abstinence, as prescribed by Steve and the Religious Wrong, is denying human reality -- sex is normal and healthy, no matter what the Bible, Torah, Koran or other blood-drenched fables tries to lie about otherwise. Sure, kids do it too early in many cases with dire consequences. But they always have and always will -- unless they're educated and armed with protection. You simply can't pray away raging hormones.

See above.

But I dislike the sad reality of millions and millions of unwanted children with little to no future.

Now, if you're anti-war, pro-life, and anti-fertility treatment, I cannot argue with you on moral grounds.

The cold, hard fact is, there's 7 million people in the world, going on 9 billion by 2050. The math is not promising, no.

First off, nice to know Veritas is here in the sewer with me fighting the right-wing C.H.U.D.s.

Secondly, I don't trash the Constitution, it is a triumph of (selective, i.e., white male) democracy But the 3/5 issue was a huge part of the Constitutional Convention of 1787. If was one of the prefaces for the document. (And notice "women"get no mention either, but I digress.)

Simply put, the document is historic, hugely important, yet not infallible. For instance, Article III, Section 3. What an earth does "Corruption of Blood" definitively mean? Many contemporary books on the Constitution don't even attempt to explain that one. You try, or at least quote some Glenn Beck madness. (But stock up on his Beck-endorsed food supplies for the Apocalypse first. And if the Apocalypse is nigh, why fight it? Just let it roll, Glenn.)

'Cause that's the way it's written in the Constitution, the three-fifths compromise. Maybe all the Amendments should be scrapped, such as the 13th? We're in 2011, not 1787. Originalism is just another Constitutional interpretation, and often a dangerous one. (See; Thomas, Clarence.)

Have you actually read the Constitution? It is anything but a concise and fully understandable document. It was written rather vaguely, in parts, on purpose -- because most states didn't want to pass it; and, as a matter of fact, it passed by the narrowest of margins. (Rhode Island rejected it outright.)

And for its first 100 years, the Constitution was nearly forgotten about, as well. In 1875 it resided in a tin box at the bottom of a closet in the building that housed the Departments of State, War, and Navy. It didn't even go on display until 1924, in the Library of Congress.

I know, I know, facts -- who needs 'em?

They're sanguinary? And John Paul Stevens, who just retired last year? Give me a break, Dan. They're card-carrying liberals with big hearts, albeit Breyer is more of a centrist.

I'm no fan of the Roberts' Court, but we are one Scalia or Thomas heart attack away from having the court go the other way if Obama can win in '12.

. . . but one has to admit, that mural is visually obtrusive and lacks artistic pulchritude. While it was taken down for spurious reasons by an impetuous, bombastic LeRage, who can honestly say the piece is pleasant to look at? I'm all for a message in art, but that mural makes the room (in the photos) look like a Twilight Zone episode.

French for "There is Hope."

And after I posted, I did think about the malfeasance of the employer. My problem, however, is much of America is indeed xenophobic -- look at the right-wing bashing right-wing Perry's getting for him admirably looking at "illegals'" situation and realizing that at the end of the day, they workers themselves are productive people trying to improve their lives and ultimately benefit America. (Remember that Reagan gave amnesty to three million of 'em, although his provisions were stripped by the xenophobic Congress.) Imagine the price of fruit, yard care, housekeeping, nannying, etc. if we didn't utilize their hard work ethics and willingness to work the lowest paying jobs that many -- not all -- whites raise their nose at. And even then, they send much of their hard-earned dollars to relatives back home.

Regardless, you have good points, John. I realized we can't let everybody in. But it is a shame that people who risk everything just for a chance to live here -- even illegally -- and improve their often rather hopeless lives are sent packing when the gig is up. And while the GOP doesn't court the Latino vote, they should -- many Latinos are strict Catholics (with the addition of the Virgin Mary as a deity too) and rather conservative. Fortunately for a liberal like me, the GOP hasn't figured that one out yet. Phew.

Interestingly, as our economy has struggled and Mexico's has slightly improved, relatively speaking, illegal immigration is down sharply. More testament that it is worth having smart foreign policy to help Mexico do better, which benefits us too.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142405274870388230457546574267098564...

At the end of the day, I hope Hacienda reopens, and the same smiling faces of humans being are still there. (Their carnitas are to die for.)

Hacienda El Patron was by far my favorite place to go in L-A, along with Wei-Li. The food was very good and mostly authentic, and the staff -- I prefer to call these illegal aliens "mis amigos" -- was the part that I like the most. They were so friendly, and made every effort to make my meals delicious and my visits a pleasure. I have also appreciated their willingness to help me learn more Spanish by conversing with me in Spanish and teaching me new words. To Yolanda, Manuel, Ivan, Ramiro and the rest of mis amigos, I hope you are all doing all right. Salud!

All they're tying to do is make a living. I know the law's the law, but man, what a bummer. Now all I can taste in my mouth is American xenophobia.

Krissie? D'you think of that one all by yourself? 'Cause I've never heard that one before. What a knee slapper.

I didn't vote for Mitchell. Voted for Cutler, and it's a darn shame he lost by one percentage point. But that's the way the cookie crumbled.

Isn't "toothless white rednecks" redundant?

. . . they'd reinstate the one and only tax they'd prefer -- the poll tax. The last thing Republicans want is young adults, college kids, and minorities voting. The GOP: the Grand OLD (White) Party.

I don't think even Obama himself thinks it's great. But it was the best he and the (willing parts of) Congress could come up with yet still have a chance to pass into law. It was no small feat in getting health care passed.

I will admit that his focus three years agod should have been on jobs and the economy. The Great Recession has been a bigger doozy than almost anyone would have figured a few years ago. It's easy to armchair QB the economy, though. Clearly, outisde forces -- the European debt crises, undervalued Chinese currency, the Arab Spring, two wars, the Isreali situation, et al. -- have had a major impact on the US economy. And I doubt a McCain presidency would've done much better, if not worse, although that's purely a hypothetical.

However, if we can fund wars of choice like Iraq, we certainly can, through reasonable taxing and closed loop holes, pay for health insurance for all Americans.

Finally, he biggest problem with health care is that there is too much money involved. Where's there's huges somes of money to be made, there's rampant fraud and abuse. (See: Wall St.)

Oh, and we live too damn long anymore. Living to 85-90 takes away limited resources from the younger generations that haven't even lived their lives yet. (And the AARP has the politicians by the cojones.)

. . . is an uplifting story -- in more ways than one.

I voted for the jobs bill before I voted against it. Or, ah, er, I never said anything about the bill. However, we should have a two trillion dollar infrastructure bill that would not only produce jobs, fix our rapidly decaying infrastructure, help commerce, generate payroll, and create more taxes locally, as in communities across the country.

Hebert Hoover tried the austerity method. How'd that work out? FDR used government as stimulus -- Keynesian Economics. In today's world, Ireland's dismal situation has gotten worse due to more government austerity. Destroy the village in order to save it?

It is counter-intuitive, but you can't turn this economy around by not spending. Government, consumers, financial institutions -- spending creates growth. Growth creates jobs. Jobs results in more tax revenues to pay off the borrowed stimuli. Capitalism is hardly cash-only. Example: Who buys a house in cash?!? You LOAN the money, and pay it back over 30 YEARS or so.

Or just lock it all away for the Apocalypse. "Three riders were approaching, and the wind began to howl."

I've not coauthored any policy position papers with Dan. I am referring specifically to the "boy" nonsense -- I believe David A. Gagnoncocktosen (Fletch, anyone?) started that very regrettable usage here a week or more back -- that you are so quick to defend from an ostensibly "reasonable" stance. What's more insulting than calling someone (who is a racist a) racist? Using "boy" towards black men and/or defending it.

I am also not a Democrat and have voiced some serious disappointment in Obama. Just not enough to vote for an anti-science Reublican candidate for president. *barf* (This just in: I voted for Dole in '96.)

Pirate and I have a gentlemanly wager riding on the election. The loser eats parrot, er, crow. Care to join in?

Read my lips: No New Texans. (Yet his HPV stance was admirable, even though now he's inexplicably getting heat for it.)

A bunch of malicious stalkers, all of 'em.

Donnie, is that to scale? Ray?!?

John, you like Korn? *barf*

Rock on, fellas. ("Free Bird!")

-The Burger King's stunt double *wink*

. . . name-calling is not allowe here. (Really, how mature is it to call someone you don't even know a "lazy ass" twice?) I ain't calling Patti Reeves to complain, but ask that you refrain from that sort of puerile nonsense. I refuse to argue, even critically, with people who resort to that needless crap.

I am not going to peruse the Treasury website to verify your stats. I saw those stats on a, yes, rabid right-wing site that comes up second in the simple Google search "Clinton deficit stats." The BBC piece comes first. If you want to put up your speicific link, please do, in context.

Seriously, why is it that when we disagree, you guys get so damn nasty? (Because I used the word 'rabid'?) It's what's wring with this country -- vitriol over civility. I figured it was only a matter of time until this blog would devolve into a playground fight, and here we are. Makes me feel ashamed for blogging in the first place, since I knew it would come to this.

I'll leave with these: Didn't Reagan raise taxes 11 times and "cut-and-run" from Beirut? The Bush tax cuts were an epic failure by every metric. And Iraq was and is a cluster****. Those are facts I will not back down from.

I will leave the last words to you guys. I have a weekend to attend to. Have fun.

The loser eats their words.

Happy weekend.

. . . are the two biggest reasons we are where we are today. We needlessly and wrongly diverted resources from the Afgan war (and let Osama slip away) and enjoyed lower taxes -- where were the jobs from the savings?!? -- while we dropped trillions on Iraq. Facts are stubborn things.

And David, your Clinton stats are right from a rabid right-wing site. How about the BBC's take on Clinton, or are they commies too?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/1110165.stm

Bush/Cheney was a disaster, plain and simple. Obama has disappointed me, but it ain't over yet; and I'd like to see who's actually gonna beat him in '12. 'Cause my money's on the incumbent winning. A gentleman's wager, perhaps?

I hope he gets a bill from the police. And maybe some time for wasting theirs. To think cops have to deal with knuckleheads like this much of the time.

. . . but again, you make some excellent points, Amedeo, namely the GI Bill. I don't agree that LePage and the Maine GOP platform are the answer -- frankly, I think both are bananas -- but I am not dying to return to a spineless Baldacci-esque governor and total Democratic dominance in the Legislature either. Basically, whatever it takes to get more Mainers to work or back to work, well, I'm for that, as long as the workers are protected and offered some basic perquisites.

Incidentally, I played on Geiger's softball team when I worked there, as its director of communications, years ago. Good times. . . .

4.5 unemployed workers for every job opening, not applicants. Oops.

The Pamola Xtra Pale Ale is pretty decent. I've not had the IPA, but have heard similar complaints. (Give me a Sierra Nevada IPA anyday.)

Only been there once, in '91, right after Homestead was devastated. Don't remember much -- themz wuz crazy times back then -- other than an obligatory visit to the Hog's Breath (I'm a big Ernest fan), and having a double-shot-of-Wild-Turkey-101-proof mishap in the Holiday Inn's hot tub that resulted in a good deal of vomit in said hot tub. Thank goodness there was no YouTube or Fakebook back then, or I'd really be ruined.

Okay, now I'm really done blogging for today. Me swears. Rock on. . . .

Well, someone is certainly fond of oneself. Isn't it time for you and your TEA Party brethren to fondle your treasure? Because obviously life is all about evil taxes, as in Taxed Enough Already. (I take it the My Money, Mine, Mine, Mine, Mine! Party name was already taken?)

I had previously thought the Pirate was a pretty reasonable and clever poster, but your partisan, righteous comments as of late, such as the above -- the letter should've been rejected?!? -- have me realizing the Pirate is actually just Paul, a right-wing malcontent who wants to blame Obama for everything. Set your White Whale free, Paul, and maybe clean your poop deck -- 'cause it's full of it.

Obama is admittedly be tanking, with no help whatsoever from an overly partisan GOP Congress (half of Republicans WANTED us to default on our debt), but do you really want a gunslinging theocrat like Rick Perry in charge? Or the slippery-as-an-eel, double-tongued Romney? Or a bat-[feces]-crazy Bachmann? As Roger Waters wrote, What god wants god gets god help us all.

Too bad your (I'm presuming) party won't nominate Huntsman, an extremely capable yet non-extreme man, much like the Maine Republicans should have nominated for governor a very respectable Peter Mills; yet they instead paved the way for the bombastic and impetuous LePage, who will now rule the state by executive decree. And that's not hyperbole, it's a thumb-your-nose-at-the-Constitution fact.

Nice to see someone actually turning to the texts -- for a good chuckle, no less.

Hopefully he wasn't eating shellfish while posting. That would be bad.

Now that is what I call a success story, one that proffers an intrinsic truth: The heart & soul of art is more important than the money it generates -- or does not generate.

Congrats on a great run, and best of luck moving forward.

. . . he was behind the sofa the whole time.

I'm sure the Mullahs are preaching the same message -- more god, less or no reason.

And why doesn't ol' Satan get any blame anymore? Lucifer feels awfully left out these days. He has so few friends on his Facebook page.

. . . but didn't he make the call to kill bin Laden? A gutsy one too, considering Carter's Operation Eagle Claw disaster.

The bailout? Yeah, all it did was keep GM and Chrysler from going defunct (and they're now paying back the money) and us from entering a depression. (Almost all economists agree on this last point.) The problem with the stimulus was it wasn't big enough. If you need jobs, people have to BUY THINGS AND SERVICES. (Read: jobs.) You can't buy when you save.

Even responsible citizens go into significant debt for decades to buy houses, cars, start businesses, et cetera. I don't condone our nefarious 13 trillion debt. However, to put it at the feet of Democrats is unfair. Both parties got us here over the last 30+ years -- hell, we got ourselves here. We voted for all the clowns over the years. We dmeand everything and want to pay for nothing. It is OUR fault as a Nation, or at least as an apathetic electorate.

$2 trillion for Iraq, a pointless war, yet we can't have $1 trillion for 10 years of healthcare? Makes perfect sense. *barf*

2 wars? Let's have tax cuts too. Sure, we used to sacrifice during wartime (see: WWI, WWII), but Bush felt that waiting at airports was enough suffering. Americans agreed. And look what it got us. The Bush tax cuts were an epic failure, and Obama was foolish to extend them.

I say it's high time for Obama to be the Angry Black Man, because his Professorial White Man angle doesn't resonate or lead. He's been too white, and not black enough. Yeah, I said it.