Free The Minidress 30

Wearing hot orange should not be a crime.

Now With Legos

U.S. - England, recreated with LLegos:

The Theological Implication...

...are staggering.

A six-story-tall statue of Jesus Christ with his arms raised along a highway was struck by lightning in a thunderstorm Monday night and burned to the ground, police said.

What does it all mean? No idols? No tacky idols? Some other god is jealous? (I suspect Zeus, lighting is his style) The random workings of a random universe?

The Saudi Arabia of Lithium

So it turns out that Afghanistan is sitting on a massive storehouse of valuable minerals. Is it just me, or is this not really the best news for a Country with a massively corrupt, barely functioning government still wracked by civil war? Oil hasn't solved the problems of Sudan or Nigeria, and being called the Saudi Arabia of X doesn't imply a clean and democratic future for your government. But hey, at least we won't be facing a cell phone battery shortage in the future. That could be as bad as peak oil,

GO VOTE

NOW!

Headline of the Day

Sword-Wielding Porn Actor Dies After Falling Off Cliff In Stand-Off

I could offer comment or a joke of my own, but really, I've got nothing to top this.

A Tribute to Reality Bites

All kinds of good stuff.

"I don't have a lawyer. I don't have a dentist."

Being A Republican Makes You Dumb

A person can be smart as can be, but put them in a GOP primary and dumbness breaks out.

2/3 Bad, 1/2 Good

More on how the two-thirds is wrecking government in California.

Voter Guide

Woo, I know you've been look forward to it and so have I. Propositions are my life:

Prop 13. Seismic retrofits. Gives a tax break to fix up existing builds to better withstand earthquakes. Which do happen from time to time here in California. Anything that makes it less likely that I will be buried under a pile of masonry when the big one hits gets my support. The Chant recommends Yes.

Prop 14. Open Primary. Creates an "Open Primary" for California elections, where all candidates run on the same ballot and the top two run the general, regardless of party. I know this isn't popular in this post-partisan era, but parties are important. Knowing if a (D) or (R) comes after a names tells you a lot, even if you know nothing else. This prop blurs those lines and could even end up with with two D's or two R's. Vote for me, I have the same legislative program as this other guy. The Chant recommends No.

Prop 15. Public Financing of Elections. Actually, just a big toe in the water of public financing of elections. Its just for Secretary of State and just for a couple of election cycles, but its a start. You want big money of politics? This is how you start. The Chant recommends Yes.

Prop 16. Voter Approval of Public Utilities. Biggest scam on the ballot. Purely funded by PG&E, this requires a two-thirds majority vote before forming a public utility. Two-thirds votes are impossible, which is why California can't pass a budget and the US Constitution is never amended. Plus, public utilities can't spend money on campaigns. So PG&E can completely block any competition (public utilities like SMUD in Sacramento are much cheaper) This is why Propositions suck. The Chant recommends No.

Prop 17. Auto Insurance. The second biggest scam on the ballot. Look, I know the commercials say this is a deal, but do you really think that a insurance company is going to go to all the trouble of getting the signatures, put this on the ballot and spend millions on commercials JUST TO SAVE YOU MONEY? Sure. The Chant recommends No.

In the Democratic primary, I'm going to go with Jerry Brown (I know, I know, but he's what we got) Gavin Newsom for Lt. governor (Sexy pol of the future) and Kamala Harris for Attorney General. Don't even think about voting for Mickey Kaus for Senate, not even as a joke.

You Republicans are on your own, but I must say, if Steve Poisner was as liberal as Meg Whiteman's commercials say, I might vote for him. But its all probably lies, anyway.

One week till election day. Have fun.

This Weeks Middle East Crisis

Drama on the high seas. I'm not saying the "freedom flotilla" was wholly pure or wasn't looking for trouble, but commandos vrs aid workers will never result in good PR for the side with the commandos. Israel is destined to look bad these days. Israel, justified or not, is basically trying to starve out Hamas and 1.5 million Palestinians in the Gaza strip. Much like millions of gallons of oil in the water, there are some things that just can't be spun.

My Coleman Tribute

He's in this, just wait for it:

All in Fun Till Somebody Gets Assaulted

I know the right wing has all kinds of fun being crazy about the census. The government is going to count how many teeth you have so they can better steal your teeth and so on. But now people are getting hurt. Some folks pulled a gun on census worker here in Nor Cal, the police got called and a women died. So lay off the census, ok?

If you claim to love the Constitution, then you should love the Census, cause its right there in the document. Go Look (Article 1, Section 2) I'll wait. So greet your Census worker with a smile and fill out the damn form.

Just Waiting

Top Kill.

At least the name is cool. I wonder what the clean up will be called. Something less cool like "shitty mess" or "slow death from petrochemical exposure"

Deadline

Today is the last day to register to vote in California. Get on it!

Craigorian Chant Brought to You by Nike

Not because they pay me but because they make epics.

How Far Does He Want to Go with This?

All the way back to segregated bathrooms, apparently. The Republican-of-the-moment is way out there.

Bye Specter

Arlen Specter, who has been in the Senate for as almost as long as I've been alive, is done. Beaten in a Democratic Primary after he switched parties to avoid a conservative challenge in the Republican party. Irony is not dead, even if Senator Specter's political career is.

So basically this is exactly the Reward the Traitor scenario envisioned by myself this time last year. I mean, we welcome the traitor, we could use his vote, but we can never really trust him, can we?

Its not often that I come up with such a spot-on prediction and remember to write it down, so I'm linking to it again.

Conspiracy Theory

I've got one for you:

The Glenn Beck media empire is a vast conspiracy to foist gold on the public.

Let me show you on my blackboard...

Update: Deeper into the conspiracy.

Great Achievements in Bikining

That's right, this is American, land of opportunity. Give us your tired, your poor, we will put them in bikinis and make them stars. I'm going to count the first win for a Muslim Miss USA as a win for decadent Western values. The fundies can never beat us. We have bikinis.

Oh and it turns out, they are still asking political questions. Miss Oklahoma got asked about Arizonans "papers please" law. Again, I ask - Why?

Oh and no way should anyone give the new Miss USA grief over the pole dance contest pics. You can't pick and chose what kind of sexy women get to do. She's the best in the country at walking around in a bikini. You can't take some other kind of sexy like dancing on a pole and label it evil.

And now I'm done beauty pageant blogging for anouther year.

Iran Nuke Deal

They are shipping their uranium to Turkey.

Good news. No, great news. Iran will no longer have the stuff to make a bomb, everyone can take a deep breath, the war-mongers in both countries are deeply undermined.

Puppies for everyone!

Your West Wing Moment of Zen

Best story ever.

Life In California

I'm at the gym and they have this bank of TV. One is showing a Meg Witman ad attacking Steve Poizner for being a big old liberal. The one next is showing a Poizner attacking Witman for being a big old liberal. So either they are all liars or no matter who wins, these two or Jerry Brown, we are going to get a big old liberal.

Winner

Well, we now have a winner in Britain. Tory David Cameron is now PM as head of a coalition government between the conservatives and the Liberal Democrats. The LDs really do lean to the left on most issues, so this strikes me a bit of an odd marriage. But I'm not a British MP, so I have very little say in the matter

Best Stories

You only get the best stories after their gone. Angus Thuermer, 92 CIA agent is now gone, so we can tell his story.

My favorite: he once smuggled Joseph Stalin's daughter out of New Delhi in his luggage.

He also served as the top CIA public affairs official, which I imagine is a pretty easy gig. "No Comment."

Kagan Day

President Obama is nominating Solicitor General Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court. Kagan, in the new style of such nominees, doesn't have a clear judiciary record and thus, is a blank slate upon which we can project all of our hopes and fears. This being the SCOTUS, mostly fears.

Meet the Protest Dog

His name is Kanellos.

UK Election! UK Election!

Hot three way action. No really, a true three-way race has broken out this election cycle in Britain, with the perennial third party, the Liberal Democrats, making a really strong run this year.

And because of the time difference, I won't have to stay up late to see how it turns out.

Machete

A movie for our time.

Today's Reading

Malcolm Gladwell on espionage

The Question on Our Minds

Is Lost a Repeat?

If They Worry, We're Doing Fine

As soon as you see happy lobbyists, start to worry.

White House Correspondents Dinner

Presidential jokes! Also Jay Leno doing his thing, which kind of sounds like jokes, but ain't.

Uplifting, Once You Think About It.

America

Who's ready for a fresh immigration debate?

Only One Thomas

I have no idea where judge Sidney Thomas stands on the issues but I have to say its never a good idea to have two Judge Thomas on the Court. Some poor lawyer will get them mixed up and have the worse day of his life. I worked for years at an office with another Craig, and it causes all kinds of trouble.

Burning Pools of Oil

They want to bring back off-shore oil drilling to California. Because we want to get in on this action.

Shitty Deal

Great Movements in Congressional debate.

Lack of Personal Growth

Ben Nelson lack the ability to grow as a person.

What's the Matter with Arizona?

John Judis on how Arizona became anti-brown police state. A combination of Janet Napolitano getting promoted out of the Governor's office, a bad economy, and the general mean anger that is the modern GOP.

Oh and the answer to the question above? A Lot.

Rock On

Papers Please

Welcome to a brave new era in Arizona, where being brown is now a crime.

Trying Too Hard

Inside the sad, earnest effort to convince the world that George W. Bush was a great President. I doubt that running around telling people that Bush was great will do it. Carter revampted his image by going around and doing good things - building houses and ushering in democratic elections. There's no Peanut Foundation out there trying to convince people that the Iran hostage crisis was really a triumph. If and when the economy recovers and the US is exstracted from Iraq, that won't reflect well on Bush, it will reflect well on Bush's seccesor (What was his name again?) for cleaning up his mess. It will not make the mess-maker look better. An arsonist doesn't get the reflected glory from the firefighter.

Crazy or Republican

It is now impossible to tell the difference between the actual GOP policy agenda and the crazy guy ranting down at the coner. Today's example: Implanted Microchips.

Craig to the Dark Side

This Blog's favorite former White House official, Greg Craig, has gone rouge. He's being brought on by Goldman Sachs to help defend against the SEC fraud complaint. Dude, I know you need a job in these tough times, but really, Goldman? The symbol of all that ails us? I expect more of Craig's than than.

And Now the Turn Around

Turns out, when America is not run by a idiot ass who invades countries at a whim, America is pretty popular.

Video Games As Art

Todays Moment of Zen

Jon Cleese, grounded due to the Iceland volcano ash cloud, took a $5,000 taxi ride from Oslo to Brussels.

LA Senate Race Now 75% Less Interesting

No more porn star in the race.

32 Million A Year

Crazy is more than a living. Crazy is its own industry. That small economic recovery you've started to hear about? That just the Beck empire hiring people. Glenn Beck can't start being sane. Too many people's job now depend on his madness.

My Favorite Sarah Palin

is the Tina Fay Sarah Palin

Lost the Porn Star Bloc

Some might find this awesome, but I for one am worried about the loss of porn stars from the liberal coalition. If we lose the porn stars, next we could lose the rockers and the rappers and even the movie stars. We could just wake up one day and be dull.

I for one, will not let this stand. Its time to get in the DNC to bring the sexy back. I will do my part. I am offering to lead a group of DNC staffers and/or board members, or perhaps a group of young rich donors to a local strip club. Someone has to step up and bring the party back to the party.

Socialism: Actually Pretty Popular

I know you all have heard about the tea parties, the movement that is sweeping the nation and about to send all of us liberals to the ash bin of history.

Well, it turns out that Socialism is just as popular as tea parties. Just over a third of people approve of each. More than enough to form a revolutionary cadre. So maybe we can have two revolutions. First, lets sweep government out of lives completely. Then we can seize the means of productions.

Storm Warning

How very nice of Justice Stevens to give some advanced warning that he's going to retire. Most of the time, the Justices just announce the retirement or die suddenly. Now everyone has the chance to gear up in advance.

Of course, Stevens is about to turn 90, so this isn't an unexpected move. Speaking as someone who has had elderly grandparents, I can't believe that someone is able to grapple with the toughest issues of law at that age.

Should we really makes these lifetime appointments? The whole lifetime?

Drill?

If I wanted drill, baby, drill, I would have voted for the ditz Governor-lady.

The Style Party

The RNC dropped close to two grand at a bondage-themed nightclub featuring topless women dancers called Voyeur West Hollywood.

No matter where I work, I can never get the company to pick up the tab for my trip to topless clubs.

Maybe I should switch parties.

Rock On

A Mash-Up for Our Times

Government Funded Ant-Governement Nuts

I'm guessing this guys rebellion isn't going to get very far.

Get the heavy hand of government off my back. No, not the monthly check that keeps me alive part of the heavy hand. The other part of the heavy hand.

Does Glenn Beck Want a War?

He sure talks like he does. Is this all part of the con, a way to sell books and gold? Or does he really believe this stuff? Republicans have lost the last two election cycles and lost them huge. There seems to be a contingent of the right that can no longer live with that. This inability to live with elections results is showing up in lots of ways, from vandalism and death threats to a complete shut-down of the Senate.

Previously on Point Dune

I totally went to high school with that guy.

Previously on Point Dume w/ Enver Gjokaj from Enver Gjokaj

Quote of the Day

"This is a big fucking deal,"

Joe Biden

UPDATE: T-shirts, now available.

Obama and the Long Haul

This is how the Obama Era is going to work. Long hauls and wins in the end. Obama won the longest contested primary in history in 2008. He won a long grind of a general election later that year. He just won passage of the biggest piece of domestic legislation in two generations, after the longest public debate that anyone alive can remember. This is how Obama works. More than any politician I've seen, Obama is focused on the long-term. Most people live their lives day-to-day and most politics works the same way. Win the news cycle. Win the week. Obama is about winning the year. Winning the era. Which makes for some fairly disheartening day-to-days. Obama doesn't win the news cycle. Which at the time, feels terrible. A bad day feels bad. But politics doesn't work on points. You don't add up all the news cycles and whoever got the most, wins. Wins are bigger than that. Election Day. Legislation getting signed. That's where Obama puts his focus and that's where he wins.

What's Next?

Immagration! Good times. And we are already off to a surreal start:

Anti-Immigrant Leader’s Bodyguard Reportedly Assaulted Mimes Who Were Blowing ‘Hateful Whistles’ At DC Rally.

Wha? No, I mean, what? That is to say, um? I'm worn out. Can't process. Mimes?

All Over But the Yelling

And now for the Republican freak-out. And oh what a freak-out it will be. My personal favorite so far is Mark Steyn claiming that HCR will lead to will lead to "global Armageddon." Of course, we already had the death panel freakout, and an alarming portion of the population remains convinced that HCR will lead to communism and/or fascism.

But reality will happen, and it will look nothing like the critics say it was. Thanks reality.

Victory!

Health Care Passes.

Under Pressure

This goes out to all those wavering Dems who are swing voters on health care and are really feeling the pressure right now.



I have a message for you all.

Suck it up. This is why we made you members of Congress. To feel pressure, make hard votes and make peoples lives better. Deal with it.

Nailed

John Stewart stills Glenn Beck's soul, then destroys him utterly.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Intro - Progressivism Is Cancer
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Reform

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Conservative Libertarian
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Reform

Tastes Great, Less Filling

Health Care Reform will reduce deficit and cover more people.

What more do you people want?

That's theWorst Pirate I've Ever Seen

They tried to take a Dutch Warship and found themselves a bit over matched. Isn't this always the way it works? Professional pirates who take pride in their work make off with yatchs filled with British tourists and supertankers full of oil and then anybody with a skiff and an AK thinks they can be a pirate.

No standards anymore

Glenn Beck Attacks You

Finally, the attention you deserve.

Let Us Remember Peter Graves

Activist Judges

Activist Judges.

The term get through around a lot by the right, and generally it means nothing more than judges who the right doesn't like.

I'm thinking we need to update the term. I think activist judges are judges who do away with campaign finance laws so that their wives can form political action committees funded with donation that used to be illegal:

In January, Virginia Thomas created Liberty Central Inc., a nonprofit lobbying group whose website will organize activism around a set of conservative "core principles," she said.

The group plans to issue score cards for Congress members and be involved in the November election, although Thomas would not specify how. She said it would accept donations from various sources -- including corporations -- as allowed under campaign finance rules recently loosened by the Supreme Court.

Pretty sweet deal, eh? Throw out a law and your wife raises money for her group. The cause gets served and their doesn't seem to be a way to stop them. Welcome to the network.

A Cool-Off

Which image is cooler?

George Washington fighting a bengal tiger on a sinking boat.

or

Batman fighting a shark with a lightsaber.

I fear my brain might break.

Like A Cat

Maz Jobrani breaks it down for you

Rock On

Can't Watch

I can't stand to watch the health care process any more. If I have to take the swings of all these Congress-critters back and forth, I shall go mad.

Today's Moment of Zen

Via

Born Again

I just love it when conservatives take the time to figure out what Born in the USA is really all about.



Not getting Born in the USA is a conservative tradition, going all the way back to Reagan.

Your Republican Budget

Massive deficits. No more lecturing on deficits.

Lost Wednesday

So, what did everyone think of yesterday's episode. Alternative Ben is such a nice fellow. I bet he rescues puppies on weekends.

CEO's for Lunch

Jerry Brown may not be my first choice to once again become Governor of California, but if this is the quality of his potential opponents, then he's going to win in a walk.

Millionaire CEO types have a really bad history in California politics. There was Michael Huffington spent who spent $28 million to loose to DiFi. (That campaign did spawn the pundit career of his ex-wife, so not money totally wasted) Al Checchi threw away over 40 million to get crushed by Grey Davis(!?) in the 1998 primary.

It is comforting to me to know that money doesn't buy everything. And Jerry Brown knows this game better than Meg Whitman ever has a hope of learning.

And he's going to teach her, but the lesson will cost her

Out Crazy

It is hard arguing with a crazy person. Everyone who has dealt with Glenn Beck has learned this. And now Beck has learned this too. He had on just-former Congressman Eric Massa. Massa is having a bad week/month/year. He's resigned his seat. He's had a recurrence of cancer. He's under a ethics cloud of sexual harassment-type stuff. He's popped off with some pretty wild accusations against the White House and Democratic leadership.

I think the best way to put it is this line from Jerry Maguire:

You are hanging on by a very thin thread and I dig that about you!

Those wild accusations got Massa on Glenn's show, and the result were not pretty.

Crazy all around. Unwatchable. Yet fun to talk about.

Redo

Unlike modern classics like Psycho, or Dukes of Hazzard, there are movies out there that could stand to be remade with the fancy new newness. I can't think of one more worthy of upgrade than TRON. Have you watched TRON lately? Looking very dated. Which is ok with some films. The fact that the plane taking off for Lisbon in Casablanca looks fake to modern eyes doesn't hurt the movie a bit. But TRON is all about the flashy and if your flashy fades...

So here's a look at the new look:

Daughter of Darth

Rumor of the Day: Liz Cheney, daughter of the dark one himself is thinking about running for office.

The Dark Lord's return, and all that.

Just Say it Was For National Defense

That makes torture ok.

Justice!

As recommended right here at Craigorian Chant, Hurt Locker won big. So all is right in the world, movie award-wise.

Fight!

And now, six minetes of nothing but Star Wars lightsaber duels

Rube!

Ok Go has really outdone themselves this time.

Pirates: Still Pirating

Four new shootouts. What it looks like now is an arms race between the pirates and their would-be victims. The fishing and shipping boats are arming up, so the pirate have to actually shoot it out to take a vessel.

It turns out that March and April are pirate season in Somalia. Stay tuned for furthur developments.

Don't Do That

Once when I was watching one of Bill Maher's shows, big time California Pol Willie Brown declared "you don't screw people who give you money." This is, of course, troubling for guys who take money from oil and cigarette companies but generally just good manners.

Which makes this revelation about what the RNC thinks of its donors to be pretty funny. Big donors are egomaniac to massaged out of their money and small donors are sheeple to be scared out of their money. I wouldn't give money to people who though so little of me.

Local Angle

Republican lawmakers who loudly attack gays while have lots of gay sex themselves is nothing new. But this latest case happened in my neighborhood. State Senator Roy Ashburn got pulled over at 2 am 13th and L Streets. Drunk, and coming out of a gay bar with an "unidentified" male passenger.

That's only a dozen blocks from my place. He was coming out of Faces. I've been there. Right there in my neighborhood. I though this sort of thing was reserved for certain Washington DC bars and the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport bathroom. But we get this action right here in my city.

Presidential Reunion

Funny or Die's Presidential Reunion from Will Ferrell

Not How it Works

Government by democracy is government of consensus. We hold elections and all agree to be bound by the result. We don't get to opt out if we don't like the result. Even if we elect an idiot boy-king or a b-movie actor or a black guy, we acknowledge the authority of those who are elected.

There is an increasing strain of though among the right that simple refuses to acknowledge that any win by the left is legitimate. This is where the birthers come from, the new militias and a big element of the tea party folks. Birthers dismiss a legitimate election through wild conspiracy theory. Militias are an attempt to create a means to violence outside the elected order. The FBI and Army report to Obama. He has that right as conferd to him by the voters of the United States. So the right-wing is attempting to create a military outside that constitutional order. This is not how it works. If the right doesn't suck it up and accept an election loss, why will the left? And if half the country will never consent to be ruled by the other half, how does the nation survive?

Jetpack!

Ok, now we are living in the future.

Vengence!

Ever since my computer got wrecked by an unimaginably nasty virus last summer, I've had dreams of kicking in the doors of the nasty buggers who do spam, viruses and spyware and beating them silly. So kudos to the Spanish police, who caught a really big fish.

Beatings for all of them

Are You Lamb or Sheep?

Could we get some congressional Dems with just a little fight in them? I'm not asking you to be a lion. Just not a lamb. Having the courage of a sheep would be enough.

Test Case

So the news from the world of political blogging is that Mickey Kaus is going to try and mount a primary challenge to Barbara Boxer for California's Senate seat.

Kaus is a rather strange case. He has one of the very first political blogs, so he has a certain blogging street creed. But his program is a strange one. Despite his loud claims to be a Democrat, he seems to oppose much of their agenda. He hates labor unions with the fire of a thousand suns. He's a hard-liner on immigration. He spent the entire 2004 election cycle hating John Kerry, only to claim that he voted for him in the end. All of this makes for interesting posting and drives liberals nuts, but I doubt that it will compel anyone to vote for him. Is there any California Democrat thinking to themselves, "If only my party was harder on labor unions and Latinos." Such people have a name, and they are called Republicans. By calling himself a Democrat, Kaus is different and interesting. Wow, a Democrat who hates unions! How intellectually stimulating. As a candidate, he's in the wrong place.

Call it an electoral test of being contrarian. My guess is that it fails miserably.

How Much Damage Can One Senator Do?

Jim Bunning continues his rampage. Still blocking measures that everyone, both Dems and Republicans want to see passed. Now its a pay cut for doctors. The man blocks an unemployment extension in the middle of a recession. He flips off TV cameras. He's not standing for reelection, it doesn't matter how big of an ass he is. One maniac brings the whole US government to a halt. But the world is full of jerks and crazy-people. The trick is not to let them derail the system for all of us. A Senate where one ass Senator can do this kind of damage is not a working Senate. The Senate is broken and needs to be fixed.

Playing Our Role

American Ice Hockey was doomed the moment it won that preliminary round game against Canada. As everyone who's ever watched a sports movie knows, the team that wins the first, less important game is the villain and thus is completely doomed in the drama final championship game that goes into overtime. We couldn't do anything about this loss. The rules of drama were against us.