Zen Arcade

2003-10-20T14:03:00.000-07:00

Bad Beards

Why do some men think a scraggly beard works for them?

Look at Robert Bork. He can't possibly think--when he looks in the mirror--'Hey, that's a sharp looking beard!'

Or how about this sorry loser?

2003-08-14T16:59:00.000-07:00

Mystery Date

What do the cards have in store for you this day?

2003-08-13T17:21:00.000-07:00

The Friends They Keep

Remember Al Gore hiring Naomi Wolf as an advisor to his campaign? Rightwingers had a field day:

She's an oddball! A feminist. A feminazi!

But rightwingers have been silent about one of Ahh-Nuld's new campaign advisors: Don Sipple

Hmmmmm. Let's see. According to our "liberal media," it's just wrong to hire a best-selling, feminist author who happens to be something of an expert on cultural trends.

But it's A-OK to hire wifebeaters.

Side story: One of the women Don Sipple used as a punching bag is Deb Steelman, a healthcare industry lobbyist, who is currently having an affair with the very-married Bill Thomas (Repug-CA), Chairman of the House Healthcare Committee. Confronted with this conflict of interest, Ms. Steelman responded: "To suggest I would stoop to an 'inappropriate relationship' to achieve legislative results is repugnant and sexist."

She should have worn protective headgear.

2003-08-13T16:48:00.000-07:00

Essays Wanted

For the Lincoln Heights Literary Society.

2003-08-12T10:05:00.000-07:00

Troy State Asst. Prof. Redefines First Amendment

Poliblogger weighs in on the Fox Network lawsuit against Al Franken.

Even if he has to change the title, it would hardly constitute supressing his free speech or amount to keeping people from reading the book.

2003-08-12T08:23:00.000-07:00

I'm Not A Tolkien Fan

Galadriel Possessing a rare combination of wisdom and humility, while serenely dominating your environment you selflessly use your powers to care for others. Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.

2003-08-12T06:12:00.000-07:00

Grover Norquist and Fiscal Conservatism and That Reagan-guy

This AM's WaPo has a letter from rightwing douchebag, Grover Norquist, saying Howard Dean is no "Fiscal Conservative."

Norquist goes on to define a "Fiscal Conservative:"

Being a fiscal conservative means more than balancing a budget or allowing a scheduled tax sunset to proceed. Being a fiscal conservative means resisting the growth of government and cutting taxes.

Norquist maintains Vermont under Dean saw tax rates outpace salary rates and state government employment increased.

Shocking.

But it's curious-- Grover Norquist also heads a group called the "Reagan Legacy Project" which seeks to place Ronald Reagan's image on Mt. Rushmore, the $10 bill, schools, highways, buildings, etc. Was Reagan a "Fiscal Conservative" by Norquist's standards?

No.

Under Reagan, tax rates outpaced salary rate increases from 1981 through 1983. Then they remained roughly equivalent. Under Reagan, the federal payroll also increased by over 61,000 jobs. Contrast that to Bill Clinton, where the federal payroll dropped by over 373,000 jobs and salary rates outpaced tax rates in each and every one of his years in office.

2003-08-11T17:14:00.000-07:00

Fair and Balanced

It seems America's version of Al Jazeera, Fox Network, is suing pundit Al Franken for using the words "fair and balanced" in the title of his latest book, Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right.

It reminds me of Metallica's latest bit of silliness: suing a band for using the E and F chords.

Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose...

2003-08-11T16:37:00.000-07:00

A Great Time To Start Blogging

All Over For Blogging Reports BBC

The earliest bloggers have been at it for two years now - how many days can someone keep on posting to their LiveJournal site, or visiting Blogger to add more details about their cat's mysterious illness? Or it may be that the blogs are going through the same thing as UseNet, the internet's original bulletin board system.

2003-08-06T16:49:00.000-07:00

Repug Roundup

Kevin McGehee shows us how to slam Democrats by demonstrating his own illiteracy.

Via Crooked Timber, we learn why InstaPundit is an utter imbecile. Not content with posting such a foolish anlogy, Reynolds also tries to defend it with a comment . Much hilarity ensues.

Meanwhile, the pissant John Cole continues to defend his ideological buddies' surveys which rates Bill and Hillary Clinton as worse than several terrorists and murderers.