Surprise surprise!

I pulled this off of Daily Kos:

Very rarely does the everyday public get a glimpse of what happens behind the scenes in a normally-secret Bush Administration.

But Monday, March 28, the Secret Service called three everyday people into their offices to discuss why we were kicked out of a presidential event in Denver last week where Bush promoted his plan to privatize Social Security. What they revealed to us and our lawyer was fascinating.

There we were - three people who had personally picked up tickets from Republican Congressman Bob Beauprez's office and went to a presidential event. But as we entered, we were told that we had been "ID'ed" and were warned that any disruption would get us arrested.

After being seated in the audience we were forcibly removed before the President arrived, even though we had not been disruptive. We were shocked when told that this presidential event was a "private event" and were commanded to leave.

More astonishingly, when the Secret Service was contacted the next day they agreed to meet with us this Monday, March 28 to discuss the circumstances surrounding our removal. We had two big questions going into this meeting:

1. How is the Bush Administration "ID'ing" citizens before presidential events?

2. Why was an official taxpayer-funded event called a "private event" - leading to citizens being kicked out?

Most shocking of all, we got answers to both questions.

The Secret Service revealed that we were "ID'ed" when local Republican staffers saw a bumper sticker on the car we drove which said "No More Blood For Oil." Evidently, the free speech expressed on one bumper sticker is cause enough to eject three citizens from a presidential event. (Similarly, someone was ejected from Bush's Social Security privatization event in Arizona the same day simply for wearing a Democratic t-shirt.)

The Secret Service also revealed that ticket distribution and staffing of the Social Security event was run by the local Republican Party. They wanted us to be clear that it was a Republican staffer - not the Secret Service - who kicked us out of the presidential event. But this revealed something else that should be startling to all Americans.

After allowing taxpayers to finance his privatization events (let's call them what they really are after all,) and after using the White House communications apparatus to set them up, Bush is privatizing the ticket distribution and security staffing at his events to the Republican Party. The losers are not just taxpayers, but anyone who values the First Amendment. Under the banner of a "private event" the Republican Party is excluding citizens from seeing their president because of the lone sin of expressing the wrong idea on a bumper sticker or t-shirt. The question for Americans is - will we allow our freedom to be privatized?

Karen Bauer, Leslie Weise. Alexander Young
Denver residents

I had heard of this sort of thing happening during the campaign but this is different because President Bush is appearing on taxpayer money to attempt to sell the american public on his privatization plan for Social Security. I'm shocked and appalled but I probably shouldn't be.

The Rolley Backpacks.....

I've noticed over the last two years that a lot of people are using backpacks that have wheels on them or they are just going for the straight up suitcase. When people use them it tends to annoy me. I also find it difficult to believe that people's backs are being broken by walking from class to class with a backpack, especially because of the wide availability of lockers on campus. Lockers can hold books so that they don't have to be rolled from class to class.



Usually these bags are dragged behind the person walking and I find myself blocked by the backpack or hit in the feet with them. I never thought that something could occupy more space than a traditional big-ass-backpack but I believe that these rolling-monstrosities manage to do just that.

I've noticed droves of people with these rolling bags waiting for the elevator. I want to approach them and begin to muse: "there must be some sort of more convenient method to get from class to class instead of waiting in line for an elevator to take one up 1-3 flights of stairs. If only there was something like your bag that could be strapped to one's back to make it more convenient to move around with? WHY GOD WHY?!?!?!"

Notice how in the above picture there is a shitty little dog in the bag? This is also something that needs to stop. If I'm in a class and I notice somebody has brought a dog to class I might just lose my mind and attempt to Euthenize the little fucker (the person not the dog, that would be cruel.) with a copy of the UCC! Either that or I'm Bringing Franklin to class and encouraging a dog fight!

Big Dick Cheney?

I've swiped this from Wonkette but i don't care because it is so funny. Take a look at Cheney. Is that an adult diaper or a Gigantic Man-Hose!??!?!?!?



My personal guess is an adult diaper.

today i'm quite hungover and Erik is really not helping by refusing to make me some delicious chicken wings. I loathe Erik and his hypocrisy!

Should Juleser and I live here?

or here?

Here?

Here?

The sweet action totally paid off....

For those of you that may or may not have taken me up on my advice on the sweet action, that was Bulls+3 over the Raptors, it totally paid off. The Bulls won by 9. Sweet action baby!

Evolution apparently not the box office draw that The Passion is....

Apparently several Imax theatres in the south are refusing to show movie because it mentions evolution. The theaters claim that: "Many people here believe in creationism, not evolution." and they are worried that nobody will come to see the movie. I find this just weird. I like evolution and if you like creationism then I'd say that you're more than welcome to. But denying scientific evidence and embracing a much more religious view on science seems foolhardy.

Go Chuck!


Viva Evolution!

For lonely political idealogues only!

For lonely liberals!!!!


For lonely conservatives!!!!



The sword is about love and about matching you only with someone that shares your exact political views in the hope of creating a less divided America!

Sweet action

For those of you that like a little action I would highly recommend taking the Bulls +3 against the Raptors tonight. The Raptors just will not win and you know this! GO BULLS!




Social security...Maybe I'm confused.

Pres. Bush's plan regarding SS includes adding private accounts for people as opposed to the current state of SS which is pooling all the SS taxes into the general fund and then passing out every retired persons share every month. I've heard various estimates of what it would cost the govt. to create these private accounts and it seems to be in the neighborhood of $2,000,000,000,000 (thats 2 trillion) over the next decade. When the shift is all done we end up with retired people getting the same share every month as they do now. I just don't see what the difference is between the old plan and the new. Retirees won't be able to just cash out all their dough as soon as they retire it is just "theirs" and they can control it to a certain extent. I know republicans have always been salivating for private accounts but I just don't see why we should spend so much money to essentially get right back where we started but with a small increase in each person's control over the money. Like I said maybe I'm just confused but hopefully somebody can explain it to me so it makes more sense.

The Struggle Continues!!!!!!!

The Funk loves to play with Franklin TD but he really wanted it to be fair!

Cuba here I come!!!!!!!

Mere and I are about to be devoured by a gargantuan lobster on our way back from Key West!

your humble host!

SUCCESS WITHOUT HONOR IS AN UNSEASONED DISH;
IT WILL SATISFY YOUR HUNGER, BUT IT WON'T TASTE GOOD.

I LOVE YOU JOEPA!!!

Oh those zany press secretaries

I give much dap to the Juleser for pointing this out to me but it is simply too good not to steal.

This is from the Washington Post (scroll to "what you've been missing), which got it from the official transcript of March 7th's press briefing.

"Q Would private accounts as an add-on, as a supplement to Social Security, as opposed to an integral part of Social Security, satisfy the President's desire to create private accounts?

"MR. McCLELLAN: I think the President has made his views clear. The President firmly believes that personal accounts are an important part of a comprehensive solution for strengthening Social Security. . . .

"Q Is that still an absolute red line for him?

"MR. McCLELLAN: Is what an absolute red line?

"Q Personal accounts within the framework of Social Security?

"MR. McCLELLAN: Well, you've heard the President talk about how this is a time when we all have to talk about the problems facing Social Security . . . [112 words more.]

"Q So I take it, then, from this long explanation, simply yes or no, that he is leaving the door open, that this is not necessarily a red line?

"MR. McCLELLAN: He is saying he welcomes all ideas. He is not embracing those ideas. He has put forward what his ideas are, but he welcomes all ideas for solving this problem.

"Q So it's not a red line.

"MR. McCLELLAN: The President's principles are clear, John. He believes firmly that personal accounts are part of a comprehensive solution.

"Q But it's not a red line.

"MR. McCLELLAN: John, that's not the way I would describe it.

"Q How would you describe it? . . .

"MR. McCLELLAN: I don't know what part you weren't hearing, because, I mean, his views are very clear. But --

"Q It was the yes or no part that I didn't hear.

"MR. McCLELLAN: No, the point that the President has made, John, is that we should work together. This is a serious problem, and we need a bipartisan solution.

"Q Red line, yes or no?

"MR. McCLELLAN: That's why the President is not getting into ruling things in or out. He made it very clear to you all several times that we're not going to get into commenting on each and every idea that is thrown out there by members of Congress --

"Q He threw out the idea!

"MR. McCLELLAN: We welcome ideas by members of Congress for solving this problem. That's how we get things done in this town. We've managed to get a lot done in the first term through the President's leadership and the willingness to tackle the big challenges that we face. And the President believes that the approach that we're taking now is the right way to proceed."

oh Scotty McClellan you are hilarious!

I think we know which one i'm closer too....

After quickly googling my name for images i think we know which picture is closer to the true JB!

JB?



Sigh.....JB!!!!!!

And he is a Bulls Dancer!!!!!!!

what we really need to stop crime!

I think i've found the solution to our problems of fighting both crime and terrorism. What we need to do is create an army of Robocops. Not only would we get a totally kick ass good guy but after he killed the criminals or terrorists he would say something extremely dry and oddly funny!

"Who wants to Baggle!?!?!"

Not quite what 24 leads us to believe....

It is too bad that the FBI's Virtual Case System simply doesn't work. The 170 Million dollar project has fallen about as flat as you can get. It is just too bad that the reality at the FBI falls far short of what is portrayed on 24. "Send that file over to my screen!" will not be heard echoing through the halls of the FBI no matter how many times Jack Bauer may hurriedly demand information on 24. Sigh.....


24



FBI

The Battle of Gun Rights and The War on Terrror.

There is an article today in the NY Times about gaps in federal gun laws that allows terrorists to get their hands on assault weapons and other guns by going through perfectly legal channels.

At least 44 times from February 2004 to June, people whom the F.B.I. regards as known or suspected members of terrorist groups sought permission to buy or carry a gun, the investigation found.

In all but nine cases, the F.B.I. or state authorities who handled the requests allowed the applications to proceed because a check of the would-be buyer found no automatic disqualification like being a felon, an illegal immigrant or someone deemed "mentally defective," the report found.

In the four months after the formal study ended, the authorities received an additional 14 gun applications from terror suspects, and all but 2 of those were cleared to proceed, the investigation found. In all, officials approved 47 of 58 gun applications from terror suspects over a nine-month period last year, it found.

I just find it personally disturbing that the Patriot Act is so set on reducing personal liberties in a wide variety of areas and, if nothing else, walk the finest of lines in violating any number of the bill of rights....all except for everybody's favorite amendment, the 2nd.

I understand that the NRA is a solid block of conservative voting but honestly who thinks it is a bad idea to restrict highly dangerous weapons so that Terrorists either can't get them or make them really easy to track. Who thinks that this is a bad idea?

The administration seemed to cave really easily to Gun Rights groups where they are really willing to fight liberal groups over the other provisions of the Patriot Act. But i remain glad that the FBI can look at my library records but can't stop terrorists from legally buying guns or track them once they do.

Get Well Soon Big Dog!

I love you big dog, get well soon. Good luck with the surgery, you're the man by the way!

The Contender....I highly recommend!

As a person that has sworn off 24 because of my need to see it in an extremely condensed format i watched the first episode of The Contender. I must say that it is an excellent reality tv show. It captures the team aspect of other reality shows but when it gets down to elimination it is just two middleweight boxers brawling for the right to stay. The first episode also had a sweet upset which any Rocky fan can appreciate!

Ohio State Sucks....

As i think we can all agree ohio state does indeed suck balls. the buckeyes managed to beat Illinois the other day and after the game Ohio State fans stormed the court in celebration. This Jerk, however, decided to get right in the face of Illinois player Luther Head. Head managed to do what I would not have been able to do (knock that fucking kid right out!). It would've been really bad if Head had given into temptation and started to beat the living daylights out of what appears to a much smaller, thats how they come at osu, individual. Anyway this is probably yet another good reason to keep kids off the court after a college sporting events.

The bricks.....

The Bricks don't suck....but their website sure does!!!!!!!!

Real journalism: fair and balanced. That's why we're No. 1 - FOX News Channel.

This article was from the commentary section of Foxnews.com and was written by Cal Thomas. Mr. Thomas really disagrees with the Supreme Court's recent decision that executing people for crimes they committed as a minor is unconstiutional. Which is fine, it is entirely possible for rational peopel to differ on what constitutes a violation of the 8th and 14th amendment. However, later in the article he goes on to say:

So the Court extends a zone of protection to anyone under the age of 18, even if they commit mass murder. But it has removed any zone of protection for an innocent unborn child and permits abortion on demand.

What kind of twisted morality and twisted law is that? It makes the coming battle for the Supreme Court even more important.

I'm personally a firm believer in a woman's right to choose whether to have an abortion or not, again another instance in me believing that govt. shouldn't have a say in a citizen's personal choice. But i disagree with this man's characterization of the law that the Court has promulgated regarding abortion. The Court has said for a while that a State has an interest in protecting the unborn. The Court has also upheld state regulations requiring women to undergo hours of counseling and multiple doctor visits in order to have an abortion. This doesn't really sound like "on demand" abortion to me. I'm pretty sure this is just the current state of federalism in the U.S. In fact ever since Roe v. Wade the rights that were initially issued to women have been steadily rolled back in the name of Federalism, State's Rights, and the rights of the unborn.

I also resent the blatant statement that: supporting a woman's right to choose and supporting the idea that executing people for crimes committed while they were children violates the constitution makes me a morally twisted individual. I know plenty of Conservative minded individuals that hate it when President Bush is called stupid because it essentially means that the speaker is calling them stupid for supporting him. This is how I feel in this situation. I've been told that I'm immoral because of my views. This is just as wrong as attempting to make conservatives feel stupid by Calling President Bush stupid.


Just as a side note I highly doubt that Fox News will be running a counter opinion article saying that the Court’s decision that executing people for crimes committed as children is unconstitutional and stand up and defend a woman’s right to choose.

FAB was indeed fab

The FAB festival yesterday was quite awesome. Anyone interested in tasty microbrews would have a great time. Shipyard, Sierra Nevada, Sam Adams, New Castle and much more were all there. I most definitely will be in attendance next year. Viva Beer, Viva Life!!!!!!

Even if you don't support the war you have to support the troops.

Mere is the one that told me about this but it really looks like a good site. You can send stuff to a soldier stationed overseas that he/she might need or you can just write them a letter to brighten their day! AnySoldier.com

Ummm....i think this might be me!

Generation Y is apparently less motivated to put in a billion hours a year in order to get ahead a big law firms. It is interesting that this is irritating the establishment at many a big law firm. I don't know why you would want to go to Law School for 3 more years of school racking up at least $150K worth of debt just to become a slave to a massive law firm and put in 85 hrs/week for $100k a year. I think i'd much rather work 50 hrs a week and make $60K a year. I don't live for the law! Eat it Law Jerks!

Shitty little dogs and class. toghether at last.

I've been noticing a growing trend around Law school; there are a growing number of girls bringing their tiny little dogs to class. I honestly don't know what the fuck these women are thinking. first of all liability for a dog bite off of one's own property is basically strict. so if the dog gets fired up and bites somebody it is going to be one of these stupid girls paying for it.
I'm not a huge guy for massive professionalism in law school but this seems like it crosses the line. Will they continue to bring their crappy little rat-dogs to interviews or possibly to a job? I understand that these young ladies really want to be like Paris Hilton....but i emplore you: IT JUST MAKES YOU LOOK LIKE AN IDIOT!

JOE BARTON, R-TEXAS, CHAIRMAN, HOUSE COMMERCE COMMITTEE.....and Cavuto!

Joe Barton really wants to restrict what the American people to see on cable and satellite TV as well as on XM radio. All of these are services that are paid for and cannot be accessed by anyone. Even though it is possible to self-sensor these services via the V-chip or possibly through common sense the Congressman wants to have the Federal Govt. step in and regulate what can be said on the programs that are bought and paid for. I know this can't be what the small govt. republicans would want, right? I'm a big govt. liberal and i don't want it. Cavuto does a reasonable job of pointing out, albeit very delicately, the giant problems with the Congressman's plan.

Chuck Pennacchio

I've noticed on several liberal blogs ads for Chuck Pennachio, apparently he is running against Rick Santorum for the Senate. Now i want Santorum to be beaten as much as the next guy but i honestly have no idea who this Pennachio character is, and i'm from PA. His website looks pretty slick so i checked out the "Meet Chuck" link to see what this guy's deal is. He seems like a pretty smart guy and he has worked on a few campaigns. But he has never held public office, and his credentials to be a U.S. senator seem a little thin. He also claims to be the only candidate that "has professional experience in the foreign policy arena." He has a Phd. from the University of Colorado in diplomatic history. Now i'm not entirely sure but i don't think a degree counts as professional experience. At any rate, I just thought i'd look into this character that has bought such prominent ad space on Daily Kos.

a little feedback is always nice....

Dtadd: Your blog does not allow comments unless someone has a blogger account. I do not have a blogger account. Therefore, you suck.

SCOTUS decision.....

I am all for the S. Ct.'s recent decision to declare that executing people for crimes committed as minor's is unconstitutional. The part that i found the most interesting is the likely replacement judges and their politics that could change the 5-4 to favor the dissent. Both Rehnquist and O'Conner were dissenters in today's decision but if both step down and Pres. Bush gets to replace them w/ conservative justices the decision will not change (at least on this issue). Appointing S. Ct. justices is still a big deal and should be argued over but the final votes of the court may not be massively altered through the appointment of two more conservative justices.

the fantastic fun of just hitting the "next blog" button!

Tech Support Wife, i tell you blogs are funny! if only in an exceptionally nerdy way.

Ari Fleischer's new book....

The Washington Post and the NY Times have both given a negative review to Mr. Fleischer's new book "Taking Heat". Generally both say that it is a vehicle to take some parting shots at what Mr. Fleischer views as the liberal media. I know that these two papers aren't exactly bastions of conservative thought i haven't been able to find a conservative review of the book....the search continues!

Schwarzenegger not the Presidentor?

Arnold has said that he doesn't intend to run for President, does this mean I will no longer be delighted by the "Amend for Arnold" campaign. A bigger bunch of weirdos you cannot find.

Dan Rather warmed over

I saw the picture of Dan Rather that the New Yorker is intending to run with their upcoming story on the newscaster. The picture might be one of the worst pictures ever taken of the man. I just thought it was a little startling that the New Yorker would run such a terrible photo, i would've thought that Mr. Rather would've gotten a little more love from the New Yorker. It really is a terrible photo though.