The Bishop and the Butterfly: Murder, Politics, and the End of the Jazz Age
    Michael Wolraich's picture

    Blowing Smoke in New York: Tuesday, December 14th at Barnes & Noble

    By Michael Wolraich on Mon, 12/13/2010 - 5:32pm | Potpourri

    Keeping it virtual is great, but tomorrow, New Yorkers and other denizens of the Tri-State Area will have an opportunity to see Genghis live, uncut, uncensored, unplugged, and undressed. (Update: Upon advice from his lawyer, his publicist, and his mother, Genghis will remind dressed.)

    Come listen to him read from his critically acclaimed, mindblowingly brilliant, mouthwaterlingy scrumptious masterpiece Blowing Smoke: Why the Right Keeps Serving Up Whack-Job Fantasies about the Plot to Euthanize Grandma, Outlaw Christmas, and Turn Junior into a Raging Homosexual.

    Topics: 
    Potpourri
    Series: 
    Persecution Politics
    Michael Wolraich's picture

    New: In the News Section

    By Michael Wolraich on Mon, 12/13/2010 - 12:32pm | Potpourri

    Hello folks. By now you've probably seen the new In the News section on the right sidebar. If you haven't tried it out, here are some tips:

    • Hold the mouse over a link to see a summary description of the article
    • Click the link to go directly to the article
    • Click "Add link" to contribute a link yourself
    • Click "more" to see a full list of news articles

    What do you think of it? Is it useful? How can we improve it?

    To get you started:

    Topics: 
    Potpourri
    Donal's picture

    What Do YOU Think?

    By Donal on Fri, 12/10/2010 - 8:56pm | World Affairs



    One of my fondest memories was showing Fahrenheit 451 to my stepson. After Guy Montag finds the community of living books at the end (of the film), my stepson proclaimed them heroes with the sort of ardor most kids reserve for famous athletes. He's a librarian now.

    Topics: 
    World Affairs
    Doctor Cleveland's picture

    Dear Barack

    By Doctor Cleveland on Wed, 12/08/2010 - 2:37pm | Politics, Social Justice

    Dear Mr. President:

    I'm a big fan of pragmatism. And I've been a big fan of yours, defending you in the intramural arguments of Left Blogistan. I'm not even especially angry about this particular compromise with the Republicans, which was better than I'd feared it would be. But apparently you're angry. Your press conference yesterday made that very clear. And instead of being angry at the conservatives who've hobbled you, you're angry at the liberals and progressives who've phone banked for you, knocked on doors for you, and written you campaign checks. And that's not okay. So let me break some hard news to you:

    You are not a pragmatist.

    Topics: 
    Politics
    Social Justice
    Ramona's picture

    So what do you say, Toopers. Can we get a little help here?

    By Ramona on Wed, 12/08/2010 - 8:17am | Politics

    The tax cut deal rewards Republican obstructionism by giving the wealthy the tax breaks they demanded.  It throws away precious resources needed for investments in jobs and our economy on upper income tax cuts that will do very little to propel economic growth—setting up excuses for the deficit hypocrites to argue for even more cuts to programs serving working families.  It lards the tax cuts for the top 2 percent with an indefensible cut in the estate tax – giving yet another bonus to the super-rich.  Taken togethe
    Topics: 
    Politics
    Donal's picture

    Assange On the Spot + Update

    By Donal on Tue, 12/07/2010 - 9:50pm | World Affairs



    Someone at Energy Bulletin finds a prefiguration of WikiLeaks in The Shockwave Rider, a 1975 scifi novel by John Brunner.

    Topics: 
    World Affairs
    William K. Wolfrum's picture

    Santa Claus: "Giving away toys kills the work ethic of the poor"

    By William K. Wolfrum on Mon, 12/06/2010 - 7:05pm | Politics, Humor & Satire

    NORTH POLE - Looking trim following lap-band surgery, Santa Claus held a press conference today to announce a fundamental change in his long-time tradition of giving toys to good children.

    Intent on cutting costs as well as teaching ideological lessons, Claus, 43, said that the time was now for Americans to stop looking for handouts.

    Topics: 
    Politics
    Humor & Satire
    Michael Wolraich's picture

    Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Bend Over to Pick Up the Soap

    By Michael Wolraich on Mon, 12/06/2010 - 2:22pm | Politics, Humor & Satire

    "If 'don't ask, don't tell' is repealed and you are assigned to bathroom facilities (that have)] an open bay shower that someone you believe to be a gay or lesbian service member also used, which are you most likely to do?"

    -- Question on 2010 Department of Defense Comprehensive Review Survey of Uniformed Active Duty and Reserve Service Members

    It seems that ensuring shower security for American soldiers and Marines is critical to maintaining our global military pre-eminence. If our brave men and women cannot comfortably bathe in environments free from the risk of homosexual lust, how can we expect them to battle armed Taliban insurgents and other enemies?

    In order to assess the gay shower hazard and other threats to military readiness if the "don't ask, don't tell" policy were repealed, the Department of Defense surveyed American troops over the summer.

    Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, found the results reassuring. He told the Senate Armed Services Committee, "Repeal of the law will not prove an unacceptable risk to military readiness. ... I believe our troops and their families are ready for this," although he acknowledged, "some soldiers and Marines may want separate shower facilities."

    Read the full story at CNN.com

    Topics: 
    Politics
    Humor & Satire

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