Average age of GOP convention in triple digits

All aboard the crazy train!

that's a great picture!

the Sarah train goin' off the rails!

http://www.inwap.info/mob/mp3/full/evgeniya_otradnaya_-_uhodi_i_dver_zak...

You have to really give it to Sam.

He's as honest as the day is long, he's never stolen one of Crank's or my jokes.

no matter how hard we try... ;)

male in government ...

since AT LEAST the 16 fucking hundreds

and the women still take the brunt...

US hands over key Iraq province

The US military has handed Anbar province, once the centre of Iraq's Sunni insurgency, to Iraqi control at a ceremony in the provincial capital.

Anbar province began a transformation in 2006 as former insurgents turned against al-Qaeda and became US allies.

More than a quarter of all US soldiers killed in Iraq have died in Anbar, which is Iraq's biggest province.

With Anbar's transfer Iraqi forces will control security in 11 of the country's 18 provinces.

The government headquarters in Ramadi was draped with tribal flags for the handover ceremony, which was presided over by US, Iraqi and tribal officials.

US President George W Bush hailed it as a major achievement for US and Iraqi troops as well as "the brave tribes and other civilians from Anbar who worked alongside them".

"Today, Anbar is no longer lost to al-Qaeda - it is al-Qaeda that lost Anbar," he said in a statement. "Anbar has been transformed and reclaimed by the Iraqi people."

The BBC's Mike Sergeant in Baghdad says the handover represents a significant milestone for America in Iraq.

But he says there are major concerns about whether the well-armed Sunni tribesmen who helped the US fight al-Qaeda can ever work comfortably with the national government of Iraq.

Handover delays

A top US commander in Iraq, Marine Maj Gen John Kelly, told the Associated Press that US troop levels in Anbar would come down, but there would not be an instant or dramatic reduction.

The marine force [in Anbar] will be smaller soon. I don't think it will be overnight. I think it will happen incrementally."

generally speaking...

If a good percentage of the conventioneers are wondering what the hell is going on.
=
When Fred came on I switched to Law And Order. Was easier to take having him say one liners on an Emmy awarding show.

Lieberman during the commercials. Even that was too much.

~`~`~`~`~`~
Jamesbennett

Once in a while the `recent comments' box offers up a funny...

f'rinstance, "Wolves prefer fishing to hunting
Chubby Bubba
09/02/2008 - 11:07pm"

It's funny, yet I find it somewhat reassuring.

Why not "Shut the fuck up about killing people if you kill animals."

I am not vegetarian, yet, but that does not mean it does not bother me.

Baby steps.

but seriously...if one's going to point that out as a negative...I totally give to someone who actually has a realization of the sacrifice prior to a bite..but that's not standard...it's almost a rebellious act to eat meat it seems to me sometimes..we all have perspectives and one is not right or wrong maybe? I'm just saying this having no idea how loud vegetables and how traumatic vegetable (and cheese) live or die...

Oddly enough, very few conversations end well when they start with "Shut the Fuck Up'.

Intellectually, I understand this. but it doesn't stop me from `going there'.

I can be so weak.

"they" hate abortion and love the death penalty...

McCain More Likely to Drop Palin, Bookmakers Say (Update1)
By Mark Deen

Sept. 2 (Bloomberg) -- The smart money thinks there's a better chance today than yesterday that John McCain will dump Sarah Palin as his vice presidential running mate.

Before the Republican senator's presidential campaign disclosed the pregnancy of Palin's 17-year-old daughter, bookmakers in Britain and Ireland were offering 20-1 odds or higher on a bet that she would be forced off the ticket, meaning a 1 pound ($1.78) bet would pay 20 pounds. Now that same bet will pay no more than 8 pounds.

``Ever since he appointed her, people have stopped betting on McCain,'' said David Williams of Ladbrokes in London. ``He went down like a sack of potatoes as far as the punters are concerned.''

~`~`~`~`~`~
Jamesbennett

not so weighty an argument, Chubbs....

> From: Anne Kilkenny
> Date: September 1, 2008 12:20:01 AM PDT
> Subject: re: SARAH PALIN

> Dear friends,
>
> So many people have asked me about what I know about Sarah Palin in the
> last 2 days that I decided to write something up . . .
>
> Basically, Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton have only 2 things in
> common: their gender and their good looks. :)
>
> You have my permission to forward this to your friends/email contacts
> with my name and email address attached, but please do not post it on
> any websites, as there are too many kooks out there . . .
>
> Thanks,
> Anne
>
>
> ABOUT SARAH PALIN
>
> I am a resident of Wasilla, Alaska. I have known Sarah since 1992.
> Everyone here knows Sarah, so it is nothing special to say we are on a
> first-name basis. Our children have attended the same schools. Her
> father was my child's favorite substitute teacher. I also am on a
> first name basis with her parents and mother-in-law. I attended more
> City Council meetings during her administration than about 99% of the
> residents of the city.
>
> She is enormously popular; in every way she's like the most popular girl
> in middle school. Even men who think she is a poor choice and won't
> vote for her can't quit smiling when talking about her because she is a
> "babe".
>
> It is astonishing and almost scary how well she can keep a secret. She
> kept her most recent pregnancy a secret from her children and parents
> for seven months.
>
> She is "pro-life". She recently gave birth to a Down's syndrome baby.
> There is no cover-up involved, here; Trig is her baby.
>
> She is energetic and hardworking. She regularly worked out at the gym.
>
> She is savvy. She doesn't take positions; she just "puts things out
> there" and if they prove to be popular, then she takes credit.
>
> Her husband works a union job on the North Slope for BP and is a
> champion snowmobile racer. Todd Palin's kind of job is highly
> sought-after because of the schedule and high pay. He arranges his work
> schedule so he can fish for salmon in Bristol Bay for a month or so in
> summer, but by no stretch of the imagination is fishing their
> major source of income. Nor has her life-style ever been anything
> like that of native Alaskans.
>
> Sarah and her whole family are avid hunters.
>
> She's smart.
>
> Her experience is as mayor of a city with a population of about 5,000
> (at the time), and less than 2 years as governor of a state with about
> 670,000 residents.
>
> During her mayoral administration most of the actual work of running
> this small city was turned over to an administrator. She had been
> pushed to hire this administrator by party power-brokers after she had
> gotten herself into some trouble over precipitous firings which had
> given rise to a recall campaign.
>
> Sarah campaigned in Wasilla as a "fiscal conservative". During her 6
> years as Mayor, she increased general government expenditures by over
> 33%. During those same 6 years the amount of taxes collected by the City
> increased by 38%. This was during a period of low inflation
> (1996-2002). She reduced progressive property taxes and increased a
> regressive sales tax which taxed even food. The tax cuts that she
> promoted benefited large corporate property owners way more than they
> benefited residents.
>
> The huge increases in tax revenues during her mayoral administration
> weren't enough to fund everything on her wish list though, borrowed
> money was needed, too. She inherited a city with zero debt, but left it
> with indebtedness of over $22 million. What did Mayor Palin encourage
> the voters to borrow money for? Was it the infrastructure that she said
> she supported? The sewage treatment plant that the city lacked? or a
> new library? No. $1m for a park. $15m-plus for construction of a
> multi-use sports complex which she rushed through to build on a piece of
> property that the City didn't even have clear title to, that was still
> in litigation 7 yrs later--to the delight of the lawyers involved! The
> sports complex itself is a nice addition to the community but a huge
> money pit, not the profit-generator she claimed it would be. She also
> supported bonds for $5.5m for road projects that could have been done in
> 5-7 yrs without any borrowing.
>
> While Mayor, City Hall was extensively remodeled and her office
> redecorated more than once.
>
> These are small numbers, but Wasilla is a very small city.
>
> As an oil producer, the high price of oil has created a budget surplus
> in Alaska. Rather than invest this surplus in technology that will make
> us energy independent and increase efficiency, as Governor she proposed
> distribution of this surplus to every individual in the state.
>
> In this time of record state revenues and budget surpluses, she
> recommended that the state borrow/bond for road projects, even while she
> proposed distribution of surplus state revenues: spend today's surplus,
> borrow for needs.
>
> She's not very tolerant of divergent opinions or open to outside ideas
> or compromise. As Mayor, she fought ideas that weren't generated by her
> or her staff. Ideas weren't evaluated on their merits, but on the basis
> of who proposed them.
>
> While Sarah was Mayor of Wasilla she tried to fire our highly respected
> City Librarian because the Librarian refused to consider removing from
> the library some books that Sarah wanted removed. City residents
> rallied to the defense of the City Librarian and against Palin's attempt
> at out-and-out censorship, so Palin backed down and withdrew her
> termination letter. People who fought her attempt to oust the Librarian
> are on her enemies list to this day.
>
> Sarah complained about the "old boy's club" when she first ran for
> Mayor, so what did she bring Wasilla? A new set of "old boys". Palin
> fired most of the experienced staff she inherited. At the City and as
> Governor she hired or elevated new, inexperienced, obscure people,
> creating a staff totally dependent on her for their jobs and eternally
> grateful and fiercely loyal--loyal to the point of abusing their power
> to further her personal agenda, as she has acknowledged happened in the
> case of pressuring the State's top cop (see below).
>
> As Mayor, Sarah fired Wasilla's Police Chief because he "intimidated"
> her, she told the press. As Governor, her recent firing of Alaska's top
> cop has the ring of familiarity about it. He served at her pleasure and
> she had every legal right to fire him, but it's pretty clear that an
> important factor in her decision to fire him was because he wouldn't
> fire her sister's ex-husband, a State Trooper. Under investigation
> for abuse of power, she has had to admit that more than 2 dozen contacts
> were made between her staff and family to the person that she later
> fired, pressuring him to fire her ex-brother-in-law. She tried to
> replace the man she fired with a man who she knew had been reprimanded
> for sexual harassment; when this caused a public furor, she withdrew her
> support.
>
> She has bitten the hand of every person who extended theirs to her in
> help. The City Council person who personally escorted her around town
> introducing her to voters when she first ran for Wasilla City Council
> became one of her first targets when she was later elected Mayor. She
> abruptly fired her loyal City Administrator; even people who didn't like
> the guy were stunned by this ruthlessness.
>
> Fear of retribution has kept all of these people from saying anything
> publicly about her.
>
> When then-Governor Murkowski was handing out political plums, Sarah got
> the best, Chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission: one
> of the few jobs not in Juneau and one of the best paid. She had no
> background in oil & gas issues. Within months of scoring this great job
> which paid $122,400/yr, she was complaining in the press about the high
> salary. I was told that she hated that job: the commute, the structured
> hours, the work. Sarah became aware that a member of this Commission
> (who was also the State Chair of the Republican Party)
> engaged in unethical behavior on the job. In a gutsy move which some
> undoubtedly cautioned her could be political suicide, Sarah solved all
> her problems in one fell swoop: got out of the job she hated and
> garnered gobs of media attention as the patron saint of ethics and as a
> gutsy fighter against the "old boys' club" when she dramatically quit,
> exposing this man's ethics violations (for which he was fined).
>
> As Mayor, she had her hand stuck out as far as anyone for pork from
> Senator Ted Stevens. Lately, she has castigated his pork-barrel
> politics and publicly humiliated him. She only opposed the "bridge to
> nowhere" after it became clear that it would be unwise not to.
>
> As Governor, she gave the Legislature no direction and budget
> guidelines, then made a big grandstand display of line-item vetoing
> projects, calling them pork. Public outcry and further legislative
> action restored most of these projects--which had been vetoed simply
> because she was not aware of their importance--but with the unobservant
> she had gained a reputation as "anti-pork".
>
> She is solidly Republican: no political maverick. The State party
> leaders hate her because she has bit them in the back and humiliated
> them. Other members of the party object to her self-description as a
> fiscal conservative.
>
> Around Wasilla there are people who went to high school with Sarah.
> They call her "Sarah Barracuda" because of her unbridled ambition and
> predatory ruthlessness. Before she became so powerful, very ugly
> stories circulated around town about shenanigans she pulled to be made
> point guard on the high school basketball team. When Sarah's
> mother-in-law, a highly respected member of the community and
> experienced manager, ran for Mayor, Sarah refused to endorse her.
>
> As Governor, she stepped outside of the box and put together of package
> of legislation known as "AGIA" that forced the oil companies to march to
> the beat of her drum.
>
> Like most Alaskans, she favors drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife
> Refuge. She has questioned if the loss of sea ice is linked to
> global warming. She campaigned "as a private citizen" against a state
> initiaitive that would have either a) protected salmon streams from
> pollution from mines, or b) tied up in the courts all mining in the
> state (depending on who you listen to). She has pushed the State's
> lawsuit against the Dept. of the Interior's decision to list polar bears
> as threatened species.
>
> McCain is the oldest person to ever run for President; Sarah will be a
> heartbeat away from being President.
>
> There has to be literally millions of Americans who are more
> knowledgeable and experienced than she.
>
> However, there's a lot of people who have underestimated her and are
> regretting it.
>
>
> CLAIM VS FACT
> *"Hockey mom": true for a few years
> *"PTA mom": true years ago when her first-born was in elementary
> school, not since
> *"NRA supporter": absolutely true
> *social conservative: mixed. Opposes gay marriage, BUT vetoed a bill
> that would have denied benefits to employees in same-sex relationships
> (said she did this because it was unconsitutional).
> *pro-creationism: mixed. Supports it, BUT did nothing as Governor to
> promote it.
> *"Pro-life": mixed. Knowingly gave birth to a Down's syndrome baby
> BUT declined to call a special legislative session on some pro-life
> legislation
> *"Experienced": Some high schools have more students than Wasilla has
> residents. Many cities have more residents than the state of Alaska.
> No legislative experience other than City Council. Little hands-on
> supervisory or managerial experience; needed help of a city
> administrator to run town of about 5,000.
> *political maverick: not at all
> *gutsy: absolutely!
> *open & transparent: ??? Good at keeping secrets. Not good at
> explaining actions.
> *has a developed philosophy of public policy: no
> *"a Greenie": no. Turned Wasilla into a wasteland of big box stores
> and disconnected parking lots. Is pro-drilling off-shore and in ANWR.
> *fiscal conservative: not by my definition!
> *pro-infrastructure: No. Promoted a sports complex and park in a city
> without a sewage treatment plant or storm drainage system. Built
> streets to early 20th century standards.
> *pro-tax relief: Lowered taxes for businesses, increased tax burden on
> residents
> *pro-small government: No. Oversaw greatest expansion of city
> government in Wasilla's history.
> *pro-labor/pro-union. No. Just because her husband works union
> doesn't make her pro-labor. I have seen nothing to support any claim
> that she is pro-labor/pro-union.
>
> WHY AM I WRITING THIS?
>
> First, I have long believed in the importance of being an informed
> voter. I am a voter registrar. For 10 years I put on student voting
> programs in the schools. If you google my name (Anne Kilkenny +
> Alaska), you will find references to my participation in local
> government, education, and PTA/parent organizations.
>
> Secondly, I've always operated in the belief that "Bad things happen
> when good people stay silent". Few people know as much as I do because
> few have gone to as many City Council meetings.
>
> Third, I am just a housewife. I don't have a job she can bump me out
> of. I don't belong to any organization that she can hurt. But, I am no
> fool; she is immensely popular here, and it is likely that this will
> cost me somehow in the future: that's life.
>
> Fourth, she has hated me since back in 1996, when I was one of the 100
> or so people who rallied to support the City Librarian against Sarah's
> attempt at censorship.
>
> Fifth, I looked around and realized that everybody else was afraid to
> say anything because they were somehow vulnerable.
>
> CAVEATS
> I am not a statistician. I developed the numbers for the increase in
> spending & taxation 2 years ago (when Palin was running for Governor)
> from information supplied to me by the Finance Director of the City of
> Wasilla, and I can't recall exactly what I adjusted for: did I adjust
> for inflation? for population increases? Right now, it is impossible
> for a private person to get any info out of City Hall--they are
> swamped. So I can't verify my numbers.
>
> You may have noticed that there are various numbers circulating for the
> population of Wasilla, ranging from my "about 5,000", up to 9,000. The
> day Palin's selection was announced a city official told me that the
> current population is about 7,000. The official 2000 census count was
> 5,460. I have used about 5,000 because Palin was Mayor from 1996 to
> 2002, and the city was growing rapidly in the mid-90's.
>
> Anne Kilkenny
> annekilkenny@hotmail.com
> August 31, 2008
>

Happe Talk

So much for family privacy
John Aravosis (DC) · 9/02/2008 09:45:00 PM ET · Link
Make a comment · reddit · FARK · Digg It!

From the LA Times blog:
Levi Johnston, the boyfriend of the pregnant 17-year-old Bristol Palin, plans to join the family at the Republican Party's nomination here of mom and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin for vice president....

So much for family privacy: Imagine the attention this couple will confront in the media-filled Xcel Energy Center where the hurricane-truncated convention is playing out....

The Palin family already has captured the attention of this hall, after Sarah Palin and husband Todd announced Monday that their daughter planned to have the baby and marry the father. They also asked the media to respect the young couple's privacy.

Good luck with that this week, as the small-town hockey player makes his national TV debut.
The McCain campaign just spent the entire day yelling at everyone to leave these kids alone. Now they're going to put them on stage before millions of Americans. Is John McCain in charge any more? Is anyone?

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/09/palin-rnc.html

last night...

How the fuck am I supposed to evolve now that I have to worry about my lettuce screaming in agony?

I think its more about awareness and responsibility. Can we all agree the slaughter of animals for the sake of sport is bad karma? All opposed? The ayes have it.

Now shut up and pass me one of them wolfburgers....

Follow the Money..

By MATT APUZZO, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - GOP vice presidential pick Sarah Palin accepted at least $4,500 in campaign contributions in the same fundraising scheme at the center of a public corruption scandal that led to the indictment of Sen. Ted Stevens.

The contributions, made during Palin's failed 2002 bid to become Alaska's lieutenant governor, were not illegal for her to accept. But they show how Palin, a self-proclaimed reformer who has bucked Stevens and his allies, is nonetheless a product of a political system in Alaska now under the cloud of an ongoing FBI investigation.

It's the latest in a string of revelations that have forced John McCain's campaign to defend his choice and the thoroughness of the background check of Palin, 44, a little-known governor who is new to the national stage. Palin stunned delegates at the GOP convention Monday when she announced through the McCain campaign that her unmarried 17-year-old daughter, Bristol, is five months pregnant.

With the convention still abuzz, the list of potentially embarrassing details grew Tuesday:

_Palin sought pork-barrel projects for her city and state, contrary to her reformist image.

_Her husband once belonged to a fringe political group in Alaska with some members supporting secession from the United States.

_A private attorney has been authorized to spend $95,000 to defend her against accusations of abuse of power.

_She has acknowledged smoking marijuana in the past.

And this: Bristol Palin's boyfriend, Levi Johnston, plans to join the family of the Republican vice presidential candidate at the GOP convention, the boy's mother said. He left Alaska on Tuesday morning to join the Palin family in St. Paul, Minn

Con't

"Hello to our friends and fans in domestic surveillance."

-How the fuck am I supposed to evolve now that I have to worry about my lettuce screaming in agony?-

"Country matters more than party" WTF ?

Get your Head out of your Ass Dickhead and you
might figure out your in The Den of "Party First Before Country"right now..

Go play in the street Joey !

"Hello to our friends and fans in domestic surveillance."

one of the precepts in Buddhism is do not kill. In Tibet the staple diet is barley and yak meat. So how do the Tibetan Buddhist's resolve the problem? They have the muslims kill the animal and then they eat it....This is a true story

Happe Talk

good read
long email from a friend about Palin very detailed
new
Submitted by mhappenow on Tue, 09/02/2008 - 11:32pm.

~`~`~`~`~`~
Jamesbennett

>>it's almost a rebellious act to eat meat it seems to me sometimes

for most people it's the other way around. Vegetarianism can be a form of rebellion against the dietary norm.

But I do remember one of red meat rebellion...

The year was 1992. The place, a greasy spoon on the I-5 corridor north of Sacramento, CA.

I had just finished going to a 3 day Grateful Dead binge at Shoreline Amphitheater.

Accompanying me was a girl known as Butterfly. She was vegetarian and guilt tripped me into not eating meat during the trip. We did and went everywhere she wanted. I'd invited her to come along with the understanding she could share my vendor space. She would watch my tie dyes while I saw sets and she could sell her crystals and jewelry.

one time I did inventory after she watched my stuff and discovered I'd lost a dozen shirts...

anyway...the last night of the show, I had an electrical problem w/my car --a 62 ford falcon.

had to spend the night in the parking lot...then get the car fixed in the morning.

(semi-interesting side note: I'd sold some t-shirts to Jerry's personal chef and after the show he found me in the parking lot and gave me a whole steamer tray of chicken, which Butterfly disapprovingly would not allow me to eat. I also met Jerry's guitar maker, Steve Irwin. Fascinating man, btw)

Anyway, by the end of the trip, I'd pretty much had it with her rules, etc.

So I ordered a slice of ham with my eggs and hashbrowns.

We are learning more and more about vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

For instance, she is an avid hunter.

Hey, a Vice-President who likes guns? What could go wrong with that?

Submitted by MMRules on Tue, 09/02/2008 - 11:41pm.

=
growing up in LA too.

Go play on the freeway...

~`~`~`~`~`~
Jamesbennett

Submitted by mhappenow on Tue, 09/02/2008 - 11:44pm.
...They have the muslims kill the animal and then they eat it....
------
If there isn't a kosher joke in this, I'll eat my coonskin hat.

>>Sarah will be a heartbeat away from being President.

More accurately, Sarah will be the lack of a heartbeat away from being President.

-The year was 1902. The place, a greasy spoon on the I-5 corridor north of Sacramento, CA.-

-Butterfly-

HAHAHA... !

Ok..you win..I'm going to sleep...

:) Sillies..night night Blog... xoxo

Nice to read you tonight, dada...hope all is well with you...

>>More accurately, Sarah will be the lack of a heartbeat away from being President.

I say this because McCain is old and could die.

>>The year was 1902.

oh, typo there...1992.

Anyplace where there are cars.. ;)

What part of smelLA ?

How ya doing ? Good I hope.. :)

"Hello to our friends and fans in domestic surveillance."

We whack your yak.

I'm surprised Crank Bait didn't get all over my ass about the `quilt trip' she laid on me.

"guilt trip", not "quilt trip."

link 1 �� (lngk) KEY �

Computer Science: A segment of text or a graphical item that serves as a cross-reference between parts of a hypertext document or between files or hypertext documents. Also called hotlink , hyperlink .

"Hello to our friends and fans in domestic surveillance."

Didn't Sammy pass an edict banning that?

Microwaving water so I can take a sponge bath...

this could take a while.

while on the generator the microwave takes 2 or 3 times it's normal time.

I heard someone (Letterman? Probably not) doing a McCain impression the other day.

He adopted Seder's denture joke by repeatedly saying Sharah Palin.

"My friendsh, Sharah and I..."

litany of McCain's injuries was...and he's supposed to be mentally stable?...and, while Freddy discribed McCain being hoisted with his arms behind his back ... We are doing the same thing to people RIGHT NOW!

>>Didn't Sammy pass and edict banning that?

if he hasn't he should.

It is truly a bad example for the kids.

Unless, of course you are from Georgia...

I'm sure there must be a refrigerator box under a bridge somewhere you can upgrade to.

Submitted by Chubby Bubba on Wed, 09/03/2008 - 12:09am.
I'm surprised Crank Bait didn't get all over my ass about the `quilt trip' she laid on me.
--------
I saw "1902" and started shaking my head. When I got to the quilt trip, I was pretty numb to typos.

>>there must be a refrigerator box under a bridge somewhere you can upgrade to.

It's my hovel and I like it!

... for a moment. :) :) But, thank you for the up-dates. I can't handle watching the corporate media.

Our ABC affliate (splg) out of Topeka, turned-off Joe L. before he was finished speaking. :) :) I wasn't watching (spouse was) .... it must have been 10:00pm and time for "the news."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1017425.html

Takecare, :) :) :) :)

Peace

Deborah from Kansas

!!!

what a courageous and smart person!

please give her my compliments and best wishes.

Christ Chubbs, just lite a match already will ya.
Submitted by cent on Wed, 09/03/2008 - 12:15am.
---------
Surely I am not alone in interpreting this a little differently than it was intended?

>>I was pretty numb to typos.

this information (that you become numb after repeated exposure to typos) will come in handy at a later date.

Refried beans, chili dogs, lots of trips to the supermarket's deli...

My diet lately has been crummy lately.

I even went to the McDonald's down the street today. 2nd time in almost a year.

>>Huge aplause for Anne Kilkenny!

I second that emotion!

I bet this isn't the only blog that letter's graced.

Now, back to Crank's fart jokes.

on the generators exhaust manifold.

Sorry things suck so bad for you right now Chubbs. I hope for you the land lord takes care of business soon.

You are handling things well. The sound of a generator night and day alone would have put me in the nut house already.

Nite folks. I'm spent. I haven't laughed this hard in a while.

>>Now, back to Crank's fart jokes.

Perhaps the most intellectual fart jokes ever crafted.

Shakespeare not withstanding.

>>You can always wrap a chicken in tin foil and put it on the generators exhaust manifold.

I tried that, boy did that chicken get mad!

I read Alison Kilkenny that I read last night...not Anne... Goodnight again guys...

Calling Chubby Bubba, calling Cubby Bubba: low hanging fruit on aisle three!!!

It's ironic that the democrats held their convention in the Pepsi Center because everyone knows Obama perfers coke.

... and Obama's speech made me cry because I am not made of stone...

:)

>>Letterman joke

ZING! POW!

...there was a comment made on DN the other day about the corporate names...I guess it's so obvious..and with the thank you for FISA party last week...*prrfft*..ok seriously goodnight.. xox

>>Obama's speech made me cry because I am not made of stone...

It would be nice to have a president whose speeches evoke other emotions than disgust and anger.

people resist the awareness that much of the power structure around them is composed of monsters.

that alone is wayyyy more stress than most people can handle.

at the same time that awareness blocks appreciation of every outstanding beneficial move that exceptionately humane and honest people make

nite Alice.

nice blogging with you!

night, love ya kid, have a good snooze )

goodun CB!

(psst! eat some salad for a coupla meals with some great dressing)

I thought you were playing on the freeway ?

"Hello to our friends and fans in domestic surveillance."

I feel much better after my `micro-bath'.

Sounds like a night out with Sheeky Green & McNuts..

Sheeky supplies the jokes McNuts supplies the Depends..

HayOh !

Damn ! And.here I was listening to music.. :)

"Hello to our friends and fans in domestic surveillance."

yer "chicken ala Manifold" joke

and got a laugh out of her!

not bad for a slightly

used secondhand joke!

>>used secondhand joke!

I think I picked it up at a used joke shop somewhere along the line...

the exhaust system sounds like a

mutant cross between a moose with strep throat and a whoopee cushion

Forward … Into The Past!

"Hello to our friends and fans in domestic surveillance."

"In my lifetime we've gone from Eisenhower to George W. Bush. If this is evolution, I believe within twelve years we'll be voting for plants."

- Lewis Black

how you been?

Fair to midland..

Love the - Lewis Black.. :)

I see Old Malloy is back on the Obama Train..

Did I miss a Crank Fart Joke Fest ?

It must be on the last thread..Worth lookin it up ? ;)

"Hello to our friends and fans in domestic surveillance."

>>Worth lookin it up ?

there was a references to a lighter and then a can of beans. worth looking up?

depends on how much time you have to kill.

oh yes!

Crnkr is always a good read.

also my alternative motorcycle feuls report from my friend Mylo.

Oh, it's getting near bed time.

time to top of the generator and hit the hay.

>>also my alternative motorcycle feuls report from my friend Mylo.

I forgot about that part...

hey! time for the Daily Show/Colbert Report.

yawners!

night gang,

love y'all )

or wicked witch of the west?

nite Jim.
\
nite all!

one of the reasons attendance at the GOP convention

is so sparse,besides that fact that all that evil hot air stinks & is bad for your health,(Although Good for cooking crustaceans,Chubbs) is that

Pickels & Mitt have been offering rides to the convention.. ;)

**

What's Lieberman's Job ?

"Hello to our friends and fans in domestic surveillance."

HeeHee !

Well,I'm on disability but,too young & too broke to retire..

So,I have time coming out of me arse ! ;-)

"Hello to our friends and fans in domestic surveillance."

Rats. I was held up my my "zillion" strays, and Danu (hybrid) and rats and things eek...

PLUS my Computer (as always) said NO and was SLOW/FROZEN DOH ,,, GRRR
;)

Basically an hour later grrrrrrrrrrrr
;)

noted celebrity and sometimes actor fred thompson on why he's qualified to be vp:

"i stayed at a holiday inn last night"

CERN labs in Geneva are cooking up some seeriouss shit as we speak. The largest particle accelerator ever conceived is now only days away from activation. Despite having been accused of everything from mis-managed engineering safety procedures to violation of the UN human rights act - implying a direct failure 'to take all possible precautions to preserve human life' - it looks like all systems are go at CERN and the lord of all red buttons is getting prepped for pressing.

Recently read a theory (may or may not have been Pilkington's) stating: its inevitable that the human race will reach a stage in technological innovation advancement and experimentataion where we will foolishly create an accidental super-massive black hole devouring our galaxy, consciousness and dimensiona as we know it. The author speculates that black holes viewable from hubble are warning signs to us re what has befallen other thus arrested potential forms of life in our universe... It does explain our failure to locate any other organic beings thus far.

Fingers crossed Steven remembered to carry the 1 when he equated Hawking Radiation.

Link

"Hello to our friends and fans in domestic surveillance."

before the rnc is past the point of no return?

i didn't hear the details, but i believe rachel was saying last night, that the rnc has some rather elaborate rules about candidates and nominations and that post convention it would be real real tough for palin to be replaced by someone else just ask kooky and scary.

let me clarify that, its the replacement part that's tough, not finding someone who is both kooky and scary.

I honestly don't expect her to leave. I mean it would be great if she did and a HUGE victory, but I don't see how it would help the McCain campaign to lose the hard right wing base at this point because they latched onto her WAY too tightly.

They're going to take this and try and run with it, play up her strengths and hope America falls in love with her and her dysfunctional family AND hope that outweighs all of the negative publicity of the tabloid media.

Now that all of the salacious criticism of her is out in the open, the media is starting to weigh in on all of it and the ratings will dictate which side of it they will finally decide to take. The rethugs will play to all of the sympathies and the culture wars and identity politics they absolutely rely on in election cycles will begin in earnest. We ain't seen nothing yet. Wait until she gives her speech and you'll see how hungry they are for her bullshit. I would not underestimate the power of that.

This candidate will be a nightmare for this country and there are loads of criticisms to make about her on all levels policy to personality and we are going to have to keep driving those home and maybe they will make the McCain camp panic enough to drop her. But, I think he's stuck with her and they won't go down quietly.

i rarely turn on the tv this early, but did and had it on scarborough. the degree to which they are gushing over palin is remarkable. for the record, they have declared daily kos as a hate site...

was awesome. You should catch it if you still can.

Makes it easier to vote for Obama.

The Today Show will have on the man that Palin fired because he did not fire her brother-in-law, this morning.

Everyone is covering the pending speech of Sarah Palin this evening.

I've read a couple of columns from the Chicago Tribune this AM about Palin. They seem to go easy on her and one said that there was a role reversal for the "liberals" asking why she is not home taking care of her family. The comments on that column seem to take the writer to task and say that it is more than her family, it's her background.

Did any of you hear Liberman's speech? The Dems better take away his chairmanship in the Senate.

Walter Monegan is on now on the Today show.

CNN running a segment questioning abstinence-only education! This really a good sign! We did it! Now these issues are out in the light in the MSM! We needed this! Keep hammering!

So after all of the Palin explosion, what are your thoughts? Do you think she'll withdraw?

CERN and Palin

Black holes with attitude!

earths last word: oops!

on Sam's list or here or anywhere
thanks for asking

good morning yourll

That would be a good play I think if the Dems cut him loose, but I don't think harry Reid has the sac. Plus reid asked Lieberman for money...did you see that? $250,000 to the DSCC to keep him on the committees. Nope, it would seem the only Democrats with any cohones are us voters! we should hammer them to drop him.

Reid said he needs all the the votes he can get and somehow he thinks he's getting them, but we all know he's not. He is just not a very good leader in my view. He may be a nice guy and a good legislator, but he's a terrible Majority Leader.

morning report from New Orleans.

Palin won't drop out unless she is pressured to. She's an arrogant bitch, can't you see that? Much like Giulianni and as corrupt. But she fits the republican mold. Ruthless and incompetent.

Rachel said yesterday afternoon that they had 48 hours to make the switcheroo on Palin.

so far this am, it doesn't look like it will happen. If it doesn't face it, it is good for Obama. I want to see Biden and her debate. If McCain is the throw away candidate, then Palin is part of that.

The repubs are all theater...that is all they have...I am with you Toni

Happe Talk

and if he cuts leibermann loose he will be a terrible ex majority leader...

Where's the economy at the GOP convention? Or do the Republicans just think Americans are too stupid to notice they ignoring it at the convention?
Joe Sudbay (DC) · 9/03/2008 08:18:00 AM ET · Link
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Notice how the Republicans, while managing to take swipe after swipe at Barack Obama, haven't told us a thing about McCain's plan for the fixing the failed economy. Nothing. The failing economy isn't just a political issue for American families, it's a harsh reality. The Republicans apparently don't want it to muck up their well-choreographed show. And, let's face it, if you don't know how many homes you own, you're not too worried about the economy.

Time Magazine's Joe Klein noticed:
But the most striking thing about the evening was what was missing: even the slightest wisp of substance. Not even a detailed tax cutting proposal, not even a paean to anti-missile defense or a rant against Iran. The strategy here seems crystal clear--indeed, it was stated today by McCain's campaign manager, "Issues don't matter." The Republicans are gambling that John McCain's inspiring biography will overcome the overwhelming--80%--feeling that the country has been moving in the wrong direction. They are gambling that people will turn to Republicans to clean up the mess that Republicans made. And they may be right, but I'd guess the euphoria over John McCain's story will last no longer than the next time most Americans have to pull out their checkbooks and pay the bills.

http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/09/the_republicans_tonight.html

but it doesn't mean they can't win.

i worry that the dems don't have the balls to be ruthless and destroy these two.

Sen. Joe Lieberman did his best to make Sarah Palin look good on Tuesday by giving a speech at the Republican convention. Although the GOP faithful managed to keep Lieberman off what might have been one of the least charismatic tickets ever, the self-described Democrat stood by his man.

The Obama campaign noticed (via email)
At a time when millions of Americans are struggling like never before to pay their mortgage, their medical bills, and their gas bills, tonight’s speakers at John McCain’s Republican convention proved how out of touch their candidate is by saying not one word about his plans to put our economy back on track and provide real relief to middle-class families. Apparently, John McCain’s belief that we’ve made ‘great progress’ economically over the last eight years means he doesn’t have to offer any plans at all to fix our ailing economy,” said Obama campaign spokesman Tommy Vietor.

Washington Post columnist Harold Myerson couldn't find anything either:

Maybe it's a good thing for Republicans that Hurricane Gustav has abbreviated their convention. On an issue of some concern to Americans -- the economy -- they seem to have nothing to say.

I have combed the schedule of events here without finding a single forum, workshop or kaffeeklatsch devoted to what John McCain and the Republican Party propose to do about America's short- and long-term economic challenges. I've found four panels on what to do about the Middle East, but not one on what to do about the Middle West.
Not talking about an issue doesn't take if off the table -- especially when the issue is discussed at kitchen tables across this country every day.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/02/AR200809...

I agree Dan. That is how Bush won, and Reagan etc. I really don't think it will work this time though.

Happe Talk

really makes this race critical. if he had chosen someone mainstream, while i wouldn't like the outcome, i suppose i could live with it. palin on the other hand makes me want to get my passport out and make some conditional airline reservations for a saner part of the world.

Palin's newest problem: personal attorney on Alaska state payroll
Chris in Paris · 9/03/2008 04:02:00 AM ET · Link
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I'm sure this also came out in the 15 minute vetting conversation with McCain as well.
Lawyer Thomas Van Flein, who also previously represented the Palin family in another matter, said there was no conflict of interest in the dual representation arrangement. Van Flein is permitted to bill the state up to $95,000 for work in the current case, in which Palin is accused by the state legislature of having the public safety commissioner fired after he refused to fire a state trooper who divorced the governor's sister.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080903/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_palin_troopergate_1

I think she's reckless and arrogant and obviously puts ideology WAY before family. This is going to be a giant war and we need to stay on the offensive against her for the moment and REALLY push the caricature of her as the scheming and corrupt politician that she is. She is no different than all of the other corrupt republicans and obviously can't control her own messages.

That said, I want to see the onslaught continue. If the republicans paint her up as the multitasking mom, we need to expose her for the absolute failure at multitasking and reckless decisionmaker that she is!

One thing I think is interesting is that ot only did the republicans undercut their argument on experience, but now how the hell are they going to play up the celebrity angle on Barack? Palin is now WAY more Paris Hilton and Britney Spears than the rethugs have been trying to associate Obama as. If we hammer on that, it will again make McCain's campaign seem amateurish, unstable and weak. We need to keep attacking on fresh territory.

I wouldn't mind that

Palin's past and what has come out about her vindictiveness scares me too. How will she deal with foreign policy? That scares me. She has no economic expereince except in local government and she screwed that up.

Does adding a Target make Palin presidential?
Chris in Paris · 9/03/2008 05:14:00 AM ET · Link
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This silly pitch somehow - can't imagine how, ha, ha - keeps popping up in Sarah Palin stories, as if to suggest Target and big box stores are progress. I lived with those stores for so many years and would never consider them progress. Cheaper prices, perhaps, but at a cost. They all have a reputation for negotiating cut throat deals with towns and counties, receiving government handouts for the honor of their presence as they drive out small businesses who were never afforded the same corporate welfare. And oh, to think of the beauty they bring to communities around the world.

Of course everyone loves lower prices but I still don't see why such a trivial turn of events that was no doubt promoted by the store itself (and accommodated by local politicians everywhere) is listed on her professional CV. Does ushering in a Target significantly transform a small suburb into somewhere important? Does this somehow make a person appear qualified to step in on day one to be President of the United States?
Her supporters say she helped Wasilla evolve from a ridiculed backwater to fast-growing suburb. The population of about 5,000 during her tenure as mayor has grown to nearly 10,000 now, and the city is filling with big box stores, including a Target that is scheduled to open on Oct. 12, one of three opening statewide that day in the chain’s Alaska debut.

But her critics say too much growth too quickly has made a mess of what not long ago was homesteaded farmland.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/03/us/politics/03wasilla.html?_r=1&hp&ore...

Republican economy scorecard shows losses across the board
Chris in Paris · 9/03/2008 02:08:00 AM ET · Link
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This is the economy that McCain thinks is "fundamentally strong." Sure, when you own 12 houses, I guess life is pretty good. The bright spot of this report is that if you have work, the workplace is a safer environment, which is great but hardly comparable to having employment is rising income.
The Rutgers labor scorecard offered other sobering findings:

* About 530,000 were subject to mass layoffs in the last year, growth of nearly 5 percent, but a lower rate than five and 10 years ago.

* The median weekly earnings for American workers have not grown in real terms over the last eight years.

* At $6.55, the federal minimum wage is worth 40 cents less per hour, in inflation-adjusted dollars, than it was a decade ago.

* While employer-assisted childcare and employee wellness programs have grown quickly over the last decade, they still cover less than one quarter of American workers.

* Roughly 4 percent of the workforce wants to work full-time, but is working part-time because they can’t find full-time work.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26485812/

Submitted by toniD on Wed, 09/03/2008 - 8:45am.

Michelle Obama is an arrogant bitch and everyone can see it, but you like her anyway.

Obama has no administrative economic experience at all.

There's a lot of nervousness on the Progressive side against playing the culture war and especially on a tabloid level. But, notice that this is NEVER the case on the Republican side. They play the culture war at EVERY level and they play it hard. Do you think they get nervous when a tabloid rag paints Obama as a Muslim? No way.

I think we have more than enough people to fight Republicans on both the culture front and the issues front. This whole Sarah Palin trainwreck played out in the comments of blogs. WE pushed everything into the daylight by sheer force of numbers and scared the daylights out of Republicans. No one saw it coming and even the blog owners didn't touch it until McCain's camp freaked and announced the pregnancy. Then everyone was on it in a matter of seconds. It was an amazing day to see how media has changed. Even the blogs seemed like the old media. All of the activity was under the radar.

The Republicans don't have an issues front, so we have, and have always had, the advantage there. We absolutely need to fight both culture and issues wars in full force and not bat an eye when republicans whine and cry. Allowing them to play the victims needs to be a thing of the past.

are a sad people. They can't even fill a stadium for their
own convention. HA-HA-HA- LOL!

Terrorist attacks in Israel are God's punishment to Jews who don't convert to Christ, speaker at Palin's church says in her presence
John Aravosis (DC) · 9/02/2008 11:14:00 PM ET · Link
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Holy crap.
...just two weeks ago, when Palin’s church, the Wasilla Bible Church, gave its pulpit over to a figure viewed with deep hostility by many Jewish organizations: David Brickner, the founder of Jews for Jesus.

Palin’s pastor, Larry Kroon, introduced Brickner on Aug. 17, according to a transcript of the sermon on the church’s website.

“He’s a leader of Jews for Jesus, a ministry that is out on the leading edge in a pressing, demanding area of witnessing and evangelism,” Kroon said.

Brickner then explained that Jesus and his disciples were themselves Jewish.

“The Jewish community, in particular, has a difficult time understanding this reality,” he said.
Brickner’s mission has drawn wide criticism from the organized Jewish community, and the Anti-Defamation League accused them in a report of “targeting Jews for conversion with subterfuge and deception.”

Brickner also described terrorist attacks on Israelis as God's "judgment of unbelief" of Jews who haven't embraced Christianity.

"Judgment is very real and we see it played out on the pages of the newspapers and on the television. It's very real. When [Brickner's son] was in Jerusalem he was there to witness some of that judgment, some of that conflict, when a Palestinian from East Jerusalem took a bulldozer and went plowing through a score of cars, killing numbers of people. Judgment — you can't miss it."

Palin was in church that day, Kroon said, though he cautioned against attributing Brickner’s views to her.

Don't forget that McCain was more than happy to join in the fray over Rev. Wright's obnoxious comments. So let's not hear the McCain campaign cry foul over an examination of Sarah Palin's church.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0908/13098.html

Submitted by 60th Street on Wed, 09/03/2008 - 9:05am.

It's very obvious you're all scared of Palin because she's a threat in this election.

Michelle Obama is an arrogant bitch and everyone can see it, but you like her anyway.

I do NOT get that impression @ all. And yes I do like her 2.

cable last night?
horney fucks

is to the poor wildlife in her state.

you say schmuck, I say oy veh....

neither does McInsane/Palin.

nightbird - very nice - I got a little giggle out of your funny.

the word republican does not appear anywhere

inside the convention arena.

~`~`~`~`~`~
Jamesbennett

I don't think so...

Palin to Wasilla Librarian: Are You OK With Censorship?

ANCHORAGE — Tuesday afternoon, the Mat-Su Frontiersman, in Wasilla, hosted me in their offices so I could dig through their print archives to get a sense of Gov. Sarah Palin’s tenure as mayor there.

I photocopied one story, from December 1996, about Palin’s run-in with Wasilla’s director of libraries, Mary Ellen Emmons. The article is in line with what several commenters mentioned here a few days ago. Emmons says that in October and December, 1996, the year Palin took office, the new mayor asked her if she would tolerate censorship of library books.

According to the article, Palin’s response to the accusation was to say that the discussions were “in the context of a professional question being asked in regards to library policy.”

The next month Palin left a letter on Emmons desk asking her to resign. It said, ”I do not feel I have your full support in my efforts to govern the city of Wasilla. Therefore I intend to terminate your employment ….”

The Anchorage Daily News reported at the time, as did the Frontiersman, that the conflict was over whether to restructure the local library and museum operations. After some discussions, Palin seems to have decided Emmons was willing to toe the line. She kept her job as library director.

I seem to remember a frightened little old man and alaska governor team who were forced to prematurely announce the pregnancy of her 17 year old daughter in response to a bunch of bloggers. It wasn't even the media that scared them...it was people with keyboards.

Now THAT'S scared! That's MAJOR LEAGUE pussy!

As an old repub i'd say she's about as unqualified a candidate for the vice presidentcy of the USA as has ever existed.

and we've had some doozies.

you papers, on the other hand, are just an obnoxious troll.

Makes sense.

Has it occurred to the GOP that it is hardly a compliment that after eight years of uninterrupted Republican rule, they need to run as reformers in order to have a shot at getting elected. I guess they plan on reforming themselves.
John Cole

Sen. John McCain has long campaigned against Congress earmarking federal money for pet projects back home, having gone so far as publishing “pork lists” detailing these financial favors. However, “three times in recent years, McCain’s catalogs of ‘objectionable’ spending have included earmarks for this small Alaska town, requested by its mayor at the time — Sarah Palin.”

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-na-earmarks3-2008sep03...

Why don't we all do our quinquennial book purge and take all of our old books and donate them to the Wasilla Library.

I am sure, just with the crew we have here alone, we could send them enough "subversive" reading material to give Palin and those pasty faced book burning bastids a stroke.

That would solve our problem once and for all.

Although Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) has vowed to distance himself from lobbyists, CQ reports that “McCain and the Republicans gathered in St. Paul are sending a more nuanced message by integrating some of K Street’s brightest stars as managers of floor activities — suggesting that lobbyists could play important roles in advancing a McCain administration agenda.”

http://www.cq.com/document/display.do?docid=2943416&sourcetype=6

Vice President Dick Cheney “traveled to Azerbaijan Wednesday, part of a tour of three ex-Soviet republics wary of Russia’s intentions following last month’s war between Russia and neighboring Georgia.” Azerbaijan is “home to some of the largest oil and gas reserves in the former Soviet Union.”

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-09-03-cheney-azerbaijan_N.htm?lo...

should be interesting. CNN's answer to Rachel Maddow perhaps. All good

Happe Talk

thats because after they got done plastering the flag on everything there wasn't any room left.

http://apnews.myway.com//article/20080903/D92V15G80.html

I spoke to the man who does the ultra sound for the doctor to give the shots directly into the joints. He's from Poland. We always discuss politics. He said that the many years of Communist rule of Poland made him go to the Republican party. The Dems are socialist and that scared him.

I told him that the Republicans are capitalists and in their way they are just like the communist party that started out to help the common man but became a totalitarian rule and just made the rich richer and screwed the common people. I told him to do some research and not just accept what they say. Look at our economy and the state of our healthcare. The rich are richer and screw the rest of the people. Tell me you don't see what is happening here since the Republicans have ruled this country.

I asked him to promise me to research this before he votes this year. He was worried about the Taxes. I told him that if everyone in this nation was taxed a fair share of their income, we could provide the services needed for all the people. Including the infrastucture of the country.

I said, Is it fair to you that you pay taxes and big Corporations get breaks and can go off shore to avoid paying taxes but use our infrastructure to do their business? He couldn't answer. Don't know if he will, but he promised me to research.

This whole Palin thing got my mom interested in blogs...she's a lifetime Democrat, but could not understand how the Sarah Palin trainwreck was so big on the Internet, but wan't in the news at all Monday. She thought that was insane that the cable news didn't even report it until that night.

Oh and she now watches the Daily Show...the vagina-american segment between John and Samantha Bee had her in tears.

*There's a new troll in town and he's not so good.

*There's a knuckle-dragging fool , in our neighborhood.

There's a new troll in town, with the same old crap.

He was just passing through,

but if things work out he's gonna screw himself....ba-ba bum-bum, bummmm!

***

to the tune of the theme of the Mary Tyler Moore Show.

btw:

Palin's economic experience?

How about taking a town of 60000 from a balanced budget to a $22 million deficit in only 4 years?

Obama should hire you.

Happe Talk

edited

got into some weird connections

I didn't want to promote.

~`~`~`~`~`~
Jamesbennett

Huffington Post claims to have caught former president George H.W. Bush checking his watch last night during First Lady Laura Bush’s speech at the Republican National Convention. The site has posted the “nostalgia-inducing video” here.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/02/george-hw-bush-checks-his_n_123...

Her experience is as mayor of a city with a population of about 5,000 (at the time), and less than 2 years as governor of a state with about 670,000 residents.

During her mayoral administration most of the actual work of running
this small city was turned over to an administrator. She had been
pushed to hire this administrator by party power-brokers after she had
gotten herself into some trouble over precipitous firings which had
given rise to a recall campaign.

Sarah campaigned in Wasilla as a "fiscal conservative". During her 6
years as Mayor, she increased general government expenditures by over 33%. During those same 6 years the amount of taxes collected by the City increased by 38%. This was during a period of low inflation
(1996-2002).

She reduced progressive property taxes and increased a regressive sales tax which taxed even food. The tax cuts that she promoted benefited large corporate property owners way more than they benefited residents.

The huge increases in tax revenues during her mayoral administration
weren't enough to fund everything on her wish list though, borrowed
money was needed, too.

She inherited a city with zero debt, but left it with indebtedness of over $22 million.

What did Mayor Palin encourage
the voters to borrow money for? Was it the infrastructure that she said
she supported?

The sewage treatment plant that the city lacked? or a new library?

No.

$1m for a park.

$15m-plus for construction of a
multi-use sports complex which she rushed through to build on a piece of
property that the City didn't even have clear title to, that was still
in litigation 7 yrs later--to the delight of the lawyers involved!

The sports complex itself is a nice addition to the community but a huge money pit, not the profit-generator she claimed it would be.
She also supported bonds for $5.5m for road projects that could have been done in 5-7 yrs without any borrowing.

While Mayor, City Hall was extensively remodeled and her office
redecorated more than once.

These are small numbers, but Wasilla is a very small city.

As an oil producer, the high price of oil has created a budget surplus in Alaska. Rather than invest this surplus in technology that will make
us energy independent and increase efficiency, as Governor she proposed distribution of this surplus to every individual in the state.

In this time of record state revenues and budget surpluses, she recommended that the state borrow/bond for road projects, even while she proposed distribution of surplus state revenues: spend today's surplus, borrow for needs.

She's not very tolerant of divergent opinions or open to outside ideas or compromise. As Mayor, she fought ideas that weren't generated by her or her staff. Ideas weren't evaluated on their merits, but on the basis of who proposed them.

While Sarah was Mayor of Wasilla she tried to fire our highly respected
City Librarian because the Librarian refused to consider removing from
the library some books that Sarah wanted removed.

City residents rallied to the defense of the City Librarian and against Palin's attempt at out-and-out censorship, so Palin backed down and withdrew her termination letter.

People who fought her attempt to oust the Librarian are on her enemies list to this day.

Sarah complained about the "old boy's club" when she first ran for Mayor, so what did she bring Wasilla? A new set of "old boys". Palin fired most of the experienced staff she inherited.

At the City and as Governor she hired or elevated new, inexperienced, obscure people, creating a staff totally dependent on her for their jobs and eternally grateful and fiercely loyal--loyal to the point of abusing their power to further her personal agenda, as she has acknowledged happened in the case of pressuring the State's top cop (see below).

As Mayor, Sarah fired Wasilla's Police Chief because he "intimidated" her, she told the press.

As Governor, her recent firing of Alaska's top cop has the ring of familiarity about it. He served at her pleasure and she had every legal right to fire him, but it's pretty clear that an important factor in her decision to fire him was because he wouldn't fire her sister's ex-husband, a State Trooper.

Under investigation for abuse of power, she has had to admit that more than 2 dozen contacts were made between her staff and family to the person that she later fired, pressuring him to fire her ex-brother-in-law.

She tried to replace the man she fired with a man who she knew had been reprimanded for sexual harassment; when this caused a public furor, she withdrew her support.

She has bitten the hand of every person who extended theirs to her in help. The City Council person who personally escorted her around town introducing her to voters when she first ran for Wasilla City Council became one of her first targets when she was later elected Mayor.

She abruptly fired her loyal City Administrator; even people who didn't like the guy were stunned by this ruthlessness.

Fear of retribution has kept all of these people from saying anything publicly about her.

When then-Governor Murkowski was handing out political plums, Sarah got the best, Chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission: one
of the few jobs not in Juneau and one of the best paid.
She had no background in oil & gas issues. Within months of scoring this great job which paid $122,400/yr, she was complaining in the press about the high salary. I was told that she hated that job: the commute, the structured hours, the work.

Sarah became aware that a member of this Commission (who was also the State Chair of the Republican Party)
had engaged in unethical behavior on the job. In a gutsy move which some undoubtedly cautioned her could be political suicide, Sarah solved all
her problems in one fell swoop: got out of the job she hated and garnered gobs of media attention as the patron saint of ethics and as a gutsy fighter against the "old boys' club" when she dramatically quit, exposing this man's ethics violations (for which he was fined).

As Mayor, she had her hand stuck out as far as anyone for pork from Senator Ted Stevens. Lately, she has castigated his pork-barrel politics and publicly humiliated him.

She only opposed the "bridge to nowhere" after it became clear that it would be unwise not to.

As Governor, she gave the Legislature no direction and budget guidelines, then made a big grandstand display of line-item vetoing projects, calling them pork. Public outcry and further legislative action restored most of these projects--which had been vetoed simply because she was not aware of their importance--but with the unobservant she had gained a reputation as "anti-pork".

She is solidly Republican: no political maverick.

The State party leaders hate her because she has bit them in the back and humiliated them. Other members of the party object to her self-description as a fiscal conservative.

Around Wasilla there are people who went to high school with Sarah.

They call her "Sarah Barracuda" because of her unbridled ambition and predatory ruthlessness.

Before she became so powerful, very ugly stories circulated around town about shenanigans she pulled to be made point guard on the high school basketball team.

When Sarah's mother-in-law, a highly respected member of the community and experienced manager, ran for Mayor, Sarah refused to endorse her.

As Governor, she stepped outside of the box and put together of package of legislation known as "AGIA" that forced the oil companies to march to the beat of her drum.

Like most Alaskans, she favors drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

She has questioned if the loss of sea ice is linked to global warming. She campaigned "as a private citizen" against a state initiaitive that would have either a) protected salmon streams from pollution from mines, or b) tied up in the courts all mining in the state (depending on who you listen to)

She has pushed the State's lawsuit against the Dept. of the Interior's decision to list polar bears as threatened species.

McCain is the oldest person to ever run for President; Sarah will be a heartbeat away from being President.

There has to be literally millions of Americans who are more knowledgeable and experienced than she.

However, there's a lot of people who have underestimated her and are regretting it.

CLAIM VS FACT

*"Hockey mom": true for a few years
*"PTA mom": true years ago when her first-born was in elementary school, not since
*"NRA supporter": absolutely true
*social conservative: mixed. Opposes gay marriage, BUT vetoed a bill that would have denied benefits to employees in same-sex relationships (said she did this because it was unconsitutional).
*pro-creationism: mixed. Supports it, BUT did nothing as Governor to promote it.
*"Pro-life": mixed. Knowingly gave birth to a Down's syndrome baby BUT declined to call a special legislative session on some pro-life legislation
*"Experienced": Some high schools have more students than Wasilla has residents. Many cities have more residents than the state of Alaska.
No legislative experience other than City Council. Little hands-on supervisory or managerial experience; needed help of a city administrator to run town of about 5,000.
*political maverick: not at all
*gutsy: absolutely!
*open & transparent: ??? Good at keeping secrets. Not good at explaining actions.
*has a developed philosophy of public policy: no
*"a Greenie": no. Turned Wasilla into a wasteland of big box stores and disconnected parking lots. Is pro-drilling off-shore and in ANWR.
*fiscal conservative: not by my definition!
*pro-infrastructure: No. Promoted a sports complex and park in a city
without a sewage treatment plant or storm drainage system. Built streets to early 20th century standards.
*pro-tax relief: Lowered taxes for businesses, increased tax burden on residents
*pro-small government: No. Oversaw greatest expansion of city government in Wasilla's history.
*pro-labor/pro-union. No. Just because her husband works union doesn't make her pro-labor. I have seen nothing to support any claim
that she is pro-labor/pro-union.

From the NYTimes:

Ms. Palin also upended the town’s traditional ways with a surprise edict: No employee was to talk to the news media without her permission.

“It was just things you don’t ever associate with a small town,” Victoria Naegele, then the managing editor of The Frontiersman, recalled of Ms. Palin’s first year in office. “It was like we were warped into real politics instead of just ‘Do you like Joe or Mary for the job?’ It was a strange time.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/03/us/politics/03wasilla.html

you papers, on the other hand, are just an obnoxious troll.

once again, derision and ridicule are not fear.

the Palin pick HAS to be Rove's idea.

for palin. Although the search engine scanned 34,000 documents, only 20 came up for Palin. None older than August 30th.

...and, nothing negative, of course.

Funny peculiar. Definitely NOT funny haha.

not necessarily roves, but someone is telling mccain he can win if he goes for the base (as in the collection of wingers and religous whackjobs)

Real Video Stream

http://play.rbn.com/?url=demnow/demnow/demand/2008/sept/video/dnB2008090...

>>for palin. Although the search engine scanned 34,000 documents, on 20 came up for Palin. None older than August 30th.

She's really got a lot of power up there. I shouldn't find it so surprising, that so many would cower before her dictatorial ways.

I say we call her `the Empress of the North.'

Reid "Disappointed" With Lieberman
Harry Reid's spokesman told CNN that Reid is "very disappointed" with Joe Lieberman's speech last night at the Republican Convention. "As the American people have made very clear, the last thing this country needs is another four years of the same old failed Bush-McCain policies of the past."

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/03/reid-not-happy-with-lieberman's-speech/

Obama To Appear On O'Reilly
Barack Obama will reportedly be going where not too many prominent Dems like to venture: The O'Reilly Factor on Fox News. Obama will be sitting down with O'Reilly for an interview set to air tomorrow night, in an attempt to counter John McCain's speech at the Republican Convention.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0908/Dept_of_Counterprogramming_O...

"Hello to our friends and fans in domestic surveillance."

http://cagle.com/working/080902/keefe.jpg

Tom Tomorrow - This Modern World
http://images.salon.com/comics/tomo/2008/09/02/tomo/story.jpg

Her experience is as mayor of a city with a population of about 5,000
(at the time), and less than 2 years as governor of a state with about
670,000 residents.

During her mayoral administration most of the actual work of running
this small city was turned over to an administrator. She had been
pushed to hire this administrator by party power-brokers after she had
gotten herself into some trouble over precipitous firings which had
given rise to a recall campaign.

Sarah campaigned in Wasilla as a "fiscal conservative". During her 6
years as Mayor, she increased general government expenditures by over
33%. During those same 6 years the amount of taxes collected by the City
increased by 38%. This was during a period of low inflation
(1996-2002). She reduced progressive property taxes and increased a
regressive sales tax which taxed even food. The tax cuts that she
promoted benefited large corporate property owners way more than they
benefited residents.

The huge increases in tax revenues during her mayoral administration
weren't enough to fund everything on her wish list though, borrowed
money was needed, too. She inherited a city with zero debt, but left it
with indebtedness of over $22 million. What did Mayor Palin encourage
the voters to borrow money for? Was it the infrastructure that she said
she supported? The sewage treatment plant that the city lacked? or a
new library? No. $1m for a park. $15m-plus for construction of a
multi-use sports complex which she rushed through to build on a piece of
property that the City didn't even have clear title to, that was still
in litigation 7 yrs later--to the delight of the lawyers involved! The
sports complex itself is a nice addition to the community but a huge
money pit, not the profit-generator she claimed it would be. She also
supported bonds for $5.5m for road projects that could have been done in
5-7 yrs without any borrowing. (- From Anne Kilkenny's letter)

Now here's the kicker, if Republican's want to argue she has more executive experience than Obama the same is true for McCain thus making him unqualified as well

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It's cool. Pretend you're living your last day of life here and this isn't so big...
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