You Say Tomato, But I say OUCH!!!

I've noticed in recent days that you can't find a decent price on full-sized fresh tomatoes. I don't like to ever pay more than $2/lb. for tomatoes, but at present I can't find any for less than $2.25 or $2.50/lb. Well, the explanation has emerged over the past day. It seems there was a February freeze in Florida that ruined 70% of the tomato crop (link below). (BTW: February freezes in Florida? I think the U.S. Senate really needs to focus on ramming through the Cap'n Trade bill, as Obama is apparently quietly pushing now. Yeah right, what a priority! But I digress).

The tomato price hike is bad news for me, since I eat tomatoes like they are going out of style. They are one of the healthiest foods out there, and I couldn't make my Slimeball Sandwiches without them. The linked story says there will be no relief in these high prices for at least 4-6 weeks. For any fellow tomato lovers out there, here's one suggestion: For now, you might go with the smaller Roma tomatoes. Their price has risen a bit too, but they are (as is typically the case) cheaper than full-size tomatoes and even this week I'm seeing them at some places for only 99 cents/lb. Looks like it may have to be a steady diet of Romas for me for a few months.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/fea/taste/shopping/stories/DN-nf_inseason_0310gd.State.Edition1.4bf3f05.html

If You Happen to be a Christian Currently Observing Lent & Have the Friday Fish Eatin' Blues, Here's a Little-Known Fact: You Can Eat Beaver!!!

I just stumbled on this little factoid over the past day, which I had never heard before (from the below Wikipedia link):

"In the 17th century, based on a question raised by the Bishop of Quebec, the Roman Catholic Church ruled that the beaver was a fish (beaver flesh was a part of the indigenous peoples' diet, prior to the Europeans' arrival) for purposes of dietary law. Therefore, the general prohibition on the consumption of meat on Fridays during Lent does not apply to beaver meat."

But alas, here's the dilemma: Where in the hell can I buy some Beaver? If you happen to know where I can get me some Beaver, please advise. What sauce or condiment does one even put on a Beaver? Does Beaver taste like fish or like chicken? Or am I just pullin' a Ward Cleaver and bein' a little too hard on The Beaver? You decide. Out.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaver

What's Good 4 the Goose is Good 4 the Gander: I Criticized Newt Gingrich Over Comments Aimed at Nancy Pelosi Last Year, & Today I Say the Same to Her

Gingrich's spewings last year accused Pelosi of being a liar, despicable, dishonest, vicious and trivial. Today's comments from Pelosi accused resigning New York Congressman Eric Massa of being "a very sick person" (first link below). You'll find that I'm an Equal Opportunity critic over here, and in that spirit, I say today to San Fran Nan the same thing I said to Gingrich last year: Pots really should not kettles black. It's just not overly becoming of them.

BTW, check the second link below for my Gingrich/Pelosi post from last year -- a link which also (and much more significantly) sets forth my recipe for a personal culinary invention of mine: The low-fat Slimeball Sandwich. I invented those babies in college (the high fat version), but in recent years have tailored the concoction to a much healthier version. And either way, They Are Delicious!

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aJYii1K41DOE
http://independentrage.blogspot.com/2009/05/gingrich-blasts-pelosi-talk-about.html

Postscript: I watched an interview that Massa gave today to crazy right-winger Glenn Beck, and I gotta tell ya -- Massa is, at a minimum, a bit nuts. But what I did appreciate was his use of a new funny phrase that I have not heard before: "The Whole Schmazole" (sp.). I love that! That's the one of the best ones I've heard since "Jeezal Peezal," circa 1986, from old school baseball Coach Petrillo! And lest we forget as well, "Can of Corn!!!"

"I Was Naked As a Jaybird!" Outgoing NY Congressman Accuses Obama Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel of Accosting Him in a Shower About His Health Care Vote.

Recently resigning Rep. Eric Massa (D-NY) today accuses Obama's Rahm Emanuel of approaching him in a U.S. House gym shower, when both were "naked as a jaybird," to try to bully Massa over his opposition to Obama & The Dems' health care legislation. Massa also accuses Obama & The Dems of "orchestrating his downfall because he voted no on health care reform" and because he remained a deciding vote on health care. Predictably, the far right is jumping all over this today (link below).

So what's the truth here? Who the hell knows. That Emanuel might engage in such thuggery is, frankly, no surprise or shock to me. This guy's made a political career of being an complete a$$hole and a bully. But can you trust Massa's account? Not really. This is a guy who recently voluntarily resigned from the House amid accusations that he sexually harassed a male staffer. So there's not a great deal of credibility in his implied accusation that dems are "forcing him out." Nobody held a gun to his head to resign, and if there was no truth the harassment allegations, then why is he running away? At the same time, and as noted, nothing would really surprise me when it comes to the behavior of Emanuel. My best guess: Some incident between Emanuel and Massa likely occurred, with there being both some grains of truth and some embellishment in Massa's account.

But at the end of the day, what does it really matter? Even if this event did not occur, and even if Massa's charge of dems "bringing his downfall" is a complete red herring, I still say what I've been saying for months, and even since the election of Scott Brown: If you think that the radical-left-progressive-controlled democrat party will not try or do anything it takes to ram through a massive and unpopular heath care bill, then you have not been watching the same group of folks that I've been watching over the past year.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0310/34096.html

"Go Ask Alice, When She's 10 Feet Tall" -- Motion Picture "Alice in Wonderland" Shatters Several Box Office Records This Weekend.

(See first linked story below). And just goes to show, what goes around always come back around in American pop culture. The last time "Alice in Wonderland" was cool was the late 1960's (as might be expected -- and no, I wasn't around back then), and its current resurgence immediately brings to mind for me one of my favorite Sixties songs, Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit" (with lyrics based upon "Alice in Wonderland"), which famously made an appearance in the interim on the Platoon soundtrack in the mid-1980's (yes, I was around then). Airplane's recognizable version of "White Rabbit" on the old Smothers Brothers TV show is the second link below. BTW, Airplane's lead singer, Grace Slick (pictured immediately above with the rest of her band), was one of the most notorious Rock'n'Roll wild childs in the history of that genre, and she would give even your more contemporary Britney Spears and Courtney Loves of the world a definite run for their money.

http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1633345/story.jhtml
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WANNqr-vcx0

I'm Having Too Much Fun. But on a Serious Topic, Folks, Watch Out for the Propagandist Media Websites on Both the Far Right & Far Left.

The linked Politico.com story describes two such outfits, the far-left Media Matters (its founder, David Brock, is pictured on the left above) and the far-right Breitbart.com (run by radical right-wing slimeball Andrew Breitbart, pictured on the right above -- the lovely guy who went around tweeting that he was glad Teddy Kennedy was dead on the same day the Old Liberal Lion died -- slimey stuff). If you happen to ever visit and/or read any of the material on any of these far left or far right websites, just make sure you take every single thing they say with a grain of salt. Because it's all cast in spin and in ideology. In other words, the dictionary definition of propaganda. And it spews equally from both extremes. So what would I recommend as a fairly straight-arrow and non-biased source of political commentary and news? None other than the linked Politico.com. Great web site. Even some of my right-wing and left-wing acquaintances agree on that one!

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0310/34016.html

Glee: "Sick Soccer Mom" in New York Is Ecstatic to Discover She Could Afford a Hit Man's Price to Whack Out Her Hubbie.

(Seems she had previously "lamented she could only afford to maim him"). But the Glee Turns to Glum when she finds out the hit man she propositioned was actually an undercover cop. (Aren't they always? Damn pesky police.) And just for good measure, it's alleged she was Bangin' the Boss at work behind hubbie's back. I wonder if Boss was to be the next hit (since he had apparently just given the woman her walking papers -- the ingrate). In the immortal words of Sheriff Buford T. Justice: "Nice Lady."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,588247,00.html?test=latestnews

Mickey Rourke: "I Slept With 14 Women --- All in the Same Night!"

I can only guess that Rourke's lifetime achievements must not quite stack up with the recent revelation that Warren Beatty allegedly bedded almost 13,000 women over a 35-year-period, and thus Rourke found it necessary to brag up his single night record rather than his career totals. By the way, if you actually found the time and energy to sleep with 14 women in the same night, wouldn't you start to lose the precise count after awhile? That's what makes the 14 figure seem a little bit "fishy" to me (and it has nothing to do with health care or the ocean). A bit more credible would have been a claim that "I bedded over 10 ladies one night" or "I slept with around a dozen gals one evening." But what do I know. Maybe dude has one of those photographic memories.

http://www.newyorkpost.com/p/pagesix/rourke_bedded_women_in_one_night_iaA7gNOpk4BLspC5JZRl1M

April 11: Check Out My Fav Blogger Tionna Smalls in VH1's New Reality Show, "What Chilli Wants"!

The New Show revolves around singer Chilli from TLC fame (pictured immediately above) in her quest to find the right man. Gentlemen, "she is definitely not up for the bullsh*zzz," the linked story reports. "He can't drink, smoke or eat pork," says Chilli. (Incidentally, that pretty much disqualifies the Rager over here since while I have never smoked, the other two criteria are more or less non-starters for me, but I digress).

But also check the New Show in order to see New York City blogger Tionna Smalls (first pic above), who has screen presence out the wazzooo in the linked trailer (below) for the New Show (which is excellent). Tionna even at times visits Mr. Flyover's blog here in order to post a comment. She's one of my favorites, and the Rager commands you to at least take in an episode or two of "What Chilli Wants" and see if it's your cup of tea!

http://bossip.com/222573/chillis-new-reality-show-is-coming-april-11th-what-chilli-wants-in-a-man-may-not-exist/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e26PNTT7L6k

"Bikini Barista Accused of Selling More Than Just Coffee At an Espresso Stand." I've Heard of Spiking the Coffee, But This Is Ridiculous.

Cops in Washington state say that five baristas (female coffee servers) clad in bikinis have been brewing up more than just coffee at an espresso stand known as "Grab-n-Go." The shenanigans involved alleged prostitution at the Grab-n-Go, including "charging customers for touching certain body parts and stripping down while fixing the coffee." Apparently one of the bikini baristas has copped a deal to rat out the other four in exchange for having her charges dropped.

Know whom the real victim is here? The unsuspecting customer, that's who. He's the guy who hits the ole Grab-n-Go looking for nothing but a nice hot coffee. After sipping on the coffee for a little while, dude decides he'd like a fill-up. So he goes back to the counter and politely asks the bikini barista, "Uh Ma'am, I would like a Top Off please," and then he proceeds to receive much more than he had ever bargained for. Say the guy happens to have high blood pressure -- Can you say Heart Attack City? I for one hope they throw the proverbial coffee pot, errrr book, at these ladies.

http://www.kansascity.com/2010/03/04/1789126/prostition-charge-against-bikini.html
http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20100304/NEWS01/703049783#Bikini.barista.told.to.stay.out.of.trouble.no.jail.time

Looks Like Obama & The Dems Will Try to Ram Through a Massive Health Care Bill Using the Nuclear Option.

Based on the words of Obama & The Dems today, it appears that they are prepared to use reconciliation (the "nuclear option," meaning only 51 votes are necessary in the Senate) to jam through a massive and highly unpopular health care bill. What's more, Obama is calling on his minions to get this done in the next two weeks (link below). No surprise there. They want this done before dem lawmakers have to go back home for Spring Break and hear from a lot of angry constituents on this issue. They want to avoid a repeat of the town hall meetings of last August, in which they were actually forced to listen to the American people. Chicken$hit stuff? Most definitely. But no surprise there.

But what about the use of reconciliation? Isn't that a surprise? Not really, since it doesn't appear that dems will try to use that obscure procedural mechanism to pass an entire health care bill. Rather, it appears that they will doing exactly what Dick Morris predicted they would do weeks ago (as discussed then in this space). That is, the Senate version of the bill (which has already passed the Senate) will be passed by the House without any changes. Then the dems will use reconciliation in the Senate to make the changes to the bill that the radical leftist progressives in the House demand. Sure, Obama is talking about tossing in a few republican ideas as well, but that's just window dressing. It will still be the same massive monstrosity of a bill -- just with a few modest republican proposals thrown in on top.

The only good news here is that Obama & The Dems are not assured of success. They may have trouble rounding up enough votes in the House to pass the Senate bill and/or enough votes in the Senate to jam through changes to the Senate bill using the nuclear option. One can only hope.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0310/33860.html

Karl Rove Claiming He & Bush Really Thought There Were WMD's in Iraq. Well, I'm Claiming: He's a Liar.

It's known in certain circles as the "collective facts" doctrine. Meaning, based on everything I've read in recent years, I have little doubt that Bush, Cheney and Rove either knew full well there were no WMD's in Iraq, or at best had no freakin' idea whether there were WMD's in Iraq, but then used the allegation that there were WMD's in Iraq as the pretense to invade a sovereign country, at massive loss of American boys' lives, and pursued that course to try to advance their Neo-Con agenda of spreading American power (they call it "spreading democracy") throughout the world. (BTW, how's that for a bona fide run-on sentence?).

Folks, I'm sorry if you disagree, but I really believe this: As much as I think Obama & The Dems, and the radical left progressive powerbrokers who control them, are Scary for this country, W & His Minions were equally Scary. Alas, what in the hell did we do as average American citizens to deserve such assclowns running things back-to-back? The answer: Nothing. And we should insist upon so much better from our presidents and from our ruling parties.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100302/ap_on_re_us/us_rove_memoir

"Madam Governor?" Manhattan Madam Kristin Davis Tosses Her Top Into the Ring For New York Governor.

Ms. Davis, lest you've forgotten, is the Big Apple Madam who choreographed a regular schedule of ladies of the night to finish off former New York governor Eliot Spitzer. Following her announcement today that she would like to take her "executive" talents to New York's capital city of Albany ("on a pro-marriage equality, prostitution, and pot platform" -- she wants to legalize the latter two items for the tax revenue they'd generate), tonight I watched FoxNews right-winger Sean Hannity trying to tear into The Madam on his show.

An offhand observation from her Hannity appearance tonight: In the current crazy political climate of the country (unlike anything I've seen during my life), and given (1) Ms. Davis' independence (she's not currently affiliated with a party, but may run as a libertarian), (2) her exhibited skill tonight on her feet (yes, she's decent in that position too), and (3) the fact that she's hired a longtime top-level political operative as her campaign adviser, Ms. Davis might just turn out to be a bit dangerous in the New York gubernatorial race. And yes, I am being serious. (Stranger things have happened. See Jesse Ventura). Stay tuned...

http://www.advocate.com/News/News_Features/Madam_Governor_Kristin_Davis/

This Is Why I Suspect The "Nuclear Option" (AKA "Reconciliation") Is Obama & The Dems' "Big Bluff" When It Comes to Their Health Care Bill...

...Precisely the same thing this apparently honest dem was talking about this weekend (Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND) (link below)) -- From what I've read on this issue over many months, it would be extremely hard for the dems to ram through a massive, comprehensive bill using the obscure reconciliation procedure due to the myriad procedural roadblocks that the repubs would be able to put up. Now, could the House dems still pass the old Senate version of the bill and then try to use reconciliation to make some modest changes to that bill? Sure, and honestly, that would be a lot more feasible for them. Maybe they in fact have that in mind. That was all the talk about 6 weeks ago. But the recent talk has been about jamming through an entire comprehensive bill (that varies from the old Senate bill) using reconciliation. I think it's doubtful they could do that, as Conrad admits (but for what reason is he admitting it? -- Folks, when it comes to these politicians on both sides, most everything they do is for a self-interested reason, and rarely quite as it appears to be on its face). So, I continue to follow the situation. It's one that seems to change almost every day, just as it has for at least nine months now.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/politicolive/0210/Conrad_Reconciliation_cant_be_used_for_comprehensive_reform.html?showall

Enough Already! W/ Signs That We Are In No Economic Recovery At All, Obama & The Dems Continue to Focus on Their Massive, Unpopular Health Care Bill.

Today House Speaker Pelosi indicates that they want to continue to focus on their health care legislation over the next 6 weeks. Nothing overly surprising there: I've always maintained that if you've watched how these far left progressives have conducted themselves over the past year, you'd know that their health care aspirations would not go away easily, even after the breaking up of their supermajority in the Senate with Scott Brown's election. They just can't let go, regardless of the continued unpopularity of this legislation throughout the country. They know best for us. We don't. That's the far left world view. And perhaps it might be a bit more tolerable at present if only we didn't have so many other much more pressing issues facing the country right now. I know that Independents are paying attention to this continued silliness by the progressive-controlled dem party. Those same Independents are going to be having some real fun come this fall's elections, I predict.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.ce7b18ff74d1dcc6be3181f05e48255b.151&show_article=1

56% of Americans Think Federal Government Poses a Threat to the Rights of Americans. Where's the Shock?

...that according to a new CNN poll (link below). Drudge describes this poll result as a "shock." But why? It's no shock. Not when you have people like Obama's "diversity czar" Mark Lloyd (who has previously expressed admiration for the way Hugo Chavez has controlled the Venezuelan media) running around the FCC. Not when you have a White House that encourages the public to report any person who has a "fishy" opinion concerning health care reform. Not when you have a ruling party that seems dead-set on ramming through massive health care legislation through procedural gimmicks despite the legislation being overwelmingly unpopular with the American people. And of course, I could go on and on, but I'll spare you. Suffice it to say, I haven't been calling these Scary Days for nothing the last several months.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/02/26/cnn-poll-majority-says-government-a-threat-to-citizens-rights/?fbid=0CPSEH9AB0v

"Obama Rejects Cries of 'Socialism'." Me: I Wouldn't Call Him a Socialist, Per Se -- But Same Difference?

It's very entertaining to observe the far left and far right and how they spend so much of their every day trying to toss labels and insults at the other side, while at the same time spending just as much time trying to defend against the same mindless little labels and insults foisted upon them by the opposite side. I just laugh. (And they think I'm the uneducated, ignorant and infirm one over here since I'm an Independent! -- but I digress).

In the history of this blog, as much as I have been so often critical of Obama and his world view and policies, I think there was only one time when I, in a fit of rage about something I'd heard that Obama wanted to advance, labeled the idea as "socialist". (I believe my blog headline was something like, "Goodbye America, Hello Socialism" (a take-off on the old song, "Goodbye My Darlin', Hello Vietnam," which runs over the opening credits of the movie "Full Metal Jacket")). And sure enough, the left (including my annoying little left friend Draconem -- that dude is always gettin' me mad!) crawled right out of the woodwork to decry such a moniker being placed at Obama's feet.

And for the record: I would not call Obama a "socialist," because I don't think his world view fits the letter of that term. That term commonly connotes a philosophy of the government taking over most all or all of the means and modes of production of a particular country and society. I wouldn't accuse Obama and all of his radical-leftist-progressive friends of wanting to go quite that far. But they damn sure want to "take advantage of a good crisis" (Obama right-hand-man Rahm Emanuel's words) in order to try to grow the scale of the federal government just as far and as big as they can ram-rod through the house and senate and right down our throats.

Anyone believing anything else is a fool. You know what really gets my goat about the far left and far right? They will always deny that which is obvious that they want to accomplish, such as that which I just stated above concerning the progressive agenda to increase the size of the federal government in our everyday lives just as big and huge as they can force it. Hey Radicals!: If any of you goofs would EVER, JUST FOR ONCE, ADMIT the truth concerning the goals that you seek to accomplish, I would actually give you freaks an ounce of respect for just being honest for a change! But that'll never happen (them being honest, that is)!

http://www.cnbc.com/id/35564308

Reconciliation: The Big Bluff?

You know, from a party full of politician leaders who are incessantly disingenuous and oftentimes just downright dishonest (not that they aren't just as many slimeballs in the repub party), I asked myself this question today: "Self, why do you typically distrust everything that this democrat party has to say, but yet you take it at face value when it comes to their threats, such as the nuclear option/reconciliation"? And the more I read and hear on the issue, I'm thinking reconciliation (i.e. the threat of ramming a massive health care bill through the Senate with only 51 votes) may well be little more than an idle threat.

I know, I know -- I've previously thought these radical-leftist-progressive-controlled dems would do anything necessary to ram through a huge health care bill, but I'm starting to think that the completely drastic measure of reconciliation is a "Bridge Too Far" that even the dems do not intend to try to cross. I think they may well be bluffing, with an aim towards bringing onboard a moderate republican or two (such that reconciliation would not be necessary) with minimal concessions to said moderate republican(s) in terms of the language of the bill.

I'm starting to think this for at least a couple of reasons: (1) Trying to ram this huge monstrosity through using reconciliation would be, based upon what I have read, a huge procedural nightmare based upon all the procedural roadblocks that repubs would be able to throw up; and (2) If Obama & The Dems have the unmitigated audacity to use such an obscure procedural mechanism (typically only used for budget-related matters) to ram through the most wide-sweeping legislation in 45 years against the clear will of The People (who overwelmingly oppose this legislation), it will be a disaster for the democrat party this fall of nearly Biblical proportions.

So my current money is on "BLUFF". That would also explain the leaks 4-6 weeks ago to the likes of Dick Morris (why would ANY DEM ever leak anything to him?) that reconciliation had been agreed upon by Obama/Pelosi/Reid as an option: Such leaks were probably calculated to have the reconciliation idea/threat out there for a number of weeks in order to give the Bluff more credibility down the road. Could I be completely off-base here? Absolutely. I'm just trying to guess the probabilities.

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2010/02/23/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry6235624.shtml

Oh My! The Far Right Must Be SEETHING Tonight! Scott Brown to Vote FOR the Dems' New Stimulus/Jobs Bill!

As I said the night Brown captured the hearts of Massachusetts Independents and won senatorial election there Against All Odds, very little is still known about this dude -- We'll have to see how he acts in the years to come in the Senate. He's already committed to voting against Obama & The Dems' massive, unpopular health care bill. That's the correct side (as far as I'm concerned). Today he agrees, along with 5 or so other repub senators, to vote with the dems on this current New Stimulus/Jobs bill.

Off-hand opinion: I like the Independence he's exhibiting (and it's hilarious how Drudge has this as tonight's headline -- like I said, the right-wingers have to be Pi$$ed tonight!, and BTW, if you've read this space for even a week, you'll know that I love when either the right-wingers or the radical far left progressive-controlled dems are pi$$ed about anything -- It's hilarious, But I digress). So, I say "off-hand" opinion because frankly, I have not studied this New Stimulus/Jobs bill to any great degree, although it does seem to be very scaled-back legislation cost-wise and, completely unlike the massive First Obama Stimulus bill (which primarily was loaded with earmarks and pork for lawmakers in both parties), the current bill seems actually aimed at creating new jobs (BTW, why wasn't this the focus from Day 1 from Obama & The Dems? -- not that it's their focus even now, as they continue to focus on unpopular health care legislation).

Anyway, from what I have read, and like I said, it has not been intensive, I have not seen a credible basis to oppose this current New Stimulus/Jobs bill. If anything, repubs seem mainly to oppose it out of spite, since that slimeball Harry Reid unilaterally took off the table a prior version of this bill that certain repubs had invested some serious time in trying to negotiate. Nevertheless, spite should not be a reason for making substantive decisions as to whether to give a yea or neah on a piece of legislation. Bottom line: I do not have a credible basis to say this bill should be rejected and, based on that premise, Scott Brown appears again to be on the correct side of things here. Good start so far for him.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2221899520100222

Some Reassuring Words From an Unlikely Source.

As an Independent who does not like to see the country being driven towards either the far left or far right, and who is scared to death when either side/party has too much unfettered power in Washington, the past year has consisted of very Scary Days in my opinion. And even now, after the recent election results in Massachusetts, New Jersey and Virginia, Obama & the Dems seem as dead-set as ever to ram through their desired ultra-liberal pieces of massive federal legislation, such as the widely unpopular health care bill. To me, it's at times a feeling of almost complete helplessness watching this stuff going on in Washington. But today I noticed the closing sentences from an early-February column of conservative Charles Krauthammer. He may be a dyed in the wool conservative, but I think he realizes also that this has always been a centrist country. Such realization was exhibited in those closing words, which I found to provide just an ounce of reassurance during these dark times:

"No matter how far the ideological pendulum swings in the short term, in the end the bedrock common sense of the American people will prevail. The ankle-dwelling populace pushes back. It recenters. It renormalizes. Even in Massachusetts."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/04/AR2010020403623.html

U-S-A! U-S-A! The Americans Shock Canada Tonight 5-3 in Winter Olympics Ice Hockey.

Obviously, this is NOT an upset on quite the same level as 1980's Miracle on Ice, which might have been the biggest upset (actually, it was a couple of upsets) in the history of sport, at least not with the current American squad playing with a roster full of NHL players (as opposed to college kids playing against NHL-caliber players in 1980 from the Cold War era Soviet Union). But that being said, as the announcers noted tonight, the American team may consist of NHL guys, but "only a handful of them are recognizable NHL players." In contrast, Canada's team (also consisting entirely of NHL players) has been described as a veritable All-Star team of NHL guys. AND, tonight's game was played in Canada, which held a huge home ice advantage in this one. Bottom line: Canada was heavily favored here, the US has not beaten Canada in Olympic hockey EVER to my knowledge (or least not in many, many decades), and this was a HUGE upset. I only caught the third period, and it was extremely exciting. Great win. But this is only the preliminary round. Plenty of hockey left to play.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/olympics/2010/02/21/usa.canada.blog/index.html?eref=sihp

Colin Powell Blames the Dumb American People for Obama's Woes This Weekend.

Multiple-time political turncoat Colin Powell indicates this weekend that we're not capable of "getting" everything that Obama's been trying to do, spouting: "I'm afraid he (Obama) put too much on the plate for the American people to absorb at one time."

Sorry, General, but I would beg to differ. Not only are the American people perfectly capable of understanding the policies and initiatives that Obama has been pushing, we have understood and "absorbed" them just fine. And that's why your man's poll numbers have been in the tank, and it's why Independents have been running away from him faster than you run to a new party every 10 years or so. Or you can just blame it on a "dumb America" that supposedly needs your current party to think for it and take care of it. Whatever floats your boat, turncoat.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/politicolive/0210/Powell_doesnt_regret_Obama_vote_.html?showall

Hey Obama&Dems: Don't You DARE Try to Force Me To Give Some Portion of My IRA to You In Exchange for "Annuity Payment Streams"! Because I WON'T!

My God. I'm just getting wind of this after listening to the MarketWatch radio show this afternoon. The linked item also discusses it. As I understand it, Obama's Treasury and Labor Departments want to implement regulations that would require people with existing IRA's and 401K plans to "invest" with (i.e. relinquish to) the goverment substantial portions of the monies already contained within those plans. Cutting right to the chase here, folks, the Obama and his minions want to seize your retirement funds so that the federal government can use them as it sees fit, and in exchange the government will pay you some unspecified monthly "steady annuity payment stream."

This is outrageous. And I will not abide if this becomes law. I will not permit the federal government to tell me how I have to use and invest my retirement funds so that it can receive the full time value of my money and just pat me on the head with some monthly annuity payment. This would not be some voluntary program, folks, but would be all-the-way mandatory. Something like is purely un-American, I'm sorry. I don't much care for sounding like one of those damn republicans, but this, if it becomes law, is un-American.

So, what's to be done? Fortunately, there is time for all of us to make our voices heard, whether that be calling your federal lawmakers, making noise on the Internet, etc. Obama's plan is about to enter a public comment period before any such new regulations would be implemented. Let's make some noise, people!

http://www.taipanpublishinggroup.com/news-0129103.html

Dems To Try to Ram Through Massive Health Care Bill? Stop The Press! That's Exactly What I've Said They Would Try Since Scott Brown's Election.

It's hilarious that Drudge headlines with this tonight, when it's been pretty clear for weeks that Dems would use the "nuclear option" (51 votes in the Senate) to shove some massive and highly unpopular health care bill that no one's read right down our throats (including a public option intended to ultimately achieve a single payer, government-controlled health care system).  As I commented around the time of Brown's election -- No way do I buy that this radical-progressive-controlled democrat party would simply abandon their massive bill without making every possible effort to shove it right up our asses (I can use a bit more language like that, BTW, now that I've returned to The Underground -- Sweet Feeling!). 

So now that it's clear to just about everyone what the dems are going to try, will they be successful?  That's much more of an open issue, but the sad thing is, methinks it's more likely than not that they will be.  I'm not exactly what you'd call a religious man, but maybe I oughta start praying.  Because as often discussed in this space, I'm convinced that what the dems are trying to accomplish through this massive monstosity of a bill is nothing good for this wonderful country -- but don't take my word:  I think the 60-65% of the American population who opposes this bullshit bill is a pretty damn good indication.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100219/pl_nm/us_usa_healthcare1