"Bad Santa" Was "Packing Something More Than Gifts."

A story today out of Tennessee: The Santa (pictured above) knocks over a bank and then makes his getaway -- not in a sleigh, mind you, but in a gray mid-size car. The story makes clear that this wasn't the real Santa Claus, but rather an imposter. (However, since the perp was sporting dark shades, and since he did utilize a bona fide "Santa-style sack," how can we really know for sure?)

"I don't remember a Santa doing that," said the police. Great point. This guy threatens to give Santas everywhere a bad name. Although, the story does point out that this wasn't the first time a demented Santa has reared its ugly beard. The story says that criminals "mimicking Kris Kringle" have pulled bank jobs in the past, with the most infamous being "The Santa Claus Bank Robbery" of 1927 in which a fake Santa "and his crew" (elves? reindeer?) killed and injured several people in Texas.

Finally, the story encourages you -- if you have seen this Bad Santa -- to call Crime Stoppers. OK, I'll keep an eye out. No comment from the FBI on this whole situation, by the way.

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20091223/NEWS03/912230395/1009/news02/Bad+Santa+robs+bank++flees+with+bag+full+of+cash

Alabama Congressman Switches Parties, Goes Republican.

Representative Parker Griffith from Alabama announces today that he's switchin' from the dems to the republicans (link below). Which makes him a pathetic turncoat. I've expressed this many times in this space: If you chose to align yourself with either one of these two bullshit parties who represent minority swaths of the country, then at least have character enough to stick with your decision through thick and thin. If there is anything I detest more than a slimey partisan liberal or conservative, it's a turncoat. Colin Powell, a career turncoat himself, is probably the worst example. Arlen Specter right behind.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1209/30896.html

Never Before Have I Seen Such a Destructive & Un-Democratic Act in America As That Currently Being Perpetrated by Washington Dems.

Senate dems are moving toward a 9 p.m. Christmas Eve passage of the Harry Reid health care bill. Reid has just added a massive "manager's" amendment to the bill, which incorporates the various back-room deals (i.e. bribes and extortions) necessary for him to get 60 Senate dems to vote for his monstrosity of a health care "reform" bill. (The myriad problems and dangers of this bill were very well detailed today on the Wall Street Journal's editorial page (link below)). No one will have a chance to fully digest this amendment before the bill is voted upon Thursday night. Nope -- The dems are just gonna ram this gargantuan piece of legislation right down our throats. And it will likely be very close to what they give Obama to sign because too many subsequent changes, based on the House dems' version of this bill, will threaten to upset the apple cart (i.e. the 60 Senate ass-clowns, including Joe Lieberman, who support this piece of crap legislation).

Never before in American history has such a sweeping piece of legislation (which will seize one-seventh of the American economy) been enacted on a purely party-line vote with no bipartisanship whatsoever. Never before in American history has a bill this significant been jammed through and into law without virtually anyone who voted for it having had an opportunity to fully read and digest it first. Never before in American history has a bill this historical been snuck through on Sunday post-midnight procedural votes and Christmas Eve night passage votes in order to limit the publicity with respect to legislation that a majority of Americans opposes.

If you've taken a look at this space a time or two before, you'll know that I enjoy going off on both extremes and both parties. But I cannot recall an instance in my life previously where one particular act of one of these parties threatened to ensure that I will never be able to give that party any benefit of the doubt, any trust or any support ever again. The dems came very close when they ram-rodded the Cap'n Trade through the House earlier this year after adding 300 pages of new amendments to the bill earlier that morning. And I think that for me, the proverbial "last straw" probably falls right around Christmas Eve 2009.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704398304574598130440164954.html

State of Kansas to Consider, and In My Opinion Should Approve, an Abolishment of the Death Penalty.

(Story linked below). Kansas (and every other state) should abolish the death penalty not because it's cruel and unusual punishment (it's not) nor on the basis that the State has no right to take the life of a first degree murderer (because the State has every such right). The reason the dealth penalty must be abolished is because every now and then, although admittedly not very often, an innocent person is put to death. To me, that is intolerable in any civilized modern society, and should be considered intolerable in what I consider to be greatest nation our world has ever seen (at least, it's the nation that I would more want to live in that any other in history). Are there compelling justifications for the death penalty? Certainly. Chief among them is the principle of retribution, i.e. if you take another's life in the first degree, then you deserve to have your own life taken. Not among them is a policy of deterrence, which has never been established through any consistent empirical data. And let me be clear: The typical liberal complaints with the death penalty, such as assertions that it's wrong to take a murderer's life, are not ones with which I agree, except for the one stated above -- It is inexcusable in any enlightened society for a legal mechanism to be in place that at times results in innocent men and women being killed. That's the bottom line. It's a price to which I will never be able to agree when it comes to the death penalty.

http://www.kansascity.com/news/politics/story/1639799.html

More Chickenshit Stuff From Washington Dems.

Senate dems announced today they now have the votes needed to pass the Senate (Harry Reid) version of a health care bill that we haven't been allowed to read, while Obama predictably offered profuse congratulations on such a truly inspiring and wonderful feat. Apparently also it's anticipated that there will be a key procedural vote on the bill sometime after midnight tomorrow night (I'm not making this stuff up), followed by a vote on passage of the bill likely on Christmas Eve. As I've said before, if I was a lawmaker and wanted to pass a bill that the majority of the country opposes without anyone being able to read or digest it first, I would rely on and utilize after-midnight and Christmas Eve votes as well. So it is when you have either one of these two bullshit parties completely controlling the federal government. They become completely out of control and don't give a rat's ass what We The People think about much of anything. It's a sad, and scary, situation these days in Washington.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/12/18/nelson-cites-real-progress-health-care-talks/

Obama Threatens Dem Congressman: "Don't Think We're Not Keeping Score, Brother!" How Nice.

Reportedly, that was Obama's recent threat to dem congressman Peter DeFazio (see link below), who has bucked his fellow "progressives" on certain issues this year, such as the Cap'n Trade and "stimulus" bills. In other words, toe the party line, regardless of what you might think about a particular piece of legislation, or there will be real political consequences for you. So very nice, so very Presidential, so very intellectual, and, apparently, so very Obama. BTW, Obama, just because you're the first true liberal to be elected president since LBJ, and just because your White House has shown a certain propensity to act in ways in which the Nixon White House acted, that doesn't mean you have to go around acting like those two all the time. Pathetic stuff.

http://thehill.com/homenews/house/72889-pelosi-rahm-do-not-scare-rep-defazio

Look at This Fatass Tub of Goo, Hateful Radical Left Progressive Freak Michael Moore Threatening Joe Lieberman...

Moore is waddling around threatening boycotts of Lieberman and that he "will get" Lieberman for having the unmitigated gall to oppose Obama & The Dems' single payer system desires (just like the majority of the country does). Four points here:

First, read the linked leftist column below about how Moore is on CNN dressing down CNN for not being biased enough to the radical far left. Because, after all, if you're a media outlet these days, you are supposed to be as biased as possible, right?

Second, I love how the linked leftist column describes Moore as a person who merely is devoted to his "liberal beliefs." Wrong. I can tolerate and respect principled liberals. But I have no place in my life for bitter, hateful, extreme, far left "progressives" of Moore's ilk. These people (much like the far right and your Rush Slimebaughs of the world) wake up every day with a mind full of extremist hate, the same way they fall asleep every night.

Third, and as I've discussed so many times in this space, there is hardly a more difficult position in which to exist in this country than as a non-conservative, non-liberal independent-thinking individual. Lieberman is feeling the brunt of that now from a pathetic sub-human creature like Moore. I know the same feeling anytime I show up on just about any website expressing my views. I get pounded hard from both extremes. It goes with the territory. But it always reminds me that I'm doing something right.

Fourth, and finally, if Moore is really interested in "getting" Independents such as Lieberman, I'd like to extend a personal invitation to his big fat ass to try "getting" me. I've got a big Southwest Missouri left hand just awaiting his big, fat, morbidly obese mug. With a 2-foot wide target like that, it would be virtually impossible for a straight left from a southpaw stance to miss.

http://www.examiner.com/x-11974-San-Diego-Cultural-Trends-Examiner~y2009m12d17-Michael-Moore-is-calling-for-a-boycott-of-Lieberman-and-Connecticut-over-healthcare

Go Ahead. Take a Nice Long Look. It's For Your Better Health.

A German study (perhaps of dubious distinction, but does that really matter?) reports this week that "staring at boobs" for as little as 10 minutes a day is good for a man's health and can add years on to his life. Works for me.

http://www.themedguru.com/20091206/newsfeature/stare-boobs-longer-life-study-86131320.html

Good to See Radical-Left-Progressive Dems Adopting Dick Cheney Phraseology & Talking Points. Goes to Show, Just 2 Peas in the Same Extremist Pod!...

...And so it is tonight that we get Far Left Loon Nancy Pelosi and her House colleagues accusing the Senate of "dithering" (a Dick Cheney word) on health care. So let me get this straight: One old out-of-touch extremist uses the word, and then another old out-of-touch extremist on the other extreme adopts it into her own lexicon! Please. These Washington politicians are so incredibly pathetic, so amazingly insulting to the intelligence of the American people, and frankly, so incredibly dangerous to the country that most of us know and love. You have to love how utterly out-of-touch (and uncaring about the same) this Pelosi creature is. I mean, using weird, archaic words and phraseology is apparently apart of her being. She injected the word "robust" into the "public option" debate recently, while I can't think of the last person I've met who has used that word in a conversation during my entire life. Now we get "dithering," following on Dick Cheney's lead. Folks, if the out-of-touch extremist policies that these people advocate were not your first clue, just listen to the kinds of words and language that they use in their rhetoric! These people do not represent us, rather they are only a danger to us. Pay no attention. And think for yourselves.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1209/30651.html

Harry Thought He Had a Deal.

Harry thought wrong. At least until the next time he trots out at 9 p.m. and announces another deal on health care legislation but refuses to reveal what's in the new bill and what's been agreed to. That will probably occur tonight or tomorrow. With leaders like Harry, who needs cancer, gout or the swine flu?

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20091214/D9CJ3VPO0.html

All Harbaughs & Holtz's Aside, I Can't Figure Out If the University of Kansas Has Hired the Real Turner Gill or the KC Star's Fake One?!?

Without an official news conference until tomorrow, I'm still waiting to see and confirm whether KU has hired the bona fide Turner Gill, as opposed to the fake one that the illustrious Kansas City Star plastered all over the front page of its sports section last week (followed by a buried retraction), who in reality was (the Real) Turner Gill's coordinator, Danny Barrett. For a newspaper who has hateful ultra-radical-progressive freaks like Mike Hendricks and Yael T. Abouhalkah dominating their editorial pages, it sure was egg on the face for the same publication to treat all African-Americans as if they all look exactly alike (note: Gill and Barrett look NOTHING like each other). Way to go Star! Keep up the great service to the Kansas City community!!!

http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/892230.html

JUST WHAT WE NEED! More spending, more debt, more federal government control!

When I say this radical-left-progressive-controlled dem party that runs Washington is fairly dangerous and scary, such sentiments ain't coming from your Rush Slimebaughs and Sean Hannitys of the world. I don't like conservatives. I don't like republicans. But the bottomless black hole that these far left dems want to plunge us down is a situation, which at least in my humble view, is the greatest danger to the America we know and love that I have ever seen during my lifetime. Scary Days.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20091211/D9CHCOIG0.html

Former Mayor of New York City, Ed Koch. Hilarious Dude.

I attended an event today at which Koch was the keynote speaker. This dude is a WWII veteran, and so he is like 85 years old now. Today he spoke about some of his takes on the current political landscape. He is a very rambunctious man, a very proto-typical "New Yorker," which I've always admired from those folks. And he's very funny. Get this: He actually and intentionally dropped an F-Bomb at the end of his address, which most in attendance found to be utterly hilarious (it was the punch line to a story he told to close out his speech).

Anyway, the main reason I'm blogging about this is because of some very admirable statements that Koch made during his address. He flat out said, "I'm a liberal democrat," but it was also clear that he has a lot of criticism and problems with the current regime in power in Washington. He said that he's just as much about "common sense" as he is tied to his democrat roots. One of his best proclamations, in observing how Washington has gone very wrong these days, was to say, "If you don't have the money, then you can't spend it!" He also questioned why we are trying to nation-build in Afghanistan when our enemy is currently located in Pakistan -- his message there was basically, get the boys off the ground and out of Afghanistan, and "bomb the hell" out of the locations where we think Al Qaeda and Osama may be located in Pakistan.

But I won't ramble on too long here -- I was impressed by some of the independence of thought exhibited by Koch. He struck me as a guy very devoted to his party, but also not afraid to criticize it when it's going off the tracks. We could use a lot more of the same from dems and repubs in this country.

This Is Slimeball Stuff- The Senate May OR May Not (Depending on the Source) Be About to Pass a Health Care Reform Bill, But No One Knows What's In It

OK, so the Senate seems poised (again, possibly or possibly not, depending on the source -- SEE the below 2 links) to pass a massive health care bill which will certainly be one of the greatest expansions of the federal government in American history, and we are not allowed to know what's in it or even get a straight story on which senators oppose and favor it. PEOPLE: These congressional dems and repubs do NOT represent us. They are slime. Their votes can be purchased for a dime (i.e. a few million in pork in a Lousiana bog or a Missouri timber). None of them care what we think. They think we're just a big dumb uneducated populace. I have said before, that never in my several decades on the planet have I seen such unresponsiveness from the federal government (and that goes mainly to the slimeballs in charge, but ALSO to the slimeballs who inhabit the intolerant far right). These people just go around doing whatever the hell they feel like in Washington in terms of passing massive legislation and trying to impose all kinds of new levels of federal control and regulation upon our lives -- regardless of what any of us think about it. I've not seen anything like it before in my time. Scary Days.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9628e37a-e5cc-11de-b5d7-00144feab49a.html

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1209/30473.html

Here's a Man that Both Conservatives & Liberals Alike Love to Hate.

South Carolina U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham. I view Graham as a fairly devout and longstanding republican. I, in contrast, am not, and I view Graham as distinctly to the right of me. But that being said, I much admire the independence of mind that he often exhibits. He is not a conservative, but more importantly, NOR is he some mealy-mouthed or wishy-washy "moderate" as the conservatives and liberals like to try to paint him. (See previously in this space my Politics 101 lesson: liberals and conservatives have very few plays in their playbook. One is to attack anyone who disagrees with them as being some kind of radical on the other extreme, and if that doesn't work or lacks credibility, then Plan B is always to say the person is a "mealy-mouthed, wishy-washy 'moderate'", but I digress, although I tie this in down below).

The far left and far right would find this very hard to believe, but it is actually possible to view issues independently and with an independent, informed mind and viewpoint, such that certain of one's opinions come out on the right, others on the left, and others somewhere in between. That doesn't make a person a "mealy mouth" or "wishy washy". Rather, it makes the person one who has an independence of mind and spirit that so many of our politicians could learn from (sorry Jeeves to end a sentence on a preposition).

So what made me blog about Graham tonight is that I saw him on the fox Greta show tonight, and he was there very directly going off on Harry Reid and Reid's whole escapade last night of saying "we have a deal on the public option and a new bill which is great for everyone, but you can't see it and I can't comment on it." Graham was also going off on how this new "deal" or new "bill" or whatever you want to call it doesn't get rid of the public option at all, but rather just attaches a "trigger" to it, which I'm fully confident will be framed by the dems in the language of the bill as a "trigger" that is almost certain to occur, meaning the "new" Reid bill is one designed to almost assuredly bring about a public option a few years down the line.

So the bottom line? It just struck me, as I watched Graham tonight (his views on Reid and the dems' health care "reform" desires are spot on, as far as I'm concerned) -- Here's a guy full of conviction and vinegar on this issue, pulling no punches when it comes to what the dems are trying to accomplish. And that's mealy-mouthed, as the far right freaks like Slimebaugh and Savage and Hannity like to accuse him of being? That's taking no real position? That's "riding a fence" as Draconem likes to accuse me of? That's wishy-washy? Puh-lease. No, it's none of those things.

Rather, such rhetoric is just the moronic, anti-intellectual Plan B (as described above) for which liberals and conservatives have no further play. They really don't know what to do with us devout Independents. And I love being a thorn in both of their sides, and hounding them to the outskirts of Hell, until the day they stick me in the ground (which, BTW, won't be for another 70 years at least). As I like to say, We're Everywhere, and We Ain't Going Away.

Senate Dems Tonight Seem to Me to Be Much In a State of Flux & Uncertainty.

You have them rejecting an anti-abortion-funding amendment to the senate bill, which some "blue dog" dems have insisted is a prerequisite to their vote (thereby very much threatening the dems' ability to pass anything here), and then on the same night you have this feeble little mouse known as Harry Reid scurrying out and proclaiming from on high that "We have a deal on the public option, but you can't see it yet, nor can I describe anything about it, but trust me, it's a good thing, and we have a deal!" What a PATHETIC group of individuals these congressional dems are, rivaled only by the congressional repubs. Not to mention, at least one prominent Senate dem is disputing that there's really any "deal" on the public option issue. But I digress. My bottom line observation on all this: Dems look confused, weak and chicken$hit, even more so than they typically do just in the normal course of things. Which also makes them extremely dangerous. We thought the danger of a "nuclear option," or some insane anti-democratic procedural maneuver being used, was past us? I'd say, think again. Because I think that may be the only way these crazy individuals will be able to get anything passed. God help us. Literally.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE5B807720091209?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&rpc=22&sp=true

Good to See the Dems Reverting Back to Their True Pathetic Colors.

All Summer Long (The Summer of Discontent, as it has become known to us Independents) these far left freaks were going around making all kinds of wild statements right and left about how ANYONE who disagreed with them on ANYTHING was, inter alia, a Nazi, a Mobster, a Racist, etc., etc., etc. Well, I do have to say, the radical leftist freaks have VERY much toned down their rhetoric in recent months -- almost like they all got together and resolved to do so. But just how long can a rat go without sniveling on some rotten cheese? Answer: Only so long. And so it was today that we see our Much Esteemed Senate Majority Leader from the State of Nevada, Harry Reid, comparing ANYONE who disagrees with Obama & The Dems' health care plan to Slave-Holders and Male Chauvinistic Pigs! Good to know that the country of freedom, independence, and debate is exhibiting so much tolerance for opposing viewpoints so as to make such a wonderful example for the world community! Put another way, Reid's a slime, just like so many other dems and members of the far left who react with third-grade insults and attack mode towards ANYONE who has the unmitigated gall to disagree with them on anything. And republicans, you can go F*** yourselves too.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/12/07/reid-compares-health-care-reform-foes-slavery-supporters/

Hubba, Hubba!

The Dignitaries are rollin' in and linin' up right and left in Denmark for this Copenhagen climate summit starting tomorrow (first link below). Following up on Saturday's blog post, I wonder how many of them are there for their freebie (second link below)?!? Hey, I'm not casting any stones (really though)! I just hope Bill Clinton is nowhere near this mess! Talk about something rotten in Denmark -- that would be IT!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/copenhagen-climate-change-confe/6736517/Copenhagen-climate-summit-1200-limos-140-private-planes-and-caviar-wedges.html

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jR91DgH-8QLeQeoRLk4qoGzDBF8Q

Forget ClimateGate. I Want to Head to Copenhagen for my Freebie.

"Copenhagen Prostitutes Offer Free Climate Summit Sex" (link below).

I've heard of doing your part to help the environment, but this is ridiculous.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0,1518,665182,00.html

I'm Glad I'm Not Tiger Woods Tonight.

As discussed last night in the sidebar: Normally, as a high-profile sports figure, Woods would only have to worry about the likes of ESPN or FoxSports or occasionally one of the hapless news networks covering his dirt. But now he's got TMZ all over his ass (link below). (Update: Just watched TMZ's daily program, and they are really all over his ass.) That is NOT a place I would ever want to be. If you want to roll in the celebrity world as defined by TMZ, then you get to deal with TMZ. Woods existed outside that world previously because he wasn't exactly a Hollywood player, but one weird car accident and a couple of revelations of extramarital affairs, from the one of the most recognized sports figures in the world, and TMZ is on the case. And let me be clear on TMZ: I don't really like what they do, chasing around celebrities and making fun of them at the same time they make a living from them, BUT TMZ is the best I've seen in that world. And they are VERY well-sourced and connected in that domain. As discussed previously in this space, when they were the first to report Jacko's death as fact, which no other media outlet could do until over 45 minutes later (in the Internet Age for crying out loud!), TMZ impressed the hell out of me. And as also expressed previously, I just wish TMZ would get out of the solely celebrity focus and branch out into hard news: They'd likely set the journalistic world on fire, which would be a very good thing these days.

http://www.tmz.com/2009/12/03/tiger-woods-uses-childhood-friend-as-cover/

MAN-GONE-O

Breaking news tonight: Mark Mangino forced out as head football coach of the University of Kansas. They call it a "settlement," meaning the Fatman is receiving something in the way of payment, but obviously he's be forced to hit the bricks due to the combination of 7 straight losses, including to bitter rival Missouri, to end the season, plus all of the recent allegations of physical and extreme verbal abuse of many of his players. As a Missouri fan who only wishes the worst for KU, it's hard to know how to feel about this. On one hand, Mangino has been better and more successful head coach than KU football has had in a long time, and he had a decent measure of success against MU (going 4-4). But maybe KU brings in a better coach than Mangino, which is the obvious potential downside of the current situation. To follow up on a comment I recently made in this space, I think I'll start a campaign for KU to hire one or more of the Bowden clan to run their program. That's definitely the way they should go, in my humble opinion.

http://www.kansascity.com/news/breaking_news/story/1609250.html

These Two Goofs Have Actually Given Me an Idea.

Yeah, I think I may have to take one out of the playbook of Michaele & Tareq Salahis. I think I'm going to try to crash one of these Tea Parties as one of the few non-conservatives attending. And if any liberals or progressives show up as protesters, then I'll heckle them too. I roll like that.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,578998,00.html

Let the Firings Begin.

It's that time of the year. Bobby Bowden is about to "resign" at Florida State. Charlie Weis gets the axe at Notre Dame. Already the speculation begins as to where Weis will land next, e.g., would the Kansas City Chiefs be interested in him as an O-coordinator for next year (and would he be interested)? And how much longer will Mark Mangino last at Kansas? I don't see any way he sticks around. When there's substantial internet chatter about who will replace you (as there has been regarding Mangino), that sort of bodes poorly for your chances of keeping your job. And on that front, who will replace Mangino in the probable event that KU fires him pretty soon? Bowden's two boys are available. Heck, I guess technically even Bobby is about to be available. And the revolving door just keeps turning...

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hIkyCcDP1b7gzOxkqq0f18KaWCngD9CAK4880

So Apparently Obama Is (Finally) Set to Make an Afghanistan Decision & Speech This Week.

It's good to see that Obama has been able to actually block out some time to address Afghanistan after 10 months in office and 3 months after General McChrystal's request for substantial troop increases. I just want to be clear on my position before such speech takes place this week: Obama needs to either provide something substantially close to what the commanders in the field are requesting, or he needs to get us the hell out of that hellhole. There is no other option. I suspect, however, that we're going to get some inadvisable middle ground that maintains our involvement there but which comes woefully short of providing the commanders with what they think is necessary to turn the situation around over there. The same would be extremely disingenuous on the part of Obama, who ran a presidential campaign criticizing Bush (and rightfully so) for paying scant attention to Afghanistan and focusing too much on that stupid war in Iraq in which we should have never been involved in the first place. But we'll see -- I'm reserving judgment until I hear what Obama has to say. Maybe he'll surprise me for once.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/11/29/senators-give-obama-advice-on-afghanistan-strategy-speech/