Romney wins VA!!! [update]

With 9% of precincts reporting: Mitt's first REAL victory - 58%.

"Anyone but Romney" - in this case Ron Paul - a distant second!

Congratulations, Mitt!!!

[Update: with 76% of precincts reporting, Mitt now has 59%! Again: Congratulations, Mitt!!!]

This seems to say something about GOP contest

Limbaugh comments overshadow GOP contest

Yawn!... yeah, the GOP Presidential Primaries just aren't that exciting... it's a LOT easier to pay attention to radio blow-hard's intemperate ranting.

Putting things in perspective (literally)

The Scale of the Universe

Just out of curiosity...

Obama, appearing with Netanyahu, sees ‘difficult months’ ahead in Iran standoff

Just out of curiosity, what would happen if we - the U.S. - decided to simply IGNORE Iran? Let 'em go about their merry way.

... of course, we'd also have to convince Israel to pursue similar course.
Seems just a little weird that Israel - with fewer than 8Mn people - holds OUR foreign policy hostage!

Trust me: Iran is NOT an existential threat to the U.S.!... and anyone who believes it is (see, e.g., today's GOP) has a VERY LOW opinion of the U.S.!

"Bomb, bomb, bomb... "

McCain calls for U.S.-led airstrikes in Syria

Hmmm... to tell the truth, there's some part of me that agrees with Sen. McCain - at least, we ought to be doing SOMETHING...

On the other hand (... and there are a LOT of 'other hands'):
1. Does Sen. McCain have a PLAN in mind should we somehow succeed, by bombing, to oust Assad?... or is Syria's descent into chaos just okay?
(See, e.g., Libya.)

2. I'm just a bit skeptical of yet ANOTHER military intervention! - Seems to me this one could, without too much imagination, be construed as "waging a war of aggression", which is formally a War Crime.

3. Yes, I feel deeply for the Syrians opposing Assad's regime... but this IS an INTERNAL political & humanitarian mess... Syria is NOT threatening the U.S.

4. The GOP's "solution" to EVERY international crisis is ALWAYS, "Bomb, bomb, bomb... bomb, bomb Assad!" (You may freely, with perhaps some loss of lyrical integrity, substitute just about ANY country's/tyrant's name into this lyric.)

5. There will ALWAYS be tyrants who violently suppress their citizens. On this I agree with Ron Paul: since when did it become incumbent on the U.S. to police the world? (We've managed to disengage with sub-Saharan Africa for decades!)

On the flip side: IF Sen. McCain presented a coherent plan, I might be more attentive.
BUT - I suspect all he has is "Bomb, bomb, bomb... bomb, bomb Assad!"

Been there, done that, got the T-shirt.
(Wasn't all that much fun.)

This is just fun... (from Michael Moore via Twitter)

Michael Moore to Rush Limbaugh via twitter:

"Rush - As soon as u started losing the big $$ from your hate speech, you caved & obeyed the men who pay u. Who's the prostitute now, bitch?"

... but didn't Michael Moore mean SLUT?

This is just so... REPUBLICAN

Headline #1:

Rick Santorum Pushes Social Agenda, Stokes GOP Fear Ahead Of Super Tuesday 2012

Headline #2:

Newt Warns Of 'Disaster' Scenario

Yep: that's what the GOP is all about - be AFRAID... be VERY AFRAID!

... oops! - what's that?
Whew - just my shadow.

Uh... tell me about 'welfare queens' again

AIG selling $6 billion of AIA shares, to repay bail-out

Denny Thomas and Clare Baldwin | Reuters
4 March 2012
HONG KONG (Reuters) - American International Group (AIG) is looking to raise about $6 billion by selling part of its stake in Asia subsidiary AIA Group <1299.HK> in a long-awaited move to help the U.S. insurer repay a federal government bail-out.
...
The U.S. Treasury owns 77 percent of AIG following a massive $182 billion bailout in the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis. AIG holds around a one-third stake in AIA which, at Friday's close, was worth a little over $15 billion.

Wow! AIG wants to raise $6Bn to start to repay ME... for my $182Bn investment. Great! I feel so lucky!!!

When should I expect to see the other $176Bn?????

At last: SOMEONE stands up to Mr. Limbaugh!

... No, not the GOP Presidential field, all of whom issued lukewarm, "Gee, I wouldn't have used those words" comments, but his ADVERTISERS!

Limbaugh Advertisers: We Still Won't Sponsor Rush Anymore
David Friend, who runs the online backup company Carbonite, issued a statement on his company's website saying that Carbonite would no longer advertise with Limbaugh despite the host's rare admission of regret. From the website:

“No one with daughters the age of Sandra Fluke, and I have two, could possibly abide the insult and abuse heaped upon this courageous and well-intentioned young lady. Mr. Limbaugh, with his highly personal attacks on Miss Fluke, overstepped any reasonable bounds of decency. Even though Mr. Limbaugh has now issued an apology, we have nonetheless decided to withdraw our advertising from his show. We hope that our action, along with the other advertisers who have already withdrawn their ads, will ultimately contribute to a more civilized public discourse.”

Ah, yes: "civilized public discourse" - a concept with which Mr. Limbaugh is unfamiliar.

Of course, Mr. Limbaugh will now declare that his right to free speech has been violated... without quite realizing that his right to free speech does NOT include his 'right' to have others PAY for his speech. You can say whatever you want, Mr. Limbaugh - but PLEASE, don't argue that anyone else is obligated to PAY you to say it!

... meanwhile, the mealy-mouthed GOP Presidential candidates simply deplore Mr. Limbaugh's choice of words - not the ill-informed, ill-tempered, ad hominem attack itself!... which is to say: they pretty much all AGREE with what he said, they just wish he hadn't used the word 'slut' in saying it!

The "Kiss of Death"!

Sarah Palin: Allen West Should Be Considered For Vice Presidency In 2012

Recall, Rep. Allen West is the fellow who suggested that those of us who think the U.S. still has room for improvement ought "get the hell out of the United States of America".

... and if I were Rep. Allen West, I'd be running as fast as possible AWAY from Sarah Palin's endorsement!

Mitt's big chance!

Super Tuesday ("faster than a speeding bullet", etc.) is fast approaching.
Mitt's big chance to win a simple majority - as in greater than 50% - comes in Virginia, where only he and Ron Paul are on the ballot.

This could be fun!

uh... I know MY answer!

Mayan Light Beam Photo: Message from Gods, or iPhone Glitch?

the Almighty Dollar - for good!

Following his ill-informed, ill-tempered, and libelous rant against a Georgetown University law student, six (6) advertisers have withdrawn their sponsorships of Rush Limbaugh's radio show.

This, apparently, is the reason for his 'apology' to the student, one Sandra Fluke:

Limbaugh apologizes to law student for insult

For me, 'twasn't his use of word 'slut' that provoked outrage, but his complete misrepresentation of her Congressional testimony!
[I DO wonder, however, why the hell I'm granting this scumbag any ink whatsoever... 'tis much like pretending that Iran is an existential threat to the U.S. - Rush doesn't deserve the ink!]

"Anyone but Romney" wins still another!

Washington State caucuses: "Anyone but Romney" - 63%!
(... with 60% of vote counted.)

Will this guy EVER "win" with a simple majority???

Blatant self-promotion!

William Russell Sype for President 2016

[note: the Captain's Log fellow is chair of my finance committee... and his link is on right-hand nav bar.]

Good economic news!

In Positive Economic Sign, Republicans Starting to Say Obama Wasn’t Born in US Again
S & P Birther Index Posts Big Gains

In related news:

Sheriff Arpaio: Obama birth certificate a ‘forgery’

When will it end?

... oh, yeah: when that damn nigger is outta the White House!

Dover, PA and the wrath of G-d

Today there's been LOTS of tornado activity across mid-East - Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania...

From the Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes, the storms touched nearly all walks of life. A fire station was flattened. Roofs were ripped off schools. A prison fence was knocked down and scores of homes and businesses were destroyed. At least 20 people were killed, including 14 in Indiana, and dozens of others were hurt in the second deadly tornado outbreak this week.
[Storms wreck Ind. towns, kill 20 in 3 states]

Dover, Pennsylvania has remained untouched. I mention this only because, a few years ago, the right Reverend Pat Robertson opined:

"I'd like to say to the good citizens of Dover: If there is a disaster in your area, don't turn to God, you just rejected him from your city. And don't wonder why he hasn't helped you when problems begin, if they begin. I'm not saying they will, but if they do, just remember, you just voted God out of your city. And if that's the case, don't ask for his help because he might not be there."
[
Pat Robertson Tells Dover Residents They Rejected God]

Well, okay - since the right Reverend Pat issued his jeremiad, Dover has yet to be hit with ANY natural disaster - no tornado, no flood, no fire... so I guess he's still in good standing with The Lord. His comments assumed a disaster - "IF there is a disaster..."

BUT: Reverend Robertson - how come LOTS of other cities and towns have experienced disasters, but NOT Dover, PA???

Once upon a time...

... I enjoyed Presidential election years.
'Twas fun following the campaigns.

Today - not so much.
Even the 'moderate' GOP candidates are running so far to the right that I no longer recognize 'em as 'my fellow Americans'.

How the hell did contraception end up an issue?
I was maybe 11 or 12 when "The Pill" was introduced. I asked a friend's mom what "The Pill" was, and she told me. (This was pretty much the only 'sex education' I ever got!)... this is 1963.

"Barefoot and pregnant" seems the GOP mantra.
Huh???
... and women who use contraception are sluts.

"Once upon a time" - in my lifetime!... Sigh.

Well - they've got God on their side!

Wilmington City Council Passes Resolution Urging 'Personhood' Rights For Sperm

Here's G-d's opinion:

8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Sleep with your brother’s wife and fulfill your duty to her as a brother-in-law to raise up offspring for your brother.”
9 But Onan knew that the child would not be his; so whenever he slept with his brother’s wife, he spilled his semen on the ground to keep from providing offspring for his brother.
10 What he did was wicked in the LORD’s sight; so the LORD put him to death also.
[Genesis 38:8-10]

I pity the man who masturbates!

You can't make up this stuff!

... Well, yes you can - if you're much cleverer than I.
From the mailbag - simply hysterical!

In Possible Gaffe, Romney Says Poor People ‘Taste Like Chicken’
Awkward Moment at Ohio Wrestling Event
TOLEDO (The Borowitz Report)) – In what some political observers are calling a possible gaffe on the part of the former Massachusetts governor, Mitt Romney told a crowd gathered for a World Wrestling Entertainment event in Ohio today, “I love poor people. They taste like chicken.”