All right...all right...all right! Cynical lil' 'ol me got a nice pleasant shock in a "breaking news" email on my Blackberry on Saturday afternoon; I was so shocked said Blackberry nearly went into my BBQ. :)
An unpleasant shock was that my supposedly - "reasonable" GOBP Senator chose to just say no. Oh well... And, Senator McCentury's little tantrum officially cemented his position right next to Bull Conner in the dictionary of history under bigot. Congratulations! *&^%$#@!
While I am still doing the happy - happy joy - joy dance at the vote on Saturday, the mechanics of the actual overturning will not be easy. Something I've been thinking about is the question of benefits, for lack of a better term. Let's say you have a happily - married gay couple residing in a state where gay marriage is legal. If someone in that couple joins the military & dies in service to his/her country, will there be "issues" in their spouse getting benefits? This issue & a mess of others are going to take some time to work out, but I'm still dancing. :)
In lieu of "this day in history," I want to take some time to remember some people who've died in the past year. The Courage Hall of Fame took a hit with the death of Miep Gies; had it not been for her, the world would have never known Anne Frank. Elizabeth Edwards handled personal & public struggles with more dignity than I'd wager most of us would have trouble mustering up. J.D. Salinger, the author of Catcher in the Rye, was probably spinning in his grave at all the publicity his passing garnered. The world got way less cool with the passing of Dennis Hopper. The world got way less funny with the passing of Leslie Nielsen & Peter Graves. Yes, my Peter Graves memories are Airplane! ones - not Mission Impossible. ;D Theodore Olbermann became the "face" of HCR & chief James Thurber fan for millions of Americans. Finally, in a passing that probably not many knew about but hit me hard when I did, Peter Orlovsky died a few days after my birthday in May. Feel free to share remembrances of others in comments.
To shift gears in a BIG way, let's move onto SPARK! If you find yourself with extra mashed taters as part of your holiday meal this year, you just might have this guy to thank for it. Y'all can have my share; mashed taters are wall paper paste to me. Anyone who doesn't get a kick outta this Santa deserves some coal in their nether regions, in my most humble opinion, of course. ;D While I don't condone AT ALL some of the other possible behaviors in this guy's class, speaking as an educator during this time of year, we ALL in our heart of hearts REALLY wish we could leave our classes with the following greeting every once in awhile! ;D 'Scuse me while I stuff my face for awhile {insert drool here}. :) Finally, here's some holiday hospitality "Hoosier" style! HA!
Let's Countdown - with the admonition to NOT eat the yellow snow!
#5 "Senate Kills ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’" AKA "Lame Duck Kicks Elephant Butt" AKA "Grumpy Old Pouters" - O...M...G...was I seeing things or was the Bayhipede "in charge" of the Senate during the DADT vote?! EEEEeeeeeeWWWWWwwwwww!!!! Whoever sat in that seat afterwards hopefully put some paper down before squatting. Oh...I really don’t feel like seeing that Senator Bull Conner DADT McCentury video again; I’ve seen it quite enough times, thank you.
The DREAM Act bit the big one. START is sputtering along in spite of Mitchie McConnell’s & Senator Lindsey Graham’s whining. Howard Fineman’s on board to talk "ducks." OK, at the risk of flames here, and I know I might be in the minority on this issue, but I am giving President Obama absolutely NO CREDIT for DADT repeal. Rachel Maddow over the weekend had all kinds of glowing remarks about how this vote was a "victory for the President," and Chris gave him kudos, too. Of the long list of folk who worked their hind quarters off for DADT repeal, I’d put President Obama near the bottom if on the list at all. He could’ve suspended DADT dismissals via executive order his first day in office pending study of the policy’s implementation, his DOJ could’ve decided to not appeal the decisions made in the courts against the policy, and a whole other host of reasons. So, while some of you might be getting ready to flame me, I’ll put on my fire – retardant underoos. Yes, this vote will be remembered, but, once unemployment benefits are on the chopping block again, and the rich are yet again hoarding their tax cuts, the tax cut deal will be remembered, too – if anyone manages to forget it. Democrats looking to the NEXT election may have helped kill the DREAM Act. Our government may or may not run out of money at midnight tomorrow. I fast forwarded through Senator McCentury's fit – sorry! Oh, and Lindsey Graham, too... So, has ANYONE ANYWHERE reminded these pouting GOBPers that they seemed to have enough energy in a lame duck session to IMPEACH A POTUS a few years ago, or do they haz teh fuzzy TurdBlossom memory on that score?! I heard a couple of "people" *itching about all this lame duck activity this morning on Diane Rehm’s show & nearly retched right in my office.
GOBP leadership tried the ‘ol hostage situation again with DADT repeal & START. David Corn gets to talk pouters tonight! He called them "brats!" HA! ;D
#4 "Net Neutrality" AKA "Not Neutrality?" - The FCC has the votes to approve their version of "net neutrality" (?). Neither side of the political aisle is real thrilled with the option. The vote is scheduled for in the morning. OK, to slightly go "off topic," I am SO NOT GETTING all this Tron shtick. Wasn’t the original movie notoriously bad? And, then, someone felt the need for a part deux because no one in Hollywood has an original idea anymore?! A quote from some person I’ve never heard of states (concerning the FCC’s position on this issue),
These rules appear to be flush with giant loopholes, and the FCC chairman seems bar more concerned with winning the endorsement of AT&T and the cable lobbyists than with listening to the millions of Americans who have pleaded with him to fix this proposal.
The 2 Dem members of the FCC, I guess, aren’t thrilled, either. Marvin Ammori is an internet law expert who doesn’t seem thrilled with what’s on the FCC’s docket. Must...resist... Starvin’ Marvin...or...Marvin the Martian...jokes...here... All wireless access to the internet is going to be exempt from whatever’s passed. Content won’t be able to be blocked per se, but it sounds like some material might be deemed more "valuable"(?) than others? Huh? OK, I’m good & cornfused. Help?
So, after all this tomorrow, whatever the FCC votes on might get struck down in a lawsuit anyway? O...K...
** Ah, there’s winter driving – for all you warm climate folk here! Some penguins in Japan get to stroll around a zoo this time of year every year. Well, ain’t that special? Some poor hurdle runner just decides to knock the mothers over after missing the first one. Yea, I’ve had days like that! ;D **
#3 "Spies Like US" - A big ‘ol database is being put together with the help of local law enforcement agencies throughout the country to identify "security risks." So, the next time Hubby and I are in Memphis eating BBQ, there might be some secret camera in our pork ribs? Golly! I guess we better order the chicken, instead. ;D Mike German gets spy duty. There are precious few guidelines & oversight means in this information gathering. Uh, why does this scenario sound so familiar? I guess the ‘ol phrase, "Take a picture; it lasts longer!" might take on a whole new meaning now. OOPS! Speaking of BBQ, Hubby & I had our "Christmas dinner" here the other day. :D
*** OK, I’m sorry; I just don’t have the patience or the energy for Southern racist revisionist history, so I’m bailing on the #2 segment. Of course, feel free to discuss in comments if you wish. ***
#1 "Bilk of America" - Citizens of the "Show Me Your Papers" state & NV have filed suit against Bank of America for their $hitacular foreclosure "policies." Some homeowners had their homes sold out from underneath them while in the process of trying to get a loan modification. HAPPY HOLIDAYS! How much bailout coin did Bank of America get?
The Iowa AG might be filing suit, too. Here’s AG Terry Goddard, the poor guy who managed to get beat by Jan Brewer in November. Oye... So, if he couldn’t even beat crackpot Jan Brewer, what makes anyone think he’ll be able to do anything with foreclosure shenanigans?!