Esby here, and I'll have to say it's been a great day! I kind of found my gun! I couldn't remember where I had left it on Sunday, somewhere between church service and the Chuck E Cheese.
But there's a new iPhone app called "Find My Gun" that works like a charm. Now guns don't have GPS chips in them—that would be an invasion of privacy. But somehow, those jokers found a way to post every news story for every crime and murder committed with your weapon (the free app only finds one lost weapon, get the pro version)! So now I know that since I've lost it, the culprit has committed a murder during an argument over a Thompson Twins song, and then knocked off a Krispy Kreme downtown. Hooray!
I'm driving south right now trying to find it. I know what I would be robbing—delicious taco truck!—but finding this gun, which used to be like finding a needle in a haystack, is now like finding a jelly bean in the world's biggest cheesecake (but the older Israeli record, since beaten by Mexico). That is to say, a lot easier!
Uh-oh, gotta go. FMG push notification tells me they've run off with two camouflage snuggies and a bottle of Red Stag from the liquor store. Wish me luck!
I don't understand what's gotten them madder. Romney's healthcare plan? McCain's cap and trade? Bush's TARP? Johnny Isakson's end of life counseling? Or Milton Friedman's monetary policy? These are all the things that they just like go nuts over. But basically most of them were Republican ideas.
—James Carville on Bill Maher's Realtime.
I love people. I'm not that big on voters.
—Republican strategist Mike Murphy, on the same show.
I wasn't going to resign but decided to quit after what happened Saturday . I love the Republican Party but I don't want to take a bullet for anyone.
—Arizona Republican District Chairman Anthony Miller, fearful of the "imaginary" violent rhetoric.
My first impression of the political and rhetorical escalation by Palin: she's going for broke on this. She thrives off this emotional polarization and is seeking, like all demagogues, to exploit it.
—Andrew Sullivan on Sarah Palin's video from Wednesday.
Today has been set aside to honor the victims of the Tucson massacre. And Sarah Palin has apparently decided she's one of them.
—Talking Points Memo's Josh Marshall.
Most of society's "crazy people" (which range from perhaps you and I to a number of less "functional" people) don't actually commit violence. But in our minds, thanks probably to the TV, people are most crazy when they are 1. weird and 2. mass murderers. But then you have to start asking hard questions, like: is bin Laden a murderous monster who knows what he's doing? Or is he "crazy"?
—Choire Sicha.
I’d give everybody the advice to tone down the rhetoric and to get away from the military or the armed metaphors.
—Pat Buchanan last Monday.
Frankly I thought it was an excellent statement with regard to the phrase 'blood libel'.
—Pat Buchanan last Wednesday.
You have to question the timing of it.
—Michelle Malkin.
No, no. You don't have to. You are not a primitive nematode, capable only of autonomic nervous response to outside stimuli. You have choice; you went to Oberlin.
—Jon Stewart's response to Malkin.
I think failing to ensure a proper tone was a big mistake at the White House. However, his point on the applause indicators is well taken. My apologies for my incorrect analysis earlier on the applause indicators.
—Hot Air's Ed Morrissey's apology for accusing the White House for applause prompting during Obama's Tucson speech.
Almost immediately even conservative commenters pointed out that it was live transcripting for the hearing impaired.
Massacre Rally Theatre is a complete abomination. Absolutely obscene.
—Tammy Bruce, on Obama's speech on Wednesday.
The right wing is so eloquent.
I suspect here [sic] of being a graduate of typing class, back when girls did that.
—James Fulford, talking about Bruce.
It's a sad day when girls aren't in typing class where they belong. Oh, by the way, you spelled "her" wrong.
It’s in the news now. I’m sure the Green Bay Packers are selling all kinds of jerseys today as well. I just think our state embraces guns.
—Greg Wolff, Arizona gun shop owner on the strong sales of guns after the tragedy.
The Superbowl of the NRA was played in Tucson?
I think it ended up being nothing of the kind. This was much more of a pep rally and perhaps that's precisely what the people of Tucson and the people of this region needed...and wanted.
—Britt Hume.
On the 50th anniversary of John Kennedy's inauguration, the president wisely did not refer back to the famous line from his predecessor. It has been quoted too often. (The text he quoted from, twice, was the Bible.) But the message of the speech was similar: Citizenship demands something of us.
—John Dickerson.
I don't recall it ever happening to me, but maybe—maybe I'm a likable fellow and people open the door.
—Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia on the unbelievable notion that someone could be home but not answer the door.
Scalia is taking the premise way too far.
Read the whole thing. These stories of people being railroaded or wrongly identified always send home to me the basic problem with the death penalty. There's just no doubt in my mind that innocent people have been executed, and even beyond what I consider to be the immorality of the state taking life in anything but self defense, this is the thing that keeps me up at night. I just can't understand why we feel it's ok to take that chance.
—Blogger Digby.
Why would violent movies or music be left out of the rush to judgment? Perhaps it’s because pop-culture defenders never tire of arguing that no one can blame the “artists” – be they musicians, movie-makers or video-game manufacturers – for youth violence.
—Brent Bozell on where the real culprit of Tucson lies.
Brent Bozell's boogeyman? Donnie Darko. No, I'm not joking. No, really.
You moron. Joe, there's a reason that everyone you know listens to and watches Glenn's show, including your mom, and not yours: you suck!
—Glenn Beck cohost Pat Gray to Joe Scarborough, who admitted his mom watched Glenn Beck.
Because people aren't capable of watching two TV shows that air at different times.
The show, now into its fourth season, sets a consistent tone of sacrifice, patriotism, and love of country.
—The Corner's Ray Keating on why conservatives should like the TV show Chuck.
Because those qualities don't appeal to liberals?
I’m not going to sit down, I’m not going to shut up.
—Third grader Sarah Palin on Sean Hannity.
Say something nice, then?
Bill Kristol "sympathizes" with the way Palin was so terribly offended this week. Reports are that Palin is nevertheless managing to breathe without a respirator, because she is so brave.
—Jason Linkins
I am not arrogant enough to believe that after one year as governor … that I am ready to be president of the United States.
—Governor Chris Christie (R, NJ).
He's saving up his arrogance for other things?
They could be spared the choice of sitting on their hands or standing and applauding unpopular policies that the American people rejected in the midterm elections. Senator Udall may be a nice guy, but what he is offering amounts to a witness protection program.
—The Corner's Charlotte Hays on the proposed seating arrangement of the State of the Union speech.
Do Americans know who's in Congress? Or is John McCain inviting Snooki to tag along?
Sears is having a MLK Day 50% mattress sale. Now you'll have a dream. On a Serta Pillowtop. Available in Martin Luther King, Martin Luther Queen and Martin Luther Twin.
—Stephen Colbert, mocking the fact that the holiday has finally made it in America.
Now you know why I returned Rush’s volley on Fox last night: I’ve just saved that poor little girl a world of hurt.
—Charles Krauthammer, who reported that Rush Limbaugh said he was going to name his first child Krauthammer, even if it was a girl.
Limbaugh later changed his mind.
Music Quote of the Week:
I don't want to single anyone out. I'll just say that there are a lot of not good band names out there.
—Sam Beam of Iron and Wine
Film Quote of the Week:
Has there ever been a time when I wanted the hero to die so badly, as badly as in this film? No.
—Widgett Wall's movie review of The Green Hornet.
Quote the Ravin', a weekly roundup of quotes from around the internets, comes out every Tuesday on Daily Kos around lunchtime.