Now, we've all heard or read wild stories on the web about this or that, about things found on eBay and at garage sales.  About lost art and lost treasure suddenly found.  Well, there's this guy, an author, who seems to have found an awfully large treasure.  A BIG, HUGE, AMAZING treasure.  An American icon, behind only the Flag and Coca-cola as a recognizable symbol of America.  

Here on dKos we've had discussions regarding the presence (or lack thereof) of women on the 'net and in the blogosphere.  There was even some slight discussion of this phenomenon when Kos changed the appearance of this webpage.  Now the British may have come up with an explaination.

Well, we knew it would happen sooner or later.  Eventually those who can't bear to let a prospective consumer get away would get together and try to weasel their way back into your home. Telemarketing companies have found common cause and support from several industry groups, including the American Bankers Association, Direct Marketing Association, and the Community Bankers Association to try and do just that.

One of the major problems I've had with Dubyas "faith-based initiatives" is their legalized discrimination.  Now, far be it from me to tell anyone how to worship or that they must associate with this person or that person.  But when it comes to spending public monies (to which we all contribute), doesn't it seem as though the church provided social services should be, at the very least, non-denominational?  The Religeous Right has been whining for a long time about how discriminated against they are.  How unfair it is that they should not get federal grants and such for their social service programs.  In theory, I agreed.  Might've even supported them had the discrimination clause not been included.

At what point does the government cease to be "for the people"?  When it abrogates its duty to protect and defend the nations borders? When it enriches a small minority to the detriment of the majority?  When it uses public resources to exclude, intimidate, or spy on its critics? Is it when the public assets of a country are auctioned off to for-profit private entities? Or is it when that which is "public" becomes less free than what is "private"?

I was waiting for this afternoons open thread, but since there isn't one, (yet) I decided on a short diary about the descrepancy of male and female reproductive research.

To my chagrin, I have a relative who is the epitome of a Bush Republican.  Christian but not practicing.  Ex-military.  Pull-yourself-up-ya-lazy-bastid capitalist.  Smart, but not as smart as he thinks he is.  Sloppy with facts. Takes criticism badly.  That being said, he sends me talking points all the time.  Todays was from Andy Rooney.

Not content to malign Democrats on the substance of their ideology, Republicans are now rewriting legislative amendments proposed by Democrats and attached to an anti-woman abortion bill in a contemptable attempt to make us look pro-pedophile.  

Finally.  A common-sense and reasonable answer to illegal immigration!  And wouldn't you know that it would come from Ted and John?  My personal problem with illegal immigration is that, well, it's illegal.  And rewarding this illegal behavior with an amnesty would be like punishing petty theives by giving them gift cards.

Remember Lt. General William Boykin?  Yeah, the one who made the anti-Muslim, Christocentric speech while dressed as a representative of the United States Army. Well, the chickens are coming home to roost. It seems that his example has spawned emulators.  As this article at Raw Story seems to show:

This is a topic that has bugged me for quite some time.  While I was reading the Tancredo thread, I came accross an entry that pretty much asked the same question.  Some believe that there is no difference between those of us who want to increase legal immigration while securing our borders and those people who think that America's full-up and has no more room for immigrants.  Several weeks ago I posted a comment that another kossack took exception to -

Well, it seems I'm not the only one who thinks that the view-from-the-podium book "Taking Heat" by former Bush butt kisser Ari Fliescher is a total dog. Political Wire has a great little blurb here

Let me just say that he's better writer than a spokesperson. I bet his publisher is wishing it had been a bit more conservative on that half mil advance.  Sucker!