From the GREAT STATE OF MAINE...
Today you're just a number to me
Every so often we raid the mold-infested archives (generously maintained by the Walter Reed outpatient staff) to answer the question: "What'cha thinkin'?" Here's what we gleaned from recent C&J polls:
36 percent of Kossacks have written a diary, 11 percent plan to write one, and 51 percent say they're content just to read 'em.
60 percent gave the Iraq Study Group Report a grade of 'C' or better.
Of all the House committee chairs, Henry Waxman (Government Reform, 58%) and John Conyers (Judiciary, 23%) are the ones you're most eager to see in action. In the Senate, the top vote-getters were Patrick Leahy (Judiciary, 37%) and Barbara Boxer (Environment, 21%).
Only 18 percent think the military's Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy "definitely" or "probably" will be lifted in 2007.
18 percent of you blog more on weekends while 35 percent blog less.
62 percent think George W. Bush will take another stab at privatizing Social Security before he leaves office.
Kossacks would much rather have a drink with Jon Stewart (68%) than Stephen Colbert (24%).
50 percent of you didn’t think there would be any shocking revelations during the Scooter Libby trial.
When Fidel Castro dies, 38% think relations between Cuba and the U.S. will get better, 38% think they'll stay the same, and 13% think they'll get worse.
And 27% have never tried Maine lobster while 3% have tried it and hate it. Those people have been banned from this site.
Cheers and Jeers starts in There’s Moreville... [Swoosh!!] RIGHTNOW! [Gong!!]
Cheers and Jeers for Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Note: Tomorrow we're boarding a "lighter-than air machine" for a flight to Key West, after which your worst nightmare will come true: the mighty C&J Wurlitzer will cease to function for a veddy long time. Upon our return (and full-body cavity search) in Portland, we shall resume posting with a proper Rum & Coke Friday on March 9th. Markos will temporarily be in charge of DailyKos while we're gone.
-
By the Numbers:
Days 'til the Oscars: 4
Days 'til Easter: 46
Amount the new budget proposed by President Bush would save over five years by trimming Medicare and Medicaid costs: $100 Billion
Additional funding Bush is seeking for Iraq and Afghanistan for fiscal 2008, on top of the $70 billion already requested this year: $100 Billion
(Source: TIME)
Number of MySpace friends Barack Obama has: 43,000
Number of MySpace friends John McCain has: 1,356
Number of MySpace friends Rudy Giuliani has: 637
(Source: Digby)
-
Mid-week Rapture Index: 157 (including 85 New Jersey same-sex civil unions and 1 non-binding House resolution on Iraq). Soul Protection Factor 8 lotion is recommended if you’ll be walking amongst the heathen today.
-
Your Puppy Pic of the Day: Admit it...this has to be Dick Cheney's dog.
-
CHEERS to going meta-crazy in the Big Apple. The YearlyKos committee has announced a fundraising party in New York on March 10 featuring "...special guests Marcy Wheeler ("Emptywheel"), author of Anatomy of Deceit and Libby-trial blogger, the comedians of Laughing Liberally, the sweet eats of Eating Liberally, fellow Kossacks, bloggers & rabble-rousers." Click here for more details and then click here to register. Dress code: socks.
CHEERS to stomping on a vicious little brat's toes. Paul Campos of the Rocky Mountain News gives right-wing heartthrob Glenn Reynolds of Instapundit a good thumpin' for advocating the murder of Iranian civilians:
[W]hile it would perhaps be an exaggeration to call people like Reynolds and his fellow law professor Hugh Hewitt (who defended Reynolds' comments) fascists, it isn't an exaggeration to point out that these gentlemen sound very much like fascists when they encourage the American government to murder people. [...]
Certainly, it's worth asking Reynolds' administrative superiors at the University of Tennessee what limits, if any, the terms and conditions of Reynolds' employment put on his behavior. After all, if the American government were to follow Reynolds' advice, his employer would have an accessory to murder on its payroll.
That seems like an especially peculiar item to find on a law professor's résumé.
Well, that and a 15-inch rubber penis in the back of his trunk. But that's a story for another day...
CHEERS to man's best friend emergency blanket. When three mountain climbers on Mt. Hood took a tumble during a snowstorm, their lives were probably saved by the calm, courageous, level-headed, selfless and resourceful actions of their dog, Velvet. Tell me again why canines can't run for Congress?
JEERS to verbal whiplash. Here's a little personal integrity quiz: if a presidential candidate---say, John McCain---said that Donald Rumsfeld "deserves Americans' respect and gratitude" in November, wouldn't he appear to be an opportunistic flip-flopper if he says in February that Donald Rumsfeld "will go down in history as one of the worst secretaries of defense in history"? Never mind, I'll just email the question to the Giuliani and Romney campaigns. I'm sure they'll be happy to answer the question---probably starting with billboards and working their way up to cable.
(Moderate) CHEERS to one of the less-offensive members of the wingnut party. Happy Birthday to Republican Senator and fellow Mainer Olympia Snowe (seen here during her guest stint on Hollywood Squares), who turns a filibuster-proof 60 years old today. Our birthday wish for you, ma'am: early retirement.
CHEERS to making snow cones out of snow banks. JetBlue CEO David Neeleman had two options in the wake of the airline's weekend meltdown that stranded passengers across the country: hide under his desk and hire a PR firm to spin for dear life...or fess up, admit mistakes, promise reforms and do whatever's necessary to gain back his customers' trust. He chose wisely and for that we congratula...Hey, wait a minute! Over eleven thousand dollars to Joe Lieberman's campaign, David??? Maybe you should be hiding under your desk.
JEERS to the circling sharks (via Think Progress). U.S. News & World Report says Republican ghouls---sorry for the redundancy---are praying to the Heavens that one of our moderate justices becomes, um, un-benched. Our advice to Stevens, Breyer, Ginsburg and Souter: hire a food taster.
JEERS to running on fumes. Yesterday during the Scooter Libby trial, defense attorney Ted Wells---having run out of ammo long ago---welled up with tears during his closing arguments and went for broke:
I have one final thing I want you to consider. Ladies and gentlemen, this is Chewbacca. Chewbacca is a Wookiee from the planet Kashyyyk. But Chewbacca lives on the planet Endor. Now think about it; that does not make sense! Look at me! I'm a lawyer defending a senior White House official, and I'm talkin' about Chewbacca! Does that make sense? Ladies and gentlemen, I am not making any sense! None of this makes sense! And so you have to remember, when you're in that jury room deliberatin' and conjugatin' the Emancipation Proclamation, does it make sense? No! Ladies and gentlemen of this supposed jury, it does not make sense! If Chewbacca lives on Endor, you must acquit! The defense rests.
Ugh. He's gonna walk.
CHEERS to letting your fingers do the walking. 129 years ago today, the first telephone book was issued by the District Telephone Co. of New Haven, Connecticut. It had 50 names. And 51 pizza coupons.
JEERS to Es-Ca-La-Tion FEE-Ver! I'd tell you what was going on over in Iraq but you wouldn’t be able to hear me over all the explosions. So we'll just assume freedom is still on the march.
P.S. Great Britain---our biggest ally in the Coalition of the Gullible---is officially cutting and running. Be a good chap and leave behind a tin or two of Earl Grey, right-ho? Jolly good.
CHEERS to grown men kissing. Catch a glimpse of history by witnessing the first civil union ceremony in New Jersey. Not meaning to interrupt, guys, but...where's the Snickers bar?
JEERS to bad starts. Got a fundraising email yesterday afternoon from the Al Franken campaign. The subject line read: I?m running for Senate ? and I need your help. Oy. Give anyway.
CHEERS to monumental achievements. On February 21, 1885, the Washington Monument was dedicated. It's shaped exactly like George's penis. Now you know why Martha never smiled.
-
One Year Ago in C&J: February 21, 2006...
JEERS to the latest Bush P.R. nightmare. In a move that has jaws dropping through red states and blue (even though we admit that Soj's diary is reassuring), the Bush administration plans to put operations of several major U.S. ports in the hands of the United Arab Emirates. Perception is reality, and this makes as much sense to the average American as Kim Jong Il taking the reins at Head Start. Ya just never know where the next blunder will come from with these guys.
-
And just one more...
JEERS to dancin' with the one that dissed ya. So I hear that Fox "News" is hosting a Democratic presidential debate in August. Jesus' General ("An 11 on the manly scale of absolute gender") previews the questions:
"Sen. Hussein-Osama, how do we know that you won't set off a homicide bomb at your own inauguration?"
"Gov. Richardson, isn't it true that you refer to your state by using the name of a foreign country?"
"Sen. Clinton, now that you're a lesbian, can the American people be assured that you won't murder any more boyfriends?"
"Sen. Biden, if I told you that Gov. Richardson is actually a Mexican, would you have the guts to render him to Syria?"
"Sen. Dodd, who among your competitors should be hung for treason along with Nancy Pelosi and Jack Murtha?" [...]
Will Hume and company call them the "Democrat candidates" like they did the last time they hosted a debate, or will they refer to them as the "traitorous Democrat candidates," or better yet, the "Demislamunistofascist candidates?"
But at least Fox made one concession this time: they promised to take away John Gibson's paintball gun. Spoilsports.
-
For all you do for me---the love, the encouragement, the snark---I promise while I'm away to toast you with one of these every hour on the hour. Gottagobye....
(Floor's open. What are you cheering and jeering about today?)
-
Today's Shameless Testimonial:
While we're gone...
"Bill in Portland Maine is going to be in a normal crib, he's going to have normal feedings, he's taking all his feedings from a bottle."
---Florida Dr. William Smalling
2/19/07
-