All righty boys & girls, just in case some of you were under a rock or away from newz or intertubz today, Keith Olbermann is again in the ranks of the gainfully employed! :D
We don't have specifics on time yet (not at the same time as Rachel, PLEASE!), but the show is due to begin sometime in the spring. I know we've been looking forward to this since that horribly surprising Friday evening a few weeks back. AND, I've said this once I'll say it again. I absolutely intend to diary both Keith's show & Rachel's show on DK4! I know there's some ambivalent feelings (to be charitable) about DK4, but I feel like I have the know - how to do what I need to do & to keep this community together. :D
To transition from that line of thinking to a bit of "house keeping," I think this version of Daily Kos is going to the EtherNet Great Beyond Friday evening at around 11:00. So, I think I'm going to not do a diary that night. I know some people can't get here until later, so I don't want to put something up that people won't have access to. Since I don't think I'll have any grading to do this weekend, I'm going to spend most of the weekend getting diary stuff ready on DK4. So, be watching your emails, announcements, carrier pigeons, etc.! Again, I vow to do what's in my power to keep this lil' 'ol family & hopefully a few more together.
I'm noting only 2 "this day in history" items today - one of which involves 1 of the few occasions I can be kind of sort of proud (?) to be a "Hoosier!" James Dean was born on this date in 1931; he made only 3 films but obviously had a hell of an influence during his short time here.
Jack Lemmon was born on this date in 1925. He was in some damn DAMN FUNNY movies; one of my favorites has to be THE ORIGINAL Odd Couple!
It's now time for our daily SPARK! We have another definition of "irony" today, boys & girls. This gentleman's going to be OK, but this is Twilight Zone creepy! This version of the Hells Angels sure don't sound like the same people who beat the snot outta Hunter S. Thompson! What is this world coming to?! ;D And, I'm going to end today's SPARK on a couple stories to make you go "AAAaaaaWWWWwwww! Kewl!" A family has adopted a doggie but not just a regular 'ol family adopting a regular 'ol doggie. And, I'll welcome these guys to the Indianapolis Zen Center ANY TIME. :D
On with The Rachel Maddow Show!
"Really, Really Big Government" - The Patriot Act extension FAILED in the House today! Poor Rachel doens't think Senator {insert retching noise here} Rand Paul will speak to her anymore; yea, he was revealed to be a racist fool by mere woman. HA! Rachel wanted to ask him about if he's such a damn believer in small government then how said small government can keep track of every pregnant woman in the country! NICE! I wonder if the "good Senator's" on teh Twitter? Facebook? His Senatorial web page?! We could ask him for you, Rachel! Dems might - just MIGHT - be getting on the "GOBP Idea of Freedom" program. Uh Rachel, that "conservatism chart" looks creepily like Lonesome Rhodes' chalkboard! ;D She illuminated the difference between authoritian conservatism & libertarian conservatism. The former wants big intrusive government to get into your bedroom, your sex life, your phone calls, your emails, etc.; the latter wants leave - me - alone government. The size of the federal government grew BIG TIME under GWB's time in the Oval Office. Again, another faboo sourse behind this mindset is John Dean's Conservatives Without Conscience. 26 GOBPers in the House voted with 122 Dems to put the kibosh on some of the more odious parts of the Patriot Act. So, do they need to watch their electoral a$$es in 2 years or not?
Dems voted against the White House on this subject, too. Yippee (?)... Thomas Frank gets to talk big (or not) government. He also threw in a "pro - business" bent on this debate. The GOBP usually comes down on the size of big business. I'd go along with that; DICK's stock portfolio sure saw an upturn with 2 wars going on! *&^%$#@! He doesn't think the cultural war return will wreck the GOBP; I'm not sure I agree with that. If the GOBP doesn't follow up on their numerous campaign promises to do something about jobs & the economy, and people are still feeling not - so - great about the economy by the time the run - up to the 2012 election really gets into high gear, the GOBP could see a similar crushing that the Dems saw this past November. Hey, a girl can hope! ;D
"No Trespassing" - Some members of the state legislatures across our great country like to turn the culture wars up to 11, and Rachel named the trend "The Russell Pearce Rule"!! HA! LOVE IT!
An exception to The Russell Pearce Rule just might be in Wyoming? Some state rep there is trying to introduce a very restrictive anti - abortion bill that stipulates that all kinds of stuff needs to be given to or done to pregnant women 24 hours before an abortion because merely getting an abortion isn't stressful enough. State Reps. Lisa Shepperson & Sue Wallis stood up to their own guy to say, "Enough!"
When I go to the doctor, it is the most private thing you can imagine. I want myself, I want my husband, and I want my doctor there. And I don't want any government.
What this bill does is say that, as a woman, that I am not smart enough to know the decision that I am making - that somehow the state is required in this particular decision, where they are required in no other medical decision.
The doctors don't need to be told by us and we don't even know what the heck we're talking aobut. We don't even know what's in the statutes.
All I'm asking is [that] we keep the government where it should be. And that's out of the doctor's office.
HOLY $HIT TO INFINITY & BEYOND!!!!!
Ya' know what would've been even MORE stunning? If a GUY had gotten up to give that speech. Rep. Wallis talked of her own abortion experience ON THE FLOOR OF THE WYOMING HOUSE! The anti - abortion bill was DEFEATED, but the guy who introduced the original bill is trying again.
"Concession Stand" - Crowds in Tahir Square in Cairo are growing. Deals offered to "the opposition" include allowing opposing candidates in elections, lifting press restrictions, release "prisoners of conscience," and lifting a 30 - YEAR STATE OF EMERGENCY (?). When was THAT put into place - after Sadat was killed?! Note what's missing - the exit of Mubarak. That's just not gonna cut the protest mustard!
"Stalking the Wild Green Weenie" - Oh dear! That sounds like some sort of effort to combat STDs or something! ;D Are we finally getting Lenny Bruce's Clap - a - Thon??!! :D It's either a fly - fishing thing or a scrubbing pad or a muscle car or a plastic hot dog from back in the 60s that really looks like some sort of sex toy. Former Senator Alan Simpson's obsessed with green weenies; paging Dr. Freud!! The sucker's a commendation medal?! PAGING DR. FREUD!!!!!
"Special Delivery" - ConservaDems got their a$$es handed to them in November; Blanchie Lincoln was one of them! Ugh...do I REALLY need to see HER again?!
Senator McCaskill doesn't want to come on Rachel's show anymore because she's helping the GOBP to water down HCR. ;D
* The most recent Medal of Honor winner is not going to re - enlist. Gee, I can't imagine why. They sold war bonds back in WWII! *