December 24, 2013

An Open Letter to "Duck Dynasty" and Supporters

Last week two members of the all-woman band "Pussy Riot" were being freed from prison after serving over a year because they had the audacity to peacefully protest the Russian government and its oppressive policies.

That would never happen in this country. What we call--and you yell--"Freedom of Speech" is meant to protect the right of any citizen to say whatever they wish (within reason of public safety) without repercussions from the government.

<snip>

The First Amendment ONLY guarantees the government can't oppress you for your opinions, it does not dictate to private entities what they can and cannot do in regards to the words that come out of your mouth.

So, when you say stupid shit like "I never, with my eyes, saw the mistreatment of any black person. Not once." or "whether they're homosexuals, drunks, terrorists. We let God sort 'em out later, you see what I'm saying?" or literally compare non-Christians to Nazis, a private company like A&E has every right to can your ass, regardless of who does and does not agree with them.

<snip>

So, please take your duck whistles and complaints to the nearest Chick-fil-A and let the rest of us celebrate the triumph of the human spirit and actual bravery in free speech with those folks from Pussy Riot.

more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-clymer/an-open-letter-to-duck-dy_1_b_4481664.html

December 12, 2013

Luckovich: Neanderthal

December 11, 2013

Luckovich: The War on Christmas

November 27, 2013

This cat has phenomenal lung capacity...

Actually, it is the result of camera lens trickery. This is the same puddy as see through various lenses.

The photo is from this fun article on Huffington Post

November 11, 2013

Right-Wing Troll Notification System Test

https://soundcloud.com/rockymountainmike/right-wing-troll-notification

Trust me - it's worth the click.

November 10, 2013

Conservative U.S. Catholics Feel Left Out of the Pope’s Embrace

Look! An Anti-Pope Francis article!


When Pope Francis was elected in March, Bridget Kurt received a small prayer card with his picture at her church and put it up on her refrigerator at home, next to pictures of her friends and her favorite saints.

She is a regular attender of Mass, a longtime stalwart in her church’s anti-abortion movement and a believer that all the church’s doctrines are true and beautiful and should be obeyed. She loved the last two popes, and keeps a scrapbook with memorabilia from her road trip to Denver in 1993 to see Pope John Paul II at World Youth Day.

But Ms. Kurt recently took the Pope Francis prayer card down and threw it away.

“It seems he’s focusing on bringing back the left that’s fallen away, but what about the conservatives?” said Ms. Kurt, a hospice community educator. “Even when it was discouraging working in pro-life, you always felt like Mother Teresa was on your side and the popes were encouraging you. Now I feel kind of thrown under the bus.”

link: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/10/us/conservative-us-catholics-feel-left-out-of-the-popes-embrace.html

November 8, 2013

Incognito held meetings at strip club

*


Incognito held meetings at strip club




Recently suspended guard Richie Incognito held meetings for fellow Miami Dolphins offensive linemen at a South Florida strip club and would fine them if they didn't attend, according to a report.

The National Football Post, citing two sources, reported that Incognito expected the linemen to attend. If they failed to show up, Incognito would fine them in the club's kangaroo court and mock them for not being part of the group, one of the sources said.

"Richie wanted to set up Richie's world as a way for everybody to act," a team source told the National Football Post. "Richie thinks everybody should act that way. He doesn't get that some guys aren't into that behavior. Some guys don't want to constantly explain to their wife or girlfriend why they have to go to a strip club."

This is the latest news to surface about Incognito, who was suspended by the Dolphins on Sunday for conduct detrimental to the team amid accusations he bullied and used racially charged terms against teammate Jonathan Martin, who left the team last week.

Martin, a second-year player out of Stanford, is with his family in California, where he is undergoing counseling for emotional issues.


Wonder why that is? *

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9946248/richie-incognito-held-offensive-line-meetings-strip-club

November 6, 2013

Sources: Dolphins coaches asked Incognito to toughen up Martin

Miami Dolphins coaches asked player Richie Incognito, who was the offensive line's undisputed leader, to toughen up teammate Jonathan Martin after he missed a voluntary workout last spring, multiple sources told the Sun Sentinel.

<snip>

Sources say that communication took place when Martin skipped two days of the team's OTA program, and Incognito was encouraged by his coaches to make a call that would "get him into the fold," one source said.

Even though OTA workouts are voluntary, the NFL culture forces coaches to strong arm the team's leaders to make sure everyone attends. Sources say Incognito was doing his job, but they admit he crossed the line.

<snip>

During Martin's rookie season he was nicknamed "Big Weirdo" by his teammates, and was forced to sport an embarrassing haircut given to him by the offensive linemen. He also forked over $15,000 for a veterans trip to Las Vegas he didn't attend.

The Dolphins traditionally hold rite of passage rituals for its rookies, and some of the team's antics – which included ridiculous haircuts, hair dyeing, and elaborate dinners paid for by the rookies – could be considered hazing. Those would make them a violation of the NFL's personal conduct policy.

<snip>

Linebacker Dannell Ellerbe indicated that Martin should have come to the leadership council with his problems, which apparently carried over to his second season. The problem is Incognito was also on the leadership council, and possessed a tremendous amount of power and influence.

That might explains why Martin hid his issues with Incognito, and on occasion hung around with him in South Florida, and during road trips. It is possible Martin felt he had to do so to feel accepted.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/breaking/fl-miami-dolphins-hazing-1106-20131105,0,3517033.story

November 3, 2013

Rand Paul Responds To Plagiarism Accusations: 'If Dueling Were Legal In Kentucky..'

In an appearance on ABC's "This Week," Paul dismissed the claims.

"Yes, there are times when [speeches] have been sloppy or not correct or we've made an error," Paul said. "But the difference is, I take it as an insult and I will not lie down and say people can call me dishonest, misleading or misrepresenting. I have never intentionally done so." <snip>


Bullshit!!!!


He continued, "And like I say, if, you know, if dueling were legal in Kentucky, if they keep it up, you know, it would be a duel challenge. But I can't do that, because I can't hold office in Kentucky then." <snip>


If there were dueling in Kentucky... you cannot be serious...


Paul initially addressed the claims last week, admitting that he "borrowed" from the films in question but insisting that he "gave credit."

"The rest of it's making a mountain out of a molehill from people I think basically who are political enemies and have an ax to grind," Paul said in an interview with Fusion. "This is really about information and attacks coming from haters. The person who's leading this attack -- she's been spreading hate on me for about three years now." <snip>


What a petulant child this guy is. Anyone that suggests that anything out of his mouth should be taken into consideration needs to be slapped.


more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/03/rand-paul-plagiarism_n_4208469.html

October 31, 2013

Here's Audio of Managers Scolding Employees for Wanting to Unionize

Truck drivers at the Duluth, GA facility of the multinational storage company Iron Mountain are considering unionizing. This is a recording of a recent meeting in which two Iron Mountain managers "educate" the employees about the downside of a union. (The link was sent out last night to an email list of labor journalists.) Its content is not especially outrageous—its value lies in the fact that it offers a full look at one of the many little stumbling blocks that go along with any workplace's attempt to organize.

"This is the South. This is not something where unions are [prevalent]," says one manager. "If the union comes in, it will make it much more difficult to get things done." When the other manager addresses the employees, he says of their union campaign, "I can't help but take it personally... it does hurt. It does sting."

At one point, a manager tells the workers, "No one in this room has more union experience than me." At that, one worker speaks up to note that he was in a union for five years at a previous workplace, and tells a story of how the union helped save his job after the company tried to fire him unjustly. "Well shame on the company," replies the manager, "but we don't do that here." (The worker's previous employer would no doubt say the same thing.)

Click here for audio of the full 20-minute meeting.

http://gawker.com/heres-audio-of-managers-scolding-employees-for-wanting-1454892141