Can You Say "Uncle Tom"?

Michael Steele ~ Republican National Party Chairman

This man... he will say anything, do anything, be whatever he thinks people want him to be, to advance himself. He's a groveler, an ass-kisser, a spineless, gutless, self-respectless wonder.

Now that may be a miss-characterization. But it's my opinion. And further more... his "election" as RNC chairman just smells of a "us too" mentality in the Grand Old Party. They want their own first African-American. And this guy is sure willing to be their boy.

Puh_leeze...

And beyond that, I wonder how long it will be before the Sarah Palin part of the party breaks off and forms their own political party. Think about it. Just stop being politically correct and all that crap and think about it for a moment...

What portion of the country got more "conservative", more "Republican", in the last election? The Deep South. Now... tell me what region of the country is most known for being racist? Ya see where I'm going with this?

Anyway... that's my opinion on this news of the day. I'm sure some folks will be offended by it just as some folks will agree. Either way, it doesn't matter. Time will tell who's right.

Headlines and Other Random Thoughts

Thain resigns from Bank of America
This guy does not have a very good track record. How the heck does he keep getting jobs?


'Flying Car' Goes to Market
My first thought on this was: where can I get one? Then, hard on the heels of that thought was: this is one impractical mobile. I mean, you can't land it just anywhere. You have to use an airport. Sure you can just fold up the wings and drive it away... but still, highly impractical. There aren't that many airports and the ones you might use are not always near where you want to go...
Also, on a purely selfish note, I'm not sure I want those things flying all over the place. There are enough idiots on the roadways, who needs them in the air? Flying all over the place, buzzing people's houses, shopping malls, sporting events?

On the other hand... the first computers were not at all practical, either. And look at us now. I would not want to be without mine. In fact, last time mine was in the shop I felt like a part of me had been amputated. I was totally dysfunctional. Amazing how many times a day I jump on here, not to express myself, but to look things up. Find a recipe, when I need new ideas for a meal. Check the side effects of meds that the doc prescribes for me or a member of my family. Find out what time it is in New Guinea, just cause I'm curious that way. :) You get the point, I hope.

Army: Negligence caused GI's death
This is just sad. On so many different levels.

Conspiracy Theory???
Perhaps I'm just suspicious. Maybe I'm one of those crazy folks who sees bogeymen behind every tree and shrub... I just hit on this today while they were discussing the GOP senators putting a delay on Eric Holder's confirmation. I was like, "What the frick are they thinking? We NEED an AG! But that brings to mind the fact that we haven't actually had a fully functional AG office in 8 years.
Then they started talking about the fears of some of the fine Republican Senators that people who might have tortured detainees in the course of following orders might be open to prosecution if Holder is confirmed. And that made me think... what are they really afraid of? Of being prosecuted themselves? What did they really know about the process? When did they know it? Or... perhaps this is a deeper game? Maybe they suppose that if the American government does not prosecute or at least charge Bush and Cheney and Rummy, et al, with war crimes then the UN will. And if the UN tries to come in here and tell us what to do, then you all know that everyone is going to get up in arms and refuse to go along with it and so on and so forth...
Can't you just see the brouhaha over that? That would turn the average, man on the street American (half of whom did vote for GWB, TWICE!) into rabid, ravaging animals. You know it would. And then, voila! Bush is an American Hero. And it puts Obama in a most difficult position. And it gives the GOP a chance to retake power in 2012. How's that sound for a conspiracy theory? Pretty good, eh? Hey! That would make a great book or movie, no?

Shamwow!
The dude says in the commercial, "Made in Germany. And you know the Germans make good stuff." or something quite similar. And I find that very offensive. He says it like... we don't make good stuff here in America. Oh, that's right, we don't make anything here in America, anymore, good or bad. Still, the dude is offensive (what's with that stupid headset looking thing he wears. He even wears it in the commercial for that chopper thing he's doing now. I guess he's trying to become the next Billy Mays. I, personally, would not purchase anything from either of them. I'm not going to purchase anything from anyone who yells at me. That's just rude. And I'm also not going to purchase a cleaning product from someone who doesn't look like he bothered to take a shower before filming the commercial. The guy just looks unclean to me. Just my opinion. But the Germany thing really ticks me off. I'm sure someone here in America could manufacture something just as good. Except that small manufacturers have mostly been bought out by huge conglomerates that move all the jobs overseas where they don't have to give the workers any benefits and can get away with paying them a pittance for their labour. Cause it's all about the "bottom line", ya know? Gotta make that buck so the moguls can get their multi-million dollar bonuses and the company can make a huge profit and then not pay any taxes on it.... but I digress... sorry... :)

Okay, I'm off to watch Pitch Black with Thomas. See ya later... :)

Hey! Circular Firing Squads are OUR Specialty...

But the Republicans are doing a great job of imitating us. I think it's hilarious. The Grand Old Party looks disorganized, un-united, silly and downright... well... um... Democratic. No clear front-runner and no clear message that all Republicans can unite around. I don't think the Republican voters are happy with any of their choices. And who can blame them? When all the Democratic candidates are pretty much selling the same message of change, brave new world, and all that stuff; the Republicans all sound like re-runs of the same old commercials they've been running for my entire lifetime. Don't they get it, yet? Fewer and fewer people are worried about what their neighbors do in their own bedrooms and more and more are worried about how much money is left in their pockets after they've paid the bills. Many of us can't pay all the bills when they are due and still have money left over for food, never mind having enough money for a little entertainment every once in a while.
And forget about health care if you get sick! We have insurance but I just added up the receipts from the pharmacy for the 4th quarter of 2007. Between the two of us we spent just a few dollars less than $1,600.00 on prescriptions. That's only 3 months! If we hadn't had insurance we'd have been shit out of luck. And that's just the meds. That don't count all the co-pays for all the doctor visits and the out of pocket expenses for tests and procedures that the insurance wouldn't pay or only paid a small portion of. All that stuff tallied up to over $5,000.00 for the entire year! And that amount doesn't include the dental stuff that I had done, which I had insurance for, as well. And I still paid over $2,000.00 out of pocket expense for what I had done. If we hadn't had insurance, I would have never been able to find out that I was diabetic; Pete would have never found out he had prostate cancer. Not until it was too late to do anything about it.
So... the Republicans are in disarray. And I watched the news this morning where they were talking about how the GOP campaigns in South Carolina are getting so dirty. I didn't hear the term "Swift boating" but it sure sounded like what was happening. Ads, flyers, phone calls, accusing Romney of supporting polygamy and not being a Christian; the same accusing John McCain of not really being a war hero, of making it all up, of being a collaborator with the enemy, of being a Democrat in Republican clothing (if he really was, I'd consider voting for him, but he's not, he's a Republican and therefore will not be getting my vote, no way, no how); accusing Thompson of only staying in the race to draw votes away from Huckabee and thus help his friend John McCain; accusing Huckasleeze, I mean Huckabee, of being too Democratic (like that's a bad thing), of being too much of a "populist" (huh?). Anyway... they sure are acting a lot like the Democrats did in the last two elections.
Besides, like I said: their message is just too stale, too old, too 80's. They aren't connecting with the mainstream, modern Republicans. Sure, their old-school, old-fashioned, core supporters still care about abortion, gay rights (or insuring the lack thereof), God (their version of), and guns. But even many of them are concerned more about the economy and less about who is sleeping with whom.
I just think it's pretty funny.