I Am Officially Done With CNN.

CNN is a ratings whore.  I've known that for awhile now.  In my youth (early teens), it was the only news source I really cared to pay attention to.  Now it's one of the last places I go for it, if at all.

This screen shot from 10:42 P.M. est time today is exactly why I will never go there for news again.  Here are just a few things that CNN considers newsworthy:

- 'DWTS' elimination shocks judges
- The 'Fresh Prince' can still freestyle
- Horse paints amazing self-portrait
- Photos: Celebrities celebrate Halloween
- Exploding pumpkin demo goes awry
- 'Jersey Shore' cast on Sandy devastation

That last one is my personal favorite.  I could give two - no!- three flying fucks as to what the cast of that awful reality show has to say about anything. 

CNN, you are a national news organization, not Entertainment Tonight.  Get your fucking shit together.  If I wanted to see a horse paint a self-portrait of itself, I'd give Ann Coulter a paint brush with a pallet full of hellish nightmare colors.

Just for comparison, here's a quick list of things that I care more about than the above six "news" stories from CNN:

1) Whether or not cats fart.
2) Just how mellow "Mellow Yellow" is.
3) Amoebas.
4) My dead great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandparents (on either side).
5) Bird Flu and Swine Flu (a.k.a. the fucking flu)
6) The blister on my foot that disappeared three years ago.
7) The bent bristles on my broom (stay straight, you assholes!).
8) Other people's dandruff.
9) My fourth grade girlfriend.  How could you do that to me, Kristen!?!
10) The positioning and overall well-being of my best friend's testicles.  You're my boy, Dom.

So goodbye, CNN.  It was nice knowing you, I guess.  Let me know if you ever stop with the intelligence-insulting gimmicks.  At least then I'll be able to recommend a somewhat reliable news outlet to my two cats.  

Karl Rove Gets Warned By Anonymous: Rig The Election And See What Happens.

I saw this today and knew that I just had to write about it.  On October 22nd, the legendary internet group "Anonymous" put out a video claiming that the Republicans, specifically Karl Rove and his cronies, are going to try to rig the 2012 election.  Watch it below:

 Here's the transcript (typed out by me) just in case the video doesn't work (or ceases to):

"Karl Rove.  American Crossroads.  We are Anonymous.  We are watching you.  We know that you will attempt to rig the election of Mitt Romney to your favor.  We will watch as your merry band of conspirators try to achieve this overthrow of the United States government.  

"We see that you have taken steps to ensure that this election race is a close race, so you can step in and rig the numbers to elect your candidate, and then claim because it was a tight race, that your candidate was able to narrowly squeak ahead and win.  

"We want you to know that we are watching you, waiting for you to make the mistake of thinking you can rig this election to your favor.  We want you to know that if we catch you, we will turn over all of this data to the appropriate officials in the hopes that you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.  We are watching and monitoring all of your servers.  We are watching traffic on each of them for anything suspicious.  You will not get away with any fraud without consequences.  

"We are Anonymous.  We are Legion.  We do not forgive.  We do not forget.  Expect us."

Here's a little bit of information about Anonymous for those of you that aren't familiar, courtesy of Nathaniel Downes, a fellow writer at Addicting Info:

Anonymous members, well-known for their dismantling of pedophile rings, botnets and other illegal activities, operate as electronic vigilantes. They can and do break into systems and whisk away key evidence which has put criminals behind bars. And now, the antics of the GOP party bosses, such as Karl Rove and his American Crossroads organization, are in their sights.

Something people do not grasp about Anonymous is that it is not an organization in the traditional sense. In fact, it is not organized at all. Instead it is a case of applied anarchy, a conglomerate of similarly focused ideologies which cooperate when they have conforming interest. By the time a video like this appears, there is already a large pool of people with a common interest with their focus aligned.

There is no head, there are no leaders, there is no organization to dismantle. You cannot reason with them, bribe them, manipulate them, or threaten them. They are legion, their numbers incalculable. 

Many people are even part of Anonymous without ever realizing it, helping out a friend at the office with a tricky piece of code or an online friend who wants to know how to plug a hole in their firewall. This non-existence makes it impossible to address in a traditional manner.

They are, quite literally, anonymous.

Let me shoot some of your thoughts down right now.  If you're thinking that Anonymous can't possibly know that Karl Rove plans to rig the election, you're wrong.  It is possible that they are lying, yes. But it's also very likely that they have this information.

If you're thinking that there is no way to rig the elections then, again, you are wrong.  Very wrong.  Read this article about how retired NSA analyst Michael Duniho discovered actual proof of GOP election rigging thanks to what can be called an "electronic fingerprint."

And if you are thinking that GOP is going to get away with this, well, you're wrong there too.  Here's what you can do.  Spread awareness of this rigging, either by sharing this article (or finding others like it) on Facebook and Twitter (again, I make no money from this site so there's nothing in it for me).

You can also share the Anonymous video.

Aside from raising awareness, you can beat the GOP rigging machine by getting out to vote six days from now, on November 6th.  This is extremely important.  Do not let the Republican Party take our right to vote - our right to be heard! - away.  We have a voice, and we cannot let it be silenced.

Oops.

I suck.  To all of my loyal(ish) readers, let me be the first to say it: I suck.  Hard.  These last few months have brought about some huge life changes for me, and I haven't had the time (nor have I been in the right state of mind) to write.

This includes my Addicting Info side work.  I haven't written for them either and, quite frankly, that blows.  Ask any of their editors.  They miss my colorful fucking language.

I have been keeping up with politics and the like (don't you worry about that) so that, when it comes time for me to write again, I won't be all lost and confused.  Quick side-note: that Romney video of him talking about that "47%" really pissed me off.  He deserves a special place in Hell for that comment.

Onto the meat of the matter.  I probably won't be writing anything solid for just a few more weeks.  My goal is to be able to start updating again by the first week of November.  Yes, just in time for the presidential election.

To the few followers I've gained in my brief absence: Welcome!  And to the handful I had before well, thanks for sticking around.  Bear with me for just a bit longer.  It'll be worth it.

I'll bring snacks.

Soledad O'Brien Wrecks T-Paw With Facts.

Soledad O'Brien sporting her famous "stop trying to bullshit me" look.

 Following John Sununu's disastrous appearance on CNN against Soledad O'Brien on Tuesday, Mitt Romney sent his national campaign co-chair Tim Pawlenty down to the hot seat to set some facts straight about the "cuts" from Medicare.

Yeah, he, uhh... he didn't do that.  At all.

Boehner Blames President Obama For The Drought.

Is there Socialist Sorcery afoot?  Does President Obama control the weather?  House Majority Speaker John Boehner seems to think so.  According to Talking Points Memo, a website posting and email press release from Boehner's office on Monday says that the president, "continues to blame anyone and everyone for the drought but himself."

It is a well-known fact that President Obama is the anti-Christ, but controlling America's weather?  This explains a lot, folks.  Climate change and global warming aren't real, they're just the result of devil-worshiping witchcraft.  Boehner could be on to something here.  Are the end times coming?  Is Obama warming the world in order to prepare for the minions of Hell?  

Uhm... no.  He just wrote a terribly constructed sentence that made President Obama sound like a wizard.  As soon as TPM reported the original story, Boehner and his team realized their mistake and went back to edit the website posting, found here.  Now the sentence reads, "the president continues to blame anyone and everyone for failing to respond to the drought but himself." 

Need some clarification?  I did too.  Apparently the president attacked Romney's new VP pick over a bill that he voted against in the House that would have provided relief to the suffering farmers of America.  Hence Boehner's issue.  It's important to note here that the quote is directly from Boehner, but the website and email press release came from his spokesperson, Kevin Smith.

Regardless, it's still a pretty hilarious story.  I wouldn't have been surprised if Team Boehner hadn't have gone back to change the wording.  Republicans are ready and willing to blame the president for anything, weather conditions included.  That reminds me, it's raining here in Maine, and I was going to go to the beach tonight.

Goddamn you, Obama!  

Self-Congratulations Are In Order.

So it seems as though I should be patting myself on the back right now for raking in almost 3,000 views yesterday, as well as a handful of followers.  Of course, I am constantly patting myself on the back for everything I do because I'm awesome as fuck.  I'll just pick up the tempo a bit to compensate.

Ugh, I'm sorry.  Where are my manners?  Welcome, welcome, one and all to one of the only remaining sane places left in America - my little site.  As you may have garnered from reading the 150+ posts previous to this one, I love to thoroughly trash ignorance.  It's one of my favorite pastimes (next to hopscotch and skipping rope).  This particular love of mine often latches on to the absurdities coming out of today's Republican Party - the circus of science-denying freaks and fiction worshippers of America's right-wing.

But fair is fair, and I'll call bullshit on my own "side" if I have to.  This is rare, as some of you may understand.  We all live in our own social media bubble, letting in only things that agree with us and telling the things we don't to kindly fuck off.

I'm a college student (almost fully indoctrinated), so don't expect a plethora of posts at a time.  One thing you gotta love about coming here, though?  No ads.  That's right.  I am running clean, baby!  Running clean and full of energy (thanks to Redbull, my energy drink of choice; Redbull: It gives you wings).  You'll never see a popup or popdown while you're here, nor will any flashing animations distract you from hearing my liberal word-vomit.  That I promise you.  If you want that experience though, I do write for Addicting Info.  It's probably how most of you found me.

Anyway, that's all for now.  I just wanted to say hello and introduce myself to all the new folk.  My name's Shaun, by the way.  What's yours?











...I don't care.




*Note: I was not paid by Redbull, nor did I request payment for the advertising.  It was a joke.  Really.  Why the hell are you still reading this?  I explained everything that you needed to hear.  Go away...  Go buy Redbull!

    

Has Romney Disqualified Himself From Running For President?

Is Romney ineligible to become the next President of the United States of America?  It's a very real possibility, especially since he threw a few fundraisers during his disastrous little overseas meet n' greet a few weeks ago.  These fundraisers were extremely private, with no journalists present (with the exception of one who did not have access to the donors), no filming or photography allowed, no diligence done, and no donor ID's checked.  If money changed hands at these rich shin-digs (which I'm sure they did, you know... being FUND RAISERS and all), Romney could be in a lot of trouble. 

But why?  Let's ask the Supreme Court and their 9-0 decision that they threw down in Bluman v. Federal Election Commission:

(a) Prohibition

 

It shall be unlawful for —

(1) a foreign national, directly or indirectly, to make —

(A) a contribution or donation of money or other thing of value, or to make an express or implied promise to make a contribution or donation, in connection with a Federal, State, or local election;

(B) a contribution or donation to a committee of a political party; or

(C) an expenditure, independent expenditure, or disbursement for an electioneering communication (within the meaning of section 434(f)(3) of this title); or

(2) a person to solicit, accept, or receive a contribution or donation described in subparagraph 

(A) or (B) of paragraph (1) from a foreign national.

 

2 U.S.C. § 441e(a).[fn2] The statute continues to define "foreign national" to include all foreign citizens except those who have been admitted as lawful permanent residents. Id. § 441e(b). 

Huh.  Very interesting, Supreme Court, thank you.  

 

Romney, already having to evade the demands of the American people to see his tax returns, will now have to prove that he hasn't accepted foreign money to fund his campaign.  Considering no records were apparently kept, that could prove difficult.  If he has taken foreign money, then he is 100% ineligible for the Commander-in-Chief position, but very eligible for a cozy jail cell in some white-collar prison.

As Veterans Today points out:

"If you go outside the US, if you stay inside the US, if your contributor is living in the US but not a citizen, any money you get can mean years in jail.

"Romney went the whole way, personally campaigning outside the US, soliciting foreign citizens, and humiliating himself and his country with his ignorance and flagrant attempts to trade illegal cash for promises of illegal war.  One could hardly break more laws if one wanted.

"Romney has raised millions in foreign cash at fundraising event across Israel and London, those that we know of so far.  One table alone gave him a million in cash.  None was from American citizens.  Fewer than 10% of Romney’s contributors in Israel are estimated to be “dual citizens.” Others may have just flown the money in."

So what do you think?  Is Romney in trouble?  Or will he bury this just like he did his tax returns?  

 

Standard Right Wing Propaganda: Women Have Abortions For Funsies.

Let's get something straight right off the bat: no woman decides to have an abortion because a fetus is "annoying."  Not only is that an ignorant thing to say, but it's also incredibly insulting. And flushing it down a sink?! Really?  Is that supposed to be a metaphor for abortion because, if so, it's vile, misleading, and totally ridiculous.  All liberals know that the correct way to have an abortion is to flush it down a toilet.

One thing I'd really like to point out is that drinking alcohol while pregnant and having an abortion are in two separate wheelhouses.  The former assumes that you are going to give birth to a child and, obviously, consuming alcohol is a bad idea for a multitude of reasons.  The latter assumes that you are not going to give birth because, you know, you aren't having a baby.  Abortion terminates a pregnancy on the spot.  Drinking alcohol when pregnant screws up a person's life for, well, his/her entire life.

But wait, there's more!

This one is just in poor taste (then again, you'd be hard pressed to find something at LiberalLogic101 that isn't).

A madman killed twelve people in Aurora, Colorado.  These people had loved ones, thoughts, memories, experiences.  They had likes and dislikes.  They knew music and love.  A fetus does not know those things.  In fact, it knows nothing at all.

And clearly the person running LiberalLogic101 doesn't either.

Alright, last one.  I promise.

  
You know what doesn't mention either one?  The New Testament.  Maybe you should check that out sometime and actually put the practices it does preach to good use. 

And, uh, you do have the right to own a gun.  Was that ever in dispute?  The difference here is that a gun is not part of the human body.  Again, two different wheelhouses.  It seems like the only way conservatives can get their points across to each other is to mash two completely separate arguments into one semi-coherent cluster-fuck of words and provocative images.

That definitely explains Fox News. 

GOP Chair Jim Roddey Calls Obama Supporters "Mentally Retarded."

Pictured above is Pennsylvania’s Allegheny County GOP Chair, Jim Roddey.  It should come as no surprise to you that he is old or white, nor should you be shocked when I tell you that at an election party last night, he called Obama supporters "mentally retarded."  Old, white and ignorant: the base of the Republican Party.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Roddey was telling a joke in front of about 200 people, saying:

"There was a disappointment tonight. I was very embarrassed. I was in this parking lot and there was a man looking for a space to park, and I found a space for him. And I felt badly -- he looked like he was sort of in distress. And I said, 'Sir, here's a place.' And he said, 'That's a handicapped space.' I said, 'Oh I'm so sorry, I saw that Obama sticker and I thought you were mentally retarded."

And, in case you were wondering, yes, the crowd did indeed applaud and laugh at the joke.

I'm pissed at Roddey for a number of reasons, the biggest being that he just made light of the mentally handicapped.  I do, of course, have an Obama sticker on my car, so I'll just get this out of the way right now:

Fuck you, asshole.

Also, Right-Wing blogs and news outlets will now be talking about how us liberals are overreacting to a joke, and how Roddey meant nothing by it.  This is garbage, and I'll come back to it in a second.  He did apologize today, according to a separate article on the same news site:

In email today, Mr. Roddey called his remarks "regrettable," and added, "I have a long record of supporting people with disabilities and should have remembered that before I spoke. My remarks were inappropriate and I apologize."

I appreciate the apology, but obviously it's not up to me to accept it or decline it.  I am curious, however, as to why Sarah Palin didn't nose her way into this (here's the garbage I mentioned like four sentences ago).  A liberal says something about the handicapped (which I don't condone either) and she jumps all over it, but a conservative makes a distasteful joke and she's silent.  What the fuck, Palin?  Don't pick and choose your battles based on party lines.  That's a pretty strong indication that you don't actually have any moral fortitude on the subject.

Image found at The TexasFred Blog.  

I'm only mentioning that to cite the source.  Don't actually go there.

He's surprisingly quite conservative despite the picture.

Also, he sucks.

Bob Beckel Mispronounces RNC Chairman's Name On Fox.

Bob Beckel, the punching bag for Fox News' program "The Five", made a bit of a slip up Monday night when he accidentally pronounced RNC Chairman Reince Priebus' name as "Free Pussy."  This isn't the first time Beckel has screwed up on television.  Just last April, he told another guest that, "You don't know what the fuck you're talking about!" and live cameras caught every word.  To be fair, his accusation probably wasn't that far off.  He is on Fox News.

Here's what he said the other night:

“I think when [President Barack Obama] started out, he was neutral about Mitt Romney, and frankly so was I.  I thought he was a nice guy. I’ve come to believe he is a terrible — well, I won’t say liar. I wont diminish myself down to where Republicans, or free, free pussy. Fro, free pro. Or, pro-prebus…”

I'm not condemning or approving of what Beckel said because, quite frankly, I think it's just absolutely fucking hilarious.  Priebus does have a strange name, but it sounds nothing like "Free Pussy."  Maybe something else was on Beckel's mind that night?  Hint: It wasn't "pro-prebus."


Click here for the video.*

Reince Priebus has suffered through his name being made fun of before, be it directly or by accident.  Stephen Colbert said it best when he equated the RNC Chairman's name to the Latin term for "erectile dysfunction."

Whether Beckel gets fired or not for saying "pussy" on air hasn't been determined yet.  It is interesting to note, however, that many right-wing blogs and sites claim that he was trying to call Priebus a pussy.  This is ludicrous.  If you watch that video, it's clear that the man was just stuttering and ended up butchering the chairman's name.  Nothing more, and nothing less.

Get over it.  No kids watch Fox News anyway.  Just old, hateful people.  


*For those of you that watched the video, the things that Bolling said before Beckel slipped up are irrelevant to this post.  That's a topic for someone else to cover.