Something's are Enormous

Maybe it is his ego or maybe his ass, but Newt Gingrich is aiming for enormous and saving America.  Newt unveiled his new set of policy proposals, a “21st Century Contract With America,” and said that  “The scale of change I am suggesting is so enormous."  It is the same type of  Republican solutions and campaign boilerplate that we have seen from other candidates who are trying to save the world. Time.com

But, there is more to good ol' Newt then just his saving of America.  He also thinks that same-​sex marriage is a “temporary aberration,” because really marriage is supposed to be between one man and one woman.  And gay marriage equality "fundamentally goes against everything we know."  He must know, right?  He has been married three times, divorced twice and left his cancer-stricken wife to marry his third wife. The New Civil Rights Movement

That is some scale of change.  Did he make a contract with any of his wives?  Were any of them surprised at his enormous change.

Probably the only thing enormous for Newt.

Oh the (Not So) Friendly Skies

Earlier this week, an actress was "kicked off" a Southwest Airlines flight for an "excessive" display of affection to her girlfriend.  She and her girlfriend were reportedly kissing.  While being escorted from the plane, the stewardess informed Leisha Hailey that SWA was a "family" airline and the multiple complaints from other passengers prompted the kicking off. (LezGetReal.com)


That does sound a bit homophobic and just a tad hateful.  What kind of "family" doesn't like to see kissing?  The National Gay Pilots Association (NGPA) opposes any premature boycott measures against Southwest Airlines, though.  They say that SWA "has strict non-discrimination policies [and] is actively working ... to enhance their policies and employee training."  (JoeMyGod)


But there is still that feeling of hate.  It seems to be prevalent in this world towards those who are not "straight".  Even the Catholic church has a bit of hate towards people in same-sex relationships.  Timothy Dolan of New York, the head Archbishop, yelled at President Obama for not defending the Defense of Marriage Act.  He says it would "precipitate a national conflict between church and state of enormous proportions."  He reiterated the feeling that "traditional marriage is best for society."  (USAToday.com)


And Gay Marriage is horrible?  And probably two girls kissing on a plane is icky?


The Archbishop rants about the "conflict between church and state" but where oh where is that "separation" that is supposed to be there?

Maybe it's Good News?

The Associated Press tweets today that Maggie Gallagher, the chair of the National Organization for Marriage, has been replaced.  So that may be good news, the Magster will have to stop her bigotry and hate.  Maybe.  The replacement may not be too much better.  The failed Attorney General wannabe for California, John Eastman.  He attempted to have the repeal of Prop 8 overturned while the Gov (Ahnold) was out of the country.  (JoeMyGod)

One would wonder, why was Maggie let go?  Did she need to stay at home and be the good wife?  Or has she changed her stance on equality?  She did attend the reading of Dustin Lance Black's play "8", which re-enacts the Prop. 8 trial.  She maybe now playing with the enemy, as the ticket dollars went to "AFER and Broadway Impact to secure full federal marriage equality."  Or maybe it is just her eating habits.  Obviously she has been through the buffet line a few too many times, and she did munch on some loud food during the reading. (TheAtlanticWire.com)


Now, she says she is going to finish her book "Debating Same-Sex Marriage".  But it probably is more for being the good wife and over-eater.

If the Search Result Fits...

Then of course Google has to list it.  Now, some folks might complain about that.  But Google's PageRank is how it works.  Every time somebody adds a link to a web site, Google interprets this as a vote for that site. The more links to the site, the more votes it gets.(SwitchIt.com)

Then of course, there is the Google Bomb.  "Google's search-rank algorithm ranks pages higher for a particular search phrase if enough other pages linked to it using similar anchor text." (Wikipedia.org) Examples of such bombs would be like a search for "more evil than Satan himself" resulting in the Microsoft homepage.  Or "dumb motherf*cker" leading to a site selling George W. Bush-related merchandise.  Google has developed an algorithm to catch and remove these.


So, which is the case for "Santorum"? 


It all started when sex advice columnist, author and activist Dan Savage didn't like what Senator Rick Santorum had to say about homosexuality.  He equated it with bestiality and pedophilia.  So Savage asked his readers to come up with a new definition of "Santorum" and they picked:  The frothy mix of lube and fecal matter that is sometimes the byproduct of anal sex.  And it pops up on Google.  (HuffingtonPost.com)


Well, now Rick has asked Google to fix the problem, and they said "no."  Google does not “remove content from our search results, except in very limited cases such as illegal content and violations of our webmaster guidelines.” (PamsHouseblend) Dan Savage has re-defined Santorum and he has created a website that has lots of links to it that fit the PageRank guidelines, so it is the "frothy mix" that wins.


Looks like Rick is stuck - literally and figuratively.

Things We are Supposed to Hate

And today, those things are Schweddy Balls and AARP.  Now, Schweddy Balls started out as a Saturday Night Live sketch involving Alec Baldwin's balls... or some that were sold as a Christmas treat at his shoppe Season's Eatings.  Now, Schweddy Balls are a line of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream flavors.  (SNL Transcripts)


"AARP is a membership organization leading positive social change and delivering value to people age 50. Since 1958, AARP has been leading a revolution in the way people view and live life."  (AARP)


So, why are we supposed to hate either of these?  According to the American Family Association www.afa.net, a "pro-family action site promotes traditional family values, focusing primarily on the influence of television and other media on our society," both are bad. Although, to some AFA is bad... Right Wing Watch


With Schweddy Balls the AFA says that the "vulgar new flavor has turned something as innocent as ice cream into something repulsive."  They are calling for a boycott.  Because they don't want kids walking into the grocery story asking for something offensive.  AFA also took a stand against another Ben & Jerry's flavor - Hubby Hubby which celebrated gay marriage.  "It seems that offending customers has become an annual tradition for Ben & Jerry's."  (JoeMyGod)


The AARP one might be a bit more confusing.  Helping older people is wrong?  Oh wait of course there had to be a reason, and AFA points it out:  "AARP uses member resources to advocate same-sex marriage and pro-homosexuality military policy."  (JoeMyGod)

Guess Old Schweddy Gay Balls is just bad and need to be hated.

It's War!!

Well, that is probably what the GOP will think.  President Obama says it is not "Class Warfare just math" when it comes to his new deficit reduction plan.  Most of the rich people out there, however, are going to think that it is a warfare against the upper class.  "Obama's plan would end Bush-era tax cuts for top earners and would limit their deductions."  (HuffingtonPost.com)


But the Republicans have already cringed at the plan.  They have insisted that tax increases should play no part in taming the nation's escalating national debt.  They want to cut Medicare payments.  But Obama said: "I will not support any plan that puts all the burden for closing our deficit on ordinary Americans."  And he plans to veto any such plans.


So, what are the wealthy to do?  Oh, no!  How is it possible that they will survive having to pay their fair share?  Rep. John Flemming (R-LA) is a victim of class warfare, or so he says.  (PamsHouseBlend)  After he pays taxes he only has .... wait for it.... wait for it.... $400,000 to feed his family.


$400,000 to "feed his family".  Well, for those of us who make 10% of that - before taxes, or less... how the hell are we supposed to feed ours?


The war has begun.

What is 12%?

When you do a Google search on "12 Percent", you can get some interesting returns:  12 percent = 0.12, 12 Percent - Importer of Fine Ales, Rams TV rating down 12 percent vs. 2010 opener, Violent crime plunges 12 percent in US in 2010.  Now if you are not into calculators, beer, St. Louis Football or violent crimes, then this information isn't going to do you any good.


Another interesting return from this little search does bring up something interesting.  "Poll: Just 12% happy with Congress."  Yep, that's it.  The current congress got only a 12% thumbs up.  This is the "lowest percentage [since] ...October 2008." (CBSNews.com)  And it is pretty much everybody.  "Dissatisfaction with Congress cuts across party lines. Republicans, Democrats, and independents all overwhelmingly disapprove of the job Congress is doing."


On some better(?) news, it seems the overwhelming winners in 2010 aren't doing so well, as "most Americans disapprove of Republicans more."  Not that this is overwhelming - 72% disapprove Reps vs. 63% disapprove Dems.  (Doubt too many Dems are going to write home about that number).


So, 14 months to go and only 12% happiness.  Maybe we need some beer and football to get us through...  Google that.

Bringing the Vagina into the Run for President

Yep, it was only a matter of time.  With all of the "dicks" running for the GOP ticket, it is now time to bring a "bearded clam" into the race.  Michele not-a-scientist Bachmann had to mention something at the last debate about Gov. Rick Perry's order that girls in Texas need to get an HPV vaccination when they turn 12.  Now, there are many parts of this that are wrong.


HPV, or Human papillomavirus, can lead to cancers of the cervix, vulva, vagina, and anus in women. (Wikipedia.org)  So, while it sounds very nice for Perry to require that young girls are protected from a potential cancer causer, his intentions may not have been as noble.  It seems that Mr. Perry received political donations from the firm that created the vaccine (WashingtonPost.com) And although HPV can also affect males with anal or penal cancer, they weren't required to get the shot.


Now, on the other side, good ol' Michelle sees this as governmental meddling into the lives of "innocent little 12-year old girls".  She even insinuates that the vaccine would put girls at risk for mental retardation (which is not true, to say the least). And another good ol' girl, Sarah P., praises Bachmann for going up against the "big guns". (CNN.com)  But, just as the Washington Post suggests, would Mrs. Bachmann or Mrs. Palin be against other governmental meddling like preventing polio, chicken pox or the measles.


So, now besides Michele - and maybe someday Sarah, we have a vagina in the race.  More important than deficits, unemployment and poverty levels, I am sure.

Where is the love?

Obviously it is not with the Tea Partiers or the Right Wingers.  It is amazing how they like to throw around all the holy words of Leviticus (18:22), yet are really not reading the entire book.  In Leviticus 19:18 and in 19:34 it does say that you got to love the neighbors and love the strangers as you would love yourself.  Not seeing that recently among the TP or the RW.


Back on September 8, 2011, there were stories about how the crowd at a GOP-hopefuls debate loudly cheered when Rick Perry brought up his record 234 being executed.  The state of Texas and their governor don't love everybody above themselves.  (Telegraph.co.uk) Then last night at another such debacle - er debate - Wolf Blizter asked Ron Paul, another Texas lovely, if a man went into a coma and didn't have health insurance, should society just let him die?  And members of that TP crowd yelled "Yeah!" (Huffingtonpost.com)

So where is the love?  And then there is the "sanctity of marriage".  The North Carolina General Assembly just approved a bill that will ban gay marriage.  But, Pat Robertson, the 700 Club Christian advises a man whose wife is suffering from Alzheimer's to just divorce her and marry somebody else.  Real Nice.  (RightWingWatch.org)

Kill the sinners, kill the uninsured and forget marriage if you can get some somewhere better.  That is the definition of the love that the Tea Partiers and the Right Wingers have.


Oh, for the Love of...

Terror In America

On this day after, terror is definitely on people's minds.  The terrorist attacks on the U.S. in 2001 were awful.  There have been quite a few of those in the history of America.  In 1920 there was a TNT bomb on Wall street.  In 1993 there was a bomb in the World Trade Center.  In 1975 there was one the Fraunces Tavern in New York.  And then there was that one outside the federal office building in Oklahoma City.  (InfoPlease.com)


The one happening in OK makes the next story sound just a little odd.  Oklahoma Republican state legislator Sally Kern thinks that homosexuality is "the biggest threat our nation has, even more so than terrorism..."  (RightwingWatch.org) One would think that folks like Tim McVeigh are more of a threat then say Elton John or Ellen DeGeneres.


She thinks that "bombarding" young people with a "homosexuality is normal" message is more dangerous than car bombs.  Or perhaps more dangerous than planes flying into tall buildings.


Maybe she should be bombarded with something.

Leave it Faux News

Yesterday on this blog, the story of Chaz Bono's scheduled appearance on Dancing with the Stars and the reaction of some in the comments sections of different publications was addressed.  Today's topic is similar.  A contributing writer to Faux News has written his own take on Dancing with Chaz Bono.  He is instructing the world to not "let your kids watch".


Dr. Keith Ablow is a psychiatrist and member of the Fox News Medical A-Team (do they have a "B-Team"?).  He insists that we not applaud Chaz for taking the step to finally realize who he is.  Dr. Ablow likens transgender surgery to the "woman who believes she will be happier without arms, has them removed and then continues to assert that she was right all along—her self-concept was that of a double amputee."  Or he says the one who "believes that his species, rather than gender, is what is amiss and asks a plastic surgeon to build him a tail of flesh harvested from his abdomen."  (FoxNews.com)

These are absolutely preposterous examples.


Dr. Ablow also says the "last thing vulnerable children and adolescents need to watch is a captive crowd in a studio audience applaud on cue for someone search[ing] for an identity."  Although he did write a book "Living the Truth: Transform Your Life Through the Power of Insight and Honesty."  Perhaps that is just what Chaz did.


Makes you wonder if the good doctor has ever seen Russian Dolls, Jersey Shore, Dr. 90210, Bridalplasty or The Biggest Loser.  All of the participants on these shows, and countless others, are searching for a new identity.  But obviously, money-grubbing, plastic surgery and weight loss are so much better than sexual identity.


Primarily, Faux News is merely perused during the day to offer a laugh - reading some of the nonsense that is posted there. 

This is one of those that really takes the cake.  Should be on the Food Channel

Dancing with the Stars

A lot of people are really pissed that ABC has decided to cast Chaz Bono in the upcoming season of DWTS.  Comments on the ABC site says things like "I am sick and tired of the homosexual agenda being shoved in my face!"  And "I will not accept sin no matter how “popular” it is in hollywood."  They accuse ABC of throwing junk in "our faces" and forcing "liberalism down our throats."  (WebProNews.com)

Now, there are some who support the casting.  One of course being Chaz's mom, Cher. @Cher "I support him no matter what he chooses 2do! God! will there always be haters! It took COURAGE 2 do dwts ! TG Chaz has an Unlimited supply."  And WebProNews does state that the supporters outweigh the detractors.


If I remember correctly there was another person who was on the show who may or may not have been suited for it.  Actually, it has been noted that this particular person had "an evident lack of natural dancing talent." (NPR.org)


Where were complainers when she was on the show?  Why did we have to endure having conservatism being shoved in our faces and shoved down our throats?


Bet Chaz does better than Bristol