Now We Know Why The Gun Nuts Massively Accumulating Guns…

Ken AshfordGun Control1 Comment

They're being manipulated by the NRA, which has become an industry shill:

Please observe the November issue of the NRA magazine, the American Rifleman where the NRA tells its members how to vote, and the handy “wallet card” contained therein:

AmerRifleman(1)
NRA_lie_card 

If you’re like me, you’re surprised to hear about all these plans Obama has. I don’t remember hearing about them during his campaign or reading about them on his website. Clearly, they are what you would imagine: exaggerations, items taken out of context and spin based on the senatorial maneuvering and posturing that always goes on when one party tries to hang things on bills to intentionally kill them. It’s all cut using the same template as the “Obama voted to kill babies!” garbage you heard during the general election. And, obviously, some people believe it.

But didn’t it all end up being conveniently profitable for gun store owners and the gun industry that, along with the NRA, encouraged people to believe this nonsense. It appears some are doing quite well despite an economy where consumer spending is in the toilet. 

***

I seldom underestimate the capacity for people to believe propaganda but, at some point, there has to be an awakening. The leadership at the NRA should be wondering what happens if, after an Obama term or two, it all turns out to be a false alarm and people are still in possession of their Second Amendment rights? When comes the boy-who-cried-wolf effect? At what point does the NRA finally provoke the inevitable response from its members:

“The NRA must think I’m stupid!”

Digby Coins A New Term I Like

Ken AshfordRight Wing and Inept Media3 Comments

Jon Stewart's interview last night of Bill O'Reilly was fascinating for a number of reasons, but Digby picked up on something.

Here's the entire interview, but the relevant moment comes toward the end.

Here's the setup, as explained by Digby:

Stewart kicked off the segment by showing a bunch of quotes about how nervous and scared Billo is with the prospect of an Obama Presidency, and then he pulled out the cocoa and marshmallows and a snuggly teddy bear and tried to make him feel more comfortable. Late in the interview, a propos of nothing, O'Reilly starts talking about the bear. 

Now, the clip.  The moment is at the end, at the 5:30 mark.

Okay.  The exchange was this: O'Reilly made a passing reference to the teddy bear, calling it a "panda".  Digby:

O'REILLY: As long as I can have the panda, I'm fine.

STEWART: That's not a panda!

O'REILLY: Sure it is! This is a panda! What do you think it is?

STEWART: You've gotta get out of your "luxury Long Island life" and get around and start seeing animals.

It's really not that he got the name of the animal wrong. It's that he was so sure of it, and immediately when told he was wrong, he clung to it. That's not only his knee-jerk reaction, but the entire conservative movement. Their version of what's right is whatever their opponents say is wrong. Facts are tangential.

I didn't think we'd ever get such a clear "2+2=5" moment, on national television no less. Maybe I shouldn't make so much out of it, but I'm instituting this feature into my writing: any time a conservative delivers obvious misinformation, they will be heretofore described as "hugging the panda." And when you're in an argument with one of them, over whether this is a center-right nation or whether tax cuts increase revenue or whether the social safety net hurts poor people, remember that these are the kind of people who not only think a teddy bear is a panda, but who insist it even when they are told they are wrong.

"Hugging the panda".  I like it.

Update on Nebraska’s “Safe Haven” Law

Ken AshfordSex/Morality/Family ValuesLeave a Comment

UPDATE:  Speaking of Nebraska, the last vote just got counted in the 2nd Congressional District (Omaha), and it went for Obama (the rest of the state went McCain).  This makes the electoral count Obama 365, McCain 173.

Now back to what I was posting…….

A special session of the Nebraska legislature is meeting today at 3:00 p.m., Nebraska time, to amend that law that is giving them such a headache.   AP describes that law this way:

Nebraska's safe-haven law, which doesn't have a specified age limit, lets parents abandon their children at a hospital without fear of prosecution.

Since it went into effect July 18, it has been used to drop off 33 children.

There have been six 17-year-olds, two 16-year-olds, six 15-year-olds, three 14-year-olds, three 13-year-olds, three 12-year-olds, five 11-year-olds, one 9-year-old, one 8-year-old, one 7-year-old, one 6-year-old and one 1-year-old. Five were from out of state.

And since then, a 34th child has been dropped off/abandoned.  Make that 35.

What AP's summary doesn't explain is that many of these parents are quote- abandoning -unquote their child in order for the child to get the needed social services that they can't get.  Many of these so-called "dumpster kids" have mental or emotional problems.  Of the 30 kids studied by the Department of Health and Human Services, 27 of them had received mental health treatment.

Nevertheless, it looks like they will change the law so that it applies to children three days old and younger, which is more in line with other states.

My cousin is concerned:

Senator Brad Ashford says, "This is a wake up call."

That's what Senator Ashford calls the current safe haven law.  "It's clearly shown a light on what is significant issue in our community and across the country."

Ashford says that issue is the lack of services available for children with mental health problems. "Most of the violence were caused because so many young people did not have the services, has been serviced, and than those services were no longer available, that's the problem."

He says he disagrees with the Special Session saying this will change the age limit, but leaves many young kids behind.

He would rather not change the law until next session saying it could take up to six months before any changes can be made to provide more services for young children and teens.

In other words, changing the law and putting in a three-days-old age limit is fine, but then what do you do about all these young children and teenagers who need the social services, and can't get them?

Well, in the meantime, until this gets changed and fixed, the State of Nebraska would like you to know: "Please don't bring your teenager to Nebraska".

AIG, Having Received $152 In Government Bailouts, Gives $503 Million In Bonuses

Ken AshfordEconomy & Jobs & Deficit2 Comments

The lede graf:

American International Group plans to pay out $503 million in deferred compensation to some of its top employees, saying it must tap the funds to keep valuable workers from exiting the troubled insurance giant….

AIG spokesman Nicholas Ashooh said yesterday that the company is desperately trying to keep top talent from leaving, and that giving them deferred compensation works as a carrot to keep them on board.

Now let me make a few things clear, so that you don't have to read the article.

First of all, this is not money from the bailout (i.e., your tax dollars at work) going to pay these people.

And despite my headline, we are not  talking about end-of-the-year bonuses.   It is deferred compensation being paid earlier than planned.  Which is kind  of a bonus.  And it is being done in order to keep (according to AIG spokesman) "top talent from leaving".

But here's the thing:

Why is AIG doing this to keep "top talent"?  Who is the "top talent" at AIG?  It's the same brainiacs who ran it into the ground in the first place.  It seems to me you shouldn'e be incentivizing these people to say.  In fact, you should probably be doing the opposite.

And actually, it is taxpayer money (in the form of government bailouts) which is being used to free up assets in order to permmit the earlier-than-later deferred compensation scheme. 

Dispatch From “Real America”

Ken AshfordObama OppositionLeave a Comment

Rexburg, Idaho is "America's Family Community".  Bet you didn't know that.  But it is.

Which should be a concern to everyone:

Matthew Whoolery and his wife aren't blaming the school district for what happened on the bus but they do think all parents need to be careful about what they say and teach their children.

Whoolery and his wife couldn't believe it when their second and third graders got off the bus last week and told them what other students were saying.

"They just hadn't heard anything like this before," said Whoolery. "They were chanting on the bus, 'Assassinate Obama. Assassinate Obama.' Then adding in a name sometimes of a classmate on the bus, 'Assassinate Obama and Kate.'"

Kind of makes you wonder what gets said around the family dinner table in "America's Family Community".

Chart Of The Day

Ken AshfordEconomy & Jobs & DeficitLeave a Comment

A very bleak Christmas, spending-wise:

Blog_Retail_Sales_October_2008 

Kevin Drum explans:

The chart… from Calculated Risk, shows the numbers adjusted for inflation (in blue). Those are the ones that count. Just as it's ridiculous to say that "spending at gasoline stations dropped sharply," as if that's meaningful (people didn't buy less gasoline, after all, they merely benefited from lower prices), it's also ridiculous to claim that overall retail sales were down 4.1% from last year when they were really down nearly 9%. Like it or not, that's a much better indication of how much actual stuff people were buying. (Or not buying, in this case.)

The Christmas Police Have Their Updated Rap Sheet

Ken AshfordGodstuff, War On ChristmasLeave a Comment

Actually, its just Jerry Falwell's Liberty Counsel and their annual Naughty and Nice List (PDF format).

It used to be called the "Friend Or Foe" list a couple of years ago.

"Naughty" stores are those that use the word "Holiday" in their ads. "Nice" stores, on the other hand, are brave enough to actually use the word "Christmas."  For example, Costco, K-Mart and  Nordstrom are naughty, Best Buy and Wal-Mart are nice.

The Naughty and Nice list is astoundingly petty.  K-Mart's website, the list tells us, has a "Holiday Shop", not a Christmas Shop.  To be honest, I couldn't find this "Holiday Shop" on K-Mart's website.  But I do know that you can go to K-Mart's website, and search for "Christmas", and get 815 items for sale — from trees to creches to ornaments to stockings.

More importantly, this list is astoundingly inaccurate.  For example, it states that on Nordstrom's website, there is "no mention of Christmas".  Yeah, whatever:

Nordweb   

But what they find offensive is that these websites use "Holiday" instead of "Christmas".  That is the criterium which separates "naughty" from "nice".-

And what I find offensive is that the Liberty Counsel doesn't seem to understand that Christmas isn't the only holiday this time of year.

I mean look at the items for sale at "naughty" World Market's webpage for its "Holiday Shop"  .  Notice something (you may have to click the image to enlarge?)

Worldmarkweb 

So what is Liberty Counsel saying?  A company is "naughty" and should be boycotted because it recognizes Hanukkah?

And they wonder why they sometimes get attached with the label "religious bigots"…

Dear Abby Hijacked: Volume Five

Ken AshfordDear Abby HijackedLeave a Comment

Because it's Friday and I'm bored….

Past installments

From her October 30 column:

DEAR ABBY: My friend, "Steven," and I have known each other 10 years. He and I have seen each other through many good times, and a few bad ones.

Most recently, Steven was in a relationship with a woman who couldn't stand the thought of his having female friends. So, for the last 18 months, the only contact I have had with him was via e-mail — and that was very seldom.

Steven recently e-mailed me saying he had broken up with this insecure woman. He expressed how sorry he was for the limited contact, and said he would like for us to rebuild our friendship. I'm thrilled to finally have my friend back, but I also feel somewhat resentful toward him for his having discarded me.

Abby, I missed Steven. But how can I be his pal again when I am still hurt by his blatant disregard for our friendship and my feelings over the past year and a half? — UNCERTAIN IN LONG BEACH

 Dear Uncertain:

Well, you don't have to be his pal, but that's cutting off your nose in spite of your face.

Look, just tell him how you feel/felt about being "disregarded".   He's already apologized, so he seems aware of it.  But if you think there's more to be said, then say it.   I don't suspect this Steven will have changed much during his hiatus from your friendship, and he will understand.

Best of luck,

Dear Abby Hijacked

******

Beach cast DEAR ABBY: For the last seven months I have been planning a Florida vacation with two of my girlfriends. However, one of them, "Heather," has just announced that she will be having foot surgery before we leave. She will be in a cast and able to walk only with the use of crutches. I hoped that Heather would cancel, but she's still planning to come anyway.

Abby, I don't want to take care of her on my only vacation. Am I being selfish? Should we let her come and just sit in the condo while we go out to explore? I'm afraid our friendship will suffer. What should I do? — VACATION-BOUND IN THE NORTHWEST

Dear V-BitNW:

Do you even know that she expects  you to "take care of her"?  How about talking to her? 

And in the course of that conversation, you can suggest that you don't want her to feel bad when you and your other travel companion hit the clubs or do things that can't involve the crip.

I mean, maybe Heather just wants to lie on the beach all day, you know?

So talk to her.

Have a nice vacation,

Dear Abby Hijacked

Ten Fascinating “Last Pictures Taken”

Ken AshfordRandom MusingsLeave a Comment

All here.

This one spooked me.

182794935-c533a839c2-tm

It came from a digital camera recovered in the 9/11 wreckage at Ground Zero.  The camera belonged to photojournalist Bill Biggart (who perished that day).  The camera itself was totally wasted, but the flash card survivied.  This photo, showing the wreckage after the first tower collapse, was taken (according to the digital data) at 10:28 a.m. and 24 seconds.  The second tower collapse, which killed Biggart, happened less than two minutes later.

Then, there's a few celebrity "last photos taken"

Elvis-last-picture-taken-at-12..28-aug-16-1977-tm 

Anyway, it's sad, creepy and informative….

Free The GOP

Ken AshfordRepublicansLeave a Comment

Another voice in the rising chorus of Republicans who think the GOP cannot survive as long as it continues to coddle the religious right.  This time from Republican Christine Todd Whitman, who served as Bush's EPA Director.  I suspect she left that post out of frustration; the Bush Administration doesn't believe in environmental protection.

Anyway, here's her thesis in the Washington Post, and it's becoming a common one:

The Republican Party had been taken hostage by "social fundamentalists," the people who base their votes on such social issues as abortion, gay rights and stem cell research. Unless the GOP freed itself from their grip, we argued, it would so alienate itself from the broad center of the American electorate that it would become increasingly marginalized and find itself out of power.

***

Following the conventional wisdom of the past two presidential elections, McCain tried mightily to assuage the Republican Party's social-fundamentalist wing. His selection of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, whose social views are entirely aligned with that wing, as his running mate was clearly meant to demonstrate his commitment to that bloc. Yet while his choice did comfort those voters, it made many others uncomfortable.

Palin has many attractive qualities as a candidate. Being prepared to become president at a moment's notice was not obviously among them this year. Her selection cost the ticket support among those moderate voters who saw it as a cynical sop to social fundamentalists, reinforcing the impression that they control the party, with the party's consent.

In the wake of the Democrats' landslide victory, and despite all evidence to the contrary, many in the GOP are arguing that John McCain was defeated because the social fundamentalists wouldn't support him. They seem to be suffering from a political strain of Stockholm syndrome. They are identifying with the interests of their political captors and ignoring the views of the larger electorate. This has cost the Republican Party the votes of millions of people who don't find a willingness to acquiesce to hostage-takers a positive trait in potential leaders.

Unless the Republican Party ends its self-imposed captivity to social fundamentalists, it will spend a long time in the political wilderness. On Nov. 4, the American people very clearly rejected the politics of demonization and division. It's long past time for the GOP to do the same.

She's 100% right.  As A Democrat, I would hope that the advice of Whitman and others will be ignored by the greater GOP.  But somehow, I don't think the social fundamentalists are going to fade away without a long protracted fight.  Good.

Custom Muppets

Ken AshfordRandom Musings1 Comment

Muppet FAO Schwartz allows you to create your own custom muppet. Choose the various body parts, see a mock-up of your creation, pay your $90, and wait 3-4 weeks for delivery.

Don't fool yourself and think you'll be able to design a muppet that looks like you (unless of course, you already look like a muppet).

Great holiday idea for the kids though…..

Scientists Discover The Great Greatgazillion Grandparents Of All Flora

Ken AshfordScience & TechnologyLeave a Comment

Their courtship, which came about 1.9 billion years ago, was very brief, and it wasn't exactly love at first sight:

Image006 It came when an amoeba-like organism engulfed a bacterium that had developed the power to use sunlight to break down water and liberate oxygen.

The bacterium was probably intended as prey, but instead it became incorporated into its attacker's body – turning it into the ancestor of every tree, flowering plant and seaweed on Earth.

The encounter meant life on the planet could evolve from bacterial slime into the more complex forms of today.

"That single event transformed the evolution of life on Earth," said Paul Falkowski, professor of biogeochemistry and biophysics at Rutgers University in New Jersey. "The descendants of that tiny organism transformed our atmosphere, filling it with the oxygen needed for animals and eventually humans to evolve."

***

Professor Falkowski's group at Rutgers is one of several around the world using powerful scientific tools such as DNA analysis to work out how life evolved after Earth was formed about 4.5billion years ago.

They have refined methods for dating ancient rocks using radioactive isotopes. This method can also show how much oxygen was in the atmosphere when the rocks were formed.

Such evidence suggests primitive life emerged up to 3.5 billion years ago – but only as bacterial-type organisms.

Then, more than 2.2 billion years ago, one group, the cyanobacteria, evolved the ability to usesunlight to break down water, making nutrients and liberating oxygen.

This event was a breakthrough, but cyanobacteria were inefficient, so oxygen levels in the air remained minimal.

It took several hundred million more years before the chance encounter that would lead to flowering plants took place – a hiatus showing how unlikely it was to happen at all.

I know, I know.  To some people, this sounds farfetched.  Unlike the other theory, which suggests a bearded magic man blinked his eyes and suddenly all life was created.