Wonderment Du Jour

Sarah Palin. George W. Bush.

Both passionate right-wingers.

Both hard-core Talibangelicals.

Both possessing some personal charm (apparently).

Both clueless about policy.

Both spouting continuous propaganda platitudes.

Both saying un-f*cking-believably stupid things in public.

Both speaking English as if it were a second language.

Both word-salad-ing up the wazoo.


It is sticking to Mrs. Palin.

Didn't stick to Dan Quayle. And it has never stuck to Mr. Bush -- even as he drowned this country in Grover Norquist's bathtub.

Even as he lead his country deeper and deeper into moral and fiscal bankruptcy.


Why might that be, boys and girls?

Thoughts?

"Bitter Infighting Over 'diva' Palin."

Department of Too True, Too True

From the Sydney Morning Herald:

The Republican team views the spending story as irrelevant.

"It doesn't matter that Palin's costing us a fortune for her wardrobe," one insider said. "What matters is that she's costing us the election."

Well, w00t!!

Mm. And besides that, the Trophy VEEP now wants to go rogue.

YO! Karl ROVE's Dressing Caribou Barbie!!! (& he has SUCH good taste! He's just a WIZARD with f*-me heels & those cunning lil' jackets! Ooh!)

So, boys and girls, who bought and paid for the Neiman Marcus/Saks 5th/Barney's/Bloomie's/Atelier upscale uptown clothes for Caribou Barbie's Excellent Sexist Sex-Object Trophy VEEP Makeover?

Why, that would be one Jeff Larson!

One of Karl Rove's perception management boys!

Quelle surprise!

Plus ca change plus c'est la meme f*ckin' chose!

Update: Palin Defends Designer Clothes Tab via the Sydney Morning Herald. Hint -- it's not about the money, it's all about sexism, and remember boys and girls, Sarah said on NBC yesterday that she's NOT a feminist! (While being a member of "Feminists (sic) for Life (sic)")



[insert massively inappropriate Palinwink -- here ---]

PS. Seems like John McCain spent over $12K on a make-up artist just last month. Sure beats those $400 Dem haircuts the Pubbies made such a stink about, eh? Palin spent over $13K last month for her make-up artist. They're both such regular Joes, are they not?

No Blood for Hubris Defends Caribou Barbie

Okay, I meant what I said in the post below, but this take is sexist, ergo wrong:"Republicans Disgusted at Palin's $150,000 Shopping Spree"?
Puh-leese.

Be disgusted at the Republican National Committee, not Palin. Her pricey wardrobe was part of the RNC agenda, not Palin's personal agenda. They make-overed her into their sex-object Trophy VEEP. They, not she, deserve blame. (Mrs. Real Pro-America, of course, deserves blame in many other areas. And perhaps for giving her consent, as reader anon points out.)

Dressing Caribou Barbie

Look, people -- do everyday hometown cookie-bakin' anti-feminazi pro-government-forced maternity Talibangelical gurrls just like to have fun?

You betcha!

[insert inappropriate wink -- here --]

Sydney Morning Herald:

Republicans spend a motza* dressing Palin

WASHINGTON: Financial records show the Republican National Committee has spent more than $US 150,000 . . . on clothes for vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, the political news website Politico has reported.

The Republicans' main campaign and fund-raising organ spent tens of thousands at high-end stores such as Bloomingdale's and Barney's in New York, Saks Fifth Avenue in St Louis and New York and Neiman Marcus in Minneapolis, the website said. The committee also spent $US4716 on hair and make-up during September, Politico reported.

Those kinds of expenditures did not appear in the committee's financial disclosure records before the Alaska Governor was added to John McCain's ticket in August, it said.

Politico said it reviewed the committee's September monthly financial disclosure report and found a new category, "campaign accessories", included in the report of "itemised co-ordinated expenditures" . . .

Another $US4902 was "spent at Atelier, a high-class shopping destination for men", Politico noted. The spending on Mrs Palin's image emerged at the same time as reports that she has charged the state for her children to travel with her on official visits, including to events where they were not invited, and later amended expense reports to specify that they were on official business.

Mrs Palin has charged the state $US21,012 for her three daughters' commercial flights. The charges included costs for her daughters to join Mrs Palin to watch their father in a snowmobile race.

Let's hear it for perception management! w00t!

---
motza -
mot·ser /ˈmɒtsər/

–noun Australian Slang.

a large amount of money, esp. a sum won in gambling.
Also, motzer, motza.

[Origin: 1940–45; perh. alter. of Polari medzers, medzies, metzes money, pl. of medzer, madzer halfpenny, ult. < It mezzo half, mezzo]

"Stop Wasting Time With This Pig"

Guess I picked the wrong day to quit complaining about saving Western civilization (sic) through torture and savagery, eh?

I love primary sources. Check out the link to actual army documents, above (that would be "savagery').

In the meantime, ponder what it means that someone in the army thought this shit up, wrote this shit down, and made a whole shitty actual manual out of it.

It's filled with helpful directions on just the right way to hurt others.

Maybe you have to be a f*cking card-carrying buddhist to think this is totally perversely inherently morally f*cked up but I sure hope not.

Here's a teeny sample:

"The statement 'stop wasting time with this pig' means to discontinue the current training tactic and take a break."

"Us" and "them." There's a theme here. See, once you label them as "pigs" they ain't human, so you can do to them whatever you f*cking like, mm-kay? Well not just what you like. You can do whatever the manual says you can do.

There's a whole section on "DEGRADATION." This includes three sub-sections, the "insult slap," the "stomach slap," and "stripping." The insult slap target is right below the cheekbone, and you have to stop doing it if the detainee tries to duck. No really. The stomach slap is used to shock and intimidate the detainee. Stripping "consists of forceful removal of detainees' clothing. In addition to degradation of the detainee, stripping can be used to demonstrate the omnipotence of the captor [ licensed clinician part of NBFH raises an eyebrow, says neutrally, "Oh? Tell me more." here] or to debilitate the detainee."

Then, there's "PHYSICAL DEBILITATION TACTICS." These get written down in log-books. If you write stuff down it makes it official and ok, see.

Anyhow, there are more fun sections, so I'll be talking about that later, but first I have to go to work. I look forward to describing one stress position, kneeling on the ground with one's arms out holding weights. I like that one in particular because it resembles the way some abusive parents torture children, who then grow up and see me and ask me why their parents did that to them.



And pardon me while I complain as well about information suppression, PBS not daring to air the documentary "Torturing Democracy" before the election because well you know somebody in the pro-torture crowd might be offended by an anti-torture show and complain and/or somebody might have to actually deal with what we have actually done and/or why would we want an informed electorate anyway, eh? Lets just go with mob rule. Namaste to PBS, yep, my tax dollars at work supporting suppression of information about torture yep you betcha (wink wink).

Hat-tip to reader AT.

Girl Set Alight for Wearing Lipstick

Yes, you read that right.

"An 11-year-old girl has been set on fire by a relative in India's northern city of Jaipur for wearing lipstick and being inappropriately dressed.

Police say the girl suffered burns over 90 per cent of her body and her chances of survival are bleak.

They've arrested her great uncle who allegedly poured kerosene on the girl and set her alight yesterday.

Investigators say the 55-year-old man, a conservative Muslim, told the police he was enraged at the girl wearing lipstick and being scantily dressed.

But relatives have accused the man of trying to molest the girl and setting her on fire when she objected."

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Send money to Arthur Silber, who is in so need of it and who writes so well.

The Vicious Mrs. (Palin) Goes Ever So Anti-American

"We believe that the best of America is in these small towns that we get to visit, and in these wonderful little pockets of what I call the real America, being here with all of you hard working very patriotic, um, very, um, pro-America areas of this great nation.



"This is where we find the kindness and the goodness and the courage of everyday Americans. Those who are running our factories and teaching our kids and growing our food and are fighting our wars for us. Those who are protecting us in uniform. Those who are protecting the virtues of freedom."
-- Sarah Palin in North Carolina

Well, that says it all.

There's "us."

And there's "them."

On the upside, the Palin pick seems to be hurting McCain.

Even among Republicans:

In what read more like an obituary than a commentary, Peggy Noonan wrote in the Wall Street Journal: "In the end the Palin candidacy is a symptom and expression of a new vulgarization in American politics. It's no good, not for conservatism and not for the country. And yes, it is a mark against John McCain, against his judgment and idealism."

(Well, I wouldn't say a "new" vulgarization, actually.)

And among Jewish women voters in Florida:

"[University of Florida political scientist Ken Wald points out that] 'among middle-class Jewish career women in particular, there's a resentment bordering on rage that somebody so obviously unqualified was appointed on the assumption that she would appeal to women. As women of accomplishment, they deeply resent the pandering and take it quite personally.'"

So we'll see.

Update: Guy Who Lied to UN Security Council About WMDs Endorses Obama

Department of "Oh, Puh-LEEZE"

Gag me with a spoon.

WHITE BOOMER WOMEN VOTERS PRIZED.
"Both the McCain and Obama campaigns are courting this voting bloc."

Oh. Right. And don't forget, these old broads are "feisty" but "persuadable."

Hat-tip to VastLeft.

Racist Bigot Pride With a Side Order of Deep-Fried Sociopathy Goes Global

Via the Sydney Morning Herald, Racist Image of Obama.

"A local Republican group has distributed a newsletter picturing Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on a fake $US10 bill adorned with a watermelon, ribs and a bucket of fried chicken.

The drawing harked back to racist images from decades ago in America that featured caricatures of blacks eating watermelon and other Southern foods, often suggesting they were lazy or unclean.

Linking Senator Obama, who is the first black presidential nominee of a major US political party, to such stereotypes drew denunciations from various Republican officials."

"Palin Rally Attendee Assaults Reporter," hat-tip to reader AT.

Let's Hear It For Racist Bigot Pride With a Side Order of Deep-Fried Sociopathy

I'm at work, so I can't do much right now.

But I couldn't resist this charmer.

Then there's Joe Six-Pack Speaks, at Jesus' General.

McCain Rally Preacher Erroneously Calls Buddha a "god," Prays to Christian God to Save God's Rep By Causing McCain Victory

Just another day in samsara as usual, home of passion, aggression and -- ignorance.

How offensive is this guy's total ignorance about Buddhism in particular to this card-carrying Buddhist? Mm -- very. (But in a dharmic context.) Plus his um wacko attitude toward several other religions.

Who does he think he is?

Oh, right. He's just being proud and godly, not totally incorrect and repulsive and wicked arrogant. Yuh. Blessed are the meek, dude.

Another fake Christian in need of remedial Sunday School.

Sigh. One of so many.



Dharmic context:**

13.

Even if someone cuts your head off
For having done nothing wrong,
To take on that person's negativities
Through the power of compassion
Is the practice of a bodhisattva.

Hat-tip to Jesus' General

and to TPM.

Cross-posted at Buddhist Jihad.

Todd Palin: Alaska's "Shadow Governor"

Via the Sydney Morning Herald: Todd Palin: The 'Shadow Governor'.

Hat-tip to Mr. NBFH.

RJ Eskow's "GOP's Defense: She Shot The Sheriff But She Did Not Shoot the Deputy."

There's Something Really Really Wrong With These People

More ugly Americans.

Ugly American Bushist fascists, that is, via reader AT, from Blogger Interrupted.

Thoughts on the McCain/Palin Mobs.

McCain/Palin Mobs Part 2, Woman's Child Says of Barrack, You Need Gloves to Touch Him.

John Lewis, Sowing the Seeds of Hatred and Division.

Via Austin Cline at Jesus' General: Political Mergers: Nazis & Republicans Singing Kumbaya Around the Burning Cross.

Throw the Bums Out

Via the Sydney Morning Herald, Obama Soars Ahead of McCain in Polls.

The magazine [Newsweek] reported 86 per cent of the 1212 voters polled said they are dissatisfied with how things were going in the United States. The economy was the biggest concern with 48 per cent. When asked which candidate would better handle a number of issues, Senator Obama topped every category except national security and terrorism.

"For context on just how toxic these numbers could be for the Republican Party, consider that in October 2006, weeks before the Democrats swept control of both houses of Congress, only 61 per cent of voters expressed dissatisfaction," Newsweek wrote.

Stats from Hominid Views, here.

Troopergate: Palin Abused Power

Via Alaska Mudflats:

Finding Number One:

For the reasons explained in section IV of this report, I find that Governor Sarah Palin abused her power by violating Alaska Statute 39.52.110(a) of the Alaska Executive Branch Ethics Act. Alaska Statute 39.52.110(a) provides

“The legislature reaffirms that each public officer holds office as a public trust, and any effort to benefit a personal or financial interest through official action is a violation of that trust.”

Via the Sydney Morning Herald: Here goes. Watch out for the spin. In all probability, God told her to do it, which would make it all ok, ok?

Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin abused her position as Alaska Governor by pressuring officials to dismiss a state trooper, an investigator's report said.

In a 263-page report released on Friday by Alaska's Legislative Council following a six-hour closed doors hearing, investigator Steve Branchflower said Palin was guilty of violating ethics rules for public officials.

The investigator said Palin had allowed her husband Todd Palin to use the Alaska Governor's office and its resources to pressure officials to fire state trooper Mike Wooten, her former brother-in-law.

"Governor Palin knowingly permitted a situation to continue where impermissible pressure was placed on several subordinates in order to advance a personal agenda, to wit: to get Trooper Michael Wooten fired," the report said.

There's Something Really Wrong With These People

Ah, a lineful of Bushist fascists.

So sweet. So kind. So very Christian.



Are they not?

Don't they make you want to save Western Civilization? From itself?


(hat-tip to reader AT)

McCain and Palin's Lynch-Mob Tactics

More about Bushist fascist mobbism.

Anger at McCain Rally: More Ugly Americans

Still more. Still ugly.

Sarah Goes & Investigates Herself re: Troopergate: Finds Self Innocent on All Charges!

Yep. It's true. Palin has found that she didn't do it. Via Alaska Mudflats.

And it's not just Sarah.: McCain Camp Clears Palin of Wrongdoing in Troopergate.

But, then there's this at the NY Times: In all, the commissioner [Monegan] and his aides were contacted about Trooper Wooten three dozen times over 19 months by the governor, her husband and seven administration officials, interviews and documents show.

Oh!


-----
Update: Palin Abused Power re Troopergate.
(I saw this on local TV, can't find it on the internets tubes yet. Working on it.)

Obama Widens Lead on McCain; Palin Unfavorables Rise

Via the Sydney Morning Herald. Via Hominid Views.

One is not okay with the vicious Mrs. Palin's continuing race-baiting, either. No time to address this at length, but one can visualize Sarah Palin dancing around like Anita from West Side Story, and singing, "Stick to your own kind! One of your own kind!"

Here's David Brooks (a Republican, I think?) calling Palin "a fatal cancer to the Republican party." Now that's harsh.

Hat-tip to reader AT, more on Palin's Talibangelical connections.

Fiscal Bankruptcy, Moral Bankruptcy, & The Long Road Ahead

Now that we're all drowning in Grover Norquist's scum-filled Bushist fascist bathtub, what is to be done?

Stirling Newberry's Like A Bear in A China Shop.

Now Do You See What I Mean?

Yuh, Trophy VEEP.

Said so. Think so. Trophy as in sex object.

Doing trophy things apparently on purpose. Which is, you know, not okay, but is completely inappropriate. [Insert inappropriate winking and sparkly-smile here. We ARE really running for Prom Queen! Ohh! Vote for ME!]

Catch this wet-dream moment from Rich Lowry of the National Review, an adult male person, a grown-up kinda guy, who apparently still resides in Animal House.* Free of shame. Lost in a huge erotic fog, due to Palin's wink winks. And Sparkly-smile. (God Lowry must be a cheap date. ;))

Projecting through the Screen [Rich Lowry]

A very wise TV executive once told me that the key to TV is projecting through the screen. It's one of the keys to the success of, say, a Bill O'Reilly, who comes through the screen and grabs you by the throat.

Palin too projects through the screen like crazy.

I'm sure I'm not the only male in America who, when Palin dropped her first wink, sat up a little straighter on the couch and said, "Hey, I think she just winked at me."

And her smile.

By the end, when she clearly knew she was doing well, it was so sparkling it was almost mesmerizing.

It sent little starbursts through the screen and ricocheting around the living rooms of America.

This is a quality that can't be learned; it's either something you have or you don't, and man, she's got it.

Yuh, he "sat up a little straighter on the couch," did he?

Was that Rich standing up, or . . ..?

Never mind.

I feel exactly the same way about Dick Cheney.

No really.

I do.

; )


(that would be a wink, there. ; ) )




------
* [Animal House, as in demonstrating a total lack of sexual sophistication]
Oh, and here's a nasty sexist screed from Belinda of Time Magazine on why some women (like oneself?) so dislike Palin. Surprise answer: because we are women, and women are just such bitches. End of story. Nothing about facts, just feelings. You know how broads are.

Moral Bankruptcy, Fiscal Bankruptcy, Mental Bankruptcy -- Dirty Bush's Excellent [Mis]Adventure Trifecta

So why is no one really mad at Dirty Bush? Why have we no pitchfork-waving crowds outside the White House?

Lack of imagination?

Never mind.

Let's think about Addie Polk, the 90-year old who shot herself in the chest when she was about to be evicted from her home.

Fannie Mae has now forgiven her.

But -- have we forgiven Fannie Mae? What about Goldman Sachs?

CNN) -- Fannie Mae said it will set aside the loan of a woman who shot herself as sheriff's deputies tried to evict her from her foreclosed home.

Fannie Mae foreclosed on the Akron, Ohio, home of Addie Polk, 90, after acquiring the mortgage in 2007.

Addie Polk, 90, of Akron, Ohio, became a symbol of the nation's home mortgage crisis when she was hospitalized after shooting herself at least twice in the upper body Wednesday afternoon.

On Friday, Fannie Mae spokesman Brian Faith said the mortgage association had decided to halt action against Polk and sign the property "outright" to her.

"We're going to forgive whatever outstanding balance she had on the loan and give her the house," Faith said. "Given the circumstances, we think it's appropriate."

Residents of Akron have rallied behind Polk, who is being treated at Akron General Medical Center. She was listed in critical condition Friday afternoon, according to Akron City Council President Marco Sommerville.

U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, mentioned Polk on the House floor Friday during debate over the latest economic rescue proposal.

"This bill does nothing for the Addie Polks of the world," Kucinich said after telling her story. "This bill fails to address the fact that millions of homeowners are facing foreclosure, are facing the loss of their home. This bill will take care of Wall Street, and the market may go up for a few days, but democracy is going downhill."

I agree with Dennis.

And while we're on the subject of the Bush/Cheney/McCain/Palin Ruination of America, here's something about ruination by homelessness. That should perk people up, no?

CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts (AP) -- The number of homeless families in Massachusetts has surged -- a spike that has overwhelmed the state's shelter capacity and forced it to again place homeless families in motels.

The number of homeless families living in Massachusetts motels skyrocketed in September 2008.

Driving the increase is the sour economy, rising energy costs, escalating unemployment and shortage of affordable housing. For the first time, the state is tracking how many families are winding up homeless due to foreclosures.

"You're seeing a perfect storm," said Robyn Frost, executive director of the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless. . .

In just the past 12 months, the number of homeless families living in Massachusetts motels has skyrocketed from 17 in September 2007 to 550 in September 2008. That's on top of another 1,800 or so families in shelters . . .

Massachusetts isn't alone. Advocates for the homeless say that while statistics are still sketchy, many areas are reporting increases in the number of homeless families. . .As of midweek there were 588 families in 29 hotels across the state. . .

The state is also starting to track foreclosures as a cause for homelessness. That typically occurs when a multifamily home or apartment building is foreclosed on and the tenants are evicted, sometimes losing their security deposit in the process, making it harder to come up with the rent for a new apartment.

Frost said the state should focus on creating more housing vouchers to get homeless families into permanent homes quickly.

"If people are permanently housed, kids get education and parents can keep their jobs," she said. "Without vouchers you're going to continue to see this storm."

A brief teaching on karma, cause and effect: DOW PLUNGES DESPITE BAILOUT.

Jesus' General on Obama's Associations, via Swiftboaters for McCain.

VastLeft's Monday Morning Under-Rated Two-Hit Wonder Wall Street Shuffle.

Robin Morgan, When Sisterhood Is Suicide.

Nan Rhyner, Sarah Palin, How DARE You?

SNL -- Tina Fey Does The VEEP Debate. w00t!

So the unbelievably introverted Mr. & Mrs. NBFH attended an actual social event yesterday, one that featured many of Mr. NBFH's former work colleagues, most of whom self-identify as Republicans.

NBFH had been (she thought) very successfully making small talk with Mrs. Y, the wife of an ex-Marine colonel, mostly by nodding & saying, "mm" which is what for NBFH passes for social skills.

All seemed well until the name of Sarah Palin came up, and Mrs. Y said, cheerily, "Sarah Palin! Now isn't she a breath of fresh air?!!"

NBFH was struck dumb, frozen like a moose in the headlights.

No nod. No "mm." No nothin'.

Just a sort of hysterical choking sound as NBFH totally bit her tongue, forced a half-smile, and revealed an sudden urgent need to go find her hubby, lest she actually say to Mrs. Y what she actually thinks about the perky Mrs. Palin. Which would have been very bad manners? ; ) (Or perhaps would have been an actual breath of fresh air?)

Sarah Palin : deep : : Sylvia Plath : perky

["sarah palin'" is to "deep" as "sylvia plath" is to "perky"]


Well, I'm glad that's over.

I'm glad that Biden did well.

And I wish I knew why the Trophy VEEP, at least according to the CNN Ohio voter response meters, seemed to get away with a whole lot of extra-crunchy bullshit.

Um, because it was charming extra-crunchy bullshit?

Well, that's the Trophy part, no?

You betcha!

Thanks to the internets tubes, dudes, you, too, along with all-important American dudettes, can apparently spontaneously generate a whole passel of charmingly inane Palinian bullshit propaganda phrase prose poetry.

You can do it because we're America, here, hey, Joe-six-pack-hockey-mom reform reform greed change families fear furriners terrists Putin newspapers mooses bookburn witch-hunting regular-folks-wth-stock-portfolio talibangelical babe Ahmedinejad and so why not?

Plus -- Spain!

(INSERT DUBIOUSLY ADORABLE ACTUALLY INAPPROPRIATE BORDERING ON OFFENSIVE WINK HERE)

Try the "Sarah Palin Fictional Quotes Generator" and Interview Palin.

The way that I have understood the world is on a much more local level than been the good old boy network that has been the Washington elite.

— Sarah Palin Fictional Quote Generator v1.0

Mmm.

How long has she been at this, did she say? Um, like, five weeks?

-----

Kathleen Parker Skewers Sarah Palin

One has had a crazy busy week, without time to catch up on Kathleen Parker's Republicans-eating-their-own piece on Sarah Palin until just now.

One does not like Kathleen Parker, btw, due mainly to her being a feeble right-wing shrieky sexist Schlafly-ian hack and perhaps for other reasons as well.

Nonetheless, this is fun.

Palin filibusters. She repeats words, filling space with deadwood. Cut the verbiage and there’s not much content there. Here’s but one example of many from her interview with Hannity: “Well, there is a danger in allowing some obsessive partisanship to get into the issue that we’re talking about today. And that’s something that John McCain, too, his track record, proving that he can work both sides of the aisle, he can surpass the partisanship that must be surpassed to deal with an issue like this.”

When Couric pointed to polls showing that the financial crisis had boosted Obama’s numbers, Palin blustered wordily: “I’m not looking at poll numbers. What I think Americans at the end of the day are going to be able to go back and look at track records and see who’s more apt to be talking about solutions and wishing for and hoping for solutions for some opportunity to change, and who’s actually done it?”

If BS were currency, Palin could bail out Wall Street herself.

Mmm.



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Via the Sydney Morning Herald, Everyday Joe-Six-Pack American Palin takes 20K stock hit.