The Pope's in Brazil

A wrong turn sent a humble Fiat carrying Pope Francis into the thick of a frenzied Rio crowd Monday, in his first minutes back in South America since becoming pontiff. It was a nightmare for security officials, but for the clearly delighted pope just another opportunity to connect.

Ecstatic throngs forced his motorcade to repeatedly come to a standstill, weeks after violent protests against the government paralyzed parts of Brazil. Francis' driver had turned into the wrong side of a boulevard at one point, missing lanes that had been cleared. Other parts of the pope's route to the city center weren't lined with fencing, giving the throngs more chances to get close, with uniformed police nowhere in sight to act as crowd control.

I hate, hate, hate the use of bullet-proof glass to protect the pope.  That sort of fear is entirely inappropriate.  Christians have no fear of death, it is a very basic tenet in our theology. 

Walk with God and have no fear!

Sharia vs. Women

A Norwegian woman alleges that she is raped in Dubai, and she and her attacker are both sentenced to 16 months in prison.

You can't make this up!  

And we only hear about it after the Dubai ruler pardons the two of them?    

Twitter to her rescue.  (A New York Times blogger covers the story, but note that the Times itself neglects to mention the story to its readers).   

The Old Man and the Sea

comes to life. 

Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio? 
A nation turns its lonely eyes to you.

Is Nancy Pelosi Miss Lube Rack of 1959?

No.  But it's still funny.

The IRS Break-In

Dick Morris and Eileen McGann just published a great article over at The Hill.  Their argument is that William Wilkins is the "G. Gordon Liddy of the IRS scandal."  And of course by that they mean he's the guy running the operation at IRS. 

But I am having trouble seeing William Wilkins as G. Gordon Liddy!



Really Likes Cats

 



Burns His Hand On Purpose

Press the Button!

Readers of the Guardian can avoid all news of the new royal baby by pressing a button.  This fantastic application blocks all news of the royal family and gives the reader a whole different newspaper.

William and Kate's baby is finally on its way, but if you're sick of hearing about what it'll be called, where it'll live and how privileged it'll be, then the Guardian's website has the answer: a royal baby blocker. The popular British newspaper clearly anticipated a great deal of royal baby fatigue, because on the U.K. version of the site there's a way to toggle between "Royalist" and "Republican" modes. Click the latter and all royal baby mentions are removed from your view of the site. In England, "Republican" means supporting a republic without a monarchy.

I am ready for my Nobama button!  Imagine the news with all mentions of Obama removed.  Peace and prosperity!  At least in my house.   

The Royal Fetus

is on the way.  Weird how the media keeps saying "baby"!

Satan Would Like To Distance Himself From The Tampon Earrings

The UK Church of Satan tweets...

Unfortunate to see Satan's name used in such a diabolical manner. Another example of what 'Satanism' doesn't represent.

Satan has no comment on these shoes.

Tampon Earrings

So on MSNBC a host is wearing tampon earrings as a protest against the seizure of tampons, which were temporarily banned in the legislature rotunda in Texas on the grounds that pro-choicers might start throwing them.

Not sure if tampons have anything to do with Satan.  Actually I can think up two or three jokes using tampons and Satan. 

Here is a bra that is on fire.  

   
Not sure how that fits into it.  I'm actually a little confused.  But it's still funny.

What Happened To Our Culture?

Song lyrics, 1964

I don't need no money, fortune or fame
I got all the riches baby, one man can claim
Well, I guess you'd say
What can make me feel this way?
My girl, my girl, my girl
Talkin' 'bout my girl
My girl

Song lyrics, 2009

I know somebody payin child support for one of his kids
His baby momma's car and crib is bigger than his
You will see him on TV Any Given Sunday
Win the Superbowl and drive off in a Hyundai
She was spose to buy ya shorty TYCO with ya money
She went to the doctor got lypo with ya money
She walkin around lookin like Micheal with ya money
Should of got that insured got GEICO for ya moneeey
If you aint no punk holla We Want Prenup
WE WANT PRENUP!, Yeaah
It's something that you need to have
Cause when she leave yo ass she gone leave with half
18 years, 18 years
And on her 18th birthday he found out it wasn't his

Trayvon Martin and "Purple Drank"

Purple drank or "lean" is a name for codeine mixed with a soft drink and candy.  It is a cough suppressant in small doses, but in larger doses it is quite similar to PCP(!)

It's theorized that Trayvon Martin was a user, based on facebook posts about the drug.  See also this.   

Trayvon:  "unow a connect for codine?"

Mackenzie:  "Why nigga?"

Trayvon:  "To make some more."

also

Trayvon:  "Codeine is a higher dose of dxm."

and

Trayvon:  "You can get the same vibe off lean."

Nice in depth discussion here. 

It is quite possible that Trayvon Martin – experiencing the tolerance effects caused by chronic use of DXM - potentially took a larger dose of DXM than he’d had before,  or at the very least was recently indulging himself in an admitted actitity.   Maybe even suffered a “psychotic break”, but at least the behavioral paranoia and psychological stress consistent with the use of long-term DXM use might have to a physical and psychological reaction to questions by George Zimmerman, and ultimately to his aggressive response.

This Speech Is Illegal!

Eugene Volokh has an awesome site where he discusses what I think is the biggest threat to free speech in our country--sex harassment law.  The newest move by the federal government is to mandate speech controls in all universities.

Among the forms of expression now punishable on America's campuses by order of the federal government are:

• Any expression related to sexual topics that offends any person. This leaves a wide range of expressive activity—a campus performance of "The Vagina Monologues," a presentation on safe sex practices, a debate about sexual morality, a discussion of gay marriage, or a classroom lecture on Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita—subject to discipline.

• Any sexually themed joke overheard by any person who finds that joke offensive for any reason.
 
• Any request for dates or any flirtation that is not welcomed by the recipient of such a request or flirtation.  

NPR Editorial -- Updated With The Sneetches

Obama Explains Star-On-Thars America to No-Stars-On-Thars America 

"The days are few and far between when President Obama has intentionally reminded us that he is the first Stars-On-Thars president.  Friday was one.

The president did something no other holder of his office has ever had the life experience to do: He used the bully pulpit to, as a Stars-On-Thars-American, explain Stars-On-Thars America to No-Stars-On-Thars America in the wake of last week's acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin.

Appearing unannounced before surprised reporters who were expecting the White House press secretary, it was Obama — "the bridge" as New Yorker editor David Remnick has called him — trying to span a divide. It was Obama trying to help No-Stars-On-Thars Americans comprehend Stars-On-Thars America's reaction to the Martin-Zimmerman tragedy.

To a degree, it was reminiscent of the widely hailed Philadelphia speech Obama made during the 2008 presidential campaign to explain American star realities during the controversy over the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

For that moment, Obama's bridge went two ways as he explained No-Stars-On-Thars to Stars-On-Thars and Stars-On-Thars to No-Stars-On-Thars. That speech found Obama standing between two star-bellies as the son of a Stars-On-Thars father and No-Stars-On-Thars mother and translating for each side.

Monster Truck Spills, Crashes, and Backflips

 

The Bankruptcy of Detroit

It's the largest municipal bankruptcy in the history of the U.S.A. 

And it will happen again and again and again. 

A New Dolphin Fad

In Australia a dolphin was taught how to tail walk.  After a few weeks in captivity, she was released back into the wild.

But she kept tail walking, just cause it's awesome. 

When other dolphins saw her new skills, they started doing it too.

#52

Girl, 16, Attacks Taliban in U.N. Speech

Malala Yousafzai is amazing.  The power in her voice!  

Full text of her speech is here, but you really want to hear her speak.

Dear Friends, on the 9th of October 2012, the Taliban shot me on the left side of my forehead. They shot my friends too. They thought that the bullets would silence us. But they failed. And then, out of that silence came, thousands of voices. The terrorists thought that they would change our aims and stop our ambitions but nothing changed in my life except this: Weakness, fear and hopelessness died. Strength, power and courage was born.  I am the same Malala.

Show Trial

A prominent Russian blogger, Alexsei Navalny, was convicted in a show trial yesterday. 

Aleksei A. Navalny, who famously branded the president’s United Russia political machine the “party of swindlers and thieves,” was apparently singled out by the Kremlin after having grown in stature from his beginnings as an anticorruption blogger and leader of street protests to a populist candidate for mayor of Moscow.

Meanwhile, in our country, Nakoula Basseley Nakoula says, "Who am I to criticize the commander-in-chief?"

Duct Tape Surfing

A paralyzed woman wants to go surfing.  How does she do it? 

Duct tape!

Why Put Big Sis In Charge of all the Public Universities in California?

Perhaps it's to indoctrinate the students.

   

Underwater Dog #3

Marco Rubio

Article in Politico suggests Rubio is reeling.

Is it too early to talk about Iowa polls?  Because he's dropped to fifth place.

National Journal argues that Rubio's illegal immigration problem is a myth, since the other likely Republican candidates also believe in some kind of reform.  For instance, headlining Drudge is this article, suggesting Paul Ryan might vote for immigration reform in the House.  Yet immigration reform is not the same thing as the 1000-page Rubio monstrosity. 

Mickey Kaus has been brutal on Rubio.

Me?  I'm still hoping Sarah Palin will come in!   

Skinny Al Has a Lady

She's hot!

 

Skinny Al still freaks me out, though. 

Vote now!  Surgery or will power?

Jahar is so cool!

He made the cover of Rolling Stone!




What a celebrity he is!  Reminds me of this guy...

I wonder who will play him in the movie? 

I wonder if Jahar has signed with an agent yet?  It's really exciting when you think about the potential size of the Jahar market. 

Here is Che selling Mercedes...

 

 







Here is Che selling tennis shoes...

I can't wait for the Jahar bobblehead!