Author Archives: Matt
Some Assigned Reading
Article in Chicago Sun Times covering Tax Day Tea Party In Daley Center. Enjoy.
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‘Chicago Tax Day Tea Party,” read the colorful card handed to me as I emerged from Union Station into the soft, summery day Thursday.
“Liberty” it continued, in spidery, colonial-era script. “Constitutional Principles. Fiscal Responsibility.” Then, in bright-red type — the blood of patriots, no doubt — “Repeal it! Replace Congress.” And finally: “Chicago. Daley Plaza. 12:00 Noon.”
Oh, right, I thought, sadly realizing that, though I’d love to toddle off to Gene & Georgetti as planned, I was duty-bound to cancel lunch — another sacrifice on the altar of freedom! — so as not to miss this moment in history. I’m sure guys were sheepishly telling their grandchildren, “No, Johnny, I was not at Lexington & Concord. But I was quite near — the Spooner Tavern, two miles down the road, sharing a potato pie with Jim Griswald . . . ” Read the rest of this entry
News Flash: Republican’s hate the Poor (and minorities)
What a novel thought...
Below is an article written by Sam Stein, a political blogger. You can read the original posting here. I am not going to expound on what this article expresses until you read it for yourself. I will let you draw your own conclusions and my comments will follow. However, I will highlight my favorite parts of it, so you can easily predict what is currently pissing me off. (HINT: RED = BAD )
A Future Father Speaks
So, I finished the my latest HOW TO BE A DAD book recently. It was entitled “The Expectant Father” This book didn’t freak me out with hundreds of advanced female anatomy diagrams, pregnancy warning signs, stats on SIDS, or how to care for an infected episiotomy incision (that was actually covered in another book).
Wiretapping Misconceptions: Compliments of Fak3r
My friend Fak3r (as seen here) has “been online for over 15 years, blogging for 10.” He also works with “open source software, various hardware and whatever else that I can hack on.” In his spare time he enjoys “learning by doing, painting infrequently and listening to more music than the law allows.” Kids, today he as also provided us with some knowledge: Prepare for it to drop on ya dome. Read the rest of this entry
The most important article I have ever re-posted
I think this is the most important article I have ever re-posted. It touches on several important topics: patriotism, hate, and religious fervor. These aspects of life combined with a ever widening chasm between conservatives and liberals spell misery in the coming years for our country. I am angry and sad that this is happening all over our country. I felt you, dear readers, should see this.
The New Army of Hate
If you aren’t guilty then why do this???
By NICOLE WINFIELD, Associated Press Writer Nicole Winfield, Associated Press Writer – 23 mins agoVATICAN CITY – Dragged deeper than ever before into the clerical sex abuse scandal, the Vatican is launching a legal defense that the church hopes will shield the pope from a lawsuit in Kentucky seeking to have him deposed.
In court documents obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press, Vatican lawyers map out a three-pronged strategy — to be formally filed in coming weeks — seeking to dismiss the suit before Benedict XVI can be questioned or secret documents subpoenaed.
Vatican lawyers plan to argue that the pope has immunity as head of state, that American bishops who oversaw abusive priests weren’t employees of the Vatican, and that a 1962 document is not the “smoking gun” that provides proof of a cover up, the documents reveal.
Three men claiming they were abused by priests brought the suit against the Holy See in 2004, accusing Rome of negligence in failing to alert police or the public about priests who molested children in Kentucky.
The preview of the legal defense, provided to the AP by a person familiar with the case, was submitted last month in the U.S. District Court in Louisville. Vatican officials declined to comment.
The case is significant because it’s the first among a handful of cases targeting Rome in the United States to reach the stage of determining whether the victims actually have a claim against the Vatican itself.
Previous cases attempting to implicate the Vatican have failed or are pending at more preliminary stages.
In the Kentucky suit, the men argued that U.S. diocesan bishops were employees of the Holy See, and that Rome was therefore responsible for their alleged wrongdoing in failing to report abuse.
They charged that a 1962 Vatican document mandated that bishops not report sex abuse cases to police. The Vatican has argued that there is nothing in the document that precluded bishops from reporting pedophiles to police.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
If you want a barometer on the idiocy of Americans…LOOK AT THIS!
Harris Interactive, a market research firm, conducted a study about what people thought about Pres. Obama. These are the results that come from the Harris Poll that involved 2,320 adults who were surveyed online between March 1 and March 8.
Here’s the percentage breakdown of respondents’ views of President Obama:
- 40 percent think he is a Socialist
- 38 percent say he wants to take away Americans’ right to own guns.
- 32 percent say he is a Muslim.
- 29 percent think he wants to turn over the sovereignty of the United States to a one world government.
- 29 percent think he has done many things that are unconstitutional.
- 27 percent say he resents America’s heritage.
- 27 percent say he does what Wall Street and the bankers tell him to do.
- 25 percent say he was not born in the United States and so is not eligible to be president.
- 25 percent say he is a domestic enemy that the U.S. Constitutions speaks of.
- 23 percent say he is a racist.
- 23 percent say he is anti-American.
- 23 percent say he wants to use an economic collapse or terrorist attack as an excuse to take dictatorial powers.
- 20 percent say he is doing many of the things that Hitler did.
- 14 percent think Obama is the anti-Christ
The findings lend support to a theme touted in John Avlon’s new book “Wingnuts: How the Lunatic Fringe Is Hijacking America.”
“This poll should be a wake-up call to all Americans about the real costs of using fear and hate to pump up hyper-partisanship,” Avlon said after reviewing the findings. “We are playing with dynamite by demonizing our president and dividing our country in the process. Americans need to remember the perspective that Wingnuts always forget – patriotism is more important than partisanship.”
**Interesting side note: According to this poll 7 in 10 Americans in that study admitted they know very little about the Islamic religion.
This is another example that Americans have hard and fast beliefs about shit they know nothing about even when it undermines their own country. Unreal, completely unreal.
Are you still proud, Mr. Greenwood?
Looking Behind the Healthcare Curtain: Facts v. Myth
Guess what you conservatives, Republicans, er…opponents of the health care overhaul- YOU LOST. I know it sucks being on a losing team, I have lost a few close ones in my life like the Bush V. Gore election…wait, we didn’t lose that-it was stolen. I digress. So, I have some facts gleaned from various sources for you to get some consolation over your new health care system and hopefully dispel some of the propaganda…mistruths…LIES that those on the right have put out. No need to thank me. Read the rest of this entry
…and now the latest from Seaside Heights, New Jersey.
SEASIDE HEIGHTS — The mayor was arrested, along with his adult children, outside a nightclub in neighboring Seaside Heights, authorities said.
Mayor Thomas E. Connors was arrested around 7:15 p.m. Saturday, along with Anthony Connors, 23, and Lindsay Connors, 22, outside of Hemingway’s Cafe, according to Seaside Heights police.
Authorities said Anthony Connors was being taken from the bar by staff members when he tried to hit his escorts. Officers stopped the younger Connors and placed him under arrest, police said.
They also said Lindsay Connors began to interfere during her brother’s arrest, striking a police officer on the arm and chest area. She then was arrested, police said.
As the bar’s staff escorted their father outdoors, the mayor, who had a minor injury on his face, saw his children being taken into custody. Police said he then began to intervene on their behalf and also was arrested.
Connors was charged with disorderly conduct and interfering with an arrest. Anthony Connors was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Lindsay Connors was charged with resisting arrest, interfering with an arrest and simple assault.
Details on why the family was being escorted from the restaurant were not available.
**THE SCENE OF THE CRIMES**
sometimes right - sometimes not - always correct 