Reason Magazine
- reason.com
- reason.tv
- reason.org
- Donate
- Site Search:
Reason on Facebook
Reason on Twitter
Reason on YouTube
Reason RSSGet Reason E-mail Updates!
Manage your Reason e-mail list subscriptionsadvertisements
Government 101
From The New York Times' interview with Jeanne L. Phillips, chair of the Presidential Inaugural Committee:
Q: I hear one of the balls will be reserved for troops who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan.
A: Yes, the Commander-in-Chief Ball. That is new. It will be about 2,000 servicemen and their guests. And that should be a really fun event for them.
Q: As an alternative way of honoring them, did you or the president ever discuss canceling the nine balls and using the $40 million inaugural budget to purchase better equipment for the troops?
A: I think we felt like we would have a traditional set of events and we would focus on honoring the people who are serving our country right now -- not just the people in the armed forces, but also the community volunteers, the firemen, the policemen, the teachers, the people who serve at, you know, the -- well, it's called the StewPot in Dallas, people who work with the homeless.
Q: How do any of them benefit from the inaugural balls?
A: I'm not sure that they do benefit from them.
Q: Then how, exactly, are you honoring them?
A: Honoring service is what our theme is about.
[Via Tex.]
|1.3.05 @ 11:17PM|#
Wasn't it excessive splendor and lavishness that got the
Romanovs too close a shave?
I feel in no way completely abused by this.
I also cannot express my sarcasm more thickly...
|1.3.05 @ 11:42PM|#
A very clever gotcha, but by the time that $40M percolated through the bureaucracy to the field, it would be $15M and the Federation would need it to fight the Klingons.
|1.3.05 @ 11:43PM|#
If you want to get lefties to spontaneously orgasm, say "It's
for the children!"
If you want to get righties to spontaneously orgasm, say "We
support the troops!"
Actual benefits to children and troops are completely
irrelevant.
|1.4.05 @ 12:21AM|#
I'm ever upper class high society
God's gift to ballroom notoriety
I always fill my ballroom
the event is never small
the social pages say I've got
the biggest balls of all
oh, I've got big balls
I've got big balls
and they're such big balls
dirty big balls
and he's got big balls
and she's got big balls
but we've got the biggest balls of them all
|1.4.05 @ 12:46AM|#
Gary, I like the fact that you answer a question about balls with "it ain't hard." ;->
|1.4.05 @ 1:19AM|#
thoreau,
Its interesting that Jesse Walker didn't plug a line from this song
(see below) into this write-up's title. :)
AC/DC - Big Balls
I'm ever upper class high society
God's gift to ballroom notoriety
I always fill my ballroom
the event is never small
the social pages say I've got
the biggest balls of all
(chorus)
oh, I've got big balls
I've got big balls
and they're such big balls
dirty big balls
and he's got big balls
and she's got big balls
but we've got the biggest balls of them all
and my balls are always bouncing
my ballroom always full
and everybody cums and cums again
if your name is on the guest list
no-one can take you higher
everybody says I've got
great balls of fire
(chorus)
some balls are held for charity
and some for fancy dress
but when they're held for pleasure
they're the balls that I like best
my balls are always bouncing
to the left and to the right
it's my belief that my big balls
should be held every night
(chorus)
|1.4.05 @ 1:21AM|#
Aw fuck. George W. Bush already beat to the punch!!! Good thing I didn't vote for you, fucktard. :)
|1.4.05 @ 1:25AM|#
Of course there is also Will Oldham's Big
Balls:
balls they come up happy
when I place them in your hand
and I will acknowledge with a cocking of my head
when the faces rise against us
cuz we're moderate or meek
they'll see we�ve got the only balls of them all
(chorus)
I've got big balls
o I've got big balls
I've got big balls
and they're dirty big balls
and he's got big balls
and she's got big balls
but they're not the only balls of them all
we could be eating pudding
but we'd rather place our balls
in their mouths when they are eating
and let 'em be themselves
well the world is bound to splinter,
still in paris they will cry
"we've got the only balls of them all"
(chorus)
o balls will make you happy
o balls all the time
press your balls against the mirror
now you're pressing them to mine!
well my balls are always bouncing
to the left and to the right
they've found themselves a color
and they peer into the night
once you've mouthed my testicles
you'll know I�m not a liar
I've got great balls of fire
(chorus)
|1.4.05 @ 1:41AM|#
Sandra Bullock apparently dropped a cool million into the laps
of the Red Cross for Tsunami relief efforts.
Petra Nemkova poses for donations.
Sting sells Yoga lessons.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/gate/archive/2005/01/03/ddish.DTL
|1.4.05 @ 2:06AM|#
$40M for balls and he only wanted to give $35M for Tsunami relief, that should show you his priorities. Also Bush wants the American public to donate for Tsunami relief because he needs all our taxes to fight a disgusting "war" in Iraq. The American (Bush) people baffle me??
|1.4.05 @ 2:11AM|#
Seawall built by France during colonial times saves Pondicherry, India: http://www.canada.com/news/world/story.html?id=5c66764e-a73d-46b5-968c-740fff9925a7
|1.4.05 @ 5:05AM|#
If I was a troop coming back to america from a year-long tour in
Iraq, I sure would appreciate it.
Remember people:
Tax money isn't like water--it finds no common level, and you can't
divert it's flow by raising pressure. It's more like cinder
blocks--solid, hard to move, and once you've got them in Montana,
there's no fucking way you're going to get them to Tennessee.
So don't shit in this house. We've got fellow americans coming.
|1.4.05 @ 7:49AM|#
Let's see.. 9 balls at 40 million bucks.. that's over 4 million
per ball, or 8 million for a pair of balls.
4 million.. that's a lot of booze and broads.
|1.4.05 @ 8:12AM|#
the thread on historical
comparison and civilizational decline, cont'd :D
"parallels with American foreign policy today are apparent enough.
The lack of real accountability, the
rough justice, ignoring international conventions, maltreating
prisoners, detention without trial; in Kenya the British used them
all."
cheers!
|1.4.05 @ 8:40AM|#
$40M for balls and he only wanted to give $35M for Tsunami
relief, that should show you his priorities.
Neither of these activities is strictly authorized by the
Constitution, either. I say, if American citizens, individually,
want to throw a party for the Prez, or to send money to aid victims
of the tsunami, fine, but don't do it with my tax dollars.
His "priorities" are moot, when the real argument should be why
either is being paid for by the government in the first place.
gaius marius|1.4.05 @ 9:17AM|#
but we're not an empire, mr georgio! didn't you know? it
forgives us all our sins, and relieves us of any moral duty to
responsibly administrate our territories.
oh! did i say "territories"? i meant "friends".
oh! did i say "administrate"? i meant "talk to".
oh! did i say "moral"? did i say "forgive"? we don't believe in an
applicable morality. we're a Great Nation in a heroic struggle for
life of wagnerian proportion, you know. our motives cannot be
judged by mere common men who do not share our noble
struggle.
... but we're not an empire.
period.
Warren|1.4.05 @ 9:26AM|#
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't all the inaugural hoop-de-do paid for out of kickba... I mean private donations?
|1.4.05 @ 9:39AM|#
4 million per ball is somewhat frugal, assuming a guestlist of 3
thousand people per.
believe it or not...i've seen balls you couldn't even begin to
imagine.
|1.4.05 @ 9:51AM|#
dhex is right - anyone who has thrown a wedding reception knows
that, for a fancy dress do with a sit-down meal and a bar, $130 a
head is a steal.
The inauguration is paid for by private donations, for what that's
worth. As a privately funded act of voluntary association, you'd
think libertarians would be all for it.
The $35 mill was announced as our aid package on a day when the
death toll was in hundreds? low thousands? and was never intended
to be our final answer.
Cripes, people, there is so much to bitch about legitimately, why
waste your limited time and credibility on fact-challenged whining
about crap like this.
|1.4.05 @ 10:07AM|#
$40M for balls and he only wanted to give $35M for Tsunami
relief, that should show you his priorities.
Well, using half-truths might show you priorities. The $40 million
is privately funded and the $35 million was an initial immediately
pledge to assist. It wasn't meant to be the final package. Even
though he shouldn't use tax dollars on this and should let private
donations do it.
So yes, according to your warped words, he does have twisted
priorities.
I can't believe you made me defend a demican.
|1.4.05 @ 10:14AM|#
A-Fricking-men R C Dean.
Is this the first administration to have an inagural ball? If you
don't care for G.W. and his admin fine, but please, this is
ridiculous. Oh, by the way has anyone checked out The Agitator to
see who is REFUSING aid? How about we pledge 10 Billion dollars,
then get 9.99 of it back with a "Thanks, but f**k off" letter?
|1.4.05 @ 10:22AM|#
I gotta agree that the "only $35 million" story is silly. We
were NEVER going to limit our relief aid to $35 million. That was
an immediate release, intended to be followed with more
funds.
But what I want to know is, why did the REAL initial figure of $15
million get dropped down the Memory Hole?
While we're on the admin's response to the disaster, why was it
inspiring for Bush to make a "feel your pain" statement on top of
the WTC rubble, but useless and inappropriate to do the same thing
in this case? My guess: Bush was too wasted to appear on TV that
day, they had to make up an excuse why he didn't appear, and
gratuitously insulting Bill Clinton is always a favorite piece of
misdirection.
Jesse Walker|1.4.05 @ 10:25AM|#
At the risk of stating the obvious, I don't really care if
people want to waste their private dollars on fancy-dress balls. I
reprinted the excerpt because of that priceless exchange at the
end. ("Then how, exactly, are you honoring them?" "Honoring service
is what our theme is about.")
Gary: The song I thought about quoting was the Bob Wills number
"Big Ball's in Cowtown," which includes this immortal chorus:
Big Ball's in Cowtown
We'll all go down
Big Ball's in Cowtown
We'll dance around
...whose meaning shifts somewhat if you take out the apostrophes.
D.C., alas, is not a cowtown.
drf|1.4.05 @ 10:33AM|#
this zero sum game of tit-for-tat insulting has been tiring for
years now. we've had discussions here about religious
fundamentalism and violence, and people red bait and give the
thoreau'esque "commies are worse": no discussion, just
deflection.
just party on down. and enjoy. life goes on. look at how new york
eventually resumed being funny, partying, and living. we can be
saddened and awed and want to help, but we still have to live. the
balls represent an amazing aspect of america. we've had peaceful
transfers of power since washington-adams. that's really cool. even
if you didnt vote for the guy, you can still take a moment to
reaffirm what a fantastic fucking country this is! revel in and
enjoy being american during inaguration week.
(plus, after the awful, idiotic campaigning, we've earned a
party)
i got several emails from theocon and neocon associates of mine who
were going off, less articulately than our wisconsin pal RC (hrumph
about the packers! but sprecher is awesome!), but they went off the
same way: people can spend their frickin money how they want.
balls, parties, celebrations, titties (damn, what a giveaway), and
the like. how true.
the funny thing about one email was that it came from someone who
plays the "okay for my side" game. he complained about Theresa
Kerry's $$$ suggesting that it was somehow inappropriate for
someone from that side to be wealthy. but he's an alan keys fan.
(alan is an anagram for anal)
coming from those sources, makes you wanna give these guys on both
sides a cleveland steamer or do something involving tabasco, a
telephone receiver, and the anus.
rack me. out.
|1.4.05 @ 10:47AM|#
Walker's intent to be derisive with his "Government 101" title
demonstrates his lack of understanding about leadership.
The concepts of military celebration and tribute reach back over
2000 years. It is entirely right and proper that a CinC ball should
take place, just as it was entirely proper that Bush spoke on the
aircraft carrier to commend the military and celebrate the fall of
Hussein's dictatorship. A leader should celebrate the effort of the
military in conspicuous ways.
The fact that Walker, albeit a Godless heathen communist
twinkletoed sonovabitch, accepted the premise of that journalist's
question makes me suspect that he drinks during the day.
|1.4.05 @ 11:12AM|#
Yeah, when comparing compassion (n�e largesse) witness the
$12 billion in
aid Bush requested for Florida after the hurricanes.
If anything, Rove is a master "i-banker" who knows how to raise
political capital.
|1.4.05 @ 11:36AM|#
"Is this the first administration to have an inagural ball? If
you don't care for G.W. and his admin fine, but please, this is
ridiculous"
Exactly.
It's funded by private money - not tax money.
Furhtermore, Clinton's inagural celebrations costs more than this
one will and I don't remember any huffing and puffing back then
about cancelling it and giving the money to "the children" or "the
homeless" or whatever.
Jesse Walker|1.4.05 @ 11:41AM|#
Just for Snake and Gilbert, I'm gonna say this again. This time
I'll put it in boldface.
At the risk of stating the obvious, I don't really care if
people want to waste their private dollars on fancy-dress balls. I
reprinted the excerpt because of that priceless exchange at the
end. ("Then how, exactly, are you honoring them?" "Honoring service
is what our theme is about.")
Only reason the rest of the excerpt is there is for context.
drf|1.4.05 @ 11:43AM|#
c'mon, jesse - snake and gil were blinded by RC's absolutely brilliant analysis of everything. forgive them their oversight here.
|1.4.05 @ 11:57AM|#
Honoring servicemen? Hmmm...considering it looks Bush is going
to need an additional $100 billion for Iraq, I think the theme
should more honestly called:
"Thanks Chief!, From all us military subcontractors."
|1.4.05 @ 11:58AM|#
"Just for Snake and Gilbert, I'm gonna say this again. This time
I'll put it in boldface."
You don't need to say it for me, I wasn't aiming at you in the
first place.
I was responding to some of the other selectivelly outraged
characters who posted here.
|1.4.05 @ 12:04PM|#
Thanks, Walker, now that I know the entire object of the post
was to chuckle over the logical fallacies of the inauguration
planner's statement.
And the Godless heathen part is a quote from R. Lee Ermey in Full
Metal Jacket, although he uses a much stronger noun beginning with
"c," that is not appropriate.
except for joe.
|1.4.05 @ 12:06PM|#
I could care less how much they're spending on the balls. The
fact that they're having them at all when other "War Presidents"
have forgone them for the "sake of the troops" or because they felt
it would be undignified to party while our troops were dying in
some overseas hellhole is the real point.
Talk about how Clinton spent more all you want, he hadn't committed
our troops to a losing proposition in an optional and stupid war
and then threw an expensive party ostensibly in their honor.
It's not about the money, it's about the complete disdan for the
men and women he put in harm's way unnecessarily.
|1.4.05 @ 12:18PM|#
"I could care less how much they're spending on the balls. The
fact that they're having them at all when other "War Presidents"
have forgone them for the "sake of the troops" or because they felt
it would be undignified to party while our troops were dying in
some overseas hellhole is the real point."
No the real point is you left wing punks are just grasping at
something else to carp about regarding Bush.
"It's not about the money, it's about the complete disdan for the
men and women he put in harm's way unnecessarily."
Funny how the majority of those same men and women favored Bush
over Kerry.
Oh and by the way, YOU'RE no authority on what is "necessary"
regarding the war or anything else.
|1.4.05 @ 12:27PM|#
Ok, Gilbert. I'm assuming you think "forcefully installing democracies" is necessary and legitimate purpose of the federal government,then?
|1.4.05 @ 12:27PM|#
Gilbert-
FWIW, I've found all of the innaugural extravaganzas unseemly. I
don't think that the head of state in a system of representative
government should be the subject of lavish celebrations. If that
makes me a left-wing punk, well, I guess I'll go buy a Che t-shirt
or something. You and I can go shopping together, and I'll help you
pick out a brown shirt.
tex|1.4.05 @ 12:28PM|#
I reprinted the excerpt because of that priceless exchange
at the end.....
I liked the StewPot part, too. You know...people who work with
those, uh, homeless people.
Jesse Walker|1.4.05 @ 12:35PM|#
Yeah, that was funny too.
Sorry if I aimed at you inappropriately, Gilbert.
gaius marius|1.4.05 @ 12:37PM|#
The concepts of military celebration and tribute reach back
over 2000 years. It is entirely right and proper that a CinC ball
should take place, just as it was entirely proper that Bush spoke
on the aircraft carrier to commend the military and celebrate the
fall of Hussein's dictatorship. A leader should celebrate the
effort of the military in conspicuous ways.
The fact that Walker, albeit a Godless heathen communist
twinkletoed sonovabitch, accepted the premise of that journalist's
question makes me suspect that he drinks during the day.
violent fools like this are a significant part of our
electorate.
|1.4.05 @ 12:45PM|#
"The concepts of military celebration and tribute reach back
over 2000 years. It is entirely right and proper that a CinC ball
should take place, just as it was entirely proper that Bush spoke
on the aircraft carrier to commend the military and celebrate the
fall of Hussein's dictatorship. A leader should celebrate the
effort of the military in conspicuous ways."
You mean like when the Emperor X defeated rival Emperor Y, then
threw a triumph celebration complete with captured soldiers, slaves
and loot from the conquered territory? Yeah, I'm sure that's what
Washington intended when he started the tradition.
|1.4.05 @ 1:21PM|#
Jesse Walker,
I got the punch line.
Gilbert Martin,
Oh and by the way, YOU'RE no authority on what is "necessary"
regarding the war or anything else.
Who is? Indeed, I suspect that you post on matters which are not an
authority on all the time, but is the common reaction to question
such or to attack the merits of your ideas? Hell, if we to all live
by your silly standard, the level of posts here would go down
dramatically, and Hit n' Run would largely be a defunct blog.
|1.4.05 @ 1:37PM|#
"Who is? Indeed, I suspect that you post on matters which are
not an authority on all the time, but is the common reaction to
question such or to attack the merits of your ideas?"
That's my reaction to the guy who said the war was "stupid"
"optional" and unnecessary" as if his opinions were so universally
acknowledged as being truth that no further elaboration was
necesseary.
If that displeases you, then so be it.
gaius marius|1.4.05 @ 1:42PM|#
That's my reaction to the guy who said the war was "stupid"
"optional" and unnecessary" as if his opinions were so universally
acknowledged as being truth that no further elaboration was
necesseary.
wadr, mr martin, simply because you're convinced of the
desirability of wanton chaotic slaughter doesn't mean that it is
desirable.
|1.4.05 @ 1:44PM|#
cdunlea, of course not: over time the circumstances of the
celebration change, but the concept is the same. Men and now women
risk their lives for the body politic, and should be
recognized.
The fact that I even have to make this nakedly self-evident
contrast means you should think before typing.
Although that has rarely stopped me.
|1.4.05 @ 1:56PM|#
"wadr, mr martin, simply because you're convinced of the
desirability of wanton chaotic slaughter doesn't mean that it is
desirable."
And just becuase you want to define it as "wanton chaotic
slaughter" doesn't mean that's what it is, either.
|1.4.05 @ 2:01PM|#
I'm retired Navy, gilbert. So yeah, I'd say that gives me a fairly decent insight into what's necessary in regards to war and what's not. Unless you've had your boots on the ground or the deckplates in some form of armed conflict, I humbly suggest that you keep your gung-ho, "I'm all for the war, as long as I'm not fighting it" crap to yourself.
gaius marius|1.4.05 @ 2:02PM|#
war is not wanton chaotic slaughter.
of course you think it desirable. why wouldn't you?
have you ever raised your voice against it here, mr martin? have
you done anything here except glorify the heroic role of the
killing leviathan that is the army? have you done anything but
belittle the utilitarian sentiments of "giving the money to
"the children" or "the homeless" or whatever"? romanticizing
american imperium in the guise of
manifest destiny? it doesn't take a freudian to see you're in
love with the romantic vision of war.
i'm often surprised at how oblivious people are to their own
philosophic cruelty.
anyone here will to tell me how nietzschean sociopathology doesn't
play a role in the american right?
|1.4.05 @ 2:37PM|#
Amerasian guy, being retired Navy does not give you immunity
from a flawed argument.
No one can comment on the military unless they have been in the
military? That's a close relative of the equally flawed "you're not
black/gay/female therefore you're ineligible to comment on a
black/gay/female "issue."
Challenge Gilbert's (or anyone's) argument on the merits, not with
ready made devices to shut down debate.
gaius marius|1.4.05 @ 2:39PM|#
and what would that merit be? that murder is noble and therefore good?
That Amerasian Guy|1.4.05 @ 3:01PM|#
Point taken, snake. But here's the thing. This war has been run
from the start, by armchair generals and the couchbound clowns that
cheered it on. Ask any grunt in the field if he's proud to serve
his country in whatever capacity he can and he will gladly say,
"yes". This is as it should be. But when we've got people like
Gilbert who don't know thing one about what it's like pontificating
about how right and just our cause is, and the armchair generals
start believing thier own hype, soldiers die unnexessarily.
Gilbert and people like him don't know the sacrifices their armed
forces have made and continue to make and probably never will. It
pisses me off to no end to hear them proclaim like they are the
be-all and end-all in the war on terror or the war on anything else
when they haven't done a damn thing to earn that merit.
|1.4.05 @ 3:03PM|#
The balls may be financed by private donations, which are given primarily in the spirit of "I'll scratch your back if you'll scratch mine", but the security for these things is not to the best of my understanding.
|1.4.05 @ 3:35PM|#
"I'm retired Navy, gilbert. So yeah, I'd say that gives me a
fairly decent insight into what's necessary in regards to war and
what's not."
You can say whatever you please and so can I.
I don't care what your background is. Your personal opinions about
the war being "unneccessary" , "stupid" and "optional" are still
just that - your personal opinions - of no more consequence than
anyone elses.
|1.4.05 @ 3:39PM|#
"I don't care what your background is. Your personal opinions
about the war being "unneccessary" , "stupid" and "optional" are
still just that - your personal opinions - of no more consequence
than anyone elses."
Good, just be sure you understand that goes for your opinions as
well.
|1.4.05 @ 3:44PM|#
That's fine with me.
We can mutually ignore each other's opinion.
Oh and Gaius, your characterization of what were doing in Iraq as
"wanton chaotic slaughter" - well that's just YOUR opinion as well
- not a fact.
gaius marius|1.4.05 @ 4:14PM|#
your characterization of what were doing in Iraq as "wanton
chaotic slaughter" - well that's just YOUR opinion as well - not a
fact.
really? because it seems pretty clear that you're just
plain wrong.
drf|1.4.05 @ 4:56PM|#
so what now?
you all can't prove your points to the other and will ignore each
other. cool.
so there was a good reason to fight, even though it can't be
established?
well, at least there were reasons.
gaius marius|1.4.05 @ 4:59PM|#
what do you make, mr martin, of those photos? of children with their faces shot off? that doesn't qualify as "wanton chaotic slaughter"?
gaius marius|1.4.05 @ 5:06PM|#
or did you need more evidence of what heroism allows to be done to the innocent?
drf|1.4.05 @ 5:16PM|#
"what do you make, mr martin, of those photos? of children with
their faces shot off? that doesn't qualify as "wanton chaotic
slaughter"?"
tragic? definitely.
a horrible loss? absolutely
regrettable to all? you bet (probably)
but proof of wonton chaotic slaughter? um.
gaius, i'd say more wonton chaos and destruction, but i don't think
children are sought out for slaughter or even winged for fun. you
save that for kittens or some such.
seriously, there is a huge human tragedy going on that the doves
point out whenever there are needless deaths. then the hawks point
out (absent 9/11 or WMD links) all of the needless suffering going
on when SH was in power. it's not an either-or. both are very real.
the presence of one doesn't mitigate or cancel out the other.
the whole fucking thing is a terrible tragedy. how about: quit
dickwaving that one side or the other is "right", and what to do
about winning the peace? (and none of the problems should come as a
surprise to either side, so none of the "i'm shocked!").
|1.4.05 @ 5:25PM|#
"what do you make, mr martin, of those photos? of children with
their faces shot off? that doesn't qualify as "wanton chaotic
slaughter"?"
It is the insurgents and terrorists that are engaging in wanton
chaotic slaughter - not our troops.
gaius marius|1.4.05 @ 6:46PM|#
the presence of one doesn't mitigate or cancel out the
other.
but one is definitely our contribution, mr drf. one *we* are
responsible for, in all its horror.
drf|1.4.05 @ 6:51PM|#
"the presence of one doesn't mitigate or cancel out the
other.
but one is definitely our contribution, mr drf. one *we* are
responsible for, in all its horror."
-- we're perched on the slippery slope where the natural comment
is, "what about the responsibility we have to take for tolerating
SH's behavior because he was a thorn in iran's side, including
helping arm him; and by mismanaging the interwar years?"
that's a little snarky, but it's been one of those days. you've
read the other posts.
sigh. and in cyber space you can't order the next round and shake
hands with everybody... :)
gaius marius|1.4.05 @ 6:53PM|#
i can't combat willful ignorance, mr martin. god help us that there are many like you.
gaius marius|1.4.05 @ 6:58PM|#
in cyber space you can't order the next round and shake
hands with everybody... :)
lol -- so true. and then again, a few people here as human beings
plainly aren't worth pissing on, much less anything so happy as
drinking with.
|1.5.05 @ 9:27AM|#
"i can't combat willful ignorance, mr martin. god help us that
there are many like you."
Get lost you pretentious twit.
You're not a damn bit more "enlightened" about anything than anyone
else here.
gaius marius|1.5.05 @ 10:16AM|#
not to put too fine a point on it, but i think we're virtually all a bit more enlightened than you are, mr martin.
|1.5.05 @ 10:37AM|#
Did the Times forget to mention that the 40 mill is donations and not tax payer money-Check Clinton's balls but not for amount, for STD's-Every President gets this perk and you could always say why not spend it on (fill in the blank). This is a silly issue with no traction. Sure it gives AC-DC a nice plug and Artie Lange can scream FIRE over and over, but that is about all.
|1.5.05 @ 11:07AM|#
Gaius- I think I've seen some of those pictures before- I thought there were victims of PLO suicide bombers or was it another terrorist attack. I guess the point is a picture of a dead child, while evidnece of a terrible tradgedy does not show how the child died, let alone who may be responsible. Oh, I beleive one of those pictures was actually a picture of a child killed by Saddam when he unleashed gas on his citizens.
|1.5.05 @ 12:00PM|#
"not to put too fine a point on it, but i think we're virtually
all a bit more enlightened than you are, mr martin."
You can think whatever you please - that doesn't make it so.
|1.13.05 @ 9:22PM|#
Bush defenders and war supporters;
The troop levels in Iraq are too low! Your country needs you to
suit up and support the troops in more concrete ways! Ut is time to
put your support to good use. We need YOU and Your loved ones in
Iraq NOW!
Please bring your own armor and two way radios we are running short
since we forgat to place the order for them.
Also be advised we are closing some VA med centers and cutting
benefits so please try not to get hurt.
And hurry we need you in Iraq NOW!!
|1.14.05 @ 12:22AM|#
It is all fine and dandy to bicker back and forth about who has any authority to express their opinion on any subject... but has anyone bothered to look at the picture of Rumsfeld shaking hands with Hussein in the 80's, and correlate just how much that picture means? Anyone care to look at the strange set of circumstances that has kept the SAME criminals entrenched in our government for SO FREAKIN LONG??? You're all bent out of shape with your little pea shooters- stay there, that's what the despots and oligarchs want. Idiots. Government 102, class dismissed.
|1.14.05 @ 5:15AM|#
But who can say my mate GW has no balls at all anymore !
No balls at all
No balls ay all
Who can say he has no balls at all !
(Sung to the tune of $40M !! )
|1.14.05 @ 7:21AM|#
George W. Bush must go!
But so should all the other members of the Senate and House.
Without their "yes man" attitudes this country wouldn't be in such
a mess.
|1.14.05 @ 8:45AM|#
It's actually pretty amusing, the idea of all the criminal
oligarchs dancing in their splendid costumes while the troops are
getting their asses kicked by untrained civilians in Iraq.
Our troops will be lucky if they can get out. We are losing, badly.
It's far worse than the corporate media are letting on.
Louis Varnson|1.26.05 @ 1:28PM|#
Looks like fiscal sanity in D.C. will get worse
Now that "Unlce Ted" Stevens is term-limted from the Senate
Appropriations Committee (thank God!), the Republicans give us
another porker, Thad Cochran. Cochran received a B- and ranked 37th
out of 51 Republican Senators. Will it never end?
Site comments/questions:
Media Inquiries and Reprint Permissions:
(310) 367-6109
Editorial & Production Offices:
3415 S. Sepulveda Blvd.
Suite 400
Los Angeles, CA 90034
(310) 391-2245