Welcome to The Now

The Dow went up 485 today on just the belief, the belief that Congress will do something. In other words: 293 more points and Monday never happened . So why can't Congress just talk happy talk until they get a reasonable bill on the floor? It's becoming obvious now that the Giant Casino we call Wall Street is just basing things on expectations and speculation, as opposed to actual action. Or maybe a better analogy is this: Wall Street is like a house full of crack addicts. When they thought that they weren't going to get their fix, they panicked. Now that they think they'll get a hit, they're swooning a bit.

You take the comments made by Gov. Palin in this interview where she says , " Oh no, it’s nothing negative at all. He’s got a lot of experience and just stating the fact there, that we’ve been hearing his speeches for all these years. So he’s got a tremendous amount of experience and, you know, I’m the new energy, the new face, the new ideas and he’s got the experience based on many many years in the Senate and voters are gonna have a choice there of what it is that they want in these next four years ." You fade out, and fade in with a picture of Barack Obama and some text saying, " THANKS FOR THE ENDORSEMENT, GOVERNOR PALIN ." You end with the obiligatory I'mBarackObamaandIapprovethismessage line. UPDATE : Glad I wasn't the only one who noticed this .

Elizabeth Edwards (like Michael Moore) links the crisis to health care ; Newt Gingrich makes an ass of himself ; some people fear that America is adopting a herd mentality .

Yikes : Accused of permitting unwarranted spying on citizens , torture , helping to blow a CIA agent's cover and firing non-political appointees for political reasons , former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales left the White House shrouded in ignominy. Facebook just hired his former right-hand man, Ted Ullyot, as its general counsel. The privacy advocates who plagued Facebook during its Beacon controversy might not be pleased, but Washington insider and top Facebook flack Elliot Schrage is giddy. ( via ) To quote Marty McFly: Are these guys deaf and stupid?

In this case: Bill O'Reilly versus (via Mark Levin) Rush Limbaugh .

Chicago has been labeled the country's most stressful city . I'm sure someone will find a way to link that to the Democratic nominee for President.

Oh the irony .

So everyone's pissing in their pants because the House grew some balls (or some brains) and decided not to pass the Slightly-Altered-Paulson-Bailout-Plan . Because rent/mortgages are due and people need to be paid. No kidding. (Before I go on, let me say this: I think three times the charm here. The Bush Administration fooled the American People twice already (with The Patriot Act and then going to Iraq) using the "We Have to Act, and Act Now!" Excuse. And twice we've learned that all wasn't what it was supposed to be. Anyone remember when Social Security was in danger about two years ago? How'd that "crisis" end up?) My opinion is this: don't pass any kind of bailout bill unless it can be assured that the CEO's don't get penalized in some way (they are, partially, the Keepers of Wall Street, afterall) and that the taxpayers can at least make back the money they're being asked to sacrifice for this. Until a deal similar to this can pa...

Secretary of Treasury Paulson tells America that the (Financial) sky is falling, and that he needs $700 billion to fix the problems, no questions asked. Congress and America responded with a frank, " WTF are you talking about?!? " The media tries to find out what people think, and they are met with a skeptical public. Democrats voice concerns over the Paulson proposal because there are no guarantees for "Main Street," aka, working Americans; Republicans voice concerns over government intervention of the "Free Market." John McCain, who admitted to having little experience in economics and has no seat on a committee related to the crisis, decides to suspend his presidential campaign in order to "resolve" the apparent gridlock. It is revealed (by people who work for Paulson) that not only was the $700 billion figure plucked out of thin air because it sounded like enough money, but the plan was in the works for months. The Senate (both Democrats and ...

Exhibit A as to why people who adopt need to be thoroughly checked out. 100 people in India die due to a terrorist-inspired stampede. Marvel Studios are making power moves . Maybe the House of Representatives should have made their Monday bailout vote later in the day . Janet Jackson's in the hospital .

How to handle rejection . Gilbert's getting hitched . Keys to meeting single women . Different types of Groupies (it's crazy that they have factions now). Awkward .

... but Jon Perr did . Cool.

Preach it , my brother! The problem is, nobody truly knows what this "collapse" is all about. Even Treasury Secretary Paulson admitted he doesn't know the exact amount that is needed (he just picked the $700 billion number out of his head!). The head of the congressional budget office said he can't figure it out nor can he explain it to anyone. And yet, they are screeching about how the end is near! Panic! Recession! The Great Depression! Y2K! Bird flu! Killer bees! We must pass the bailout bill today!! The sky is falling! The sky is falling! Falling for whom? NOTHING in this "bailout" package will lower the price of the gas you have to put in your car to get to work. NOTHING in this bill will protect you from losing your home. NOTHING in this bill will give you health insurance. Health insurance? Mike, why are you bringing this up? What's this got to do with the Wall Street collapse? It has everything to do with it. This so-called "collapse" w...

First 'Skins coach to win his first away game in Dallas in a long time (something even Gibbs couldn't do). And also the team is now 3-1. Awesome.

For the longest time, I've been advocating that Heather Locklear play "Emma Frost/The White Queen" in any future X-Men movie. But clearly, stories like this put a damper on my dream. Regardless, I've been a fan or sorts of Locklear (I liked her run on "Spin City" in particular) so my thoughts and prayers are with her.

I guess we know who the movers and shakers in Wal-Mart is supporting , don't we? Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is mobilizing its store managers and department supervisors around the country to warn that if Democrats win power in November, they'll likely change federal law to make it easier for workers to unionize companies -- including Wal-Mart. In recent weeks, thousands of Wal-Mart store managers and department heads have been summoned to mandatory meetings at which the retailer stresses the downside for workers if stores were to be unionized. According to about a dozen Wal-Mart employees who attended such meetings in seven states, Wal-Mart executives claim that employees at unionized stores would have to pay hefty union dues while getting nothing in return, and may have to go on strike without compensation. Also, unionization could mean fewer jobs as labor costs rise. [snip] The Wal-Mart human-resources managers who run the meetings don't specifically tell attendees how to vote i...

I like to be a rebel (as it were) sometimes, so despite what I've read before I'm gonna give "Eagle Eye" a chance. Once I'm feeling better enough to go to the movies, that is.

If John McCain said that Barack Obama "didn't understand" at least seven times and Barack Obama said that he "agreed with John" McCain at least eight times, then what does that make John McCain ? I mean, you can't have it both ways. The GOP can't paint Obama as the naive guy without acknowledging that he agreed with McCain on some issues. They also can't say that because Obama agrees with him on some issues that he (McCain) should be is the better choice without acknowledging that he tried to paint Obama as a person who didn't understand the issues. (h/t: Think Progress )

Barack Obama: Here are the problems we face, here are my thoughts on the origins, and here are my ideas . John McCain: Naive, immature Black. I'm older and been around the block more, and here's some stories and namedrops to prove it . If you were looking for ideas, you're probably backing Obama right now. If you wanted warm fuzzy stories disguised as solutions, than you're probably feeling McCain. Honestly: I don't see how any on-the-fence voters (you guys still exist?) were able to make a decision based on what happened tonight.

I'm not kidding . ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Pakistan sought to reassure Washington on Friday that it remained an ally in fighting terrorism, but it also warned the U.S. to stay out of Pakistani territory while hunting down militants along the volatile border with Afghanistan. Emphasizing that it doesn't need American firepower, a Pakistani general said an offensive along the frontier has killed more than 1,000 militants and predicted the region would be "stabilized" within two months.

I am watching "Countdown With Keith Olbermann" and for the second time this week, I see a commercial for CNN. "Countdown" is on MSNBC . So my question is this: How the blue hell is MSNBC letting the competition advertise on their own network ? Are they that hard up for cash? Or have I not been paying attention, and this is actually normal?

Via ThinkProgress: the KKK plans on stopping by tonight's debates , but in their "everyday" attire.

They can thank the National Review if they're curious about why, but Daily Kos' Hunter explains .

Here's what you do: Have a decent history in management and being a CEO . Luck out like hell and become the CEO of the sixth largest S&L in American history . Show up to work for 17 days.* Have your company get bought out . Swim in your millions! *Now, I'm assuming this is the standard 8-hour/day shift, which at 17 days would be about 136 hours to spread $20,000,000. And $20,000,000 divided by 136 hours is about $147,058.82. I'm also not counting the money that was offered for taking the job in the first place. Others have put the actual figure at $28,000/hr , so if my math is off...well, then my math is off.

Smell that transparency (or rather, fear of going to jail)!

" The only thing that counts in the economic world today is the U.S. Congress ." -- investor Warren Buffett , on the bailout. Guess Washington doesn't need John McCain after all .

Reviews of Shia LaBeouf's new "Eagle Eye" movie don't look so good . Now, if he can somehow manage to get into the next "Batman" movie as The Riddler or something, we'll forget this movie ever happened.

John McCain has decided that he'll debate that young whipper-snapper from Chicago .

The LeBron-James-to-New-York rumors are starting to piss the Cavs' owner off . Tee-hee! What are the anti-stem cell people gonna do now ? Arrest the cheerleader's dad , save the world. Awesome : " AT&T and Verizon, two of the largest U.S. internet service providers, pledged yesterday at a hearing before the Senate Commerce Committee that they weren’t going to use targeted advertising tracking methods unless their clients specifically asked for them ." Lucky for Palin , unlucky for everyone else. Letting them attack over there so we won't have to fight them over here. Allan Houston suspends his retirement in order to bailout the New York Knicks. McCain comes to D.C. and then talks of a bailout plan break down . Coincidence? To debate, or not to debate ? That is the question.

Well, not really. But if you replace "Batman" with "Barack Obama," I'm pretty sure this is how things went down.

...because it's costing John McCain $5,583.43 to look young on TV . Spending all that time looking pretty might have something to do with the fact that McCain has introduced zero banking bills in the 110th Congress . After all, staying pretty takes alot of time and money.

Whoever they are, they need to be fired. If you are the VP candidate, and your campaign is running on reform (and there's a big different between "reform" and "change" here people) how the blue hell can you not be aware of at least, at least, three different instances where your running mate pushed or voted for reform? How does this happen? The only way Joe Biden doesn't destroy Palin in their one debate is if they come out on stage separately. There is no way she could last in an actual, traditional debate format.

Why, Cracked.com readers , of course.

This can't be good : Pakistani troops fired at American reconnaissance helicopters patrolling the Afghan-Pakistan border Thursday, heightening tensions as the U.S. steps up cross-border operations in a region known as a haven for Taliban and al-Qaida militants. Two American OH-58 reconnaissance helicopters, known as Kiowas, were on a routine afternoon patrol in the eastern province of Khost when they received small arms fire from a Pakistani border post, said Tech Sgt. Kevin Wallace, a U.S. military spokesman. There was no damage to aircraft or crew, officials said. Pakistan, however, has a different take: The Pakistani military disputed that assertion, saying its troops fired warning shots when the two helicopters crossed over the border — and that the U.S. helicopters fired back. "When the helicopters passed over our border post and were well within Paskitani territory, own security forces fires anticipatory warning shots. On this, the helicopters returned fire and flew back...

and not everyone was impressed:

Josh Marshall is getting word that McCain attack ads are still being run in battleground states . If this is true, that's really shady.

If you're sick right now, this is probably why . Text messaging while driving (DWT?) has been outlawed in California . South Africa gets a new interim president . Idiots harass a Sarah Palin look-alike ... ...meanwhile, the real Sarah Palin has little-to-no idea what's going on in her own campaign . President Bush (once again) uses the fear card to reach people , this time on the economy . Debating politics while two wars are going on? Very possible. Debating politics while the economy is facing trouble? Can't be done .

Remember back in 2004 when things in Iraq got dicey and Bush suspended his re-election so he could handle affairs in a more bi-partisan manner? Yeah, well neither do I.

Oliver Willis: maybe McCain getting his butt kicked in the polls has something to do with it . Daveawayfromhome: It's a friggin' circus, people ! Crooks & Liars: just remember that Obama reached out first . Think Progress: John McCain's track record doesn't match his sudden concern over the economy .

With all do respect to my fellow Bullets/Wizards fans , there is a reason to be happy about Juan Dixon coming back to the Wizards: he's a winner. Don't get me wrong; Roger Mason has an impressive career and is a solid player . But he doesn't have Dixon's intensity and (more importantly) competitiveness. That's one characteristic the other Wizards can't replicate (aside from, of course, Gilbert Arenas). It's a characteristic that can win as many games as a good shooting percentage. Jamison is the Common-Sense Guy. Butler is the Tough Guy. Stevenson is (now) "the Villain/Bad Boy." Haywood is the Redemption Song Guy. The team still needs "The Fighter." Even from the bench, Dixon can be that guy. Welcome Back, Juan.

Bard from Sadly, No! found a gem on Gov. Palin's old church , which makes me wonder if the media will jump on this like they did Barack Obama (stop laughing). Now while I understand how some variations of Christianity view witches as "pure evil," can someone tell me the difference between what happens around the 7-minute-mark in the above video and what happens in the 4-minute-mark of this video (specifically the character "Nancy")? Both women are asking for/requesting divine, supernatural intervention. Both are asking for/requesting power. And both are asking for/requesting these things for selfish purposes. I have no problem with people having faith, but the whole praying-for-God-to-give-you-and-only-you-supreme-power thing just rubs me the wrong way.

...and the World says, " What a shock, Captain Obvious ." Making Greece fatter . America's economic problems seem to be helping Obama's candidacy, but it doesn't mean that he can just set back and watch people revolt. Anne Hathaway takes on a new, different role . I imagine that it's hard to restore your image when you've been accused of helping someone steal tax money. Who would have thought that someone would have made a joke from a Wu-Tang Clan album reality ?

Remember when political mofos actually feared Dick Cheney? Not hate (which almost 90% of people do anyway) but feared , as in, "don't piss that guy off because I want to see my kid graduate?" Well them days may be ova : The vice president traveled to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to silence a chorus of GOP complaints about Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson’s $700 billion plan. But House Republicans who walked into a closed-door meeting with Cheney steaming over the plan walked out just as angry, and they described what happened in between as both “a bloodbath” and “an unmitigated disaster.” Texas Rep. Joe Barton took the unusual step of telling reporters gathered outside the Cannon Caucus Room that he had confronted Cheney “respectfully” about his concerns — a level of dissent Republicans once considered heresy under the Bush administration. Another lawmaker present — who spoke on the condition of anonymity — said that Cheney, White House chief of staff Joshua Bolten and econo...

...but I can't ever remember seeing one from the inside the United States . Weird.

Jon Perr breaks it all down .

Not too long ago, an American politician had this interesting, but costly idea: that a political party should be competitive in every state, not just "battleground" ones . The idea meant that a party shouldn't ignore a state because "it's a guarantee;" or neglect a state because "it's unwinnable." Every state received (if not equal) some attention. Well, that idea seems to undergone a revision : But now, as voter registration winds down in the next two weeks and the impact of John McCain's running mate Sarah Palin becomes clearer, the Obama campaign has apparently scaled back its outsized electoral ambitions. It is already shifting staff abandoning some states, and putting others on notice. If they once technically played in all 50, they're now down to 48 — you can cross Alaska and North Dakota off the list and two other states, Montana and Georgia, are on life support. The choice of Palin not only crushed Obama's hope of winning t...

When The McCain Campaign (and FoxNews) began with its "Barack Obama is so pro-abortion, he wanted to kill infants!" smear, I knew for sure that John McCain doesn't care what he has to say, as long as it gets him votes. As far as their attack, it's just the same old "We'll ban abortion" yelping we've heard since Reagan acted his way into office. But consider this: the GOP has been running the White House for 20 of the last 28 years, and has ran the United States government for at least six of the last eight years and they've done nothing, NOTHING to ban abortion. The GOP, as far as the Executive and Legislative Branches go, will never ban abortion. And the "why" is the same reason that President Bush hasn't caught bin Laden: it takes a red meat issue off of the table. For the GOP, accomplishment makes their voters lazy. The closest thing their base can hope for is that the Bushes and McCains get enough right-wing judges to do the dir...

About this back-and-forth on the bailout : why aren't people calling this "amnesty for the rich?" Black Gold, Texas Tea ... A school shooting in Finland. Take a look at who's up for a Rock And Roll HOF nod .

The FBI makes a move on the Palin hacked email case. Congressional Democratic Appeasement Watch is under way . And for those who think the Democrats can't possibly cave with "momentum" on their side, let me say "The Patriot Act" and "Retroactive Immunity for Telecoms." Did the Patriots really think that other teams would forget that they ran up the score at every opportunity last season?

As I've been do some web- and blogsurfing, I've been noticing that more and more liberal and Democratic-leaning people are worried about two things concerning Barack Obama: If Barack Obama becomes president, something terrible well happen (like, "he'll get shot," or, "racist white people will revolt"). Republicans have given up on John McCain, and plan on piling on a shitload of problems (the economy, war, health care, etc) for an Obama Administration to deal with. On the First Worry: with the possible exception of George Washington, every president has been the target of assassination. Some because they were hated publicly, others because they were the target of some very disturbed individuals. John McCain or Barack Obama would be no exception. Also, as much as some sociology and African-American professors want it to be, Obama's candidacy is not solely about the plight of black people. Racial tensions may still exist in this country, but the fact t...

It's Always Good For John McCain . Tainted Love . All this time after 9/11, what have we learned ? Fred Kaplan on the Sarah Palin interview . Female celebs acting badly . Dialy Kos diarist ShadowSD breaks down what Obama supporters need to know . Clif from Sadly, No! discovers new Right-Wing Logic: if a Governor didn't personally gets earmarks on their own (but used the normal political channels to do so) than you cannot blame them for any earmarks their state received . Or as Clif puts it: " This is a very useful argument, both for six-year olds and for wingnut bloggers. For example, Bush didn’t invade Iran, the soldiers did. Cheney isn’t responsible for torturing people, the torturers are. McCain doesn’t “own” three thousand houses, his wife does . I didn’t hit my sister, Mommy, the stick I was holding did ." Dave digs up a gem from (of all people) Walter Mondale. The ways that heterosexual men and women can be friends.

"A Concerned Citizen" says with some clips and good editing what Democrats seem to need millions of dollars to say: It's a shame that the Democratic Party isn't this creative and direct on a regular basis. On the other hand, Barack Obama himself has said that "change doesn't come from Washington, it comes to Washington." (H/t: sweetliberty from Daily Kos )

Movie critics need to lighten up and get with the 21st Century .

As I've learned (and get reminded of frequently) there are those out there who don't want certain people or alot of people to vote. Paul Weyrich is one of those people: Keep this in mind as the " No House, No Vote " Saga continues.

Jesus : YAKOWLANG, Afghanistan — A pitiable harvest this year has left small farmers all over central and northern Afghanistan facing hunger, and aid officials are warning of an acute food shortage this winter for nine million Afghans, more than a quarter of the population. The crisis has been generated by the harshest winter in memory, followed by a drought across much of the country, which come on top of the broader problems of deteriorating security, the accumulated pressure of returning refugees and the effects of rising world food prices. The failure of the Afghan government and foreign donors to develop the country’s main economic sector, agriculture, has compounded the problems, the officials say. They warn that the food crisis could make an already bad security situation worse. In the old days of Rome and even Final Fantasy, you could put a big dent in your opponent during wartime if you cut off their food supply. It's kind of hard to shoot an arrow or swing a sword if you...

Indeed . Because how else can the Neo-conservative Republican Agenda of robbery and bamboozlement go on if people link Bush's fuckups to McCain? Can't have that...

Another actress voices her opinion and gets shunned by her own studio . North Korea's getting their nuclear reactor ready . Congress and the Bush Administration join forces to stop the bleeding . Elements in the Pentagon obviously don't wish to go green . Saudi women like Oprah .

The following text came from an email I received today: I'm a little confused.? Let me see if I have this straight.... If you grow up in Hawaii , raised by your grandparents, you're "exotic, different." Grow up in Alaska eating "mooseburgers", a quintessential American story. If your name is Barack you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim. Name your kids Willow, Trig and Track, you're a maverick. Graduate from Harvard law School and you are unstable. Attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well grounded. If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review , create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the Uni...

Hillary Clinton backing Barack Obama = Big Deal for Mainstream Media. Ron Paul not backing John McCain = Not Big Deal for Mainstream Media. Even though Clinton's support for women are as crucial for Obama as the independents who back Paul are for John "Maverick" McCain. Keep this in mind, America.

...if they ever did in the first place. The belief that there's this large group of people who are such passionate believers in the right to vote yet haven't (for whatever reason) managed to wrap their brains around the issues they care about and/or which of the two major parties represent them is absurd. Yet in this story about how Obama is suddenly "Mr. Negative Ad Guy," the Washington Post continues to shovel this crappy theory on the American People: Seventy-seven percent of the Illinois Democrat's commercials were negative during the week after the Republican National Convention, compared with 56 percent of the spots run by McCain. Ken Goldstein, who directed the study by the Wisconsin Advertising Project, based at the University of Wisconsin, says the pattern was a reversal from earlier months, in which McCain's advertising was consistently more negative than Obama's. "It suggests that the Sarah Palin pick and the newfound aggressiveness by McCa...

You can't make this stuff up : SAN DIEGO - A Marine sergeant singled out by President Bush for throwing his body on a grenade to save his comrades in Iraq will receive the prestigious Navy Cross rather than the nation's highest military award, military officials said. The family of Sgt. Rafael Peralta, who was posthumously nominated for the nation's highest military honor, told the North County Times of Escondido, Calif., they were disappointed he was not receiving the Medal of Honor. "I don't understand why if the president has been talking about him," his mother, Rosa Peralta, told the newspaper, which was the first to report the bestowing of the Navy Cross. Rosa Peralta said she was informed during a meeting with Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Richard Natonski that a committee could not agree on awarding the Medal of Honor to her son, who Marine Corps officials say was first wounded by friendly fire. She said the general mentioned the friendly fire aspect as part of...

...then check this out:

All the king's horses, and all the king's men ... Other nations are watching the situation. This is how "The Grudge" started, right?

Gilbert Arenas won't be ready when the season starts .

Abortion once again threatens to bamboozle the Catholic vote. John McCain's Blackberry problem . More proof that we're "winning" in Iraq. An attack on American soil . After a little primary stumble, John Kerry wins his primary . Call it pandering or not knowing what the fuck is going on . Take your pick. And the reason the above story is a story? Here .

Thanks to the Daily Show, we can see how John McCain's call for cleaning up Washington is different from George W. Bush's claim:

Some may see this claim by McCain spokeswoman Carly Fiorina and say that, "Well, if McCain can't run a corporation, how can he run the country?" I read/hear Fiorina's comments and think back on how George W. Bush (and his ilk) made claims that he was an "MBA President" and that he'd run the country like a business (we should have moved for impeachment right then). Well, we now have financial proof of what Bush's MBA Presidency looks like, and the McCain Camp wants nothing of it. In retrospect, McCain's lucky he didn't choose Mitt Romney (who was also making the "MBA President claim) as his VP.

...because (according to Perrspectives) McCain has violated their honor code many times over .

Because we may need her "foreign policy expertise" in dealing with them as well as Russia: ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Pakistan's military has ordered its forces to open fire if U.S. troops launch another air or ground raid across the Afghan border, an army spokesman said Tuesday. The orders, which come in response to a highly unusual Sept. 3 ground attack by U.S. commandos, are certain to heighten tension between Washington and a key ally against terrorism. Pakistan's civilian leaders have protested the raid but say the dispute should be resolved through diplomatic channels. However, army spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas told The Associated Press that after U.S. helicopters ferried troops into a militant stronghold in the South Waziristan tribal region, the military told field commanders to prevent any similar raids. So that makes Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Russia, North Korea and now Pakistan as countries we've pissed off. Let me know when China, Canada and Mexico get ad...

Poisoned milk alert . Financially, it's 9/11 all over again . " There's a systemic risk if AIG isn't saved ." The Cowboys beat the Eagles in an offensive clash .

My dad used to have an expression: "Don't tell me what you value. Show me your budget, and I'll tell you what you value." -- Sen. Joe Biden, in a speech given today in Michigan .

What the GOP didn't want you to see. Now you know why McCain has to go with her everywhere, and why she gives the same exact same stump speech.

Life imitates art; art imitates life : SNL alum Tina Fey parodies Gov. Sarah Palin, Gov. Sarah Palin admits that she once dressed like Tina Fey at a party . I will now light myself on fire.

Senator John McCain on the state of today's American Economy: Senator Barack Obama on the state of today's American Economy: So you have one candidate who believes everything is hunky-dory, and that problems with the economy are fantasies like Santa Claus, The Easter Bunny and Rocky V. The other guy recognizes that there's a problem, details why he thinks its a problem than further details how it could be addressed . And this, Ladies and Gentlemen, is why 99% of John McCain's campaign does not want to talk about issues. UPDATE : House Finance Committee Chairman Barney Frank confirms John McCain's non-existent record on reforming the economy: Barney Frank on McCain's financial reform record by faizshakir

It would look alot like this:

An Italian woman was brought out of a coma, got married, then went back into her coma . The Colts avoid being 0-2 ; the Patriots manage to beat the Jets (again). Meanwhile, in Afghanistan ... If this is a sign of our strong economy, than I'm Johnny Friggin' Depp. I think I know why it seems like (in his closing days) Bush is adopting Obama's policies : because when the overall Bush Doctrine (which is 99.97% Cheney/Rumsfeld, 0.02% Bush and 0.01% Obama) ultimately fails, the pundits (read FoxNews) will get to blame Obama.

Alan "I Love Supply-Side Economics" Greenspan says that John McCain's tax cuts could destroy the country . In an economic sense, that is. Considering this is the guy who was basically Ronald Reagan's accountant, humbled Bill Clinton and endorsed George W. Bush's tax cuts, this is a big "wow."

I hope advertisements doesn't come to this . One way Joe Biden can debate Sarah Palin. Don't mess with the Killdozer . John McCain's (fake) voicemail message to his future GOP VP pick. Speaking of McCain: you don't want to see him when he's angry . Hip-hop producer and (*shudder*) rapper Jermaine Dupri defends Barack Obama against (wait for it) Tavis Smiley and Cornel West (seriously?) Actor Matt Damon comments on Gov. Palin. Of course FoxSports ranks two Wizards as the most overpaid palyers in the NBA . Haters. This is how hurricanes get their names.

...and it's called "The View ."

First off: go here for some background on the Bush Doctrine (or rather, its utter failure). Ok, here's one opinion I think is pretty valid: Each of us has areas we care about, and areas we don't. If we are interested in a topic, we follow its development over the years. And because we have followed its development, we're able to talk and think about it in a "rounded" way. We can say: Most people think X, but I really think Y. Or: most people used to think P, but now they think Q. Or: the point most people miss is Z. Or: the question I'd really like to hear answered is A. Here's the most obvious example in daily life: Sports Talk radio. Mention a name or theme -- Brett Favre, the Patriots under Belichick, Lance Armstrong's comeback, Venus and Serena -- and anyone who cares about sports can have a very sophisticated discussion about the ins and outs and myth and realities and arguments and rebuttals. People who don't like sports can't do that. It...

Whoever "educated" Gov. Sarah Palin on foreign affairs needs to be fired. Now. A temporary truce in Zimbabwe . DMX moves to a different dog pound . Wow : "Immigrants account for a disturbingly high share of domestic violence deaths in Massachusetts, advocates say, raising fears that the nation's heated immigration debate is deterring abuse victims from seeking help." The Obama Campaign plans on turning up the heat . An all-white jury for the O.J. trial ? He's toast. Cindy McCain plans on teaching others about drug addiction is she becomes first lady.

It's a little known fact that if you want to vote in a particular state, you have to live there. But what happens if you do live in a state, but through "life" (aka, disastrous policies) you lose your home? Well, if you live somewhere like the people of Macomb County Michigan, losing your house may cost you your vote . The chairman of the Republican Party in Macomb County Michigan, a key swing county in a key swing state, is planning to use a list of foreclosed homes to block people from voting in the upcoming election as part of the state GOP’s effort to challenge some voters on Election Day. “We will have a list of foreclosed homes and will make sure people aren’t voting from those addresses,” party chairman James Carabelli told Michigan Messenger in a telephone interview earlier this week. He said the local party wanted to make sure that proper electoral procedures were followed. State election rules allow parties to assign “election challengers” to polls to monitor th...

...that " as many as 70,000 people may have developed post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the terrorist attacks ." I wonder how many of these people have proper healthcare? Oh wait, here we go: The city offers free physical and mental health care to eligible people affected by the attacks. And by "eligible" they must mean...well, who knows.

And by that I mean, the media was the slutty groupie to George W. Bush's rock band. They followed him everywhere he went and defended/justified everything his Administration did. They are the primary reason the American People did not ask questions about 9/11, Iraq and any policy that originated from these two events. Now they want to be "shocked" about the McCain's Campaigns lies , even though they are still carrying the water for them (because they just love Palin apparently). They want to lament the "chaos" that would have come if Bill and Hillary Clinton had not backed Barack Obama 100%, yet yawned while McCain was practically pushing Bush off-stage last week . People wonder why, in light of things like this, that so many still watch the new (let alone believe what they read/watch/hear). The answer is simple: they still believe the media is impartial and has the people's best interest. The truth is that the media is little more than quasi-competing...

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on current US strategy Afghanistan: We're still doing it wrong . I guess this is why the US will boost its Afghan force . For $8 billion, Switzerland would either have destroyed the universe, created a wormhole to another time and/or dimension or wasted alot of tax-payer money . Secret orders for private wars .

Obama accuses McCain campaign of 'lies' , because it was one. That lipstick comment was obviously directed at John McCain policies, not Sarah Palin's looks. But what I find more interesting is that the media decided to air quote "lies." As if saying otherwise would cause the universe to explode. Not surprising; the reaction to many of the lies that have come from the Bush Administration has been called "deceptions," "misleading," inaccurate" or even "false." But "lies?" I guess that's too strong a word. Too absolute. Well, someone needs the to tell the media to get their spine back because lies have been told. And until the lies are addressed and the liars are called out, it will continue...and get worse.

I'll say it again, this was all a brilliant calculated strategy. He HAD to know a lipstick comment would send the McCain campaign into an irate spiral of "sexist" blabbery. He HAD to know the media would be wondering if he would apologize, and he HAD to know this would give him the opportunity to be the bigger man, criticize the media, AND talk about the real issues important to every American, regardless of party. Abso-frickin-lutely awesome. TPM's elonepb , referring to Barack Obama's response to the McCain campaign's fake outrage over his "lipstick on pig" comments (which, contrary to conservative belief, was a reference to McCain's policies and not Gov. Sarah Palin).

You would think with Rep. Charley Rangel being "chairman of the Congressional committee that writes the nation’s tax code" he would have no problems paying his own taxes. You would think . Did I mention that Sen. Obama has a plan for education ? Well, let me repeat myself. Paris Hilton (the celebrity) on Paris Hilton (the movie about the celebrity). Finally acknowledging that the search for Osama bin Laden hasn't gone according to plan . OPEC can't help .

Odd . BANGKOK, Thailand - Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej violated the constitution by hosting television cooking shows and must resign from office, a court ruled on Tuesday. The ruling — which means Samak's Cabinet must also resign — comes amid a deepening political crisis for Thailand. Judge Chat Chonlaworn told the Constitutional Court that Samak had "violated Article 267 of the constitution" and that "his position as prime minister has ended." Say what you want about Thailand; they obey their constitution.