Republican Congressman: "God decides when the earth will end"

This video blew me away. I simply can't believe that more people do not find it appalling that in 2009 (with all the techology and knowledge we have at our disposal) we still have elected officials who use a 2000 year old book to justify their scientific policy views. Did this guy ever hear of the separation of church and state? Geez!

Perhaps these nuts are his constituents?

Increasing Optimism

According to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll:

The number of Americans who believe that the nation is headed in the right direction has roughly tripled since Barack Obama's election, and the public overwhelmingly blames the excesses of the financial industry, rather than the new president, for turmoil in the economy.

At this early stage in his presidency, Obama continues to benefit from a broadly held perception that others should bear the bulk of responsibility for the severe economic problems that confront his administration.

When it comes to assessing responsibility for the nation's economic plight, 80 percent said they put a "great deal" or a "good amount" of blame on banks and other financial institutions for taking unnecessary risks. The same percentage said they blame large corporations for poor management decisions. About seven in 10 blame consumers for overextending themselves with debt and the Bush administration for not vigorously regulating the financial industry.

 

Obama is the Antichrist and/or Hitler!

Or is he Kaiser Soze? The Daily Show's Jason Jones looks at the emerging concerns that Barack Obama is the Beast and also the twin of Hitler (if you've seen the movie, The Usual Suspects, it's even funnier):

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Myth: America is Conservative

An old friend of mine (and self-proclaimed right-wing nutjob) recently told me that “politics is war conducted though other means.” Although that's probably true, it got me wondering why, considering the position they are in, aren't conservatives taking a more conciliatory approach these days? They are blindly attacking everything that Pres. Obama and the Democrats are proposing without regard to public opinion polls or the state of the economy. And they aren’t offering alternative policy ideas, either (funny enough, earlier today the GOP put out an alternative budget with NO hard numbers, LOL.).

Don’t they realize that Americans roundly repudiated conservatism in the November election?

They were given a choice between a continuation of conservative policies with McCain or (if you listened to what the GOP was saying) socialism from the terrorist friendly Barack Hussein Obama. We all know what happened. Obama whipped McCain 365-173. In the popular vote Obama won by more than 9.5 million votes, which was the 6th largest victory margin of all time, and the largest ever by a non-incumbent.

The Dems also made large gains in Congress. In the House, Democrats captured GOP-held seats in every region, adding 19 seats to the 30 they took from Republicans in 2006 (the Dems now have a 257-178 advantage). In the Senate, Dems picked up 8 seats, bringing their total to 57 (if you count the two Independents caucusing with the Dems, it’s 59). By the way, the Dems won the governorship in MO, increasing their lead 28-22.

In addition, polls have shown that Americans are more liberal (than they probably even realize) when it comes to the vast majority of Democrat causes: universal healthcare (64%-27%!), equal rights for gays, stem cell research, more regulation of markets, equal pay for women, abortion rights, more government services (here too), unions, clean energy, increasing the minimum wage, the environment, immigration, etc.

Recent polls (here, here, and here) have also found that the Dems hold a ~10 point advantage in party identification. 

Ok, that’s today, what about the future? It's not looking good for Republicans. Young people (you know, the ones that are going to be around for a while), Blacks and Latinos (who are poised to become the majority in the US by 2050) and educated voters (presumably these are the “lemmings” my conservative friend refers to) identify more with Democrats. Also, Independents tend to lean Democrat.

In other words, contrary to the oft-repeated mantra by Republicans that the US is a “conservative country,” the votes and public opinion are actually on the Dem’s side. As Virginia Republican Congressman Tom Davis said after the election, the GOP has become “a white, rural, regional party.” He ain’t lying. The South accounted for 111 of the 173 electoral votes earned by the McCain-Palin campaign. This means that nearly two of every three electoral votes for the Republicans came from the South.

Robert Reich reminds us that history is also on the Dems’ side:

The liberal ideas that emerged in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and germinated in American soil sought—for the first time in human history—to improve the well being of all people, not just the rich and the privileged. Liberalism has stood for an economic system that betters the lives of average working people and for a democracy that gives voice to the little guy. That liberal tradition animated American abolitionists of the nineteenth century who fought against slavery. It inspired suffragettes who demanded that women have the right to vote. And it motivated civil rights workers who put their lives on the line for equal rights.

Finally, I'll Ieave you with a snip from Gary Kamiya's excellent piece in Salon:

..American conservatism no longer has any purpose except perpetuating its own power and concentrating as much wealth as possible in the hands of the already wealthy. It poses as the guardian of tradition and morality, but its obeisance to an amoral free-market ideology is far more destructive of tradition than the regulated capitalism championed by liberals. It preaches small government, but insists that abortion rights, recreational drug use and gay marriage fall within the purview of the state.

This is not a "movement" that means anything that anyone can explain. As Christopher Buckley, the son of the late William F. Buckley, intellectual father of modern American conservativism, put it in a much-discussed piece, "I no longer have any clear idea what, exactly, the modern conservative movement stands for. Eight years of 'conservative' government has brought us a doubled national debt, ruinous expansion of entitlement programs, bridges to nowhere, poster boy Jack Abramoff and an ill-premised, ill-waged war conducted by politicians of breathtaking arrogance. As a sideshow, it brought us a truly obscene attempt at federal intervention in the Terry Schiavo case."

The GOP stands at a crossroads. Republicans can pretend that nothing has really changed, that this is still a "center-right" nation, and that only an ill-timed economic meltdown cost them the White House. This means leaving their party in the hands of the "movement conservatives" who have dominated the GOP for decades: the demagogues of reaction and resentment, the Christian rightists, the "values" voters, the anti-tax, anti-government zealots, the nativists, anti-rationalists and anti-secularists. The culmination of this approach would be to nominate Sarah Palin as their presidential candidate in 2016. Or they can move to the center, accept that progressive taxation is not just necessary to run a country but that it is a legitimate part of the social contract, accept that markets need some regulation, and try to reach out to all Americans, not just their base.

If they choose the second [option], they will not only save their party, they could help heal the grievous wounds their divisive politics have inflicted on the country.

The Start of a Dialog?

More change:

President Barack Obama reached out to Iran on Friday -- the start of the Iranian New Year -- in a video message offering "the promise of a new beginning" that is "grounded in mutual respect."

The message is a dramatic shift in tone from that of the Bush administration, which included Iran, along with North Korea and Iraq, in an "axis of evil." It also echoes Obama's inaugural speech, in which he said to the Muslim world, "we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect."

It might just work, too:

Obama's overture comes ahead of Iran's national elections in June. Ahmadinejad faces a tough campaign against reformists, who favor better ties with the West and the United States.
The reformists, led by former Prime Minister Mir Hossein Mousavi, may try to use promises to thaw the nearly 30-year diplomatic freeze to gain votes. In contrast, conservatives may get caught between maintaining their tough position or offering some opening for dialogue with Washington.

At the least, Obama's overtures put pressure on hard-liners to justify their anti-American stance to Iranians, said Karim Sadjadpour, an Iran expert at the Washington-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Previously, the hard-liners have been able to blame the impasse on Bush, who was widely unpopular in Iran.

"Rather than tip the scales in favor of (hard-line) radicals, as the Bush administration did, I think Obama's efforts at diplomacy will undermine them and puncture their narrative of a hostile U.S. government bent on oppressing Iran," Sadjadpour said.

Watch Obama's message to Iran here. Glenn Greenwald over at Salon has a great column on the subject here.

Moving in the Right Direction

NY Times' David Pogue gives us a glimpse of the (relatively near) future:



For the full interview, click here.

Are You Mad Yet?

Keith Olbermann nails it:

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See, Science Experiments Can Be Very Educational!

A hilarious "experiment" (although, in the interests of scientific accuracy, I have to point out that he didn't have a control)..

Don't Know Much About Science

According to a national science survey commissioned by the California Academy of Sciences, a frightening 79% of American adults are unable to answer these three basic science questions correctly:

How long does it take the Earth to revolve around the sun? Did the earliest humans and dinosaurs live at the same time? What percentage of the Earth’s surface is covered with water? 

Its intent seems to be drawing attention to the widely held belief that long-term solutions to many of the world’s most pressing issues must include a transition to a more knowledge-based economy, including a focus on science, which is a major driver of innovation and industry.

"There has never been a greater need for investment in scientific research and education," said Academy Executive Director Dr. Gregory Farrington. "Many of the most pressing issues of our time—from global climate change to resource management and disease—can only be addressed with the help of science."

Wanna take the full quiz? Click here (bottom right hand corner of the page).

Recharge Your Cell in Seconds

Ahh, another example of how taxpayer-backed scientific research benefits us all:

U.S. engineers have found a way to make lithium batteries that are smaller, lighter, longer lasting and capable of recharging in seconds. 

The researchers believe the quick-charging batteries could open up new applications, including better batteries for electric cars.

And because they use older materials in a new way, the batteries could be available for sale in two to three years..

I'd Rather Judge a Beauty Pageant, Thank You

Yummy:

The judges gathered around the pool table at the Union Brewery Saloon, their palates attuned despite thick nicotine haze. They were here to assess the taste, texture, appearance and creative flair of a not-for-the-faint-of-heart culinary tradition known as the mountain oyster — the Wild West on a plate.

Classically dipped in cornmeal and then fried, or artfully concealed in scrambled eggs, bordelaise sauce or sushi, these oysters were not of the Chesapeake or bluepoint variety but, rather, a cornerstone of Western ranching culture involving testicles from gelded lambs and calves.

Huh?

The World Health Organization estimates that more than 20 million people are infected with HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa. But don't expect this guy to provide any constructive solutions to the problem: 

Condoms are not the answer to Africa's fight against HIV, Pope Benedict XVI said Tuesday as he began a weeklong trip to the continent. 

In his four years as pope, Benedict had never directly addressed condom use, although his position is not new. His predecessor, Pope John Paul II, often said that sexual abstinence — not condoms — was the best way to prevent the spread of the disease.

Benedict also said the Roman Catholic Church was at the forefront of the battle against AIDS.

"You can't resolve it with the distribution of condoms," the pope told reporters aboard the Alitalia plane heading to Yaounde. "On the contrary, it increases the problem."

Is it really any wonder that people are leaving religion in droves?

Don't Make Obama Angry..You Wouldn't Like Him When He's Angry

I loved this (it might have to do with the fact that I thought I was The Hulk as a kid):

From the Penthouse to the Jailhouse

Have you been following the Bernie Madoff story? In case you haven't let me briefly summarize: 

Bernie Madoff was chairman of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities, which he founded in 1960. In December Madoff admitted that the asset management arm of his firm was a giant Ponzi (pyramid) scheme—as he put it, "one big lie." In fact, Madoff had been perpetuating the largest investor fraud ever committed by a single person, pleading guilty to federal charges that he had defrauded his investors of almost $65 billion. 

His clients? From regular rich guys and global banks to celebrities like Steven Spielberg and Kevin Bacon to schools and charities (yes, this greedy bastard defrauded schools and charities). For his full client list, click here. 

Yesterday, he plead guilty and was immediately jailed:

"I realized that my arrest and this day would inevitably come," Madoff said in a courtroom crammed with many of the investors he cheated out of billions of dollars.

The 70-year-old financier could get up to 150 years in prison at sentencing June 16 on 11 counts, including securities fraud and perjury. He could also be fined and ordered to pay restitution to his victims and forfeit any ill-gotten gains.

"I am actually grateful for this opportunity to publicly comment about my crimes, for which I am deeply sorry and ashamed." 

While it's terrible that so many people lost their money (like this poor old guy), equally scandalous was the failure of our regulatory agencies. Unbelievably, Harry Markopolos, a money manager and investment investigator, smelled a rat almost a decade ago:

His role in the Madoff saga began in 2000, when the hedge fund he was working at asked him to figure out how to match the fantastically consistent returns produced by Madoff in options trading. Markopolos studied the markets and deduced it couldn’t be done: Madoff had to be cheating — either by front-running, which would’ve involved trading on advance information about customer orders from his market-making firm, or by the good ol' doomed-to-fail Ponzi method. Before long, the world-weary numbers cruncher settled on the latter and wrote a series of whistleblowing memos to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Memos that they, as we're now painfully aware, dismissed.

And it wasn't the only one! A number of ponzi schemes have been uncovered in the last few months (see here, here, here and here). This is what happens when markets are not properly regulated and regulatory agencies are not adequately funded. The head of the SEC and the senior people involved should all be tendering their resignations for their gross incompetency. But of course, we all know that won't happen.

Obama's West Wing

Rolling Stone provides a closer look on who's sitting where in the White House and the access they have to the president: 

1. The Boss

President Obama has woven three different camps into his inner circle: old hands from his Chicago days, legislative pros with ties to Tom Daschle, and veterans of Bill Clinton's White House. His first-floor seating arrangement includes elements of all three.

2. The Brain

David Axelrod, who ran the president's campaign, sits even closer to Obama than Rove did to Bush; he is the only senior adviser with his own door to Obama's office. "It conveys that Axelrod is involved not only in communicating the president's positions but in formulating them," says a top veteran of the Obama campaign.

3. The Invisible Man

Pete Rouse, another senior adviser, never appears in the media. An ex-chief of staff to Tom Daschle, he maintains deep, bipartisan connections on Capitol Hill. "Rouse's the one who brought 'no drama' to Obama," says a top Democratic strategist. "His enforcement makes it work."

4. The Glue

As chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel unites Obama's team: He's Axelrod's best friend, a Capitol hill pro and the only top adviser who served in the Clinton White House. Obama gives him first and last word at staff meetings and entrusted him to shepherd the stimulus package.

5. The Ear

Vice President Joe Biden, who occupies Cheney's old office, has a weekly lunch with Obama. "I want to be the last guy in the room on every important decision," he says. But insiders say his clout may be undercut by special envoys abroad and issue "czars" at home.

6. The General

A low-profile former NATO commander, Gen. James L. Jones met Obama only twice before being tapped as a national security adviser. He will be the primary conduit of security information to Obama and is charged with reinventing the National Security Council to encompass issues such as energy, climate and cybersecurity.

7. The Spokesman

Press secretary Robert Gibbs, who has worked for Obama since his 2004 Senate run, is "one of four or five guys who can walk into the president's office and sit in on meetings where every big decision is being made," says a Democrat in the know. The downside: Gibbs can't play Scott McLellan-dumb and tell reporters, "I don't know."

Tent Cities Popping Up All Over America

A sign of the times: 

American Journalism, Religion, and Cheetos

I'm not sure who is crazier, the people who think these images are divine or the news editors who put them on TV:

A Little Nutty

You have to admit, the Czechs have, uh,..balls:

The Czech Republic has allowed at least 94 prisoners over the past decade to be surgically castrated. It is the only country in Europe that uses the procedure for sex offenders. Czech psychiatrists supervising the treatment — a one-hour operation that involves removal of the tissue that produces testosterone — insist that it is the most foolproof way to tame sexual urges in dangerous predators suffering from extreme sexual disorders.

However, this was a raw deal if you ask me:

Surgical castration has been a means of social control for centuries. ..in Italy several centuries ago, youthful male choir members were castrated to preserve their high singing voices.

Jon the Ripper Strikes Again..

Since I posted this Daily Show video of Jon Stewart ripping into CNBC and Wall Street last week, it has become the stuff of legend, popping up all over the blogosphere. It's definitely worth watching if you missed it:

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Naturally, Jim Cramer of CNBC complained that the clips were taken out of context. He really should have kept his mouth shut:

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Ya Think?

You don't need to be a financial expert to know this:

The Federal Reserve chairman, Ben S. Bernanke, called on Tuesday for a broad reworking of how the government regulates the financial system to prevent future financial collapses. In a speech before the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, Mr. Bernanke said the financial system needed to be regulated “as a whole, in a holistic way”..

Obama Lifts Bush’s Strict Limits on Stem Cell Research

You wanted change? Here's more of it:

Pledging that his administration will “make scientific decisions based on facts, not ideology,” President Obama on Monday lifted the Bush administration’s strict limits on human embryonic stem cell research.

At a ceremony in the East Room of the White House, before an audience that included lawmakers, scientists and patients, several of them in wheelchairs, Mr. Obama announced that he was issuing an executive order intended to advance the research. He said he hoped Congress would follow with bipartisan legislation that would ease the existing restrictions even more.

..the majority of Americans “have come to a consensus that we should pursue this research; that the potential it offers is great, and with proper guidelines and strict oversight the perils can be avoided.”

After 8 years of crackpot fundamentalism, science and reason are finally getting the respect they deserve. Of course there will be those who claim this is akin to "killing babies." Come on. Couples who go for in vitro fertilization typically have dozens of embryos created and frozen (in case no embroys implant themselves the first go around). For this reason, there are untold numbers of embryonic stem cells from fertilized eggs for in-vitro fertilization that are never going to be used by families for procreation. In many cases, these embroyos are discarded or frozen in perpetuity once the couple successfully conceives.  With this executive order, these unwanted embryos can now be donated for this promising research.  

Scientists hope to use stem cells to replace or rejuvenate damaged tissue. Researchers are also exploring ways to use stem cells to treat diabetes, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injury, heart disease and vision and hearing loss, among others. And this would only be the beginning. In the future, many scientists expect that we will be able to use stem cells to grow entire organs. Have heart disease? Let's collect some of your stem cells and grow them into a new heart! Importantly, because the stem cells are your own, they won't be rejected by your body (which is the main problem with transplants today).

See below for President Obama's full remarks:

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