Wow, you have great braids

This is kind of interesting, now that they can figure out DNA stuff, they're looking for what happened to the "Lost Colony" in Roanoke.
For those who don't know, it just disappeared. It was there one year and everybody was gone the next.
Quote
"What we now need is to establish if there are any living family descendants of those lost colonists living here in the U.K., and from them produce a reference library of DNA to match the American results against,"

That's cool, but I wonder if it'll tell them if it was via the mother or the father.
Because, since I have a low opinion of people, I figure the men lived long enough to be slow roasted and eaten while the women, the cute ones anyway, were kept around.

Maybe I'm being a romantic, but I figure the Roanoke Indians were smarter than their cousins to the north, the ones who let the white man "just take that land over their, really, that's all we want".

H/T, I forget, I emailed it to myself last week and forgot. Probably Drudge or Boortz since I didn't put that in the email and they don't need a link from me. At least I remembered to put the h/t in before I posted. So that's something.

Posted by: Veeshir at 08:41 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Manhattan judge rules that he doesn't care if you were tortured

U.S. District Judge Lewis A Kaplan has just made himself my hero.

A Guantanamo Bay detainee brought to the United States for trial on charges he helped the bombing of two U.S. embassies in Africa while he was an aide to Osama bin Laden cannot use allegations of torture by the CIA to dismiss the indictment, a judge said Monday.

 U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan made the ruling in Manhattan after months of consideration of documents, much of their contents redacted, that were submitted by attorneys for Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani and the government.

 Kaplan said that Ghailani might be able to sue the government for civil damages or seek criminal prosecution of those who abused him if he can prove his rights were violated by torture, but that he cannot eliminate an indictment charging him in the August 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies.

The ruling by Kaplan could set a precedent if other Guantanamo detainees are brought to the United States for trials in the civilian court system. Some of them also allege they were tortured. The judge said there were precedents set by other court cases for his findings.

He goes on to say that some terrorist fuckhead may be able to use the they-tortured-me-so-you-can't-convict-me-of-stuff excuse if (and only if) the only information that we have that could result in a conviction was gotten by such terribly inhumane "torture" as waterboarding.  But, if we "tortured" you to corroborate evidence, or to get more information, then too-damn-bad.

So much win.

Posted by: Ember at 07:00 PM | Comments (8) | Add Comment
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Barack Obama - homophobe

First, Obama stated that he believes that marriage is between a man and a woman.

Then Obama had Rick Warren give the invocation at the Inauguration.

After that, there was the brief in support of DOMA.

Let's not forget the ever evolving position on repealing DADT.

And now he's appointed someone for the Supreme Court who stated that "There is no federal constitutional right to same-sex marriage".

Now.  As I've been told over and over and over and over again by those who claim to know such things, all of those positions are homophobic.  Thus, by that logic, Obama is a homophobe. 

There are some gay rights* organizations that have been outspoken about these things.  But the general Left certainly isn't out there shrieking for Obama to be run out of public life for those positions.

Yes, yes, I know, pointing out the hypocrisy on this is machinegunning fish in a barrel.  But it enrages me that those who deny my very existence as a queer conservative are the first people who lined up to vote for a man whose positions, if held by a Republican, would be considered morally indefensible.  It's so grand to see people cling to actual principles and beliefs. 


*I believe I've made my loathing of the term "gay rights" well known.  I repeat, the only gay right I want is the right to not be killed for being queer. 

Posted by: alexthechick at 06:46 PM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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PSA

Since we Evil Heartless Reich Wingers actually do give a shit about all the flooding down in TN, I thought I'd throw up some links if you want to help.

Middle Tennessee Red Cross

The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee

If you are so inclined, I'm sure they could use the help.

Posted by: alexthechick at 11:47 AM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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You want to go, motherfucker?

Okay, let's go...

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid lashed out at Republicans as the “anti-immigrant party” in an interview aired Sunday on Univision.

Here's the thing. The people who live on either side of me are from China. Across the street? From India and South Korea. I was born here. And we all get along just fine.

Stick with me here.

On the day when I turned eighteen, my dad took me out to register to vote. For most of my teenage years, I was pretty ignorant of politics. But, then, I happened to read a copy of P.J. O'Rourke's brilliant Parliament of Whores that my uncle had lying around, and I instantly became a conservative. So, I registered as a Republican.

Meanwhile, I grew up in a Southern California of changing demographics. Very few of my friends' parents were born here. Before we could drive on our own, for instance, a Bengali woman took us to school every day. My best friend's dad built up a successful air conditioning business after coming here with next to nothing. Hell, I can't even tell you how often one of my friends' mothers insisted that I eat something wonderful (or, occasionally, not so much) from their home country before I left their homes.

Why am I going on about all of this? Because I'm a Republican and I fucking love immigrants. Immigrants are the people who come here because they fucking love this country so much that they're fine with leaving their own countries, which can't be an easy decision. They build businesses here, add their arts and traditions and cuisines to our life, and produce ME. I'm living in SoCal instead of squatting in a bog in Ireland, after all.

And, here's where we come full-circle:

Republicans like me aren't "anti-immigrant," you fucking Senatorial douchebag.  We're against the people who stick their thumbs in the eyes of our friends and neighbors, the people who took the time to do it the right way and come here to open a dry cleaning shop or a restaurant or invent something new or whatever it takes to survive in America.

You know what you are, Harry? You're the "pro-lawlessness party." And you're gonna lose. Fuck you and the horse you rode in on.

We actually love immigrants. And we love the Constitution that they swear allegiance to when they become citizens.

Posted by: Sean M. at 02:17 AM | Comments (8) | Add Comment
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I Must Protect My Most Precious Gift

Five years and two months ago, my beautiful and patient (for putting up with me) wife became a mother, and thus earned the right to receive praise and gifting on Mother's Day in her own right. Beyond the beauty and brains my wife possesses, she also did something greater by bringing my daughter into the world: she gave me the greatest gift of all, the ability and responsibility to shape the world with the little blonde pack of dynamite I see sleeping on a cloud of teddy bears and stuffed whatevers in her room as I type this. She gave the me the greatest responsibility/power arrangement going, the responsibility to make sure that my daughter does indeed live Forever Young, as the song that (I shit you not) popped into my head the first time I was able to hold her.

While raising a child as a parent is tough enough, the outside influences brought about by dickfisting halfwit politicians and the damage they can unleash with their legislative juice jiggling can be disastrous to her future. As such, no politician who threatens her future should ever be allowed to hold power or office ever again, even if it is a Republican. That is why I have no problem seeing Bob Bennett go down in flames in Utah. That asshole voted to do things that will limit my daughter's future, and tell my wife that the gift she granted to me does not matter, so long as Senator Jocksucker J Jackfuck gets reelected and an airport named after him. That asshole and his supporters and allies to infringe upon the liberty and freedom my daughter received as her birthright for being an American. And he needed to lose his seat for that.

And to the RINOs, Bennettistas, Leftists, and assorted other gashgreeters who want to fuck with my family, let me tell you something:
more...

Posted by: eddiebear at 11:42 PM | Comments (8) | Add Comment
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The thrill of victory

Yes, yes, this is primarily about the hotassery but these women must be hella strong to be able to do this.

2010 US Pole Dance Championship below the fold (no nudity but it is pole dancing so possibly NSFW)
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Posted by: alexthechick at 05:42 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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Restore Joss Whedon

... AndHisSmokingHotAssKickingChicks.org

(Warning: Some Serenity spoilers for those like myself who haven't seen it yet.)

Posted by: JoeCollins at 02:02 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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Remember when Obama was the technocrat President?

Praised for his understanding of technology at it's implications. He even had a Blackberry that he insisted be hooked into the the White House network despite the security concerns.

How does this get explained then?

"You're coming of age in a 24/7 media environment that bombards us with all kinds of content and exposes us to all kinds of arguments, some of which don't always rank all that high on the truth meter," Obama said at Hampton University, Virginia.

"With iPods and iPads and Xboxes and PlayStations, -- none of which I know how to work -- information becomes a distraction, a diversion, a form of entertainment, rather than a tool of empowerment, rather than the means of emancipation," Obama said.

He can't operate the 4 simplest technological devices known to man? Even that buffoon* George W. Bush can operate an iPod. I know this because the media went to great lengths a number of times to ridicule his playlist. If he can operate one and Obama can't what does that say about the intellectual quality of the man chosen to lead the US thru these harrowing times?

*that was snark in case anyone is on the verge of getting offended.

Posted by: chad98036 at 12:26 PM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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Presented without comment or context

Presently this country is facing a skills crisis because many of those skilled tradesmen & women who were the centurions of industry when this country was really great, are aging and retired or on the brink of it. When that institutional memory is lost we will not get it back because we have an education establishment that no longer values technical skills and has abandoned an entire generation of young people. As Dr. Ken Ryan at Alexandria Technical College has said, “We have duped ourselves into believing we can build a sustainable economy without the durable manufacturing activities that characterize those nations threatening to eclipse us.” So very true. I have been thinking and saying that, though not so succinctly, for years.

Nor[is] industry without fault in this evolving debacle. in their never ending pursuit of short term profit for stock holders skilled employees have been devalued and made a commodity.

source

Posted by: chad98036 at 11:32 PM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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Kids Parents these days

You know, I'm a fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It was a great show. It was well-written, action-packed, and featured a bunch of really hot actresses. That said, if I had a daughter, I don't think I'd name her Buffy. A son? Not gonna be named Angel (or Spike, for that matter).

God, I really hate people sometimes.

Posted by: Sean M. at 08:28 PM | Comments (15) | Add Comment
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I shouldn't be laughing at this

Especially since this could be any of us. Matter of fact, I'm pretty sure this is the blogfather.



(h/t Internet-D)

Posted by: Alice H at 07:22 PM | Comments (11) | Add Comment
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I want to throw a thought out

I was surfing this series of tubes this morning visiting the normal assortment of right wing blogs, newspapers, and other miscellaneous sites.  Everything is doom and gloom and I am getting majorly depressed and then a thought hit me:

The major problem with America is people who think there is a major problem with America.

I am not even going to try and pretend that we aren't facing some major issues, but they aren't anything that can't be overcome.  Seriously if you look at blogs like The Classic Liberal, Daily Pundit, and The Other McCain you would think that society is going to fail tomorrow and we will be thrust back into the dark ages where everyone will be relying on subsistence farming and fighting off roving bands of road warriors.

Given the experiences of the Great Depression, World War II, Watergate, etc.  I don't think that's likely.  Yes, times may be uncomfortable if there was a debt default but look at the Argentina experience.  They somehow managed to survive without resorting to cannibalism.

Don't get me wrong I don't think that we should continue on the current path,  it's unsustainable, but I also don't think that people should be on the verge of panic all the time either.

Just sayin' is all.

(two other offenders Glenn Beck, and Peter Schiff)

Posted by: chad98036 at 03:17 PM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
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You ever listen to K-Billy's "Super Sounds of the Seventies" weekend? It's my personal favorite

Posted by: doubleplusundead at 09:46 AM | Comments (9) | Add Comment
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Rolando was traveling light

Just in case there was any doubt in your mind that the new TSA body scanners were going to show off every inch of your naughty bits...

And just in case there was any doubt in your mind that beating up someone for making fun of you might result in your ridicule going national...

Rolando the-only-thing-saving-him-from-getting-pranked-to-death-is-that-MSNBC-is-too-incompetent-to-even-spell-his-name-consistently Negrin/Negron is here to put your mind at ease.

And now I'm wondering how piercings show up on the body scanner.  Just out of curiosity, of course, not because I'd ever have anything other than my ears pierced.  Never.

Posted by: Alice H at 08:22 AM | Comments (9) | Add Comment
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In DC, we like to tax everything...

...even gym memberships. Hey, Jim Graham, how about we set up an Ugly-Ass Grandma Glasses Tax and see how you like it?

Posted by: It's Vintage, Duh at 02:20 PM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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Sen. Dick Lugar (R - UT, apparently)

Sen. Bob Bennett shouldn't be having such trouble in the Utah GOP primary.  Why? Because Sen. Lugar says so, that's why! 

Sen. Dick Lugar (R-Ind.) said, “I am deeply concerned that he faces opposition that I don’t believe is warranted."

How about this asshole: they people of Utah get to decide if it's warranted, not you.

Posted by: It's Vintage, Duh at 02:12 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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Is That All You Have?

As many of you know by now, about two months ago, my mother was diagnosed with an aggressive and freakazoid strain of breast cancer that was hyper aggressive and resistant to many of the standard methods of combating it. In fact, she had received a pathology report last week that had stated that the cancer, even after surgery, had almost certainly spread to her brain, bones, blood, and vital organs. In essence, she was told she would not be here this time next year.

Needless to say, that was some tough news, but she (along with my father, a man raised by a man who fled on foot at the age of 4 in the 1930s to escape Nazi tyranny, only to fight it a few years later) raised all of us to be humble, thankful for what we have, fight, lead from the front and think of others before yourself, never quit, be fearless, protect those who are weak and small, and give adversity and darkness the prison goatse treatment when confronted with it. So, what did she do? First, she told all of us there will be  no sadness. And secondly, she sought a second opinion and second round of tests from an oncologist trained and mentored at a clinic that is the best in the fucking world.

And what did the second round of tests reveal? Well, she still had cancer, but it had not spread to her vital organs, bones, blood, etc. It was a treatable Stage Three, which means that with radiation and chemotherapy, she will be damn near 99% cancer free come Christmas time. While none of us are naive enough to believe that her treatment will be easy and complication free, she is upbeat, ready, and willing to do what is necessary to have her natural hair back come this time next year. And this news was the best news we could have heard, especially my fat and overprotective ass, especially as Mother's Day approaches.

And yes, my family and I are thankful. We are thankful that she was confronted with the retarded half brother strain of this cancer and not the A-Team version. We are thankful that (hopefully) The Big Kahuna In The Sky felt it was not her time. We are thankful that she will (hopefully) be here next year. And we are thankful that we live in a free country, one which (for now) allowed her to seek treatment in a rapid fashion and not be put on a waiting list for rationing.

As for the cancer, I have a few words for you. But first,
*lights Opus X cigar*
*makes and drinks Bombay Martini*
*makes and drinks second Bombay Martini*
*finishes cigar*
*eats a bacon wrapped bacon sandwich on a bed of bacon with a side of bacon*
*Brushes teeth*
*Clears throat*

more...

Posted by: eddiebear at 12:37 PM | Comments (17) | Add Comment
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It's Rex Manning Day!

Or, you know, Iron Man 2 is coming out today. 

You know, if you'd told me ten years ago that one of the biggest actions stars in the world would be Robert Downey, Jr., I would have laughed in your face.  Not because of his physique.  Not because he is a Serious Actor.  It's because I would have assumed he'd be dead.  Honestly, I think everyone, including him, is shocked that he made it through and is still alive.  I've never been so happy to take someone off my Death List.

So, in celebration of Rex Manning Day, have some RDJ.  Yes, there's bonus bipartisanship as well.



More below.
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Posted by: alexthechick at 11:56 AM | Comments (7) | Add Comment
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DCCC looking to abandon Hawaii House race

Over the nasty, nasty fight between the two Democrat candidates and is splitting the vote, while Republican Charles Djou is gaining.

Sorry, House race, durrrrrr.  Me ams smrt todae.

Posted by: doubleplusundead at 09:13 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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