Archive for February, 2009
Carol’s Critter Corner: Too Much Sugar Edition
Posted on February 27, 2009 by Carol- Filed Under Carol's Critter Corner | Leave a Comment
The Obamas have decided to adopt a Portuguese water dog – or have they?!
A British biologist caught an 800-pound stingray in the Maeklong River in Thailand. It took 90 minutes and 13 men to haul the giant stingray – the largest freshwater fish ever caught with a rod – ashore, where she was tagged and [...]
Colonial Rule Continues
Posted on February 26, 2009 by andrew- Filed Under DC enfranchisement | Leave a Comment
Not only is the voting rights legislation insufficient, it now officially includes a violation of basic home-rule principles.
This bill is not a victory for Washington, DC. It is a clear loss. All it had in its favor was the minor symbolism of granting us a single meaningless vote in the House of Representatives. That symbolism [...]
Why Does John Ensign Hate Democracy?
Posted on February 26, 2009 by andrew- Filed Under DC enfranchisement, John Ensign | Leave a Comment
I don’t mean that facetiously. I mean it literally. John Ensign actively opposes small-d democracy.
Some Progressives Get It
Posted on February 25, 2009 by andrew- Filed Under DC enfranchisement, Democratic Party | Leave a Comment
As long as I’ve been taking potshots at big-name progressives who don’t understand the DC voting rights issue this week, I should note the ones who get it right. Specifically, Matthew Yglesias nails the utter failure of the national Democratic Party in this post. This is why I vote for the Statehood-Green Party candidate in [...]
Why Do None Of Them Get It?
Posted on February 24, 2009 by andrew- Filed Under DC enfranchisement, Daily Kos, Netroots | Leave a Comment
Today, one of the Daily Kos front-pagers (and hence a relatively important person in the world of progressive activism), Barbara “BarbinMD” Morrill, incorrectly describes the DC voting rights legislation currently before the Congress:
It’s been discussed and fought over for years, and today finally comes to a head: The bill to give full voting rights to [...]
This Just In
Posted on February 24, 2009 by Carol- Filed Under Carol's Critter Corner | Leave a Comment
We interrupt your regularly scheduled Andrew programming to bring you a very important announcement. Mystic Aquarium has a penguin-cam! Footage of penguin chicks, born February 3, will be streamed live daily from 9 AM to 5 PM.
Warning: penguin-cam requires Quicktime. If you are like me and cannot download Quicktime because your office is stupid and [...]
Just Say No To Retrocession
Posted on February 23, 2009 by andrew- Filed Under DC enfranchisement | Leave a Comment
No, Ezra Klein, no!
If the problem is that 100 is a nice, clean, number, then just take Bruce Bartlett’s advice and make us part of Maryland. Such a move even has a cool name: Retrocession.
Progressives absolutely must not not sell out DC (and Maryland, in this case) by supporting anything less than full voting rights [...]
Carol’s Critter Corner: Late Again Edition
Posted on February 21, 2009 by Carol- Filed Under Carol's Critter Corner | Leave a Comment
R.I.P. Socks. The 19-year-old former White House cat was euthanized yesterday morning.
The American Humane Association has awarded its own Oscars, for the best animal movies of the year. Among the honorees were The Dark Knight (best movie magic featuring an animal), Marley & Me (most poignant movie illustrating the human-animal bond), and Indiana Jones and [...]
Kay Hagan Needs To Hear From You
Posted on February 20, 2009 by andrew- Filed Under DC enfranchisement | Leave a Comment
Senator Kay Hagan, a supposed Democrat from North Carolina, apparently supports the continuation of second-class citizenship for myself and all nearly-600,000 of my fellow American citizens here in the nation’s capital.
Give her a call and tell her how you feel about that. 202-224-6342
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Friday Wingnut Humor
Posted on February 20, 2009 by andrew- Filed Under Economics, wingnuts | Leave a Comment
I quote the entirety of an NRO post from one Mark R. Levin:
What Obama has that FDR did not have was the hindsight of seven decades that inform him that the New Deal was a failure.
Well said?
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A Note To The President
Posted on February 18, 2009 by andrew- Filed Under Barack Obama, DC enfranchisement | Leave a Comment
Mr. President,
I and thousands of other District residents supported you strongly throughout the presidential election. Do us a favor and put our license plates on your car. It won’t cost you anything, and we will appreciate it.
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A Republican Attack Ad That Has Yet To Be Made But Would Be Totally Awesome
Posted on February 18, 2009 by andrew- Filed Under Nancy Pelosi, Pope Benedict XVI | Leave a Comment
Why is Nancy Pelosi palling around with Nazi sympathizers?
Employee Free Choice
Posted on February 18, 2009 by andrew- Filed Under Employee Free Choice Act, Labor | Leave a Comment
I take this development on the Employee Free Choice Act to mean two things: One, the Democratic leadership is making definite plans to place the bill on the agenda this year and fulfill the party’s biggest promise to labor. Two, the Blue Dogs are willing to support EFCA in significant numbers so long as party [...]
I Think We Can Say It With A Bit More Confidence
Posted on February 17, 2009 by andrew- Filed Under generation issues, political ideology | Leave a Comment
The increased liberal identification of so-called Millenials (I hate the name but will abide by it for the purposes of this post) “might” be linked to former President Douchebag in the same way cigarettes “might” be linked to lung cancer. Let’s run through the list. People my age are more liberal because:
They saw people their [...]
Shifting The Civil Rights Narrative
Posted on February 17, 2009 by andrew- Filed Under gay marriage, the media | Leave a Comment
Marc Ambinder has an interesting post on Mitt Romney’s history with marriage equality, but he flubs the conclusion:
Of all the potential 2012 candidates, Huntsman and Gov. Sarah Palin are closest to where the public is. Romney’s next.
Judging by the rest of the post, it’s probably safe to guess that this was a typo and Ambinder [...]
Remembering “Why So Serious?”
Posted on February 17, 2009 by andrew- Filed Under The Dark Knight, Watchmen, movies | Leave a Comment
Matt Yglesias:
Watchmen is hardly the first movie to try to employ web-based spinoffs as part of its marketing campaign, but it may be the first one to have actually done it well.
I don’t know whether Yglesias was paying any attention to it about two years ago, but I was following the viral marketing campaign for [...]
It’s Nice To Know They Care
Posted on February 17, 2009 by andrew- Filed Under DC, DC enfranchisement | Leave a Comment
Hey, look at that: The New York Times noticed that we lack any representation in Congress!
Sure, they failed to recognize that the currently proposed legislation is woefully insufficient when it comes to achieving actual, meaningful representation for the District, but at least they support this insufficient bandage of a bill!
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Carol’s Critter Corner: Just in Time Edition
Posted on February 14, 2009 by Carol- Filed Under Carol's Critter Corner | Leave a Comment
Sam, the koala pictured above being rescued from a wildfire in Australia, is recovering nicely at a rescue shelter. She is currently sharing a cage with Bob, another koala with scorched paws, but will soon have her own digs: the firefighter who rescued her plans to bring her the cage that currently houses his daughter’s [...]
Judd Gregg, First Class Douchebag
Posted on February 12, 2009 by andrew- Filed Under Judd Gregg, Obama administration | Leave a Comment
So Gregg lobbied for the job, publicly accepted the job, and then randomly withdrew from consideration by releasing a statement right in the middle of a massive policy negotiation without giving the White House anything resembling a courteous warning.
That’s unbelievably dickish, even considering some of the other stunts the Republicans have pulled in the [...]
Three Official Television Pronouncements And One Reminder
Posted on February 12, 2009 by andrew- Filed Under 24, Comedy Central, Dollhouse, Joss Whedon, Lost, television | 1 Comment
1) 24, which I have watched religiously since 2002, is no longer much fun. I’ll probably stick it out for the rest of the season, but I don’t find myself caring very much about what happens. It isn’t dreadful like season six was, but it isn’t very good, either.
2) Lost, on the other hand, has [...]
