Don't They Have Tests For These Things?

A Baltimore city police officer was charged with assault after he apparently got scared at a haunted house and pulled a gun on one of the characters.

Baltimore County police said Sgt. Eric Janik pulled his gun on a haunted house employee dressed up as the killer from "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" at the Eastpoint Mall.

Police said the employee approached Janik after the haunted house tour was over Sunday night in a bid to get "one last scream."

Instead, Janik pulled his service weapon and pointed it at the man's chest, authorities said. The man dropped the chain saw, which had no chain and was not dangerous.

WBAL

Oh My!

I've neglected you all. I'm so sorry. Swamped with RL and and and ...

Take heart in Rush's sobbing, the rage over Obama's Nobel, and autumn leaves. Pay no attention to the pseudo-progress of the health care bill. Go work on a Hallowe'en costume. Or go for a walk and kick the leaves like you did when you were little.

Tasers Yet Again

Pam Spaulding points to Electronic Village's current post detailing each of the 36 taser deaths in the US thus far this year. I won't go into great detail because they have done so, but I must note that 39% of the deaths are black men.

For those of you who think this isn't about you? Digby offers an 81 year old man tased repeatedly.

"Schiaffini walks with a cane, has no use of his left arm after suffering six strokes, and takes several prescription medications daily."

As I often point out, it is way past time to take away this often abused weapon from the abusers.

The Parade Of Losers Continues

This young lady has discovered just how badly the entire right wing want to look at womens' naughty bits.

You Know You Want It

Porkulus Southernica

Rep. Joe Wilson in the act of shouting "You lie!" at the president during the joint session ...

Via CNN

McCarthyism, Barely Disguised

It's amazing how little the tactics have changed in more than half a century since Joe McCarthy (on the right over there misused his access to the media to accuse people of disloyalty, treason, and undermining the nation without regard to facts or evidence of any kind. Today we see the exact same process taking place, fueled by partisan media outlets who pretend to offer "news" to the American public.

Jon DeVore says it well.

Yeah, this is war. Either the far right puke funnel is brought to heel by utterly destroying its undeserved credibility, something that should have happened long ago, or our democracy plunges into neo-McCarthyite darkness for who-knows-how-long. Which obscure administration or member of Congress will be next? Will it it be a third under-secretary for African affairs, or will it be, um, YOU?...

Yeah, probably me. People like me are often a target when right-wing terrorists are looking around for somebody to aim their peashooters at.

How’s that post-partisanship civility working out? Yeah, I know, regular people get sick and tired of the clown shows, but the clown shows are not a bug, they’re a design feature. They show that many Democrats won’t fight for their principles, or that many Democrats are unprincipled whores, and in either case weakness and whorishness is exposed.

The clowns clown, the pundits pontificate and the “reasonable” Republicans chortle while they watch the polls and congratulate each other on what a great monkey wrench they possess. Next up will be a set of “promises” from the GOP, probably with some grandiose name only a Colbert could appreciate, that will list the requisite demands for lower taxes, bashing of immigrants, fear-mongering against gays and any clever phraseology Frank Luntz crafts to make a shit sandwich look like Pan-bagnat.

Exactly. It's about distraction and fearmongering and tactics, tactics, tactics, all aimed to grab the spotlight, control the message. Meanwhile the moderates who care and the left that is too amazed to lift a finger are falling under the bus.

Remember, they always call the opposition what they are. So whey they claim that Obama is Hitler, there's a good reason to listen to what they are really saying. Doesn't anybody think it's time to stop them?

All Gone Now

Goodbye.

I hope we will again see politicians who viscerally believe in fairness and justice and are willing to and capable of doing something about it. For all out sakes I hope so.

And don't forget that Teddy put a stake in the heart of Robert Bork, for which we should all be grateful.

End of Summer Food

Maryland red crab soup. Everything that is abundant -- crabmeat, white corn, tomatoes, etc.,etc. Yum.

(Not my pic, but mine looks the same.)

A Returning To School Gift

for my friends who teach high school English -- five worst required reading books. So you have advanced warning, two of my least favorite are on the list. The Old Man and the Sea and something -- anything -- by Dickens.