Maybe You Want To Rethink That Trans-Vaginal Ultrasound Law

Let this be a lesson to all of you male idiots who might consider making medical decisions for women. This is what happened after Mr. Albo spoke in favor of mandatory trans-vaginal ultrasound in the Virginia house.

Tea Party

Thanks to Godless Liberals

Simple Post

What Digby said ... All of it.  With regard to this new meme that we should never allow a Mosque to be built --

Permits should not be granted to build even one more mosque in the United States of America, let alone the monstrosity planned for Ground Zero. This is for one simple reason: each Islamic mosque is dedicated to the overthrow of the American government.

Each one is a potential jihadist recruitment and training center, and determined to implement the “Grand Jihad”

(I'm not linking to that crap.  You can find it.)

Digby says:

Normally I would think we could ride out this latest wave of nativism and racism, but there are two factors that make it more dangerous than usual. The first, of course, is the economy which looks like it's not going to recover smartly thus giving this impulse more oxygen than it might otherwise have. The second is that the right wing demagogues have an entire industry now devoted to creating and nurturing these wedge issues for political and financial gain. The culture warriors have just shifted their strategy away from "family values" to their other stand-by, "stop the boogeyman." It's all part of the same throwback tapestry, but different times require difference emphasis. We're officially in the "the foreigners and blacks are ruining everything" portion of the show.

 And it gets worse every day.

Tazer Wars

This one is way more special than usual. Offered without comment.

(CN) - Police Tasered an 86-year-old disabled grandma in her bed and stepped on her oxygen hose until she couldn't breathe, after her grandson called 911 seeking medical assistance, the woman and her grandson claim in Oklahoma City Federal Court. Though the grandson said, "Don't Taze my granny!" an El Reno police officer told another cop to "Taser her!" and wrote in his police report that he did so because the old woman "took a more aggressive posture in her bed," according to the complaint.
Lonnie Tinsley claims that he called 911 after he went to check on his grandmother, whom he found in her bed, "connected to a portable oxygen concentrator with a long hose." She is "in marginal health, [and] takes several prescribed medications daily," and "was unable to tell him exactly when she had taken her meds," so, Tinsley says, he called 911 "to ask for an emergency medical technician to come to her apartment to evaluate her."
In response, "as many as ten El Reno police" officers "pushed their way through the door," according to the complaint.
The grandma, Lona Varner, "told them to get out of her apartment."
The remarkable complaint continues: "Instead, the apparent leader of the police [defendant Thomas Duran] instructed another policeman to 'Taser her!' He stated in his report that the 86 year-old plaintiff 'took a more aggressive posture in her bed,' and that he was fearful for his safety and the safety of others.
"Lonnie Tinsley told them, 'Don't taze my Granny!' to which they responded that they would Taser him; instead, they pulled him out of her apartment, took him down to the floor, handcuffed him and placed him in the back of a police car.
"The police then proceeded to approach Ms. Varner in her bed and stepped on her oxygen hose until she began to suffer oxygen deprivation.
"The police then fired a Taser at her and only one wire struck her, in the left arm; the police then fired a second Taser, striking her to the right and left of the midline of her upper chest and applied high voltage, causing burns to her chest, extreme pain and to pass out.
"The police then grabbed Ms. Varner by her forearms and jerked hands together, causing her soft flesh to tear and bleed on her bed; they then handcuffed her.
"The police freed Lonnie Tinsley from his incarceration in the back of the police car and permitted him to accompany the ambulance with his grandmother."
Tinsley says the cops capped it all off by having his grandmother "placed in the psychiatric ward at the direction of the El Reno police; she was held there for six days and released."
"As a result of the wrongful arrest and detention, the plaintiff Lona M. Varner suffered the unlawful restraint of her freedom, bodily injury, assault, battery, the trashing of her apartment, humiliation, loss of personal dignity, infliction of emotional distress and medical bills."
They seek punitive damages for constitutional violations, from the City of El Reno, Duran, Officers Frank Tinga and Joseph Sandberg, and 10 Officers Does.
They are represented by Brian Dell of Oklahoma City.

http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/06/24/28330.htm

Sun Today

I won't keep this up. I just love the sunny day after a huge snowstorm. That was my view as I drank my lovely mocha this morning and pondered the idiocy of Sarah Palin writing on her hand.

Porkulus Southernica

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

Via CNN

Texas Might Secede?

In case you missed it, Texas Governor Goodhair (I so miss Molly Ivins)

An animated Perry told the crowd at Austin City Hall — one of three tea parties he was attending across the state — that officials in Washington have abandoned the country's founding principles of limited government. He said the federal government is strangling Americans with taxation, spending and debt.

Later, answering news reporters' questions, Perry suggested Texans might at some point get so fed up they would want to secede from the union, though he said he sees no reason why Texas should do that.

"There's a lot of different scenarios," Perry said. "We've got a great union. There's absolutely no reason to dissolve it. But if Washington continues to thumb their nose at the American people, you know, who knows what might come out of that. But Texas is a very unique place, and we're a pretty independent lot to boot."

How do we get them to do it? Think of all of the benefits. They can worry about their own borders. And the textbooks! Basically they decide how to censor the textbooks that the rest of the country uses because they are such a large market. Suppose the major buyer became California or New York?

I'd feel badly about Austin but not badly enough to continue to pretend that the rest of the place is worth keeping. Go Texas, Go!!

The Teabaggers

I have been cruising the photos today, trying to select my Very Favorite Sign and I just can't do it. It is like being in a candy shop and having to pick the one best treat. This will have to do for now, but there are so many that are better.

The stupid. It burns!

From a "Tea Party"

Yesterday we discovered that right wingers are the largest consumers of porn and now this. They seem to train them young.

(Photo from David Weigel, Washington Independent)

No Time To Watch The Span?

Here is a synopsis of the debate about the economic stimulus plan going on at this very moment.

Time To Grow Up Mr. Alito

Mr. Obama has been making the rounds. Private dinner at George Will's house with the right; brunch the next day with the left. Yesterday he dropped by The Washington Post, had dinner out at Equinox, and visited the Supreme Court. Eight of the justices were there.

Eight?

Samuel Alito was absent in spite of having been there a few hours earlier. According to the L A Times

The absence of Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., who was at the court Wednesday morning for arguments in two cases, was a mystery. He has, however, voiced lingering anger over Senate Democrats, including Obama and Biden, who voted against his confirmation three years ago. When walking on Capitol Hill, Alito has said, he crosses to the far side of the street whenever he nears the Senate Office Building.

Amazing. And the right thought this person was qualified to make decisions?

(h/t Mithras)

Fun With Headlines

Obamas Head To Secret Hotel in Washington

Obama Moving In To Secret Hotel After Bush Snub

Obamas to Stay at the Hay-Adams

Sarah Palin Baby Name Generator

Yeah, it's tacky. Your point?

If I had been born to Sarah Palin my name would be Stepper Choke Palin.

I bet you can't wait to find yours.

(h/t to LGM)

Sarah Palin, Dick Magnet, with updates

Updates I, II, III, IV and Final Update That I Couldn't Resist below:
John McCain's pick for a Vice Presidential nominee. It looks like he will have somebody else to refer to as a cunt.

Today John McCain is 73. Sarah Palin, age 44, has been the Governor of Alaska for less than two years. She has no other experience. (There goes the "Obama lacks experience" argument.) She is under investigation for something or other that happened in her office. She is wildly anti-choice.

Seriously, isn't McCain a little old to still be pretending he can get it up, Cialis or no? His only consistent throughout his career is chasing blonde "Miss HotShitOfTheDay."

Poor Cindy.

Look, the man is likely to croak. He is 73, has a history of multiple cancers, and won't release his medical records. The party that has been griping bout Obama's experience now thinks that they can sell her as a replacement whe he dies or -- more likely -- is declared incompetent. It seems like they just tossed their best card in the sewer.

Then again, I can't wait to watch her debate Biden.

Update I - It didn't occur to me how much older she would make McCain look just standing next to him. She even makes Cindy (who she calls Mrs. McCain) look old.

Update II - Geez she's been pumping babies out for nearly 20 years. She has a 5 month old and one in the Army. And they have names like Trig and Bristol and Willow. She is amazingly hickish.

Update III - Well at least she can deliver Alaska for McCain. Oh, wait ...

Update IV - Just in case anybody is worried about this, make sure you catch Letterman, Leno, and Jon Stewart. I think they will all make it crystal clear.

Final Update - Governor Palin? Supported and stumped for ... wait for it ... Pat Buchanan, that racist, anti-semitic craphead who was mooning over Senator Obama's speech last night -- in 1996. *swoon*

Again with the Taser

This time, in another stunning (ha ha!) example of police incompetence and willingness to use a Taser for no damn reason we have the police responding to a call about a young man lying on the ground under an overpass. In their zeal to subdue the young man -- yes, the one lying on the ground -- they ordered him to get up and, when he didn't, decided that they needed to subdue him. Because, you know, somebody lying on the ground is a serious threat to life and limb. In fact they Taser him 19 times. That'll teach him to get up when the police order him too. He should have been able to overcome that broken back (and a broken heel, for that matter) that they think he got when he fell off of the overpass 30 feet above him.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, he had a broken back. Swell, eh? Oh and he couldn't go into surgery immediately because the Taser, that harmless Taser, gave him a temperature. Hah! What a surprise. All those volts going through your body raise its temperature a bit.

" Police say although there are several unanswered questions; the reason for the use of a stun gun is not one of them.

“It's a big concern for the officers to keep this guy out of traffic, to keep him from getting hurt,” said Rousset," the police captain.

When are they going to take these things away from incompetents?

(via Balloon Juice)

Wherein Two Pet Peeves Converge

Frequent readers know of my interest in the Tazer and its misuses. Frequent readers also know that I believe this administration and their Fear Through Flight campaign is totally out of control. (You know it even when you disagree.) You'll be glad to know that these two have converged, providing the opportunity for a megarant that I really don't have time for today.


Let me show you, dear readers, an abstract from simple patent application.

Air travel security method, system and device

Abstract

A method of providing air travel security for passengers traveling via an aircraft comprises situating a remotely activatable electric shock device on each of the passengers in position to deliver a disabling electrical shock when activated; and arming the electric shock devices for subsequent selective activation by a selectively operable remote control disposed within the aircraft. The remotely activatable electric shock devices each have activation circuitry responsive to the activating signal transmitted from the selectively operable remote control means. The activated electric shock device is operable to deliver the disabling electrical shock to that passenger.

Oh, just a patent application you say?

It seems not. The Washington Times, a publication I never thought I'd quote here, has provided handy excerpts from this promotional video.

"This bracelet would:

• Take the place of an airline boarding pass

• Contain personal information about the traveler

• Be able to monitor the whereabouts of each passenger and his/her luggage

• Shock the wearer on command, completely immobilizing him/her for several minutes

The Electronic ID Bracelet, as it’s referred to, would be worn by every traveler “until they disembark the flight at their destination.” Yes, you read that correctly. Every airline passenger would be tracked by a government-funded GPS, containing personal, private and confidential information, and would shock the customer worse than an electronic dog collar if the passenger got out of line."

Are you willing to wear one? I guess you wouldn't have to worry about losing your boarding pass.

How are you feeling about airline security now? Are you comfortable allowing the flight attendant to tazer you if you "get out of line?" Perhaps you are more pliable than I am. I sense the possibility of "getting out of line" around every turn. Most airline movies push me to the edge of "getting out of line" as do toilet lines, screaming infants, and guys sitting next to me who take off their size 14 shoes and leave them between me and the aisle to trip over. (You might sense a few personal experiences in those examples. Just move on.)

You know how many incidents there are on record of folks being roughed up or unreasonably detained. And they aren't just from leftists like me. Robin Kassner is suing for the treatment she received. Feel free to watch the video below and decide for yourself if the response is warranted. (Perhaps I'm a bit touchy because so many of these happen at Washington National incorrectly renamed Reagan airport just down the road.)

Call ABC News

(212)-456-7777

Tell them how amused you are with their oh so entertaining debate questions. Nicely, of course.

I Love the Smell of Napalm In the Morning

Vicki Iseman and Our President, pre 2002

Two weeks after graduating from IUP with a degree in elementary education, Iseman joined a friend in Washington and was hired as a receptionist. With only a few months’ experience on the job, she said she “walked into my boss’s office [the president of the company] and said, ‘You don’t really know me, but I answer the phones. I’m a college graduate and I’d like you to consider me for a secretarial or an administrative position.’” He agreed to try her out for three months. Within a year she became his special assistant.

IUP Magazine

Stunning Campaign Incompetence

Astonishing! I basically assume if you become a credible candidate for President you must have achieved a minimal level of competence but apparently I was wrong. All that nonsense she is trying to throw against the wall about words don't matter just comes across as wrongheaded and desperate. The silly plagarism charge is clearly a desperate distraction. But I can excuse that stuff based on desperation. The following, though, is just boneheaded incompetence.

Clinton campaign operatives tell Politico that

Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign intends to go after delegates whom Barack Obama has already won in the caucuses and primaries if she needs them to win the nomination.

Why in the bloody blue blazes would you announce that? Seriously? One has nothing to gain and everything to lose.

But it gets better ....

They couldn't manage to file a slate of delegates in Pennsylvania.

Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign failed to file a full slate of convention delegate candidates for Pennsylvania's April 22 primary... It appears Clinton came up 10 or 11 candidates short across a number of congressional districts, including two in Philadelphia. That's close to 10 percent of the 103 delegates to be decided by voters. It appears the shortage would've been double that if Rendell hadn't extended last week's candidate filing deadline by a day and a half, ostensibly due to bad weather.

Better yet ...

Even though everybody in western civilization knows that Texas is a "must win" state, Senator Clinton's staff didn't understand how the primary/caucus system works until recently.

Several top Clinton strategists and fundraisers became alarmed after learning of the state's unusual provisions during a closed-door strategy meeting this month, according to one person who attended.

This, in spite of the fact that the rules are easily available.

Seriously, if they can't figure out the rules, how can they run the country?

Oh My God! The Sky Is Falling!!!

The Protect America Act has expired. Somehow, somewhere, there is a phone that isn't being tapped. I'd like to talk to you but I have to go hide under my bed until I can vote for a REAL American for President to keep me safe.