The Sadly Obligatory 'Rats in the White House' posting

Sigh… I hate posting stuff like this, but hey, it’s news…

Via the AP:

All in the Family....

WASHINGTON – In his battle with the titans of Wall Street, President Barack Obama almost got upstaged by a rat.

But he didn’t even seem to notice. Assuming that’s what it was, scurrying in front of his podium Thursday in a sun-drenched Rose Garden.

Obama had just begun an afternoon statement to reporters lauding the end of a Senate filibuster on his financial overhaul plan when some kind of rodent — opinions differ on which — dashed out of the bushes to his right, just outside the Oval Office.

As photographers snapped away, the critter trundled straight past the gray podium with the presidential seal and made a bee-line for another set of bushes to Obama’s left.

It’s not clear if the president could even see the streaker, but he didn’t show any reaction. And he concluded his statement minutes later, returning to his office without answering a few shouted questions on other topics.

Once he was safely inside the Oval Office, a fierce debate erupted among the photographers and reporters who’d witnessed the dash. Was it a rat or a mouse? Or maybe a mole, or a vole, or some other kind of related creature.

In fact, this wasn’t the first time a rodent’s been spied in the White House, or even the Rose Garden.

Just last week, as camera crews set up for an Obama statement on the Gulf oil spill, what’s believed to have been the same rodent made a dash across the famous garden.

The press work areas behind the White House briefing room have had at least one rat sighting, though that was before a multimillion-dollar rehab project finished by the Bush administration.

Moreover, rodents of all kinds are pretty common in Washington. From time to time, city officials issue alarms about surges in the rat population when residents put out extra-big summer piles of garbage.

Washington is, after all built, along a river, on what used to be a malarial swamp.

In case you don’t get the connection: (H/T No Sheeples here)

So true...

Something tells me, that if Obama had seen that Rat, he would have been on top of that podium. 😉

Update: Shit, I rather be a mouth-breathing Right Winger than a socialist, Ass-sucking, Liberal twit — any damn day of the week! Harrumph!

Update: A Programming Note – Change of Plans

This is mainly for the benefit of those coming to watch the video I posted.

I will be away for an extended period tomorrow. I am actually venturing out into the real world. ( 😯 GASP! :eek:)

I have to help my dad with some jobs he’s doing tomorrow. Which means I gotta drag my fat arse outta bed at like 9:00a.m. and it’s like 1:46a.m. here locally. (:( UGH! 😥 🙄 )

So… What this means is this… if you comment is in moderation, I won’t be there to approve it and I am a one man operation here. So, don’t take it personally, okay? I run the tight ship, because of the trolls.

So, until I return, keep the faith and never, ever give up!

-Pat

Update: When I typed this entry, I was about half asleep. It was a misunderstanding. I was needed to help load the tiller, not go with him. Oops. Please Note: I am still about half asleep and may be crashing here soon. 😳

The Tea Party Movement's New Anthem?

The first thing I thought when I saw this was, “Holy chit!”

But I’ll let you watch and decide….

This comes via Facebook:

(Uploaded the Video to LiveLeak before Youtube takes it down…) Couldn’t get that stupid embed to work. Grrr.

Update: Instalanch! Thanks to Ed Driscoll! 😀

Welcome to all of Glenn’s readers! Make yourself at home, please. 🙂

Update # 2: Vote this up on Digg! by Clicking here. Vote it up on Reddit, by clicking here. Vote it up on StumbleUpon, by clicking here.

Update #3: Quantum Conservative Links in, Thanks!

Update #4: …and if anyone really cares, I made this myself about a year ago…:

Update #5: Not to sound like a rip off of this guy, But….. HIT THE FREAKIN’ TIP JAR! It’s been a slow month for the blog revenue and I could really use the help. I am in Michigan and the job market is well, um, you know — bad? Thanks! If you cannot, there is ZERO pressure. But those of you who can…. *Please?* (Puppy Dog eyes here…)

Update #8: Thanks to Hugh in MA for the Donation! (I’ll list all donations here!)

Update #6: The Freepers Link in, Thanks Guys, you’re awesome! 😀

Update #7: 3,292 hits this morning BEFORE 8:00 AM EST… 4,010 blog hits as of 8:20AM EST 6,508 as of 1:42 P.M. 7,078 hits on this Blog Entry alone Yesterday. Amazing. 🙂

Why do beltway politicians do stupid stuff like this?

What is this? A contest among beltway types to see just how one can out embarrass the other?

First there is this, A Democratic Party Senator outright lies about his Vietnam service:

At a ceremony honoring veterans and senior citizens who sent presents to soldiers overseas, Attorney General Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut rose and spoke of an earlier time in his life.

“We have learned something important since the days that I served in Vietnam,” Mr. Blumenthal said to the group gathered in Norwalk in March 2008. “And you exemplify it. Whatever we think about the war, whatever we call it — Afghanistan or Iraq — we owe our military men and women unconditional support.”

There was one problem: Mr. Blumenthal, a Democrat now running for the United States Senate, never served in Vietnam. He obtained at least five military deferments from 1965 to 1970 and took repeated steps that enabled him to avoid going to war, according to records.

The deferments allowed Mr. Blumenthal to complete his studies at Harvard; pursue a graduate fellowship in England; serve as a special assistant to The Washington Post’s publisher, Katharine Graham; and ultimately take a job in the Nixon White House.

In 1970, with his last deferment in jeopardy, he landed a coveted spot in the Marine Reserve, which virtually guaranteed that he would not be sent to Vietnam. He joined a unit in Washington that conducted drills and other exercises and focused on local projects, like fixing a campground and organizing a Toys for Tots drive.

Many politicians have faced questions over their decisions during the Vietnam War, and Mr. Blumenthal, who is seeking the seat being vacated by Senator Christopher J. Dodd, is not alone in staying out of the war.

But what is striking about Mr. Blumenthal’s record is the contrast between the many steps he took that allowed him to avoid Vietnam, and the misleading way he often speaks about that period of his life now, especially when he is speaking at veterans’ ceremonies or other patriotic events.

Sometimes his remarks have been plainly untrue, as in his speech to the group in Norwalk. At other times, he has used more ambiguous language, but the impression left on audiences can be similar.

In an interview on Monday, the attorney general said that he had misspoken about his service during the Norwalk event and might have misspoken on other occasions. “My intention has always been to be completely clear and accurate and straightforward, out of respect to the veterans who served in Vietnam,” he said.

But an examination of his remarks at the ceremonies shows that he does not volunteer that his service never took him overseas. And he describes the hostile reaction directed at veterans coming back from Vietnam, intimating that he was among them.

What this man needs to do, is resign. There is no greater shame, no greater crime —- outside of martial infidelity, than stealing the honor of those who did serve in our armed forces. Besides all of that; who in their right mind would straight up lie about theur Military Service? Are these people that damned short sighted that they do not realize that sooner or later, this sort of thing would catch up with them?

Not to be outdone, and speaking of Martial Infidelity, There is this little breaking news story:

"You see these parts? They're as big and heavy as my wife's butt cheeks, which is why I am screwing my staffer instead..."

Souder, a Republican, will will step down on Friday. He said in remarks obtained by Fox News that he “sinned against God, my wife and my family by having a mutual relationship with a part-time member of my staff.”

“I wish I could have been a better example,” he said. “In this poisonous environment of Washington, D.C., any personal failing is seized upon, often twisted, for political gain. I am resigning rather than to put my family through that painful, drawn-out process. … We are a committed family, but the error is mine and I should bear the responsibility. Not only am I thankful for a loving family but for a loving God.”

Multiple senior House sources indicated that the extent of Souder’s affair with the staffer would have landed him before the House Ethics Committee. Sources told Fox News that the aide, identified as Tracy Jackson, a woman in her mid-40s, would accompany the congressman to events and to record ads at a Christian radio broadcast station.

Elected as a family values conservative as part of the Republican revolution in 1994, Souder survived a tough re-election challenge in 2008 and survived a contested primary two weeks ago.

Here is the video of the woman he was oinking, instead of his wife: (Via TPM)

Thankfully, this guy is doing the right thing and getting the hell out of dodge and sparing the Republican Party some very unneeded embarrassment.

Crapweasel indeed.

Ed Morrissey makes a very good point too:

Say, wouldn’t it have been a good idea to make this decision three weeks ago?

Yeah, when the GOP would not have to scramble to find a replacement for him? What a Moroon!

My Sadly Obligatory 'Arabic Chick Wins Miss USA Contest' Statement

Yes, I know about it. Yes, I have read about it. Yes, I have seen the reaction on the Right, and the reaction on the left, to the reaction on the right.

Having said that; here is my officially Official Statement about the Arab Chick that won the Miss USA Contest:

Hey, I am just glad she shaves her pubic hair and her pits. (Armpits…) 😉 😮 😯 😛

Otherwise, I could care less.

Please, count me as one of the people on the right that does not necessarily subscribe to the screaming MeMe of “OMG!!! THE ARAB MUSLIMS ARE TAKING OVER AMERICA!!!!!!! ELEVENITY!!!!! ONE!!!!!

That is all. 😀

Oh, and before anyone says it. It’s one thing to bitch and gripe about Muslim Intolerance; but it’s another entirely to attack a young lady, just because she happens to be Arabic and Muslim, by making accusations of terrorist connections. One is an honorable thing to do. The other is just straight up racist. Period. One could also make the argument that two of the woman screaming about this are just straight up terminally fucking ugly. One is a Jew, the other is a Filipino. Although, the Filipino looks good in a cheerleader suitI’m Just saying.

Others, from all over the damned place: American Prospect, The Moderate Voice, alicublog, This Just In, American Power, Debbie Schlussel, Daily Kos, Cassy Fiano, Don Surber, Jules Crittenden, theblogprof, The Powers That Be, JammieWearingFool, DaTechguy’s Blog, Left Coast Rebel, Atlas Shrugs, DISSENTING JUSTICE, Right Now, Detroit Free Press, TPM LiveWire, Guardian, ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES, Swampland, Talking Points Memo, The New Republic, theblogprof, Outside The Beltway, Gateway Pundit, No More Mister Nice Blog, alicublog, Weasel Zippers, Jesus’ General, Emptywheel, Talking Points Memo, Think Progress, Balloon Juice, Taylor Marsh, Newshoggers.com, NY Daily News, Alan Colmes’ Liberaland, National Review, The Moderate Voice, The Lede, The Jawa Report and Debbie Schlussel

Late Night at the PB Pub, Special Memorial Edition Presents: Ronnie James Dio

(H/T Vancouver Sun)

It is with the uttermost sadness that I report that we lost Ronnie James Dio to Cancer. He was 67.

From his website:

Today my heart is broken, Ronnie passed away at 7:45am 16th May. Many, many friends and family were able to say their private good-byes before he peacefully passed away. Ronnie knew how much he was loved by all. We so appreciate the love and support that you have all given us. Please give us a few days of privacy to deal with this terrible loss. Please know he loved you all and his music will live on forever.

– Wendy Dio

Leave your thoughts at Ronnie James Dio’s Facebook page.

Videos:

Rest in Peace…

Plumes of Oil Found Under Gulf of Mexico

I am quite shocked that no one, and I mean no one, on my side of the political isle is saying a word about this.

Update: Correction, they are. They are trying to blame Obama. Which is stupid. Obama did not cause this spill. Poor planning and piss poor oversight caused this spill. Stupid far right wingers. I swear. 🙄 ….and no, I am not being funny either, I am quite serious. 😡

Video:

The Story:

Scientists are finding enormous oil plumes in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico, including one as large as 10 miles long, 3 miles wide and 300 feet thick in spots. The discovery is fresh evidence that the leak from the broken undersea well could be substantially worse than estimates that the government and BP have given.

“There’s a shocking amount of oil in the deep water, relative to what you see in the surface water,” said Samantha Joye, a researcher at the University of Georgia who is involved in one of the first scientific missions to gather details about what is happening in the gulf. “There’s a tremendous amount of oil in multiple layers, three or four or five layers deep in the water column.”

The plumes are depleting the oxygen dissolved in the gulf, worrying scientists, who fear that the oxygen level could eventually fall so low as to kill off much of the sea life near the plumes.

Dr. Joye said the oxygen had already dropped 30 percent near some of the plumes in the month that the broken oil well had been flowing. “If you keep those kinds of rates up, you could draw the oxygen down to very low levels that are dangerous to animals in a couple of months,” she said Saturday. “That is alarming.”

via Giant Plumes of Oil Found Under Gulf of Mexico – NYTimes.com.

There is only one thing to call this; and that is straight up negligence. Hopefully, President Obama does more than just talk. I do not think that outright banning should be the answer. Stricter guidelines and emergency backup plans should be the requirement. None of these were in place, this is why we are in the spot that we are now. I personally believe that criminal charges ought to be filed against the said parties that are found to be negligent. However, because I am a realist, I know that nothing like will happen. One thing that I have learned from Blogging; first as a left of center, criticizing Bush and his stupidity and then after coming over the “right of center” political position, is that big companies like this and political figures like George W. Bush and his cronies are all above prosecution. They are untouchable. Nothing will come of it, except more Government regulation. Our society is collectivist as a whole now. We punish everyone for the faults of a few. Which is sad. Why not punish those who made the mistake, and then insure it never happens again? But that would make too much sense.

Others: Politics Daily, The Moderate Voice, Firedoglake, msnbc.com, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Washington Monthly, AMERICAblog News and Associated Press