Monday Toon Roundup 1- Repubs

The real mystery of our age is this: why do all the media warmongers still have jobs

Mark Ames


The real mystery of our age is this: why do all the media warmongers still have jobs, after the way they goaded us into the epic disaster we've found ourselves in? Back in 2001, when a panicked America foolishly handed the steering wheel to pundits like Max Boot, America was at the height of its economic and geopolitical power. What happened next was a lot like that rent-a-car prank in the first Jackass film: decades of America's accumulated wealth and geopolitical power trashed overnight in a reckless neocon joyride. The warmongers pulled out of the lot in a mint-condition, gas-guzzling boat, cheerfully assuring America that everything would turn out fine. Cut to the slapstick punch line: Boot pushing the remains of the totaled car back onto the lot. Only instead of apologizing like the Jackass pranksters, Boot cheerfully tells America, "You see, I told you it would turn out great! Now give me your next-best car; I'd like to take it out for a spin..."

That's the most incredible thing: how warmongers like Boot are still gainfully employed, even as news media are shedding jobs and space. And he's using his platforms to try to goad the new administration down the same catastrophic path as the previous one. The disastrous war in Afghanistan is what Obama has claimed as his showcase, and Boot is ready to provide the solution. Never mind that the current Afghanistan debacle was caused in no small part by the bizarre armchair-conquistador ideas that Boot and his comrades successfully advocated into policy during the first few years of the Bush administration. For Boot, the solution to all of America's geopolitical problems is simple: behave like imperial Britain. He doesn't mean that metaphorically, but literally, right down to the tropical colonial headgear, as you'll see.

But first it's important to recall his serious A-list establishment credentials: senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, columnist at the Los Angeles Times, contributing editor at Weekly Standard, regular contributor to the Wall Street Journal and New York Times, and former top adviser to John McCain's campaign--a role that likely would have landed him a powerful position in a McCain-Palin cabinet. With the establishment's blessing and encouragement, Boot's ideas, no matter how insane, enter the mainstream debate, crowding out by the laws of scarcity other ideas and other thinkers who might actually help us and the world.

Ever since Bush came to power, Boot has been pimping his imperial Britain snake oil, a schtick he's still working today. As we headed into the Christmas season, Boot was woofing in the Wall Street Journal about how America can solve two intractable problems--anarchic Somalia and nuclear Pakistan's lawless border regions--with one magical solution:

The NYPD Division of Un-American Activities

By Matt Apuzzo & Adam Goldman

On the morning of September 11, the detectives of the New York Police Department’s Intelligence Division traveled in force toward the burning towers of the World Trade Center, the biggest crime scene in American history, to find absolutely nothing for themselves to do. The city had been quickly cordoned off. Some made it as far as Chambers Street. Others were stopped at Canal Street. “Stand by,” they were told. They milled about for hours, waiting for orders that never came. Finally, a contingent of officers was dispatched toward ground zero with garbage cans to collect guns and equipment left by fallen first responders.

Later in the day, a group of them gathered at the Police Academy, where Deputy Chief John Cutter told them to start contacting their informants. At that moment, it may have been the only possible command—which didn’t mean it was a useful one. Despite the name, the Intelligence Division was mostly concentrated on gangs and drug dealers, as well as providing a glorified chauffeur service for visiting dignitaries. International terrorism had never been part of their purview.

But they had to start somewhere, and the detectives did what they were told, reaching out to their network of informants—dope dealers and gang members—to ask what they knew about the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history.

For the next few months, the Intel cops worked alongside the FBI out of makeshift command centers aboard the decommissioned USS Intrepid and in an FBI parking garage, where detectives sat on the concrete floor, responding to a flood of tips pouring in from a public consumed with the possibility of another attack, questioning Muslims whose neighbors suddenly deemed them suspicious.

more

http://nymag.com/news/features/nypd-demographics-unit-2013-9/

One million cockroaches flee China farm: report

At least one million cockroaches have escaped a farm in China where they were being bred for use in traditional medicine, a report said.

The cockroaches fled the facility in Dafeng, in the eastern province of Jiangsu, for surrounding cornfields earlier this month after an "unknown perpetrator" destroyed the plastic greenhouse where they were raised, the Modern Express newspaper said.

Disease control authorities have sent five investigators to the area to come up with a plan to stamp out the insects.

Farm owner Wang Pengsheng invested more than 100,000 yuan ($16,000) in 102 kilograms of Periplaneta americana eggs after spending six months developing a business plan, the report Friday said.

more

http://phys.org/news/2013-08-million-cockroaches-china-farm.html

The Middle East explained in one letter to the editor

The Rise of the Pawnshop

Linda Ballard, 61, uses the word “love” to describe her banking relationship, lauding the ease of cashing her bimonthly paycheck, the convenience of text alerts about her balance and the features on the platinum card that she was upgraded to in July.

But she is not getting all this from a bank. She is getting this array of services from a pawnshop — part of an industry that has long had a reputation of taking advantage of vulnerable customers handing over prized possessions in exchange for cash.

As banks zero in on more affluent customers who promise twice the revenue of their lower-income counterparts, close branches in poor areas and remain stingy with credit, pawnshops are revamping their image and stepping into the void to offer financial services.

“The way the banks have tightened up so much on making small loans and making equity loans, we’ve kind of evolved into, I like to call it the poor man’s bank,” said Robbie Whitten, chief executive of Money Mizer Pawn and Jewelry of Columbus, Ga.

There are, however, plenty of potential drawbacks, consumer advocates say.

more

http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2013/08/24/platinum-card-and-text-alert-via-pawnshop/?hp&_r=0

Private lobbyists get public pensions in 20 states

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — As a lobbyist in New York's statehouse, Stephen Acquario is doing pretty well. He pulls down $204,000 a year, more than the governor makes, gets a Ford Explorer as his company car and is afforded another special perk:

Even though he's not a government employee, he is entitled to a full state pension.

He's among hundreds of lobbyists in at least 20 states who get public pensions because they represent associations of counties, cities and school boards, an Associated Press review found. Legislatures granted them access decades ago on the premise that they serve governments and the public. In many cases, such access also includes state health care benefits.

But several states have started to question whether these organizations should qualify for such benefits, since they are private entities in most respects: They face no public oversight of their activities, can pay their top executives private-sector salaries and sometimes lobby for positions in conflict with taxpayers. New Jersey and Illinois are among the states considering legislation that would end their inclusion.

"It's a question of, 'Why are we providing government pensions to these private organizations?'" said Illinois Democratic Rep. Elaine Nekritz.

more

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/private-lobbyists-get-public-pensions-20-states

Aww, seems that Scotland didn't live up to this RW nutjob's expectations!

Published on 25 August 2013

Alison Campsie

AS write-ups of a visit to Edinburgh go, this one couldn't have been more direct.

Mona Charen, a conservative writer for the Chicago Sun-Times, went to the capital to report on the festival season. Instead, she as inspired to pen a right-wing polemic castigating what she called "Socialist Scotland" and attacking the "repellant" offerings of the Fringe.

Neither Scotland nor Edinburgh lived up to her tartanised image of the nation: she was so disappointed she wrote that her visit was "enough to bury images of thistles and bagpipes very deep … we've come a long way from the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomand [sic]".

Charen, author of two books - Do-Gooders: How Liberals Hurt Those They Claim to Help, and Useful Idiots: How Liberals Got It Wrong In The Cold War And Still Blame America - was offended by plays including The Radicalisation Of Bradley Manning; Bin Laden: The One Man Show; and Bonk!

However, it appears that she didn't actually see any of the plays that irked her, but read about them. "Just based on the descriptions available in the paper, many of the offerings were repellent," she writes.

Charen, a former speechwriter for Nancy Reagan, was also confused about why the powers-that-be allow such political and artistic behaviour, saying: "The leftist tripe and cultural waste [the Scots are] enjoying is available in every Western capital … The difference, while there still is one, is that the relentless leftism goes almost entirely unrebutted [in Scotland]."


more

http://www.heraldscotland.com/mobile/news/home-news/mcreds-under-the-bed-why-scotland-scares-right-wing-american-republicans.21954729

"in need of Christian employees."

Letter seeking Christians as employees raises concerns
By Caitlin Cook
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The director of operations of 20 Subway restaurants across West Virginia may have violated the state Human Rights Act when he sent a letter to several churches and congregations saying his company was "in need of Christian employees."

Kermit Ball, the director of operations for Hammond Group Inc., which owns the Subways, sent the letter, publishing employment opportunities at the restaurants. It was sent to at least four churches and congregations in the Charleston and Huntington areas.

The letter, and subsequent statements from Ball, seem to imply that Hammond Group Inc. would prefer to hire Christian employees, finding them more honest.

The letter, in part, reads: "Due to changing times, we are looking for good honest people. If you have anyone in your congregation in need of a job, or new career, please have them contact us at the address provided above. We are looking for sandwich artists, shift managers, assistant managers and supervisers. The Hammond Group owns and operates 20 Subway restaurants. We are a Christian based company and in need of Christian employees."

more

http://www.wvgazette.com/Business/201308180023

If they truly wanted honest employees, they would hire atheists.

Ohio hates the Orange Man

snip:

-One thing that may not be helping the Republican brand in Ohio is how incredibly unpopular John Boehner is. Only 20% of voters in the state approve of the job he's doing to 59% who disapprove, and even with GOP voters he's at just 37/34. Sherrod Brown with a 46/36 approval rating is easily the state's more popular Senator- Rob Portman comes in at 29/39. Those numbers for Portman are almost identical to 26/34 when we looked at the state in April- whether it's because of his support for gay marriage or his opposition to expanded background checks Portman is not in a great position right now.


more

http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2013/08/ohioans-skeptical-about-kasich-2016-and-more.html

Trends look promising. Hopefully Ohioans can overcome the voting disenfranchisement crap that has gotten the GOP this far.