March 2, 2012

We all owe a hearty thank you to Celebration - she said YES

In about ten days I leave on a trip for the rest of the month. I was concerned about the 3 months overdue contest and about that the polling may arrive while I'm gone.
I gingerly asked Celebration if she would take my place and run the contest should things converge in such a way that it needs doing while I'm gone, and she unhesitatingly said "sure".

I had sweated this, and then she made it a non-issue.
I am really grateful.

February 29, 2012

Column: Give Karen Santorum Author Credit for Co-Writing Her Husband’s Book

On February 21, 2012, in Column, by Tina Dupuy

On paper Rick Santorum is not a generous man. He’s the most religious; the staunchest of the moralists; the fastest to the Bible thumpyist; the preachiest of the preachy in this race. He’s the most giant-government-forcing-you-to-be-holy of the small-government-for-corporations-only candidates. Yet according to his tax returns, he gives the least amount to charity of anyone else running. In 2010 Santorum gave 1.75 percent of his nearly million dollars of income. That same year President Obama gave 14.2 percent of his income to charity topping the most giving of the Republican candidates, Mitt Romney. That’s a whopping 12 percent difference with a president who Santorum says doesn’t have an agenda based on the Bible.

snip

In Santorum’s 2005 book, “It Takes a Family,” the Senator wrote: “The radical feminists succeeded in undermining the traditional family and convincing women that professional accomplishments are the key to happiness.”

And Rick’s recent declaration that prenatal testing leads to more abortions only solidifies the caricature of him as a shady backwoods holy man in any Timothy Olyphant television show. It’s condescending to women to be told they don’t need to worry “their pretty little head” about the health of their baby because if they had knowledge they’d “ruin their lives with an abortion.” It makes Santorum look anti-women-being-educated-and-properly-informed. Because giving birth is the most important role in life – anything else is worthy of popular scorn.

Santorum’s team has sensed this woman thing could be an issue. So he’s trying to soften the edges with the (ahem) softer sex. Last week when ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos asked about the anti-women working passages in his book Santorum said his wife, Karen co-wrote those passages.

snip

I could make all these problems for Rick as a candidate go away. I have one simple solution: Give Karen an author credit. Yes, “It Takes a Family,” admittedly took a family to write, so why not accredit the co-author on the cover? Currently Karen isn’t even in the acknowledgement section – let alone on the cover or in the catalog information. So why not announce that the mother of your children isn’t just your personal incubator but is valued for her mind and opinion? It says your anti-women stance comes straight from the woman happily working in your own home. Do a re-issue of this collection of antiquated ramblings and tell the world she’s the wife who made you the anti-women candidate you are today.

It accomplishes two things: It makes Santorum seem generous (again) on paper, and it makes all of that Neolithic “women need to know their place” rhetoric in his 464-page manifesto seem more this millennium.

Sure it “takes a family” to write a book – but it “takes a woman” to make you look less like a sad desperate relic.


source and the rest:
http://www.tinadupuy.com/column/give-karen-santorum-author-credit-for-co-writing-her-husband%E2%80%99s-book/

February 28, 2012

9 Santorum Speeches That Make Me Want to Throw Up by Adele M. Stan / AlterNet

9 Santorum Speeches That Make Me Want to Throw Up
By Adele M. Stan, AlterNet
Posted on February 28, 2012

The topic was a speech that Rick Santorum, really, really didn't like -- the speech John F. Kennedy gave during the 1960 presidential campaign, in which Kennedy declared his belief in an "absolute" wall of separation between church and state.
"That makes me throw up," Santorum, the former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania told George Stephanopolous on the ABC News program, "This Week."

That got me to thinking about speeches that might make me throw up, and, funny thing, an awful lot of them were delivered by Rick Santorum. I mean, this guy is the oratorical equivalent of a bottle of ipecac.
The thought of living under a neo-theocracy makes me kind of queasy, and Santorum's oratory often displays judgments on the theology of others, not to mention the supremacy of his own, which he seems keen to institutionalize.
Then there's the anti-intellectualism, and the demonization of educators as "indoctrinators." Ew, that's a nasty taste in my mouth.

Another thing that gives me a case of agita: demeaning the memory of the Holocaust and its victims, as Santorum does when he uses what he calls "World War II metaphors" to compare President Barack Obama to Adolf Hitler, or Democratic procedural moves in the Senate to the Nazi invasion of France.
And racism -- damn, that stuff just gives me a major fit of chalushes, as in when the very pious senator repeatedly characterizes food-stamp recipients as black or members of "minority communities."

For all of it go to:
http://www.alternet.org/story/154319/9_santorum_speeches_that_make_me_want_to_throw_up?page=entire

February 27, 2012

Michael Moore on the Rachel Maddow Show Tonight

Michael Moore on the Rachel Maddow Show Tonight

Monday, February 27th, 2012

Michael Moore will appear tonight on the Rachel Maddow Show to discuss tomorrow's Republican primary in Michigan.

Tune in to MSNBC at 9:00 PM ET/6:00 PM PT (replay at 12:00 Midnight ET/9:00 PM PT).

Webmaster,

MichaelMoore.com

February 27, 2012

"Republican in Training" photo sent to me from a very small NC town

My friend took it and named it.
She reads DU but does not post and said she would like for me to show it to you.

February 27, 2012

Poll: Given Choice Between Romney and Santorum, Most Voters Choose Suicide (Borowitz Report)

Feb. 27

Poll: Given Choice Between Romney and Santorum, Most Voters Choose Suicide
Survey Spells Trouble for GOP, Pollster Says

“Throwing yourself in front of a speeding city bus” was the most popular means of suicide at 22%, with “jumping off the roof of a really tall building or bridge” coming in second at 17%.



According to pollster Davis Logsdon, the surging popularity of suicide bodes ill for both Gov. Romney and Sen. Santorum as presidential candidates in 2012.


“It’s still early, but even at this stage of the game the prospect of one of those two being nominated shouldn’t be making voters want to kill themselves in these numbers,” Mr. Logsdon said.



Reached on the campaign trail in Lansing, Mr. Romney pointed out that while he did not do as well as suicide, he still polled higher than Sen. Santorum, adding, “That’s better than a sharp stick in the eye.”

But Mr. Logsdon was quick to throw cold water on Mr. Romney’s upbeat assessment: “In a head-to-head match-up, a sharp stick in the eye beats Romney by a two-to-one margin.

”

Elsewhere, Academy Award voters hailed “The Artist” as the ultimate fantasy film, since it depicts a world in which the French are silent.


February 24, 2012

Placido (Domingo) and Stephen (Colbert) - Hear them sing a Verdi Duet

Last night - Feb.23.
Wy too good not to share.
"La Donna E Mobile" Guiseppe Verdi

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/409089/february-23-2012/placido-domingo---stephen-colbert----la-donna-e-mobile-

February 24, 2012

Classical Music Heads up: Placido Domingo on with Steve Colbert in a few minutes

Now that's a surprise.

February 23, 2012

A fabulous video: Senior Olympic Synchronized Swimming

Senior Olympic Synchronized Swimming
We may have to get older -but we don't have to stop having fun!


http://biggeekdad.com/2011/01/senior-olympic-synchronized-swimming/

February 22, 2012

Santorum has a new and slightly less objectionable google problem. It's dog pee this time.

Rachel Maddow has a quirky sense of humor, she found this story hysterically funny

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/28/rachel-maddow-rick-santorum-google-problem_n_868430.html

and then purchased the web link

www.dogpeecantstopsantorum.com

which will direct people to her informative website.

Go Rachel. You make me laugh.