Eliot Spitzer, Seth MacFarlane and Norah O'Donnell on Bill Maher. Great clip on how Democrats need to be tougher. Funny, too.
Maher & "Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane discuss Sarah Palin's criticism of his employing a Down syndrome actor:
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
America’s Wind Energy Potential Triples In New Estimate
The amount of wind power that theoretically could be generated in the United States tripled in the newest assessment of the nation’s wind resources.
Current wind technology deployed in nonenvironmentally protected areas could generate 37,000,000 gigawatt-hours of electricity per year, according to the new analysis conducted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and consulting firm AWS Truewind. The last comprehensive estimate came out in 1993, when Pacific Northwest National Laboratory pegged the wind energy potential of the United States at 10,777,000 gigawatt-hours.
Both numbers are greater than the 3,000,000 gigawatt-hours of electricity currently consumed by Americans each year. Wind turbines generated just 52,000 gigawatt-hours in 2008, the last year for which annual statistics are available.
Though new and better data was used to create the assessment, the big jump in potential generation reflects technological change in wind machines more than fundamental new knowledge about our nation’s windscape.
via wired.com
Some good news for Friday.
Down Syndrome Actress Field Dresses Palin
"I guess former Governor Palin does not have a sense of humor. I thought the line 'I am the daughter of the former governor of Alaska' was very funny. I think the word is 'sarcasm.' In my family we think laughing is good. My parents raised me to have a sense of humor and to live a normal life. My mother did not carry me around under her arm like a loaf of French bread the way former Governor Palin carries her son Trig around looking for sympathy and votes," - Andrea Fay Friedman, the actress with Down Syndrome who voiced the fictional character on Family Guy that prompted another explosion from the Alaskan fraud, Sarah Palin.
The Exploitation Of Trig Palin. Sad.
"If You Want More Political Paralysis, Vote Republican."
"But on a more strategic level, I also wonder if House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence (R-Ind.) is pointing to an area of vulnerability for Republicans. After all, I can very easily imagine ads targeting potentially vulnerable Republican incumbents, reminding center-right voters about the GOP record. What do you suppose the reaction would be from conservative voters in "red" districts if they were reminded that Pence and Republicans like him voted to increase the budget deficit, voted to add $5 trillion to the debt, voted to increase government spending, voted for more earmarks, voted to increase the government's role in health care (Medicare Part D), voted to increase the size and scope of the federal government's powers (FISA, creation of DHS), and voted against one of the largest tax-cut packages in American history (the Recovery Act)?
[Update: An emailer reminds me that these same Republicans also supported Mirandizing terrorists, trying them in civilian courts, and imprisoning them on U.S. soil.]"
Voters will be reminded of this, don't you worry. This November they'll get some "no" votes.
Becoming the "Party Of No" on January 20, 2009 will always excite the 20% who are Republican by birth. Big deal, you said "no" to everything, even ideas you support and Bills you helped write.
You cry for bipartisanship, then trumpet your record of "no".
"When it comes to governing, the answer is No! When it comes to the will of the people, the answer is No! When it comes to ideas, the answer is No!"
Mega-Wealthy Pastor To Divorce. Keeps Job As Religious Quack
"[Benny]Hinn is one of the best known advocates of the prosperity gospel, which teaches that Christians who are right with God will be rewarded with wealth and health in this lifetime."
Such an obvious con man, even in the world of televangelism. Looks like he is in love with his own image, would not be surprised if ol' softboy Benny was "strictly dick-ly".
Krugman: Health Insurance "Death Spiral"
"Bear in mind that private health insurance only works if insurers can sell policies to both sick and healthy customers. If too many healthy people decide that they’d rather take their chances and remain uninsured, the risk pool deteriorates, forcing insurers to raise premiums. This, in turn, leads more healthy people to drop coverage, worsening the risk pool even further, and so on."
via nytimes.com
This article is about WellPoint and Anthem Blue Cross in California, but it pretty much embodies the entire US system. Health Insurance rates are going up, as high as 39% in this example, and the only thing that drives the current system is profit margins as a value for Corporations and their investors.
The Death Spiral is on us. The risk pool is skewing with not enough healthy people buying ever-increasing health insurance. The well will run dry. They will drink our milkshake.
We need to cover everyone, we need to reform. This is not a race to the bottom.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Kerik Gets 4 Years Behind Bars
via nbcnewyork.com
"Corrupt former NYPD commissioner Bernard Kerik was sentenced to 48 months in prison this morning for tax fraud and lying to the White House."
Bernie was loyal Giuliani-backed nominee for Homeland Security under Bush. From Top Cop to Top Dirtbag.
The GOP loves to dig up 40 year-old stories on Obama without any merit to his present day activities while Republicans look blindly past their cronies' illegal activities in real time.
39% Rate Hike vs HCR Opponents
California's Anthem Blue Cross -- the largest insurer in the nation's largest state -- recently told nearly a million customers that, next month, they'll face premium increases up to 39%. Even those who have come to expect private health insurance companies to tighten the screws on their customers were taken aback. An LA Times editorial noted, "Anthem's actions offer the best argument yet for Congress to complete work on a comprehensive bill without delay."
Politicians need to represent their constituents instead of blindly following the corporations while attacking the Government they are apart of. An example, Maine residents are in for a huge increase and Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins could care less. No reform, not even an up-or-down vote in the Senate.
Tired party rhetoric will not help anyone or change the impending problem.
We are on a road of increased costs due to healthy people not affording health insurance dropping out of the insurance pool, driving up the percentage of riskier, unhealthy people. To keep profits, the insurance companies will just drop your coverage.
How do you stop this obvious cycle? Get everybody covered.
British Conservatives Vs American Conservatives
"If the Tories win the next election in Britain by just a one vote majority, there will likely be 15 openly gay Conservative MPs in the next Parliament."
And the GOP lives in the "Land Of The Free"?
Going backwards, attacking peoples' freedoms and proud: the binding Republican principles.
Pope Condemns Child Abuse As 'Heinous Crime'
via cnn.com
I guess the first step in recovery is admitting you have a problem. Too bad it's about 40 years too late.
Asking the bishops to address the problem "shows lack of vision, especially as it is the Irish bishops who are themselves the problem," John Kelly, the founder of Irish Survivors of Child Abuse, said in the written statement.
It's like asking the wolves to guard the sheep. At least 4 Irish Bishops stepped down. In America they would just get shipped to another parish.
Flop Flipping With The Republicans
The stimulus was needed after the Bush Era destroyed America. Republicans were against it, but now that the money being spent is working, now they are for it. The overall hypocrisy of the Right is their standard now: puff up your chest, pretend you have values, then take all the credit for everything you opposed when the Democrats' hard work kicks in.
Why do these guys run for office if they think Government is so bad?
Why do these guys run for office if they think Government is so bad?
DADT Repeal Is OK WIth Troops
Troops have already accepted gays and lesbians serve in the military. It's the chickenhawk Conservative politicians who have the issues.
Source: http://www.realitychex.com/
"Sir, I would say that 70 years ago you and I couldn’t serve in the same Navy, the same Air Force, the same Army because of the color of my skin and because of the social conditions of the day.... The U.S. military was always at the forefront of social change. We didn't wait for laws to change." -- AF Chief Master Sgt. Darryl E. Robinson explaining to Adm. Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, why the troops are unconcerned about the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't TellThe 17-year-old DADT policy that bars gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military is similar to the Republicans who want to keep it: out of date and not in step with society.
Source: http://www.realitychex.com/
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