Until Jonathon Turley posted the following, I could not understand how so many Americans could be so idiotically blind. This explains it all:

The True Obama High: Police Seize Obama Ecstasy Pills

Mario Guadalupe Saenz, 22, was arrested in Palmview, Texas after police found a bag of ecstasy pills that seemed strikingly familiar: they are shaped in Obama’s image. Other pills featured Homer Simpson. It turns out that that euphoria that you feel with Obama may be more chemical than political.

Many conservative pundits have pushed for Barack Obama to identify the drugs that he used in his younger days. But it now turns out that Obama isn’t doing drugs, he is the drugs. He literally makes you high…

More at the link.

When George Harrison passed away in November 2001, the music world paid tribute to him through the now infamous, Concert for George. Held at the Royal Albert Hall a year after Harrison’s death, it was organized by Eric Clapton and contained performances from several of Harrison’s friends including Clapton, Tom Petty, and Paul McCartney. While that show was a very fitting tribute to his life and music, it often overshadows the performance of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” at the 2004 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
After being inducted by fellow Traveling Wilburys’ members Jeff Lynne and Petty, several musicians took to the stage for one of the best covers of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” that’s out there. Petty played lead acoustic guitar alongside Dhani Harrison, now a member of thenewno2, while Lynne played rhythm electric guitar. Many other musicians packed the stage to fill in the sound of record. Both Lynne and Petty shared vocal duties with Petty singing the chorus and Lynne handling the verses. Both of their vocals help make this a great performance as they capture the sad tone of the song as well as holding true to Harrison’s original version found on The White Album.

Although Dhani doesn’t have much to do during the song besides play along and sing backing vocals on the chorus, you can’t help but watch him. While it’s clear that all the people on stage are emotionally invested in the performance, the late ex-Beatles’ son is on a whole different emotional level. Even though his face, an almost spot-on copy of a young George, doesn’t reveal this, it still feel like he’s making the most of what he can in honor of his father.
While the performance is good all around, it’s the ending that really takes it to another level. Just when it seems that the song is winding down, Prince, another 2004 inductee, appears out of nowhere and launches into a stunning solo that lasts for almost three minutes. Decked out in a red fedora and shirt, Prince shatters all the tricks in the book, as he runs the pick up and down the neck of the guitar, intentionally falls backwards off the stage only to be caught by a stagehand (earning a big smile from Dhani), and even appears to play with his teeth for a second. This might sound overdone for a song like “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” but the solo really works for the performance due to the emotion put into it. The repeated singing of the last line of the chorus by Petty allows Prince to start up a new part of the solo every time it’s sung.
This cover version of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” is one of the best out there. The emotions of George Harrison’s friends and family seem to burst out through Prince’s solo at the end. At first, you may think the song is a mourning of Harrison’s death but by the end, you realize that it’s really a celebration of his life.

R/R Hall of Fame archive

… said the ever-astute Michael Moore on Larry King Live according to an article at Raw Story (h/t PrisonPlanet).

“I hate to be even saying these things,” Moore told King in conclusion, “because I honestly think Barack Obama is a good and decent man. He has a good heart. I believe he’s a man of peace. … I don’t think there’s any evil or dark place in his heart that’s where this is coming from. I just think that he’s listened to the generals. He’s taken bad advice.”

And as the capitalist film maker cried and pleaded with Barack Obama to not send even more troops to the money pit called Afghanistan, he was quick to add, “I feel very bad for him.”

Michael Moore,

Decent men of peace with good hearts would not bomb innocent people with drones. Would not cover up for the war crimes of his predecessor. Would not first condemn, then proceed with indefinite detention. Would not continue tribunals to avoid the justice of due process. Would not allow the corporate ravaging of our tax money. Would not protect telecom companies from their illegal activities. Would not lie about lobbyists in his administration. If there isn’t a dark place in his cold heart, then he is a damned stupid man.

Did you ever actually believe that this man was going to do anything other than what he always said he would do? Fight the good war?

I don’t believe you. I believe you have an ulterior motive. I believe you are doing a wide stance ‘cover thy ass’ for your asinine insistence that America vote for this Corporatist war mongering maniac and for your wimping out on your fight against two party politics. You pussed out, man. Sane people know this.

There are plenty of us sane ones who are aware of your flip-flop and how much influence you had in this election.

You should be ashamed for your lack of principle and should admit your mistake, make amends by stopping this defense of this man and turn back to fighting AGAINST the two party, corporatist sham. This little interview does little to make up for your horrendous errors. Tears or not.

At least according to Sen McConnell. From HuffPo:

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told his colleagues during a closed-door GOP lunch Tuesday that the best way to fund the war would be to use unspent stimulus funds, according to Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), the third-ranking Republican.

Wonder why Mitch blamed Lamar for this ploy?

Wonder why the third ranking Rep is telling the 1st ranking Rep what to do?

Better yet, why do Tennesseans put up with an elitist fool like this who would rather give YOUR tax money (Stimulus) to another country instead of for YOU and this country’s immediate needs?

Suckers.

h/t CommonDreams

You can head over to the Demublican’s ass kissing site that has become one of the prime places to see some good ole Obama ass licking on a daily basis (this is the equivalent of Redstate or the Little Green Footballs of the Republicrat Party). They had a poll after Obama’s Afghan Occupation speech last night and I thought the outcome was pretty telling about just how far a group of people can move philosophically and show no remorse or signs of strain within their own minds. It proves my point that an Obamaite is  NO DIFFERENT than a Bushie. There is the same dedication to foolish two party politics, no matter how badly they perform or much they change their flip-flopping minds.

So, what does a person like me do after seeing such numbers from such an ass-kissing sycophantic site? I search their archives to see how things may have changed.

It was just this past March 17 that they posted a Pew Poll study on this subject. My, how a difference a few months makes to those who are ready to swallow a load of Obama’s (read as The Elitist’s) shit. The Kos worked hard those few months to sway Dems to follow the path of destruction that just months and a couple of years before, they had no problem disavowing (just as long as it was the “opposite party”).

I find it funny when these clowns pretend they are war mongers, but have the audacity to write page after page (for YEARS) tearing apart a party for the very same thing they endorse and seem to thrive upon now that the Dems are in control.

Sycophantic, Hypocritical, Ass-Kissing Clowns, all.

I had a discussion with a friend on Facebook last night and added more early this morning referencing the “faux” two party system and all the culprits that are a part of this division strategy (including Michael Moore). In this discussion with a friend, it occurred to me that he, along with many other Americans, are still hoodwinked into believing and perpetuating this bogus system. And this from a very smart man.

The argument, as always, is that Obama is better than Bush or McCain. And I asked him to explain how so.

In what reality can anyone say such a harebrained thing? Does it come from the reality I live and every other American lives? Or is the reality better based off of the innocent people being bombed to smithereens by the guy who mind-melded these people into thinking that he would change a damned thing and hence, brainwashed them into voting for the lessor of two evils?

So, what was the tactic of response to my issues? A grammar lesson. And a bit snidey one, at that.

Thanks, Jack. That tact was extremely telling.

He also told me that this is the way it is,  insinuating that we should work within the system (and that I am so far removed that I can’t understand or see this). This is perfect for those who want us to continue the divide and plays right into their game… how convenient. The argument is, “well, no matter what you say, we HAVE a two party system and we must use it.” There is no, “we must CHANGE the system”. No. Work with what they give us to work with, right, Jack? Just do what they say and everything will work out.

Excuse me, but… Baaaaa.

But wait, there is more. Now, I am a hypocrite because I call Michael Moore on his capitulation to the Corporate Control of America by his endorsement of Obama just a few years after his vehement diatribes against that very two Party system I am railing against right here. And what was MM’s rationale. Obama is not McCain. Forget what I said kjust a couple of years ago. Now I am BACk to the bogus two party system I preached against and am now telling you, the lemmings of America, that you need to foget that shit from two years ago and trust me now.

Yeah. Right.

Now, because I call MM on his bullshit, I am the hypocrite. Fine. If so, then someone, anyone, show a damned link at this blog where I have written such a thing. Show me where I have changed or where I ever endorsed a party.

But, it would seem that MM can shift-change his position radically and that is acceptable. The comparison must be that I changed my mind from pancakes to eggs this morning. Yeah, I’m the hypocrite.

Forgive me, people, for calling you a bunch of mindless lemmings who are just as much of America’s problem as these criminals YOU keep electing. It is because of YOU, the mindless sycophantic water carriers for your party of choice, that we are in the state of affairs we are in. It is because of YOU and your inability to break the chains of brain washing that have you so convinced that “this is the way” and we can’t change it. It is YOU who are holding America back. Get that through your thick skulls and wake the fuck up.

It causes me to question every smart person I come into contact with, for if someone who seems to have brains cannot rid themselves of this mind fuck, intelligence may not be their strongest suit.

I appreciate the grammar lessons, folks. really I do. But maybe, just maybe, there are a few more important details to attend to than the intentional diversion from the important points at hand.

On another note: has anyone from the south ever heard the expression “shift-changer”, referencing someone who changes their mind a lot? Is this just a southern expression? For some reason, this was a thorn in the teacher’s side.

Matt Frei presents an insider guide to the people and the stories shaping America today. Combining location reports with lively discussion and exclusive interviews, the show provides new and surprising insights into contemporary America.
Matt Frei talks to American storyteller, musician, humorist and radio personality Garrison Keillor for some tips on Thanksgiving reading, holiday stories and all things American.
Matt gets the inside track from David Plouffe, President Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign manager. They cover everything from Thanksgiving 2007 on the election trail to whether he’d consider running a Sarah Palin 2012 campaign.
From news anchor to cranberry relish-maker, Matt talks to one of the founding women of American public radio news, Susan Stamberg. She shares a few Thanksgiving tips, including her recipe for cranberry relish and some advice about how to outsource the bulk of the Thanksgiving feast preparations.
Matt talks to Master Edward Winslow, an American Pilgrim from the year 1626. http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/p0053hlf 

Firefox’s newest Add-on for Christians (and this may explain the hit count loss at The Daily Pitchfork… I’m just sayin’):

Christian Anti-Porn 1.0.5

From the Developer:

Flee sexual immorality (1Co 6:18).

Christian Anti-Porn will filter links and alert the user if any porn websites are clicked. This will not completely block but rather display Bible verse with the crucified Jesus Christ and to remind every Christian that he is going to crucify Jesus Christ again if he proceeds to such websites.

This add-on is not an ultimate filter for porn. God is the ultimate filter and only He can guard you and give you enough grace to overcome sin. Hence, pray to Jesus Christ who died for our sins.

Localizations: English, Spanish, Arabic, Japanese, Dutch, Polish, French, German, Korean, Greek, Russian and Italian.
Developer Comments

WARNING: This add-on is useful only for Christians. When other people saw Christ in them (followers of Christ), they called them as Christians. These are the true, Bible only, non-compromising Christians who are ready to give their lives to Christ and to live a sinless life. This add-on will be useless to anyone calling themselves as Christians and yet having no Christ in them. However, this add-on will be useful to anyone who wishes to come out of their false Christian livelihood to truly live in Christ without sinning esp. pornography on the Internet.

As I already said in description, this is not the ultimate porn filter. God is the ultimate porn filter, so pray to Him and He will give you the Holy Spirit who will convict you in your heart when you are about to sin. Ask Him His grace which will help you overcome any sin. God bless You.

Thanks, oOjocelynOo

There is a billboard Ad controversy aired and published here that features this picture:

So, when BuelahLady did the following, I apparently completely misread the whole meaning:

I don’t pretend to understand Afghanistan, but I do know it’s a big, poor, backward Islamic country in Central Asia with all sorts of warring factions that have been at it for decades, or even centuries. I know that American soldiers have been fighting there for eight years and that the situation is still a huge mess.
And now President Barack Obama, after sending 21,000 more soldiers to Afghanistan in March, is set to announce next week that he’s going to send over another 30,000 or so, which will bring the total number of US troops in that big, poor, backward, bewildering, violent Islamic country to about 100,000.
I don’t know much about Afghanistan, but I’m pretty familiar with America, familiar enough to know that America is not up for this. I don’t know if it’s possible to pacify Afghanistan – or Pakistan, Iraq, Iran or anyplace else in the region. I don’t know if this can be done even with millions of American troops fighting for 100 years.
But I do know, as I think everyone knows or should know, that America is not ready to fight Islamism like it fought Nazism and Communism, which means that in its wars in the Middle East, America is destined to lose. The only question is how long these futile adventures will last.
Actually, America fought one war in the Middle East that was not seemingly futile, not at all – the one in 1991 against Iraq. That was a “necessary war,” to use Obama’s term for the mess in Afghanistan. Back then, Saddam Hussein invaded an American-allied country, he electrified the entire Middle East, he was bidding for control, direct or indirect, over two-thirds of the world’s oil – he had to be stopped and turned back.
So president George H.W. Bush set a very clear, reasonable goal – forcing Saddam out of Kuwait – then sent half a million soldiers to do the job, accomplished it in six weeks with minimal allied casualties, then brought the troops home, leaving Saddam and Saddamism in ruins. That was a so called “good war.” But Afghanistan? After 9/11, the Americans should have retaliated by carpet bombing select areas of that country, killing tens of thousands of people, terrorists and civilians both, to let al-Qaida, the Taliban and everyone in the Islamic world know that there is a terrible price to pay for attacking America and killing 3,000 innocents.
Instead, America decided to “transform” the region. The result is that another 5,000 Americans have been killed, soldiers this time, bombs are still going off every which way in Iraq, and now a new president, this one a liberal Democrat, not a Republican neocon, is driving deeper and deeper into Afghanistan.
And what about Pakistan? And Iran? Are they next? “All options are on the table,” says Obama.
AMERICA’S PROBLEM is that it still wants to be a military superpower but is no longer willing to pay the price in blood and money, so it tries to do it on the cheap and as painlessly as possible, and winds up fighting endless wars with impossible goals in distant, hellish places.
If the US were serious about taking on a military challenge of this scope, it would reinstate the draft. This isn’t Grenada they’re dealing with, this is an enemy with outposts across the Middle East, and parts of Africa too. And the US means to go to war against this enemy with a volunteer army that’s drawn from less than 1 percent of American families!
“The problem in this country with this issue [of Afghanistan],” said Democratic Congressman David Obey, “is that the only people who have to sacrifice are military families, and they’ve had to go to the well again and again and again and again, and everybody else is blithely unaffected by the war.”
The American people won’t stand for a military draft; it’s a taboo subject . They won’t even stand for a war tax; that’s another taboo. But neither will they stand for the idea that America is not a military superpower anymore. And nobody in that country, not even the messiah of change, has the guts to tell them that they can’t have it both ways.
So the US pretends it can fight World War III like Grenada, its army is so far beyond overextended that there isn’t a word for it, the country spends more and more billions of dollars that it doesn’t have, and this has been going on now for almost a decade.
At this point, is anybody confident that if and when the US gets out of Iraq, after all these years of horror and devastation, it will leave behind a stable, decent, more or less pro-American country?
Is anybody confident of such a happy end to the war in Afghanistan?
I don’t think so. I think if America knew right after 9/11 what it knows now, there is no way on earth it would have started these wars.
But now Obama wants more – not because he believes he can salvage the situation in Afghanistan, but because he’s afraid of what will happen if he abandons it to the likes of al-Qaida and the Taliban. Which is a very legitimate worry. I worry about that too.
But the only way the US can salvage Afghanistan, or Iraq, or Pakistan, or Iran, or any country in the Muslim world, is to fight like it fought every other major war in its history – with a draft, with war taxes, with a clear, reasonable goal and the readiness to pursue it to the end.
Is America up for that today? No, it’s not, I’m happy to say, because, like I said, even millions of American soldiers fighting for 100 years might not be enough to neutralize the threat of Islamism.
It’s fight or flight, which means the only choice left is flight. The US is not a military superpower anymore, and it’s just hurting itself and a lot of other people by pretending.
The time has come for America to wrap up these endless, failed third world wars.
It’s not going to be easy. And the worst part is that after Obama deepens America’s commitment with 30,000 new soldiers, getting out is going to be even harder.

JP/LARRY DERFNER