Fool Me - You Can't Get Fooled Again

RIP Nick Reynolds

Palin/McCain = Bush 3

Someone, anyone, please explain how the Palin/McCain administration would be different from G.W. Bush's administration. Joe Biden hit the nail on the head last when he said:

"Look, past is prologue, Gwen. The issue is, how different is John McCain's policy going to be than George Bush's? I haven't heard anything yet. I haven't heard how his policy is going to be different on Iran than George Bush's. I haven't heard how his policy is going to be different with Israel than George Bush's. I haven't heard how his policy in Afghanistan is going to be different than George Bush's. I haven't heard how his policy in Pakistan is going to be different than George Bush's."

So definitely vote for Palin/McCain if you have been satisfied with the last 8 years.

Palin/McCain Lies

Obama voted against funding troops. Lie.

Obama voted to raise taxes 94 times. Lie.

Obama voted to raise taxes on people making $42,000 a year. Lie.

Obama wants government to control your healthcare. Lie.

Sarah Palin cut taxes in Alaska. Wait, I though Alaska had no income or sales taxes.

For further fact checking on both Palin and Obama you can check here.

Explain to me why we should trust the Palin/McCain campaign.

Et Tu Krauthammer

Charles seems to have turned on his own this morning. But don't worry, it's only a very few complementary sentences on Obama.

In the primary campaign, Obama was cool as in hip. Now Obama is cool as in collected. He has the discipline to let slow and steady carry him to victory.

In reality, Obama just has an evil strategy. Look cool and calm and you look Presidential. It's all just an act that stupid Democrats are falling for.

Krauthammer asks "do you really know who Obama is and what he believes"? Maybe I don't. But I used to think I knew who John McCain was and what he believed. McCain has shown everyone that he is willing to throw away all his previous beliefs and convictions (if indeed he ever really had any) to satisfy a fundamentalist conservative base in an attempt to become President. So excuse me if I go for the guy I may not know as well as Krathammer thinks I should know him. I know the real John McCain now and he isn't for me.

Sarah Palin Strings Two Sentences Together

At least Governor Palin has been speaking in somewhat understandable sentences. I was beginning to wonder whether it was possible or not. But just about everything coming out of her mouth is the same old (I'll be polite) misinformation that the McCain campaign has been spewing for the last 8 weeks. Hopefully, the American people won't fall for these tired lies that Republicans have decided they must tell in hopes of winning this election.

And, who the hell is General McClellan? Wasn't he a Civil War general?

Vote Mike Oot for Congress - NY-23

It's time for a change and we have a choice in the New York 23rd Congressional District. We can vote to send Rep. John McHugh back to Congress controlled by Democrats or we can vote to send Mike Oot to Congress in place of John McHugh.

Mike Oot wants to end the war in Iraq. Bring troops home now. No more dead young Americans for Iraq. John McHugh wants troops to stay in Iraq indefinitely. Big stark difference.

Mike Oot believes it is time for Universal Health Care like every other developed nation on Earth. John McHugh thinks things are just fine as they are...46 million uninsured American citizens.

Mike Oot believes in the Constitution of the USA. He finds it unbelievable that we discuss whether or not to torture people. He believes that if you are arrested you have the right to a lawyer. He believes Americans should not be electronically eavesdropped on. I can only assume that John McHugh believes torture is ok, we don't really need Habeas corpus and that it's ok to evesdrop on Americans because what do you have to hide? He votes with G.W. Bush enough that its very likely he believes we can ignore the Constitution.

Mike gave an inspiring speech tonight at the Voters for Change Headquarters in Saranac Lake. He is passionate about his beliefs and thinks that America has been headed in the wrong direction over the last eight years.

You want change? Vote for Mike Oot.

More Pork for Alaska - In the Bailout Bill

SEC. 504. INCOME AVERAGING FOR AMOUNTS RECEIVED IN CONNECTION WITH THE EXXON VALDEZ LITIGATION […]

(c) (1)…no portion of qualified settlement income received by a qualified taxpayer shall be treated as self-employed income.
(2)…no portion of qualified settlement income received by a qualified taxpayer shall be treated as wages.

This basically means no Alaskan who received money from the Exxon Valdez oil spill will have to pay taxes on that money.

This is just one of the many earmarks in the new bailout bill. Will John McCain vote for all this pork?

Palins are Just Regular Folk?

Are Sarah and Todd Palin just regular working class folk? Here is what Sarah Palin has to say:

"I know what Americans are going through. Todd and I, heck, we're going through that right now even as we speak, which may put me again kind of on the outs of those Washington elite who don't like the idea of just an everyday working class American running for such an office."

Unfortunately, the conservative Washington Times disagrees.

Their combined income of nearly a quarter-million dollars last year was five times the median household income for Wasilla's 7,000 residents. They own a single-engine plane, two boats, two personal watercraft and a half-million-dollar, custom-built home on a lake that is worth three times the average of other homes in town.

Andrew Sullivan Makes a Great Point

Thursdays debate between Sarah Palin and John McCain is in the tank for Obama. See, the moderator, Gwen Ifil wrote a book about Obama and she is black so she is obviously in the Obama camp (she probably really is).

So as Sullivan suggests, the moderator should be changed for tomorrow night. Ifill can use the excuse that she has a broken ankle and it is bothering her too much. Put Katie Couric or Campbell Brown in place of Ifill....hell, it might even be worth putting Michelle Malkin in Ifills place.

Here is Sullivan:

The best that can happen from the Rove-Schmidt point of view is that Ifill softens her questions to Palin out of fear of being smeared by the McCain camp, as they have tried to smear me and any other journalist doing their job. The worst is that Ifill does not get intimidated, asks tough questions, and then gets the post-debate spin by the GOP focused on her, not Palin. It helps too that Ifill is black: it shores up the racist vote McCain needs to win.

Who Embarrasses Palin More?

Sarah Palin goes on the Hugh Hewitt conservative radio show for an interview. Here is one of the tough questions:

HH: Now Governor, the Gibson and the Couric interview struck many as sort of pop quizzes designed to embarrass you as opposed to interviews. Do you share that opinion?

SP: Well, I have a degree in journalism also, so it surprises me that so much has changed since I received my education in journalistic ethics all those years ago. But I’m not going to pick a fight with those who buy ink by the barrelful. I’m going to take those shots and those pop quizzes and just say that’s okay, those are good testing grounds. And they can continue on in that mode. That’s good. That makes somebody work even harder. It makes somebody be even clearer and more articulate in their positions. So really I don’t fight it. I invite it.

So Couric asking which newspapers you read to get your information is a pop quiz question? Talk about lowering the bar. Then she tells us she "invites" interviews with people such as Gibson and Couric? Since when? When will these interviews with jounalists like them actually occur.

McCain - "I don't lie"

John McCain was interviewed by the Des Moines Register. They played "gotcha journalism" with him. When it was pointed out that McCain has had health insurance paid by taxpayers for most of his life, he replied:

"You know that's an interesting statement, isn't it? And I have never been an astronaut, but I think I know the challenges of space. And I have never done a lot of things in my life that I think I am familiar with."

Further, when the reporter suggested some of McCain's campaign ads were less than honest, particularly the sex-ed for kindergarteners ad, McCain replied:

"...I have always had 100 percent, absolute truth and that's been my life of putting my country first. And I'll match that record against anyone's. And I'm proud of it. And an assertion that I've ever done otherwise, I take strong exception to."

100% absolute truth? That's yet another lie.

Sarah Palin - It Gets Worse

Do you know which newspapers and magazines you read? Sarah Palin doesn't. Is this another example of "gotcha journalism"?

Pelosi Didn't Hurt Anyone's Feelings

Well, someone is lying about this. Did Nancy hurt their feelings or not? Can't anyone give a straight answer anymore?

Gotcha Journalism

Let me get this straight. Sarah Palin says we should attack Pakistan if it's necessary. John McCain says this is something that should not be said out loud. Sarah Palini agrees with McCain - unfortunately it's a bit too late to walk back on this one. Thank g-d for the "gotcha journalism" excuse (now voters are journalists?).

Sarah Palin learns yet another phrase from John McCain. Seems if a voter asks a question of Palin, it's "gotcha journalism". Maybe the McCain campaign can release a list of questions that we are allowed to ask Gov. Palin.

Got a Skin Disease?

Then go here. Warning, graphic pictures when you search for a skin disease.

Alternative Medicine Studies and False Positives

Today is Tuesday so that means it's Science Times day. The article of note today is on one of my favorite topics and is titled: Applying Science to Alternative Medicine. The article is about the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, a division of the National Institutes of Health, and the vigorous research they are conducting on alternative medicine "cures and treatments".

Unfortunately, I'm not too certain whether the article is well researched. Here's an example:

Another large study enrolled 570 participants to see if acupuncture provided pain relief and improved function for people with osteoarthritis of the knee. In 2004, it reported positive results. Dr. Brian M. Berman, the study’s director and a professor of medicine at the University of Maryland, said the inquiry “establishes that acupuncture is an effective complement to conventional arthritis treatment.”

True, studies have shown that acupuncture is effective in relieving some sorts of pain. However, it's important to note that research has shown that sham accupuncture (a needle placed anywhere in the body) is as effective as needles placed along mapped "meridians" in treating pain of migraine headaches. This implies that the effectiveness of acupuncture is due to the well described placebo effect.

Many scientists (including and ex-director) feel that the $121 million dollars spent at the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine could be put to better use elsewhere.

Sarah Silverman and Jewish Grandparents

The Great Schlep from The Great Schlep on Vimeo.

Sarah Silverman wants you to schlep your butt over here.

Language alert (after all, it's Sarah)

Sandy Treadwell - LIAR

Multimillionaire Sandy Treadwell is currently running a negative ad accusing Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand of voting to raise taxes on your family to the tune of $2900. You could call this ad just a huge misrepresentation of the facts or you could call it what it actually is --- A LIE.

Check out the Albany Times Union story on this political ad. Read exactly what the ad says, then read the analysis. Analysis: Treadwell's ad misrepresents the facts. Gillibrand did not vote to impose "the largest tax increase in history" during June's roll call vote No. 382, referenced in the ad. I don't see how anyone can cast a vote for someone who lies so blatantly. You just can't trust such a person.

Thanks John McCain

“[T]his bill would not have been agreed to had it not been for John McCain. … But, you know, this is a bipartisan accomplishment, a bipartisan success. And if people want to get something done in Washington, they just watch John McCain.” — Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, 9/29/08

John McCain suspended his campaign and rushed to Washington to straighten things out. Here is Mitt Romney again:

"But, you know, this is a bipartisan accomplishment, a bipartisan success. And if people want to get something done in Washington, they just watch John McCain," he said.

What a leader! Why don't Republicans vote for a bill that John McCain supports? Wonder if he will suspend his campaign again?

USA - Banana Republic with Nukes?

So what we now have is non-functional government in the face of a major crisis, because Congress includes a quorum of crazies and nobody trusts the White House an inch.
As a friend said last night, we’ve become a banana republic with nukes.

Economist Paul Krugman.

I guess cutting off your nose to spite your face is as good an analogy as you can get. We punish Wall Street, that's good. What about the rest of us?

The Republicans are whining that they opposed the Bill because big, mean, nasty Nancy Pelosi hurt their feelings by giving a partisan speech. Wow, isn't that too bad...screw the country, our feelings are hurt. "Country first" Conservatives my eye.

BTW, here is the "partisan" speech. It mentions the Bush administation failed policies and it mentions Republicans once.....saying how Democrats worked with Republican colleagues. That's it. That is the excuse for voting against the Bill.