This is the post where I lament the sad state of my blogging output. Well, actually, probably not. Seriously, I am just not all that gung ho about blogging of late. Even more to the point, I am in a low mood. But than, do you really blame me? I mean, I got laid off, for Christ's sake. I'm suppose to be happy go lucky?

Yeah, I know, I'm whining. Don't blame me. You're the one reading my blog.

Oh great. Now comes the next stage; arguing over the wording of today's release of the ruling on Franken/Coleman.

Particular sentence to be argued over:

For all of the foregoing reasons, we affirm the decision of the trial court that Al Franken received the highest number of votes legally cast and is entitled under Minn. 32 Stat. § 204C.40 (2008) to receive the certificate of election as United States Senator from the State of Minnesota.

Oh yeah. We are going to hear all sorts of rationalization and intellectualizing over the meaning of entitled.

Update: I guess Norm didn't want to get into a debate over definitions.

Well, here it is, my first official day of unemployment. I never worked on Fridays, having worked 10 hour days and getting a three day weekend. So, that makes today the first day of unemployment. Drinks on the house...... oh, wait. This is a blog, not a bar. My bad.

(TPM) Bachmann also differentiated between the 28-page American Community Survey, which only a tiny fraction of Americans will receive, and the short form that everyone gets -- and she objected to both of them. "Does the federal government really need to know our phone numbers?" she asked. "Do they really need to know, like you said, the date and time that we leave mental stability?"

I'm sure Ms. Bachmann only has the financial burden of this question in mind because it would take all the census staff from all across the nation to fully record all the dates and times that she took leave of her mental stability.

Assuming, of course, that she was ever present with her mental stability.

A bit late, but considering I had to be to court so early, I hope you all understand. All three of you........

Friday Blogaround

Now this was a week that we won't forget. Let's see what the LC had to say.

- A Blog Around The Clock conducts an interview.
- All Facts and Opinions on right-wing fashion tips.
- archy: compassionate conservative healthcare.
- Bark Bark Woof Woof: under the radar.
- Bloggg agrees with Ed.
- Collective Sigh* -- if you haven't already, stop by and leave a note for Andante's family.
- Dohiyi Mir: two narratives.
- Echidne Of The Snakes: girls do it, too.
- Florida Progressive Coalition Blog -- what's going on in Florida politics.
- Left Is Right: Robert Reich on why the critics of the public option are wrong.
- Musing's musings on English-only's sign of the times.
- Pen-Elayne on the Web: don't cry for him...
- Rook's Rant -- looking for work again.
- rubber hose -- mark his words.
- Scrutiny Hooligans rallies the troops to win over Democrats who are against the public option.
- Steve Bates, The Yellow Doggerel Democrat: political reality.
- Stupid Enough Unexplanation: respecting other religions.
- The Invisible Library on Michael Jackson.
- WTF Is It Now?? Letterman's Top Ten on Mark Sanford.

Next week -- fireworks!

*In Andante's memory, Collective Sigh will stay on the blogroll until her family takes it down.

Same thing here, in regards to Collective Sigh.

Unlike yesterday, my day has turned out quite pleasantly. I made the 20 minute drive to Hudson WI, with no delays and arriving 20 minutes prior to my 9:15 AM pre-trial conference for the express purpose of professing my innocence.

Okay, enough snickering--you in the back row.

Anyway, I presented my proof of innocence and walked out of court at 9:20 AM. A surprisingly pleasant experience. The best part, though, was the portly, rumpled, elderly lawyer in canvas slacks held up by tan suspenders who pulled me aside and whispered loudly "we would all like to prove the Department of Motor Vehicles make clerical errors." While I was presenting my case, that same lawyer had asked if he could have copies of my letter, stating he'd just white out the name.

All in all, an auspicious start to what is going to be a very hot Minnesota summer day.

Well, I am unemployed. My census was too low, and with counties cutting back on their expenditures, my boss eventually lost his contract with Goodhue County. That was a sizable chunk of money. With my low census and his loss of income, it was inevitable.

I'm not mad at him. It was a business decision. He has to do what he can to save his company. I will get unemployment, which isn't too bad a deal. I'm not going to have the state take out taxes, and instead will try to schedule payments next year. Of course, we're already half way through the year, so I might just come out even, since I don't claim any deductions on my W2.

Also, he made it clear that once the census picks back up, he'll call me back. That, and if they need help once in a while, I might get called in for a few hours here and there. I just have to claim the income when I apply for unemployment for the week.

On a more positive note, The GirlFriend™ managed to find us an apartment. It's over in Prescott, WI. It's just 10 miles away, so it's not a far move. With her tax money, she was able to cover the 1st and last month's rent. We don't need to move in until September 1st, but at least it's in place. Oh, and Comcast is the Prescott Cable company, so I don't have to change my email addy and such.

So, anyway, I am going to be looking for another job while waiting to be called back to Wenden. Also, I'll be working on packing up everything, and working on my novel.

It's getting to the point where you can count the number of Republicans who aren't bed-hopping hypocrites on one finger. We won't discuss which finger to use. I'll leave it up to you to decide. But it's becoming so commonplace that the Washington Times felt the need to make a comment.

Extramarital affairs, gambling, alcohol abuse, prostitution and sexual pursuit of minors have taken a toll on the GOP.

Now, I'm not sure that alcohol abuse has really been part of the toll. It's been the fall back position to excuse, justify, or otherwise cover up the other problems. Which brings me to my next point; how far our politics have devolved that the once reprehensible, sinful behavior of consuming alcohol beyond socially acceptable limits is now perceived as a viable excuse.

My, how the mighty have fallen.

I'm surprised we haven't already heard banshee cries of cyber-terrorism over this crash from the 101 Keyboard Brigade.

Of course, if it turns out to have been a case of cyber-sabotage, I'm going to be busy chewing up my shoes......

While it appears the Legacy Media continues to beat the drum about signs of recovery (because the corporate masters believe it will make the masses believe and the economy will magically improve) I am listening to the bloggers and economists (in two cases, both) who called the housing bubble and the financial meltdown. You see, I tend to listen to people who actually have a track record of being right.

Interesting that in most cases, they turn out not to be Republicans...........

Due to Gov TPaw's bodacious, and possibly illegal, unallotment move, not to mention his unyielding stance to "No New Taxes," my employment has now become even more tenuous. Today's emergency staff meeting shall clear all the smoke and cries of fire. Or verify them. So, later today I will have news as to the fate of my income.

Bastard Republicans. May you all burn in the hell you believe in.

A true public health insurance option should not just be an option if your employer does not supply coverage, but it should be permissible for employers to access a public option as well. There are a lot of small business that simply can not afford to supply health insurance that maybe would like to help aid their employees none-the-less.

Also, one of the consequences I foresee is a lot of small to medium businesses dropping coverage and letting their employees fend for themselves, once a public option comes into play. No doubt many of the more greedy businesses will not only drop coverage, but also not pass the savings on to their employees so that they could afford to purchase their own coverage.

Andante of Collective Sigh, one of the original members of The Liberal Coalition, passed away on Tuesday, June 16th. May her path be shone clear by the light.

The ever inconsistent, but always a pleasure to bring to you when I get off my ass [cue dramatic crescendo];

Friday Blogaround

Summer is coming in...and here's the week as seen by the LC.

- A Blog Around The Clock: take a turn for the nurse.
- All Facts and Opinions: safety on the streets of Baltimore.
- archy: too easy.
- Bark Bark Woof Woof: Defending the indefensible.
- Bloggg: did she or didn't she?
- Dohiyi Mir: it takes a village.
- Echidne Of The Snakes: call her Senator.
- Florida Progressive Coalition Blog: nice work if you can get it.
- Left Is Right: bits and pieces.
- Musing's musings: Welcome to the ARRA era.
- Pen-Elayne on the Web does the best blogaround.
- Rook's Rant: what's in a label.
- rubber hose: one poll or another.
- Scrutiny Hooligans: count on it.
- Speedkill: delusion.
- Steve Bates, The Yellow Doggerel Democrat: something is a myth.
- Stupid Enough Unexplanation: how to understand conservatives.
- The Invisible Library: what books would Jesus burn?
- WTF Is It Now?? Ensign O'Toole.

Sunday is Father's Day.

I honestly don't know why I have such a hard time with regular stealing of Mustang Bobby's work. It's not all that hard. Well, other than getting up early on my day off.

Seriously, getting up before noon on my day off is a sin. It's a good thing I'm not a practicing religious type; the guilt and shame would be heavy.

It's 5 PM and I've heard not a peep about Norm's court challenge to the recount.

Well, now I have. Next week, then.

Somehow, they are related. It's just that I am not intelligent, or schooled, enough to be able to explain how. If I had to categorize them, I say it's political metaphysics. Anyway, without further to do:

Our Common Peril.

Tank Man and Tank Commander.

What he said.

You know, just because a person identifies themselves as a conservative doesn't mean they are. After almost 3 or more decades of having Liberals (and progressives) vilified by not just the conservatives, but their willing co-conspirators, the corporate media, to call one self liberal was to be set up for ridicule, derision, and all around abuse. As Ed Kilgore so aptly points out, when you get passed the basic "Are you xxx?" and into the meat and potatoes policy questions, suddenly there is a different prospective.

The CAP survey also found that when you probe deeper in terms of more specific statements of values and beliefs, there's a reasonably solid progressive majority when it comes to most matters of international and domestic policy. The conservative "brand" may still be relatively strong, but it doesn't always translate into issue positions, much less voting behavior.

I honestly thought I was a moderate/centerist until I begain to pay more attention to my positions on policies. Then I learned I was liberal. Since I am late to actually following politics, I suspect many others are still going by the simple label and not really looking at their policy positions.

This is far from being a complete and well-thought-out post. In fact, it wonders off topic. I'm going to let it stand.

I am far from being informed and knowledgeable about Iranian society, or Iranian politics. However, I still stand behind my last post. I understand that things have deteriorated in Iran, with violence occurring, which is more than unfortunate. But, that the people of Iran believe their election was stolen, and are stating that belief, still puts us to shame.

In this country, the population seems to have been slow in slogging off their lack of investment into the political process. There seems to be a lack of awareness that a citizen's involvement in our government goes beyond merely voting. That's why I am so disgusted with the state of our media these days.

The capitalization (that is, making profit the sole reason of their existence) of newspapers, TV and radio news has eliminated the one, and probably only, means by which the people can communicate directly to the leadership in our country. Voting is the means by which we select leaders. The press was the means by which we communicated to our leaders.

Now, the issues, the policies, and the ways of political power in Iran maybe a mystery to me, and many others. But, can you honestly question that an election was actually legitimate if a large portion of the Iranian population goes to the street and protests? How about we stop with the over-analyzing and recognize the simple truth; the people of Iran are more in tune with their electoral and political process than any of us arm chair pundits, mostly because our press has failed to educate us. If they suspect something is wrong..... well, then, something is wrong. All things being equal.

That's right, I'm bringing out the razor. You got a problem with that?

This is what we failed to do after Bush stole the election in 2000.

First, I spent much of the morning working on my novel. That is, I have been dictating my hand written pages into text files on my computer. Thank God for Dragon Naturally Speaking 10 (64 Bit Edition). I am getting much better at speaking and adding punctuation. "Open Quote" and Close Quote" were the toughest to get down without mush mouthing them.

Second, I mowed the lawn, with a weed trimmer. The GirlFriend™, who I love dearly, sold our lawn mower earlier this spring, thinking we'd not need it due to losing the house in foreclosure. What she didn't foresee was our not having to move out until the 12th of September. To top it off, the drum reel mower is lousy with grass 1 inch taller than it's cutting height. And since I've not mowed the lawn yet, it was...... oh say, 12 inches too long. So first I had to cut it down to size with the trimmer. I actually developed a swing that allowed me to get a really close cut that I didn't need to use the drum reel mower.

Anyway, I'm done for the day. I'm going to go to bed now. The rest of you behave, don't cause any undue commotions, and stay the hell of off my freshly mowed lawn, you damn kids.

UPDATE: Things are so much clearer in the morning, after a good night's sleep. I should have said "The GirlFriend™, who I love dearly, sold our motorized lawn mower earlier this spring, thinking we'd not need it due to losing the house in foreclosure" and then pointed out that the reel mower is not motorized.

Oh, and this is what a drum mower looks like.

Now, get the hell off my lawn.

Ah, bad language, so NSFW.

Of course I expect the rabid right wing conservatives to go, well, rabid over sexist jokes at the expense of Sara Palin. However, I am a little shocked over John Cole's reaction to David Letterman's Top Ten for the day.



Look. David Letterman is a comedian. Also, he's a comedian now seriously taking a hit because of the New Boy In The Time Slot. Yes, he's going to become more cutting and push the envelop. You might say he's going to become even more of a media slut. Should he be ashamed of himself? Ah, no. He's a comedian.

Sorry John, your inner libertarian is on vacation, I think. Either that, or you're having a rabid conservative flashback. Maybe you should go smack a piñata around for a while.

Even for right-wing wackos, this is amazingly stupid on so many levels that you just have to wonder at their ability to cram so much idiocy into one package; it's like a piñata of asshattery.

I know I don't get a lot of traffic most days, and I'm pretty sure very few of them are photoshop experts, but piñata of asshattery is just begging for a photoshop session. I'd do it myself, but I suck at photoshopping.