Geek Chic

I really like the idea of this: PolitiFact has dug through the archives and tracked down all of the promises that Obama made on the campaign trail, and are basically tracking the progress on them in real time.

At first this seemed unfair and unrealistic, but if you recall, Obama actually asked the American people to hold him to the promises he made.

Answering the call, PolitiFact made the ‘Obameter‘ which tracks Obama’s progress on each and every one of his 500 campaign promises.

It’s fascinating to see numbers and ratings on these things.  And honestly, looking at the numbers, he’s doing quite well.  Check it out for yourself.

Thanks VSL

I’m not sure when this is from, but it’s hilarious:

Sounds like a Monty Python sketch…

via failblog

I just read in The Huffington Post that Switzerland is voting today on a proposition to permanently implement an experimental prescription Heroin program.

You can read the full story (including a really insightful video clip) on BBC.

I am of so many minds about this as a concept. Part of me feels like this is a totally ridiculous idea.  But then the more open-minded part of me speaks up: “Maybe that’s just Nancy Regan’s voice in the back of your head telling you to ‘Just Say No to Drugs’.”  So ok. Let’s look at this rationally.  Does it work?  Sounds like the results thus far are inconclusive.  Except for the fact that the Swiss are seeing less addicts on their streets.  Which seems like a good thing right?  These people are being treated and cared for by the state.  That’s what we should be doing, right?  Proactively caring for those who are ailing in our society?

I concede, however, it’s really none of our business what Switzerland does to control its drug use problems.  Unless, of course, it’s working and we’re considering adopting it ourselves.  I don’t like that our media (and Britain’s too) feel like we can step in and judge what other countries do to solve their social problems.  I’m sure, from our repressed, narrow-minded, western perspective, this seems like an unholy idea: “Heroin prescribed by the state!  Dear god!  What next?”

But if it’s working, by their own standards, what’s wrong with it?

i thought this was cute, and surprisingly accurate:

Don’t believe it?  You can watch her reading her cues from her cheat sheet here.

and on a related note, just in case you can’t get enough of Sarah Palin, Hustler is making a porn featuring her look-alike.  I kid you not — you can read a scene from it here.

1. McCain has been saying for weeks that the ‘fundamentals of the economy are strong.’
2. Yesterday, Wall Street plunged 500 points in response to the disintegration of Lehman brothers (a 150 year old company) and the sale of Merrill Lynch to Bank of America.
3. Also yesterday, Matt Lauer asked McCain if he still thought the economy was strong.
4. He responded that Wall Street is ‘in crisis’ because of its own ‘greed and corruption,’ but, to clarify, in his mind the ‘fundamentals of the economy’ are the American workers. Just to be clear.

What?  What on earth does that mean?  The fundamentals of the economy are the workers.  In a sense that’s both incredibly obvious and seriously thickheaded… unless I’m missing something.  I’m sure he’s just trying to rescind his statement by simply rephrasing it (oh politics…).  But logically I’m not even sure what he’s trying to say.

A Fundamental of the Economy

1. The workers aren’t the problem!  It’s the system that’s screwed up! (to which we say… nobody thought the workers themselves were the problem)

2. America’s workers are in great shape and they will power the recovery of the economy! (which seems more than a little delusional.  How low is minimum wage?  How high is unemployment? How many jobs get sent overseas each year?  How many workers is Lehman about to lay off?)

3. Capitalist society is awesome! (seems like what that statement means in isolation, right?  The fundamentals of the economy are the workers.  … Except you can apply that statement to communism too, can’t you?  Maybe not that, then.  Republicans have never liked those galdern Reds.)

Any guesses anyone?

And I have to say… can someone please call him on the fact that he’s part of the ‘greed and corruption of Wall Street’ that is, in his view, the actual problem?

First off, he’s part of the same greedmongering system that got us into this in the first place.  Yes?  Maybe a little oversight isn’t such a bad idea after all.  (although, being a republican, McCain cannot call for more oversight.  he instead can only appeal to ‘Wall Street’ to try to be less greedy. good luck with that.)

Second, how is he not greedy himself?  He doesn’t even remember how many freaking houses he owns!  How many of those houses could he possibly need?

Karl Rove tells you you are:

“McCain has gone in some of his ads — similarly gone one step too far,” he told Fox News, “and sort of attributing to Obama things that are, you know, beyond the ‘100 percent truth’ test.”

As we know, Mr. Rove himself has a very low threshold for what passes the ‘100% Truth Test.’  If he can smell your lies… mabye it’s time to back off a bit?

Read more about how Rove thinks McCain went ‘too far’ on CNN

I’m really trying to keep my cool after watching Sarah Palin’s speech last night.  And the aftermath during which everyone seemed to think she really knocked one out of the park.

My favorite parts of her speech included:

• The standing ovation she got when she talked about how her opponent was wrong to have detainees at Guantanamo read their rights.  Boo constitution!  Yay police state!
• Her continual references to how Obama will raise taxes.  Neglecting to mention that these taxes would be those of the richest 5% of Americans.
• Her repeated references to how her opponent doesn’t want offshore drilling (incorrect!).
• The premise that offshore drilling alone will lead to energy independence.  As if the only reason why we keep importing oil from the Middle East is because we don’t want to waste our own vast reserves.  As if we have vast reserves.  As if it’s not all going to run out in our lifetimes.
• The repeated cut-aways to her pregnant daughter and ‘special needs child’
• The complete lack of any content.

The only thing that made me feel any better last night was watching the Daily Show.  John Stewart was on fire last night.  I really wish CNN would run stories like this.  Anderson Cooper is a smart guy too, right?  Why is it I feel like the only news source I can trus these days is Comedy Central?  <sigh>

Anyway, here’s Jonny:

Finally: apologies.  I try to keep this blog away from personal politics.  But I see a real danger in Sarah Palin — the fact that she’s being positioned as an untouchable martyr by the right makes her the perfect attack dog.  I really hope the Dems grow some teeth.  I can’t bear the thought of another 4 years of Reganomics.