Fluffy Mackerel Pudding

Look at this fucking cast! Look at this fucking action! Look at the fucking opening! Look at this fucking trailer, fuckers!
http://www.aintitcool.com/node/44943

At the relevant time -- call it January 2002 through sometime in 2007, when we just gave up trying to understand his motivations for anything -- one of the big questions among those of us who weren't fond of GWB was "what's the real reason he wants to invade Iraq?". Threats of violence had quickly returned Saddam to compliance with the inspection regime, the No-Fly Zone and associated surveillance kept him securely contained, a free Kurdistan was wobbling to its feet, and any Al-Qaeda connection was based upon tenuous evidence of a distant alignment (held against compelling evidence of a vicious mutual antipathy).

By then, the "Corporate Greed-Monger" narrative for Bush and his controllers had already overcome the "Religiously Obsessed Bumpkin" narrative (though both had currency, along with "Monomaniacal Hegemony Humper" and "Daddy-Obsessed Revenge Seeker"). Back then, I made, to at least some people seeing this now, this joke.

"Joke".

Ha. Ha. Ha.

Well, I suppose it's better than my other joke theory.

Senator Sessions: Unable to distinguish between "should" and "can".

bOingbOing has Charles Platt guestblogging this week. After a WalMart-fellating post earlier this week, he's decided to use the platform of bb to promote Climate Change Denialism.

That's not funny, just annoying.

What's funny is the near-perfect Cory/Xeni chain-combo (starting with this post) linking excellent Climate Change sources, empirical evidence, analysis, and more.

When I talk about Mr. Doctorow, it's often to disagree on IP issues, but I have to thank him for responding to the pests in his own yard.

Under the proposed regulation, I believe that a pharmacist could refuse to dispense HIV/AIDS treatments on the basis that it is a punishment for sin, a new-age adherent pharmacist could refuse to dispense any non-homeopathic or herbal remedy, or a devoted monarchist could refuse to dispense medication for the treatment of scrofula.

Indeed, I don't see why a Christian Scientist pharmacist need do anything at all.

Born within 2 days of each other in 1947 (Both turning 61 next week). The new beards they're sporting make it especially eerie.

6:50 - Credentialed pollwatcher not being allowed in, apparently not an isolated problem.
7:01 - Machines not working, not strictly a problem for another 19 minutes.
7:15 - Apparently I have the popular phone. Some sites having machine problems, but they're properly taking paper emergency ballots (and one that was having problems is now coming up).
7:24 - Something we should have but don't (hopefully not an ongoing theme): A list of our pollwatchers, with phone numbers and precinct numbers.
7:55 - Some quotes from the very busy last half-hour: "No, they can't put them in a cardboard box, they have to go in the BACK OF THE MACHINE."; "The back of the machine. NOT just thrown in a bucket!"; "Have them call me. I can't work off rumors of interference, DAD."
8:12 - "There really should be a sitcom based on Giuliani's experience after the end of his latest marriage. A gay couple, an authoritarian mayor, and a poodle sharing an apartment."
8:49 - Scanner machines going down like John Sidney McCain III on a hydrological engineer. Some poll signs not up, and some disagreements over exactly how far one hundred feet is.
9:55 - Mostly scanner down complaints right now, some problems with absentee issues.
9:57 - Possible shenanigans involving the prez race not getting scanned at one polling place (downticket races being scanned) and secrecy not being preserved as the ballots are put in the emergency box.
10:54 - Mostly quiet now. The polls that were down are either up or making do, it's just keeping things running.
11:38 - Continues quiet. More calls are expected when people go to vote on their lunch breaks.
11:56 - Lady, I'm happy to help you with whatever you need, and I'm grateful that you took the time to poll-watch, but please, I am not your darling.
12:37 - "You voted wrong? I see. When? Four hours ago? I'll see what can be done, sir, but I'm not optimistic."
14:05 - Definitely in a slow period.
14:17 - I'm down here to help, but if PBC pooches it again I'm not going to be happy. I refer here to the hilariously stupid "draw a line" ballots.
14:28 - "Best" call of the day so far. Q: A husband and wife mistakenly put their absentee ballots together into an envelope and the wife signed it. Can we help them? Will either of their votes count? A: Probably only one ballot, possibly neither, almost certainly not both. Follow up Q: What if the precinct number on the ballot and secure envelope don't match? A: I don't see how that's possible, as they come in matched pairs. Clarification: What if a bunch of people got together to fill out their ballots together and there was a mistake? My internal dialogue: Apparently, people are having ballot-swapping parties; getting drunk, throwing their envelopes in a bowl, pulling them out at random and mailing their ballots in in whatever envelope they get.

Was planning to post last night, but wasn't up to fixing my mother's wireless without some sleep under me.

Eventful day yesterday: Saw an event with two of my favorite Congressmen, helped out the Boynton Obama office, had a nice dinner, collapsed after going 40 hours on 4 hours sleep, only 2.5 in a bed.

More interesting to come.

Sarah Palin doesn't look like Tina Fey, she looks like Peggy Hill.

Note: When seeking to verify this, one might wish to turn on SafeSearch if using Google Image Search. Just... trust me.