A good question....

http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/dispatch/2004-10-15/cols_ventura.html

Does this Michael Ventura story hint at why half the nation clings to President Bush?

"... The question of identity rides on another question: Why, in spite of a disastrous economic and foreign policy record, does George W. Bush appeal deeply to nearly half our population – people largely as well-meaning and desirous of peace as the other half?

The answer is: Bush feigns certainty."

Perhaps we should spread the word to our conservative friends....

From Alas, a Blog:

Voting for pro-life politicians increases abortion

Posted by ampersand

"I've posted in the past about the curious fact that, if pro-lifers main goal is reducing abortion, they'd be better off supporting pro-choice politicians. Internationally, the countries with the lowest abortion rates are invariably countries that have legal abortion, strong welfare states and widely available (and encouraged) use of birth control. (In contrast, not a single country that has banned abortion has a low abortion rate; they simply have high rates of illegal abortion.)

"Now the evidence shows that what's true internationally is true domestically - in the USA, the policies pursued by pro-life politicians are associated with higher abortion rates. "

http://amptoons.poliblog.com/blog/001206.html

A-ha! My Nualans were the result of selective breeding!

I'd like to hear more about this study--

Truth Wizards Know Lie When They Hear One

Another AP Report

The clues aren't as obvious as Pinocchio's nose, but there's a small group of individuals who can detect the subtle signs that people reveal when they lie.

( Yes, some of us are better at recognizing a lie than others )

Police officers tend to be above average in cases involving crimes but not in emotional situations, she said, while therapists were just the opposite.

Oh-oh....

This one was an old joke from the USSR, and it's been updated. I'm smiling, but there's a wince here--just a little too much truth, after how people around the RNC were treated in NYC.

*********

So The President is doing yet another photo op at an elementary school, and this one’s been going pretty well, so he offers to take questions. A little boy raises his hand.

“Okay, you,” says George, smiling. “What’s your name?”

“Billy.”

“Billy. And what’s your question?”

“I have three questions,” Billy says. “First, why did you go to war without
UN approval? Second, why are you president when Gore got more votes? Third,
where’s Osama bin Laden?”

George is taken aback. “Uh, those are really hard questions,” he says.

Just then the bell rings. “Whoops, time for recess!” George says. “Guess
I’ll have to answer your questions when recess is over.”

After recess, when the kids have settled back down again, George says
“Okay, who’s got a question?”

A little kid raises his hand, and George calls on him.

“What’s your name?” George asks.

“Steve.”

“Okay, Steve. What’s your question?”

“I have five questions,” Steve says. “First, why did you go to war without
UN approval? Second, why are you president when Gore got more votes? Third,
where’s Osama bin Laden? Fourth, why did the bell for recess ring twenty
minutes early? And fifth, what happened to Billy?”

Do Homer and The Iliad live again?

Wow!

Take a look at The Bushiad.

Boy, this guy has been busy....

Maybe it IS the economy....

http://www.economist.com/world/na/displayStory.cfm?story_id=3262965

"ECONOMISTS FOR KERRY....A random selection of economists say that George Bush's economic policies stink. Really. The Economist has a nice graphic and everything.

Bottom line: except for trade policy, they rate Kerry superior on everything: fiscal discipline, preparing for the baby boom retirement, healthcare costs, job creation, energy policy, and economic growth."

O.M.G.--They stomped The Shrub!

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/17/opinion/17sun1.html?oref=login&oref=login&pagewanted=print&position=


When W told me the NY Times had endorsed Kerry strongly, I was not really surprised. I think of the NY Times as a moderate rag, trying to be neutral in most articles I read--especially after the editorial scandals of the past few years. But I don't read them regularly, so that may be a totally false impression. I didn't think they could in good conscience either endorse Bush or sit out the campaign as neutral.

I didn't expect them to throw a punch at The Shrub and follow it up with emptying an M-16 into him....

Not that everything they said isn't correct...to our sorrow.

Meme, anyone?

Copulating Meme (according to noiseinmyhead, who pinched it from staxxy:) How can I play this game? Everyone has better CD and DVD collections than I do...

Name a CD you own that no one else on your friends list does:

Well...How about "The Blue Huuuuuuuuu" by Christopher Tims

Name a book you own that nobody else on your friends list does:

I could be overlooking dozens of gems....Maybe "Los Remedios: Traditional Herbal Remedies of the Southwest", or "To Reign in Hell" by Stephen R. Brust, Steeldragon Press Edition? Or "Pow-Wows, or Long Lost Friend"?

Name a movie you own on DVD/VHS/whatever that no one else on your friends list does:

But I have hardly any on video or DVD!

"Sunday in the Park With George"


(I think I'm listening to Los Lobos, but Kut's play list icon is nowhere in sight on the index page of their web site....)