Rants -- March 30, 2008

Welcome to the March 30, 2008 edition of Rants. We got a lot of posts submitted; I apologize for getting this edition out so late on Sunday.

Eric Thompson presents Presidential Elections posted at Why I Loathe, saying, "I know it is a late submission but I just found this carnival. Please consider this article for your carnival."

Charles H. Green presents Great Moments in Self-Regulation: Financial Planners and CFP Board posted at Trust Matters, saying, "Financial planners pretend to self regulate. But when they won't even tell you what they've done about a member who was convicted in court, who can trust them?"

Madeleine Begun Kane presents Ode To Colorado: Nanny State posted at Mad Kane's Political Madness.

NotYourDaddy presents Protectionism isn't Patriotic posted at Government is not your Daddy., saying, "A free market means you have to be competitive. If you can’t deliver the best value, you lose. And that’s exactly as it should be. If we want American technology to be the best in the world, then it has to be able to compete in the world marketplace."

NotYourDaddy presents Barack Obama -- Man of Mystery posted at Government is not your Daddy., saying, "Barack Obama has captured the imagination of the nation. He’s so wholesome, so sincere, so charismatic and charming, he almost comes off as naive. But underneath his ultra-smooth exterior, he’s obviously a very complex, and very conflicted, man."

NotYourDaddy presents Nuclear Terrorism -- Coming Soon posted at Government is not your Daddy., saying, "Iran has a proven track record as a world leader in the funding and training of radical Islamic terrorists. Why would anybody be gullible enough to believe that this terrorist nation is amassing all the means to build nuclear weapons “for purely industrial purposes?”"

NotYourDaddy presents Alternative Energy and the Law of Unintended Consequences posted at Government is not your Daddy., saying, "The environmentalist lobby has been haranguing us for years about alternative energy sources. However, every alternative energy source comes with its own set of issues. Once it’s implemented, the environmentalists turn to attack the new energy source with the same fervor with which they previously promoted it."

NotYourDaddy presents Obamanomics posted at Government is not your Daddy., saying, "almost seems to have become a modern cult figure, with hysterical fans fainting and squealing at his appearances, and all the frenetic excitement he’s generating among the young and ‘young at heart.’ So I decided to visit his Web site and see if I can figure out where he actually stands on some issues."

Carole G. McKay presents Hilary, Bill and Noah Webster posted at McKay Today, saying, "A candid look at how we lie to ourselves and others and the price we pay for looking the other way."

Holly Ord presents Your Sexual History, Alcohol Consumption, Clothing and Location: Reasons Why You’re to Blame for Being Raped posted at Menstrual Poetry.

Lindsey Moore presents The New Improved Hillary posted at The Super Fickle Pickle.

Jeffrey Stingerstein presents UN Chief Condemns Airing of Film, But Condones Murder of Monks in Both China and Burma posted at Disillusioned Words.

Sammy Benoit presents DEMOCRATS, STUPIDITY and CAIR- They Just Seem to Go Together posted at YID With LID.

Sammy Benoit presents Israel Rejects Visit from the Four Monkeys of the Apocalypse posted at YID With LID.

Holly Ord presents The Psychology Behind Men and Prostitutes posted at Menstrual Poetry, saying, "Why do so many men seek out prostitutes? An explanation of society and what men feel is expected of them while also battling selfish desires and sexual needs."

Raymond presents The IRS Economic Stimulus Notice Letter Is A Waste Of Taxpayer Money posted at Money Blue Book.

Raymond presents Making Fun Of Late Night Infomercials Using Hotties With Assets To Sell Get Rich Schemes posted at Money Blue Book.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of Rants using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati Tags: Rants | blog carnival

Is Hillary Clinton a Liar?

Is Hillary Clinton a liar because her lips are moving or because she's a politician?

She's like Jon Lovitz ("Yeah, that's the ticket. Morgan Fairchild is my wife.") in SNL...can't keep herself from lying. And the bigger the lie, the better.

I'm not one to say she should bow out from the race because she lied (she should bow out because she cannot against McCain), but I will say that we don't need her stupid playground antics in our foreign policy playground. We've got that already in George "Wuss" Bush.

Humor
Hillary Says 8-Year-Old Bosnian Girl Was Actually Sniper
Hillary Says She ‘Misspoke’ About Wrestling Bin Laden

This is not funny


Fox News
Washington Post
Reuters on Yahoo!

Technorati Tags: Hillary Clinton | Barack Obama | Bosnia | presidential experience | George W. Bush | John McCain

Rants -- March 23, 2008

Welcome to the March 23, 2008 edition of Rants.

Holly Ord presents Crisis Pregnancy Centers Having to Tell People They Lie? Hells Yes! posted at Menstrual Poetry.

Natalie Cook presents Now You Want to Talk posted at Like I Say.

James Brausch presents Why Don't You Just Eat Less? posted at Weight Loss Dude.

Wenchypoo presents The Self-Help Guide to Living in a Free Society (Super L-O-N-G) posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo's Mental Wastebasket.

Laslo Weger presents Modern Tribalism posted at Outsider's View, saying, "The mantra of the current crop of politicians seems to be "Our party uber alles"..."

Michael Bass presents From the Headlines: Home Power and Reason magazines posted at Debt Prison, saying, "I would like to propose some legislation of my own. We’ll call it “The Greenest of Green Energy Bill to Reclaim America’s Hazeless Sunsets and Clean Mountain Water.”"

Madeleine Begun Kane presents Ode To "Foreign Policy Maven" McCain posted at Mad Kane's Political Madness.

ben presents Serbia, The Paraguay Of Europe posted at Head Wide Open.

Peter Jones presents Ironies in the American Life: New Book Rants About All posted at Great New Books that Are a Must Read.

nichole halsey presents Shame on the Today Show!!! « Bad Human! Don’t take chemicals from strangers! posted at Bad Human! Don't take chemicals from strangers!.

Leon Gettler presents The true cost of the Iraq war: a business analysis posted at Sox First, saying, "What's the true cost of the war in Iraq? Here is a business analysis and it looks a lot worse than people think."

Phil B. presents Stop Watering Your Lawn <<> posted at Phil for Humanity, saying, "My dream is that one day people will stop being so wasteful."

Raymond presents The Slowly Fading and Elusive American Dream of Home Ownership posted at Money Blue Book.

Sammy Benoit presents Obama's Desperation-HOW DO YOU THROW GRANDMA UNDER THE BUS? posted at YID With LID.

Sammy Benoit presents ENOUGH! I'm Switching From TV News to GILLIGANS ISLAND posted at YID With LID.

Jeffrey Stingerstein presents The US and Recessions posted at Disillusioned Words.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of rants using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: rants, blog carnival.

President Bush Reveals New Prescription Drug Plan

And it's tainted water!

The Borowitz Report .com

Technorati Tags: prescription drug plan | Bush | Borowitz Report | water | tap water | safe drinking water | unsafe drinking water | pollution | taint

Rants -- March 16, 2008

Welcome to the March 16, 2008 edition of Rants.

Sapphocrat presents Michelle Obama Just Won't Shut Up (But She Does Want to Meet Me, Right After She Rips Out Bill Clinton's Eyes) posted at Lavender Newswire, saying, "Not all Democrats have drunk the Obama Kool-Aid; here's one who rails against Michelle Obama's repeated, embarrassing, and downright dangerous denigration of the United States -- and sees Mr. and Mrs. Barack Obama for exactly what they are: A wealthy, privileged couple whose "just plain folks" schtick is just plain bunk."

Sammy Benoit presents Seething at the Appeasers of Terror. posted at YID With LID.

Shaheen Lakhan presents Elderly Patients Face Tough Barriers When Voting posted at GNIF Brain Blogger.

Guy Patterson presents U.S. Internet Service Providers Should Be Ashamed posted at Nullamatix - Technology & Security Made Simple.

Wenchypoo presents Update: The FairTax Crafter Finally Answers Me posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo's Mental Wastebasket, saying, "Beware the FairTax plan--this is what happens when we citizens fail to pay attention and fall for the charismatic Koolaid (again). It's happening with Obamania right now, and happened with Huckabee's run until he ran out of money."

Gavin R. Putland presents Mutual obligation for property bludgers posted at /etc/cron.whenever/.

TheLittlestGuy presents carbon cycle posted at TheLittlestGuy, saying, "Recently, the word ‘carbon’ has been in a lot of buzz words… carbon-this, carbon-that. It’s time to stop throwing words around and to truly understand what is important about the world’s carbon problem."

Jay presents jaypross1: Air Travel Etiquette - Everyone should read this, and pass a test on it posted at jaypross1.

Holly Ord presents Voting for Hillary Just Because She’s a Woman? posted at Menstrual Poetry, saying, "Some women believe that they must vote for Hillary just because she's a woman and that is bullshit."

Laslo Weger presents Obama's "I didn't do it". posted at Outsider's View, saying, "Voting record shows the two leading democratic contenders are basically identical."

Laslo Weger presents On Lack of Candidates posted at Outsider's View, saying, "Presidential candidates have no more choice: they have to get more money one way or another. Usually from our pockets."

Richard presents Roger Chapin & Christopher O’Donnell’s Iraq War Scam posted at The Foothills Opinion Post, saying, "This is my beef with these phony Charities."

Fred Fry presents Norway and UK Pay Nuke Money as Russia Threatens West posted at Fred Fry International, saying, "The international community is paying to clean-up Russia's cold-war nuclear waste mess. The US gave Russia about $1 billion last year, all as Russia threatens the 'west' with a new cold war. Maybe they wouldn't be sold bold if they had to do the cleaning for a change. Note: This links to two related posts."

Archvillain presents Lost Cause posted at A Dark and Sinister Force for Good, saying, "A Puritan can be defined as someone who is deeply afraid that someone, somewhere, might be enjoying himself. Why continue fighting a war to preserve Puritan ideaology?"

billspaced presents How Government Makes Things Worse posted at Rants 'n Reviews: Observations from a real conservative OR Rubbing slightly more salt into the wound, saying, "We're the government, and we're here to help."

billspaced presents There IS Something in the Water! posted at Rants 'n Reviews: Observations from a real conservative OR Rubbing slightly more salt into the wound, saying, "There IS something in the water!"

Raymond presents Living In A Litigious American Society Obsessed With Filing Lawsuits posted at Money Blue Book.

Geoffrey presents Hybrids still make sense (even if the Wall Street Journal doesn't) posted at We Op-Ed, saying, "Shining some much needed light on the absurdities of the WSJ's fear mongering about the impact of hybrid vehicles."

CapeTownDissentator presents The Primaries Continue: Could Clinton 2008 Become Nader 2000? posted at We Op-Ed, saying, "If this Democratic primary season keeps going, I wonder how history might view the Clinton campaign."

Suldog presents It's A Great Day For The Semi-Irish! posted at Suldog-O-Rama, saying, "Happy Saint Patrick's Day!"

Madeleine Begun Kane presents Ode To Eliot Spitzer posted at Mad Kane's Political Madness.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of Rants using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati Tags: rants | blog carnival

Sally Kern is a Stupid Homophobic Bitch

This is a link to a letter written by a victim of the Oklahoma City bombing regarding the stupid comments made by his representative. I have nothing to say that his letter hasn't already said on the subject. Except to say that Sally Kern is quite possibly the dumbest person in the galaxy.

Said she: “I honestly think it’s (homosexuality) the biggest threat our nation has, even more so than terrorism or Islam.”

Sally Kern is a stupid homophobe (my words not his)

How Government Makes Things Worse

Here's a piece from the Boston Globe that takes an interesting look at the mortgage meltdown and the boom in ethanol production and draws one conclusion: It's the government's fault.

Congress, with the President's urging, passed a bill that mandates increasing six-fold ethanol production, in the hope that doing so will decrease CO2 production, but recent studies show that doing so will increase CO2 production, while at the same time causing the poor to starve. Nice.

By the same "We're the government and we're here to help" token, Congress, passed laws that encouraged lending to those who had no business borrowing money, thus causing the mortgage meltdown and ensuing (and still going) credit crunch.

There is a thread of truth in this story, but it's contrived. Ethanol can help in the short term, but it's really only going to cause the next boom in the boom-and-bust business cycle: Commodities.

And poor people are being harmed, as production of corn moves away from its being a food source to being a fuel source.

But I have to strongly disagree that the mortgage mess in which we find ourselves is entirely the fault of government. No.

It's the fault of greedy people on both sides of the transaction, both getting caught up in the speculative frenzy we called the housing boom. As long as real estate increased in value, both sides won.

It was a giant Ponzi scheme. And it worked, as they all do, for quite some time and quite a few people got rich. And the got out.

It's been going on since the dawn of time. There's a reason that greed is one of the 7 deadly sins.

How government makes things worse - The Boston Globe

Tags: Mortgage Meltdown, Credit Crunch, ethanol, poor, starving, economy, real estate, CO2 emissions, gasoline substitute

Eliot Spitzer Resigns. No, Really.

The tyrant from NY resigned today, really this time. What a jackass. Damn it, there were lots more jokes to be made.

Here's David Letterman's Top Ten Messages Left on Eliot Spitzer's Answering Machine:

1. Hey, what's new?
2. It's Barack Obama. Remember our conversation about being my running mate? Nevermind.
3. Ralph Nader here, glad to hear I'm not the only politician who has to pay for it.
4. I'm calling from the 'New York Post.' Would you rather be known as 'Disgraced Gov Perv' or 'Humiliated Whore Fiend'?
   
5. This is John McCain, if it makes you feel better, I once got caught having sex with Lincoln's wife.
   
6. It's Dr. Phil, call me if you need any horse**** advice.
   
7. This is Senator Larry Craig. Do you ever go through the Minneapolis airport?
   
8. It's Wolf Blitzer. Call me if you ever want a hot Spitzer-Blitzer three-way.
   
9. Paris Hilton here. I would have done it for free.
   
10. It's Arnold Schwarzenegger. Thanks, I'm no longer America's creepiest governor.

Technorati Tags: Eliot Spitzer, David Letterman, Ralph Nader, Dr Phil, Larry Craig, Wolf Blitzer, Paris Hilton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Barack Obama, David Letterman's Top Ten

30 Useful Websites You Probably Didn't Know About

Some great web sites here...

30 Useful Websites You Probably Didn't Know About

Two Stain Removal Guides

How to remove many common stains. I always forget about how to do this...and then just apply some commercial stain remover and hope for the best. Maybe next time, I will look this one up before I let the stain set.

Stain Removal - School of Fibre Science and Technology
Out Spot Out

Tags: stain remover, how-to, how to remove stains

There IS Something in the Water!

So it seems that there is something in the water after all. When my wife was pregnant with my first son, it seemed that every other woman in the office was pregnant, too. The joke was that there must be something in the water.

Turns out, there is. But it's not making women pregnant, or even more fertile.

Or is it?

Conspiracy theorists might say that the government is tainting our water in order to control us. They might be right. At the very least, the government, through knowledge of the problem and inaction, has made a choice: Let us drink water at our own peril.

An AP investigation found that the tap water of at least 41 million American citizens is tainted with pharmaceuticals like ibuprofen, anti-depressants, and Viagra.

Nice.

I say, put in more! We could have happy zombies walking around in a daze with boners. And nobody will get pregnant because there is so much birth control medication in the water that the survival of the species is at risk.

I say this all in jest, of course. But it's a sad fact that we have become a drug-addicted bunch of lazy people wanting a quick fix to everything but aren't willing to pay for a real solution. The real solution, by the way, is a better water treatment system. Private enterprise, no doubt, will find a solution to this problem, but only at a huge cost. If the government gave a damn, they figure out a resolution pronto.

But there's really no incentive, is there? In fact, a voting public with its wits fully intact is kind of counter to the power elite's cause.

AP probe finds drugs in drinking water - Yahoo! News

Tags: tainted tap water, FDA, Viagra

Eliot Spitzer Resigns

...from the Emperors VIP Club!!!

The Borowitz Report .com

Read more about it here (the real story).

Technorati Tags: Eliot Spitzer, whore, prostitution, VIP Club

Clinton Campaign Pulls Out All Stops, Suggest Obama Go to the Back of the Bus

The Clinton campaign is gasping for air as it's run out of money recently and good ideas, well, before it started. They're suggesting the equivalent of Barack Obama being sent to the back of the bus because he's black and better than they are.

Yes, that's right. Obama should be Hillary's house boy.

Clinton suggested that Obama run as her VP. What a slap in the face!

Obama's answer:

With all due respect. I won twice as many states as Sen. Clinton. I've won more of the popular vote than Sen. Clinton. I have more delegates than Sen. Clinton. So, I don't know how somebody who's in second place is offering vice presidency to the person who's in first place.

Take that, bitch.

Clinton does not know when or where to stop. She and her omnipotent husband will do anything to regain power. She will even whore out her daughter to solicit the votes of the so-called "Super delegates" (I call them Communists, or, in today's vernacular, Al Qaeda). I can't wait until Chelsea runs for high office.

The inevitable battle royale at the DNC convention will show us one thing: The Democrats will always find a way to lose. I know what the voters will be thinking, especially those on the fence: You Democrats can't even run your own party, how can I expect you to run the country?

A backroom deal will be done and it won't include Barack Obama, the brightest star to come out of the Democratic party in a long, long time.

Obama rejects being Clinton's No. 2 - CNN.com

Tags: Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Democrats, DNC, super delegates

N.Y. Times: New York governor linked to prostitution - CNN.com

I knew this guy was an asshole from day 1. Power hungry miscreant.

Now, maybe it's time for his ass to be on trial. What a goon.

N.Y. Times: New York governor linked to prostitution - CNN.com

Tags: Eliot Spitzer, New York Governor, Attorney General

Rants -- March 9, 2008

Welcome to the March 9, 2008 edition of Rants. That's right, we've gone weekly! I will try to post the latest Rants submissions by Sunday night each week. This should increase the readership by keeping things interesting and by keeping the reading to a more manageable level. It's terribly difficult to read 50 or more posts in one sitting. Now, you will be able to read 10-15 posts per sitting. If I get more than that in a week, I'll post more frequent editions of Rants. If I get less, I'll post less often. Cool?

Ian Welsh presents Essential Insanity posted at Firedoglake.

Michael Bass presents The Economics of Gold Investments posted at Debt Prison, saying, "The real question is can a discretionary paper currency managed by Central Bankers perform as well a gold standard?"

Charles H. Green presents Fighting Cynicism posted at Trust Matters, saying, "Does hip snide advertising actually work? Or does representing people who use your products as, fundamentally, losers, actually devalue your brand and your product?"

Clever Elsie presents It's a Wedding, Not a Coronation posted at Singletude: A Positive Blog for Singles, saying, "A rant about a different kind of carnival--the circus carnival of the contemporary wedding."

Clever Elsie presents "Marry Him" by Lori Gottlieb: A Singletude Response posted at Singletude: A Positive Blog for Singles, saying, "A feminist rant in answer to Lori Gottlieb's "Marry Him," which exhorts women to grab the nearest alcoholic bipolar gambler if he can offer you a ring!"

adso.of.melk1@gmail.com presents Pot vs. Kettle posted at Lorem Ipsum, saying, "Hillary as Dominating Mama -- or is it Tony Soprano? Either way, she's hunted the wrong game."

Madeleine Begun Kane presents Dear Ralph: Go Away! posted at Mad Kane's Political Madness.

Jeffrey Stingerstein presents Abortion (a secular response to Richard Dawkins) posted at Disillusioned Words.

Holly Ord presents George Bush Thinks Poverty, Death and Abuse are Blessings of Freedom posted at Menstrual Poetry.

blue skelton presents George Bush Tap Dancing posted at Blue Skelton Publications, saying, "Here is a viral video of George Bush Tap Dancing. I usually don’t post funny videos but I had to in this case. I came across this video on YouTube of George Bush Tap Dancing. This is the funniest thing that I have seen in an awhile. Not only can he President with Dignitude, he can also dance."

Christine presents Is Marriage Outdated? posted at Me, My Kid and Life: An American Single Mom Living in France.

Brent Diggs presents What The Promised Recession Means To You As An American posted at The Ominous Comma, saying, "Urgent Economic Humor, read at once."

Stacey presents Is Obama?s Change an Empty Message? posted at Boiled Over, saying, "Thank you."

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of Rants using our carnival submission form.

Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: rants, blog carnival.

Is Obama Hitler?

So I was listening to AM talk radio this morning (KSFO's The Lee Rogers Show) and one of the so-called conservative radio show co-hosts played an audio clip of an Obama rally and compared the tempo and crowd fervor to a Hitler speech in the early 1930s.

He and his co-host, Lee Rogers, went to great lengths to explain that they weren't comparing the content of the speech, only the atmosphere and tempo. (Of course they weren't comparing the content. Far as I know, they don't speak German, nor does Obama!)






This is why I believe that they really were comparing Obama to Hitler. The mere suggestion of a similarity was the reason they brought it up.

C'mon! Obama and Hitler? Are they freakin' serious?

I will compare the two also, in this way. The reason Obama gets his crazy crowds is the same reason Hitler got his.

Much of the country is down. Our spirits have been demolished by the economy, the mortgage meltdown, the credit crunch, the Iraq war, the rampant poverty, the growing distance between the haves and have nots.

If you know your history, you'll remember that the Germans' rise to world power was the result of their treatment after World War I. That's right, the aftermath of World War I caused World War II.

When a country is so beaten down as the Germans were, they look to a charismatic leader who promises hope, fairness, and prosperity. National pride. Some call it jingoism. The Germans called it survival. Inflation was rampant, their economy weak, poverty was rising, etc. All those same things going on here.

What a lot of Americans need right now is hope. A belief that somebody gives a shit about them. Somebody who offers the promise of fairness. Hope. Honesty. Competence. And dare I say...

Leadership.

Whether or not Barack Obama delivers on the messages he makes remains to be seen. However, millions of people are banking on him.

Just like millions of Germans banked on Hitler.

I don't think Obama has an evil bone in his body, unlike Hitler, who made it known before he rose to power that he was an evil, bigoted person.

Technorati Tags: Hitler, Barack Obama

John McCain Is A Kook!

In the interest of being as unfair as possible, I've put up a web site about Senator John McCain. It's full of facts, figures, and hyperbole.

Well, it's all hyperbole. Most of it is made up. I do, however, think he's crazy. He TOTALLY scares me. If he's elected president, god help us all.

This is not to say that I think Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama will make decent -- or better -- presidents. Well, in the case of Obama, I'm lying. I think he'll be a great president. I'm just not sure enough people agree with me, so he may never get a chance.

John McCain Is A Kook!
Profile in Courage: John McCain?
More on Senator McBain

Technorati Tags: Senator John McCain, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Vietnam, 2008 Presidential candidate, Republican front runner

Profile in Courage: John McCain?

Some people seem to believe that John McCain is more qualified than Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama to be president. When asked why, they say it's because he's been in Washington for such a long time (precisely the wrong answer). Then they say it's because he's such a rebel; he doesn't run with the crowd (again, wrong answer). Finally, when pressed, they say it's about his experience in Vietnam (um, wrong again).

I want to tackle each of these misguided notions in turn.

First on the confusion between time served and contribution. While John McCain made a valiant attempt at campaign finance reform with the overused "McCain-Feingold" legislation passed in 2002, quite oddly after his failed run for president the first time around. It will be interesting to see which dog he gives no teeth when (if?) he loses this time around.

Let's not forget that McCain has had his share of, shall we say, unscrupulous conduct. "The Keating Five" comes immediately to mind, thus far part of the biggest capital vacuum this country has ever seen (time will tell that the latest banking fiasco, the Mortgage Meltdown or the Credit Crunch, whichever, is bigger, but back in the 80s, the Savings & Loan debacle was HUGE).

The Keating Five, as it became known, was a scandal precipitated by the failure of Lincoln Savings & Loan, which ultimately cost taxpayers over $3 billion (not to mention all of the other failed S&Ls which cost over $500 billion). Five senators were accused of meddling in a government agency's investigation into the failed Lincoln S&L. To be fair, 3 senators were found, by their own peers, to have improperly interfered with the investigation, to the degree that they had their hands slapped; John McCain was found to have only "minimally interfered" and thus only got a hand-wringing.

Essentially, Lincoln and its chairman, Charles Keating, had given the 5 senators a boatload of money ($1.3 million, collectively). In return, he and the bank sought "assistance" when the time arose with dealing with any investigations. It was a classic "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" case of "campaign finance" shenanigans.

You will never hear John McCain speak of this scandal. I am surprised that there hasn't been made more of this. He was a direct beneficiary of exactly the BS that he supposedly is so against. Granted, that was 20 years ago, but can a leopard really change its spots? I think not.

McCain only became interested in campaign finance reform when it benefited him. He got a really bad taste in his mouth after he was smeared, literally and figuratively, by George Bush and Karl "Marx" Rove in the 2001 primaries. The Bush camp put out the story that McCain had fathered a black child. How did they do this? With money. Hence, campaign reform became McCain's pet project.

McCain recently has bee scrutinized, though not very much and the NY Times did nobody any service by their crappy journalistic garbage, for his dealings with a particular lobbyist (who proceeded to tell anyone and everyone about her relationship with McCain). All the Time had to say was that McCain had close ties with a lobbyist. Then mention the company for which the lobbyist lobbied, and follow the money. If there was a story, that would have been the route I chose to take. But no, the Times, in their quest to become the New York Enquirer, chose to make this an accusatory piece on McCain, suggesting that he had an affair with the lobbyist. While this would have been news had the lobbyist been a homosexual, or, as the Republicans like to claim, "a straight man who likes to have sex with other men," this was not a story because the lobbyist was, ahem, a woman.

No story there. Politicians have been having affairs with women since the dawn of time.

Read John McCain Has Some Explaining To Do.

So, keep the Keating Five in mind next time McCain's no Bullshit Express comes to a town near you.

Let's move on to the rebel in John McCain. "They" (whoever "they" is) say McCain is a maverick. A leader. Not a member of the sheeple. I say, BS. He's a politician for crissakes. He simply -- sometimes -- says inflammatory things about his co-workers. Just think if you openly called your peers jackasses. You'd be called "fired." But not John McCain. He's called a reformer. A man who can "reach across the aisle" (by the way, why is there an aisle? Shouldn't we try to integrate, rather than segregate, these assholes?).

John McCain is Uncle Fester. He's the uncle at Christmas dinner you wish wasn't there. He makes rude comments, laughs about it, then proceeds to eat the entire ham. With his grubby paws.

John McCain is no more maverick than Eeyore of Winnie-the-Pooh fame.

Read John McCain Is Not Very Nice.

Onto his Vietnam record. "They" say he's a war hero. I say he's a shitty pilot, shot down over Vietnam and then tortured nearly to death. While surviving torture for years proves he is resilient, it does not prove John McCain is a hero. A hero saves people. A hero is Super Man. Not a guy who failed in his singular mission.

Sorry to be so harsh, but I get really bent out of shape when people start talking about heroes. There's a difference between greatly admiring and respecting somebody and a hero. I give props to McCain for surviving. But he's no hero. Who did he save from a burning airplane? Who did he rescue from a collapsed building? Who did he get down from falling tower?

If anything, a true war hero was beaten to a pulp by the political machine that John McCain helped to make what it is today. Of course, I'm speaking of John Kerry.

We can disagree on whether McCain is a hero. However, I'd like to know how "they" can say his experience gives him a leg up on his opponents. I say quite the contrary. I think the torture he experienced made him a little kooky. Maybe a lot kooky. The guy is a whack job if I've ever seen one.

He is scary insane: You know those guys who are "normal" and then one day snap? That's John McCain. I just hope he doesn't snap while Commander in Chief. "There he goes again. He just ordered an air raid on Cuba because they would not send him a box of cigars." I can hear it now.

Read John McCain Is Going To Be President.

I admit that I haven't addressed the above failings and shortcomings in relation to his opponents. I will be the first to tell you that Hillary and Barack don't have much experience either. But I'm not convinced that experience is the key to being a great, or deserving, president.

It just chaps my hide when people talk of McCain's "vast experience" and how that matters. After all, how many of these guys and gals have ever been president before? Zero.

They're career politicians. McCain has been in DC for 28 years, before that a career soldier. In other words, he's been on the taxpayers' dole his entire adult life. He knows nothing about the common man and woman: Their needs, their issues, their dreams that have been crushed by the beast we call Congress.

Read Experience: Who Needs It?

I don't want that in a president.

Do you?

List of articles where I mention John McCain

Agree or Disagree? Tell my why here!

Tags: John McCain, Keating Five, Savings and Loan, Lincoln Savings and Loan, McCain-Feingold, maverick, Republican candidate, President, 2008 presidential race, silly old white man, crazy old white man

Rants -- March 1, Part 2

This is part 2 of the March edition of Rants.

Charles H. Green presents Conversations with a Spambot posted at Trust Matters.

Wenchypoo presents Elections: The Ultimate Marketing Scheme posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo's Mental Wastebasket.

Jay presents jaypross1: Success has many fathers, failure has nothing but bastards posted at jaypross1.

BeThisWay presents If Fat People Can’t Eat at Restaurants then Stupid People Can’t Vote « Are You Going To Be This Way The Rest of The Time I Know You? posted at Are You Going To Be This Way The Rest of The Time I Know You?

Wenchypoo presents Proof Your Democrat Vote Really Doesn't Matter posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo's Mental Wastebasket.

Fruitpunch presents Keeping your cool posted at Fruit Punch Diary.

Thomas Carlyle presents History and Politics posted at The History Guru, saying, "Thomas Carlyle rants about History professors who pose as authorities on Politics."

Archvillain presents Waste, Fraud, and Abuse posted at A Dark and Sinister Force for Good, saying, "Always remember that the opposite of "Progress" is "Congress"."

Jon Swift presents Can John McCain Be Stopped? posted at Jon Swift, saying, "some patriotic conservatives have decided to become "suicide voters," pulling the lever for Clinton or Obama instead of McCain. I think this is a good plan and, taking a page from Malkin, conservatives should also vote for the most liberal candidates they can find in every contest in November. Let's hand over the entire government to the liberals and then see how the American people like it."

Wenchypoo presents Comparing Working vs. Staying Home posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo's Mental Wastebasket.

John Crenshaw presents The Biggest Scam Your Bank Gets Away With Everyday posted at Truthful Lending dot Com, saying, "This little known scam accounts for a huge portion of fees paid to banks every year and is going on right under your nose. The worst part is, it's completely legal."

Michael Bass presents Guns and The Power of Free People posted at Debt Prison, saying, "Currently America is divided on the issue of gun control. Americans want to maintain Individual Rights and the 2nd Amendment - but then also create false illusions of ‘gun free zones’ (micro-versions of a gun free America). The massacres we have witnessed at Virginia Tech, Northern Illinois University, and other institutions are a result of the ongoing legal conflict surrounding the gun control issue."

Phil B. presents All Men Are Not Created Equally « Phil for Humanity posted at Phil for Humanity, saying, "People are not equal. People will never be equal. However, individuals should be treated equally and fairly."

Madeleine Begun Kane presents Obama's Words - A Textbook Case Of Subtle Sexism posted at Mad Kane's Political Madness.

Alison Sharley presents Made in China -- Part II: Unscrupulous and Definitely Not Green posted at Healthy and Green by the Day.

NotYourDaddy presents There are Worse Things than McCain -- Really! posted at Government is not your Daddy.

NotYourDaddy presents Is "I Told You So" Worth the Price? posted at Government is not your Daddy.

NotYourDaddy presents Libertarian at Home, Conservative Abroad posted at Government is not your Daddy.

NotYourDaddy presents Sacrificing Israel posted at Government is not your Daddy.

NotYourDaddy presents Are We Really at War? posted at Government is not your Daddy.

NotYourDaddy presents America Sucks posted at Government is not your Daddy.

Carole G. McKay presents McCain's Self-Image posted at McKay Today, saying, "Its' never a statement about someone else, it's always a statement about us."

Brent Diggs presents From The Budding Flanks Of The Mississippi posted at The Ominous Comma, saying, "Humor, don't shoot."

Jay presents jaypross1: Why are people so lazy? posted at jaypross1.

billspaced presents Clinton Slams MSNBC and Shuster posted at Rants 'n Reviews: Observations from a real conservative OR Rubbing slightly more salt into the wound, saying, "Hillary Clinton slams MSNBC's David Shuster for basically stating the truth about Chelsea Clinton's role in her mom's campaign -- and gets suspended for it."

Matt presents 5 reasons to give up watching TV posted at Life is your Career, saying, "Television is an addiction. Here are 5 reasons to just say no."

PublicFlirt presents Improve your success in dating and relationships. posted at FeedBulletin for: financialbullet, saying, "How to use compliments with women to improve your success in dating and relationships."

Howard Ditkoff presents The Key Issue Suspiciously Missing from Ralph Nader’s “Table” posted at SystemsThinker.com Blog, saying, "Ralph Nader is at it again, running for president as a third candidate in a system designed to work well for only two. While many condemn Nader for running because he might "spoil" the election, there is actually a related, but more important issue that cuts to the heart of Nader's motives. It is one he rarely addresses and that the press rarely raises wtih him, but it challenges him to back up his claim that his campaign is indeed about opening up the doors to more voices and choices in our political systemI write about this conspicuously unaddressed issue in a very short piece entitled The Key Issue Suspiciously Missing from Ralph Nader's "Table""


Kevin Fleming presents Why Flash is Dying as a Website Platform posted at FOS Commerce Blog.

presents Congress gets lower approval than Bush! posted at The World Through my eyes, saying, "this congress disgusts me!

Life. Money. Development. presents Diet Tips for Preventing High Cholesterol Levels posted at Life. Money. Development., saying, "A neat collection of diet tips for keeping cholesterol in recommended levels."

Archvillain presents Four Boxes posted at A Dark and Sinister Force for Good, saying, "When Government gets too powerful, we get atrocities."

Josh Willis presents Annihilation Tuesday posted at The Wi11is, saying, "The real reason why the candidates are winning the primaries now"

Buffy presents Barack Obama. Do you think we?re that stupid? posted at The Gaytheist Agenda, saying, "After throwing LGBTs under the bus to garner votes from evangelicals, Obama now tries to win us over with pathetic magazine ads."

Laslo Weger presents Torture Straw Man posted at Outsider's View.

Raymond presents Would You Give Up Your Right To Vote For A Million Dollars? posted at Money Blue Book.

Raymond presents Female Bosses and the Queen Bee Syndrome | Money Blue Book posted at Money Blue Book.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of Rants using our carnival submission form.

Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: rants, blog carnival

Rants -- March 1, 2008 Part 1

Welcome to the March 1, 2008 edition of Rants. There were 47 posts covering a full variety of topics, the first 10 of which are presented immediately below. The others will be in the next post (right after this). I am trying this approach to give a little more attention to each submission and you won't have to feel like you have to read one GIANT post.

Jay presents jaypross1: One last piece on climate change posted at jaypross1, saying, "My last climate change piece... much more to argue about..."

Wenchypoo presents Do-It-Yourself Fair Tax Plan (Super L-O-N-G) posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo's Mental Wastebasket.

Logan Flatt, CFA presents Let's Be Frank, Barney: The Federal Reserve Hurts We The People. posted at PowerWealth.com, saying, "America’s economic problems are not due to market forces, laissez faire economic policies, or clever financial engineering. The pathogen that most afflicts the U.S. economy today is the Federal Reserve, which engages unwarrantably in the central planning of U.S. economic growth."

Phil B. presents The Alternative to Foreign Oil: The Solar-Hydrogen Economy « Phil for Humanity posted at Phil for Humanity, saying, "The only viable solution to the dependency on foreign oil is a solar hydrogen economy."

Fruitpunch presents The two main problems in life posted at Fruit Punch Diary.

Jay presents jaypross1: Is being a dumb, dumb a requirement for public office? posted at jaypross1.

R.Pettinger presents Reasons for Britain’s Debt Crisis posted at Mortgage Blog, saying, "Some reasons for Britain's debt crisis"

Avant News presents God Contrite About "Collateral Damage" in Huckabee Tornado Smite Attempt posted at Avant News.

Rob Moshe presents Live Your Best Life By Serving Others posted at Rob Schaumer, saying, "This is not necessarily a fitting post for your carnival. Once the project starts, each day I will recognize a fellow blogger that "Helped""

Mallu presents ऑफिस Games posted at Malluindelhi, saying, "Ah! Just killing time."

Tags: Rants, Blog Carnival