Sanity Pills

Via Atrios:

“Muslims of America”

Andrea Mitchell last night:

MITCHELL: Well, a former intelligence official tells NBC News tonight that the people most likely to be swept up in this are listed in a Homeland Security database, Brian, called Muslims of America. But most people targeted are never charged with a crime. And one former official says this does amount to a giant electronic fishing expedition. Is it legal? The president says yes. Critics say no. Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter says his committee will hold hearings in the new year. Brian:

I just saw this on Atrios’ site and I need to do a quick comment. Since I have a lot of studying to do, I don’t even want to get into the substance of this story. Plus, its really just too awful for words anyway. I will, however, gladly take the time out to bash Ms. Greensp…uh…Mitchell:

Notice the bold part of the quote above. This is precisely what I hate about journalism.

I hate the use of the word critics generally. It diminishes their credibility and suggests that these “critics” will disagree with whatever the president says and does. It is also innacurate. From what I have been able to gather thus far, almost everyone who knows anything at all about the law believes that spying on American citizens without a warrant is completely illegal not to mention unneccesary. The only people who think it is legal belong to the completely deranged school of presidential infallability.

I am also completely fucking sick and tired of this “on the one hand…on the other hand” bullshit. It is this kind of “Shape of the Earth: Views Differ” fact-free reporting that I just can’t take anymore. Aren’t journalists supposed to try and discern the truth here? Am I going to be seeing stories that say:

“Is the government beaming radio signals into our brains to control our thoughts? Schitzophrenic says yes. Critics say no.”

Here we have the administration and some lunatic constitutional theorist(s) saying one thing and 99% of constitutional scholars saying another. Why the fuck do those two viewpoints get the same fucking mindless treatment?!

Rant over.

I didn’t think it was possible, but Rachel Ray comes across just as grating and soul-draining in print as she does on her TV show.

Q. Somehow I bet it’s a perky cranky.

A. No, I’m just cranky cranky. When I get really tired my voice starts to go, and I start to feel rundown, and when I’m around people I love and trust, I bark things. I mean, it’s not shameful, I’m not cussin’ at the people I love, but I do get bossy. And I beg to be babied. [She puts on a whiny voice.] ”I can’t find the clicker. Can you get the phone?”

Why is she popular? The premise of her new book is to have 365 dinner recipes so you never have to repeat anything for an entire year. How about this for a cookbook premise: make stuff I want to eat. Good recipes instead of a lot of shitty ones, that would be “Yummo!!”

Q. You must drink a ton of coffee.

A. It’s several pots a day. I’m not proud of it, but it’s true. And I can’t make coffee, that’s the hysterical part. That cranky girl I was telling you about, while she was writing this book she was getting her husband out of bed at 3 in the morning to make the coffee. I just can’t get it right. I can’t bake and I can’t make coffee.

Can’t cook either, bitch.

With this piece, and another pointless story about a family that bakes 3,000 cookies for Christmas, the Globe’s Food section secured its position at just below toilet-paper worthiness. If I had a dog, I wouldn’t let him wipe his paws on the rag.

The Globe deserves all its financial hardships and more for not having fired the interviewer, Joe Yonan (especially after his glowing review of the thoroughly unremarkable Rendezvous in Central Square).

Update: A friend brought this to my attention:

For a crew embarking on such a herculean feat, family members are remarkably relaxed. They’re a marvel of efficiency. “It’s our German genes,” says Dolores, adding that it also works because “there’s not a boss here. We just know instinctively what to do and how to do it.”

That’s from the article about the family that makes 3,000 cookies in a day. WTF. I think the implication is clear.

Even if it is crap like “Batman and Robin” because I have seen “good night and good luck” and “syriana” over a period of 3 days and loved them both. Neither movie is in the ranks of an all time great but both are very good and very timely flicks. I personally loved Syriana and the movies characterization of both prince nasir and the boy wasim. Here’s to hoping that Clooney keeps making intelligent timely movies.

Looks like the Boston area is about to get its first real snowfall of the season. I for one am a big fan of 6 to 10 inches. Big fan.

Fidel Castro poked fun at the chubbier (although more sober) Bush brother, calling Jeb an overweight slob, who has gained 52 pounds since entering office in 1999.

“Forgive me for using the term ‘fat little brother,’” said Castro. “It is not a criticism, rather a suggestion that he do some exercises and go on a diet, don’t you think? I’m doing this for the gentleman’s health.”

Bush’s straightforward retort:

“I will take any criticism from Fidel Castro, of all people, as an honor, given the fact that, you know, 8 million [Cuban] people … are repressed.”

Um, ok, fatty.

Don’t want your boyfriend to catch you with your ‘boyfriend’? Need a story that will allow you to skip the birth of your first-born? These people can help you.

Apparently we are moving beyond ‘first-world’ and into a category where scumbags can hire bigger scumbags to do their everyday dirty work. Gone are the days when goons-for-hire simply killed people. Now they will break up with my girlfriend for me. I wish I had thought of this idea first…

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=bizarre&id=3701373

Mel Gibson is producing a miniseries about the Holocaust.

If you don’t listen to WBUR you’re an asshole and I hate you. Also, if you don’t donate to them this year I hate you.

Pledge now or feel my wrath.

If you’re wondering why I’m so bitter its because none of you told me about this veritable gold mine of a resource. This station brings water to my eyes. Dr. Pants is very upset.

Bush supporter turned terrorist, Sami Al-Arian was acquitted on the major charges in his case today. The story behind this guy is nothing short of fascinating. You can find tons of interesting stuff here on Wikipedia, but I’ll paraphrase some amusing stuff here.

For his background, the Wikipedia link above should be consulted, but the FBI started investigating him in the 1990’s for various degrees of first amendment usage. Following that, who better to befriend than Bush himself: “After his brother-in-law, Mazen Al-Najjar was imprisoned on secret evidence, Al-Arian became politically active in the United States. He campaigned against the use of secret evidence in immigration cases and was for George W. Bush during the 2000 presidential election, and was photographed with Bush that year in Plant City, Florida. ”

Okay well thats something special right there. But what then?

The following year, Al-Arian’s son, Abdullah, became a congressional intern, but was by a mistake kicked out of a White House meeting, sparking a walkout by twenty other Muslims in attendance. However, President Bush soon apologized to the Al-Arian family for the incident. On June 20, 2001, Sami Al-Arian’s attended Eisenhower Office Building for a briefing, led by Karl Rove, with 160 other Muslim leaders.

Ah he must be a terrorist if his own brother is a Congressional intern deemed important enough to get an apology from the President himself. Then O’Reilly invited him on his show and accused him of being a shady character. Fun times.

Well as we know, O’Reilly attracts the most intelligent and productive members of society to watch his show, so they decided to take matters into their own hands.

Following the airing of the program, USF received several death threats for Al-Arian. University president Judy Genshaft placed Al-Arian on paid leave and barred him from the campus on September 27, ostensibly for his own safety and the safety of others at the university.

Thanks Bill, you’ve done the country a real service as always. I wonder if those lovely fellows in Kansas got hints from your show or parent network. I wouldn’t be surprised.

On February 20, 2003, the FBI arrested Al-Arian after indicting him and seven others on 50 terrorism-related charges. United States Attorney General John Ashcroft alleged at a press conference that Al-Arian was the North American head of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), and the secretary of the PIJ’s international organization.

FIFTY charges. If I have heard correctly, Ashcroft used this case to exemplify his backing of the Patriot Act and said that this is the result of putting it to good use. Clearly he was right.

I wish he had kept that feeling and gone far, far away.

“I think my record is going to speak for itself to the Creed fans. I think it’s going to be like when Sting left The Police.”

“With arms wide ooooopppppuuuunnnnn”