Dear Barry, A Reply to Barry 'n Me

Barrack~

When we began this journey three years ago, you said there would be jobs for me and my buddies. We are still waiting, but we're kind of old (50's). Could you see if someone could pick up the pace?

I really admire the way you have squared off against those entrenched special interests, like Van Jones, Shirley Sherrod and Elizabeth Warren. That will show the Republicans, Wall Street and corporate America who is the Boss.

They have stacked the deck, and I'm shifting the odds? How?

I am very impressed that you can sign your name Barry, but what happened to the 15% cap on credit card interest? Backbone problem?

I can tell you Barry, I'm not feeling all that historically significant. Maybe you could legalize marijuana or those Latino brothers and sisters we have been exploiting. That would be historic.

$5? Reread the first paragraph, please.

I'm all about eliminating fine print, with my old eyes.

I guess if you create some new agencies, you might have to cut back on the bailouts. Can't have everything, right?

Private sector job growth? That's a stretch, Barry.

Enough with the foundation references. What am I, a mason?

I like that victory and ending the fight thing. Could we try it in Afghanistan?

The hostage and politics thing is kind of confusing. I'm supposed to support your politics and accept a shitty health bill and an irrelevant financial regulation bill? Well, you the prez.

All in all, I'm going to stand with you, Barry. But you can forget the fucking $5, buddy.

Barry 'n Me

President Obama sent me another very gracious email today, effusively thanking me for being his wingman in the "lengthy struggle to build a new foundation for this country...". I normally get 1 per month but the pace has picked up in the last month. Barry, as he likes me to refer to him, must be lonely and have a little time on his hands. I know he would want me to share the text of his missive with as many people as possible:

Clarence --

When you and I set out on this journey three years ago, we knew that ours would be a lengthy struggle to build a new foundation for this country -- one that would require squaring off against the special interests who had spent decades stacking the deck in their favor.

Today, it is clear that you have shifted the odds.

This morning, I signed into law a bill that represents the most sweeping reforms of Wall Street since the Great Depression, and the toughest consumer financial protections this nation has ever seen. I know that I am able to do so only because the tens of thousands of volunteers who make up the backbone of this movement overcame the most potent attack ads and the most powerful lobbying the special interests could put forward.

Our special-interest opponents and their Republican allies have now set their sights on the elections in November as their best chance to overturn the historic progress we've made together.

Organizing for America counts entirely on supporters like you to fight back -- no special interests, no corporate PACs. To keep making change and to defend the change we have already won, we need you -- and at least 14 other people in your area -- to contribute so we have the resources necessary going into the election.

Please donate $5 today and help Organizing for America lay the groundwork for the fights ahead.

Because of Wall Street reform, we will ensure that Americans applying for a credit card, a mortgage, or a student loan will never again be asked to sign their name under pages of confusing fine print. We will crack down on abusive lending practices and make sure that lenders don't cheat the system -- and create a new watchdog to enforce these consumer protections.

And we will put an end to taxpayer-funded bailouts, giving us the ability to wind down any large financial institution if it should ever fail.

The passage of Wall Street reform is at the forefront of the change we seek, and it will provide a foundation for a stronger and safer economy.

It is a foundation built upon the progress of the Recovery Act, which has turned 22 months of job losses into six consecutive months of private-sector job growth. And it is a foundation reinforced by the historic health reform we passed this spring, which is already giving new benefits to more than 100 million Americans, ushering another 1 million Americans into coverage by next year.

But today's victory is not where our fight ends.

Organizing for America and I will move forward in the months ahead on the tough fights we have yet to finish -- even if cynics say we should wait until after the fall elections. This movement has never catered to the conventional wisdom of Washington. And we have fought to ensure that our progress is never held hostage by our politics.

You and I did not build this movement to win one election. We did not come together to pass one single piece of legislation. We are fighting for nothing less than a new foundation for our country -- and that work is not complete. As we face the challenges ahead, I am relying on you to stand with me.

Please donate $5 or more today:

Sounds like Barry is having money trouble. I'm going to stand with him, he can join me on the unemployment line. I'm saving him and Ben, Tim and Larry spots.

BP Photoshops The Spill

John Aravosis at AMERICAblog points out more deception by BP:

BP photoshops fake photo of crisis command center, posts on main BP site

Not hiring experts seems to be an ongoing problem with BP:

BP fakes another oil spill photo, this time of 'top kill' exercise

Of course, BP assures US:

...there was no ill intent.

Michael Roston at True/Slant has some potentially good news:

Word leaked out tonight via the Times of London that BP’s yachting CEO Tony Hayward is set to get back as much of his life as he’d like – he’ll step down as CEO within 10 weeks, they report.

The bad news is T.D. 3 ,

Tropical Depression #3 has formed in southeast Bahamas

The forecast storm path seems to be only slightly to the southwest of the spill site. Most work has been halted.

Yachting, anyone?

Listen To Your Father

Fox News personality Glenn Beck: I could go blind within the next year

Didn't Becks father tell him what causes that? What a jerk off.

Good bye, Mom

"Dixie Jo"

Joann Callahan Signor 1936-2010

Afghanistan-Exit Stage Left

There is no longer anything to be gained by pursuing this conflict, if there ever was any gain to be had. Killing people prematurely might give us a little psycho-boost, but why bother? They will die anyway.

The economics of modern warfare favor some sector specific companies, but no longer provide the bread and bullet boost of the 20th century conflicts. The US economy is obviously worse off due to the inefficiencies of modern warfare.

The humanist argument really sucks. Why we persist in believing we can beat humanity democracy capitalism subservience into people is mystifying.

Phantom Headlines

Just some random possibilities:

* Jan Brewer Appointed Ambassador To Mexico
* Lebron James Comes Out...Of The Closet
* Tony Hayward Knighted...Sword Slips
* Former Pres. George Bush To Complete Studies at U of Phoenix Online
* Osama Surrenders to Rolling Stone Scribe, Matt Taibbi
* Church Endorses Gay Marriage, Priests To Remain Celibate
* Busted!! World Cup Huge Dope Conspiracy
* Beck-Pelosi Sex Scandal Probed By PETA
* Stimulus Dollars Printed In Watercolor
* Boehner-Jacko 2nd Cousins
* Oprah-Leno To Wed In Native Alaskan Ceremony
* Palin To Cater Winfrey-Leno Nuptials
* Rhambo To Become Putin's Chief of Staff
* Michael Steele To Become White Woman
* FDA OK's Increased Dietary Hydrocarbon Content
* BP Opens Seafood Chain - Cites Increased Supply Efficiencies
* NASA Admits Lunar Landing Hoax
* NOAA Admits Gulf Oil Hoax
* Tiger Admits Sex With Marilyn Monroe
* Marilyn Monroe Admits Sex With Tiger

BP and Turtle Soup

BP Agrees to Stop Burning Endangered Sea Turtles Alive

BP and the U.S. agreed to inform the groups whether a biologist is present at controlled burns...

This appears to be a fine, durable agreement, for BP and the federal government. If no biologist is present, is the protocol to light it up anyway? Translucency is not transparency. BP and the feds have practiced a synchronized translucency, intended to obfuscate the truth, since the spill began. These are the two entities that caused this catastrophe and their criminal behavior is not changing.

Catherine Craig has posted this video on YouTube for our edification. Thanks.

Girls n Guns n Things

Rick Ungar at True/Slant has a post on Pamela Gormans latest campaign add.