Today's edition of quick hits:
* With the sequester set to hit in two weeks, House Democrats would like to know why House Republicans have decided to take all of next week off. "They manufacture a crisis and then instead of trying to avert that crisis they go on a nine day recess. Why?" Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi asked.
* A breathtaking scene over Russia: "A meteor 15 meters across flared through the skies over Russia's Chelyabinsk region early Friday, triggering an atomic bomb-sized shock wave that injured nearly a thousand people, blew out windows and caused some Russians to fear the end of the world."
* Slain educators from Sandy Hook Elementary were honored today at the White House this afternoon.
* You won't believe some of the stuff he bought: "Former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. has been charged with spending $750,000 in campaign funds on personal expenses. His wife was charged with filing false income tax forms."
* A bipartisan agreement in the Senate is reportedly near on expanding the gun background-check system.
* The banking industry thinks Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is too mean. That's probably a good sign.
* The House Science Committee intends to hold a hearing on how to "better identify and address asteroids that pose a potential threat to Earth."
* No, CNN, the Carnival Triumph cruise ship story is not like Hurricane Katrina, and to draw the comparison is ridiculous.
* Fox News hired Herman Cain? Who could have imagined?
* Oh my: "The former Arizona director of a leading tea party group says he has scrapped plans to deliver Valentine's Day cards that featured murderous dictators including Adolf Hitler to Republican lawmakers believed to oppose anti-union legislation."
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
Leave a Comment:
Regarding the Russian meteor. BBC noted that the reason why there are so many good videos capturing this unanticipated event in the sky is that people have dashboard mounted video cameras to protect themselves from car accident fraud claims.
Thanks, John...that explains why I see so many amazing videos from Russian drivers... like this one, that caught a plane crash next to a freeway [watch the right side of the screen]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noi2HrhBvVY
or this one, that caught a truck load full of cows tipping over right in front of an oncoming car
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDXWE0a_Sbs
We get Russian Channels via DirecTv, and they are freaking out with 15 minute segments about the meteor. Even have Vladimir opining and calming the nation.
I just can't imagine having the Obama going on TV to pontificate at length about such a natural event.
I wonder if the Russian people who witnessed the flash or felt the effects of the blast thought OMG Bush and Cheney are back.
No, they are more running science punctuated by emotional hand wringers then some cute stories- eg. a tweet from Vesti (Rossia 24) had this picture: (link) The caption says the bears wanted a look at the meteor.
Whoa Joca- I poked around some more and the Real Low Down on this story according to Russia's version of Louis Gohmert is not far from your guess. The Nationalist whack job- Vladimir Zhirinovsky proclaimed the real truth- that the government scientists are not to be believed and that the US was testing a new experimental weapon over Russia. Zhirinovsky embellishes the story, adding that Kerry had tried to warn the Russian foreign minister about it, but communication problems prevented the warning from arriving in time.
I'm not making this up. (english version of story) (This Vesti story [russian] mentions Zhirinovsky's remarks (pretty much what's in the english story) at the end of page- The article is mostly interesting for the video at the beginning- of a large hole in the nearby frozen lake purportedly caused by one of the meteor fragments).
That IS a good question Nancy! And one EVERYONE OUTSIDE THE BELTWAY is asking. You all work three days a week. You would have had a four day weekend but OH NO. The House has to take nine days off right after saying 'the President can't be SERIOUS!' REALLY? I've been thinking the Jesse Jackson Jr. story was so sad but now? A $40,000 ROLEX? What the HELL was he thinking...or not. It can't just be Chicago but honestly...Joe Walsh, Quinn AND JJ jr.? Blagovich? No wonder the President identifies with Hawaii instead...
Why wouldn't the Republicans like recess? All children like recess!
Obama is working hard on his campaign promises and our debt crises by going on vacation "again" and his 2nd term just started. Is this really any better than the Republicans? I did not hear by a few Dems complain.
They are all politicians, the best liars in the country....that is how they get to where they are.
rev
Please provide verifiable information the Obama is on vacation, because I haven't heard any such thing. I have just been seeing him on the bully pulpit trying to get support from the people on his campaign promises. How about the Republicans taking a recess with the sequester on the horizon. Pelosi tried to ask Boehner not to.
http://www.democraticleader.gov/Pelosi_Letter_to_Boehner_on_Sequester
Not sure any more would get done with the Republicans in "our" House vs. their own.
Still is an insult the American taxpayer that the Republican House would take an extended leave given the "looming crisis". Guess it shows us exactly how much they care about it ...
House Science Committee to hold hearing on asteroids? I'm betting they get some testimony from the CEO of Preparation H.
About as close as the teatards will ever get to science.
Considering the fact that the "Lies straight from the pit of hell" guy is on the science committee...I am suddenly feeling very uncomfortable with our location in the Universe...
Somehow I think it's cosmic revenge for not believing in the dinosaurs...
Wow, two democrats with "a pair", not to be mistaken for "with an au pair". What's next?! I think we have a both sides do it troll!
There has been research recently that shows that Democrats & Republicans use different brain structures when thinking about risk:
Democrats were found to have more grey matter volume in their anterior cingulate cortex,
While conservatives show more grey matter in the amygdala when presented with threatening stimuli.
The researchers say that by looking at a person's brain scan, they can predict with more than 80 percent accuracy what political party a person supports.
If you are interested in reading the research,
Google, "Red Brain, Blue Brain : Evaluative Processes Differ In Democrats & Republicans"
Research from web site: www.plosone.org
Does that explain why conservatives are so paranoid about everything?
Science? Are you suggesting that right wingers take a look at this? I mean they reject any science that is reality based in favor of false science cooked up by theologians or corporate paid hacks.
Talk about an "Udder" failure, Milking the taxpayer out of millions to deny working for the President. BTW, wasn't Bohner going to cut pay until they passed something?
What a waste!!
Well Duh! Didn't need to waste money to see if Libs & Conservatives rationalize stimuli differently. How much of that study was granted by us taxpayers. Guess they would need to fund another study to find that out too.
The research was done to show the visible differences in the brain itself.... There was more grey matter in the fight or flight area of the brain for conservatives. I do not think this was a government supported study, so don't get too stressed out about it. I guess you do not see any value in this research...but I find it valuable.... Who knows? One day in the future They may develop medication for one's tendency to lean too far left or right!! Here come the moderates!!!
Might point was wasteful spending on ridiculous research. Not so much this issue, but alot of others that are unnecessary. A college kid receiving a government grant to do research for no other reason than a good grade on a thesis.
But, the remark about a possible Ritalin type pill for extremest, right and left, left me in tears i laughed so hard. That was actually a good one! Funny as hell!
You are an idiot. Really.
"Anything to add?"
Court documents released Wednesday gave chilling details about the plans of two fifth-graders from Colville Washington who were caught at school with a knife, a .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol and a full ammunition clip. They said that they intended to kill a girl classmate and possibly others.
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Court-papers-Colville-5th-grades-planned-to-kill-classmates-191129011.html
Kind of makes you wonder where they got the gun. Here in Arizona we had a 7 year old take a gun to school and it accidently discharged on the school bus. Fortunately no one was hurt, but to the best of my knowledge the parents didn't get so much as a finger wag.
This kind of thing falls under the heading of Responsible Gun Ownership. That means adults need to be accountable for guns in the household. Why would anyone object to requiring that?
Colville is actually 40 miles from me. We are quite Red on this side of WA state and all completely appalled over this event. That, unfortunately, is a very good example of very bad gun ownership. And parenting. You will not believe this, but i guarantee that 99% of republicans (at least here anyway) would have no problem with the parents being held accountable. Severely held accountable.
Nancy Pelosi needs another haircut but I perfectly understand that that's not her main concern now.
Still, when you get the chance Nancy,, that bob was a really good look.
"A meteor 15 meters across flared through the skies over Russia's Chelyabinsk region early Friday, triggering an atomic bomb-sized shock wave that injured nearly a thousand people, blew out windows and caused some Russians to fear the end of the world."
I really hope our government doesn't make any sort of investment in trying to counter or prepare for these kinds of events. Remember, we're "broke". And we have grandkids to save! Besides, China probably won't allow it.
Derp.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren is to damn mean, she is milquetoast compared to the feelings of taxpayers that bailed out the banks, only to be foreclosed on and thrown out into the streets, CEOs received ungodly bonuses, destroy the economy of the world and continue to instill the same practices that got us there in the first place,,, "Liberty And Justice For Some"!!
WASHINGTON — The Justice Department filed fraud and conspiracy charges on Friday against former Representative Jesse L. Jackson Jr., saying that he used about $750,000 in campaign money for personal expenses that included a Michael Jackson fedora and cashmere capes.
Multimedia
Document
Charges Against Jesse Jackson Jr.
The 10-page document filed in federal court by prosecutors in Washington offered details of Mr. Jackson’s use of campaign money. He has agreed to plead guilty to the charges, although a date for him to accept the plea deal before a judge has not yet been set.
Mr. Jackson’s wife, Sandra Stevens, was also charged with one count of filing false tax returns.
According to the documents, Mr. Jackson also used the campaign money to buy memorabilia related to Bruce Lee, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Jimi Hendrix, as well as a mink parka.
Do not worry Robert Menendez is right behind you
Steve already covered this at the top of the page.
*You won't believe some of the stuff he bought: "Former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. has been charged with spending $750,000 in campaign funds on personal expenses. His wife was charged with filing false income tax forms."
NLM,
The former Congressman suffers from bipolar disorder. He is currently in treatment and accepting responsibility for his actions committed while he suffered from periodic mania.
Do you kick small helpless animals as well?
Last year, having nothing better to do with my money, I threw some away at a few Kickstarters. All for computer games. All by people will long track records. Anyway, those projects are moving on apace and this morning I got an email from Replay Games, where Al Lowe is attempting to reboot Leisure Suit Larry. The email contained a key to get the alpha build of the Larry game. As with the Larry games of yore, the thing begins with a series of jokey "age verification" questions. Among the random questions was this one.
First 30 Rock, now Leisure Suit Larry. Rachel's hair is one it's way to being it's own pop-culture thing.
Oh, and Bradlee Dean, the "Christian" preacher/musician, got himself booted off a high-school campus in Florida because of his anti-LGBT views, and is threatening to sue the school unless they let him back in. This is the same Bradlee Dean who sued Rachel for once quoting verbatim something Dean said about teh gay, and who had to then pay her legal fees when he lost. You'd think he'd have learned his lesson about suing for bat-@!$%# crazy reasons, but you'd be wrong.
So Elizabeth "Cherokee Princes" Warren has all the whitemen and whitewomen in the banks quakin' in their boots! Good!!
Just shows you that you don't want to make an Indian mad. We'll still go on the warpath and take a few scalps (actually that was done mostly by whitemen to us, but who pays attention) if you cross us.
[BTW: Not racist. 1. She asserted and embraced her Native heritage, said it was a part of her identity, in the second debate with Scotty Brownnose; 2. We're allowed to make jokes about our own ethnic group (Ref.: Any night on BET)]
No hypocrisy, now, eh?
So Boehner takes recess for 10 days leaving 3 to get a deal done! I guessing Washington is gonna have a invasion at the end of this month! An invasion of torches & pitchforks!
The only chance for a rational deal by the end of the month is to send the lunatic fringe away while the leadership cuts a deal, then call them back with no time to alter the deal.
Sad that the number of wackos in the House is so high the only way to get anything done is to send them home.
Why not Herman Cain? He has a firmer grip on reality than at least half of the Fox News pundits. Also, much more imagination. He's refreshing because he's so unencumbered by facts.
And he is much less irritating than either Sarah Palin or Dick Morris.
Pity FOX could not secure Michael Palin to replace Sarah Palin for even better entertainment value. It is not like they are running a news service, after all.
The president gave out 12 Presidential Citizens Medals in addition to the 6 Sandy Hook Heroes, including one to the late Jeanne Manford, founder of PFLAG. Read about it on the White House website. Truly inspiring people!!!
www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/2013/02/15/president-obama-presents-2012-presidential-citizens-medals#transcript
Re: Jesse Jackson, Jr. He probably really is bipolar because it sure sounds like a manic shopping spree.
Pelosi another hypocrate
For the second Christmas in a row, Pelosi is staying at the luxurious Four
Seasons Resort Hualalai at Historic Ka'upulehu in Kona, reports the Hawaii
Reporter.
According to the report, Nancy Pelosi has been escorted by local police
during her two visits, at a cost of $34,000 to local taxpayers each visit, i.e.
the 99 percent.
Jealous.
NO
60 Minutes’ reported that Pelosi and her husband have participated in at
least eight IPOs (initial public offerings) while having access to information
directly relating to the companies involved. One of those came in 2008, from
Visa, just as a troublesome piece of legislation that would have hurt credit
card companies, began making its way through the House.
“Undisturbed by a potential conflict of interest Pelosi and her husband
purchased 5,000 shares of Visa at the initial price of $44 dollars.
Two days later it was trading at $64. The credit card legislation never made
it to the floor of the House,” 60 Minutes" reported.
The Hoover Institution’s Peter Schweizer stressed that what Pelosi did was
absolutely, 100 percent legal.
Guess it is hard to rebut the facts.
Peolosi is a hypocritical hag with no morals.
The hypocritical pineapple princess. How many poor slobs have slaved in your
husband’s pineapple orchards. Aren’t his OVERSEAS holdings worth more than $15
million? PIGLET!!
Jealous.
Elizabeth Warren's Aggressive Questioning Prompts Anger From Wall Street, The Huffington Post | By Luke Johnson
... |In another email, a GOP bank lobbyist said, "Republicans also would like to know why the Democratic donor base has avoided trial. Maybe she should subpoena the DSCC and Obama's super PAC to answer her question." |... From: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/15/elizabeth-warren-wall-street_n_2695212.html
How smart is that?
These GOP birds usually accuse anyone of what their most recent thought was. Hence any sense of illegal donations, lobbying or distressing Citizens United anonymous funding must have been on their minds. Further what the is "GOP Bank Lobbyist" since I cannot recall where in the Constitution that either Party or Lobbyist was defined.
Oh, Dear Nancy P., don't you know?.....your fearless leader, Mr. Barack O., is the one that proposed the sequester in the first place! The DEMS will have to deal with what they asked for and have sowed. After all, DEMS control 2/3 of government, and have controlled a majority for several years. Who, in their right mind would continue to blame George Bush's party for more than 4 years of Democratic ineptitude? Oh, yes, that would be Obama, Pelosi, and Reid!!!