Friday, July 22, 2011

Nobody Asked Me, But...

 
1) With respect to the rumoured debt deal, I keep in mind the argument made by many on the left that if we just eliminate the Bush tax cuts, just let them expire, most of our future deficits go away as well. If Obama and Boehner agreed to that, then this deal makes sense. Of course, you'll never hear either of them say that, but if that's what it takes to get rid of the Bush bankruptcy, I have little problem with this deal.
 
I know the argument will be made that there's no guarantee Boehner will keep his word on a deal like that. He is under enormous pressure from the Teabaggers. I can certainly see where he'd screw Obama and the nation to appease them. Somehow, I don't think that's going to happen. This is political Noh theater at its finest, replete with allowing Eric Cantor an opportunity to grandstand on behalf of Teabaggers.
 
2) I realize this is small beer for those of you in the Midwest and Southwest, but this morning felt like this afternoon should here in the city. We haven't had a day of 100° temperatures since 2002. Last night, I cut my bike ride short because I wanted to leave something in the tank for today. If I ride. Certainly for tomorrow's ride.
 
3) What happens when you let Republicans loose on medical research budgets: we go back three hundred years.
 
4) Interesting. According to this woman's lawsuit, you can be thrown off a plane for not wearing panties.
 
5) If you're not watching the Tour de France, you've missed a helluva bike race. The first week saw more top contenders eliminated that any mountain stage ever has, a near-unknown has sat in the yellow jersey as race leader for nearly two weeks after the world champion (and ersatz spinter) Thor Hushovd held the title for a week despite climbs that usually bomb a spinter out (he even won one of the Pyrennes stages!) And now, Andy Schleck has a fifteen second deficit on the overall lead and his nemesis (and doper) Alberto Contador is rattling cages left and right trying desperately to make up over four minutes. This is going to go right down to the sprint in Paris Sunday.
 
6) You'd think a journalist would have learned the lessons of Watergate: the cover-up is worse than the crime.
 
Oh wait! He's not a journalist! He's a Murdoch!
 
7) Gold's back up. The debt deal has to get done today.
 
8) Between the recent outrage over its price increase and Apple buying Hulu, I think you can say bye-bye to Netflix.
 
9) Could the infamous "Zodiac cypher" have been cracked, after 40 years?
 
10) Did Rupert Murdoch kill Elvis Presley?
 
11) BONUS: Today's Republican butthurt antiAmerica rant is brought to you by...Captain America.