Pointless Man

So it would seem Obama is doing what I suggested, just in a slow, measured, 'I'm really disappointed in you, BP', kinda way.  Too cool for school. Meanwhile, he still seems to be taking a watered down version of the Republicans' "all of the above" approach to energy, which will make no one happy, leave us open to future oil disasters (with continued drilling in shallow waters and on land), and not push hard enough for renewable energy technologies.  This is pragmatism carried beyond what is pragmatic to where it no longer takes prudential concerns into account, or at least places them at a distant second to idealistic visions of political harmony.  In the past, Obama has taken steps which have seemed timid and not always worked to his or his party's advantage, but which have eventually resulted in something being accomplished.  Unfortunately, though oft deemed an acceptable outcome, that product is often watered down, panned even by those who benefit fr...

The story is that we need BP, as they are the only party with the closest thing to the know-how to handle this spill and which has the responsibility to do so.  I'm not sure I buy that.  They were knowingly irresponsible in the construction of their well; they seem to be pulling the wool over our eyes on the amount of oil that has escaped their well; and they apparently either do not have the will or the ability to handle this by themselves in a timely manner.  It has been five weeks.  We've seen oil washing up on our shores now.  If things continue at this rate, we can expect our present problems to increase, and to see oily hurricanes, once tropical storm season hits. More clearly needs to be done.  Current public and governmental pressure is not enough.  Nor are the actions being taken by BP or the various local and federal agencies at work.  People can feel this.  Recently, there have been comments from both 'the right' and 'the left' ...

Chris Ware's comics are playful, well honed, much honoured, and have been highly influential over the last decade.  However, their appeal eludes me.  His drawings, design, and layouts are cold.  So, too, his bone dry humour.  Frankly, I find his work boring, in form and function.   Intellectually and as entertainment, it offers me nothing. I feel (somewhat) similarly disconnected to the music of Charles Mingus. Still, when people tell me Charlie is a genius, a fantastic band leader, and quite possibly the greatest jazz bassist ever, said persons almost always know more about jazz than I do.  I believe, in this case case I may be missing something others key into.  I believe it because it is an oft held view among people who understand the medium and its history better than I do. I don't think that's what's going on when someone tells me Chris Ware is a genius .  More often, it's like people who hardly know anything about art praising 'the Mona...

This is Lloyd Blankfein, pictured in a BBC News article on Goldman Sachs execs testifying to Congress entitled, ' Goldman Sachs "Profited at Clients' Expense" '.  Lloyd is Sachs' CEO. Seems a proper reaction for having to play in the absurdist theatre of a Senate hearing on a scandal, where everyone is positively outraged by the actions of their patrons.  Not like it's news that Wall Street is filled with dicks who just want to fuck you.  "I'm shocked, shocked to find gambling going on in this establishment!" Meanwhile, our representatives will continue to whittle down their not-quite-strong-enough to begin with legislation set on reigning in just these sorts of excesses.  Of course, even should it be detoothed and declawed, our Republican friends and officials will still lament it being much too intrusive, stifling, and 'big government', as they call for the tougher reform of largely letting the markets manage themselves. Per...

Just wanted to get that out there. Addendum (4/30)-- As per Media Matters : 'Right-wing story time this week -- brought to you by Frank Luntz -- centered around the claim that financial reform legislation would encourage perpetual and permanent taxpayer bailouts. The genesis of this particular tall tale is Luntz's January memo that advised opponents of financial regulatory reform to tie the issue to big bank bailouts. Message received. Driving the clown car was Glenn Beck, who appeared on Fox & Friends to decry the "insane" idea of using $50 billion to save failing firms; Michelle Malkin claimed the bill would "institutionalize and make permanent financial bailouts"; Fox Business' Charles Gasparino said the bill contained a "slush fund" of "$50 billion to bail you out." Actually, the $50 billion fund would be paid for by the financial services industry and would cover the costs of the orderly ...

With mild editing, and a quick background added in Photoshop. Wish I could find the actual hard copy. Shoot.

And it's not because I think they're largely foolish racists with ill thought out ideas being manipulated by corporations and right wing pundits, though that is how I feel. Rather, I've just heard (and read) them called 'teabaggers' so often now, it's hard not to. Nevermind the humour or that it rolls off the tongue much easier than 'tea partiers'. It becomes more apropos when you see signs from their rallies suggesting they should tea bag the Democrats or Obama . For further enjoyment, may I suggest Morons with Signs ? I have to say, it's odd to see Democrats engage in this sort of (admittedly low) tactic and actually seem to win the battle of words.