Well, dear readers, it seems that Republicans do support a jobs bill. That’s what Defense Spending is all about: jobs. It’s not about giving the military what it wants and needs. It’s about making things the military doesn’t want, doesn’t need and doesn’t work. Because it keeps people employed. And those people in turn continue to re-elect their representatives, no matter what they do to this country.
Too bad we can’t employ those same people to make solar panels, to make desalinization plants and pipelines to move water from water-soaked regions to drought regions.
But building infrastructure to help America compete well into the future doesn’t make permanent jobs. Building weapons that don’t work, that the military doesn’t want and doesn’t need – those are permanent jobs. Why? because they help keep those in power, in power.
OPEN THREAD
TheZoo 
Seems to me I remember during the recession how even if all we did was pay one person to dig a hole and pay another to fill it up, the effect on the economy was positive.
I wish we’d spend some money repaving the f’ing interstate highways.
Heck, I’d support spending a few bucks to pave some gravel roads just around here. Doing so would create jobs, boost the local economy, cut down on dust, AND most important of all, give us road bike people some more route options! Yeah!
Brings to mind the KXL thingee. I understand why numbers of Nebraskans are angry that a Canadian corporate enterprise presumes the right to impose eminent domain crapola along the proposed KXL route. I’m pissed at that too, and I live a long way from the Nebraska route. But how about this: how about that same KXL route be denied a pipeline and made instead into a paved bike route, from Canada to the Gulf, and that only walkers or bicyclists be allowed to traverse?? NO MOTORIZED VEHICLES allowed!
I could vote for THAT!!
Oh, and sure, we should repair and maintain Interstate highways and bridges too. But how about a new effort: interstate walking and/or bike lanes? From border to border, from sea to shining sea! Think of the jobs!
And we could pay for it all simply by cutting the war department’s budget by 90%!
It’s so simple! And think of the jobs needed to make bicycles, to make walking shoes, to make good socks even! I mean, hey, who knows, maybe Amurka could surpass even Taiwan, Vietnam and Sri Lanka in job creation!!!!
I know, hard to even imagine. But still . . . 😯
I know I would be delighted if the city or county would hire a few people to spread some sand on sidewalks and perhaps even chip away some of the worst icy spots. Another good boost to the economy would be if they, at the very least, sent some healthy young people around to clear a little snow at bus stops. After this last blast they have yet to touch the local sidewalks and one has to stand well out on the street at our unshoveled bus stops.
http://www.pipeliesexposed.org/
Episode 3 of Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, “When Knowledge Conquered Fear” this morning. Oh boy, getting paid to work on science.
NdGT and BMM! Broadcast event of the YEAR is coming!
Hmmm….one of the voice actors is E.Jane Schneider.
And I was not aware —
NdGT: “Discovering a comet was one of the few things that Halley didn’t do.”
^
(what TtT said)
So jealous. 🙂
They have two jobs bills – the Keystone XL – all couple of hundred or so permanent jobs – woot!
And for a fraction of the budget, they could stop the Ukraine falling into financial chaos and give some people a real chance to build their own country….. sigh.
Yah but, them Ukrainers are Soviet Rooskie Marksist-Facists ain’t they?
Are they even white?
(trying to think/”speak” like a teabagger; it ain’t always easy)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/when-eu-shut-the-door-on-ukraine-reform-never-had-a-chance/article17061856/
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/today-ukrainians-are-heroes-next-they-must-tread-carefully/article17062302/
And as for who they are – well how about a single mum, 8 year old boy with asthma, lives in a flat about 20mins from the Maidan. A theater and stage major, was running the entertainments program for a small pub in Kiev until October when the pub closed has been making some money writing events promotional material since then. Likes Dire Straits and jazz. Spent the week last week trying to help the protests by bringing food and blankets, sharing missing persons information for people lost or hurt in the protests and then going to square to listen to the politicians and clean up the square and share in the atmosphere of mourning and muted celebration.
Today she’s back to the familiar problems of a son at home with a cold and looking for work in a city where business is struggling to get back to normal and worrying about the trouble in Crimea and if the country will be helped away from default by the EU.
“Chinese scientists have warned that the country’s toxic air pollution is now so bad that it resembles a nuclear winter, slowing photosynthesis in plants – and potentially wreaking havoc on the country’s food supply.”
Regulation…EPA? Pffft, who needs ’em.
What happens, I wonder, when some 2 billion people are — thanks to their own pollution and resultant destruction of their environmental surround — the only organic carbon remaining in the food chain? I suspect there’s already a bio-model of the problem somewhere.
Hmmh. When “I” am all that’s left of the food chain . . .
Scary scary.
If we feed the starving
To the hungry and the poor
There won’t be any starving and
The poor won’t be hungry no more
Is that what you’re getting at?
Hey, it works!
And next, after the starving have been fed ‘to the hungry and the poor’ why not the next step? — i.e. feed all the rest to the rich and powerful?? Yeah! Cuz right after I wins the lottery . . .!!!
Etc.
Humans begin to remind me of what is, really, that most simplistic defining scenario which is obvious in each and every cockroach infestation under whichever sink. Only difference twixt us and them is, of course, that we the people are the earthly reps of god the creator, and cockroaches are . . . well, y’know, bugs.
Some (see Fox-snooze) will argue there’s a difference. As would cockroaches, if only they had the proper forum.
And all those people and they’re running out of clean water.
I remember going to Beijing almost 10 years ago and the stink and suffocation even then of the coal-fired stoves in almost every flat and the industry. Climbing the Great Wall and looking back and the grey, LA-like, smog blanketing the valley to the south….. I am never going back there.
Beijing smog made LA seem clear and lovely.
I enjoyed Xian.
I would go back and I would like to in the future.
We went for the Paralympics and lots of factories were shut and traffic was limited. Still couldn’t really see the sun. I could not imagine the place with everything going full tilt.
Free market, baby!
In case you missed it. The Daily Show did a masterful job of destroying Napolitano’s revision of history.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/daily-show-fox-slavery-lincoln
Did anyone notice Napolitano had a makeover, and very likely some plastic surgery?
Or does he have a son who looks like him, sounds like him, and is just as obnoxious?
I had to go back and read the name again. My guess is a bit of liposuction, a face tuck, and a big bottle of hair dye.
How much speculation did Greta van Sustern (sp?) have to endure when she had her work done? And no one even mentions Napolitano’s massive overhaul.
Well, to give the devil his due, Napolitano had a much better outcome. I might have to send him an email to get the name of whoever did the work.
Hers was good for a while, but it collapsed fairly quickly.
I had never heard of Greta before pictures of her “botched surgery” appeared on line so I might have missed the good bits of her transformation. It does, however, make one wonder if she went to a Scientology approved surgeon.
Jeebus. What an insult to . . . to JANET Napolitano. Hey, she maybe hasn’t had all that work done but still . . . she’s human.
Missouri Republican senator introduces bill allowing the refusal of service for religious reasons
February 25
BY JASON HANCOCK
The Great Asshole Epidemic of 2014 Spreads to Missouri:
The Star’s Jefferson City correspondent
JEFFERSON CITY — A Republican state lawmaker on Monday filed legislation that would allow Missouri business owners to cite religious beliefs as a legal justification for refusing to provide service.
Missouri Sen. Wayne Wallingford, a Cape Girardeau Republican, on Monday filed legislation that would allow Missouri business owners to cite religious beliefs as a legal justification for refusing to provide service. Although it doesn’t mention sexual orientation, the bill could provide legal cover for denial of services to same-sex couples.
Although it doesn’t mention sexual orientation, the bill could provide legal cover for denial of services to same-sex couples.
The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Wayne Wallingford of Cape Girardeau, states that a governmental authority shall not substantially burden a person’s free exercise of religion unless the government demonstrates that it has a compelling interest.
http://www.kansascity.com/2014/02/25/4848361/missouri-senator-introduces-religious.html#storylink=cpy
Imagine the howling outrage when a Muslim store owner denies service to a Christian.
Indeed. We need to start a campaign to get up signs and bumper stickers that say: “Republicans are against my religion”. It would be true of everyone who doesn’t attend the same church as said Republicans.
Charity isn’t just taking your old stuff to Goodwill, or giving money to the church. It’s about openness to those with whom you may disagree. Tolerance.
Somehow that message seems lost on Christians.
CHARITY – Definition from the KJV Dictionary
Speed the Collapse by Metric
(The video, for being their official video is lame, but I like the song.)
METRIC – Speed the Collapse (Official Lyric Video) – YouTube
Imagine. The Surgeon General nominee wanting to insure people. Imagine. The Surgeon General nominee wanting to curb gun-related injuries and fatalities.
How horrible this person must be and clearly not fit to be the medical leader of the country.
I couldn’t help but notice too that he has a funny name (funnier than Rand) and he has brown skin. I’m sure none of that comes into play here.
Sen. Paul tries to block Obama’s ‘political’ surgeon general nominee | Fox News
So, this doctor is too brown for Rand Paul?
I thought Harry Reid ended the filibuster for political appointments and appeals court judges?
They did. They still allow Senators to place a hold so they can at leave voice their concerns (in this case it’s not a concern as much as political grandstanding), but Reid can still move the nomination forward to a vote despite Rand’s opposition to health care and ending gun violence.
I still can’t understand how such stupid people survive to adulthood much less find idiots who will vote for them.
Ebb bait:
Someone mashed-up Google Street View images with historical paintings:
http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/shystone-london-mashup
Stupendous – truly appreciate your posting that wonderful piece!
Then and now to a new degree – incorporated is a great study!
Meanwhile Republicans announced opposition citing the right of the people to not have roads is clearly going to be infringed.
Obama seeking $300 billion for roads, railways – Yahoo News
oh crap!….that sounds just like “shovel ready”…..you know we can’t have that shit
I find my perspective of what is and is not important has changed a lot in the last few weeks.
Obviously the President reads The Zoo and has heard my plea.
This has made some rounds on facebook, and probably the other social media. If it’s been posted here before I apologize.
The gist of it is to add to your bucket list: Live your life in such a way that you get picketed by the Westboro Baptist Church.
RJD did! \m/\m/
Much better than who dies with the most toys wins….
Federal Judge Rules Texas Gay Marriage Ban Unconstitutional
If Abbott loses the appeal, and it helps Wendy Davis win, that’s a two-fer!
Judge: Final order requiring Ky. to recognize same-sex marriages expected within 24 hours
I thought Kentucky was a red state, but they have a Dem governor and AG? Alison Lundergan Grimes may have a better chance to get to the Senate than one would expect.
LA Times headline:
Anti-gay legislation could cost Arizona 2015 Super Bowl, some fear
Less fear is hardly a good tradeoff.
Jan Brewer’s handlers have instructed her to veto SB 1062.
Jan Brewer just vetoed SB 1062.
Z and bdmm – thanks for the good news (although we were certain Jan had the $$$ in her eyes and would veto)
Hate and bigotry is bad for business – this time.
The sad part is that she just might use this veto to convince people she’s a human being and not some weird alien, reptilian, shape shifter who wags her fingers in the POTUS’s face.
I hate it when people don’t do what they say they’re going to do, especially when it’s their job.
😦