Month: August 2009

Levi Johnston Update: Escorts Kathy Griffin to Teen Awards, Would Pose Nude

Jon Ponder

You’ve probably been wondering what Levi Johnston, Sarah Palin’s grandbaby-daddy, has been up to over the past few days. Well, here’s what:

He was Kathy Griffin’s date for the Teen Choice Awards, on Aug. 10. It’ll be an episode in her reality show, “My Life on the D List,” soon. Until then, enjoy the video above of Griffin, substituting on “Larry King Live,” interviewing Levi about their date.

Elsewhere, Levi says he would be willing to pose nude but on one condition:

“It depends on the money, man,” says Levi Johnston, who fathered baby Tripp with Sarah Palin’s daughter, Bristol.

Johnson now wants to be an actor and model.

“It’s gotta be right for that,” Johnston tells Bravo’s Andy Cohen.

And how does he feel about being a so-called “gay pin-up boy”?

“I think it’s great, man. Um, I just like my fans. Just another person.”

The current issue of Star Magazine cites Levi’s sister Mercede in confirming that Palin and her husband Todd are divorcing. The tabloid has also published a photo it claims shows Willow Palin, 15, smoking pot and drinking vodka.

That’s all the Levi Johnston news we have time for today.

Tom DeLay is Back. It’s Hammer Time on Dancing With the Stars

Trish



The fact that I’ve never seen ABC’s Dancing With the Stars does not keep me from voicing an opinion on one of this season’s stars. And my opinion is…well, never mind. But here are some of the comments being left on the show’s web site.

‘He should be in prison, not working on restoring his tarnished image as a corrupt politician by using DWTS’
  • You have got to be kidding me!?! Why didn’t you ppl just go get your “stars” off death row? Tom DeLay??? Are you bleeping crazy!?! What a insult to the VERY few decent ppl you did chose. I will not be watching, in fact, I will be campaining AGAINST ANYONE I KNOW watching this crap of a show!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you set out to ruin your reputation and your show, you did it!!!
  • Shame on Dancing With The Stars. Tom Delay is not a “STAR” in anybodies book except the book of felons. He is such a crook. I love this show, but the choice of STARS? is going down hill. Please rethink some of your choices.
  • I’m with everyone else. Tom Delay’s inclusion may cause me to not watch this season…at least not until I’ve heard he’s been booted off. You’ve got the most one-sided biography possible for him, ABC. He’s President of First Principles? That man has NO principles. He should be in prison, not working on restoring his tarnished image as a corrupt politician by using DWTS.
  • you have lost me with this guy. i will not watch this season. he is one of the most hateful,viscious polaririzing, HOMOPHOBIC politicians that has ever disgraced the halls of Congress. what a mistake to cast this hatemonger! do your producers understand that you have a large gay audience and that none of us will waste our time watching this creep?
  • Can you add “money launderer” to Tom Delay’s bio? That might help your ratings in some areas.

Want to express your own opinion on ABC’s strange choice? Please do.

Uninsured? Show Us

Trish

What a great idea! Republicans like to say that being uninsured in America is a myth. If you happen to be among the ranks of those who worry at a constant, low level about what will happen if you are sick or injured, you know better.

Now you can show teabaggers, rich Republicans, and anyone else who doesn’t believe in you that you exist. Label yourself accordingly with the new “Uninsured Wristband.”

At first glance, this wristband looks like just another “awareness bracelet.” However, it isn’t meant to be used simply as a fundraising tool or symbol of concern.

The people wearing the uninsured wristband are spreading a personal message:

“I’m uninsured, you may not know why, but now you know my face. Maybe I look like you or someone you love. I’m uninsured and scared of being without health insurance in this country. Maybe my health is already suffering from lack of health care. Today it’s me, tomorrow it could be you.”

The bracelet’s maker wants to provide them free, so is asking those who can to pay $3.99 each (free shipping!). Hey, that sounds a little like the health reform Pres. Obama has in mind. Anyway, get yours today.

Now if someone could just come up with a “Working a Second Job So I’ll Have Health Insurance” wristband, I’d be all set.

Note to MSNBC: Please Give Lawrence O’Donnell His Own Show

Jon Ponder

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Substituting for Chris Matthews on MSNBC’s “Hardball” yesterday, Lawrence O’Donnell was at the top of his game during an interview about Republican opposition to health-care reform with Rep. John Culbertson (R-Texas). O’Donnell exposed the Republicans’ hypocritical opposition to the government option because it is “socialism” while insisting they support the equally socialist Medicare program. He also called Culbertson on his party’s lies over “death panels” and the rest. It was a joy to watch:

[…]

It’s Starting. “Leaded” Tea Party Planned for Labor Day Includes Guns

Trish
A perfect Labor Day celebration: kids and guns

Somewhere David Koresh is cheering in his grave. The guy who mixed guns with religious zealotry would no doubt approve the line drawn in the sand by the organizer of a “Leaded” Tea Party in Northeast Florida.

Several days after plans were announced for a Labor Day celebration where people could fire their guns at a shooting range on a Nocatee business’s property, St. Johns County code enforcement officers this week ordered the range closed down by Tuesday.

In response, “Leaded Tea Party” organizer Richard Willich, president of MDI Holdings and the new Florida chairman of Americans for Prosperity, said he has banned all government officials without warrants from the MDI property, west of Ponte Vedra Beach.

Barricades were erected and security personnel at the property’s two entrances are checking for identification before anyone is allowed on the premises.

Willich told his security people to erect barriers on the day of the Tea Party and keep out all federal, state and county officials who didn’t have a warrant

Nocatee is a massive development of regional impact (DRI) that straddles two counties, St. Johns and Duval. Since the housing market collapsed in Florida, it is mostly infrastructure: perfectly paved roads, sharp-edged curbs, spotless sidewalks, and a few model homes here and there amid pines and palms. A handful of businesses are operating in its office park areas, including MDI Holdings, which apparently added a gun range on its property. The range, however, is not zoned and its owners intend to keep it that way.

Willich…said Thursday that county officials e-mailed him an application for a temporary range permit. But nothing’s been applied for or agreed upon yet.

“We’re going to do what we planned to do,” Willich said. “There’s no compromise, no permit.”

He’s a retired Marine Corps lieutenant colonel and decorated Vietnam veteran and said he bristled when two county Code Enforcement officers came Tuesday and told him to remove the firing range on his 25-acre company compound 10 miles east of U.S. 1 in Nocatee.

“I was astonished,” Willich said. “They flashed badges and were arrogant and aggressive. It was obvious they didn’t like the idea of our having guns, and they were trying to deter us from having the picnic. What right do they have to do that?”

A perfect one, actually.

[…]

Star Mag: Palins Are Divorcing, Has Photos of 15 Year Old Daughter Boozing, Smoking Pot

Jon Ponder

The rumor that Facebook blogger Sarah Palin and her husband Todd were divorcing cropped around the first of August. As is typical of Palin — who unlike her conservative brethren appears to love paying fees to trial lawyers — she threatened to sue an Alaska blogger who first reported the story (by sending a process server to the kindergarten where the blogger worked, no less).

Now Star magazine is confirming that there is trouble in the marriage. The tabloid’s sources are a bit less than impeccable, however. They include Mercede Johnston, the sister of Levi Johnston, Bristol Palin’s baby-daddy, and an unnamed “Alaska insider.”

One interesting nugget: The Star claims that in its print edition, which is in supermarkets now, it has photos of Willow Palin, 15, drinking vodka and smoking pot at a party. In June, Palin turned a joke by David Letterman about Bristol Palin, 18 and, as noted, an unwed mother, getting knocked up by Alex Rodriguez into a five-day scandal by claiming Letterman was actually referring to Willow.

With Sales Slipping, Boycott of Whole Foods Called After Libertarian Owner Opposes Health-Care Reform

Jon Ponder

Boycotting Domino’s Pizza was easy. For one thing, with its carbs, fat and empty though delicious calories, pizza is bad for you. Second, the owner of Domino’s is Tom Monagan, an extreme right-wing Catholic who is a major funder of Operation Rescue and the developer of Ave Maria, Florida, a newly built town in which he allegedly attempted to establish theocratic rule.

But boycotting Whole Foods will be more difficult. While it is way over-priced, it tends to have stuff that is hard to find in regular supermarket chains.

However, not only is the owner of Whole Foods, John Mackey, a libertarian union buster, he has just come out against health-care reform in the Murdoch-owned right-wing press:

[…]

Poll: Independent Voters Swayed by GOP ‘Deather’ Lies about Reform

Jon Ponder

The Republicans’ strategy for killing health-care reform is simple. First, create fear and confusion by lying about the contents of the proposals to their gullible, feeble-minded base — a simple task since these low-information types only get their “news” from GOP propaganda outlets like hate radio and Fox News.

Second, astroturf Democratic town halls with these ranting paranoid crazies — the Birthers, Tea-Baggers and now Deathers — knowing with assurance that the dumbass corporate media will show the clips over and over on cable news — which will give the impression to casual viewers that outrage over the reforms is pervasive and real.

This campaign has two objectives: 1) Protect the enormous profits of the Republicans’ corporate sponsors in the medical industry. 2) Flip the votes of right-leaning independents in marginal districts that voted Blue Dog Dems into the House last year from blue to red in 2010.

Not surprisingly, a new Gallup poll finds that this strategy is working like a charm:

[…]

Palin Advocated End-of-Life ‘Death Panel’ Counseling in 2008

Jon Ponder

Nothing speaks to the degeneracy of the Republican Party more than its campaign to turn something as profoundly important as living wills and end-of-life counseling into something as scary sounding as “death panels,” which Facebook blogger Sarah Palin called “evil” last week.

But last year, when Palin was governor of Alaska, she was 100 percent behind end-of-life counseling. In fact, as governor, she decreed April 16, 2008, to be “Death Panel Day” — er, sorry — “Healthcare Decision Day”:

…Healthcare Decisions Day is designed to raise public awareness of the need to plan ahead for healthcare decisions, related to end of life care and medical decision-making whenever patients are unable to speak for themselves and to encourage the specific use of advance directives to communicate these important healthcare decisions…

[One] of the principal goals of Healthcare Decisions Day is to encourage hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, continuing care retirement communities, and hospices to participate in a statewide effort to provide clear and consistent information to the public about advance directives, as well as to encourage medical professionals and lawyers to volunteer their time and efforts to improve public knowledge and increase the number of Alaska’s citizens with advance directives…

[As] a result of April 16, 2008, being recognized as Healthcare Decisions Day in Alaska, more citizens will have conversations about their healthcare decisions; more citizens will execute advance directives to make their wishes known; and fewer families and healthcare providers will have to struggle with making difficult healthcare decisions in the absence of guidance from the patient.

Of course, there is no provision to create death panels in Section 1233 of one of the House reform bills. Sarah Palin knowingly lied about that.

So here’s a question: When is Sarah Palin goin’ to stop makin’ stuff up?