They gave us a republic... - Recent Comments

Pharma has been piggy-backing for years

Kirkrrt — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 13:31:46 GMT

In the early 1990s I was working at a research hospital which was part of a study on pulmonary hypertension and a "poisonous" gas. Inhaled in low levels it would relax the blood vessels of the lungs and reduce how hard the heard would have to work.

The results of this research were taken by pig pharma and Shabam! Viagra.

Damn straight!

Manifesto Joe — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 09:07:40 GMT

Although I was becoming rapidly disillusioned with Republicans during the '70s, I was willing to at least "listen" to them -- until Reagan's first term. I smelled a great big right-wing rat then, and a big problem with Reagan is that he was actually too dumb to understand the kinds of people who lurked behind him. Even an ally like Margaret Thatcher said of him, "Poor dear. He hasn't anything between his ears." But that lousy, hollow B-movie actor made a great frontman for the far right, and they've been with us ever since, ravaging the countryside like a Frankenstein monster.

Excellent point

Yellow Dog — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:45:34 GMT

But I don't think of it as punishment as much as incentive - "I'm boycotting you until you publicly disassociate from Komen, and preferably condemn its actions."

I'm sure many cowardly corporations will use Komen's pretend reversal as an excuse to do nothing.

I'm good with a boycott of B of A but,

southcountymike — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:32:51 GMT

is it fair to boycott sponsors this year that may have have no connection nor a chance to distance themselves from this new policy?

I didn't know about this

Manifesto Joe — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:17:18 GMT

Wow -- I've submitted to Crooks and Liars before. I didn't do it with this one because I thought it might not be that appropriate. As you've gathered, I'm more what could be described as an "apostate" or "renegade" of the libertarian center-right than a far-left liberal. I wasn't sure that this was the right piece for them at C&L. Glad the person liked it.

One thing that helps me re ideology is that, having been over on that side for a time in my youth, I know what these people are thinking. I've come to regard most of it as dreadfully wrong. I get the impression that you come from a similar background.

very well done Mr. Frier

Mike R — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:39:13 GMT

Rather than the having reverence for the constitution they seem to worship a document that sort of but subject to looney revision to meet whatever current bee they have up their butt, resembles the Articles of Confederation. Mostly though they are just a bunch of shit heads. Great piece, sums them and their movement up perfectly.

The first two things I look at

Tom B — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 04:17:30 GMT

in regard to any non profit charity that catches my interest is who runs it and how much do the administrators and staff rake off the top before one dime ever makes it to the people you think you're donating to.

I'd never had an occasion to look into look into Komen before now but now I've done so and the nearest I can figure out is that the CEO is dragging down between half and three quarters of a million a year in total comp with the rest of the paid admin staff following along in the normal Wall Street pattern.

When any non profit organization gets to the point that the people running it are becoming millionaires simply by collecting donations for an otherwise worthy cause, it's no longer a charity as far as I'm concerned, it's some right wing douche making a flipping fortune by getting people like us to simply give them money.

Women's Health v American Taliban

futzinfarb — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:56:50 GMT

We need to recognize the Komen/Planned Parenthood split for the broader phenomenon that it is: our American Taliban are fully engaged in a long term campaign of destruction by smear and allegation, more damaging in its results than roadside IEDs and becoming more effective by the day. Think about this case: they have brilliantly used the tactic to inflict casualties on not one but two organizations that are concerned with women's health, Planned Parenthood and the Komen Foundation. This is a weapon that they are now successfully deploying on a regular basis to impose a society based on fundamentalist religion and Darwinian economics. We had better find a way to fight back or the casualties will keep mounting and their vision will become our reality.

Congrats!

Ted Frier — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:46:22 GMT

Congratulations Joe on the Crooks and Liars shout-out on Mike's Blog. Well done and well deserved!

Team

George — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 07:29:59 GMT

The five Navy personnel in the picture are all officers. There is no "officers and team" as that would imply some of the team members are not officers.

And...

notthere — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:02:12 GMT

you never got into the patronage side of the Rick Perry governorship. The correlation is not causation positions and contracts for donors.

Deck Crew

George — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 03:10:30 GMT

Factually incorrect in that there has never been a 3rd class petty officer given the responsibility such as this "Aviation Machinist's Mate 3rd Class Racheal Watson who ensured the safe launch and recovery."

Those are two distinctly different jobs that are done by commissioned officers and not by a junior enlisted person.

Suggestions always welcome

Yellow Dog — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 01:38:23 GMT

Ochs coming up! Thanks!

Seen with my own two eyes

Blue Girl — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:29:08 GMT

A few weeks ago I was standing in line at the customer service line at the Price Chopper in Brookside behind a womn who was bringing back a couple of trays of chicken breast. She sheepishly explained that she had sent her husband to the store and he had bought the wrong ones, he was supposed to get the ones on sale for a buck a pound, she couldn't afford the five dollar a pound organic stuff. Kathy, the cashier asked for her food stamp card and made the exchange, then turned around and TOSSED THE TWO TRAYS OF ORGANIC CHICKEN IN THE TRASH. I asked her why, and she said teg can't resell perishables. I wanted to cry.