Various

Elections: Brad Friedman has the latest concerning the New Hampshire recount. Apparently, the wrong color pen was handed out in some precincts, making optical scan ballots unreadable. The most interesting detail is this:

The sensitive memory cards containing the programming and tabulation from the Diebold optical-scanners are apparently "missing in action" for the moment. Those cards, as viewers of HBO's Hacking Democracy know by now, may be used to hack an election, such that only a proper hand-count of the paper ballots afterwards will reveal the hack. (See the video of that hack for yourself right here. The same exact machine being hacked in that film was used across the state to count 80% of the ballots in NH in last week's primary.)

Obama: I'm still a little mad at the guy, but can you believe that progressives have become infuriated over this video? He says that Reagan wrought bigger changes in our political culture than Clinton did. Well, duh. That doesn't mean Obama likes Reagan better, fer chrissakes.

The hyperbolic reactions -- "Obama is a sell-out!" -- exemplify the sheer fucking stupidity which has alienated me from the prog movement.

Huckabee: This Arkansas anthropoid actually thought that he would attract voters by describing how he used to fry squirrels in a popcorn popper. "Ah 'specially likes th' haids!"

Health care vs. more tax cuts for the rich: Idiot progs insist that there is no difference between a guy like Rahm Emanuel and the GOP. Check it out:

In a speech in Chicago, Representative Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, the No. 4 Democrat, laid out a long-term plan he called “A New Deal for the New Economy” in which he called for universal health care, increased tax deductions for retirement savings, and government aid to give all Americans at least one year of education beyond high school.

Republicans said their plans included long-term tax cuts, not just short-term stimulus.

“I can’t emphasize enough the importance of not looking at this in the short term,” said Representative Wally Herger, Republican of California.

Seems like a pretty big damn difference to me.

She's proud that you have no life: Representative Michelle Bachman, Republican of Minnesota, made an astonishing statement at a press conference for the Republican economic stimulus plan:

I am so proud to be from the state of Minnesota. We’re the workingest state in the country, and the reason why we are, we have more people that are working longer hours, we have people that are working two jobs.

I wonder if her sense of pride is shared by the poor schlubs who have to work every waking hour just to keep a roof overhead?

Mitt Romney on health care:

The reason health care isn’t working like a market right now is you have 47 million people that are saying, “I’m not going to play. I’m just going to get free care paid for by everybody else.” That doesn’t work.

Wow. So people who go to emergency rooms (and who ruin their credit if they can't pay the bill) -- people who suffer with toothache for months on end because they can't afford a dentist -- are just slackers and leeches?

Tell me, Mitt: In a country where the landlord or mortgage lender takes 50%-80% of household income, in a country where the price of gas keeps going up, which in turn raises the price of everything else -- how do you expect the lower-paid workers to afford health insurance? What about the unemployed, the underemployed, the growing numbers of homeless?

Israel, Israel ueber alles: You've probably already seen or heard about this instantly-infamous Lieberman quote, in which he justifies his support for McCain:

Lieberman told about 200 Republican Jewish activists that he's backing John McCain because his fellow senator and Iraq war hawk best understands the nature of the radical Islamic threat faced by "our ally Israel" -- while much of the Democratic Party has forsaken it.

"The Democratic Party, I believe, respectfully, has left the strongest roots of its foreign policy and national security," Lieberman said, adding that McCain "has always believed that Israel is our natural ally, from the beginning of its modern existence to this day in the war against Islamic extremists and terrorists."

I'm wondering how the anti-Dem "progressives" will square Lieberman's words and actions with their own catechism? A certain type of prog insists that Hillary and Barack are also puppets on an Israeli string -- and anyone who suggests otherwise is guilty of Thoughtcrime Most Foul. But if that were the case, then why would Joltin' Joe bother to support McCain?

Speaking of Israel: The great Isreali conductor and pianist Daniel Barenboim has acquired Palestinian citizenship. Barenboim, a consistent critic of the oppression of the Palestinians, leads an orchestra composed of Israeli and Palestinian members. He is also, interestingly enough, one of the leading Wagnerians of our day -- he recorded a Parsifal which I hold in high esteem.

If there were more Barenboims, we would have peace.

If your head is now ready to explode, try one of these fine methods to get high without using drugs. (Thanks, Professor!)