Thank AAA South!

Send a thank you note to AAA South for their commitment to full equality.

During a face-to-face meeting on Wednesday, July 21, between Equality Florida and AAA South, top management at the 4th largest AAA affiliate in the country committed to recognizing all spouses, regardless of gender or sexual orientation. The policy allows gay married couples to receive spousal discounts under AAA's Associate Membership program.

Crist-Crossing

The Herald/Times interviewed a dismissive Charlie Crist about his fundraising double-talk after turning on his prior statement last week saying he would "be happy" to release the database of his campaign donors.

One comment on The Buzz segment of tampabay.com replies,

So, you are attacking him for not releasing the data? You know that he HAS to report it on July 20th right? And that it is immediately available from the Federal Election Commission as soon as they file? What makes you, the media, more privileged than the public to get the data early? It would be one thing if he missed the deadline or didn't follow the disclosure requirements. You guys are just barking up a tree that doesn't make sense. Start shoving cameras in his face on this on July 21st if he hasn't filed yet. Can't you wait a couple of days!? - Axe

And not really. The FEC wouldn't need it by July 20th, but July 15th. FEC quarterly report schedule.

July Quarterly Congressional [HTML] [PDF] Presidential [HTML] [PDF]

June 30, 2009 (Books Close)

July 15, 2009 (Reporting Deadline)

The bottom line, however, is that Crist gave the Herald/Times reporter, the public and his constituents a run-around, contradicting what he told us prior and also within the new interview.

In retrospect of last week, the Miami Herald reports:

Crist said he would make his info available in a database-type format, though he wasn't sure what Excel was.

"We'd be happy to...We'd be happy to accommodate to the very best of our abilities," Crist said.

Q: So would you be willing to apply the standard used for state campaign finance reporting?

Crist: "We'd be happy to try, sure." - Miami Herald

Yet Crist says to the reporter that sending the data base information is challenging because they were relatively successful. He finalizes his answer with, "we'll adhere to the letter of the law." When the reporter asks Crist why it is so difficult when the information is already compiled and sitting with the campaign, he dismissively replies once more with, "we'll adhere to the letter of the law" and that "the data is available to anybody who wants it."

No. No its not. Nor is it challenging to retrieve the list from the database that the campaign has already stored. The success of his campaign donors has nothing to do with the list if it is already made. Maybe Crist himself doesn't know what a query is, which I suspect because even excel is a new concept altogether for him. Excel and the US government.

According to the FEC deadline, he has not regarded the law after all.

Later in the video, while entering his SUV, he was asked once more what changed his mind over his finance disclosure. "nothing..." and trails off with, "I said we would try."

"But you're not," the reporter says at last.

"I HATE democrats!"

I was standing in line when the man in front of me looked down at his Budweiser with a freshly contorted face, letting a dull sound escape his throat.

"That's how much it is? Damn-it-taxes. I HATE democrats!" grabbing up the case in his hands, he stormed out. (True story).

Well said, Sir. You are going to point a collective finger at the most varying party in the country and you bought the beer anyway... and if we're not varying than why on earth is Palin siding with some very few of them? Very few.

I'm not just addressing this as a Democrat. I'm not arguing this as simply a new (and somewhat disappointed) Floridian. I'm taking this misconstrued issue off the back burner as a person who resides in REALITY.

There is no federal or state argument for Floridian or nationwide Democrats for these raised taxes/prices of this man's booze.

On the federal level, Obama's national budget is still in the making and the current administration is not taking this beta-budget into effect until the following year. How can we fail to recognize that prior Republican national (lack of) leadership is what fed this economic downfall?

And republicans are proliferating tea parties around the country with the gonzos to hold a no taxation without representation picket sign when they themselves voted for those who raised them? No representation, indeed.

I digress.

The very price, despite taxes, of Mr. McSlabmeat's Budweiser has risen because of the recession, which by default has no alignment to the current administration or national congress (which has been mostly republican since '94). If anything there is evidence that the stimulus has directly given jobs to individuals and created further employment and projects. Republicans like Charlie Crist or Olympia Snowe agree.

Obama touches on the subject in his weekly address, saying that those who oppose his economic plans don't have any alternate propositions.

Comparatively, I have confidence in saying that the stimulus is the best thing to happen to our economy in eight years...then again, so would feeding a guerrilla a twenty. (Come on, like we all don't know there is at least one homeless guy squatting in the zoo).

He couldn't possibly make the connection that the Florida House or Senate are to blame for his pricey spirits because both are overrun by a republican majority and have been, at the least, for over a decade. Senate/House.

When former speaker of the house and Republican Marco Rubio came out and said the Republican party is a diminishing one, the last vestiges from the right are diminished to enticing radio hosts and empty public remarks from one guy with a case of Budweiser and a chip on his misinformed shoulder.

Video Remix!

youtube channel AwfulWaffleComedy presents, Megaball!



Check out Metalosis Maligna, an exquisite fictitious documentary.



If you didn't catch Stephen Colbert's speech at the white house correspondent's dinner in '06 or if you need to get over feeling down (for instance you unknowingly ate your parents in what looked...and strangely tasted...like meatloaf ) then here you have it!



So what would happen if a PC shooter based on puzzles was then slapped with wormhole technology? A flavorful, innovative video gaming goulash ::Drool::



(The cake is a lie!)

Panic at the Post!

Thank you to Politico for breaking the news on the Washington Post's pay-to-play dinners which were apparently advertised on a marketing flier. These series of policy suppers were planned to be held at Washington Post Publisher, Katherine Weymouth's House. The salons were to give corporate underwriters access to Obama officials, members of congress and Washington Post journalists.

Each individual dinner would cost $25,000 or $250,000 for a series of eleven. They were explicated to be off-the-record and in a relaxed setting with policy makers. An internal review delves further here.

The post launched an apologetic article titled letter to the reader and the first of the salons due for July 21st, which was focused on health care policy, was canceled.

The flier, the WaPo comments, was not what they had in mind. They say that it suggests they would hold these dinners between journalists and power brokers paid for by a single sponsor. Executive editor of the Post, Marcus Brauchli, said the plan was to have multiple sponsors than to be run by a single corporate entity.

But July 21st was around the corner and yet Kaiser Permanente was the only sponsor listed. Kaiser officials later stated they were undecided as of whether to participate.

The media discusses some correspondence walls being built within the post that allowed the fliers to get out without approval of the newsroom editors. And also without Katherine Weymouth's approval. So, the person who was supposed to have these events at their own house was clueless of the fliers prior? Uh...huh.

The flier reads,

"By bringing together those powerful few in business and policy-making who are forwarding, legislating and reporting on the issues, Washington Post Salons give life to the debate. Be at this nexus of business and policy with your underwriting of Washington Post Salons".

These are the types of examples I like to point out to those who don't catch how intertwined the state, corporate interest and media can be. Some of the WaPo's staff declined to show up for the planned salons. Maybe because they were being sold off to corporate bidders with a side of Fava beans and Chianti.

The speech without winks

Is that Tina Fey? No? Really?

Peterr of Firedoglake comments,

So let me get this straight.

• She quit, because she wouldn't be able to resist all the fun of being a lame duck.
• She quit, because her absence from the governor's office is what's best for Alaska.
• She quit, because it's the mavericky thing to do.

Wow.

Sarah Palin's airy speech resigning her position as Governor had stark convenience.

- It took Sanford's prior speech out of the media spotlight.
- People were still frenzied from MJ kicking the bucket (He still holds his crotch when he kicks. Even in undead form.)
- Palin is in $500,000 in legal debt from at least 18 ethics complaints beginning since she was alongside McCain in the running.

I skimmed some of the complaints submitted by Frank Gwartney in late 2008. The file discusses how roles for the Governors children had been created when they accompanied her uninvited, on state and official business. He notes this article quoting Garnero,

"We cover the expenses of anyone who's conducting state business. I can't imagine kids could be doing that."

Those who are calling the complaints frivolous (including Palin) need to keep in mind of the 150,000 dollar wardrobe she was sporting during her campaign for vice president.

FEC officials said purchases for such purposes are prohibited. Campaigns are not allowed to spend donated funds on expenses a person would have had regardless if they were running as a candidate or in office. That includes items like clothing, mortgage payments, country club fees, rent, groceries, etc. CBS

The only way she could have topped her own speech is wrapping it up with a swift, "let them wear Gucci".