Here and There

And it haveth neat shit.

It wasn’t what her snail-mail form letter said (that, more or less, she was okay with having Joe Lieberman caucus with the Democrats in the Senate). No, it’s more the fact that it was on snail mail to begin with.

After I submitted my request to bump Joe over a form on her Senate website? Really?

Ugh. Why can’t Arnie just wait and run against DiFi instead?

Thx: Chris Bodenner @ Daily Dish

Okay, seriously, folks, can we add one and one?

ExxonMobil reports the largest quarterly profit in U.S. history: $11.68 billion.

Can we build these fucks a fossil-fuel-based vehicle and transport them off our planet now? They win. They’ve proved that no matter what the situation, you can milk a natural resource with finite supplies, all while jacking the price and raping the public’s wallets. Seriously, second to none. Hoorah!

Amazing! I love examples of perseverance like this.

Sorry, YouTube’s embed code not working.

Given Florida Governor Charlie Crist’s non-answer to Joe Scarborough’s question, “Does Barack Obama really want the U.S. to lose the war in Iraq?” I present to you a list of what John McCain’s true intentions are:*

1. To mutilate all children, publicly
2. To give everyone guns that go off at random times
3. To print his own U.S. currency, each denomination printed with his bust on both sides
4. To create fire-breathing dragons from DNA
5. To fly to the moon to establish a second White House there

* I believe myself to be just as qualified to know what McCain wants as Crist is in his knowledge of Obama’s true designs on the nation, i.e., enough of this shit!

Finally finished Ryan Lizza’s Obama article from the much-maligned and now infamous New Yorker issue a few weeks ago.

I have to say, I appreciated this article. The first few times I ran into elements of Obama’s past that didn’t sit too well with me, I kneejerk cringed. But I kept going, pausing every so often to reflect on the fact that I would rather know everything, scars and all, about this man whom I’ve decided to back wholeheartedly for president. Hell, I’m even planning to do some traveling for his campaign.

Lizza’s piece tells a version of the story of how Chicago and Illinois politics shaped this politician who has experienced one of the (if not the) fastest rises to the top in U.S. political history. Alliances (some questionable), redistricting maneuvers, a certain amount of bravado … they’re all there, in both second-hand accounts by foes and allies alike, and in the senator’s own words.

As much as I harp on this year’s election being a landslide, I in no way believe it will be a foregone, walk-in-the-park conclusion. These types of articles are healthy for those who are unwavering in our support, but also do well to diffuse any potential future scandals. Getting some of this so-called dirt out there now is better for Obama in the long run. See: HIs admission of having tried cocaine.

I suggest you read the article, too. I come away with a stronger sense of conviction, now coupled with the knowledge that this man is just a man, a politician whose ideas are lightyears ahead of the competition.

Can’t find news yet, but got this from USGS website.

I don’t wish hurt or death on my enemies. The fact that Robert Novak was diagnosed with a potentially cancerous brain tumor brought me not an ounce of joy. As terrible as the man and his opinions are, I feel bad for him and those who *gulp* love him, darkness and all.

I do, however, have the urge to pop the corks when I read things like this: Alaska Senator Ted (he of the series of tubes) Stevens indicted on seven counts.

I would very much enjoy, if in fact Stevens is guilty for these crimes, if he were locked away. His poll numbers for November are already pretty lousy (Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich is ahead something like 50-41).

Now, if we could only indict James “Global Warming is a Hoax” Inhofe …

Audible gasps heard in offices across the land! Productivity soars!

Here and There turned 3 at the beginning of July. It must hate me now, having forgot its birthday and all. Seems it’s not the first time I’ve forgotten. The cure next year, and every year hence? Google Calendar.

The last year has by far been Here and There’s busiest. To date, there are 1,557 posts, and only 1,119 spam comments! Go spam filters! You’ve served me well. 538 legit comments have made it through, after all.

Traffic spiked during the Democratic Presidential Primaries. I still can’t find a source of absolutely spot-on stats-collecting, but it’s safe to say that May 2008 was the blog’s busiest month. I miss Hillary Clinton. Okay, not really.

This year, I’ve blogged from my iPod Touch, and, more recently, from my new iPhone. I’ve really begun using MarsEdit in earnest, as its developer, Daniel Jalkut, has done a superb job keeping it the best blog client out there. Also, WordPress has stepped things up remarkably, with its latest iteration, version 2.6.

Anyway, sorry little Here and There. I promise never to forget another birthday. Plus, look at it this way: This kind of fuck-up can only build character.

According to Politico.com, Kaine is a serious contender.

My kneejerk reaction is that Kaine may not be well-known enough nationally, and the lack of foreign policy would only lead to increased attacks on the campaign.

Still, on paper, the Virginia governor looks nice.

Change your last name to Moccasin:

The AP wire reports from Chicago.

Thx: Ben Smith @ Politico.com

Mine was wonderful. Went to Yosemite National Park for the first time, and despite a fire that has so far ravaged 26,000 acres nearby, we were afforded breathtaking views of some of the most beautiful scenery I’ve ever experienced.

Enjoy the slideshow:

*Spoilers abound*

Partly because he liked the movie a little more than I did, but mostly because he’s way better at writing about movies than I am, I give you Randy Hunt:

I didn’t find the movie cheesy at all. In fact, I thought the two ferry boats were a great plotline, especially a good choice to conclude all the Joker’s mayhem. I mean, if his main goal was anarchy and turning the people of Gotham against each other, to the point of cold blooded murder, it was the only time his plans completely failed. It showed that the people of Gotham are not ready to stoop to the Joker’s level. I also liked how the Joker’s schemes kept getting bigger and scarier, with no regard to human life. I agree he was one of the sickest villains I’ve ever seen in a film. I mean, he fucking blew up a hospital.

I thought there were several layers to the story, and the movie handled all of them extremely well. I also was surprised they killed Rachel, but I don’t think Christopher Nolan would stoop to a cheap trick like bringing her back. That’s some shit they might have tried with the crapfest Batman films of the 90s. This film was really a crime drama where the main character happens to wear a bat suit. And maybe the ballsiest aspect of the movie was the end, when essentially Batman is now on the run, considered a “cop-killer,” even if he’s completely innocent. His notion that he’s willing to be the scapegoat if it means that Harvey Dent’s dream to clean up Gotham would be better realized was pretty noble, and really unlike anything we’ve ever seen in a superhero movie.

I also liked how the movie was essentially about 3 people: Harvey Dent (good), Joker (evil), and Batman (somewhere inbetween). Sure, Batman’s ultimate aim is to get rid of criminals, but he technically is a vigilante, and he did beat the living shit out of a prime suspect of a couple of kidnappings just to get information on the victims’ whereabouts. On the flipside, he did have the chance to kill the Joker, or to let him die, and he didn’t. He disproved the Joker’s notion that they were just the same. It’s a shame we won’t see Heath Ledger have a cameo in the next film the way Cillian Murphy did in this film. His performance was extraordinary. I’d love to see him win an Oscar.

Anyway, you can see I really liked this movie. I can’t wait to get the DVD.