Oh, man.  This sucks.

There seems to be a known issue with my platform, here-to-fore unmentioned anywhere you might have looked for it before it was too late, that prevents logon to the system by anyone other than the root admin for the entire site.  Whoopha! 

This is especially disconcerting because there are people looking to setup their blogs on this network who are not able to because I had no idea this was any kind of issue.  Very embarrasing.  Those of you to whom this may apply and who might be reading this: I’m so sorry!  Everybody sit tight and I’ll find some way to straighten it out for us, promise!

Congress Quietly Approves Billions More for Iraq War || The Nation Blog

Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold, the maverick Democrat who has led the fight to end the war and bring U.S. troops home from Iraq, was on the losing end of the 94-1 vote. (The five senators who did not vote, all presidential candidates who are more involved in campaigning than governing, were Democrats Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and Joe Biden and Republicans John McCain and Sam Brownback.)

Or, should I say, “Hello, again!”  Welcome to the new, improved Dragonflyeye.net.  Things are looking a little different and there are a number of changes that need yet to be made, but the lion’s share of the work has been done and the rest is all gravy!

I’m working on restoring RSS links, so hang tight!

. . . do American Democracy no good at all.

I just got an email a little while ago. I started reading the same old crap from the same old DCCC source as always, but then I noticed. “Hey!” I exclaimed loud enough for the guy in the next cube to hear me, “that sucks!”

Dear Thomas,
Here’s how Dick Cheney does it. He travels the country with little or no media attention and raises millions of dollars at posh fundraisers to fund GOP attack ads. Next stop on the Cheney “Get a Pic with Dick” Tour: Las Vegas for a GOP fundraiser charging folks $2,500 a head for a photo with the seldom-seen Vice-President.
{{snip}}
Donate now so that we have all the resources we need to promise we’ll help pull them through to victory.

Onwards,

Paul Begala

WTF, people? I thought Paul Begala was some sort of journalist, working for CNN and Crossfire and all that? How is this ethical? At least Mr. Bowtied Avenger isn’t actively campaigning for money for the Republican Party (that I know of).

Conflicts such as this, regardless what side of the isle they happen on, are just plain wrong.

No question about it: CNN is the single most shamelessly hypocritical network out there.  Remember back in 2004 when state after state of the union was moving to pass amendments to their constitutions banning same sex marriage?  Remember all the flushed comments about the sanctity of marriage repeated over and over again on CNN with nary a challenge from nary a “journalist?”

Well, get President Ahmadinejad of Iran to make some comments about the supposed lack of gays in his country, and boy!  Watch the CNN folks fall all over themselves to defend gay people now!

Ahmadinejad speaks; outrage and controversy follow - CNN.com

NEW YORK (CNN) — Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday challenged a university audience to look into “who was truly involved” in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, defended his right to question established Holocaust history and denied there were gay Iranians.

Wolf Blitzer just got done doing a whole “Keeping Them Honest” segment on TV just a few seconds ago, “exposing” the truth that there are - get ready - gay people in Iran. And they’re not treated kindly, if you can believe it. Suddenly, CNN cares.

The Washington Republicans have completely lost their shit, this time.  And leave it to Duncan Hunter to shovel the last of it off the train:

Think Progress » Hunter: I Will Try To ‘Cut Off Funds To Columbia University’ Because Of Ahmadinejad Speech

Earlier today, Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) said in a statement that if Columbia University President Lee Bollinger “follows through with this hosting of the leader of Iran, I will move in Congress to cut off every single type of Federal Funding to Columbia University.” . . . Appearing on Fox News’ Your World with Neil Cavuto after the speech, Hunter said that he plans to follow through on his threat and will now “initiate legislation, and try to get as many people as can see it my way, to cut off funds to Columbia University.”

Anything. Anything, anything, anything to get the votes of the hard Right in this election season.

Ted Koppel is speaking out about the Dan Rather roll-over moment and his impending lawsuit.  Like most thinking people, Koppel realizes that the whole firing was crap from the beginning.  Towards the end of this article, though, he reveals an interesting freeze-out of one of journalism’s top news men (him) by the White House simply for crossing the former failed baseball manager a slight bit in an interview:

Koppel on Rather Suit: Squeezing Out of Newsman was a ‘Travesty’ - TVWeek - News

When Mr. Bush was running for president, Mr. Koppel asked then Governor Bush what qualified him to be president. Mr. Bush cited his experience as governor of Texas, his experience running the Texas Rangers baseball team, as well as the fact that he was a loving husband and father.

Mr. Koppel replied that those qualifications would seem to be good qualifications if one were running for president of the Kiwanis Club, but not for president of the United States.

Ever since then it’s been the big freeze for Mr. Koppel from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

Technorati Tags: Ted Koppel, Dan Rather, George Bush, Censorship

Across the country, attorneys general are sniffing around Facebook and MySpace, looking to crack down on pornography and sexual predators.  Unfortunately, Facebook has taken to bragging about it’s privacy over MySpace, and that’s led to some red-faced explanations of why complaints about porn and predation have not been followed up on:

Facebook’s safety disputed || Democrat & Chronicle: Local News

“My office is concerned that Facebook’s promise of a safe Web site is not consistent with its performance in policing its site and responding to complaints,” Cuomo said in a statement. Facebook spokeswoman Brandee Barker said Monday that the states’ concerns are being taken “very seriously.” . . . Founded in 2004, Facebook started as a social network for teenagers and college students, but in 2006, the site was opened to anyone. The company has boasted about its efforts to keep its sites private and safe.

Andrew Cuomo is right to be looking out for kids on the Internet, and if there’s reason to improve safety on Facebook, I’m all for it. However, this is an apples-and-oranges comparison: privacy and identity security as opposed to safety for minors.   » Continue Reading…

Ok, this is just rich.  Be honest, now, didn’t you think of this at least once when you watched this scene?

Vader Plays The Blues

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I hate to be accused of kicking a man when he’s down, but I couldn’t let this comment from Jim Breese go unanswered:

No regrets for Breese || Democrat & Chronicle: Local News

(September 24, 2007) — HENRIETTA — There’s a phrase that outsiders often use around here when talking about development — “We don’t want to be another Henrietta.” The phrase sticks in Jim Breese’s craw. . . “It’s an ignorant comment,” said the ever-blunt Breese. “And that’s OK. We don’t want to be like them, either. We’re business-friendly, sure. But we don’t give businesses a blank check.”

No blank checks?  When is the last time you saw a building in Henrietta get reused?  Kohls is about the only example I can think of, yet every day I go down Jefferson (to my chagrin, I can never quite get rid of Henrietta, especially living in the Wedge), there is more construction in that most recent of monstrosities, the complex where Red Robin sits as a mocking symbol of wasted corporate energy.  Seriously, are you impressed by their “special salt,” which is just Lowery’s Seasoned Salt with a robin on the side of it?

Breese says you have to get off Jefferson to see Henrietta.  Well, not to be indelicate, but why the hell would anyone do that?  Which is precisely the problem.  There is, in fact, plenty of pastoral beauty in Henrietta.  And then there is the sprawling tribute to suburban crawl.  But there’s nothing else.  Other towns have managed to make a central township thrive, with a sense of community and buildings of historical note.  Henrietta is an ode to the automobile at the expense of community.

Technorati Tags: Henrietta, Suburban Sprawl, Commerce, Commercialism