Governor Brian Schweitzer of Montana vetoed 17 bills yesterday, including the repeal of the marijuana law... with a branding iron. (video at source)

Michele Bachmann vs.... Lenscrafters?

Wisconsin's jedge elections just keep smelling worse and worse. Did you know the 'inept' election clerk may have worked for Prosser at one point?

Unfortunately, not everyone has Rachel's love of infrastructure. Someone fell asleep during the President's speech, but that's no big d- who did? Really? Oh, Joe....

Maryland passes its own DREAM act.

And for a little bit of morning Zen, have an actual sign placed in a Natural History Museum recently.

a couple of articles this morning.

Protesters target BP annual meeting

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/apr/14/protesters-bp-agm?CMP=twt_fd

Europe Importing American Tea (Party)? (courtesy of Tim Phillips)

http://www.thenewamerican.com/world-mainmenu-26/europe-mainmenu-35/7098-europe-importing-american-tea-party

Why am I not surprised when Scarboro rants against the President for speaking out IN FRONT OF Rep. Ryan...as if the congressman would be OFFENDED and refuse to negotiate from this point forward. That's the line of the day! HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN NICER! Predict a shift of the GOP toward a characterization as the "Party of Pout"?

Another reason to admire Ford (the car company, not the actor). If the self-motivated debt restructuring (which allowed them to skip the bailout) was enough, consider their car line up (better fuel economy, lower emissions, huge increase in quality), and this story (which I link to on FoxNews, but it wasn't written by them, so just don't look at the logo, ok?).

Turns out somebody figured out how to recycle old nylon carpet...AND it's cheaper than using virgin oil to make plastic. Here's the link: http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2011/04/13/ford-building-engines-shag-carpet/

I have a concern with Jon Kyl's comment. Yes, the #NotIntendedToBeAFactualStatement is very funny, but this supposed representative of not only his state but all people of the US in making laws, made this comment on the Senate floor. This comment that was later said to be not intended to be factual, was placed in the Record. Did he amend the record with the correct information? This is a historical record of our representation and this man placed a lie on that record - while I understand it isn't the first and won't be the last - he did admit it was not factual and the record should reflect that.

amidst all this seriousness, lighten your day by viewing the winners of the 5th annual washington post peeps contest

(right click on the link to choose to open in a new tab or window)

I wonder, do the analysts over at CNBC think these stories are unrelated?

Jobless Claims Up, Inflation Pressures Grow: http://www.cnbc.com/id/42586453

Drivers Cut Back as Gas prices climb: http://www.cnbc.com/id/42531318

Oil prices fall, so do Gasoline Inventories, Libya oil output declines, Chinese Inflation concerns: http://www.cnbc.com/id/42581057

Reading about the "EGTRRA" (one of the two Bush tax cuts) on Wiki this morning and stumbled across a mention that The Heritage Foundation in 2001 predicted the cuts would result in the complete elimination of the US national debt by fiscal year 2010. Seriously.

The Heritage Foundation also predicted that the Bush plan would:

• Reduce the federal surplus by $1.4 trillion from FY 2002 to FY 2011. Even with higher spending, the total surplus would be $4.2 trillion from FY 2002 to FY 2011. Moreover, because employment and payroll tax revenue will rise, the Social Security surplus would increase by $85 billion and the Medicare Part A surplus would increase by $39 billion, making more resources available over the next 10 years to reform those programs.

• Effectively pay off the federal debt. The Bush plan would decrease federal debt to the lowest possible level at which it could be redeemed--$818 billion in FY 2011 (see Chart 4).²⁵ From FY 2001 to FY 2011, federal debt as a percentage of GDP would decline from 30.5 percent to just 4.7 percent under the plan.

• Accumulate $1.8 trillion in uncommitted funds.²⁶ Without any tax relief, the federal Treasury will accumulate $3.2 trillion in excess taxes and interest.²⁷ With the substantial tax relief contemplated by the Bush plan, this amount would decline by $1.4 trillion (see Chart 4). The remaining funds would have to be invested with banks and the Federal Reserve or in some other private-sector asset, or used to reform Social Security and reduce payroll taxes.

http://tinyurl.com/3oydl4x

BBC News - Yellowstone supervolcano fed by bigger plume - http://bbc.in/gr03jd

BBC News - Japan quake: Police search for bodies near nuclear plant - http://bbc.in/gWtxmm

BBC News - BP annual meeting sparks angry protests - http://bbc.in/dN5yKj

BBC News - Orange sheep: Farmer dyes sheep to stop theft - http://bbc.in/fiKat3

newscientist AIDS is approaching its 30th birthday but the virus responsible has probably been infecting people for 100 years http://bit.ly/hIAHbt

Begin sarcasm - Let us all pray for those poor millionaires who now feel less rich than they did. -end sarcasm. Bet THEY don't have to worry about how they'll pay the mortgage.

You have to see this. Look! Bipartisanship CAN work!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZi4JxbTwPo

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Here's one that's not obviously political at all, but one dear to me....
http://www.earthyreport.com/site/building-flower-roads-to-save-bees/

Let's take a break from all the crap being flung and plant wildflower beds instead!!! :)

ID tags for cobras? The rationale is actually quite important, given the mistreatment to which 'snake charmers' actually resort. Nonetheless, you still have to wonder... ID tags for cobras?

http://www.terradaily.com/reports/India_microtags_snakes_to_snare_illegal_charmers_999.html

Dear Ms Maddow,

You are the most compelling individual for me on T.V. right now.  Not only are you engaging, but you seem to be an exceedingly smart person who does extensive homework.  Nevertheless, I have seen folks, very smart folks, who were seduced by the class charmer despite a public record cluttered with the debris of bruised and broken hopeful hearts.

Please break-up with President Obama!  Yes, he does enchant.  He does loom large, Captain of the team, prom king, and valedictorian in one easy-to-take-home-to-the-family-package.  

The packaging is deceptive.  In Hawaii, it is sometimes said,  "Dat guy all mout".   Sadly, that is what we have come to see.  Our President charms us.  We entrust our hopes to him.  He betrays us, not just by acquiescing to the Republican demands, but by giving away even more than they request.

Ms Maddow, there is no public option.  We were promised one.    Ms Maddow, the Cuban prison is still open for business.  We were promised closed-doors.   Ms Maddow we were promised the end to the Bush era tax cuts for the financially bloated.  You see where this is going....

When he relinquished public option, he turned his back on his supporters.  When he turned his back, we noticed that he was all smile but no spine.  Without a spine, one cannot stand up for what one believes.  Without a spine one cannot walk or move ahead.  If he cannot move, he cannot  lead.  Perhaps he can smile and point the way.  It is not clear, however, is he pointing the way or just giving us the finger?

Break up with him. Save yourself before he breaks your heart as well, Ms Maddow.    You and America deserve far better.

Ogenkide,

John

Completely off any topic, except perhaps for plus ca change:

http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Ancient_slingers_added_insult_to_injury_researcher_says_999.html

I know this is late news (NPR had this about a week ago), and maybe you already know that Paul Ryan went to college on his dad's SOCIAL SECURITY benefits.

The People's Budget... Yes please!!!

http://grijalva.house.gov/uploads/The%20CPC%20FY2012%20Budget.pdf

It's about time that Pres. Obama asserts himself and stop being so weak. He is too weak a President for those GOP/Tea Partiers. He has to start getting serious and make up his mind. He just keeps flipflopping and it makes me mad. A man of colour gets the opportunity of a lifetime (and don't deny it) and what does he do? Goes in the White House and starts to "flip-flop" instead of standing up for the things that really matter and the people he should be working towards helping, such as the middle-class and the poorer, the children and the elderly, the infrastructure, the job situation, and such things. Instead, the first thing he does is allows those Wall Streeet CEOs to continue getting their bonuses; he seems to be continually "smiling" on them. Then he goes and gives into the GOP by passing some kind of law continuing the Bush Tax Scheme (exempting the business people and the rich) from additional taxation for the next two years. Now, they are refusing to pay further taxation (which they should) and the President is not forceful enough to MAKE DEMANDS AND MAKE IT AS PLAIN AS DAYLIGHT THAT HE MEANS BUSINESS WITH THEM. Does he not realise that he and the rest of them are put there to look after the interests of ALL AMERICANS - not just a chosen few. He had better start putting his money where his mouth is, instead of using certain tactics to ensure his return to the White House in the next Elections. Sure, I would like to see him return the next time round, but this is not a game to see who should fill the spot for the White House - this is a matter of the American people's lives - people are suffering; there are no jobs available and no amount of cutting of taxes from the rich will help get jobs back. That is a lot of poppycock coming out of the GOP Camp, because everyone knows they have no intention of employing any other staff - whether they pay or do not pay more taxation. They are the ones outsourcing jobs because of cheapness. They don't want to give their own American people proper pay for the jobs done. When they outsource, they get the work done cheaper. So Pres. Obama, get smart and stop hesitating as you are so prone to doing. Not even your own people will vote for you this time around if you don't get your act together. Show those Republicans what you're made of and make people (weasels) like Donald Trump feel like the rats that they are - Trump and Ryan, especially. And people like Scott Walker.

• Public employees, officials denounce 'paycheck protection' #Florida ("paycheck protection;" isn't that exactly how one can describe unemployment insurance?)

• Union-dues bill narrowly survives committee #Florida

• Wisconsin symbolism

• Present Republican leaders voted 14 times to raise debt ceiling by $4,000,000,000,000 during Bush era #theyrenotembarassed

• Boehner: when we say 'privatize' Medicare, we don't mean 'privatize' Medicare

• AZ Senate passes birther bill

• Pro-life #NotIntendedToBeAFactualStatement

• Communities fractured over fracking #Lorax

• Cukoo for Christ: VA Tech student stabs himself to prove God exists, attacks campus security

Yet another "Defund Planned Parenthood" vote today: http://on.msnbc.com/dEB1di

-It failed and had 5 Republican votes.