Oh, Professor…

Is there any word you can’t put neo in front of?

As long-time readers know, I'm highly critical of the neo-declinist school in international political economy.

BTW, according to my spell check and my American Heritage, declinist is not a word with or without the neo. But, you can take that up with them. The only question is whether William Safire would kick your ass harder for the disrespect toward Conservatism or the English language.

Anyway, the rest of his post is just some blah blah about how America is not declining because we are not exactly the same as Imperial Rome. I believe it may be because we don’t wear togas.

There is a link to some twaddle by Niall Ferguson because neo-conservatism with a British accent makes it so much more palatable. 

There is also a link to a series of paintings by Thomas Cole who apparently had a series of 5 paintings depicting the life cycle of a city. His theory seems to be that cities go from pastoral to desolation. It doesn’t make much more sense than anything DD says. But, his paintings aren’t bad. Cole’s, that is. I doubt Douglas has any talent.

PS: Don’t be afraid to click on the twaddle link. I love the synonyms for it.

Those Were the Days

In reading about Jenny Sanford being granted divorce from Mark “Last Tango on the Appalachian Trail” Sanford, I couldn’t help but feel a bit of nostalgia. If not for those pesky liberals, Mark could have had Jenny committed to an institution (i.e. lunatic asylum) such as the one pictured above.

"In 1872 . . . if [a married woman's] husband had a mistress or if she had inherited money . . . he could bring her here," Lamb tells her guests. "He could sign her in and leave her until he decided to come back and get her -- or until she died, whichever came first."

These are the kind of conservative, Republican family values we need to return this country to. Jenny would have received the best of care at the lunatic asylum institute. And if Mark ever grew tired of playing gaucho on the pampas and came back for her, she would be the perfect wife.

Dr. Walter Freeman told her to wait; he just needed a few minutes with the patient. The young nurse had no idea that the doctor was the famous -- some would say infamous -- lobotomist who traveled around the country using an ice pick or similar tool to damage the brains of thousands of patients.
"She brought back the perfect patient. He would feed himself, dress himself [and] go to the bathroom by himself, but he would never have any emotions again."

Vote for liberals! The alternative could be an ice pick to the brain. You’re welcome, Jenny.

Former Abramoff Lobbyist Convicted

OK, it’s just for a DWI. But, if there had ever been a chance that John Sweeney would ever be my congressman again, I think it’s gone out the window. Being the wussy liberal that I am, I generally am sympathetic toward those who have fallen victim to their vices.

Sweeney was one of Jack Abramoff’s lobbyists giving sweatshop owners free rein in the Marianas. I’ll make an exception for him and feel just a bit of schadenfreude.

American officials and human rights advocates testified before congress that workers, 91 percent of whom were immigrants from China, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, were working below the CMNI minimum wage ($3.05), often seven days a week and up to 12 hours a day, and living in shacks behind barbed wire and without plumbing. Many workers also paid $5,000 to $7,000 in "recruitment fees" to gain employment, often with money borrowed from loan sharks who took all of their wages until the fees were paid back.

Congressman Kickass in happier days:

And here are some of his greatest hits:

In addition to his two DWI arrests, in September it was revealed that federal investigators are exploring Sweeney’s dealings with an Albany lobbying firm after the four-term congressman was appointed to the powerful House Appropriations Committee in 2001.

A 2005 domestic dispute led to a 911 call and seven years ago Sweeney crashed his car and knocked out power to a Washington County ski area, which resulted in no tickets.

Song for Truth101

This post is inspired by my friend Truth. Sometimes we just get too focused on the negative events of the day. Life really is wonderful and is to be celebrated. Any day that your name doesn’t turn up in the morning obits is a good one. Everyone sing along!

UPDATE: I feel I may have misjudged the tone of my friend Truth’s blog of late. But, I haven’t been spending a lot of time in the tubes lately. In any case, I’ll post another clip and just assume there is a song somewhere between Lesley Gore and Patti Smith that would be perfectly appropriate. Just not sure what it would be. Once again, feel free to sing along.

Dumped (with a capital D) from Richard’s Friend List

That’s gotta hurt!

 

Have you no shame Senator Brown. What good is it going to do to retake the Congress if you just fill it with RINOs?

Hat tip to AmPow. Thanks for the blogenfreude, “professor.”

Rightwingers are Liars, and I’ll Show You…