Some Crazy Stuff That Happened In World War II

3:59 pm EST January 24th, 2012 | Books, History | 4 Comments

So I’m reading this book about World War II that’s really great. It’s called All Hell Let Loose by Sir Max Hastings and is a re-telling of the story of World War II with the addition of tons of first-person observations from people experiencing the war.

Some interesting stories I’ve found so far.

* A Russian soldier holed up in a farmhouse during the Russian invasion of Poland went outside to go to the bathroom to do number 2. In the process, he was shot in the leg. He ran back to the farmhouse and didn’t go the bathroom for another 7 days.

* A woman waiting for rationed food in the blockaded city of Leningrad had her food stolen by a man in line behind her. The starvation had reached such a crisis point that she reached down his mouth and pulled out what was left of the food in order to take it home for her family.

* In order to combat the problem of desertion in the Russian army, Stalin devised a strategy where Russians would approach the German line with their hands raised in a “surrender” position. Then, when they got close to the Germans, they would throw grenades. The Germans began responding to surrendering Russians by shooting them. Russian soldiers learned this, and what their fate would be if they surrendered to the enemy.

Maryland Republican Campaign Funds Used To Defend Voter Suppression

2:58 pm EST January 24th, 2012 | Maryland | 1 Comment

Bob Ehrlich used his campaign money to pay for the defense of now-convicted vote-suppression activist.

A campaign account maintained by former governor Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R) was used to pay more than $100,000 last year to law firms involved in the criminal defense of his 2010 campaign manager, Paul E. Schurick, on charges related to voter suppression.

Schurick was convicted in December by a Baltimore jury of four counts stemming from an Election Night robocall that prosecutors said was intended to mislead black voters into staying home.

A campaign finance report filed this week by Ehrlich lists payments to at least two law firms known to have worked on Schurick’s defense.

I wonder if people donating to Ehrlich’s campaign thought the money they donated would go to this cause?

The Obama Jobs Record In One Graph

1:54 pm EST January 24th, 2012 | Economy | 19 Comments

If you can’t decipher this complex graph, allow me to help: Blue good.

Martin O’Malley All In For Marriage Equality

1:41 pm EST January 24th, 2012 | Maryland | 37 Comments

Martin O’Malley just sent out the following e-mail, linking here to solicit money for Marylanders For Marriage Equality. He’s not being wishy-washy about this.

Newt Gingrich, Filled With More Excrement Than Your Average Politician

8:04 am EST January 20th, 2012 | Conservative | 58 Comments

When Bill Clinton was involved in the Lewinsky affair, it was bad, reprehensible conduct for a husband and a father. Certainly it showed a lack of morals and judgement. That said, it was not a high crime or misdemeanor by any stretch of the imagination. He had done wrong, but it didn’t warrant a crisis of the constitution. Republicans didn’t share that sentiment. Republicans thought the affair was reason enough to remove the president from his office.

They were led in this charge by Newt Gingrich. Gingrich vowed in 1998 to bring up the affair as much as possible. Gingrich decided to create ads about the affair, and thought it would be a good issue to run on in 1998. It didn’t work, and Democrats gained 5 seats in the House that year.

As we now know, while Newt Gingrich was on this moral crusade, he was cheating on his wife and eventually divorcing her.

So now, years later, after his moral crusade built on a platform hypocrisy, Gingrich has the nerve to berate CNN for bringing up this story? Excrement, indeed.

Topic: Newt Gingrich

New Year, Powerline Still Stupid

10:50 am EST January 13th, 2012 | Conservative | 37 Comments

The defense of Mitt Romney’s career as a corporate raider is in full sway, and especially how he’s a virtual lock for the nomination now, the usual conservative clowns are lining up like they always do in order to protect their cause. Case in point, the nimrods at Powerline (background on their years of stupidity) are asserting the following:

The Left is carrying out a coordinated attack on Mitt Romney’s business career. One sees exactly the same allegations, often phrased identically, whether you look at the Daily Kos, the Associated Press, Slate or Think Progress, or listen to Newt Gingrich or Rick Perry.

Apparently Newt Gingrich, leader of the conservative revolution in the House and Rick Perry, George W. Bush’s number two in Texas and a few months ago The Great Conservative Hope, are now part of a coordinated campaign between the left, the Associated Press and Slate (?) to take down Mitt Romney. It couldn’t be that Romney has a spotty career in the private sector. It couldn’t be that Romney has tried to disappear his time as governor and has put his career front and center. No. It has to be a conspiracy.

Because with the right, its always a conspiracy. It has been since at least 1964 when they were going on about the water being fluoridated by communists or in 2008 when they claimed that the housing collapse was a conspiracy of Democrats and poor people and not Wall Street. It’s always a conspiracy.

Because they are morons.

Thanks Again

9:11 pm EST January 9th, 2012 | Me | 7 Comments

I want to thank everyone who’s contacted me, either here, Facebook, or on Twitter or via e-mail (or via their blogs like TBogg and John) about C.K.’s passing.

It doesn’t make it easier — and no lie it hurts like hell for my home to suddenly be so silent after a decade of little legs pitter-pattering everywhere — but it warms my heart. And I know in puppy heaven where he’s knocking out a giant ham, C.K. hears you too. Thank you, everyone.

C.K.: November 22, 1999 – January 7, 2012

5:35 pm EST January 7th, 2012 | Me | 36 Comments

I lost my best friend today.

C.K. was in my life for exactly 12 years, 2 weeks and a day. We first brought him home on December 23, 1999. He was so small, he fit in the palm of my hand. As a miniature dachshund, he never got really big, but at 15lbs now he seems so big to me.

C.K. was always there for me. Always ecstatic when I got home, always upset when I had to stop petting his head and go to work — the nerve of me! C.K. was my buddy in watching the Redskins fail again and again, looking ridiculous in the Redskins jersey I bought him. The jersey was size extra-small, but even then his little 2 inch legs were too short for it.

My entire family, particularly my mom, loved — loves — C.K. He was at all our familial gatherings, he got a plate of ham (his favorite) and other food at Christmas and Thanksgiving. He fell asleep in laps – mine, Mom’s, my Aunt Angela, my Grandmother’s, my little cousins. He cozied up with everyone, from my girlfriend to my uncle to perfect strangers. He would not be ignored. You must rub his head or his belly, or fear the wrath.

He wasn’t just a “pet.”

Those of you who read this blog and my Twitter feed know C.K. too. You’ve seen me post humorous photo essays about the “weiner dog of infinite justice.” You’ve seen me post goofy pictures and videos, notes about his birthday and the like. You’re part of the C.K. story as well.

He was diagnosed today with a tumor in his stomach and had been having trouble breathing. I could not allow him to suffer. I love him too much.

He’ll always be with me and I’ll love him until the day I die.

The outpouring of love and condolences is a testament to my little baby dog and the life he led.

P.S. Those of you who know me a little bit know this, but of course C.K. stands for Clark Kent and not the fashion designer (as if). He was and is in every way a Super Dog.

Topic: C.K.

The Best #SuperHeroPrimary Tweets

2:09 pm EST January 6th, 2012 | Comic Books, Humor | Comments Off

On a lark I decided to combine two of my favorite things: Superheroes and politics. That resulted in the #superheroprimary hashtag, which was a top trend for a few seconds. Here are some of the best.