The Ron Paul convention takeover plot

Well, what the hell's the presidency for?" --Lyndon Baines Johnson, 1963, quoted by Robert Caro.

Bill Clinton reviews Caro's book on LBJ. Krugman publishes book on the D economic narrative and the "lousy economy", recommends strategery: Blame the Rs. Shocker! Obligatory campaign season presidential bio, Barack Obama: The [sic?] Story. But who's the real "composite", anyhow?

Lilac

Syringa

These are white lilacs, and the scent was heavenly. This is one of my favorite plants. Spring blooms form on summer wood, so if you prune them in the fall you'll never get flowers.

Fannie Mae had seen benefits to lowering some home loans, documents indicate

Officials at government-backed mortgage giant Fannie Mae concluded years ago that the company could “reduce its losses substantially” by lowering loan amounts for some troubled borrowers, according to internal documents cited Tuesday by the top Democrat on the House oversight committee.

Patrick Martin of wsws has posted a provocative article on Barack Obama’s campaign use of the “take out” of Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Martin:

There is something particularly degrading about the use of a state killing—in which dozens of heavily armed special ops troops mowed down the fugitive in front of his wives and children—to promote a political campaign. Obama presents himself, not so much even as commander-in-chief, but as “hitman-in-chief,” appealing to the worst social instincts.

 snip

To follow twig's sweet william, as small, fussy, common annuals, here's one I like but don't know what it is. I love the way it sort of clouds up over the other things in the garden.

Close up under the fold:

Ds and Rs.

Rick Perlstein on his Faceborg page (inspired by Robama heaving another gay person under the bus):

I've sometimes wondered what I would do if the White House asked me to work for them, say as a speechwriter, and usually concluded that it is one's patriotic duty to serve one's president if called. I've changed my mind, now that it's become plain the Obama Administration would gladly rip off my head and shit down my neck the moment that Fox News told them to.

 Ouch!

May Day Montreal.

And in solidarity*, I'm not putting "shit the bed" into the headline. Here's the Cleveland Occupy Statement:

While the persons arrested Monday evening by the FBI have participated in Occupy Cleveland events, they were in no way representing or acting on behalf of Occupy Cleveland. Occupy Cleveland has affirmed the principles of non-violence since its inception on October 6, 2011.

Here's the FBI statement:

Douglas L. Wright, 26; Brandon L. Baxter, 20; and Anthony Hayne, 35, were arrested by members of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force on the evening of April 30, 2012, on charges of conspiracy and attempted use of explosive materials to damage physical property affecting interstate commerce. Also arrested were Connor C. Stevens, 20, and Joshua S. Stafford, 23, and charges are pending against them.

Interestingly, the charges aren't terrorism (unless that's the "conspiracy" part) and aren't NDAA or any of the other exotic quas-legal instruments. And as usual:

The public was never in danger from the explosive devices, which were controlled by an undercover FBI employee. The defendants were closely monitored by law enforcement. The explosives that the defendants allegedly purchased and attempted to use were inoperable...

ABC summarizes the complaint:

Ursula Rozum quits Dems to run for US House of Representatives in New York’s 24th Congressional District in Syracuse.

Anyone from Syracuse? Anyone know anything about her?

This country's going so far to the right you're not even going to recognize it. --Attorney General John Mitchell, 1970

Best May Day (Loyalty Day) strike poster: "The Beginning Is Near". Best Front Page Teaser, Pravda: "May Day protests could disrupt commutes in U.S."

11 sheets of paper (double sided and 2 pages per sheet)

8 articles

7 images on their own pages

2 nights NO SLEEP.

PRICELESS

Disability Zine nitty gritty:

Woo hoo!

I'm not exactly on strike, but I won't be posting a lot (though I will be working on a site upgrade on my home server so we can do much more capturing of live tweets, for example...). Please post links and thoughts. Go read this for some encouragement. And I'll start:

Yes, in many states, corporations take money from your paycheck directly, and just keep it.

Robert Wenzel's peroration, when asked to speak over dinner to the NY Fed:

Again, thank you for inviting me. You have prepared food, so I will not be rude, I will stay and eat.

Let’s have one good meal here. Let’s make it a feast. Then I ask you, I plead with you, I beg you all, walk out of here with me, never to come back. It’s the moral and ethical thing to do. Nothing good goes on in this place. Let’s lock the doors and leave the building to the spiders, moths and four-legged rats.

 Indeed.

Dianthus barbatus

Sweet William

Not being a fan of small, fussy flowers, I tend to ignore some of the prettiest spring blooms. Today, we'll try to make up for it with a member of the dianthus family, sweet William. These spring favorites are often referred to as Pinks, although I have no idea why, since they come in a whole palette of not-pink colors.

From Pravda, the headline:

Obama strategy of taking credit for Osama bin Laden killing risky, observers say

And why, you ask?

‘Even Jimmy Carter’ Would Have Ordered Bin Laden Killed

Transcript:

MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: What do we have to show for three-and-a-half years of President Obama?

AUDIENCE MEMBERS: Nothing.

ROMNEY: Is it easier to make ends meet?

AUDIENCE MEMBERS: No.

ROMNEY: Is it easier to sell your home or buy a new one?

AUDIENCE MEMBERS: No.

ROMNEY: Have you saved what you needed for retirement?

AUDIENCE MEMBERS: No.

ROMNEY: Are you making more at your job?

AUDIENCE MEMBERS: No.

ROMNEY: Do you have a better chance to get a better job?

AUDIENCE MEMBERS: No.