Too Progressive

Because I’m tired of hearing about the Mexican Bacon Flu, especially since it’s pretty clear that both the WHO and CDC have no idea which way it will go, I’m just going to point out a few key points to take away from that other news story that will forever be remembered in “on this day in history” segments (ha ha just kidding, it wasn’t that important). I speak, of course, about Meghan McCain’s latest simulated feud with someone as equally unimportant as she is the new 9/11 in New York. VIA NYT:

The mission on Monday, officials said, was set up to create an iconic shot of Air Force One, similar to one that was taken in recent years over the Grand Canyon.

When President Obama learned of the episode on Monday afternoon, aides said, he, too, was furious. Senior administration officials conveyed the president’s anger in a meeting with Mr. Caldera on Monday afternoon.

I guess the visionary artist and/or dimwitted codger who came up with the idea just really, really wanted the photo to be totally authentic and did not want a horrible asterisk to forever stain copies of the photo, history books and Wikipedia noting the image of the plane was “simulated.” Plus, they obviously just figured it was a good opportunity to celebrate a belated April Fools Day by simulating a terror attack.

Also (and I’m talking to you James Young), it’s important to note that the President had no prior knowledge that the Air Force was planning to use the plane for such a stupid activity.

This is not news. Not new news, at least.

A new Census of Agriculture report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture found that Virginia lost 521,000 acres of farmland from 2002 to 2007, the largest decline in the past 20 years. That’s more than the combined land area of Richmond and the counties of Chesterfield and Henrico.

“We’ve been losing 50,000 to 70,000 acres on average every year for decades,” said Jonah Bowles, the agricultural risk analyst for the Farm Bureau. “Now it’s accelerating.”

Some lost farm acres have been rolled into conservation programs, but most were used for development.

The amount of urban and suburban sprawl in Virginia, especially in the Richmond area, is out of control and has been for some time now. In fact, I wrote extensively about Virginia’s excessive retail problem back in 2006.

In the United States, on average, there is about 20 square feet of retail space per person. The average for the Richmond metro area is OVER tripled that, at about 67 square FEET OF RETAIL SPACE FOR EVERY MAN, WOMAN, AND CHILD!

This is absurd, especially since walking around local malls (on the rare occasion that I go to them), makes me believe that some retailers aren’t having an easy time of things! It seems like many stores (especially the smaller ones) do not stay open long, and at Short Pump Town Center (despite their blatant LIE claiming otherwise) I can’t help but notice there are A LOT OF EMPTY SUITES, from where a business has packed up and left the mall (presumably due to a lack of business).

While SOME growth clearly CAN be a good thing, UNNECESSARY GROWTH NEVER IS! Richmond CANNOT support all of this retail. Not only that, but when either new homes, or retail centers are thrown up hastily, and/or in areas where they are not needed, in time, the building becomes empty, or unkempt, and the area becomes essentially a SLUM, which will no doubt happen to Short Pump, and other suburbs within the next 10 years.

It’s time for U.S. and Viriginia lawmakers to step up and get the situation under control before the entire country is left looking like New Jersey.

If prosecuting Bush administration officials who engaged in or authorized torture is “looking backwards,” should we therefore release all prison inmates serving time for murder, or any other crime for that matter?

Godaddy’s website is about as functional as Sarah Palin among a group of intellectuals.

It’s that time of year again, and this was amazing!

Not for the simple fact that DHS put out a report warning about possible homegrown terror from right wing extremists groups. Not because the report warned that these nutty people might try to recruit returning war vets, but because she has now apologized to veterans groups for telling the truth.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano apologized Thursday after some veterans groups were offended by a department report about right-wing extremism.

The report said extremist groups may try to attract veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It also said extremists also may use the recession and the election of the nation’s first African-American president to recruit members.

The American Legion was among those who objected to the report’s mention of veterans.

“I think it is important for all of us to remember that Americans are not the enemy. The terrorists are,” the American Legion’s national commander, David K. Rehbein, said in a letter to Napolitano.

Napolitano apologized on CNN on Thursday morning.

Uh, so basically she’s apologizing because these veterans groups were too stupid to read the report? The report that DID NOT ATTACK VETERANS, BUT SIMPLY SAID THEY (THE AFORE MENTIONED VETERANS) MIGHT BE THE TARGET OF RECRUITING EFFORTS BY RIGHT WING EXTREMIST/TERROR GROUPS. Wow, Democrats really are a bunch of sissies. If I was her I would have just told them to fuck off.

I’ll happily await your forthcoming inane/stupid comment, James Young.

I am so sick and tired of listening to right wing fundies rail on and on about how much they support the troops and love America but then at the same time shit themselves every time they have to pay taxes which, by the way, PAY THE WAGES OF THOSE AFORE MENTIONED TROOPS.

This is obviously all my fault for expacting something more, though. I should have known better than to expect something more from a bunch of people who name their wannabe grassroots efforts after a fucking sex act. Also, what the fuck Rick Perry? Treason, much?

Is anyone else wondering why this hostage situation involving one (1) U.S. citizen and there Somalian pirates is getting so much attention? Is anyone else wondering why at least three U.S. Navy warships are on the scene? FOR ONE U.S. CITIZEN. Obviously every life is important and I hope Captain Phillips returns to the country in good health but at the same time I can’t help but wonder what kind of political connections his family and/or Maersk (his employer) must have to warrant President Obama getting daily briefings on the situation. Unfortunately, U.S. citizens being kidnapped or being taken as hostages is nothing new. Just recently, two U.S. journalists were kidnapped and jailed in North Korea and charged with illegally entering the country. Because we all know how desperate the rest of the world is to call North Korea home. I realize, at least at first glance, the situations are a little different because the two journalists were taken by the North Korean government and the Captain Phillips was taken by a bunch of pirates. However, Somalia has no functioning government and is overrun with pirates, making them the de facto power.

Again, I’m not saying Mr. Phillips doesn’t deserve our thoughts or best wishes, It’s just a little peculiar that the government responds to some kidnappings and not others.

Oh, who the fuck cares?