BARBARA'S TCHATZKAHS

Think our government and its overseers aren't becoming more narcissistic and self-absorbed? Fiddling with 'Rome' burns? (and if you or I did this - we'd be S.O.L.!) Then read this; your tax dollars HARD AT WORK: SEC porn peekers at work confess by Jim McElhatton U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission workers who made a habit of looking at pornography on their government computers, even as the economy was tanking, offered varying explanations when caught. "I think it was just arrogance and ignorance on my part," one worker said. "You know, I mean … I didn't intend to hurt anybody. I didn't intend to hurt the SEC's image or anything like that." The Washington Times reported in February on the existence of about two dozen such cases, which were detailed in reports to Congress as well as in more than 150 pages of case summaries obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request. Additional pornography cases surfaced last week in a memo f...

How long before some pathetic ultra right-winger picks this up as proof that they are "better than" others? And that being conservative makes them "better" people? While I don't consider myself a full-blown liberal, I will take reality & truth over "justification" any day. I don't find it o.k. to justify the death of our soldiers in an illegal war any more than visiting prostitutes paid for by lobbyists while preaching family values to be justifiable. The stopwatch won't tick long for the happy kool-aid drinkers. (To my conservative friends, I know most of you are smart enough to 'get' the science here compared with your willfully ignorant bethren.) Conservatives Happier Than Liberals By Jeanna Bryner Individuals with conservative ideologies are happier than liberal-leaners, and new research pinpoints the reason: Conservatives rationalize social and economic inequalities. Regardless of marital status, income or church attendance,...

Calling Out Idiot America (I've always been a history buff. Two instructors told me I should have minored in history in undergrad school. So, here's a good history lesson and some terrific thoughts from Scott Ritter about the current Iraq War and pending Iran situation. I sure hope SOMEONE in Washington who still has a working brain cell saw this.) by Scott Ritte r The ongoing hand-wringing in Congress by the newly empowered Democrats over what to do about the war in Iraq speaks volumes about the level of concern (or lack thereof) these “representatives of the people” have toward the men and women who honor us all by serving in the armed forces of the United States of America. The inability to reach consensus concerning the level of funding required or how to exercise effective oversight of the war, both constitutionally mandated responsibilities, is more a reflection of congressional cowardice and impotence than a byproduct of any heartfelt introspection over troop welfare ...