The Weekly Rewind

Hmmmm… it seems like the ‘heckles’ vastly outnumber the ‘applauds’ this week. Can only mean one thing... The Weekly Rewind.

It starts... right... now... I said now... son of a bit-, will someone wake up the hamster and get him on the wheel so I can get this computer going... thank you...

IT STARTS... RIGHT NOW!!

Applaud: to the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who was killed in Iraq by a “precision airstrike”. About time. We’ll ignore the fact that Bush could have nailed him a LONG time ago but decided not to for reasons that are still unlear to people with an ounce of gray matter in their brains. Naturally, the “President” says it’s “a significant victory in the war on terror.” (Sure it is Georgie boy, just like everything else you’ve declared as being ‘significant’ in this war that turns out to do absoutley nothing… keep up the good work.)

Heckle: to Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco (D-LA) for stating that she would sign a near-total ban on abortion bill when it’s passed in the state legislature, despite the fact that it includes no exceptions for victims of rape or incest. Blanco said those exceptions “would have ‘been reasonable,’ but she said she wouldn’t reject the bill for that reason.”

Applaud: Call me callous, but I have to applaud this bit of news in hopes that the bastard suffered a little bit…

Heckle: to the news that close to 1,400 Iraqi civilians were killed last month by insurgent attacks. This is the largest number of deaths in one-month span since the U.S.-led invasion three years ago. (What can be said that hasn’t already been said???)

Applaud: to California State Attorney General Bill Lockyear. During the last few weeks he’s been “hauling the CEOs of major oil companies into his office” and demanding, albeit in close-door sessions, that the execs tell him (under oath btw) why gas prices are higher in California than the rest of the nation. (Nice. Too bad other states Attorneys General can’t have that kind of courage and strength…)

Heckle: to Wal-Mart. Part 1. GroupIntel has an article that details the incredibly large amount of customer data that Wal-Mart collects. The data centers have “enough storage capacity to contain twice the amount of all the information available on the Internet.” (Makes you wonder what the hell they’re doing with all that data… doesn’t it?)

Applaud: to the American Bar Association (did I just write that??) and their Board of Governors for unanimously voting to “investigate whether President Bush has exceeded his constitutional authority in reserving the right to ignore more than 750 laws that have been enacted since he took office.” (Exxxxcellllent.)

Heckle: to Wal-Mart. Part 2. Seems the company that cares so much about their employees (sarcasm alert!) is fighting a health care bill with a fake news release that warns people that increased health insurance will create higher gas prices and air fares. (Uh… okay… can you say deflection?)

Applaud: to Armed Forces Radio for considering, due to suggestions from a radio consulting firm, eliminating all political talk shows from their airwaves, meaning no more Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity. (Heh heh heh)

Heckle: to incredibly fuc***-up priorities. While the Senate debates on gay marriage the “Paris Hilton Tax” repeal, Congress still has done nothing to approve funds for spending that includes funding for both Iraq and the Gulf Coast despite the bill going up in February. (Let’s see, that’s… 1,2… four months later and still nothing. Nice. While both parties try to reclaim support by pandering to their party’s base, the people who really need help are getting screwed with their pants on. Keep up the ‘good’ work guys…)

Applaud: to buh-byes. Senator Tom DeLay (R-TX) officially resigns today, Friday. (Don’t le the door hit your ass on the way out Senator… on second thought; DO let the door hit your ass on the way out)

Heckle: It’s been quite a few years since Americans gained federal protection for their private medical information (HIPAA, baby!) and the Bush administration has received thousands of complaints that allege various violations of those laws. But, and this should come as a surprise to NO ONE, not one civil fine has been imposed and only two case have been prosecuted. (I wish I could say I was surprised… but I can’t… cause I’m not)

Applaud: to being entertaining for all, good news for Democrats, and bad news for Republicans. Who am I talking about? Katherine Harris of course. Not only did she lose her fourth – yes, you read that right, fourth - Chief of Staff this week, her campaign is “inspiring dread among many in her party.” Some say it’s her incredibly bad job of fundraising, some say it’s the polling numbers that make Bush’s seem high, some say it’s the disarray of her campaign staff or her strange behavior. Regardless of the reason, her party sees trouble… (while I see opportunity and entertainment. Keep it up Katherine!)

Heckle: to idling and doing nothig. There has been virtually no progress in battling HIV/AIDS in the United States since the epidemic first began 25 years ago, and new discoveries have “slowed to a crawl” with no new treatments being discovered ‘for almost 10 years. (Not sure who to aim this to, but more needs to be done)

Applaud: to testing the waters. Former Senator Tom Daschle (D-SD) is in, or is scheduled to visit, various towns in New Hampshire and Iowa in an attempt to gauge what the response would be like were he to run for the Democratic nomination for the 2008 Presidential Campaign. I like Daschle, and he would be head and shoulders above Hillary and Kerry…

Heckle: to the Pentagon for deciding to omit a key tenet of the Geneva Convention in new detainee policies. This would be a tenet that explicitly bans ‘humiliating and degrading treatment.’ The State Department “fiercely opposes” the decision but has so-far been rebuked in its efforts to get the Pentagon and White House to reconsider. (Again, like many times this week, considering where the decision is coming from and who is making these desicisons, this doesn’t surprise me at all…)

That's all I have for the day… what are YOU applauding and heckling this week???