Friday Cat Blogging With (Just a Little Bit of) Photoshop

From Album4

Since, as the song goes, "Mars ain't the kind of place to raise your kids" -- or to bring a cat -- Tigger stays here, but with a scale model Curiosity rover made of Legos.

Here's to good science. And cool toys.

Have a good weekend.

Redneck Riviera

From Album4

But I thought the French were cheese eating surrender monkeys unworthy of even being named on our food (bet you can still find freedom fries in The Magnolia Stet)...

In Defense of Harry Reid

From Album4

With the discussion about whether once amateur boxer Harry Reid landed a clean blow, made a decent feint -- or hit below the belt -- in full swing, no pun intended, here's my .00002 cents worth:

Why don’t the self proclaimed fact checkers, and insiders who work for newspapers, magazines, journals, etc., go out and, oh, I don’t know, practice some journalism? Harry Reid said a source from Bain told him Mitt’s little (income) tax secret. Now, it might actually take some work, with perhaps a few doors slammed into their faces or a bit of ego bruising, but I doubt it’s impossible to determine if Reid has any relationships with Bain insiders. After making this determination (which could be reported), they could try to get these people on the record. If they won’t speak on the record, that can be reported, or perhaps these august fact-checkers and insiders could offer them anonymity as deep background sources.

 If I recall, a CNN reporter DID suggest Reid was credible, but I didn’t follow up…but, then again, I’m not a journalist. (note--it was Dana Bash.)

One thing that I’ve seen over my lifetime (I’m 47) that’s troubling is that the already rather cozy relationship between journalists and the people they’re assigned to cover has really gotten into dangerous territory. Maybe I’m naive, but it struck me and not in a good way when Tim Russert testified in the Scooter Libby trial that he assumed conversations with politician were off the record...because in the not so distant past I’m pretty sure the rule of thumb was the opposite.

One more thing. I posted comments saying pretty much the same thing at The Washington Monthly and The Reality Based Community, and at the latter, "Cardinal Fang" responded with a good point -- Rachel Maddow reported on August 3rd that Mitt has a history of being deceptive regarding his income tax filings...

Just saying.

Give 'em hell, Harry.

I'm Not A Witch Tax Dodger

From Album4

I'm you -- but with upwards of $100 million dollars in an IRA.

Your Tax Dollars at Work

From Album4

Minimal Photoshopping here, just a little enhancing, because it's Monday, I'm a little under the weather, and besides, what a spectacular photo.

This is something government can do -- enhance our understanding of the universe, with the help of highly trained, highly educated, and adequately paid civil servants. Also, with a $15 trillion dollar economy, there's more than enough room for this, for English teachers...and even Art Historians, some of whom have helped conserve things like the painting of Washington crossing the Delaware, the flag that inspired Francis Scott Key, or the original copies of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution housed in the National Archives, etc.

And...we still have enough left over to provide for a modest safety net...a net we all might need one day (Social Security and/or Medicare), a net we might need, god forbid, (unemployment insurance, food stamps)...and one that benefits us even if we don't need it (communities and property values aren't exactly enhanced by poverty or rampant disease).

Otherwise...once again, my heart goes out to victims of a senseless tragedy. So sad...