Choose from world news analysis combined with the best political cartoon opinion, celebrity watching, science and health news, arts, poetry, funny photos, serious photography, funny videos, great satire, awesome food and spiritual thoughts.
From Denny: The world is changing at a dizzying rate the past few weeks with all the political upheaval in the Middle East. This kind of change is good and will end up improving everyone's lives around the world. Thirty years of poor economies and human rights abuses brought it to a head. This change was inevitable. When people feel so desperate they no longer feel they have anything to lose is when people take high risks.
Egypt and Tunisia have been decided and they are in transition to developing new governments. Libya has yet to be decided though defections from the Army and other sectors has Gadhafi increasingly isolated from his former supporters - and enablers.
It's best the West stay out of this turmoil. We don't need to arm the rebels or protect the leader in the process of getting deposed. It is up to the people of Libya to rise up and do the work themselves. If America interferes it takes away their pride of their moment in history. It is not for us to be so paternalistic in attitude toward developing nations. They will learn to grow just as we are also learning to take a hands off approach and trust them to choose well for themselves.
Where you can easily find all the links to all the posts on all the blogs on a daily basis:
From Denny: Everyone is watching their wallet - or the government's wallet, that is. From the Congressional halls to the state legislatures across the nation all eyes are on how our politicians are handling deficits. Their solutions? Most are Republican controlled and so they passed tax cuts for the wealthy, both on state levels like Wisconsin and the federal level like Obama too.
Tax cuts to the wealthy always bring out the same tired song: take money away from teachers, firemen, police and the middle class that built this country, protect it and teach it. The middle class is the economic engine not the wealthiest among us. Yet it is the wealthiest among us that continue as a scourge upon regular working people.
From Denny: Have you heard the latest humor twist on this jerk of a governor in Wisconsin? Turns out the fool sent out a pink slip to the teacher wife of his own GOP Speaker of the House in Wisconsin. Yeah, now when it happens to Republicans suddenly it isn't so funny any more. I bet that Speaker's wife now wants to take a baseball bat to the governor.
The Republican governors in Louisiana (my state), Indiana and Ohio are all backing down from their high horse attitudes of firing every one and taking away their rights. Talk about public outrage and backlash this past week.
I'm sure the GOP strategists are telling them to back off to put this issue to bed quickly before no Republican can get elected. Sure hope they stay stubborn and keep pushing the issue. :) At least now, a lot of people who were never quite sure this union-busting was true are sure of it now. The public is also now aware of just how much our wages are in peril in every industry because of corrupt politicians.
And the Second American Revolution begins in The Heartland of America: Wisconsin
From Denny: Talk about hilarious. A liberal blogger, Ian Murphy of Buffalo.Beast.com, decided to place a call to Gov. Walker, claiming to be billionaire businessman, David Koch, left in the above photo, of the famous Koch Brothers. The governor bought it hook, line and sinker.
The Koch brothers are these guys who are bankrupting America and whittling away at basic rights, employee rights, affordable health care and much more. These guys are really nothing but anarchists trying to overthrow an elected government by ruining the economy and national wages in order to concentrate the country's wealth into fewer and fewer hands: theirs. These billionaires are so damned greedy that they crave more billions and not enough politicians seem to have the will to stop them.
From Denny: Billionaire Berlusconi may finally be on the road of The Long Goodbye much like Egypt's Mubarak. Tens of thousands of women, with husbands and boyfriends, have been protesting Bersculoni and his latest sex scandal for two weeks now. There is only so much embarrassment a country can take and Italy is fed up with Bersculoni, his arrogance and his cavalier depravity. The status quo is about to change.
President Bush and President Obama Image via Wikipedia
From Denny: Well, it's unanimous - most of America hates these budget cuts. We have all figured out we are getting screwed by our corporate politicians. If we get sick, grow old, desire higher education or want any kind of stable financial future then we are just "shit outta luck" with this President and this Congress. They appear to be beyond shame and keep feeding their Greed Monster: Big Business.
To the rescue? Looks like Lady Karma will be dealing some harsh hands to the same hard hearts slapping at - and dismissing with a cavalier wave of the hand - all the vulnerable in our society. The way Big Business is going just about everyone will end up in the Vulnerable category, from what's left of the middle class down to the poor.
At some point Americans will have to riot and take to the streets to reestablish real values in this country. I wonder how long it will take before Americans understand how over the past 30 years the Republicans and Big Business have whittled away at the middle class wealth to drive us into perpetual economic slavery?
Obama and the new budget that takes from the poor and gives to the rich:
President Barack Obama releases his full budget. OMB Director Peter Orszag is to his right. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)From Denny: A politically divided Congress and President Obama tackle the nation's budget. The Republicans want to kill off all old people who are not rich so employers don't have to pay into Social Security. Did I mention they want yet more tax cuts for the rich? And the quickly evaporating middle class and the poor are supposed to have their taxes jump by high increases. Talk about insulting. And we elected any of these people? "Throw them from the train!" may become the new national chant.
From Denny: The current budget proposal from Obama is $3.73 trillion, trimming $1.1 trillion a year for the next 10 years. Supposedly, this budget claims it will "help boost the U.S. economy and make it more competitive."
How cutting college loans will accomplish that is beyond common sense. There are 200 federal programs getting the axe or severely slashed, many related to education.
How does shutting out millions of American school children from a better educated future help develop those smart enough to secure America's future? Oh, that's right, we will bring in foreign visa workers to fill the gap. When are we going to invest in American education from top to bottom and stick with it over the long term?
From Denny: What an exciting week it has been with the 18 Day Egypt Revolution, following the twists and turns of real life drama. I'm proud to say I wrote many posts to cover it. The most time consuming was to wade through various English written Egyptian blogs to find out what was going on, what they thought was happening in their own country.
Remember the state controlled the news. You think it's bad in America, try living under martial rule with news black-outs and propaganda. OK, the Republicans do so love to spread their political gospel but at least most Americans know it's all lies. Comics make jest of what the GOP churns out of their "war rooms."
I've started yet another silly blog for interesting people, whatever I find as I find it: Dennys People Watching. Originally, I thought it might be interesting to cover world leaders but then Lady Gaga just had to get some face time. She is my most favorite outrageous person. If she's this cheeky at age 24, can you imagine her at age 50? Sure hope she doesn't burn herself out and become a conservative in her old age.
I also waded through a tremendous number of political cartoons about the Egypt Revolution which, naturally, have proven to be a big hit with the Middle Eastern countries. I even started posting the Egypt news on The Social Poets rather than Dennys Global Politics because I was concerned anyone from the Middle East or Egypt might be in danger for visiting what the state might perceive as a mainstream American media site After all, who would think a poetess would be a political subversive? OK, bring on the political clowns... :)
From Denny: It's only been one month since Gabrielle Giffords was so seriously injured, shot at her political meet and greet. She has astounded doctors with her strong will to recover. She has met with shouts of joy when she first understood commands, moved her legs, and now has uttered her first words. Just this week, Monday morning, Gabby requested the one word, "toast" with her breakfast. I guess she was tired of yogurt and oatmeal, wanting something that tasted different.
Currently, Gabby is doing speech therapy every day, several hours a day she is so motivated to get back to her life as she knew it. When she was shot, the bullet went through the left side of her brain, the side that controls speech. Doctors were not sure she would speak again.
It's good to know Gabby is able to eat three meals a day, a good indicator her appetite is back and her body healing well. The doctors say "she is recovering at lightning speed but that this is a marathon process." Hopefully, if all goes well, Gabby will be able to attend her husband's space shuttle launch for the Endeavor.
Outgoing Prez Bush with Incoming Prez Obama Image via Wikipedia
From Denny: What a whirlwind week with the peaceful people's Egypt Revolution finally winning and ousting Mubarak! America was on the periphery. President Obama was clueless as to what to do, constantly changing his position from day to day. Republican think tanks were apoplectic, frothing at the mouth trying to force Obama to their strong man line of leadership, how he was supposed to be in control of Egypt and Mubarak. Israel, Jordan and other Middle Eastern countries were frantically calling Obama to come out and declare this or that, in other words, lead the situation.
This Egypt Revolution was of the people and no one else for a pleasant change. This was one time my father's precious damned CIA, the Pentagon and the White House were not working feverishly in sync to destabilize and topple a foreign government just to place their favorite puppet in power. When American politicians, military and intelligence finally get their egos out of The Big Picture this world will be a better place. Why does it always have to be about what's good for America? Don't they understand that what is good for that particular country ends up being good for everyone in the end?
From Denny: This blogger gets to tell the mainstream media, "You were wrong!" They were claiming Mubarak would not leave. This blogger told them Mubarak was just doing his military leader version of The Long Goodbye. "I told you so!" never felt so good because now the Egyptian people have a real chance at democracy and truly free and fair elections of their own choosing.
It will be exciting to watch it unfold over the months ahead. Do not underestimate the Egyptian people. They will not allow a fundamentalist Islamic regime to grab power. They are fed up with being held down, oppressed, and treated like starving dogs.
Right now the status is that Mubarak left Cairo last night after giving his unwelcome speech as the crowds swelled to millions in the Tahrir Square. The mainstream media were churning out stories of how Mubarak was still in power but with much less power since he transferred much of it to the new Vice President Omar Suleiman.
From Denny: Mubarak seriously ticked off the thousands of protesters in Tahrir Square in Cairo as they just heard him speak to the nation. He did not quickly capitulate to their demands to leave immediately.
Mubarak tried the argument of how the economy and "the little people" will suffer if they don't quit with the protests and come back to his style of law and order. He attempted to sway any Egyptians sitting on the fence who have yet to side with the protesters.
Mubarak pointedly told "outside powers" that he will not give in to their demands. There must be more foreign countries calling than we know, pressuring him to leave. Interesting. Saudi Arabia is just as obnoxious. They threatened President Obama they will prop up Mubarak if Obama comes out in favor of the protesters. Like that would work at this juncture.
From Denny: Just two hours ago we received word here in America that Mubarak is truly stepping down, yielding power to his newly created Vice President. The Army is expected to assist in the transition to a new civilian government. The protesters are gathered by the thousands in Tahrir Square in Cairo to await Mubarak's "See ya!" speech.
This Mubarek departure has been confirmed by CIA DirectorLeon Panetta. President Obama spoke about an hour ago in Michigan, declaring America will assist the peaceful transition to a new democracy for Egypt in any way it is asked.
From Denny: The crowds in Tahrir Square are electrified. Mubarak is about to speak to the crowd. It is expected he is to announce he will step down immediately, yielding power to his newly created Vice President, that according to CIA Director Leon Panetta too.
Arrangements have been made with the Egyptian Army to temporarily take over to oversee the transition to a newly elected democratic government. Most expect this to be a peaceful transition. This is not a military coup but rather an agreement between the Army and Mubarak. There are others in the West that dread the Muslim Brotherhood and wonder if that organization will try to take control in the euphoria of the moment among the protesters.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia is threatening President Obama. Basically, they are taking America hostage economically by doing so. Saudi Arabia says they will prop up Mubarak if Obama demands Mubarak to go in a public way, humiliating him. And these dictatorship style governments in the Middle East wonder why their peoples want to get rid of them? It's all about their egos and "saving face" instead of what is good for the whole country and the benefit of the people.
Congratulations go to the Egyptian protesters who have risked their lives and their freedom to create their democracy.
The mood of the American people does not bode well for President Obama if he wants to seek a second term.
From Denny: Less than 46 percent of Americans expect President Obama to make it into a second term. About 51 percent of Americans believe President Obama will lose in his 2012 re-election bid. The new poll from CNN Opinion Research Corporation does not bode well for the president. He must change course now so he can prove his deeds match his soaring rhetoric.
At this point only 26 percent of registered voters plan to vote for him. There are another 23 percent who say they mayvote for him in 2012. Another 35 percent refuse to vote for him while another 16 percent say they probably will not vote for him.
Those are some shaky numbers at best. Of course, the strategists keep trying to spin the numbers, giving supposedly historical context. Yeah? Well, America is in an economic Depression with unemployment rates far higher than the massaged numbers reflect or politicians care to admit.
Strategists try to claim that Bill Clinton won his second term back in 1995 when 65 percent of Americans expected him to lose his re-election bid and only 24 percent thought he would win. Well, I was one of those 24 percent. Bill Clinton had a far more healthy economy and a lot less unemployment issues than this president.
From Denny: What is it about my Democrats? Like the typical yard cat they don't seem to know their name or come when they are called - like when their base voters are screaming at them to the contrary of what they are currently doing.
OK, my cats come when they are called but they were trained like dogs. Don't come when you are called, you don't get any food. Comprende? It's the Head Cat Get Tough Policy at our house.
Maybe the rank and file Democrats should take the same approach and quit giving our politicians our votes until they start doing all that we have asked them to do - not what the lobbyists have demanded them to do while throwing bribes at them.
From Denny: OK, these are those wonderfully obscure type of cartoons that some people don't always "get" as to why they are funny but they sure made me grin. Yes, back in the ol' school days, I used to be the toast of the English teachers because I remembered all the obscure peanut gallery comments from those no-name characters in Shakespeare's plays. Never mind, I could care less about the main event but fortunately they rarely queried me on that account. Read that as they believed me to be brilliant, when clearly said probable brilliance was often misplaced - or happily redirected - to more interesting venues.
Yes, my poor teachers often wanted to pull their hair out and sell it to me for a Christmas gift. But, they always said they placed my essays or term papers at the top of the pile to read since I proved to be the most entertaining. Of course, they went about red-lining the hell out of said "works of art" when I refused to follow proper, OK, dull, form. Never mind it was a teaching moment for us both, right? :) Which is probably why I so appreciate the cracked minds of these cartoonists...
From Denny: Sometimes, Life is just too amusing and these cartoonists certainly have capitalized on the opportunists capitalizing on us. Lots of funnies about President Obama's SOTU address, "addressing" the silly school child culture that surrounded the days before the speech.
You know, just who asked "you have got to be kidding me!" to sit with them instead of in the usual stiff-necked partisan division. It was all about the political marketing of trying to convince America how Congress and the President are so serious about working together for our common good. Yeah, sure left me speechless too. :)
Then this week was the 100th birthday of deceased former President Reagan. Everyone tries to capitalize upon his charisma too. While I did not agree with his conservative agenda and was not ttoo thrilled about how he was the first president to run up a $1 trillion debt, the guy was a sweetie personality-wise. In fact, he was originally a Democrat until he married money and his father-in-law convinced him to come over to The Dark Side - Republicanism. What that father-in-law saw was what the Republican Party sorely lacked - and still does - anyone with a heart.
GOP 2012 presidential wannabe contenders like Newt Gingrich, Michelle Bachman and Sarah Palin have been invoking Reagan's memory and comparing themselves to him. Reagan was an original, folks. Ain't no one like him in the political sphere today. Not even Obama can - or should - compare himself to Reagan.
It is rather creepy how the GOP has been promoting Reagan to God status just like they did the Constitution. Enough already and the cartoonists agree! :)
Cartoonists churn out new opinions at as fast a rate as the situation changes in Egypt during the protests.
From Denny: The fast pace of revolution is, well, why they call it a "revolution"! Events unfolding in Egypt are astounding to witness. The first few days of the week the protests were primarily peaceful with the exception of a few idiot looters.
In the early days the protesters called for Mubarek to step down immediately. Mubarek said "No!" but did dissolve his cabinet and created the first Vice President, a man of his own choosing, of course. The protesters were not well impressed and demanded Mubarek and his whole government leave. Mubarek was tired of his idea of concessions to the voice of his people.
Mubarek drew back the hated corrupt police force as a way to teach the people how much they needed him. That backfired. That act of depraved indifference for his people did not deter the protesters. Instead, they organized themselves in every neighborhood and created their own security task forces to guard themselves and their property.
Did I mention Mubarek also let loose thousands of violent prisoners, emptying them into the streets to terrorize the populace into submission? Then Mubarek closed down the internet and cell phone service which he later restored in a couple of days. He probably found out he couldn't run his own affairs without it.
Yesterday the protests turned violent with the odd addition of thugs on horses and camels riding into the protesters, swinging clubs and battering anyone they could. They especially went after foreign news crews with cameras to prevent the news from getting out of the country.
From Denny: This little pampered groundhog is a cute little guy. Every year he gets trotted out for a brief celebrity appearance to make his prediction about whether we will have another six weeks of winter or enjoy an early Spring. Last year Phil accurately predicted a longer winter. This year the little cutie is predicting an early Spring.
Be sure to check out the funny link at the end of this post for last year's post about Phil. There is a recipe for Groundhog Cookies and plenty of Groundhog Phil Trivia to enjoy too! Phil's official site is overwhelmed this year.
How convenient I already posted his information last year. Maybe some of Phil's psychic ability rubbed off on me? After all, obviously I "knew" last year to put up Phil's important information. You see, I "knew" a whole year ahead of time that the winter snow storms would be bad, everyone would be online at the same time, and that Phil's site would be overwhelmed. As a loyal fan of Phil's I "knew" it was my duty to promote his wonderful cheeky self to the world. Knock yourselves out and enjoy the Groundhog Phil trivia! :)
From Phil's Royal Court who make a big deal out of the occasion:
Groundhog Day, February 2, 2011
Punxsutawney Phil was raised from his burrow
By the call of President Bill Deeley.
He greeted his handlers, Ben Hughes and John Griffiths.
After casting an inquisitive eye towards thousands of his faithful followers,
He proclaimed that the Steelers are going to the Super Bowl!
Back to the business at hand...
He surveyed his surroundings carefully and found that there was no shadow around,
So, an early spring it will be."
Here's the link with all the funny Phil trivia, history, groundhog society, funny photos and a cookie recipe:
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