Welcome to Bad Hat

Want to know how we got the name "Bad Hat?" It's not really that complicated, if you're a fan of "Jaws."

Prosecuting for Political Gain

The Howard government in Australia has been one of Bush's most reliable allies. That appears poised to end. Once a government gets caught, really caught, fudging evidence in a criminal case for publicity purposes, things start to unravel very quickly. That appears to be the case in regard to the arrest and detention of an Indian citizen arrested in Australia as the "mastermind" of the bizarre "doctors plot" in England, which scared people very badly, but did little more than torch the entrance to an airport in Scotland.

In a matter unconnected to that one, we learn in the US that news about there being four separate "dry run" attempts to smuggle on to airplanes some items which mimicked weaponry of some sort... actually never happened. Well, there were things that temporarily confused security checkers and people were interviewed, but there was in each case a good reason for the odd things in their luggage and they were released without any further drama.

So why was that story released? The article said that it was publicized to "keep awareness of potential danger high". It could be argued that the same effect could be achieved by tattooing the words, "Be afraid, be very afraid" on each citizen's forehead in flourescent ink. I want mine in Gothic lettering.

Arthur

Weekend Update, July 28

• Michael Moore challenges the candidates to get real on health care.
• A provocative guide for Democrats.
• Would SOMEone please explain to me what Hillary Clinton's breasts have to do with anything? Holy Crap!
• For most of us, all we need is heart. For The Dickster, all he needs is a "heart device." Further proof that Cheney isn't human.
• This is priceless. Bill Moyers interviews Bruce Fein and John Nichols. Grab a beer and sit and watch this.
• Bill O'Reilly is having a really fun feud with the DailyKos. But of course, Bill O'Reilly is an idiot.
• What's in that secret White House plan describing what it's going to do after a terrorist attack? And why is it a secret? Peter DeFazio wants to know.
• "Hey, Cheney, instead of giving health care to the poor in America, why don't we send Saudi Arabia billions of dollars worth of weapons?" said George, chuckling.
• News Flash: Rupert Murdoch doesn't like us.
• Like Hillary Clinton? Thinking of suicide? Might be a bad mix. Check it out.
• Think you know everything? Try out National Geographic's "Geo Bee Challenge."

Question of the Day

Why, oh why, don't we just throw the whole lot of them in jail?

From Arthur II

John Edwards followed up his performance in the YouTube/CNN debate with a videocast afterwards in which he fielded some questions in a more relaxed format.

I continue to like Edwards, aside from the fact that he talks funny, because he seems to have a pretty good idea that the average joe in this country is pretty much being left behind. I personally believe that the health and welfare of an average citizen, actually of ALL citizens, is key to a viable and responsible nation. We've been flunking that test recently.

I also like that Edwards has been researched up one side and down the other by the hellhounds of the Bush 2004 campaign committee and the RNC and they apparently didn't find much. Or else it would have been splattered all over the country in political hit ads.

I have some concerns that a long-lost lesbian lover of Hillary is going to surface, or that Obama used to sell a bit of crack, or some similar indiscretion. With Edwards, if he can ever catch fire, I think what you see is pretty much what you get. The issue of opposition hit pieces is a tricky one, since the GOP would gather it and hoard it for use in the general election. so unless somebody spills the beans early, we will not know of a candidate's problems during the primary race.

To me, if you can settle for him, that makes Edwards seem like a safer bet. I really want to win in 2008, and carry things in something of a tidal wave so we can get things done in a hurry.

Arthur

I SPY?

During her employment as a CIA agent, Valerie Plame's Jaguar license plates "boldly stated 'I SPY,'" according to a letter in today's Eugene Register Guard. The resulting cognitive dissonance in my ancient but still crepit mind sent me to the internet searching for confirmation, which as I suspected, was nowhere to be found.

Let's hark back to the McCarthy hearings of 1954 for an appropriate response to the person who apparently spun this vicious factoid out of thin air.

"Have you no sense of decency?"

From Arthur

I should start by saying that I am not always 100% thrilled by Edwards. I am just more comfortable with him becoming the Democratic nominee than any of the others in the race. He is a bit of a long- shot at present, but worth paying attention to in case Hillary and Obama hit a bump. What I like about Edwards:

1. He is an accomplished attorney, which is needed to clean up Washington
2. He appears to care about the poor, which is a big change from Bush
3. He has a plan for universal health care that may be practical
4. He is not afraid to say his vote for war in Iraq was a blunder
5. He was heavily researched by the GOP in the 2004 campaign, any dirt would have been used
6. He does not represent a political dynasty. I am dynasty-shy right now
7. He has enough money of his own to not need to chisel to get more
8. His wife is really spectacular, an antidote to Laura "the enabler" Bush
9. I think Obama would make a good Vice President, a good President in 2016
10. With Obama as his VP no Klansman would dare take a shot at Edwards
11. Obama is also an attorney, could specialize in stopping government crimes
12. I have grown uncomfortable with Hillary Clinton's voice, it sounds hollow
13. I like him better than the others. He's not perfect, but he seems the best of the lot

Resignation?

Maybe Olbermann has a good idea here. (Duh) Maybe we've been going about this idea all wrong. Trying to get enough votes for impeachment has been a long and arduous process, and even our Ms. Pelosi insists it's "off the table." But what if we could get Bush and Cheney to just resign? Olbermann thinks maybe we can shame the two Horsemen of the Apocolypse into just quitting. "Display just that iota of patriotism which Richard Nixon showed on August 9, 1974: Resign." But on the other hand, shaming the shameless is no easy fete.

• We love "Bagdad Tony" Snow's press conferences. To quote the Snowman, "Hey things get leaked in Washington all the time." Oh yeah.
• Here's the latest from EPRushnet's favorite P.M. Carpenter, discussing Bush's blind justice.
• "OH, look Mom, a dying woman bleeding on the floor, hand me the camera phone..." A bizarre story from Kansas.

That's it for now, kids. We're still in the experimental stage here, so let me know if you have any problem with this page. Better to find the glitches now before we go global with this.

Welcome friends.

Well here we go, the newest venture for J.P. and Uncle Bob, and several special guest as we roll down the oblivion highway. We'll be posting our comments and linking you to the special newsworthy items of the day. Please feel free to leave your comments for others to read if you feel so inclined.

Your first question will probably be, "why 'Bad Hat?'" Well, try not to worry about it too much, I'll explain it later. Besides, it doesn't really matter in the big picture, so just put on your baddest hat and enjoy.

If you have any technical comments or if you're interested in joining the staff of guest writers to this blog, E-mail us at EPRush1@aol.com and we'll send you an official invitation.

Now then, just to get you started, here's a special comment from our Man, Keith Olbermann.

More soon, much more. STAY TUNED