Weekend Update - Jerks We Know and Love Edition

(It occurred to me the other day as I sat here nursing a cup of coffee, watching a complete year of seasons past by outside, rain/sleet/snow/sunshine, all in the space of an hour, that Oregon is a very unique place to live.  It's spring, damn near, and apparently we've survived another winter.   I eagerly await the end of my life as-I-know-it, as this Wednesday is my last day of gainful employment, and I find myself approaching all this with a bit of anxiety.  Except for a brief period in 1969 I've never been without a job to go to every morning.  I think after I get the boy to school on Thursday, I'm going to sit at the window with my coffee and mutter something like "now what?"  Well, I guess we'll find out.  One thing I do intend to do is revamp and enlarge the scope of Bad Hat, as well as increase the frequency of entries.  And if I truly run out of things to do, I've always got the garage.  It's a mess.  But I digress ...)

• Caught "Game Change" on HBO last night and was quite pleased with the movie.  I was pleased they didn't go overboard trying to make Sarah Palin look like a fool.  She was obviously a very driven woman thrust into a situation very few people on Earth could handle, but I was rather astounded at the depth of her lack of knowledge about how the world was run.  Plus: Woody Harrelson should end up with some sort of award for his performance.  Catch this one, or TVO it if at all possible.
• I suppose while we're here we should mention that Big Fat Drug Addict Rush Limbaugh.  I'm sure most of you have heard the latest on his Viagra-induced rant against Sandra Fluke, a young lady testifying in favor of including birth control in women's health care.  Apparently this enraged El Rushbo to the point of him calling her a "slut," and a "prostitute," and calling for her to post tapes of herself having sex on the Internet "so we can all watch."  Well now.  It seems that his Blowhardedness has really put his foot in it this time.  Could this be the end of Rush Limbaugh (at long last, Rush, have you no decency?) as we know it?  One can only hope. And here's the latest concerning Mr. Limbaugh, a gift that just keeps on giving:  CLICK HERE
• Rick Santorum claims that higher education is a threat to faith, which is false.  He also claims that because President Obama wants every child to have the opportunity to get that higher education, Obama's a "snob."  (snif snif)  Check out this once again outstanding column by Paul Krugman entitled "Ignorance Is Strength."
• Mitt Romney once drove to Canada with the family Irish setter on the roof of the car.  It was really ugly.  Here's the whole story.  Caution: It's ugly. 
• Mark Morford:  Let me just ask you outright: Are you a bit of a thug? Do you like to shoot very large animals for no real reason and then hug their massive carcasses to your body in what many feel is a rather disturbing and vaguely bestiality-friendly manner as your BFF snaps a photo of your shameless, mile-wide smirk and posts it for all the world to cringe over?  If this describes you, Marford calls you an "Option One."  He's talking about people like Limbaugh and Breitbart and others.  "How To Be a Complete Jerk About It."