A graphic demonstration of the perils of a one-party state.

Elections have consequences.

A failed state.

While its electoral history allows it some pretense to claiming a democratic system of government, its current one-party regime has resulted in crumbling infrastructures and drastic budget shortfalls. Its supposedly high-minded ruling caste keeps getting embroiled in scandal after scandal, ranging from ordinary corruption to substance abuse; their highest figures are especially notorious about violating their own (loudly-proclaimed) religious principles when it suits them. When faced with an increasingly-popular and populist movement drawing on a glorious revolutionary past, the regime seems alternatively derisive and frightened – but cannot seem to find an answer past the standard nonsense that everything is all right, despite the evidence of one’s eyes. And ruling above all is an already deeply unpopular leader whose own lackeys privately worry about how he can win a legitimate election.

All in all, the Massachusetts Democratic Party has seen better days. Continue reading A graphic demonstration of the perils of a one-party state.

Was Twilight really *that* bad? (with a Barbara Hambly reference!)

I mean… that bad?  The authors of that piece did everything except formally declare kanly on Stephenie Meyer.  Certainly this guy was likewise unimpressed:

Since I’m bringing up vampire books, people may want to try these two by Barbara Hambly instead: Those Who Hunt the Night and Traveling with the Dead. They’re horror/fantasy novels set in the Victorian time period, and are remarkably free of sentimentality about the implications of vampirism as it’s portrayed in historical myth.  Which is to say, it’s a condition whose sufferers are apex predators who have no option but to eat human beings on a regular basis to survive, and who possess a set of abilities that allow that to be done easily.  Or, more shortly: monsters.

Monsters who can think.

Moe Lane

I just figured out what ‘PBR’ stands for…

…which means that I just also pretty much lost my last fragment of pity for these four particular DC Summer Interns.  The expectation of entitlement chewed up a lot of it; the attempt at intimidation got most of the rest, and the clear misjudgement by that one guy over who was going to win a battle of wits acted as a high-pressure anti-sympathy wash.  Nonetheless, I am at heart a sentimentalist and an optimist, so I still felt just a little pit sorry for the poor kids…

But to go through all of that for Pabst Blue Ribbon?

Heathen.

There’s a guy looking to collect one million pictures of hand-drawn giraffes.

(Via @CalebHowe) He thinks that he can do it; and, really, this is the other thing that the internet is for*.  If you can’t actually draw… well, you can go here; it’s a useful skill to have, I’m sure.

Anyway, here’s my (evil) giraffe.

giraffe-006

Excuse me, but I was an English major; so why don’t you go sit down, make yourself comfortable, and have a nice cup of STFU?

[UPDATE] As God is my witness, my son immediately and without encouragement improved this picture so that the evil giraffe has now fallen into the volcano lair’s lava:

giraffe-007

Thus ends the career of a promising themed supervillian, over before it even truly began.

Moe Lane Continue reading There’s a guy looking to collect one million pictures of hand-drawn giraffes.

If you were wondering who this Evan Kohlmann person is…

…as found here: he’s the guy that did this pre-surge interview in 2007 for Salon where he breezily declared that:

  • “The U.S. is failing miserably at containing the spread of al-Qaida.”
  • “The idea of Western-style democracy in Iraq doesn’t appeal to anyone.”
  • “I don’t think any number of new troops is going to help unless we’re going to station troops on every single corner of every single street in every single city in Iraq.”

Yeah, I know: oops. Continue reading If you were wondering who this Evan Kohlmann person is…

Michael Feldman: Homophobe for the Obama Auto Task Force!

Wasn’t there a questionnaire to weed these sorts out?

Hey, if it had been a Republican staffer blithely assuming that ‘bending over’ was acceptable discourse in official negotiations we’d be seeing the pyre being built on the Capitol steps right now. We can have people dial back the outrage over what is said or written, or make to penalties for it apply equally to everybody; I’d personally prefer the former, but I’ll be damned if I’ll let the double standard pass unremarked.

Anyway, the revealed bit is at the end of this:


(See also MsUnderestimated & Hot Air)

Admittedly, I’m not bothering to do much with the ‘terrorist’ remark except to note it: that’s just the usual fearmongering and character assassination – and, honestly, by now I’m kind of used to it happening. This other bit, however… well. They’re usually quieter about that sort of thing.

Moe Lane

Crossposted to RedState.

Ah, the joys of the Maryland MVA.

A government entity with:

  • Hours of operation designed to suit it, not its erstwhile customers;
  • Limitations on when services will and will not be offered, seemingly picked at random;
  • A remarkably flexible definition of ‘full service’;
  • And an institutionalized disinterest in mentioning any of this to people who call ahead to avoid problems.

Just what I need for my daily life – and, really, I need even more of it!  In fact, I cannot wait until I have to depend on the government to make sure that my next emergency dentist’s visit goes smoothly.

Cannot. Wait.

Moe Lane