Gonzales hasn’t spoken to Bush since the President left office in January. That’s a rather interesting silence.

According to reports from the Steve Cohen health care event in Memphis Tennessee, the teabaggers are showing up armed.

Public condemnation of bully tactics works.
It seems that the Dick Armey’s manufactured Astroturf venom is losing its potency as we Long Islanders are reminded what very close neighbors we all are.

In Unscientific America: How Scientific Illiteracy Threatens Our Future, Chris Mooney and Sheril Kirshenbaum explore the American public’s disengagement from science and scientists. They explore the historical developments and cultural forces that brought the U.S. from a society that, in the post World War II era, prioritized scientific research and education and viewed science as an important tool for defense and prosperity, to its present state, where citizens seem supremely able to tune out scientific information that bears on the health of their bodies or of the planet, ready to challenge aspects of science education or scientific research that clash with their non-scientific commitments, and inclined to see science as just one interest group among many. Special attention is paid to the influence of the declining fortunes of newspapers and other news media, Hollywood portrayals of science and scientists, the rise of conservative religious movements, and the ways that visible scientific engagement has become a political third-rail for office seekers. Mooney and Kirshenbaum argue that the consequences of public disengagement with science may be catastrophic. And, they try to suggest ways to overcome this alienation and help the public make its peace with both science and scientists.

Emanuel Cleaver holds monthly “Coffee With Cleaver” get-togethers around his district, and today was the day for one near me. I went early, but not nearly early enough. Lots of folks, generally calm . . . with a little watching by the police to make sure it stayed that way.

All the money we poured into AIG has enabled it to start working off its horrendous losses in credit default swaps. Now the insurance companies we thought we could sell are weak. Ugh.

Howard Kurtz says that Keith Olbermann announced he’d stop talking about O’Reilly, THEN GE and Fox started talking. Brian Stelter of the NYT says that Fox execs “chuckled” when they heard Olbermann’s rant, because “they knew that a pact had already been struck by Mr. Olbermann’s bosses to end the feud.”

Who got punk’d by their sources?

The Newlywed Game is casting for same-sex couples whose marriage is legally recognized in their state! This is a huge, seriously huge step towards mainstream recognition. Keep in mind the show is presented by eHarmony which

The listing is up on Craigslist.org in Los Angeles and reads:THE NEWLYWED GAME- SEEKING GAY COUPLES (LOS ANGELES) Date: 2009-08-05, 11:23AM PDT
Reply to: THENEWLYWEDGAME@EMBASSYROW.COM [Errors when replying to ads?]

NOW CASTING!!!

The Game Show Network is currently casting season 2 of
“The Newlywed Game”

Producers are seeking fun, outgoing couples to participate in the next season of this classic television game show!

Bullies.

They’re loud, obnoxious, and usually filled with fear. All they seem to be able to do is shout, tease, and fight. They get their kicks by making others feel small and doling out pain.

Behold the GOP approach to civil discourse.

Guess what? Ben Stein’s an American male. Matt Taibbi’s an American male. Therefore they must be EXACTLY THE SAME! Of course they’re not — that, kiddies, is an example of what’s called “argument by analogy”. Argument by analogy is a favorite way of bullshitters to try and make it look like they’re “debunking” someone without actually providing the necessary facts in context to do so. Which is, of course, why John Carney uses it to attack Matt Taibbi.