Friday Cat Blogging

A Mama Cat adopts a baby rabbit. Cuteness ensues.

Storytime With Dick Morris

I still can't believe that Dick Morris has a children's book.

Our new children’s book, Dubs Runs for President, comes out on September 10th. Follow our golden retriever puppy as he navigates his race for president. Teach your children and grandchildren about this election season as Dubs campaigns in Iowa, goes to the convention, and bests Felix the Cat, his opponent, in debate. It’s great fun and it’s a terrific way to teach your children about democracy.

You may recall that Dubs was the star of our last children’s book Dubs Goes to Washington. His last book was so popular and he learned so much about our nation’s greatness that he’s decided to run for President.

When I think of wholesome family entertainment, Dick Morris is the first name that comes to mind. You can purchase "Dubs Runs For President" on Amazon.com.

Dick Morris Predictions

Dick Morris predicts that Mitt Romney will win big. Never mind that that Romney is sinking in the polls and his campaign has become a disaster. It amazes me that Morris with his history of being wrong and his scandal-plagued past can still be a paid pundit.

Grindr A Big Hit At RNC

Grindr is a phone app that helps gay men hook-up. Apparently, Grindr experienced a massive increase in log ins during the RNC.

The application averaged 1,079 users per day for the five days convention activity was booming in Tampa.

The five days of the convention that have been reported would set a weekly pace of 7,558, a 242 percent increase from the first three weeks of August.

I would like to see data of how many of those Grindr users were looking to grind in the Tampa area. Another takeaway from this article is that there are a lot of closeted gay men in the Republican Party. I can not understand why these men are so fulled with self-loathing. They must on some level realize that they are in a party that does not deem them as humans worthy of the same protections under the Constitution. It really is sad.

The Kills - Dreams (Fleetwood Mac Cover)

The purcussions on this song is fantastic. The Kills reinvent a classic song and make it their own. Alison Mosshart's vocals inhibit the song and add vulnerability to the lyrics.

Tim Pawlenty's Massive RNC Fail

Lord have mercy. Is there a worse public speaker in America? This isn't a partisan question. Tim Pawlenty would be bad no matter what party he is in.

Pawlenty makes Bobby Jindal's State of the Union response seem like Shakespeare in comparison. Republicans, please don't nominate Pawlenty in 2016. You don't want to listen to Pawlenty make speeches for a year on the campaign trail.

Crisis Resources

Ginger Lee, an online pal of Litbrit and I (so be nice to her) has posted a list of crisis center hotlines. We want to spread the word and get people the help they need. So feel free to pass this list along.

IMAlive: An Online Crisis Network: IMAlive is an online suicide prevention hotline where you can chat live, one-on-one, with trained volunteers, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

RAINN: the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network: RAINN provides live, one-on-one chat with trained volunteers for victims of sexual violence, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Their website also offers extensive, compassionate information that may help you to understand and come to terms with what has happened to you.

The GLBT National Help Center: This organization offers live, one-on-one chat with trained volunteers for people struggling with GLBT issues. Their chat service is available from 4 PM to 12 AM EST Mondays through Fridays, and 12 PM to 5 PM EST on the weekends. This site is also a wonderful source of information, so if you are in pain because of,or confused by, something to do with your sexual orientation or gender identity, this site may offer you something that you need.

Veterans Crisis Line: This organization provides special services for veterans, including live, one-on-one chat with trained counselors, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,regardless of whether or not you are enrolled in Veterans Affairs health care. The Veterans Crisis Line is run by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Befrienders Worldwide: Befrienders offers e-mail based crisis support, organized by country, in many different languages. Befrienders is owned and organized by the Samaritans, a UK/Ireland-based humanitarian organization. Their site has compassionate information and first-hand stories relating to suicidal feelings and warning signs, depression, self-harm, and bullying.

Suicide Forum: This is a peer-to-peer support forum for people in crisis. You must be a member in order to post, but membership is free, instant, and asks for no personal information. Every effort is taken to ensure that this is a positive, supportive, non-triggering environment, but the staff of Suicide Forum are not actually trained in suicide prevention. This forum is for meeting and talking to other people who share and understand your pain in a supportive, safe environment. Suicide Forum is not a substitute for professional help,so if you are currently in a state of crisis, please, try one of the other sites on this list first.

Dumbass of the Day

I would be too embarrassed to rob a bank with a towel over my head as a disguise.

Quote of the Day

"Can't wait to sink my teeth into the August jobs report..pile of garbage cooked up by partisan Bureau of Labor Statistics #Criminal."

Eric Bolling, Fox News host.

I asked Bolling on Twitter what law has been broken by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accusing a federal government organization of breaking the law is a serious charge. Bolling has a responsibily as a member of the media to cite the law he believes was broken. Otherwise, he has no right to go on Fox News and say he is fair and balanced.

I asked Bolling on Twitter what law has the Bureau of Labor Statistics broken. Bolling has not tweeted a response.

Live Blogging the DNC: President Obama

10:24 Michelle Obama introduces her husband.

10:25 Obama tells Michelle he loves her. He gives a shout out to his daughters and jokingly tells them that they have to go to school tomorrow.

10:26 Obama accepts the nomination. Not exactly a shock. The crowd starts chanting four more years.

10:27 Obama: "Hope in the face of difficulty."

10:28 Obama mentions the "political gridlock." Hopefully, Obama has realized the Republicans have no interest in compromise.

10:29: Energy of the speech is sinking slightly. Clinton are Biden raised the bar high.

10:31 Tampa is getting a lot of negative shout outs tonight because of the Republican National Convention.

10:32 Obama scores with a joke on Republicans repeating the same bad policies. 10:33 Obama: "We've been there. We've tried that. We ain't going backward. We're moving forward."

10:36 I heard background shouts of U.S.A. At the RNC delegates would shout U.S.A. when Codepink tries to protest a speech.

10:40 Obama is losing me with bragging about his teaching the test education reform.

10:43 The Republicans have no comeback for Osama bin Laden being dead and Team Obama is going to beat them with it.

10:45 Ding! Pander to Israeli hawks.

10:45 Obama is zinging Romney for his hysterical foreign policy blunders.

10:47 Obama is hitting his stride now.

10:49 Obama points out that Romney's deficit reduction plan based on more tax cuts and military spending makes no sense.

10:50 Obama vows not to turn Medicare into a voucher system. 10:51 Obama zings Romney on his comment on getting money for college by borrowing from your rich parents.

10:53 Obama mentions gays in his speech.

10:54 Obama: "We have responsibilities as well as rights."

10:56 Obama is putting it in second gear.

10:57 The line about standing up to lobbyists would be more convincing if Obama didn't take campaign money from Wall Street and drug companies.

Live Blogging the DNC: Charlie Crist

Crist says he didn't leave the Republican Party. The Republican Party left him. Crist says he can't support Romney and Ryan because they are beholden to billionaires and uncompromising bullies.

Crist didn't come out and officially declare himself a Democrat. Crist's DNC speech was short but will make people believe that he is positioning himself to run against Rick Scott.

Jeb Bush will probably not like Crist calling him a "friend."

Charlie Crist at the DNC

Gary Fineout tweets that Charlie Crist is getting the VIP treatment at the DNC.

US News and World Report says that Crist met privately with First Lady Michelle Obama today and she thanked him for endorsement.

Live Blogging the DNC: Bill Clinton

10:34 Bill Clinton is in the house. The crowd loves him.

10:35 Bill Clinton could fart and the crowd would go crazy.

10:36 I almost expect Bill Clinton to nominate himself. The crowd would cheer if he did.

10:37 Clinton gives Michelle Obama a nice shoutout.

Clinton gets in a funny line about how every politician wants you to believe they grewup in a log cabin they built himself.

10:40 Someone mentioned on Twitter that unlike George W. Bush, Clinton shows up as a rock star to the convention. Bush didn't even show up.

10:43 Clinton takes Republicans to task for putting partisanship over solving problems.

10:45 Clinton says we should give Obama a second term because he will keep working with Republicans. Someone should inform Obama that Mitch McConnell was elected to the Senate on a racist anti-school busing campaign.

10:49 Mitch McConnell's statement of making Obama a one-term president comes back to haunt him. 10:52: Clinton delivers Reagan's classic, "There they go again." Awesome.

10:55 Clinton is ad-lipping huge chunks of his speech.

10:58 Clinton brings up good points of auto parts dealers being saved by the trickle effect of the auto bailout.

11:00 Clinton: "Renewable energy has doubled."

11:01 Clinton talks about low interest student loans.

11:03 Clinton goes into health care. The energy dies down somewhat.

11:05 Clinton brings up the Republicans misleading attacks on Medicare. What Obama got rid of was the wasteful Medicare Advantage.

11:08 Clinton gets a standing ovation.

11:10 Bill Clinton is tearing Romney's Medicare and Medicaid cuts apart by humanizing the costs.

11:14 Clinton is tearing Romney and Ryan a new asshole.

Clinton: "Double down on trickle down."

11:21 Clinton rightfully calls Republicans out for their horrible voting restrictions.

11:23 It will be hard for Obama to top this speech.

Live Blogging the DNC: Deval Patrick

I wish politicians stop saying "the election of a lifetime."

9:47 Deval Patrick drops broadband access.

9:49 Patrick calls Republican economics "trickled down fantasies."

Core question: what does a party believe. Patrick gives a laundry list. Romney in his surrogates did not define what they want to do with governing powers.

Patrick is sounding progressive with talk about Democrats needing to grow "a backbone." Whether he means it is another question. It is qa good message.

Patrick is on the same juice Ted Strickland drank tonight. Patrick certainly sounds excited.

Democrats seems to talk more about Obama at their convention than Romney. Republicans talk more about Obama than Romney at their convention. It's like Romney is not in this election.

9:55 Jesse Jackson is in the house. Also an actor whose name escapes me at the moment. 9:56 Patrick has a dream.

Live Blogging the DNC: Kathleen Sebelius

9:11 Kathleen Sebelius has the misfortune of coming out after Ted Strickland's barn-burning speech.

9:12: I'm experiencing Ted Strickland withdrawal.

GOP consultant Rick Wilson asked on Twitter if Sebelius is flat. The answer is yes.

Live Blogging the DNC: Tammy Duckworth

I don't know much about Duckworth's policy positions. I do find her personal story amazing.

8:41 Biden looks like he is about to cry.

8:42 Duckworth mentioned Obama repealing DADT. There was a time Obama wouldn't go near DADT. 8:43: Duckworth starts to drone on after a while. She needs to work on delivering a stronger speech. Chants of USA start.

8:44 "Moving forward" is the theme for the convention. It reminds me of Clinton's "bridge to the 21 century."

Live Blogging the DNC: Choice

8:21 Short clip of President Obama saying that the war on choice long ago. Republicans are still fighting against choice. If Obama think Republicans will stop trying to restrict women's reproductive rights then he is mistaken.

A young woman comes on stage to speak for reproductive rights. It would have been awesome if the speaker was Sandra Fluke.

8:26 Nancy Keenan of NARAL onstage.

KEENAN: We believe rape is rape!

Sandra Fluke's name is mentioned by Keenan.

8:27 Keenan tells audience that women can't trust Mitt Romney. I'm curious about Romney's statement that abortion is the Supreme Court's domain. Is Romney saying that he would veto anti-abortion legislation that hits his desk? Romney is either screwing over his base or lying to women. That doesn't say much about his word.

Live Blogging the DNC: Robert Wexler

8:03 Rep. Robert Wexler makes the case that President Obama more likely to go to war with Iran than Mitt Romney. I think think America is yearning for another war in the Middle East.

8:05 Shorter Wexler: going to war for Israel makes Obama's dick hard. Mitt Romney is a pussy version of a hawk.

Side note: Wexler is a supporter of both Obama and former Gov. Charlie Crist.

Live Blogging the DNC: Ken Salazar

Interior Sec. Ken Salazar speaks Spanish at the DNC. Honored RNC guest Joe Arpaio tells anyone that will listen that President Obama is not an American citizen. Think about this when people say that there is no difference between the two political parties.

Live Blogging the DNC: Jimmy Carter

7:33 Jimmy Carter sounds a lot like Elmur Fudd.

7:34 Cater's speech was taped. The former president is not in Charlette.

Carter talks about Obama standing up to people with money. Is that why the Justice Department dropped charges against Goldman Sachs.

7:35 Shorter Carter: being president is tough. Obama's job is tough.

Charlie Crist Watch

Tampa Bay Times political reporter tweeted this.

No word from Charlie Crist or DNC yet but one of his friends says he'll speak Thurs DNC2012

CODEPINK on Democracy Now

Medea Benjamin and Rae Abileah of CODEPINK talk about Mitt Romney's acceptance speech. Benjamin and Abileah sneaked into the Tampa Bay Times Forum to protest the influence of money in politics. CODEPINK have been able to sneak into and protest several Republican National Convention events.

Money quote:
Medea Benjamin: We have actually been going into the convention every single night, Amy. It's amazing with the $50 million they spend on security that they are not able to keep CODEPINK out the insides of the convention. Where we have disrupted the speeches of Rick Santorum, Scott Walker, Paul Ryan, and last night Mitt Romney with four of us.

The CODEPINK women are ninjas. I got frisked and wand search going to the screening of Occupy Unmasked. (Horrible movie.) CODEPink got into the screening. The film is highly negative of CODEPINK. Did the Breitbart filmmakers not recognize the lefty protest group they dissed in their own film? It was hysterical to hear CODEPINK cheer when they were first mentioned in the movie.

Numbers for Republican National Convention

The City of Tampa have released the numbers for the Republican National Convention. There were only two arrests five incidents of heat stroke. There were only a small number of protesters at the RNC. Media seemed to outnumber everyone else.

Anyone downtown would have noticed the huge police presence. It cost $50 million for the extra law enforcement. The Hill estimated that police outnumbered protesters 4 to 1 on the cancelled Monday. From what I saw, the police to protester ratio was much higher.

Wingnut of the Day: Claire M. Lopez

The Republican National Convention had the Woman Up Pavilion. The GOP thought the top concerns of women was getting their hair done and getting fresh coffee. (The coffee is good.) Woman Up had a panel on national security. Claire M. Lopez, of the conservative the Intelligence Summit, made the bizarre assertion that Sharia law was infiltrating the United States legal system. Lopez also claimed that North Korea will use fishing boats to launch an EMP bomb over America.

Lopez is the redhead in the blue blazer. She is sitting next to Florida Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll. Florida's Lt. Governor complains that we are being too mean to corporations. Code Pink is sitting on the sofa to the left and are told to be silent. I member of Code Pink was kicked out of the panel discussion earlier.

Side note: Forgive me for my crappy vlogging skills.

Occupy St. Petersburg Near the RNC

Freedom and I interviewed Lenny from Occupy St. Petersburg. You can see the huge police presence in the background. The cops were actually very nice during the convention.