No one has been able to say how long U.S. Forest Service Officer Scott Cairnes and Deputy Derek Hamm stood watching the trio, but in Cairnes’ report he wrote that he saw Dennison and Adkins engage in three sex acts and then Adkins and Walsh began to fondle Dennison.

Sheriff fires deputies caught naked in forest

"A Bible based marriage is between one man and, frankly, enough booty to make a Mormon compound seem quitely understaffed." Now that's funny.

Yeah, I'm scratching my head a little, too.

The list includes several college towns, including Madison, Wisconsin, & Ann Arbor, Michigan. In the Yahoo! story about the Kiplinger list, there are some cons listed for Pocatello. Among them, "low family income, limited cultural and religious diversity, growing concerns about methamphetamine use and gangs."

Limited cultural/religious diversity and meth use... Now there's the understatement of the year.

Pocatello: Great to raise a young, Mormon family; Not so great if you're trying to get out of poverty & get clean.

From Boing Boing comes this compelling presentation on the method by which we save the planet. Its less than 20 minutes but once you click play, you'll never notice the time.

As I buried in the post on the Beckpocalypse, unfortunately the Nuge won't be performing at the "I have a nightmare" speech. He's been scrubbed, no doubt because of the racist comments. Beck's partners couldn't have that on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on the anniversary of MLK's landmark speech. But the tea baggers' loss is Boise's gain. But $60! Hell, Dylan was just here for $50. Good luck with that.

Freak. 90% of Idaho is welcoming country for the Nuge. But he's inflicting his testosteronic noise downtown adjacent to the liberal ghetto of Idaho. Nevertheless, the massive growth in west Ada County is chucky jam full of knuckle dragging mouth breathers with a penchant fer killing bambis, whose idea of gun control is using both hands, and who'd be in DC right now but for that damn child support(they lose their hunting license if they're not current).

After these guys down a dozen Vodka redbulls and get all hopped up on some of the Nuge's xenophobic bigotry, with a healthy dose of gay bashing, downtown Boise should make for a target rich environment. We'll see what the arrest sheets show tomorrow. We're no stranger to violent confrontations. A few years ago, one of our rock steady downtown musicians, a tiny cheerful intelligent girl who happens to be lesbian, was clotheslined by some asshole just for walking down the street. He commented about "her kind" when doing so while cradling his girlfriend under his other arm.

I must say Labrador fits right in with this cast.

Christ on a crutch. Who knew that almost a half century after Brown v. Board of Education, there's still segregation practiced in southern schools.

"[Y]ou asked what the net deficit impact would be if certain provisions of PPACA and the Reconciliation Act that were estimated to generate net savings were eliminated -- specifically, those which were originally estimated to generate a net reduction in mandatory outlays of $455 billion over the 2010-2019 period. The estimate of $455 billion mentioned in your letter represents the net effects of many provisions. Some of those provisions generated savings for Medicare, Medicaid, or the Children's Health Insurance Program, and some generated costs.

"If those provisions were repealed, CBO estimates that there would be an increase in deficits similar to its original estimate of $455 billion in net savings over that period."

To be clear this applies only to the Medicare portions of ACA. If the entire ACA were repealed it would still add $140 billion. Numbers analysis here. As Benen said "In related news, Republicans believe accelerators make cars slow down, lighter fluid puts fires out, and light bulbs make rooms darker." But what can you expect from the party that has no use for education, thinks science is squishy, and apologized to British Petroleum for getting our water in their oil.

Republicans are all in for repeal. Especially here in Idaho where Governor Otter concocted the Idaho Health Freedom Act in order to distract away from the job he was supposed to be doing, governing. Instead he proposed to spend boatloads of money Idaho doesn't have on lawyers. Now he, and the rest of the walking contradictions, will have to 'splain to voters why they wanna increase the deficit by a half trillion dollars.

Onion parodies aside, what's tragic are the results from this focus group study demonstrating that Glenn Beck is the brain trust for the tea baggers.

Glenn Beck is the most highly regarded individual among Tea Party supporters of the people we tested. He scores an extraordinarily high 75 percent warm rating, 57 percent very warm.

This affinity for Beck came through very clearly in the focus groups. The only news source that participants said they could trust was Fox. Glenn Beck, Bill O’Reilly, and Sean Hannity were cited as people who “are not afraid to tell it like it is” and support their arguments with solid facts. Beck was undoubtedly the hero in these groups. Participants consider him an “educator” (in contrast to the popular Rush Limbaugh who is an “entertainer”) who teaches people history and puts himself at risk because he exposes the truth. In the words of a woman in Ft. Lauderdale, “I would trust my life in his hands.”

Other comments are just as laudatory:

I like the way he’s trying to get back to the basics of the Constitution of the United States because I think that’s where our government is losing focus. They’re trying to change the Constitution or somehow twist it…

He brings out facts… And he actually shows the people saying the things. It’s not like just sound bites. It’s not chopped and really edited. And he is scary because every time I watch the show, which is pretty much every day, my heart feels…and I feel like I want to do something.

I’m frightened for him… Because of the things that he says. I think that he is stepping on some big toes.

He really does his research and he really lays it out to you well; a good professor.

Beck, of course, is an idiot. This weekend he is planning a rally on the 47th anniversary of MLK's "I have a dream" speech in the exact same location. Beck touts the event will "restore honor" to the nation's capitol. Certainly the irony is lost on him.

One of the scheduled speakers for the Beckpocalypse in DC was Ted Nugent who unfortunately had to cancel so he could have the opportunity to come sing to us "white people" right here in Boise, Idaho. Yeah, MLK is spinning like a top.

Welker is referring to the 1st Congressional District Candidate's position statement on illegal immigration.

"I agree with Dan," added Angela Ippolito-Cross "I regret that I have but one vote to give Mr. Labrador."

But apparently, Republican words regarding their candidate are not worth the blog windows they are printed on.

According to KBOI:

U.S. House hopeful Raul Labrador hasn't exactly gotten the help that the Idaho Republican Party promised in June when it announced the hiring of two full-time staffers to help his campaign. Idaho GOP Executive Director Jonathan Parker says one of the staffers is spending most of his time working on state races instead of Labrador's race against Democratic U.S. Rep. Walt Minnick.

and since ...

That's a shift from earlier plans. The state GOP announced in June they had requested money from Republican National Committee to hire two people, based at GOP victory offices in Coeur d'Alene and Boise, with the chief task of unseating Minnick. The hires were cited by Idaho Republicans and Labrador as evidence of key support from the national party to help offset Minnick's significant fundraising advantage.

then ...

Has the Idaho Republican Party given up on the race to unseat Minnick, realizing that their money is much better spent races where they actually have a chance?

...

Will the GOP support Bill Sali's heir apparent (Labrador) if he, by off chance, ends up in Washington?

Or would we be looking at another full congressional term of service with yet another a lame duck comedy act?

*****

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Enjoy!

- Rodham

The debate swirling around the proposed mosque and Muslim community center in lower Manhattan near the World Trade Center site has, for many, tapped into strong emotions of a national trauma that is still raw. But in the churning political and constitutional arguments, one question has not been adequately addressed: what makes a mosque near ground zero offensive?

Nearly everyone in this debate affirms the constitutional right for the mosque's construction. Indeed, that right is a cherished founding principle. As Thomas Jefferson said, "The constitutional freedom of religion [is] the most inalienable and sacred of all human rights." It is no accident that the right to worship in accordance with one's own conscience is enshrined in the First Amendment.

But, many mosque opponents argue, just because it can be built does not mean it should be. They say it would be disrespectful to the memories of those who died on 9/11 to build a Muslim facility near the World Trade Center site. I appreciate the depth of emotions at play, but respectfully suggest that the presence of a mosque is only inappropriate near ground zero if we unfairly associate Muslim Americans with the atrocities of the foreign al-Qaidaterrorists who attacked our nation.

Read all of it.

Down With Tyranny

Recently Rupert Murdoch's parent corporation, News Corp., dropped all pretense of "fair and balanced" and gave the Republican Governor's Association $1 million explaining away the corrupting influence by arguing that the parent corporation has no say in the promulgation of news by its subsidiaries. Marc Johnson wrote a thoughtful, and far too kind, piece on the propriety of such a donation, noting the dishonesty and pointlessness of News Corp's defense. Jon Stewart observed that the money was going the wrong direction, but that's a tail wagging the dog conundrum.

That brings me to Idaho's branch of the right wing noise machine. The other day I noted Larry Craig's radio guest host gig, subbing for conservative Nate Sellman, in which he had Wayne Hoffman screening questions. Wayne needs no introduction but is notable here as the principal of the Idaho Freedom Foundation, a conservative public policy organization which began its own news outlet, the Idaho Reporter, which, like Fox, touts itself as fair and unbiased. During the call in, Wayne made sure no one asked about the senator's infamous past, a stipulation apparently demanded by the senator.

Wayne Hoffman was accompanied by one of his minions, Brad Iverson-Long, a "journalist" Hoffman pays to promulgate the Idaho Reporter. I listened to the show for about an hour which reaffirmed why I don't listen much to commercial radio and certainly not conservative radio. During the show, Craig received accolade after glowing accolade while Wayne screened calls and barked orders at his dutifully responding obsequious employee. And one person even got through and tried to ask why Craig said he would resign but changed his mind. Hoffman refused the call arguing that it wasn't pertinent to the topical subjects of the day. Someone should have asked about the Prop H8 ruling, Lt. Col Ferenbach, or the tolerance of Muslims in the gay community, but I doubt they would have taken those calls either. Like News Corp. Hoffman screams about the corrupting influence of money in politics, yet categorically refuses to provide any information on the source of his funding. The duplicity is apparent and the result is astonishing. They seek to restore to the honor and dignity of elder statesman status to a senator who was caught and convicted of soliciting anonymous sex in a public bathroom. And given our current stupid public discourse, this bizarro world outcome doesn't seem that far away.

In this discussion, kodbager writes (among other things):

Here's a valid question. As a "minority" ... just what the hell is it that really distinguishes YOUR want's and wishes from that of MINE???

Yes, I'm White and hell no, I don't feel as if that's something to apologize for either the way many White Liberals demand of me in the name of "Political Correctness". 66% of this nation's total population are still NON-Hispanic Whites (www.census.gov ), so what?? It was "Politically IN-Correct" for me to list those mathematical FACTS ... But by-God it's the truth!! It's right there in the link I provided!!

So back to it, just what concerns do any of YOU have as a Black, Hispanic, or whatever other "minority" that differ all that much from mine, a White mans concerns?

Do you worry about the economy more than me? I highly doubt it!
Do you worry about the staggering costs that Illegal Foreign Nationals have on OUR economy more than me? Again, I very highly doubt that one!!

So just what is it that puts YOUR concerns, YOUR wants & wishes above MINE??? No really, I'm asking!!

A Minnesota Republican Party operative yesterday waded into one of the signature political issues of our time: "Who's hotter — Republican women or Democratic women?" writes Rachel Rose Hartman on Yahoo News.

The Senate District 56 GOP Party posted a Web video yesterday laying out its position on the hotness question. It leads with images of prominent Republicans such as Sarah Palin, Michelle Malkin, and Michele Bachmann; the soundtrack, naturally, is the Tom Jones chestnut, "She's a Lady."

Then, there's an abrupt switch to the other side of the aisle. The theme is subtly conveyed with the strains of the Baha Men hit "Who Let the Dogs Out?" Photos of Michelle Obama, Janet Reno, Rosie O'Donnell and Hillary Clinton flash on the screen.

The video quickly made its viral way through the blogosphere.

"The day when a woman was judged by her looks rather than her competence and intelligence should have passed three generations ago," said State Democratic chairman Brian Melendez. "But apparently Republican leaders in the year 2010 still think of that bygone era as the good old days, and want to bring it back."

Melendez called for the video's removal and an apology from branch GOP chairman Joe Salmon.

Local Republican state House candidate Andrea Kieffer also requested that the video be removed, Paul Schmelzer reports for the Minnesota Independent. Kieffer called the video a "juvenile attempt at 'marketing.' "

"This is not something I would condone, and I am sending a request that the webmaster take it down immediately," she told local newspapers.

As of Wednesday morning, the party had removed the video from its website.

In a show of mind-numbing callousness, Salmon labelled critics of the vile, sexist video as humorless enforcers of political correctness.

"It [is] really unfortunate to relearn that the other side is severely lacking a sense of humor," Salmon tweeted Tuesday.