Senator Goofball Proposes Privatizing the Weather

Senator Rick Santorum (Goofball-PA) has introduced a bill that would forbid the National Weather Service from reporting the weather. It's not even a cost-cutting measure, since the NWS and NOAA would be left intact. It's purely meant to prevent the free use of data the governement collects, and has collected for two hundred years.

What? What's the point, you ask? Well, Senator Goofball wants to privatize the weather. It seems that Accuweather -- which just coincidentally contributed thousands of dollars to Santorum via its executives -- feels that the government is unfairly competing with it. Nevermind that any private company that wants the data from the government can get it and repackage it -- competition, apparently, is not a good thing in the free marketplace in Santorum's world.

If the bill passes, you won't be able to get NOAA weather over the internet. You won't be able to call NOAA for a forecast. You won't have your weather radio. You'll have to pay to get a weather forecast.

Yes, the corruption has gotten this absurd. The Republicans now want to privatize the weather.

What Did You Do During the War, Papa?

Obviously any German, born in 1927, is going to have some sort of World War II story. When that German has just been selected Pope, you'd think one of the many All-Pope, All the Time news channels would've at least investigated this. I mean, the most evil thing that has ever happened in the history of humanity ought to be a real focal point for any annointed Prince of Peace. But a kid who spent every school year of his life under Nazi rule, whose father was a policeman then, who was a Hitler Youth, who operated an anti-aircraft battery, who dug anti-tank ditches, who was drafted into the German Army in 1945, claims to have deserted, and who was captured by American troops -- now, you'd think that the worst crimes in history would really have been THE galvanizing event in his life. And that the story of a young boy growing up with the Nazis and serving in their armies while yearning to become a priest, that story would be of some passing interest to the media. Or why Benedict XVI hasn't made this a real focal point of his life in the church, especially given the shady history of the Catholic hierarchy during the fascist years and holocaust. Or perhaps some coveragew of why somebody who has preached the supremacy of Catholicism over all other religions has made some Jews a bit nervous.

Apparently not.

Anyone smell a Ratzinger?

Half-Erect for the Pope

Last Laugh

So our President has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff for the Bishop of Rome, who passed away last week. Welcome to 21st-century America, where we dip the symbol of our national sovereignty to a Polish national living in Rome heading up a church to which a minority of Americans attend, who was head of a sovereign state that would fit inside the pond in Central Park. What a great message to send to people in the Arab world who might be under the misimpression from Bush's "crusader" comments that we think it's a holy war we're fighting. I don't hear much from those who allegedly would defend our flag (say, via a Constitutional amendment to ban flag burning) when it's under attack by being dipped to honor a religious figure.

Despite the fact that the Pope begged Bush not to kill innocent and retarded death row inmates in Texas or go to war in Iraq, Bush picks and chooses which parts of the 'culture of life' the Pope espoused to pay attention to. So when the Pope talked about abstinence, Bush echoes that, as if any sane person would take advice about sex from an 84-year old unmarried virgin. But when the Pope calls for intervention to prevent genocide in Africa, Bush guffaws about what a sad thing it is but does nothing. When the Pope issues a statement in support of maintaining Terri Schiavo's life support, Bush makes sure to mention it. But when the Pope begs for more aid and sustenance to the poor of the world, Bush says nothing.

So enjoy the posthumous honor, John-Paul, Bush is laughing at you up there on your catafalque, paying half-attention to your message and using you entirely for cheap political gain.