ACORN Updates

I haven't been able to post much on this recently (although until the next term starts I'll probably have some time to do so). So here are just some brief updates on the story.

-- The Los Angeles Tapes are up. And Breitbart has a great strategy for releasing these -- you would have thought that their spokesperson would have shut up by now. In this case, someone actually refused to help them with this situation. But the first person they talk to offers to help them do research even after hearing what they plan to do.

-- Breitbart: Investigate ACORN or we'll release more tapes closer to the 2010 election.

"Poetry By Lori"

I just finished my Poetry Workshop class last night, so I've decided to post the poems that I wrote for it up on another blog I created for this purpose -- "Poetry By Lori." I'm going to try to post weekly original poetry up there, as well.

Most of the ones up there now are in a "humor" vein since that was the theme that I chose for my poetry book. Feel free to check it out.

I Just Noticed one Of My Blogroll Lists Was Missing...

I think I know what happened, too...I think I might have gone to delete one of the blogs from the roll, and unintentionally removed the whole list.

I'll be rebuilding it over the next couple of days. If you were on the list and don't see yourself there now, let me know and I'll re-add you.

You Know What's A Good Feeling?

1) Being done with classes for the term! Yay! Now I have a couple of weeks before the Winter Term starts to take a bit of a break.

2) Having a post generate more than 2 responses! Yay! Even though that wasn't my intention, BUT I'm happy for the debate (as long as it doesn't devolve into name calling). Maybe if I write a post about how I hate puppies I'll get even more! (For the record: I do not hate puppies.)

On a Much Lighter Note...

Despite the past couple of days, we still cover entertainment here, as well. So here are a few random tidbits to keep in mind.

-- If you're like me and my husband and love "Doctor Who," chances are you might download it before it reaches the SyFy channel here in the States. This past week, "The Waters of Mars" aired overseas. Great episode, and a fantastic setup for what's coming up -- it's the beginning of the end for David Tennant's Doctor (he's leaving the show), so his last two episodes will be starting on Christmas Day.

Matt Smith, the youngest Doctor at 27, will be taking over the role in Spring 2010. One hint that I kind of suspected was that they were going to be bringing back the character River Song, who was featured in the two part episode where the Doctor and Donna were in the library with the black killer microbes. When I heard who they hired, I thought they might be bringing her back at some point during his run because of something that the character had said to The Doctor when they met in the library -- that when she met The Doctor, he was "younger."

-- Tonight is the last "South Park" for the season (on in 20 minutes, but I'll be watching it tomorrow). The episode is titled "Pee." Yeah, I know, but you shouldn't expect any less from "South Park." You gotta love the show, though -- this half of the season they've had some great episodes.

-- My husband has now added the Lady Gaga song "Pokerface" to his playlist. Now everytime I hear it, it gets stuck in my head for several hours afterwards.

-- I can't believe "Dollhouse" is no more after January! What does Fox have against Joss Whedon? They're playing out the last of the show, and I hope that Fox will allow him to at least do a movie to close out the story or something.

A Response To A Comment At Another Forum

One of the great things about having a blog is the fact that you can control the conversation when needed, and in my case I can explain my point much better than I can in a comment.

As you might expect, the whole issue with Doug Lambert's leaving his various positions over a comment he made over the weekend has made some big news. And I've already stated my own opinions on my feelings on that. And I've also stated that I felt that the target of his tirade, NH Democratic Party chairman Ray Buckley, should apologize for the things he's said in the past that went WAY beyond anything that Lambert said.

Well, the comments section over at Granite Grok is getting a little hectic because the liberals and Democrats (but I repeat myself) are wanting Lambert's head on a pike. Even though he's already apologized and he's stepped down from most of his positions.

Anyway, the one thing I keep pointing out is that Buckley is no angel himself. Which seems to irritate these people who are trying their best to defend him. One person over on the comments section, "Landon Bryce," has apparently decided that I'm his target after I responded to the following comment.

Thanks, Doug, for writing something which sounds more like an actual apology. Skip was wise not to allow comments in his very bigoted defense of you. What you did was not "dumb"-- as you properly say here, it was hateful. Neither Skip nor you think gay people deserve to be treated as human. If you did, you would not work to make sure we do not the same rights you do. If Skip did not agree with the substance of your comments, he would consider that people have a right to legitimate anger when you call them faggots and wish them dead. He would have offered his own apology, not gone out of his way to take yours back.

He went after "Judy" on the site, and I showed him where to get the answer he seeked. Then he comes after me with this. (Edited for this blog)

Mike Walsh does not think calling someone a ****** and saying you hope a gay man dies soon is treating gays as subhuman. Mike, Doug said that a gay, black performer should should choke to death on a chicken bone or a piece of watermelon. It is a statement of fact to call him a hate-filled bigot, isn't it? Or, at the very least, a legitmate interpretation of his actions? Lori Ingham thinks the word "******" is equal to the word "thug." She also things [sic] a death wish is equal to an expression of solidarity ("we've all lost things.") I think most people probably would not agree. Can anyone point to anything Ray Buckley has done that actually approaches Doug Lambert's level of offensiveness?

My response:

You think someone calling someone's son a "thing" is showing "solidarity?" You need more help than what I can give you. And apparently you didn't watch the accompanying video. Any of those things would have gotten anyone else in serious trouble. And I have a bigger issue with the fact that Buckley, even knowing the connotation of the term "teabagger", still uses the term in public. And I'm still trying to find the source, but he made fun of an opponent in an election for being straight. What kind of tolerance does it show that he shows hatred for someone because of their sexual orientation (irony alarms going off)? Doug has apologized already. I want Buckley to do the same thing.

His response (which I only just saw becasue I was taking care of my son):

Lori, I think we've all made equivalent slips of the tongue to Buckley's is saying "thing." Do you think he intended it to be unkind? Yes, the video is vulgar, but I do not know very many people who have not made flip comments about something Hitler should have done. The term "teabagger" was not chosen by Buckley, or any liberal. It comes directly from the signs carried by protesters at the first tea party protest. I actually think your criticism would be fair if teabagger were not in general use by liberals: Buckley is not to blame for popularizing the term, he's just followed a dumb trend. When someone has been called a teabagger, then beaten to death, I will agree that it might be a term as hateful as "******." A couple of people have claimed that Buckley has made fun of people for being straight. I'd love to see what they are referring to, but I'm not sure why they're so upset about this. Gay people worry about being made fun of because it is often a precurser to violence or a sign that the mocker believes we should not be treated equally. Straight people would have a reason to be upset with Buckley for making fun of them if they were unable to hold hands in public or if states passed laws that limit their participation in society.

Just so he doesn't think I'm ignoring him on this point, I'm going to answer his points one by one on this.

Lori, I think we've all made equivalent slips of the tongue to Buckley's is saying "thing." Do you think he intended it to be unkind?

Yes, I do. If you go to the story at This Ain't Hell, you'll get the whole incident. The comment about "We've all lost things" was just the tip of the iceberg.


Yes, the video is vulgar, but I do not know very many people who have not made flip comments about something Hitler should have done.

I would think you would know the first rule of the internet -- once you invoke Hitler into an argument, it becomes moot. But what do you think of the fact that he picks his nose then says "**** America?"


The term "teabagger" was not chosen by Buckley, or any liberal. It comes directly from the signs carried by protesters at the first tea party protest.

Can you show me the pictures of these signs from the first tea party protests? Because no one I know uses this term.

I actually think your criticism would be fair if teabagger were not in general use by liberals: Buckley is not to blame for popularizing the term, he's just followed a dumb trend. When someone has been called a teabagger, then beaten to death, I will agree that it might be a term as hateful as "******."

He might not have originated the term, but he sure as hell isn't doing anything to practice what he preaches about "tolerance." And people have been beaten in protests -- one incident involved a black man who was selling tea party items during a protest by SEIU thugs. And recently some anti-illegal immigration protestors were beaten by pro-immigration protesters in Florida.

A couple of people have claimed that Buckley has made fun of people for being straight. I'd love to see what they are referring to, but I'm not sure why they're so upset about this. Gay people worry about being made fun of because it is often a precurser to violence or a sign that the mocker believes we should not be treated equally. Straight people would have a reason to be upset with Buckley for making fun of them if they were unable to hold hands in public or if states passed laws that limit their participation in society.

Again, the issue is that Buckley is no angel, although people like you are treating him as if he is faultless in this. There's also a hell of a lot more information that I can use in my arguments, but I don't because it would make me sound petty (and nothing was proven). So I'm trying to stick to the facts of what can be proven.

Calling All...Well, Everyone, Really...

I'm looking for a particular piece of information so I can verify it.

Who out there knows about an alleged (I say "alleged" because I don't know when it happened, but I think it happened in Manchester) incident involving Ray Buckley and someone he was running against? I don't know which office he was running for at the time or anything beyond that, but I know that it involved flyers that Buckley was allegedly handing out or campaign material or something where he was attacking his opponent for being straight.

If anyone can get me that information, let me know.

In the meantime, here's a lesson in tolerance from your favorite show and mine, "South Park." (NSFW)

The Death Camp of Tolerance

GraniteGrok: Doug Lambert Has Resigned

Because of an incident that happened over the weekend, Granite Grok writer Doug Lambert has resigned from writing for Granite Grok for an indeterminate amount of time.

On top of that, Meet The New Press will no longer be on the air, and he's lost his column with the Laconia Daily Sun.

From his statement:

I plan on spending my time in prayer and reflection, looking inward to the unhealthy malice in my heart, for which I will ultimately have to face my Maker , begging for His undeserved mercy.

One last point-- and then I ask for peace and privacy in this matter. In addition to those listed in my original apology statement, I owe my great friend Skip Murphy the most sincerest of apologies for all that has resulted from my inexcusable actions. Through no fault of his, all that has been built with great effort and heartache is now mostly all gone. In an instant. Like that…

Let this be a lesson to those who harbor such hatred as I have demonstrated—think about it. We must love EVERYBODY as we do ourselves. And all the world is a camera. There is no hiding anymore.

I engaged in a WHOLE lot of free speech around here. With that, comes responsibility. Use it wisely.

I wish you all the best, Doug. In God's Word, all things are possible.

Ray Buckley's Greatest Hits

Last night, I wrote a post defending Doug Lambert of Granite Grok for an incident that happened after "Meet The New Press" yesterday that he has since apologized for.

Unfortunately, when something like this happens to a conservative, the other side wants blood because, to them, it reinforces the stereotype they had already put on us.

As horrible as Doug's words were, though, I wonder -- how often does the other side have to apologize for despicable things they've said?

Answer: very rarely, if at all.

Let's take a random person. Say....oh...New Hampshire Democrat Party chairman Ray Buckley.

Has he ever apologized for the following things that he's said?

"We've all lost things." -- said to a Gold Star Mother after a congressional debate.

“You are going to see significant push back on these thugs.” -- what he called Tea Party protesters. He's also been known to use the term "teabaggers" when addressing tea partiers.

And here is a video of his "greatest hits." (warning: Language)



The part about "Hitler should have bombed it" regarding the Hague after his trip there? Priceless!

Buckley has not apologized for any of these things, and he hasn't been called out on it, either. And he's the head of the NH Democratic Party. He actually holds a position of power within the state.

So I'm calling him out. When is he going to apologize for the things he's said?

Defending a Friend

I've been gone all day today on a birthday trip for my stepdaughter to the Ben and Jerry's Factory in Vermont, so I am only just getting wind of the following story. If you want to know what he said, click on the link because I'm not going to repeat it here.

Doug did apologize on Granite Grok earlier today.

On something like that, he's going to get hammered, which he rightly should. But he's also getting hammered on his apology, which many on the left are seeing as "crocodile tears."

I know Doug. I think he let some frustrations get the best of him and he went into overdrive. In his heart of hearts, I honestly don't think that he meant what he said, and I think his apology was sincere.

Before people start jumping down my throat, however, let me explain something to you guys. I have gay friends. I could never see myself using that term to describe them (and I don't). We have an understanding -- they know that I disagree with them, and they have the right to disagree with me. Just because I'm defending Doug in this case doesn't mean I approve of the use of the term, no matter how much Ray Buckley may piss him off at any point in time (and Buckley has a way of doing that). Buckley can act like a despicable human being when he wants to (and he has on many, many occasions), but I personally wouldn't stoop to that kind of name-calling.

So What Does The President Watch When His Party's In Trouble?

Correction: Fox News misreported what had happened -- Gibbs was referencing the movie to explain why Obama didn't pay attention to the returns, not that he watched the movie last night. He's still the worst press secretary ever, though.

Last night was a big victory for Republicans. Although Doug Hoffman didn't win in NY-23, the fact that he got as much of the vote as he did sends a message that we don't want the wishy-washy members of the party around -- that is, those members who call themselves Republicans but are, in fact, really Democrat Lite.

But Republicans did win some decent victories in other big areas -- Virginia and New Jersey are the most notable.

So what was President Obama doing while the candidates he endorsed were losing their positions?

Watching a documentary about himself.

How do we know this? Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said so. Can we just say, for the record, that Gibbs is the worst press secretary in my lifetime? Did he think that little tidbit would make Obama look better for not watching the election results last night?

But besides that, is Barack Obama the modern equivalent of Narcissus or what?

NEA Endorses Saul Alinsky

Saw this as Michelle Malkin this morning, and thought it was interesting.

The NEA has, as recommended reading for their teachers, two books by well-known leftist radical Saul Alinsky, creator of the "Rules for Radicals."

As a teacher, honestly, I wouldn't put these on my personal reading list. But on the reading list for students, I think it can be a really teachable moment. Although the left has been embracing the "rules" for years, some Tea Partiers are just now starting to use the same tactics against the liberals, as well. In fact, the first time I was on Meet The New Press in May we talked about the Rules for Radicals and how the tea party movement could use them. It could start a discussion of whether the ends justify the means in using these "rules."

First Official Look: "The A Team"

How freakin' cool is this picture?

I grew up watching "The A-Team" every week, so having other actors playing the iconic ones is still a little weird to me. But this picture gives me some hope as to how this may turn out.

If you don't know who's in the picture, from left to right it's Bradley Cooper as Templeton "faceman" Peck, Quinton Jackson as B.A. Baracus, Shalto Copley as "Howling Mad" Murdock, and Liam Neeson as Colonel Hannibal Smith.

Jessica Biehl is also in the film. The story is she's going to be playing an FBI agent pursuing our heroes, or she's Face's ex-girlfriend. We'll see when the film is released.

In the meantime, I'm going to reserve judgement until the trailer is released.

There May Be More On The ACORN Front This Week

James O'Keefe, Andrew Breitbart, and Hannah Giles are scheduled to speak at a National Press Club event tomorrow. One of the topics is scheduled to be ACORN and their undercover investigation and possible charges against them.

This part I found interesting:

According to Mr. Breitbart, “ACORN representatives claim James and Hannah were kicked out of Philadelphia. They also said publicly that unlike Baltimore, Washington D.C., Brooklyn, San Bernardino and San Diego, James and Hannah
never even mentioned prostitution before they were told to leave. James and Hannah will be joining me to set the record straight. After Wednesday, everyone will know what really happened in Philly.”

Does this mean another ACORN tape will be coming out this week? I guess we'll have to wait and see.

25 Cheap Halloween Costumes

As a public service since Halloween is coming up, I'm presenting this list of cheap Halloween costumes courtesy of Moolanomy.

I actually did one of the items on the list one year, except with a bit of a twist. One year I went as Martha Stewart for Halloween, but since it was around the time that she was under house arrest my costume had the addition of a convict number on the apron and an ankle bracelet.