House Votes 236-181 To Allow Debate To Block Federal Funding Of NPR

It's a start. Heath Shuler (D-NC) voted with Republicans.

The GOP resolution, sponsored by Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.), also prohibits NPR from using federal funds to buy programming. According to NPR, 2 percent of its funding comes from federally sponsored competitive grants.

They are to have a final vote this afternoon whether to block federal funding.

Breathlessly Waiting For Breathless Headline

While we wait breathlessly for another breathless headline about radiation in Japan or the latest atrocities of the errant radical right wing nuts that make op the cadre of Tea Party covens nationwide I noticed an article in Reason Hit and Run about Senator Al Franken.

Save the Internet From Al Franken

Last time we checked in with Senate not-so-funny man Al Franken and his ongoing crusade to save the Internet by enforcing net neutrality, he was confusing wireless data networks like the ones that connect Blackberries and iPhones to the Internet with home-based wi-fi connections like you might set up in your office

Franken isn't the sharpest tool in his shed and the gardener knee pads are funnier, but this article shows yet another politician desperately trying to seem relevant when they have absolutely no basic understanding of which they speak. Maybe Franken can once again show his cute pugnacious side and break all the inter-tubes if he doesn't get to save free speech by imposing government regulations on free speech. Of course, Franken isn't alone in his approach to government stupidity. Maybe a current leader, but not alone. There are those that actually still believe we can spend our way out of being broke. This is, as always, the cure that kills, but then they can say we were the cure!

Okay, back to FOX and the alphabets desperately trying to scare the bejeebus out of us because they really need those ambulance chasing mesothelioma ads. I'm breathless.

Happy St Patrick's Day

Irish beer is good. Irish music actually sounds like country music. Ireland is beautiful.

So, why don't we see any of that here is America?

I have Irish ancestors. I grew up with green beer and corned beef and cabbage with the hidden coin. I heard a shrieking whine similar to the sound of dying cats that I was told was Irish music. Other Irish music seemed to always include men and women dancing to jigs that were way too perky. I performed in Brigadoon which most people thought was about Ireland even though it was clearly not. Leprechauns seemed to be a constant source of amusement to those around me.

Thankfully, in my visits to Ireland I saw Ireland, not some maudlin or Disney-like production with Lerner/Loewe lyrics about another country. My great grandmother wore traditional blue on St Patrick's Day and as her family had always done she always took me to church to pray to Saint Patrick in the hope that I would not observe the heathen celebration of "wearing the green" which meant green ties, shirts, scarves, beer and whatever, but never God's message to children through the Trinity of the shamrock.

The heathens she referred to were my protestant Scottish, Welsh and German relatives celebrating with beer, stories of some vague misty homeland and gluttony.

I've never seen a Leprechaun, but I once saw my father in a kilt.