Clinton Is A Robot

During a presser today, Hillary Clinton, in between offering more lame excuses for getting her ass handed to her over the past ten days ("Always thought that would happen." My husband lost in Maryland too.), she was dropping talking points like some spawn of Karl Rove. Today was the debut of Providing Solutions for 21st Century America. That must be what is needed after you cross the bridge to the 21st century.

From MSNBC

Valentine's Day Massacre

My wife and I don't celebrate Valentine's Day, but it's impossible to miss the litany of ridiculous commercials trying to get husbands and boyfriends to "prove" their love by shelling out for a diamond. My wife, in all of her glorious modesty, does not care for diamonds, and I never cared to buy one. Neither one of us believes that we need an outrageously expensive Thing to prove our love. We are in the minority. My wife's students, 13 yr olds, don't believe she's really married because she uses the Ms. prefix. Also, she conspicuously has "no bling," only a simple silver band. A lot of my friends are in the same sans-diamond boat as we are, but they also have similar points of view and similar financial status, but they too are in the minority. Most married women I know from work, family, friends of friends wear their diamonds with pride. It is proof that someone successful loves them.
Price and materialistic undertones are not the only reason we have consciously decided to not buy diamonds. I have felt that no matter what De Beers says (who doesn't trust De Beers?) that there is no such thing as a "conflict-free diamond". As it turns out, (and this does not happen often) my instincts are right. The Kimberly Process is not only ineffective, but basically unmonitored, and in reality creates another niche market for diamonds: the Whole Foods Diamond. The diamond it's OK to buy (and pay more for). Regardless of the conditions they were mined and produced in, diamonds, because of their appreciation and liquidity, are used as currency to fuel and fund conflicts around the globe. Diamonds are small and easy to transport and hide, retain their value better and are less traceable than currency, have more value per pound than currency, and are virtually impossible to destroy. Thus, they make the perfect medium for funding international war and terror.

I'm not trying to be holier than thou or preach at you. The fact is that I happened to be too poor to buy a rock when I got married, and have been lucky enough to get educated on their horrible impact since then. So do what you will this Valentine's Day. I can only choose for myself. But nothing says "I Love You" like driving your Hummer over to WalMart, crossing that picket line, and getting her some Chinese chocolates or Columbian roses spawned by slave labor. Don't forget the virgin paper greeting card with toxic glue on the envelope. I love you, baby.

Day One

We hear the phrase "ready on day one" from the Clinton camp, as much as Obama spouts his "change" mantra(s), but one can argue that Obama will bring some form of change. However, the way Clinton has run her campaign, her readiness is very questionable.

Judging from Clinton’s complete lack of foresight (I'm inevitable) or plan B (pretty much everything that happened after Iowa) plus her arrogance (I'm inevitable again) and what now seems like a healthy form of denial (she doesn't even comment on her recent HUGE losses), I don’t think it’s her. In fact, this kind of sounds like our current train wreck of a president, doesn't it?

GOP: Our Ass, or Hole in Ground?

The party of "state's rights" and "strict constructionism" calls local democratic representation, freedom of speech and assembly "treasonous".

However, it is okay for a state to vote into law a measure that directly contradicts a Supreme Court verdict if it suits their political objectives.

Youth, Youth Vote, Wasted on Young

People who know me (all 4 of you) know how skeptical I am about Obama-mania, Hill-arrhea, Democratic "inevitability", and how Hope, Love, and The Youth Vote conquers all. It sounds nice and feels self-satisfying, but it didn't work in 2004 even though like now we were targeted by campaigns, mobilized, angry, eager for change, and running against a total turd sandwich.

To further pump people up and tell themselves and each other how great and inevitable and young and hip they are, along comes DKos to discuss the Youth Vote, and pooh-pooh any skeptics such as myself that the Youth Vote may not turn out like it did in 1972, or, 1992, or 2004.

Meteor Blades may need to review his/her history here because, Democrats lost 2 out of 3 of those elections he claimed were so dominated by the Youth Voting tsunami.

Sorry to be a downer here, and even more sorry to use a sports analogy, but weren't the Patriots talking about how inevitable their ascendency was?

McCain's Inspiring New Video

Sen John McCain (D-AZ)

Faux News continues to prove to be a hilarious caricature of themselves. Much like Rudy 9iu11ani's constant refrain of 9/11 9/11 9/11 made him a punchline, so has Faux News continued to reinforce and outperform every criticism of it's "Fair and Balanced" catchphrase.

And the thing is, I grudgingly respect Faux News for their balls and unwavering commitment to reporting the news as they want it to be, rather than how it is (as Colbert said, "Facts have a well-known liberal bias"). But it's the people who actually look to Faux for their information and opinions that are maligned in my view by these rank shenanigans. I have as much respect for those people as I do for a steaming loaf of shit floating in a vat of diarrhea.

Spending Outside the Bun?

New Yorkers have spotted signs in shops reading "Euros Accepted". More of a shot to the pride than anything. Beware when you start seeing signs that read "Pesos Accepted."

Et Tu Coulter?

So with Romney out of the race, will Ann Coulter start campaigning for The Huckster to bring down McMaverick, or will she jump right on the back of the Clinton campaign and ride it all the way?

Is Mitt Romney Dropping out of the Race?

According to Raw Story, through reports from CNN and the AP, Mitt Romney will suspend his presidential campaign for the Republican nomination, effectively ceding the nomination to John McCain, according to reports by CNN and the Associated Press.

What's going on here? Is the GOP trying to do anything possible to make sure that its the Democrats who have a brokered convention and not the Republicans?

Crinch Pin Late Night Music Club: Jello Biafra and The Melvins

Here's a 21st century version of the Dead Kennedy's classic "California Uber Alles" performed by Jello Biafra and The Melvins. As you'll notice, this updated version goes after California Governator Arnold Schwarzenegger. Always good to hear Jello Biafra...

California Election Fraud

Thinking Outside The Bun

Remember when Gore won the Presidency in 2000, but was denied the White House? He took to the political wilderness and grew a beard. It was taken as a sign by the Sean Hannities and Rush Limbaughs of the world as proof positive that he was unhinged.

Bill Richardson appeared on MSNBC tonight sporting a new goatee. Is he unhinged? Or is he just thinking outside the bun?

The C Word

Tonight, at 7pm Central, as ABC kicked off their Super Tuesday coverage, it was too early for any substantive results, so Charlie "Charles" Gibson, Diane Sawyer, and George Stephanopoulos joined each other in some vapid banter which went hilariously off-script for a moment when Diane Sawyer said there'd been "a lot of talk about the 'C' word" in this campaign.




No. Not 'Crinch.' Change! The other 'C' word.

Bad B.A.D. Hangover

It's a big week for me and my fellow Crinchers.

Today, Crinch Pin turns 3000 hits. I'm not sure if that's good or not, but it's sort of like your car turning 3000 miles. You get your first oil change and you're pretty sure you have many more miles to go, but knowing your luck you're going to drop the tranny before 4000 rolls around. It is what it is, so you'd better celebrate.

Coincidentally, it is also Fat Tuesday, and SUPER TUESDAY!!!! The day we Crinch Pinners have been awaiting with baited breath for at least a week. The election season is in full swing... and there is plenty of fodder for our ideological brawling. I wish you, dear reader, could see some of the emails. Anyhow, we four Crinchers will be watching the primary election results roll in, while we watch the beers roll down our throats at Schubas Tavern in Chicago. If anyone in snowy Chicago is reading this, please feel free to join us. We'll be upstairs, safely shrouded from the normal paying public's view. If you hear the sounds of shattering glass and splintering wood, you may want to decide how much you like your face. If you hear something that sounds like a bubble machine, you're probably safe.

All of this, and I'm still getting over my bad bad B.A.D. hangover. Apparently, I made a few to many links, and tried to take a blogroll in the hay with Brilliant at Breakfast and Blue Gal, both of whom denied my advances. Your loss ladies. We here at the Crinch Pin really took the tenants of B.A.D. to heart, and thus are equal opportunity linkers... B.A.D. to the bone. Ahem.

On the positive side we made some great new friends, including: bildungblog, Chuck for..., Drink Liberally in New Milford, Mike the Mad Biologist, Moue Magazine, The Impolitic, The Political Cat, and the infamous skippy the bush kangaroo.

I can't wait till next year's Blogroll Amnesty, but here at the Pin, it's B.A.D. every day! That's right! I don't give a fuck. Email me, and I'll add you to our roll.

Cheers, lads and lassies!