I can't believe it's not a democracy!

Not surprised:

Associated Press says U.S. government seized journalists' phone records. Of course this happened. Probably trying to find out who all WH leakers are so they can start prosecuting them and have a whole ward of Bradley Mannings. I am so so glad I did not vote for Obama for president. Holder was his pick for Attorney General. Period. I only hope that some journalists finally understand what this government is willing to do to keep all leaks from happening and start reporting the shit out of what is going on. With a handful of exceptions, DC is a fucking cesspit that needs a Herculean cleaning.

So I am thinking about getting a smart phone.

Don't know what I will get, but I know what service provider I WON'T be using: SPRINT.  I have Sprint with an "older plan," which apparently ended but no one told me.  I almost never use the phone, but I had to last month because of a family emergency (my nephew broke his leg in three places and had to have surgery). The one time I really needed it, after being a subscriber for 14 years, and for reasons no one can explain, I was charged international roaming charges, and a 27 minute call from Brooklyn to New Jersey cost $99.  And the reps keep acting like it's my fault because of the towers in my neighborhood and because I am on an older, discontinued plan.  No one told me that my old plan doesn't exist any more of whatever.  Not even this past weekend, when I went to the Sprint store to see about upgrading to a smart phone and the clerk asked for my cell phone number to check out my plan.  No, not even then. 

Ok, Sprint is out, which means Virgin and Credo too.  Great.  So what's left that isn't the sociopathic assholes at AT&T (they allowed the government to put equipment in a "special room" to datamine all our communication) or the assholes at Verizon?

Is this the real reason the military is spending so much money on drones?

Golf Channel Testing Out New Octo-copter Drone To Film Golfers This Weekend. Imagine if something went terribly wrong and a drone that was intended to torment poor farmers in Waziristan was substituted with the Golf Channel's Octo-copter....

Fake bishop attempts to infilitrate gathering of sociopaths:

Prankster Nearly Sneaks Into Meeting of Cardinals. Thing is, the imposter sounds like a bit of a nut--he wasn't even a really good comedian/actiivist/protester--yet he got past the first level before being nabbed. What this guy highlights is how all of this pomp and protocol is all bullshit--high priced bullshit--but just bullshit in the end. And has anyone else noticed that people are openly mocking the church now, which can only signal its eventual demise. Not in my lifetime, sadly, but not long after. Good fucking riddance.

I'm sure somoene will get a bullet in the head for this:

Fake concrete-filled walnuts being sold in China . Presumably these fake walnuts aren't being sold to the overseas market. Presumably. That said, what will it take before the Chinese government finally embraces real regulation of its markets? I mean, fake walnuts? It's food, for christ's sake. How many more scandals have to occur before enough people can petition their governments to keep this toxic shit out? Not in the U.S., of course--corporate interests here trump everything. But maybe a refusal to allow this toxic crap in can happen in a country where the government isn't wholly overrun with cheap whores willing to rub their nipples and dance for a penny from the man.

Does someone have photos?

Pope Benedict the Whateverthe fuck announces resignation. Resigning? Not generally done with the Vatican. Sure, maybe a few suspected murders, other intrigue, but resigning, not really the way a pope likes to bow out. I'm sure his decision--if it is his--has nothing to do with the continuing pedophilia cases--the church doesn't give a shit about that, assume they can ride that out (I mean, people still get their kids baptized). But there is an ongoing financial scandal. Money talks....and sometimes screams. Just saying.

Meanwile, in Afghanistan...

Afghan suicide bomber kills anti-terror chief. I recall seeing the same headline a few months back. Apparently the Afghan anti-terror chief du jour is the twin of Al Qaeda's number two. You know, the guy who gets killed by the U.S. military every four months or so.

And why are we there again? I recall hearing about a pipeline that was supposed to go from Whereverthefuckistan through Lawlessratholeistan and deliver some fossil fuel to an awaiting tanker, but surely our media would tell us whether "Operation Destroy the Earth so a Handful of Fuckers Can Own Everything for Five Minutes" was on track. Let me check Yahoo's! front page. Hmmm, Italian tourist arrested for forgetting wallet at NYC steakhouse, ideal time to book flights, Lindsay Lohan says "no" to Dancing With the Stars....

Extent of parasitic activity in the UK revealed:

Secret papers show extent of senior royals' veto over bills; Court order reveals how approval of Queen and Prince Charles is sought on range of bills. That this parasitic family is ceded authority to do anything other than decide which car window they will use to wave to the masses is a fucking insult. I hope the Brits are appropriately outraged and kick this unless institution to the fucking curb. Getting people to accept that some people are breed to rule because a super special sperm met a magical egg is exactly how we get to the lack of prosecutions with the Goldman designed financial crisis. Some people are too special to prosecute. Some people must be consulted before bills may advance. What a shame that the French Revolution and the end of the Romanov family didn't send a strong enough message to these filthy self-appointed elites. They never learn.

You can't even parody this stuff anymore:

Extreme Sustainability in London. The link takes you to a story about an East London furniture store that emphasizes sustainability.  What it really emphasizes is overpriced artisanal shit ala Portland and Brooklyn with an English spin.  And when you are done, this is what you get--"a sustainable chair": 

As one commenter noted, it looks like it wouldn't support a child.  Click the link if you wish to be diverted and appalled. 

Don't blame me, I voted for Jill Stein, M.D.:

Monster in the white house wants you to live like a pauper in your old age. And why not? He'll never have to rely on social security, and neither will his kids. Oh, and according to the comments, that old multi-millionairess Nancy Pelosi is cool with it. And why not, she'll never have to rely on social security, etc. You know what? Next time I may not even vote. Someone tell me why I should bother. No, really.