Joe the Plumber not only has a book deal, but he has a whole online community! Joe the Blogger, Joe the Reporter, and (I kid you not) Joe the Forum. Costs only $19.95 to sign up for a "We Are Joe" Freedom Membership, which gets you a "free" copy of Joe the Plumber's forthcoming book (scheduled to appear with PearlGate Press in about a week and a half).
Michael Lerner on Obama's pick for chief of staff, Rep. Rahm Emanuel. He is not pleased.
An evangelical website urges readers to engage in "spiritual warfare" to "block African witchcraft curses" which are "weaving lazy 8's around McCain's mind" to make him appear "like an idiot." The crucial allegation: "[T]the witches, warlocks and those involved in satanism and the occult get up daily at 3 a.m. to release curses against McCain and Palin so B. Hussein Obama is elected."
Discovered via a link from the Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life's website.
George Will is scathing on McCain. Seen on Cee Bee's Friendfeed stream.
From the page:
"“Political conservatives envision a world without God in which baser human impulses go unchecked, social institutions (marriage, government, family) fall apart and chaos ensues,” says McAdams. Liberals, on the other hand, envision a world without God as barren, lifeless, devoid of color and reasons to live.
“Liberals see their faith as something that fills them up and, without it, they conjure up metaphors of emptiness, depletion and scarcity,” McAdams said. “While conservatives worry about societal collapse, liberals worry about a world without deep feelings and intense experiences.”"
As a professor who also happens to enjoy the occasional arugula leaf in my salads, I found this kind of amusing.
Sort of funny. And sort of not.
"Dear American:
I need to ask you to support an urgent secret business relationship with a transfer of funds of great magnitude.
I am Ministry of the Treasury of the Republic of America. My country has had crisis that has caused the need for large transfer of funds of 800 billion dollars US. If you would assist me in this transfer, it would be most profitable to you.
I am working with Mr. Phil Gram, lobbyist for UBS, who will be my replacement as Ministry of the Treasury in January. As a Senator, you may know him as the leader of the American banking deregulation movement in the 1990s. This transactin is 100% safe.
This is a matter of great urgency. We need a blank check. We need the funds as quickly as possible. We cannot directly transfer these funds in the names of our close friends because we are constantly under surveillance. My family lawyer advised me that I should look for a reliable and trustworthy person who will act as a next of kin so the funds can be transferred.
Please reply with all of your bank account, IRA and college fund account numbers and those of your children and grandchildren to wallstreetbailout@treasury.gov so that we may transfer your commission for this transaction. After I receive that information, I will respond with detailed information about safeguards that will be used to protect the funds.
Yours Faithfully Minister of Treasury Paulson"
On the changing strategies used by conservative groups to increase their influence on curricular choices in U.S. higher education.
Check out the little details -- Obama in an Arab-style headdress on the top flap, and, according to one description, wearing a Mexican sombrero on the back (along with a recipe for "Open Border Fiesta Waffles").
18 links here
