Right Wing Nut House

You won’t want to miss tonight’s Rick Moran Show, one of the most popular conservative talk shows on Blog Talk Radio.

Tonight, I welcome Rich Baehr and Larrey Anderson of the American Thinker and Vodkapundit Stephen Green for a discussion on the implosion of the liberals and the sinking of the Obama presidency.

The show will air from 7:00 - 8:00 PM Central time. You can access the live stream here. A podcast will be available for streaming or download shortly after the end of the broadcast.

Click on the stream below and join in on what one wag called a “Wayne’s World for adults.”

Also, if you’d like to call in and put your two cents in, you can dial (718) 664-9764.

My latest is up at PJ Media and its about the awarding of the World Cup hosting nation to Qatar - a socially backward autocracy.

A sample:

There are the usual issues that you find in any Arab country with virulent anti-Semitism, polygamy, and an attitude toward women that fits right in with the emirate’s 14th century mode of governance. There is no elected legislature. The people are subjects, beholden to the capricious whims of a potentate with three wives and 24 children. There is a “Municipal Council” where some members are elected, but the reality is that all power is in the hands of the amir, a nice enough fellow who is apparently considered a “progressive” in the Arab world but is still an autocrat.

What really beggars belief is that FIFA failed to take into account two crucial factors in their decision: the climate and Qatar as a tourist destination for Westerners.

As for the latter, just what is there to do in Qatar? This is from the official tourist site:

Tourists can explore the natural environment of Qatar by taking an exciting desert safari, relaxing at the many beaches and pools or just enjoying their favourite sport, be it bowling alleys, tennis, snookers, billiards, golf courses, or ice skating rinks. There is something for everyone in this wonderful place.

All kidding aside, this was a horrible choice by FIFA, the world governing body of soccer and one of the most corrupt international organizations on the planet:

Why sacrifice whatever high ideals are connected with the World Cup — and there are precious few that haven’t been sullied by FIFA — by holding the tournament in a socially backward autocracy that winks at terrorists and terror financing while allowing nauseatingly hateful bigotry directed against Jews?

No doubt the British football hooligans are salivating at the thought of starting poolside fights or breaking up a bowling alley or two. There are good restaurants but alas, no drinking allowed except in exclusive hotels and clubs.

In fact, Qatar would do well to vastly expand the number of venues allowed to serve alcohol, or come 2022, soccer fans will be rioting because they won’t be able to get a beer or three. It’s going to be like tailgating at a football game where brats are outlawed. Americans wouldn’t sit still for that, and I doubt the boisterous Euro-football fanatics will be satisfied with citrus juice or iced tea.

It’s the money. Qatar has promised to spend $100 billion on infrastructure improvements - enough to whet the appetite of the dozens of giant corporations who have a very close relationship with FIFA. And in a country where the amir and his family control everything, awarding them the opportunity to host the biggest sports event in the world no doubt gets FIFA on the royal family’s good side.

Are you stuck trying to figure out what to get the loony liberal or crazy conservative on your Christmas gift list?

Don’t you fret, now, because Santa Claus began his career as a political pundit and can recommend the perfect presents for those whose positions on the issues and view of the opposition may be a little “overripe.” Santa knows that being a moderate has its advantages, and being able to straddle the Great Divide while poking fun at the ideologues from both sides is one of them.

These are just suggestions and should by no means be taken as a complete list. You might have some fun of your own by adding to the list in the comments.

For Conservatives:

GENUINE AUNT JEMIMA DOLL
Price: $19.95
Available at the RNC store and by special arrangement from Glenn Beck

Don’t tell some conservatives that this is a racist idea; it’s just “politically incorrect’ and therefore, perfectly legitimate. Aunt Jemima is a fine old corporate symbol of wholesome goodness and that’s that.

Note: Uncle Ben doll sold separately.

GAY G.I. JOE DOLL
Price: $24.95
Available at participating Christian bookstores

Same as straight G.I. Joe except Gay G.I. Joe comes with handy tow rope and jeep. Also available: Medical MASH unit to treat Joe’s injuries when his comrades beat him up.

Not Shown: G.I. Lizzie, the lesbian counterpart to Joe. Available while supplies last.

GROUND ZERO MOSQUE ERECTOR SET
Price: 49.95
Available at fine conservative establishments everywhere

Have fun building the Ground Zero Mosque and then blowing it up. Teach your child valuable construction skills while giving them a head start on knowledge of demolition. (Adult supervision recommended).

Not included but available: Plenty of Muslim victims and C-4.

MAGIC RONNIE REAGAN MASK
Price: $9.99
Available from the Reagan Library and Wasilla, Alaska historical society

A fitting present during the Centennial celebration of Reagan’s birth, enjoy hours of fun as the Ronnie Reagan mask changes right before your eyes into the spitting image of several GOP candidates for president. You’ll be amazed as the smiling visage of our 40th president magically morphs into the vacuous face of Sarah Palin, or the scowling profile of Mike Huckabee. Fun for the whole family!

Out of Stock: Any intelligent, worthy Republican who will run.

Now be honest; what Republican wouldn’t be overjoyed to find any of those fine gifts under the tree on Christmas morning? But we’re just getting started.

For Liberals

OFFICIAL BARACK OBAMA PUNCHING BAG
Price: $14.99
Available at Guantanamo Gift Shop and many fine Hippie bookstores

Don’t you wish that sometimes after hearing our beloved president speak that you could throw your shoe through the TV screen because he hasn’t lived up to the liberal hype? Don’t ruin your TV - get yourself an Official Barack Obama Punching Bag and take out your frustrations that way!

Made of durable, but too flexible plastic, the BO sparring bag is the perfect gift for that liberal in your life who becomes enraged after another broken Obama promise goes by the boards.

Available in fuchsia, peach, and politically correct black.

LEGO BP OIL DRILLING PLATFORM
Price: $17.95
Available from Moveon.Org and other liberal advocacy groups

Want to re-enact one of the high points of the Obama presidency? You’ll have hours of fun building this Lego BP oil drilling platform that automatically bursts into flame when you’re finished and begins spurting gallons of black ink all over the place. Very realistic!

Not included: 500 million gallon tank of ink

NEVER ENDING MONOPOLY GAME
Price: $21.99
Available at US Treasury Department, Federal Reserve Banks, and all government agencies.

You’ll have hours, days, weeks, months, even years of fun playing Never Ending Monopoly. Land on an opponents hotel and flat broke? No worries! In Never Ending Monopoly, the government pays you to keep playing by borrowing from the taxpayer. Any amount is OK. No limits! Lucky you if you land on any of the dozen “Government Bailout Bonus: Win $20 million” squares. Built in electronics keeps track of inflation for you. Thrill to the onset of hyperinflation! You’ve never seen anything like it! Just keep spending - at least until the board collapses and all the hotels blow up.

Comes complete with printing press.

OFFICIAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY CRYING TOWEL
Price: $99.95 (With Howard Dean autograph: $499.95)
Available exclusively through the SEIU and their affiliates including the DNC

You haven’t wept over the election day shellacking until you shed tears into the Official Democratic Party Crying Towel. Made of Alpaca wool sheared by oppressed indigenous people, loomed in Argentina, and cut in Hong Kong, this all-American towel will not only help assuage your hurt feelings about the election, but fill the coffers of the Democratic party as well.

Authentic Obama rainbow logo optional.

There you have it. You can’t go wrong by choosing any of these fine gifts. And remember: Even liberal and conservative nutcases need to be shown that they’re loved too.

My latest piece is up at Pajamas Media and in it, I ask the question: is too much openness and transparency a good thing?

As sample:

I would imagine most of those reading this article treasure the idea that the internet is one of the last bastions of almost total freedom on earth — a place where anything and everything goes, where the sublimely beautiful rubs elbows with the most profoundly depraved, and where radiance and raunch can occupy the same space, at the same time, thus defying the physical laws of the universe.

It is the the last outpost in the Wild West complete with gunslingers, banditos, highwaymen, and the occasional offended aboriginal. All of this freedom and openness comes at a huge cost, however: we, the meek and mild-mannered townsfolk, have yet to get around to appointing a sheriff in a white hat to protect us from the likes of Mr. Assange and his merry band of nihilistic knaves .

At the moment, the bad guys seem mostly interested in knocking off the rich ranchers and cattle barons who can afford to hire armies to protect them. Tweaking the tail of the lion by dumping diplomatic cables on to the internet or publishing the cell phone numbers of politicians and bureaucrats is serious mischief-making but doesn’t threaten our privacy or well being directly.

What about 10 years from now? Can the concept of “openness” and “transparency” be taken too far? Suppose an Assange-like messiah arises who declares that personal assets, bank accounts, credit card numbers, Social Security numbers, tax returns and other very personal information have no business being hidden from view; that privacy itself is an authoritarian construct; and that everybody should know everything about everyone else. Only then can we all be truly “equal.”