First off, let’s be absolutely clear – Alan Simpson is not the model for Grandpa Simpson. He is obviously the model for Mr. Burns…

Lambert has the relevant quote:

“Yes, I’ve made some plenty smart cracks about people on Social Security who milk it to the last degree. You know ’em too. It’s the same with any system in America. We’ve reached a point now where it’s like a milk cow with 310 million tits!”

If you are going to borrow from H.L. Mencken, you should try to get it right: “a milch-cow with 125 million teats”.

If you are going to complain about the system, you might want to explain that you have only spent 8 years since graduating from college without receiving a check from either the state or federal government. That was the terrible time after you graduated from law school on the GI Bill worrying if your Dad would hire you for his law firm while he was finishing his term as governor, until your Dad went to serve out a Senate term, and you won your seat in the state legislature.

Melissa is quite correct that the White House has no business accepting an apology that was to another. It is up to Ashley Carson, Executive Director of the Older Women’s League, to decide whether the weaselly worded drivel sent over Simpson’s name was an actual apology.

Having an obnoxious clown like Simpson as the “co-chair” of the “catfood commission” [National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform] is insulting. He draws Social Security and a Congressional pension. His health care is covered by Medicare, his Congressional plan, and the VA. He doesn’t have to worry about his retirement, and obviously doesn’t care what happens to young people today when it is their turn to retire.

Simpson is a “conservative” – an ignorant, arrogant, greedy sod who wants the line about “promote the General Welfare” removed from the preamble to the Constitution.

FYI: The not-so-charming Ron McNeil, who was running in the Republican primary for the Second Congressional seat came in third with 10.7% of the vote.

In reading things around the ‘Net I noticed that the talking heads are now saying that there are no trends this year. Excuse me, but just because the trends can only be applied to the Republicans, doesn’t mean they don’t exist. The tea-partiers have scored some primary successes against incumbent Republicans who were deemed not conservative enough, and wealthy people can buy the major spots on the ballot in those same primaries.

I realize that the accepted narrative is to find trends for the Democrats to lose, and discovering reasons why the Republicans may not win doesn’t advance that media goal, but facts are facts. The tea-partiers are Republicans and they are having a major effect on the GOP. That why John McCain emptied his campaign coffers in the primary – he understood. Lisa Murkowski in Alaska didn’t, and she is hoping for a miracle among the absentee ballots to survive the primary.

Position: 15.5N 40.2W [10 PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: West [280°] near 17 mph [28 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 45 mph [ 75 kph].
Wind Gusts: 55 mph [ 90 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 85 miles [140 km].
Minimum central pressure: 1003 mb.

Currently about 1525 miles [2455 km] East of the Leeward Islands.

The storm is looking better organized and is starting to strengthen.

Here’s the link for NOAA’s latest satellite images.

[For the latest information click on the storm symbol, or go to the CATEGORIES drop-down box below the CALENDAR and select “Hurricanes” for all of the posts related to storms on this site.]

Position: 25.8N 57.6W [10 PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: Northwest [315°] near 12 mph [19 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 110 mph [175 kph].
Wind Gusts: 130 mph [210 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 205 miles [335 km].
Hurricane Wind Radius: 50 miles [ 80 km].
Minimum central pressure: 965 mb ↓.

Currently about 625 miles [1005 km] Southeast of Bermuda.

There are no watches or warnings, but Bermuda should be paying attention as the storm is expected to be the first major hurricane of the season.

Here’s the link for NOAA’s latest satellite images.

[For the latest information click on the storm symbol, or go to the CATEGORIES drop-down box below the CALENDAR and select “Hurricanes” for all of the posts related to storms on this site.]