Ordinary Madness

inothernews:

Let’s see if Rupert Murdoch puts his money where his mouth is.

(via MediaMatters.org)

(via wilwheaton)

shortformblog:

theweekmagazine:

In 1860, an 11-year-old girl wrote to Abe Lincoln, suggesting he grow a beard. He not only responded, he obliged.

“Hon A B Lincoln…

Dear Sir

My father has just home from the fair and brought home your picture and Mr. Hamlin’s. I am a little girl only 11 years old, but want you should be President of the United States very much so I hope you wont think me very bold to write to such a great man as you are. Have you any little girls about as large as I am if so give them my love and tell her to write to me if you cannot answer this letter. I have got 4 brothers and part of them will vote for you any way and if you let your whiskers grow I will try and get the rest of them to vote for you you would look a great deal better for your face is so thin. All the ladies like whiskers and they would tease their husbands to vote for you and then you would be President. My father is going to vote for you and if I was a man I would vote for you to but I will try to get every one to vote for you that I can I think that rail fence around your picture makes it look very pretty I have got a little baby sister she is nine weeks old and is just as cunning as can be. When you direct your letter direct to Grace Bedell Westfield Chautauqua County New York. 

I must not write any more answer this letter right off Good bye

Grace Bedell”

Lincoln responded a few days later: 

“Miss Grace Bedell

My dear little Miss 

Your very agreeable letter of the 15th is received — I regret the necessity of saying I have no daughters — I have three sons — one seventeen, one nine, and one seven years of age — They, with their mother, constitute my whole family — As to the whiskers, having never worn any, do you not think people would call it a piece of silly affectation if I were to begin it now? 

Your very sincere well wisher,

A. Lincoln”

While he made no promises about the beard to Bedell, he stopped shaving and allowed the beard to grow not long after their exchange and was elected as the 16th president of the United States a few weeks later. On his inaugural train ride from Illinois to Washington, D.C., the president-elect stopped in Bedell’s hometown of Westfield, N.Y., and asked to meet her.

This line goes against all modern logic regarding political grooming: “All the ladies like whiskers and they would tease their husbands to vote for you and then you would be President.” But you know what? If a presidential candidate grew a beard, I would vote for him.

(Source: theweek.com)

This was my best friend in elementary school, and this is why I hate organized religion. 

HOW?! I understand the older members of my family, set in their ways, voting Republican just because they’ve been told to by Fox News, but the cousins? The public school teacher with a newborn in her late twenties? The fact that she’s female should be enough, but no. She’s brainwashed. And she’s going to brainwash her child.

“ Well have no fear we will be raising her a Fox News Lovin’ “Right Wing” Conservative Republican!! :) “

This. THIS is what makes me so damn angry. This beautiful, sweet girl is going to be raised in Florida with THESE parents (both amazing, kindhearted and intelligent people when they aren’t discussing politics). The logic is lost on me. I only hope that somehow my baby cousin formulates her own informed (not by Fox news) opinions. It will be an uphill battle. 

(Source: kendrawcandraw)

barticles:

mediamattersforamerica:

Fox News celebrates Romney’s victory over Obama…in the pre-debate coin toss.

Okay? 

This is not a parody. It is a real thing.

(via reallyfoxnews)

barackobama:

Memo to Mitt Romney: President of the United States isn’t really a job you can do by halves.

(via think4yourself)

rachelfershleiser:

chrismenning:

futurejournalismproject:

Via the Huffington Post:

CNN’s Soledad O’Brien did something which is extremely rare in television news these days: she actually did her job…

…The action took place Tuesday afternoon, as O’Brien was interviewing former New Hampshire governor and George W. Bush Chief of Staff John Sununu. With the actual documents in hand, O’Brien pointed out the striking similarities between the Medicare plans of Mitt Romney and his controversial vice presidential running mate Paul Ryan, who seeks to change the government guaranteed health care program into a voucher system.

“But it’s very different,” Sununu insisted. “For example, when Obama gutted Medicare by taking $717 billion out of it, the Romney plan does not do that. The Ryan plan mimicked part of the Obama package there, the Romney plan does not. That’s a big difference.”

O’Brien essentially accused him of lying:

“I understand that this is a Republican talking point because I’ve heard it repeated over and over again. These numbers have been debunked, as you know, by the Congressional Budget Office. … I can tell you what it says. It (Obama’s Medicare plan) cuts a reduction in the expected rate of growth, which you know, not cutting budgets to the elderly. Benefits will be improved.”

At this point Sununu, clearly agitated, became nasty and indignant, angered by O’Brien’s insistence on fact over fiction:

“Soledad, stop this!” Sununu replied, raising his voice. “All you’re doing is mimicking the stuff that comes out of the White House and gets repeated on the Democratic blog boards out there.”

O’Brien continued reading from the Romney and Obama plans verbatim, and cited Factcheck.org, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office and CNN’s own independent analysis in refuting Sununu’s deceptive rhetoric.

Read through for the rest of the exchange. The video’s available as well.

Faith in humanity +1

I guess the mission to civilize is going welll.

(via think4yourself)

(Source: startfuckyourface, via idontseeher)

onelittleavocado:

alimarko:

Dear Michigan House of Representatives,

If you don’t want it spoken about in your proceedings, don’t try to regulate it.

MOTHERFRICKIN PREACH

(via letsdance716)

(Source: dommer, via letsdance716)