Glenn, don't forget the Packers...

are a non-profit, community-owned franchise. That's a collective, so I assume they fall into group three of Beck's New World Order...and ya know, how many of those cheeseheads could be hiding a kufi underneath? Well, actually, there wouldn't be anything wrong with that at all, not that Glenn would have any idea. In any case, collective ownership, that's so un-American, it couldn't possibly work! Oh, wait, didn't they just win Superbowl XLV? Not to mention 13 league championships altogether. Pretty suspicious, maybe they don't even win the American way, maybe they get their playbooks every year from the Muslim Brotherhood or, who knows, Karl Marx himself.

Glenn Beck explains how unions in Wisconsin are creating chaos "on the backs of the workers" (did I hear that right?)

Well, let's get a couple of things straight; the New World Order, Republican style, is no control over corporate lawlessness, no state or federal services, no funding for non-profit healthcare providers, especially if they're providing services to women, and definitely no unions. And right now the ones trying to get over on the backs of workers are Gov. Scott Walker and the Wisconsin Senate Republicans, in their blatant attempt to strip collective bargaining rights from state employees under the guise of balancing the budget. Yes, I think everyone understands that financial sacrifices have to be made to keep the the State afloat, but this isn't merely about wages and benefits, but legislating away the right to collective bargaining, which is a cornerstone function of worker's unions. I'm heartened by seeing state workers refusing to roll over (yes, Glenn, there was some angry rhetoric, but the protests at least through Friday, have been non-violent, and I didn't hear anyone threatening to bring guns if their wishes aren't granted); by the show of solidarity by the Firefighter's Union, the (albeit temporary, as it must be) protest departure of Senate Democrats; and, frankly, by the results of an opinion poll that shows the majority of Wisconsin residents oppose Walker's bill. Unfortunately, it looks like it will pass, and it is too late for those who granted the Republicans control of the State House, the Senate, and the Assembly, and who now say they disagree with the upcoming legislation, to take their votes back.

Nosing around Nørrebro (15)

Feeling lazy, so make up your own stories if you want. Random photos from the past couple of years, in no particular order:

"Rainbow" (Back of traffic sign, Sortedams Dossering, 11 April 2009)

A patron saint of something or other...? (Building on Blegdamsvej, overlooking Sankt Hans Torv, 14 February 2010)

"Cops In Jail!!!" (Graffiti along path under Dronning Louises Bro, 23 August 2009)

A graffitic remnant of "Klimakonference 15" (COP15) that took place in København 07-19 December 2009 (Somewhere along Fredensgade, 11 July 2010)

"Spyo (Heart) Afeks*...on State Support" (Apartment building, Guldbergsgade, 22 May 2009)

*Near as I can figure, these are the nics of a couple of graffiti artists operating around Nørrebro. For what it's worth, note that one S in the middle of "Statsstøtte" is superfluous.

The will of the people...

Congratulations to the Egyptian people on not backing down until their dictator had no choice but to remove himself. Of course this is just a first step toward democracy, but the most important one. Of course we don't know what will happen next. Will it be like America in 1776? Or just a continuation of the same military rule with different faces. Or the next Iran 1979? Or something completely different. Whatever happens, it is for Egypt to decide, and other democracies in the world will accomplish a lot more in their own interest by showing support and respect for the Egyptian people and their revolution than by succumbing to hysterical predictions, anti-Muslim fearmongering, and conspiracy theories. If we show some trust, perhaps instead of Egypt becoming the next Iran, we will see Iran becoming the next Egypt.

(Reuters, 11 February 2011)

The will of the people is the only legitimate foundation of any government, and to protect its free expression should be our first object.

--Thomas Jefferson

Better than the Comedy Channel...

If you haven't seen this already, check out Glenn Beck and Bill O'Reilly heatedly discussing the popular uprising in Egypt (as of the 31 January 2011 edition of "The O'Reilly Factor" on Fox News) as though either one had a clue. After a couple of minutes of mostly checking off points of agreement (O'Reilly: "All right, let's connect the dots, here...so Mubarak, bad guy, right?"), Beck starts to veer wildly off the reservation around 2:30, and we get the spectacle of a mere fanatic like O'Reilly trying to throw a lasso around fellow pundit Beck, who is actually discussing the history of some other planet, and what he really needs here is to get fitted for a tinfoil cowboy hat.

My question is, why would O'Reilly even bother bringing Beck on his show after viewing 20 minutes of this:

No further comment except that the ongoing feud between Beck and Bill Kristol has me LMFAO.