From the bluffs of Alton, in the true-blue state of Illinois.....
This is kind of last-minute, so I'll just open with a Nancy and Daphne pic, from the 2008 Soulard Dog Parade:
Doc's semi-last minute Cheers and Jeers begins below the fold, with news from around the nation, around the world, and up your alley! ("Up my alley?" Up yours!)
DISCLAIMER: AAbshier's Cheers and Jeers are not affiliated in any way, shape, or form, with Bill in Portland Maine's Cheers and Jeers. The use of the words JEERS and CHEERS , the swoosh/gong device, pie references, pootie pics, lusty wenches, mattress references, whomps, moist, and flicked peas are all used with permission of Bill in Portland Maine and the members of the C&J Café community. Any further resemblances to BiPM`s Cheers and Jeers are deliberately coincidental. So there.
NOTE: There is nothing in today's Cheers and Jeers that references teabags other than four Earl Greys, two English Breakfasts, three Sleepytimes, and a Jasmine--and since they occur in this note, you're past them now.
Doc's Bad Joke of the Week
(in the gray box so you can avoid it and not miss anything else)
A guy walks into a bar, sits down, and asks, "Bartender, got any specials today?"
Bartender answers, "Yes, as a matter of Fact we have a new drink, invented by A gynecologist patron of ours.
It's a mix of Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer and Smirnoff Vodka."
The guy asks, "Good grief, what do you call that?"
The bartender replied, "It's a "Pabst Smir"
Cheers to pragmatism in the Sunshine State. The Republican-majority Florida state Senate--wonder of wonders--is actually dealing with the budget shortfall in the state, instead of wedge issues, as the legislative session winds down:
TALLAHASSEE — Legislation that would open the door to school prayer and discourage teaching evolution has been declared dead. Prospects don't look good for a proposal to require ultrasounds for first-trimester abortions. Same goes for a bill to make marriage licenses more expensive for couples who don't take a premarriage education course.
The school prayer legislation was introduced by our old friend Ronda Storms, who pulled the bill before it could even be heard in committee!
Jeers to chickenshit Missouri Republicans. Reps. Todd Akin and freshman Blaine Leutkemeyer held town halls last week that featured moderators selecting the questions that the two Congresscritters would answer, which--what a co-inky-dink--fit the topics of their discussions exactly, and they were able to discuss them without contradiction in front of mostly friendly crowds. In typical fashion, they spend quite a lot of time scaring their consituents, when they weren't making stuff up. (via Show Me Progress)
Cheers to two of the town hall attendees, who stood up to correct Todd Akin when he stated the lie that EFCA would remove the right to secret ballots for representation. Jeers to Akin's flunkies, who shut them down in the name of (cough) "civil debate" (cough). As Sean at Fired Up! Missouri said:
I guess "civil debate" means politicians should be able to say whatever they want, true or not, and the public should sit and take it.
Sort of like how "bipartisanship" is the D's going along with the R's without compromise. Too bad these two guys are in safe Republican districts.
And now, a word from our sponsor:
Cheers to the First Amendment. While most of the attention was focused on the you-know-what protests on April 15th (including a large protest in St. Louis, one of the few that actually got a good turnout) St. Louis also was the scene of a neo-Nazi protest under the Gateway Arch. I'll never cheer for a neo-Nazi, but I will cheer for their right to be heard--and the rest of us could probably use the reminder of what we are capable of.
Speaking of the protesters who shall not be named:
She says this like its a bad thing. (Let's see: France has the fastest trains in the world at present, one month of vacation a year for their workers, a good health care system.....what's not to like? Oh, all the cigarette smokers. Never mind.)
At least this bit of poster-sized regurgitation of talking points (they really believe in the Teleprompter President meme?) was spelled correctly.
Cheers for small favors. Rep. Michele Bachman (R-State of Crazy), in response to a caller on a call-in show, announced that she is not seeking higher office. Of course given the move-up-by-failure proclivities of the modern Republican party, we shouldn't breath too easily yet.
Cheers to "Play Ball!" with a Bahstahn accent. On this day in 1912, Fenway Park hosted its first Red Sox game--a 7-6 win over the New York Highlanders (which would be renamed the Yankees the next season). Along with Wrigley Field in Chicago, Fenway stands as one of the few remaining parks from baseball's golden age. Speaking of baseball:
Jeers to uniform fail. The Washington Nationals are so bad this season (so far), they can't even get the correct spelling of their team name on their home uniforms. (On a somewhat related note, the Yankees have been sucking rocks since opening their billion-dollar stadium. I can only wish for the same when the Dallas Cowboys open THEIR billion-dollar stadium this fall.)
Inky says, "Hit that reco button! And scratch me around the ears, I really like it."
Floor's open! What do you have to Cheer and Jeer about today?