Barack Obama: Most Attentive President EVER!

From The Chosen One's interview with George Stephanopoulos:

STEPHANOPOULOS: How about the funding for ACORN?
OBAMA: You know, if -- frankly, it's not really something I've followed closely. I
didn't even know that ACORN was getting a whole lot of federal money.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Both the Senate and the House have voted to cut it off.
OBAMA: You know, what I know is, is that what I saw on that
video was certainly inappropriate and deserves to be investigated.
STEPHANOPOULOS: So you're not committing to -- to cut off
the federal funding?
OBAMA: George, this is not the biggest issue facing the country. It's not something I'm paying a lot of attention to.

So, let me see if I have this straight. The smartest, most capable President ever elected has a long-standing association with ACORN, but wasn't aware they were receiving any federal funds?

He was aware of the videos showing "inappropriate" conduct at ACORN offices, and felt that conduct deserved investigation, but wasn't aware that Congress had voted to cut ACORN's funding?

So, since this isn't "the biggest issue facing the country", he's just going to vote "present" yet again?

You're telling me that Obama can take the time to form an opinion on Kanye West's treatment of Taylor Swift at the VMAs, but ACORN is just not worth the effort? Really? Really?

America has never been so fortunate...

Getting Healthier Under ObamaCare

While everyone's talking about healthcare reform - the public option, mandates, medicare cuts, co-ops - no one seems to spotlight Obama's constant refrain of let's make people healthier. So, other than taxing sodas and juice drinks, has anyone considered exactly what Obama will do to ensure a healthier America?

We at The Glass Half Spilled believe the answer lies in this stunning dramatization of life in the future under ObamaCare:



We can hardly wait.

Movie Posters We'd Like To See

Mexican Legislators Complain About Immigration Laws

...at a press conference in freaking Arizona:

A delegation of nine state legislators from Sonora was in Tucson on Tuesday to
say Arizona's new employer sanctions law will have a devastating effect on the
Mexican state.

I am so blown away by this I can scarcely form the fucking words. Although I find the illegal aliens' sense of entitlement here in the U.S. galling as hell, for members of the Mexican government to openly display the same mindset is just appalling.

Here's my favorite quote:

"Mexico is not prepared for this, for the tremendous problems" it will face as more and more Mexicans working in Arizona and sending money to their families return to hometowns in Sonora without jobs, [Representative Leticia Amparano Gomez] said.

Boo hoo, Ms. Gomez.

Boo hoo.

A Small Observation

Back in March of this year, actress Vivica A. Fox was arrested for DUI:

It happened last night on the 101 Freeway in the San Fernando Valley at 10:57 PM. We're told Fox passed a marked black and white while going approximately 80 mph. Sources say the officers went after the 2007 Cadillac Escalade she was driving.

The officers administered a field sobriety test -- which Fox was unable to perform.

Oh, those wacky celebs. Always causing a ruckus. Well, surely there's nothing more to see here.

Oops...maybe there is. Fast forward to late June, 2007:

The officer says in the report, after she was stopped, "Fox began to walk away, yelling at my partner, 'Brother help a sister -- are you going to let this racist white cop do this ... well are you?'"

In the section of the report in which the officers are asked to describe the demeanor of the person they're arresting, the officer wrote "demeaning." We're told things got volatile enough that a patrol sergeant was called to the scene.

Now here's the interesting thing - Ms. Fox was pulled over back in March, and yet it's practically July before we're hearing about her little attitude problem.

Contrast that with another celebrity DUI arrest:

Mel Gibson was charged with misdemeanor drunken driving Wednesday, five days after he was stopped on Malibu’s Pacific Coast Highway for speeding and made anti-Semitic comments that have stained his public image.

Now I'm not defending Mel Gibson, but I do wonder why his admittedly uncouth statements were reported everywhere almost immediately while Ms. Fox's rants were kept quiet for months. What's more, every sylable which Mel uttered that night was dutifully reported, while most of what Vivica had to say was simply described as "demeaning".

I suppose it's possible that Mel Gibson, as a bigger star with a much higher profile, could be considered more newsworthy than Vivica A. Fox. That would be why his outbursts have a much more immediate impact that hers.

Of course, it could also be that, as a white male conservative Catholic, Mel Gibson's behavior is a much more delicious contradiction of his wholesome public image and is therefore more deserving of attention.

Is it possible that Ms. Fox's behavior, while disappointing and sad, is perhaps not as surprising? I mean, of course pulling someone over for driving 80 miles per hour and weaving all over the road while drunk is a "rascist" act. After all, what's a little drunk driving and potential for loss of life compared to true equality and social justice?

A picture's worth a thousand words

Here's Mel Gibson's mugshot, which boozily stared out at America from countless websites, newspapers and T.V. screens:

Vivica's mugshot hasn't made it into the public eye yet (not yet?), so I guess we'll have to make due with something else:

Yes, I think that will do.

The Amnesty Bill Lives On

Here we go again.

Key senators tentatively agreed on a plan to revive a stalled immigration bill on Thursday, aided by President Bush's support for a quick $4.4 billion aimed at "securing our borders and enforcing our laws at the work site."

Most opponents of the bill view this latest move as a last ditch attempt to prove their enforcement chops. But Senator Jim DeMint points out the elephant in the room (and it sure ain't a Republican!):

"I appreciate the effort to fund border security, but there's simply no reason why we should be forced to tie amnesty to it. If the administration was serious about fulfilling the border security promises, then this funding should have been supported all along, not offered at the last minute to attract votes to a bad bill."

It's hard to argue with that. Besides, it seems we've been down this road before.

Angelina Jolie, Hypocrite

While at the premiere of her new movie "A Mighty Heart", Saint Angelina saw fit to censor interviews and even banned Fox News from the red carpet.

Reporters were asked to sign contracts which laid out specific rules for all interviews. Several of the reporters refused to sign the contract, causing Jolie to cancel all interviews.

Jolie told Paramount Pictures publicists to ban FOX News Channel and all FOX News affiliates from covering the "Mighty Heart" premiere on the red carpet. It was only with the intervention of mortified Paramount staff that an FNC camera crew was allowed to be present.

Apparently, no one told Jolie of the highly positive review FOX News had given "A Mighty Heart" from Cannes.

Ironically, the premiere benefitted Reporters Without Borders, an international organization which champions freedom of the press.

Democrats Seek To Ease AMT Hit For Millions

You'll never guess how they plan on doing that.

House Democrats looking to spare millions of middle-class families from the expensive bite of the alternative minimum tax are considering adding a surcharge of 4 percent or more to the tax bills of the nation's wealthiest households.

For those of you who don't know, the Alternative Medical Tax, created in 1969, was designed to ensure that a small number of super-wealthy citizens weren't able to deduct and loophole their way out of paying any taxes. Unfortunately, Congress neglected to index the AMT for inflation. So, as incomes have increased over the years, more and more "non-wealthy" people are falling under the AMT's reach. Back in 1969, the AMT was designed to nab 155 filers. But today

the tax is projected to strike more than 23 million households next spring, many of them earning as little as $50,000 a year.

The trick here is to provide relief for those who shouldn't be caught up in the AMT, while at the same time not denying the Government too much revenue. Under the proposal discussed in the article, a 4.3% surcharge would be imposed on incomes over $500,000 per year. This would allow the Government to eliminate the AMT for those earning $250,000 or less. Representative Richard Neal (D-MA), chariman of the House subcommittee with responsibility over the AMT, claims this proposal has broad support with key Democrats. However,

Some Democrats say Neal's plan stretches the definition of the middle class too far, providing AMT relief to too many wealthy households. They argue that the cutoff for families to be spared from the AMT should be lower, at $200,000, $150,000 or even $75,000.

So, some Democrats define "wealthy" as $75,000? No wonder they're always shrieking aboout the shrinking middle class! Not to brag, but I myself make somewhere north of $75,000 per year, and believe me, I would not call myself "wealthy".

See, this is what gets me about the Left's take on wealth. They're so determined to demonize everyone who manages to live comfortably, with cries of "paying their fair share" and redistributions of wealth. Why don't they just get it over with, tax the wealthy at 80%, and give the proceeds directly to the vaunted underclass. At least that way, we'll only need to provide public assistance to the top 10% of the population (since they'll no longer be able to afford a living) instead of the current 30% or 35%.

Paris Goes Back To Jail

Judge Michael Sauer ordered Hilton back to jail to serve the rest of her 45 day sentence.

Screaming and crying, Paris Hilton was escorted from a courtroom and sent back to jail Friday after a judge ruled that she must serve out her entire 45-day sentence behind bars rather than in her Hollywood Hills home.

Although there had been some rumblings about holding Sheriff Lee Baca in contempt of court for releasing Hilton early, Judge Sauer took no action on that issue.

Hilton's attorneys also asked the judge to hear testimony about her medical condition; Sauer also took no action on this request.

The judge interrupted several times to say that he had received a call last Wednesday from an undersheriff informing him that Hilton had a medical condition and that he would submit papers to the judge to consider. He said the papers never arrived.

Every few minutes, the judge would interrupt proceedings, state the time on the clock, and note that the papers still had not arrived.

Hilton's family are currently preparing an appeal to the decision, which should be filed either today or Monday.

For now, though, Paris Hilton is now back in her cell.

Not So Fast, Paris Hilton!

I know I said I was through posting about Paris, but this is huge! If she didn't have a breakdown before, our girl probably will now!

Paris may be headed back to jail after only being out less than a day!

Hours after Paris Hilton was sent home under house arrest Thursday, the judge who put her in jail ordered her into court to determine whether she should be put back behind bars. Hilton must report to court at 9 a.m. Friday, Superior Court spokesman Allan Parachini told The Associated Press.

So, I guess outrage wasn't limited only to the unwashed masses who could never score similar leniency in a million years. I am, however, honestly surprised that someone is doing something about it.

Kathy Hilton must be apoplectic over this latest abuse of taxpayer funds.

If that wasn't enough, the city attorney is also talking about having Sheriff Lee Baca, the one who authorized Paris' release, held in contempt.

UPDATE: TMZ.com is reporting that L.A. City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo has filed a motion requesting that Paris Hilton be returned to jail to serve her full sentence. In addition,

City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo is also asking Judge Michael Sauer to hold a hearing, demanding that the Sheriff's Department show why it should not be held in contempt of court for violating Judge Sauer's May 4, 2007 order, which expressly stated "no electronic monitoring."

One question - by "full sentence" is Delgadillo refering to the 23 days or to the full 45 days she was originally sentenced to? Since he's appealing to the judge that sentenced Paris and has jurisdiction over her case, I'm guessing it's the 23 days.

The Unintended Consequences Of Diversity

After years of insisting that the key to a better world is diversity, the City of Atlanta is learning that a more diverse population may lead to some unintended consequences:

There are fears in Atlanta's black community that its declining presence in the population could shrink its political influence and endanger social policies that support diversity, Mayor Shirley Franklin said Friday.

It seems that all of those wonderful "social policies that support diversity" have led to an increase in the Hispanic and Asian populations. Unfortunately, the city also saw a decline in the black population as more and more of these residents are moving to the suburbs to take advantage of better real estate values and (as Mayor Franklin calls them) "so-called better schools". Overall, the Black population in Atlanta has declined from 70% to 60% during the '70s and '80s.

So, the lesson for today is diversity is desirable only until one's political influence is threatened.

How delightfully progressive...

Absolutely The Last Paris Hilton Post!

Barring any more monumental outrages on her part.

I just saw this posted on Perez Hilton's website. Face it America, Paris is laughing at you...

"I want to thank the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and staff of the Century Regional Detention Center for treating me fairly and professionally. I am going to serve the remaining 40 days of my sentence. I have learned a great deal from this ordeal and hope that others have learned from my mistakes."

To quote one commenter on Perez's site: "What a pile of shit!"

According to Michael Ventre at MSNBC, Paris' early release sets a horrible precedent. Gee, ya think?


Ok, so TMZ.com is ground central for all things Paris. Among other things:

L.A. City Attorney "extremely troubled" by Paris' early release:

My office was not advised of this action. We learned of it this morning through news reports, just like everyone else. Had we been provided with the proper notification, we would have opposed the decision on legal grounds.

Hey, better late than never, right?


L.A. County Supervisor Don Knabe uses the words "Paris" and "load of crap" in the same sentence.


And finally, Paris' "medical condition" is revealed to be mental, not physical:

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ Paris Hilton's medical condition was purely psychological and that she was in peril of having a nervous breakdown, and that's why she was released early this morning.

So the bad news is, it was all in Paris' head. The good news, I guess, is at least she's got something floating around in there.

Famous Last Words

"...I feel like the media portrays me in a way that I'm not and that's why I wanted to go to county, to show that I can do it and I'm going to be treated like everyone else. I'm going to do the time, I'm going to do it the right way."

Paris Hilton
Formerly Inmate #9818783

Yeah, that worked out real well!

Paris Hilton Jail Watch - Day 3

Well, that didn't take long.

After serving only three days behind bars, Paris Hilton was released from jail early Thursday, partly due to "medical" reasons — but she has been fitted with an ankle bracelet and must remain confined to her home for 40 days, according to sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore.

The spokesman wouldn't say what the medical reasons were, citing privacy issues. However,

there have been reports of Paris crying after visits by her therapist and her refusal to eat most of the prison food.

I suppose a potential emotional breakdown might be considered a reason to get out of jail early...if, you know, you throw that whole "jail-as-punishment" thing out the window. But refusing to eat? This is California - I thought starvation was "in" with all the Hollywood It Girls.

So, as a result of her undisclosed medical issues, Paris' "punishment" will now be a whopping 40 days of house confinement. Ah, but what house? Perhaps some crack house on the southside? Nope, her multi-million dollar Beverly Hills mansion. She will have to wear an ankle bracelet for the duration of the confinement, but don't worry - the bracelet will be mink-lined to prevent chafing, and Paris' people are already working on releasing a faux monitoring device as part of her new "Prison Chic" fashion line. It's Hot!

Oh yeah, and those three days she spent in jail? Well, seems like she'll be credited for five days served. Nice.

Hell, is there really any point in being outraged? We all knew there was never going to be any justice in this case. Frankly, I don't know why they even bothered to try Paris, or for that matter charge her in the first place. The whole thing has been a waste of time. All we have done is reinforce in Paris' mind that she literally can get away with anything. Unfortunately, the bar of accountability has been raised so high for her that, in order to see real jail time, she'll probably have to kill someone.

In broad daylight.

On national television.

I was watching Bill O'Reilly the other night. Michelle Malkin was on, and she said that, while Paris deserved to be punished, she didn't deserve the extreme negativity people were pouring on her. Michelle chalked it up to class envy. Now, while I dearly love our Mz. Malkin, I have to disagree with her on that point, at least in my case. I have no problem with the fact Paris is rich. I also have no problem with the fact that she was born into a life of wealth, privilege and opportunity. My problem is that Paris has been able to improve her already favorable situation despite the fact she has absolutely no appreciable talents whatsoever. She can't sing. She can't act. She's uneducated. She's not that attractive. She's condescending and dismissive. And yet, she enjoys a tremendous amount of fame and notoriety because people can't seem to get enough of her. So that's when it hits me. Maybe it's not Paris I hate; maybe it's the society that props her up that's deserving of my scorn.

Has our society become so diminished and jaded the only things that amuse us anymore are these human trainwrecks? How much of what is popular today achieved that popularity because we "love to hate" things? Instead of championing excellence and achievement, we make heroes out of those who suck the most.

When did that get fun?