inklings

Privateering National Parks: Yes, They Can

Teddy Roosevelt established the National Park system and wouldn’t be amused.

“A group of 20 senators and representatives has formed a de facto “anti-parks caucus” in Congress and is waging the most significant legislative and ideological challenge to America’s national parks in decades, says a new report released Monday by the Center for American Progress. The analysis finds that this anti-parks caucus is composed of less than five percent of Congress but is responsible for introducing dozens of bills to block the creation of new national parks, end America’s most effective parks program, and sell off public lands.”

“Thanks to support from the Koch-backed American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and front groups for the oil industry’s PR giant, Richard Berman, as well as increasing lobbying by the Utah-based American Lands Council, these proposals have now gained prominence at the national level.”

New Words for the New Normal Vol.1

Somebody Cut Off the Fat Lady’s Mic, Though

Manners Much?

Rome Wasn’t Burnt In a Day, Y’Know

Doing Everything Right!

Shit Happens and That’s Actually the Plan.

See This

Grumpy Customer

Playing at a Voting Booth Near You

(For the Yiddish-impaired: Mensch means human, in a
sort of Jedi way.)

The Star Wars franchise actually became the Empire for awhile and it sucked.

Listen, the Dark Side gets a cut of the gross no matter what, but even they have to admit something sucks when business sucks.

Good guys who never give in, never sell out and have an actual working shit detector came in and saved the day again.

Sure, it’s only the movies, but what a story.

Puntoon Thursday

Botticelli winced.
(for answer, click image open in separate window)

Talks Softly and Parries the Best Schtick

Noam sayin?
“All problems outlying my solution set are void”
say the guys who can’t keep up.

Somehow Got On His Christmas Card List

Black Friday

Want To Get Insanely Rich?

Crime didn’t much pay until U.S. prisons got privatized.
“We’re killing it,” crowed CEO Atticus Charon at a board meeting. “Why nobody thought of this before is beyond me— typical government ineptitude— they were actually trying to prevent crime, idiots. Competent private management now has U.S. prison populations quadrupling the global average with profits soaring!”

“Add a privatized Justice system and guaranteed convict inventory will have revenues through the roof!”
Summing up the rosy financial picture Charon added “I tell our shareholders that our M.O. is MMO— Means, Motive and Opportunity—with the emphasis on Opportunity!”