HAPPY NEW YEAR! Resolutions and Wishes for 2014.

As we come to the close of another year, it's once again time to take stock of our accomplishments, and look towards the future with optimism and hope for the coming year.  With that end in view, here's my annual list of resolutions that we should all try to follow (though we'll probably break most of them within ten twitter posts or so).

Duck Dynasty: Who Are The Real Winners? We Are (LGBT folks, of course).

Pretty much as expected (to me, at least), A&E decided to lift the token suspension of Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson, and the show will begin taping it's new season with the whole clan of fake-ass rednecks intact.  In their statement, A&E (who sold out the "Arts" part of their name long ago) had this to say.

Dear Duck Dynasty Family, Please Take These Shows With You. Thanks, America.

First, an update.  After A&E suspended DD patriarch Phil Robertson for racist homophobic comments made in an interview with GQ Magazine (and when was the last time anyone read GQ anyway?) social media was ablaze with rightie outrage and the idiot claim that Robertson's "free speech is endangered".  Of course, those of us who do not spend our days and nights having Fox News feed talking points directly into our synapses realize that A&E's move, whether you agree with it or not, was not done on some moral or ideological grounds.  Like the firing of Martin Bashir last month by MSNBC, this was merely a business decision.  Now this may be lost on folks whose business acumen extends about as far as the price of their next meth-hit, but not every reaction to something you say is a free-speech issue.  Be that as it may, here's the latest from our beleaguered gang of rednecks.

News Flash, Righties. Free-Speech Doesn't Just Apply To YOU!

This week in a GQ Magazine interview Phil Robertson, patriarch of the so-called "Duck Dynasty" family (a case study in what happens when rednecks are allowed to spawn), decided to use the opportunity to espouse his views on, among other things, Homosexuality.

Where Do Turkeys Go When They're Pardoned? You'd Be Surprised.

So we come to another Thanksgiving holiday, and another President gives another "pardon" to another turkey.  (BTW, check out the daughters' reaction to the President's "Hunger Games" joke at mark 1:35.)

Obamacare Poll You'll Probably NEVER See

Here are some Obamacare poll numbers you won't hear about from mainstream media.

According to the [CNN/ORC poll] released on Wednesday, four in 10 say they support the law, with 58% opposed. Those figures are little changed from a CNN poll a month ago, just two weeks into the rough start up of HealthCare.gov and mostly before the controversy over insurance policy cancellations due primarily to the new health law.But 41% say they oppose the law because they think it's too liberal, with 14% saying the measure doesn't go far enough. That means that 54% either support Obamacare, or say it's not liberal enough.

Let's Declare a Truce in the "War on Christmas" This Year

Yes, folks.  It's that time of year again.  The time where we break out the decorations, spend ourselves into near bankruptcy, and when the extremist amongst us continue their never-ending "War on Christmas".  This is the fake culture war ginned up by FOX News every year, and exists solely in the minds of Bible-thumpers who get their Jesus-panties in a bunch when their favorite retail store puts up a sign that says "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas", and Atheists who get like Damien from "The Omen" and go into conniption fits whenever they see a Nativity display.  Sadly, those of us who would love to just get through the holidays in relative peace usually wind up in the midst of stupid nonsensical family arguments over when Jesus was born, whether Christmas is really a religious or secular holiday, and whether or not America was founded as a Christian nation.  (Newsflash, people: IT WASN'T.)  We, the vast majority of reasonably sane people in America, would like to respectfully ask that we not do this thing this year.  Just once, let's give the "War on Christmas" meme a rest.