Dick of the Week: Make Way For Ducklings Edition

So what does it take to bring me back to the keyboard and start up the blog again after several months? (Not counting yesterday's post)

It take the actions of a complete asshole right here in my own backyard:

Ann Arbor man accused of running over ducklings faces felony charge
A man accused of running over four ducklings with a Hummer in a McDonald's parking lot in Ann Arbor on Monday night was charged today with a felony.

Dillon Robert Pearce, 19, of Ann Arbor was arraigned this afternoon at the Washtenaw County Jail on a charge of killing an animal.

Ann Arbor police said Pearce deliberately ran over the ducklings in the parking lot of the McDonald's at 2675 Plymouth Road, where he initially stopped to pick up food at 6:15 p.m. Monday.

Police said Pearce stopped at the drive-thru, when one of his friends got out and attempted to pick up a duckling. A duck and at least 8 ducklings had been walking in the lot, police said. Employees at McDonald's yelled at the man to stop, police said.

The man got back into the Hummer, which left the parking lot, pulling into an adjacent lot for about 15 minutes while the men ate their food, police said. Witnesses told police that the Hummer then returned to the lot and ran over four of the ducklings, police said. Police said Pearce drove away without stopping. Officers arrested Pearce at a nearby gas station after interviewing him and the two other men in the Hummer.

At his arraignment this afternoon, Pearce told Magistrate Thomas Truesdell that he planned to hire a private attorney. Truesdell set bond at $5,000 with the right to post 10 percent.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 4. If convicted of the felony charge, Pearce faces up to four years in prison.

This kid has bad seed written all over him. Not only did he run over duckings in his Assholemobile, but he and his soulless cohorts sat across the parking planning this sick little escapade over their fries and shakes. Throw the fucking book at him. In fact, tack on some Federal Migratory Bird Act charges on top, and seize the Hummer for its use in the commission of a felony.

That might get this punk's attention. Obviously, his previous run-in with the cops didn't...

Dick of the Week: Dennis Kucinich

Leaning No: Will Kucinich Become
The Ralph Nader Of Health Care Reform?

[TPM link] But one of the House's leading progressives says he's unlikely to be swayed. Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) voted against the House health care bill. And his office confirmed to me today that he remains opposed to the Senate bill.

Last week, there were some signs that Kucinich might be persuadable. At a White House meeting Thursday, President Obama apprised Kucinich of a measure in the Senate health care bill--authored by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT)--that allow individual states to create single payer systems several years down the line. Kucinich was said to be interested in the provision.

Apparently not interested enough.

[...] But there is some chance, however small, that Kucinich will cast the deciding vote. And for the time being, he's saying he'd rather be the Ralph Nader of reform, instead of its kingmaker.

Patron Saint of the Firebaggers. Assholes on the left insisting on purity from the party are as bad as the extreme wingers on the GOP side.

It's this or nothing, Dennis, you prick. Shut the fuck up, vote "Yes" and work to improve things. But then, I suppose Nadering the bill now will help burnish your creds with the idiots who support your next Quixotic Presidential run.

Dick of the Week: KKK Horserace Edition

Glenn Beck: I also believe this is dividing the nation…to where the nation sees him react so rapidly on Haiti and yet he couldn’t react rapidly on Afghanistan. He couldn’t react rapidly on Ft. Hood. He couldn’t react rapidly on our own airplanes with an underwear bomber…it doesn’t make sense. [...] Three different events and Haiti is the only one. I think personally that it deepens the divide to see him react this rapidly to Haiti.

Limbaugh: "[the Obama Administration] will use this to burnish its credibility with the black community—both the light-skinned and dark-skinned black community in this country.

It's made to order for him. Made to order. That's why he couldn't WAIT to get out there."

Any GOP pols with the sack to call these soulless assholes out? [/crickets]

I don't enjoy the fact that the first post I write about this tragedy ends up being partisan raging, but what was I going to say that wasn't already apparent to any normal human being? How anyone can react to what is unfolding in a country in our frontyard without their heart wrenching for the current situation, and outrage and/or disgust at the situation in Haiti that preceded the earthquake and only compounds the tragedy is beyond me.

Dick of the Week: Brit Hume

Wow. Where to start? The fact that Hume is so brazenly proselytizing on what is supposedly a news panel? Or the utter condescension towards the faith of hundreds of millions as some sort of novelty religion?

When Bill Freaking Kristol* tries to walk your comments back for you, you know you're a dick—the Dick of the Week.

I'll let the professionals handle the rest of this...

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
The Temple of Hume
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

*UPDATE: I started this post the other day, and I can't find the video where Kristol tries to dig Hume out.

Dick of the Week: BOGO Edition

As obvious a choice as Joe Lieberman is, giving him D.O.W. is almost akin to blaming the scorpion for stinging the frog—it's his nature. So it's a "Buy One Get One" sale on Dicks this week: Joe Lieberman, and his fucking caddy, Harry Reid. Because the fact that Joe Lieberman is able to torpedo the Health Care Bill—again—and walk away intact, is all on Reid.

Health Bill in Peril After Lieberman Pulls Support for Senate Deal [link]
In a move that senior leadership aides say has left them stunned, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) has told Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) that he will filibuster a tentative public option compromise unless it's stripped of its key component: a measure that would allow people aged 55-64 to buy insurance through Medicare.

"Stunned" leadership? Why? Smart bloggers saw this shit coming a mile (or thirteen months) away.

If Harry Reid or anyone else was actually "stunned" by what Lieberman is doing they're as fucking stupid as they are weak, and twice as incompetent.

Reid and Obama fucked this up last year when they blinked and let Lieberman keep his Committee chair and seniority. They thought they could put a leash on him... It was one of a long line of stupid, weak moves by Reid, and a surprisingly boneheaded play by Obama.

Lieberman wasn’t needed to give the Dems 51 and the majority, and all that came with that (which would have been worth it), he was simply padding the lead short of 60.

For them to think he would reliably vote with Dems in exactly this type of situation is the height of naivety. If anything should be clear after his campaigning for McCain, it’s that he doesn’t give a shit about the Democratic party or agenda, only himself and jockeying for whatever comes after this term, because he sealed his fate with the voters a long time ago.

His move towards McCain was a calculated and transparent play towards a position in that Cabinet. He gambled and lost and should have been castrated for it. Instead, Reid's steely spine, Obama's Vulcan mind, and Rahm's gigantic balls got together and decided to let Holy Joe keep his chair, committees and seniority—making a guy who by all rights should be a pariah of both parties and sitting by himself in a Senate cloakroom into President Joe Lieberman with a special preemptive veto power.

Last year, I didn't want Lieberman banished simply for satisfaction—though that was high on the list—it was because I KNEW he was a self-interested traitor they couldn't control. Certainly not Reid. And not even Obama.

He was going to screw them. Hard. And at the time and place of HIS choosing. That this would happen was inevitable, and entirely predictible. Yet it wasn't exactly preventable...

The math dictates that Lieberman would be able to position himself as the 60/40 fence-sitter whenever he wants to, but the fact that he can do that at will and retain all of the benefits of a four-term Democrat is what's outrageous.

Lieberman's relevance stems from only two things:
1. That he can camp out on the 60/40 line.
2. He holds Chairmanship of the Oversight Committee.

Number one ensures Lieberman can piss on the Democrats any time he wants, and number two immunizes him from discipline: Reid cannot simply yank Joe’s seat between Senate sessions without a vote—meaning Lieberman gets another year to find the Oversight Keys he lost during the Bush Administration and use his Committee to run all over Obama or actively scuttle any investigations of the prior Administration.

Punishing him at that point will have the optics of a cover-up and/or protecting Obama.

That's the critical thing they fucked up thirteen months ago. Lieberman would still be a self-important asshole, and still be the GOP’s 41st vote—but he’d be neutered otherwise.

UPDATE: Rahm Emmanuel and the White House told Reid to "give Lieberman whatever he wants," which Reid quickly did, so the public option is out, and so is Medicare Buy-In, triggers or anything else. All to secure the vote that Lieberman will withhold for some other reason next week. Well-played you dumbasses. The 55-64 vote ought to turn out in droves for you guys next year.

UPDATE 2: Booman reminds us that Reid was fucking this up more recently as well...

Harry Reid empowered [Lieberman] when he decided to put the public option in the base bill (and why did Reid feel that was necessary?). Lieberman was freed to oppose anything in the bill he doesn't like without actually being responsible for killing health care reform. Had Reid just used the Snowe-trigger, the bill would have passed rather easily, and Lieberman wouldn't be able to fight for changes in the Conference Report because there are no amendments allowed to a Conference Report. Now you know why I argued against going for a public option in the Senate's base bill.

Dick of the Week: Ann Althouse

Never one to let a ginned-up anti-Obama scandal go to waste, Ann Althouse takes this Drudge-pushed photo of Obama appearing to stare at a teenager's ass and gets all Art Appreciation 101 on us and dissects it as if it were a painted masterpiece hanging in the Met, detailing how each gesture and pose is carefully considered and deliberately executed by an artist portraying not just characters but a story. When in reality, this photo is a candid snapshot taken without context from an actual fluid series of events.


Once the contortions of her analysis are complete, A-house throws open the cage of her zoo of PUMA commenters to cruelly ridicule everyone from the totally innocent teen to Obama's wife, Michelle, and their daughters.

Althouse doubles down at the end of her post, claiming to stand by her analysis "even after watching the video."

This video, that shows without any doubt that Obama is simply glacing downward while reaching his hand up and helping the young woman behind him, who is actually the American youth delegate accompanying him, step down from the 18-inch riser onto her mark on the stage.

Stay classy, Ann!

(Yes, I realize this is a stupid story and doesn't deserve to be dragged up again, but once I saw Althouse's take, my disdain for her just took over.)

Dick Testicles of the Week

Mr. Glenn "Straitjacket" Beck and Michael Scheuer. Take it away...



Leave it to Glenn Beck to spend his weekend wondering what he would do if he was Osama Bin Laden. Holy Fucking Batshit.

It's no secret Beck's damaged goods, but this Scheuer is a real piece of work. I suppose in a way, I should be grateful this asshole is bold enough to reveal exactly how fucking codependent these neocon motherfuckers are with Bin Laden and terrorists, and Becks nods right along.

So there it is: The last best hope for the country the Republicans is a massive attack on our soil and the deaths of untold thousands.

What a couple of patriots.

UPDATE: If you can handle it, watch the whole segment. Scheuer spits up on cue every time Beck spoonfeeds him.

Dick of the Week: Mark Halperin

Already a dick, for Halperin to close the deal and win the week just took this:


I dunno, Mark, maybe the fact that ONLY white men "need apply" for the last 200-plus years would lead you to shut the fuck up with wise-ass shit like that?

UPDATE: A comment from the Balloon Juice thread on Halperin's douchiness:

Souter’s out, Ginzy’s in debatable health (FSM bless her, but come on), Stevens is catching up to Methuselah—could it be that Barry X has THREE appointments in his first term? Hell, he could appoint Glenn Beck for the first replacement just for the pure comedy value and still leave the Court in better shape than when he found it.

Tho’ for my money I’d like to see Glennzilla, Digby and David Corn get the nods. Plus some ninja clerks to kick Scalia in the balls when he’s not looking. And a pubic hair on a doily delivered daily to Thomas. And a copy of My Pet Goat for Alito. Ninjas on the SCOTUS would be awesome!

Dick(s) of the Week: The Pope and Catholic leaders

Why not honor the most overrated* holiday of the year with a D.O.W. for the leaders of this misbegotten religion. First there was this...

Two week ago, we learned of a 9-year-old girl in Brazil, pregnant with twins after being raped by her stepfather. Though there are strict restrictions on abortion in Brazil, doctors concluded that the girl's immature hips made childbirth exceedingly dangerous. Catholic Church leaders unsuccessfully fought to force the girl to carry the baby to term and then have a cesarean. What's more, as part of the debate, church leaders condemned a judge for following the law, lashed out at the doctors treating the victim, and even excommunicated the young girl's distraught mother.

And now this:

Pope Benedict XVI said on his way to Africa Tuesday that condoms were not the answer in the continent's fight against HIV, his first explicit statement on an issue that has divided even clergy working with AIDS patients.

Benedict arrived in Yaounde, Cameroon's capital, Tuesday afternoon to a crowd of flag-waving faithful and snapping cameras. The visit is his first pilgrimage as pontiff to the African continent.... Benedict said that the Roman Catholic Church is in the forefront of the battle against AIDS.

"You can't resolve it with the distribution of condoms," the pope told reporters aboard the Alitalia plane headed to Yaounde. "On the contrary, it increases the problem."

By what possible measure could condoms increase the spread of AIDS? Dogmatic, lying asshole. If there is a bigger historic scourge on the human race than than Catholic Church, somebody needs to remind me what it is.

*What's my problem? I still recall living in NYC where St Patrick's Day is not much more than a big fucking excuse for bigots to flex their muscles, gaybashing, filling the streets with vomit and a license to behave like a total and complete asshole. To wit...

Irish
by buggermenot123

Dick of the Week Update: Late Entry Blows Away Field

Early last week I tossed a few possible D.O.W.'s out for consideration...the usual harmless political douchebaggery. On Friday, John Cole posted a video that sealed the deal for King County Sheriff's Deputy Paul Schene.

I actually skipped the embedded video at the time because I thought it might be too disturbing—I have a thing about watching what I KNOW is actual, real violence. I've viewed it since, but with the video all over the place now, you can watch it somewhere else if you like. Here's what happens:

A 6'2", 195-pound 31 year old sheriff bum rushes and beats the shit out of an in-custody 15 year old girl in a holding cell for kicking her sneaker off in his direction. Deputy Schene has pleaded not guilt to misdemeanor assault [news story here].

First off, good luck with that, motherfucker. You did it in front of a camera, and now the whole world wants your ass in a sling. But misdemeanor assault? That looks like serious fucking felony assault and battery to me. Deputy Asshole deserves a lengthy sentence in actual prison, and I hope everyone on the block knows who he is and why he's there.

Dick of the Week: Fight! FIGHT!

It's only Monday, but there are already Dicks lining up to take home this week's hardware...

Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL)
Openly questions President Obama's citizenship to supporters.

Fred Phelps
His parish of assholes were responsible for the Oscars protest signs Sean Penn referred to in his acceptance speech.

Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY)
Not even a doctor like Bill Frist, former baseball pitcher Bunning nevertheless offered his diagnosis to a fundraiser crowd, declaring that Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg would be "dead in nine months." Ginsburg recently had a benign stage-1 pancreatic tumor removed. She's already back at work, unlike Bunning.

UPDATE: Bunning's "apology" is the classic “I apologize if my comments offended Justice Ginsburg.” He really wants to be D.O.W...

Dick of the Week: Juan Williams

So, Bill O'Reilly has a blogger from the Weekly Standard along with NPR/FOX News "contributor" Juan Williams on The Factor to have a little discussion on Michelle Obama and her role as First Lady...What'll her "causes" be?...How will she do?...etc.

So, who do you suppose goes off on a tear about Obama as if she's some kind of Rev. Wright crossed with a Black Panther, just waiting to blame whitey?



Yup. Supposed token liberal Williams. That would have been bad enough coming from Dick Morris or some other rightie douche, but from Williams? He totally mis-portrays Obama as a radical, going so far as to call her "Stokely Carmichael-in-a-designer-dress" for fuck's sake.

Who is that, you say? Stokely Carmichael was civil rights-era socialist revolutionary who coined the term "black power." Carmichael was frustrated with the peaceful methods of MLK, was integral in the formation of the Black Panthers, who also were not militant enough in Carmichael's eyes. Carmichael later left America to return to Africa, formed the All African Peoples Revolutionary Party which advcated for a unified socialist Africa and began wearing a military uniform complete with a pistol.

Oh, and Stokely Carmichael was a man.

And Juan Williams fears that's the true personality of the new First Lady.

By the end of the segment, O'Reilly and the Weekly Standard hack are sticking up for Obama and trying to walk Williams back. You know you're off the deep end when Bill O'Reilly is throwing you a lifeline.

As a result of this outburst, NPR has now forbidden Williams to be credited as an NPR contributor while on FOX. They should just take it all the way and can his ass. He's clearly more comfortable in his role on FOX as a self-hating liberal.

Dick of the Week: Christian Bale

I think he's the best Batman to ever wear the cowl, but this is straight-up asshole...

Dick of the Week: Corky Simpson

Who the fuck is Corky Simpson and how the hell did he nab D.O.W. over Harry Reid?

Corky Simpson is a retired sportswriter. One who will henceforth be known as "The writer who didn’t vote for Rickey Henderson." Or, more generally, "the worst fucking sportswriter of all time."

Indeed, this is the first year that Rickey Henderson is on the ballot for the Hall of Fame. Henderson is arguably the greatest leadoff hitter in baseball history, and unquestionably one the best, most exciting, players in my lifetime. There should be no question that he should walk straight into the Hall of Fame, and then easily steal whichever spot he chooses for his plaque. No writer with a ballot has any reason to leave his name off. None. Not based on actual baseball anyway. But here's the thing...

No one has ever received every vote in the history of BBHoF voting. Not Babe Ruth, not Ty Cobb, not Tom Seaver, not Willie Mays, not Jackie Robinson, not Nolan Ryan, not Cal Ripken, Jr., not Cy Young.

Uh Oh. Sounds like the perfect reason for some holier than thou jackass writer to "protect the legacy" of the Hall and leave Henderson off, just to keep him from being the first unanimous selection...

But every writer was putting Henderson on their ballot, usually followed by the words “no-brainer.” Could it be done? Could Rickey make HoF history? I was getting kinda excited.

And then, I got to the ballot of the Award-Winning Corky Simpson - who, you guessed it … didn’t vote for Rickey Henderson.

So, is Simpson deliberately playing spoiler and screwing Henderson? I mean, he must be. He even voted for the extremely-poor man's Rickey—Tim Raines. Obviously he must be making a point. Maybe he's one of those dicks who won't vote for guys the first year on the ballot...nope, he voted for Matt Williams—a guy who should buy a ticket to get in. (To Simpson's credit, he DID vote for Jim Rice.)

Writers get ten slots on their ballots, and Simpson wrote eight names down—and then he submitted his ballot. With two blank slots. And no Rickey.

Amazingly, worse than the omission, is Simpson's excuse...

I screwed up on the Henderson nonvote,” said Simpson, who detailed his choices in a Dec. 10 column for the Green Valley News. “You get to vote on 10 and I only picked eight. I probably did it too quickly.”

Take away his privileges. Right. Fucking. Now.

Seriously. Only a handful of people have the authority to cast HOF ballots. They should do so with due diligence and impartiality. This fossil employed neither. Clearly I spent more time on this blog post than he did considering his HOF ballot.

There are only three possible genuine reasons for this, because the "oversight" is a load of shit. A play for attention—and he's getting it; Deliberately spoiling the unanimous induction, but not having the balls to admit it; Or racism. I can't think of anything else.

--

A list of all the HOF votes cast so far.

MORE: Deadspin, Flannel Boy, Pinto.

I came across a fantastic photo of Henderson's outstretched 1982 Oakland A's gloves hitting second, and a Bill James quote, so I combined 'em...

Dick of the Week: Rep. Paul Broun

Georgia Congressman Warns Of Obama Dictatorship
A Republican congressman from Georgia said Monday he fears that President-elect Obama will establish a Gestapo-like security force to impose a Marxist dictatorship.

[...] Rep. Paul Broun [link] said of Obama in an interview Monday with The Associated Press. "I'm just trying to bring attention to the fact that we may—may not, I hope not—but we may have a problem with that type of philosophy of radical socialism or Marxism."

"We can't be lulled into complacency," Broun said. "You have to remember that Adolf Hitler was elected in a democratic Germany. I'm not comparing him to Adolf Hitler. What I'm saying is there is the potential of going down that road."

Oh, no...you're not comparing him to Hitlaer at all...Kinda like all those voters who won't vote for a black President—but "aren't racist?"

I am so looking forward to the GOP's lonnnng winter of discontent.

UPDATE: The Rude Pundit takes it to Broun as well...

Dick(s) of the Week: "Two Male Offenders"

Vandals Damage Stonehenge

LONDON (AFP) - Vandals used a hammer and screwdriver to vandalize England's world-famous Stonehenge ancient monument, the first such incident for decades, officials said Thursday.

The night-time attack by two men last week involved the central megalith in the 5,000-year-old ring of standing stones, said the conservation body English Heritage, adding that they could have been looking for a souvenir.

Yesterday we got our copy of National Geographic and Stonehenge is the cover feature. I was looking at it with Kid F, and marveling at the sheer engineering feat of moving stones that weigh up to 50 tons from between 20 and 240 miles away. Five thousand fucking years ago...

[link] The giant sarsen stones (which form the outer circle), weigh as much as 50 tons each. To transport them from the Marlborough Downs, roughly 20 miles to the north, is a problem of even greater magnitude than that of moving the bluestones. Most of the way, the going is relatively easy, but at the steepest part of the route, at Redhorn Hill, modern work studies estimate that at least 600 men would have been needed just to get each stone past this obstacle.

Yeah but assholes with handtools felt like they were entitled to take a piece home with them. Perhaps these two dicks need to be used as part of a demonstration that henge means gallows.

Dick(s) of the Week: Lubbock Airport TSA

Fucking outrageous.

Traveler says she was forced to remove nipple ring

LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- A Texas woman who said she was forced to remove a nipple ring with pliers in order to board an airplane called Thursday for an apology by federal security agents and a civil rights investigation.

[...] Hamlin, 37, said she was trying to board a flight from Lubbock to Dallas on February 24 when she was scanned by a Transportation Security Administration agent after passing through a larger metal detector without problems.

The female TSA agent used a handheld detector that beeped when it passed in front of Hamlin's chest, the Dallas-area resident said.

Hamlin said she told the woman she was wearing nipple piercings. The agent called over her male colleagues, one of whom said she would have to remove the jewelry, Hamlin said.

Hamlin said she could not remove them and asked whether she could instead display her pierced breasts in private to the female agent. But several other male officers told her she could not board her flight until the jewelry was out, she said.

She was taken behind a curtain and managed to remove one bar-shaped piercing but had trouble with the second, a ring.

"Still crying, she informed the TSA officer that she could not remove it without the help of pliers, and the officer gave a pair to her," said Hamlin's attorney...

She said she heard male TSA agents snickering as she took out the ring. She was scanned again and was allowed to board even though she still was wearing a belly button ring.

[...] TSA officials said they are investigating whether the agency's policies were followed.

Unless her nipple was pierced with a functioning handgun, this action by the TSA is complete bullshit.

Setting off a detector is cause for a more thorough inspection, a hand/wand detector, a (same-sex) pat-down, and finally a same-sex visual inspection if needed. Once the metal "threat" was identified as a piercing, she should have been thanked for cooperating, apologized to for the inconvenience and sent on her way.

Seems clear to me that "policies were violated." Offering an opportunity to remove piercings in private to forgo a pat-down is the policy. Forcibly removing piercings already identified and established is not. Those sadists need to be fired, and this woman should sue the fucking pants off the TSA.

Dick of the Week: Officer Salvatore Rivieri

Hard to blame the kid here, he probably thought it was a pizza delivery guy stopping to yell at him. Skater Eric's lucky Officer Penis didn't tase him. As is the kid with the bals to hold a camera on this maniac.

Dick of the Week: Tomas Delgado

Per Smitty's nomination. I think on the 30th, it's safe to just promote this asshole to Dick of the Month...

Driver Who Killed Teen Sues for Damage

MADRID, Spain Jan 25, 2008 (AP) A speeding motorist who killed a teenage cyclist is suing the boy's parents over damage to his luxury car, the government says.

Enaitz Iriondo, 17, died instantly in August 2004 when businessman Tomas Delgado's Audi A8 crashed into him at 100 mph near Haro in northern Spain, an Interior Ministry traffic report said. The speed limit was 55 mph.

Iriondo was not wearing reflective clothing or a helmet, the ministry report said. As the sun had set when he crossed the path of Delgado's car from a side road, a regional court found both parties at fault and closed the case, the report said.

Delgado, whose insurance company paid Iriondo's parents $48,500 in compensation for their son's life, filed a suit in late 2006 to recover $29,400 in damages to his car and car rental costs, the ministry traffic report said.

"It's the only way I have to claim my money back," Delgado was quoted as saying by the newspaper El Pais, which first reported the story on Friday. El Pais said a ruling was expected next week.

Iriondo's parents were shocked.

"It's the final straw, a stab in the back," Iriondo's mother, Rosa Trinidad said, according to El Pais. "Before the lawsuit we thought the poor guy would find it hard to live the rest of his life with the thought of having caused our son's death.

Sorry Mrs Trinidad, apparently the only thing this guy had trouble living with was being out his deductible. This dick's punishment is a no-brainer. Hook him up to his fancy-ass Audi and drag him the 347 feet he dragged the cyclist. He won't, of course, be instantly killed by an impact prior, so he'll really be able to consider what a dick he is as he makes his way down the road.

And yes, I feel compelled to use that horrendous news artwork—even though it's totally cheesy, it's the wrong kind of Audi and the cyclist is wearing a helmet...

NOTE: After a tremendous public outcry in Spain, he dropped the suit today (see Smitty's link). Still a dick. Reduce his dragging to 150 feet.

The Year in Review Review

Because Mr. Furious can never get enough hatred and harsh judgement...

• Bill Maher compiles his "Dickheads of the Year" in a Rolling Stone photo-essay. Best line? "We had a pretty nice house when this Cat in the Hat of presidents came in and made the mess of all time"

• The Beast has a brilliant, hysterical and hard-hitting list of "The 50 Most Loathsome People in America, 2007"

• I only did six "Dick of the Week" posts this past year—and certainly not due to lack of Dicks—you can review them here and vote in the comments for who deserves the top spot.

More traditional "Best/Worst" and "Top 10"-style lists...

• Peter Travers' Best and Worst Movies of 2007 Of course, I haven't seen any of them (Best or Worst) but I want desperately to see every one of his "Best" picks except "Sweeney Todd" and "I'm Not There."

• Slate.com's Good Riddance 2007 includes the usually excellent Dahlia Lithwick with a disapppointing review of The Bush administration's dumbest legal arguments of the year."

• More of a "Before and After" or "I told you so," here are two columns from the incomparable Charles P. Pierce. The first, when he explains in September why "the enraged Patriots will go undefeated," and the second when he tells you "The Patriots are great. Deal with it." Even if you are sick to death of the Patriots, Pierce is one of the finest sports, political, or just plain writers around. Read.

I'll add more as I find them...