Make that 850 years

Langford’s rant could add up to jail time | TuscaloosaNews.com | The Tuscaloosa News | Tuscaloosa, AL.

After your conviction, you should probably shut up. Judges can add on to your sentence if you show a lack of remorse. Larry said that he was treated worse than Jeffrey Dahmer, while his wife said he was treated worse than Hitler. (Hitler, of course, suicided before he could be put on trial.) Larry also claimed that the witnesses against him never said that they gave him any “gifts” even though they testified that they did.

Good one, Larry

Former Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford rejected plea deal before trial, attorney confirms | Breaking News from The Birmingham News – al.com.

Said attorney thinks that FBMLL would have received less than five years under the plea. He’s facing over 800. But Larry swears he’s not guilty.

Introducing BMCS

Carole Smitherman becomes Birmingham’s mayor — Updated with official statement | Breaking News from The Birmingham News – al.com.

She’s just interim mayor. Eventually there will be a special election to fill out Langford’s term. Those are always fun.

That’s former Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford now

Larry Langford found guilty on all 60 counts — updated | Breaking News from The Birmingham News – al.com.

At least now we’ll know where to find him. FBMLL faces 803 years in prison, though I’m sure he can get a couple of centuries knocked off for good behavior. He also has to forfeit the strangely exact sum of $241,843, which he doesn’t have. Apparently, most of this was bribes paid in clothes.

In a related note, nobody knows how old he is.

I love these guys

Amygdala.

There’s one of these “King James Believing” Baptist churches near my house. Apparently, the idea is that the KJV — translated, mind you, fifteen centuries or so after the New Testament under the authority of a semi-Catholic monarch — is the unerring Word of God. I don’t think most of the others go to the extremes of saying that the other Bibles should be burned, but given their premises, it’s not too surprising. The ultimate expression of a certain strain of Baptism is one guy holding a flamethrower shaped like a Bible.

Contemporary Christian music really is a tool of the Devil, though.

He’s just that lucky!

Langford lawyer: Bingo suits might affect trial | TuscaloosaNews.com | The Tuscaloosa News | Tuscaloosa, AL

This story’s delightful — I was incommunicado when it broke or I would have posted on it before. Apparently, BMLL went to Greenetrack and Victoryland to play electronic bingo, and won. Like, a lot. Apparently, employees would take Crazy Larry around and point out the machines he should use, and he’d put his money in and out came his winnings. It’s almost like the games were rigged or something. Anyway, Milton McGregor — that guy again — is getting sued over this.

At about 9:15…

There is a line of dialogue so spectacular that they should get an award for it. I’m thinking the first ever Nobel for insanely wonderful dialogue. It’s really something special.

more about "Hulu – Fringe: Momentum Deferred – Wa…", posted with vodpod

French people are stupid

I Guess They Don’t Do Oppo Research In France – Swampland – TIME.com

I mean, this sort of thing… American political operatives would have been all over this. Any American political operatives at any time. You think that the Federalists didn’t go over Jefferson’s writings with a fine-toothed comb?

Pour épater les Républicains

President Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize | TPMDC

Basically, the Nobel Committees have decided to issue one prize a year simply to annoy the US Republican Party — Gore the Peace Prize in 2007, Krugman the Economics award in 2008, and now this. Needless to say, I approve.

Sigh.

47% of households owe no tax – and their ranks are growing – Sep. 30, 2009

Yes, this is true — no income tax. That doesn’t take into account withholding taxes for Social Security and Medicare, which are regressive and take a huge cut from most people’s paychecks. Focusing on the income tax is a common right-wing trope that seemingly is trotted out to make you feel sorry for rich people.