Sarah Palin on Media Treatment of. . .Hillary Clinton

Image from Sun-Sentinel

I found the following in the comments section of NewsHounds ("We watch FOX so you don't have to"). Sarah Palin's recent resignation as Governor of Alaska has given way to heavy right-wing spin, basically saying that the librul media done run her out of town. She--the spin goes--has been unfairly attacked relentlessly, by an unscrupulous, wicked press. She's blameless in the equation, of course.

And if you followed the David Letterman dust up, you know that Palin complains when "attacked." A lot. So how interesting it is to read what she had to say when the media was "attacking" Hillary Clinton in the primaries. Take a look.

Sarah's thoughts on the media before...

NEWSWEEK: Sarah Palin, you are a Republican and a conservative one at that. It's unlikely that you and Hillary would agree on too many issues. But, yet, as a woman, chief executive—someone who's been through the grinder—when you look at the coverage and you listen to the conversations, what do you see?

SARAH PALIN: Fair or unfair—and I do think that it's a more concentrated criticism that Hillary gets on so many fronts; I think that's unfortunate. But fair or unfair, I think she does herself a disservice to even mention it, really. You have to plow through that and know what you're getting into. I say this with all due respect to Hillary Clinton and to her experience and to her passion for changing the status quo. But when I hear a statement like that coming from a women candidate with any kind of perceived whine about that excess criticism or a sharper microscope put on her, I think, man, that doesn't do us any good. Women in politics, women in general wanting to progress this country, I don't think it bodes well for her, a statement like that. Because, again, fair or not fair it is there. I think it's reality and it's a given, people just accept that she's going to be under a sharper microscope. So be it. Work harder, prove to yourself to an even greater degree that you're capable, that you're going to be the best candidate. That's what she wants us to believe at this point. So it bothers me a little bit to hear her bring that attention to herself on that level.

(hat tip Hillary supporter, Politico)

Balancing Act 07.05.09 - 7:26 pm

Source: NewsHounds

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Sarah Palin: Play Her Off, Keyboard Cat!

Heh.

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Holiday Weekend Blogging, Barbecues and Tea Bagging

Image from source, East Valley Tribune

As is usual with most holiday weekends, the news sort of dries up. It's like the whole media takes a break, and why not? And what better time of year to do it? Here in Las Vegas, it's a little bit warmer than in most places, but it's been beautiful, and the weather last night was perfect for 4th of July.

I didn't do much for the holiday, just holed up and did the hermit thing. And again, what better time? There's nothing of note going on, I had no obligations, so total sloth was just the medicine I needed, I think. Today, I'm going to some good friends' house for a barbecue and beer and splashing around in the pool. It's sunny and gorgeous, and while I'll have to get out my SPF 5000 sunblock, it's going to be a hoot.

Of course there are other sorts of parties going on this weekend. Bizarre, disjointed, unfocused political gatherings known as tea parties. Now, these gatherings have an interesting genesis. They seem to have been dreamt up by Ron Paul supporters. These folks are Libertarians, independents and disenfranchised Republicans. But their movement got hijacked by the 25%-ers, those hard-core Republicans who adore Sarah Palin and think George W. Bush did a heck of a job. FOX "News" picked up their banner, promoting the events as though they were an official sponsor. Some of the more cartoonish Republican leaders trumpeted their support as well, turning what was being touted as a "grass roots" uprising into a "AstroTurf" movement. Fake, in other words.

Oh, sure, some of the people attending these events are genuine in their outrage. It's just a rather vague anger. The issue of taxation seems to be an excuse to a) attack President Obama, b) make it look as though conservatism is still relevant and c) look and act like total boobs, while pointing at the rest of us. But the target of all their ire is much more diffused than that. Basically, they hate everything about government as it currently exists, apparently. I actually don't think that Janeane Garofalo was very far off when she said these events are disguised racism, straight up.

The funniest part about the whole thing (aside from their blindness to the fact that to most of us, they look ridiculous) is of course the colloquial name for these people, tea baggers. They'd like for us to think that eeeevil libruls invented that term as a way to denigrate them. Not so! "Tea bag Obama" was one of many "humorous" slogans that came from their camp as a way to protest and simultaneously insult the President. Well, heh, heh, the joke was on them.

Instead of being insulted, the left deftly (for once) turned the double-entendre back onto the tea baggers, and made it one of the biggest "point and laugh" moments of recent politics. Even national news figures got in on the tea bagging humor train. I still find it funny. I mean, if they were protesting other things with slogans that sound like sexual innuendo, that would be funny too. I'm hoping they go for "rusty trombone," "reach around", "happy ending" or "Cleveland steamer."

Anyway, here's a link to a recent news story on these silly folks, just so I can get away with using the funny picture above. I hope you all have either had a party to go to, or still have one in what's left of the holiday weekend. And I hope you have fun rather than just an axe to grind. Or a tea bag to dip.

TEA Party planned for July 4

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Blast from the Past: Soda Commercials

I was feeling old in my last post, and while looking at the selections of sodas in the refrigerator, I had a minor flashback. Old soda pop brands have been reappearing in the grocery store, lately. Fresca never really went away, and now comes in different flavors now, but it's still sort of a niche product. And Tab has come back, at least to Las Vegas. I'm a big soda drinker, so it is fortunate that I only drink the diet versions. Unless the rumors are true about the various artificial sweeteners. Then I'm screwed. But I'm not sure there is anything worse than high-fructose corn syrup.

I did some searching for classic soda commercials when the old Tab jingle started to ring in my head (probably a side effect of those sweeteners). I found a lot of them, though was unsuccessful finding "RC 100" (RC 100 percent! You'll wonder where caffeine went! RC 100 regular and sugar free!). Here are some of the better ones.






1. Tab - Before there was Diet Coke, there was Tab. What a beautiful drink!

2. Fresca - I thought this soda was gross when I was little. Love it now, particularly the peach flavor.

3. RC Cola - The undisputed loser of the 80s cola wars is RC Cola, which has forever more been an also-ran. But back in the 70s, it looked like they still might have a shot. "Me & my RC" was almost as big as "Be a Pepper!"

4. Shasta - I want a pop! Shasta is these days regarded as half a step above store-brand. But back in the 80s, the had a big push with this ad, which I didn't remember as quite so loaded with beefcake. But there it is.

5. Diet Pepsi - This song, "Now You See It, Now You Don't" is probably the Pepsico's best jingle ever for the brand. Very catchy.

6. Slice - "We've Got the Juice!" Yes, they were toying with 10% fruit juice formulations back in the 80s, and Pepsi was still searching for a lemon-lime brand that would stick. It didn't (we have Sierra Mist now). My favorite slice flavor was apple, which I wish they'd bring back.

7. Dr. Pepper - You can't do a piece on retro soda ads without David Naughton's "I'm a Pepper!" It really was a craze.

8. 7Up - One of the better ads of the bunch, with musical styles through the decades. They ought to redo this one, with 80s, 90s, and 00s music styles.

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Independence Day Weekend: Feeling Old!

Images of Freedom Train and Bicentennial logo from Wikipedia

One of the news stations announced that it was the 233rd birthday of the United States yesterday, and a quick check of the math confirms this to be true. And for people in my age bracket (a few years north of 40), this quickly leads to the realization that it has been thirty-three years since the Bicentennial. Yikes.

In 1976, Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson were still alive and relevant. The sexual revolution was in full swing (as related in last summer's documentary drama series, Swingtown). And the Bicentennial was huge. There were more flags, bunting and patriotic themed merchandise in evidence than would exist until immediately after 9/11. They even redesigned the quarter, half-dollar and silver dollar to commemorate the event. Everything was America this, and Spirit of '76 that.

One of the biggest events (at least to my then 10-year-old self) was the Freedom Train, an actual train that went from town to town as a travelling museum. It was something of a mini-Smithsonian, or educational Disney exhibit, taking you through the history (mostly high points) of the United States. It's too bad there wasn't a 2-1/3 century blowout this year. I doubt the country has ever been as united in their patriotism without a cataclysmic event to jolt us into it.

But still. . .thirty-three years ago? Yikes.

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Has Media Been Unfair to Sarah Palin? Too Nice to Obama?

Ask these questions to any group of people, and you will likely draw the crowd into two camps. A large section would likely say, "Not particularly." A smaller (but very vocal) group would say, "You betcha!" I'm in the first group, but I'd have to add (to quote Sarah Palin herself), In what regard, Charlie?"

See, at first, when we didn't know who Palin was, the media focused on what little dribs and drabs they could. Thus, when it came to light that there were sordid rumors about her coming from Alaska, the media and blogs and the like reported on that stuff. Much of it was personal and family related. Then, as more and more things were learned about the Palins, the media drew back on the more personal stuff.

It turned out that Palin had some questionable dealings in her state. And as she slowly allowed herself to be interviewed, we came to realize she was a dolt. A simpleton. A blithering idiot. She had learned the skill of the "pageant answer" quite well, an act of talking and talking without actually saying much of anything. I challenge you to try and diagram any of her sentences.

It became apparent that Palin had never been properly vetted by the McCain campaign. And as we got to know Palin, she began ratcheting up the rhetoric against Barack Obama, working her crowds into a lather by likening Obama to terrorists and worse. Through it all, most of the media reported upon her actions. And FOX "News" sang her praises.

Now that Palin has abdicated her responsibilities as Governor of Alaska, there is a growing meme in Right Wing World. The media done it. They viciously and unjustifiably pilloried this poor, capable woman, and now they've either a) run her out of town. . .er. . .state, or b) she's purposefully ditching the press by "going underground" to prepare for the 2012 presidential election.

At the same time, we're told that the mainstream traditional media (which includes everything except FOX "News", right-wing talk radio and right-wing blogs) absolutely adores Barack Obama to the point of carnal lust. His election was inevitable because the media greased the skids for him. Which is hogwash of course.

How many weeks did the Bill Ayers "pallin' around with terrorists" issue get batted around in the press? How long did the Reverand Jerimiah Wright issue get hung around his neck like a millstone? Doesn't anyone remember how ridiculous the issues were that would be talked about endlessly on cable news, with so many pundits on screen it looked like the opening of The Brady Bunch? Remember how they said he hadn't "passed the commander in chief test?"

Every negative ad run by McCain/Palin was discussed at length in the press. Democrats grumbled, "Why isn't Obama tougher? Why won't he hit back?" It turned out to be a winning strategy, but to claim that it was because the press went easy on him is revisionist history.

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Mini DVD Review: Charlie's Angels The Movies

Image from source, Wikipedia

The past few weeks, having depleted my Joss Whedon DVDs (Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel) I have been watching season one of Charlie's Angels. I was inspired to buy the box set by Farrah Fawcett's Farrah's Story documentary. Since that time, Farrah has regrettably become an actual angel, and I've enjoyed (very much) watching her in her prime.

Charlie's Angels was criticised in its day for being "jiggle TV." The Moral Majority® crusaders heaped much abuse upon what is now seen as fairly tame. The show promised much more than it delivered when it comes to titillation. What it did provide is a nice little enjoyable 70s detective show, which while completely unbelievable, was also very entertaining. And the three stars, Fawcett, Kate Jackson and Jaclyn Smith, managed to make the show something more than the sum of its parts. Shortly after buying the box set, I found the movie versions, both at steep discounts. So, I bought them.

When they made the movies based on the series, they missed the mark entirely. OK, maybe not entirely. Lucy Liu, Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz did have something of the same chemistry and camaraderie as the original three. But the feel of the show, the very premise, was discarded. John Forsythe was still there, amazingly still able to pull the gravitas at his very advanced age, to be believable as their never-seen boss. There were two Bosleys, Bill Murray--apparently the same character as the late David Doyle--and Bernie Mac, as Murray's adoptive brother.

But the movie version was vastly different in concept. In McG's Charlie's Angels, the girls were like elite special forces operatives, akin to James Bond or Tom Cruise's character in Mission Impossible. Gone were the ordinary human women who would alternatively kick butt and become damsels in distress. The movie Angels were able to defy the laws of physics, while fighting crime on an international and almost supernatural scale.

There isn't a thing in the movie versions of Charlie's Angels that can be believed as "real world." Your suspension of disbelief must be put on absolute ignore. That said, both Charlie's Angels and Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle are still a hoot. The girls have such enthusiasm, and are so entertaining, that I can't outright condemn their efforts. And major kudos to scoring a cameo by Smith, in character as original angel Kelly Garrett. The show and the movies may have very little in common, but the acknowledgement of what came before was appreciated.

And a little trivia: as unlikely as it might seem, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle was the very first Blu-ray disc issued. And Smith was the only TV angel to appear in every episode of the series, not to mention one out of two of the movies.

My ratings:

Charlie's Angels Season One: Highly Recommended (if you like 70s TV)

Charlie's Angels the movie: Recommended

Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle: If you liked part one, Recommended. If not, no.

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Friday News Dump: Sarah Palin Resigns as Governor

Photo from source, CNN

There is one thing you can say about Sarah Palin. She's unpredictable. Well, at least the news about her is. The fact that she has announced her resignation as Alaska Governor on a holiday Friday shows a little more savvy than you'd expect from her, considering she is often politically tone-deaf. And it raises more questions than it answers.

The general story is probably going to say that the resignation is in preparation for a 2012 run for President. But it seems more than a little too early, and on the heels of silly sideshow faux outrages like her battle with late night comic David Letterman. Anyone want to lay odds that there is much more going on here than we're being told?

I'm not sure which would be more entertaining, though, an attempt to take on Barack Obama, or whatever sordid story she's hoping to duck by leaving the Governorship. Time will tell.

[Excerpt]

Palin stepping down this month

Gov. Sarah Palin announced Friday that she will step down as Alaska's chief executive by the end of the month. She will not seek election to a second gubernatorial term in 2010. . .

Read more at: CNN

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Musical Spoof: Web Site Story

Brilliant! West Side Story told for the web-connected world! I'm not even a musical fan (hard to believe, but true), and I loved it.

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Found at: Joe.My.God

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Friday WTF? Moment: Forced Perspective & Giant Midget

Giant midget? Big little person? Freaks my sh*t out? Yeah, that will do!

Source (the fabulous): Picture is Unrelated

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Do You Like A-Holes or B-Holes?

Honestly. First you've got the creepy Burger King turning up in men's beds and peering into windows, then you've got the Quizno's toaster oven sexually harassing "Scott," then Burger King again, with a suggestive "seven incher" sandwich. Now, Hardee's gets in on the act with "A-Holes." OK, yes, I think it's funny. Yes, I love it when the sanctimonious prudes get their oh-so-unsexy panties into a bunch. And yes, I'm surprised that Hardee's (also known as Carl's Jr.) has a commercial that I found funny. Their commercials usually really, really suck. And not in a good way. . .

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Frivolity Break: Snappy Comebacks Via Video

I have an collection of pop-culture quotes (from movies, TV, wherever) that run through my brain, and I'm likely to use them in response to a highly varied assortment of scenarios.

If you have a mini-meltdown about something, I might respond with Rizzo from Grease's "some people are so touchy." If you complain about having mice or roaches, I might respond as Newt from Aliens: "They mostly come out at night. Mostly." And I'll use "I'll change you from a rooster to a hen with one shot!" (Doralee from 9 to 5) or "When you're telling these little stories, here's a good idea. Have a point, it makes is so much more interesting for the listener." (Steve Martin in Planes, Trains and Automobiles) or "Maybe I'll make a bundt cake. I love a good bundt cake!" (character from The Stepford Children)* for almost anything, whether it makes sense in context or not.

If you're lucky, you can find your favorite quotes online to use on your blog or FaceBook page, for just those occasions when they're a perfect fit. The benefit of this is that unlike in real life, you don't lose the moment if you don't think of a snappy comeback right away. Since the words you might be responding to are just hanging there, it is always like they were just spoken. One of my favorite ways to do that is to put in a video response on my blog to a story item of the day. But it is rare to find only the quote. I wish I had more knowledge of how to edit video to get just the part I need. Still, occasionally I'll find just the thing. Here are a few of my favorites.






#1 - Fonzie Jumps the Shark - From Happy Days, this clip is the ultimate response to anybody who has crossed the line into ridiculousness, and has lost all credibility.

#2 - Damn, Damn, Damn! - From Good Times. Florida Evans (Esther Rolle) has just lost her husband, James. Can be used to express any extreme disappointment.

#3 - Bad news tuba - From The Price is Right, this is the perfect sound effect for, "you lose!"

#4 - You keep using that word. . . - from The Princess Bride, the perfect antidote to the politician or celebrity who has said something stupid.

#5 - Stupid Answer - Here's a prime example of a scene I'd like to trim down to its final moments, when the game show host in Billy Madison chastises the title character for his stupid answer to a question. Fantastic.

*Hat-tip to my friend Keith, the Dallas Dandy, for the inspirational quote that inspired this post.

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Irony Alert: Karl Rove Says Obama "Over Scripts"

Bwa-ha-ha! I've long said that Republicans have a tendency to be irony-deficient. But when Karl Rove--inventor of the perpetual campaign, master of political stage craft--accuses the Obama Administration of doing it, well, I just have to laugh. What's next? Accusing Obama of inventing new words? Of inappropriately touching foreign dignitaries? Of talking with his mouth full? Of taking questions from male hookers during a press conference?

[Excerpt]

Rove: Obama ‘Has Carried Pre-Packaged, Organized, Controlled, Scripted Events To A New Height’



Former Bush adviser Karl Rove went on Fox News this morning and attacked President Obama’s health care town hall meeting yesterday as “pre-packaged, organized, controlled, [and] scripted,” adding that the Bush administration would never have done something so audacious. . .

Read more at: Think Progress

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Colbert Report on Cynthia Davis (Hunger as a Motivator)

Last week, Cynthia Davis, a State Representative from Missouri (R-Naturally) was one of the "Worst Persons in the World" a couple of times last week on Countdown with Keith Olbermann. I thought it was a little bit of a reach for a national show, but what she had to stay was supremely stupid. Stephen Colbert topped Olbermann by agreeing with Davis, in his own patented (though not always perceived by conservatives) ironic and sarcastic way.

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Tip/Wag - Cynthia Davis & Fox News
http://www.colbertnation.com/
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Jeff Goldblum

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Mollie Sugden Dead at 86. I Will Miss Her, and I am Unianimous in That!

Image from source, Joe.My.God

The BBC's Are You Being Served? was not great art. In fact, by American standards, it was a decidedly sub-par sitcom effort. But for some reason, it rose above the sum of its parts. Mr. Humphries. Captain Peacock. And especially, Mrs. Slocombe. And her pussy. Maybe you had to be there. . .

[Excerpt]

Mollie Sugden Dies At 86



Mollie Sugden, the actress beloved by gays for her portrayal as the daft Mrs. Slocombe in the Britcom Are You Being Served? has died at age 86.

Read more at: Joe.My.God

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Blogiversary: 25 Months!

OK, so last month, I decided to crank down the blog a little. After two years blogging, I needed to scale things back a bit, just to maintain my sanity. And I did it, for the most part. I was still here every day, but with a little less zeal. And you, readers, were here with less zeal too!

I'm not that surprised by the lack of readership. It has been obvious since the 2008 elections that my blog wasn't as "go-to" as it once was. I'm OK with that. And I seriously doubt that if I hadn't scaled back that things would be all that different. While a bunch of Obama supporters (like me) have some reservations and concerns about the current administration, and while the economy has been shit (let's face it), there is still a bit less urgency than there was during the abysmal Bush Administration.

But I sense a storm upon the horizon. The Republicans will always have an anti-Obama axe to grind, that's a given. But increasingly, the left has some issues that are grinding our gears too. So maybe (after a little more semi-vacation time during the summer), I'll be picking things up to full speed again here on the blog. We'll see what happens.

In the mean time, thank you for reading. And as always, bring your friends!

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FOX "News" Can't Believe that Al Franken is a Senator

Poor babies. . .

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Karl Malden Dead at 97

Image from source, MSNBC

I swear to God, I thought he was already dead.

[Excerpt]

Oscar-winning actor Karl Malden dies at 97

Karl Malden, the Academy Award-winning actor whose intelligent characterizations on stage and screen made him a star despite his plain looks, died Wednesday, his family said. He was 97. . .

Read more at: MSNBC

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The Right-wing Response to Franken Victory

One of the biggest frustrations about being a current events/political blogger is finding other bloggers who encapsulate your own ideas better than you do. On the other hand, given the nature of blogging, and the general give-and-take sharing allowed in the forum, I can present to you those "better" writings anyway! So it's sort of a win-win.

I have long likened extreme partisans to sports fans, though I'm not sure if I've ever done a post about it. I remember a lady who used to work with me who was a dyed-in-the-wool Republican. After the 2004 election, I remember her cackling at me after George W. Bush won his second term. She knew I was pulling for John Kerry, and found it very amusing that "her team" won. I--needless to say--was not amused. But it was more for her likening it to a game than the politics. I thought that the Bush Administration was a dangerous threat to America (still do!). She saw it as not much more than a "win" for her side.

The excerpted blog post below does an excellent job using the same analogy as it applies to the Al Franken/Norm Coleman battle for the Senate. And it--admittedly--does it better than I could. Enjoy.

[Excerpt]

Dear Freeptards

Al Franken won. Welcome to Democracy.

When Norm Coleman said that Al Franken should concede the race 'for the sake of the people of Minnesota', you were all behind him. Then, when Coleman refused to concede 'for the sake of Minnesota', you embraced the hypocrisy and stayed right behind him.

Why are you all such hypocrites?

I'll tell you; Because you are not politically inclined, you are, for all intents and purposes; sports fans. . .

Read more at: Democratic Underground

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Sarah Palin "Little Shop of Horrors"

Image from source, Raw Story

I just couldn't resist a post about a new nickname for Alaska GILF, Sarah Palin. And I don't care if she's irritated, I will not apologize!

[Excerpt]

Close McCain friend allegedly called Palin 'Little Shop of Horrors'

It's well known that there were tensions between Arizona Sen. John McCain and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin last year during their presidential run, but a new article in Vanity Fair magazine sheds light on just how serious the rift between the two camps was. . .

Read more at: Raw Story

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MSNBC in HD, If You're Lucky

MSNBC began broadcasting in high definition this week. I can tell by some spruced up sets, and some modified graphics. But that's all I have to go on, because Cox Communications here in Las Vegas is not offering the HD version in the valley.

I wrote a letter to them yesterday, asking about it:

"MSNBC debuted as an HDTV channel today (June 29, 2009). Can we expect it to be added to the Las Vegas HDTV channel lineup? If so, when? Thank you. "

I got this reply:

"Dear James:

At this time, there are no plans to carry this channel in the Las Vegas market. However, we are always evaluating our line-up in an effort to maintain customer satisfaction and bring the best value to our subscribers.

We value your feedback and work very hard to offer a variety of channels to meet the needs of our customers. We have forwarded your request to our Marketing Department for review.
Please note that there are many factors we consider when choosing to add or delete programming. These factors include programming costs, programming ratings, customer requests and the effect the addition or subtraction will have on the remaining line-up."

I was dissatisfied with this answer, so I followed up with this:

"If you don't mind my asking, why are FOX News and CNN carried in HDTV, but MSNBC will not be? And why are the other news channels grouped together, while MSNBC is way up the dial? I'm curious. And I watch a lot more MSNBC than I do the other channels. Please count my vote for MSNBC in HD. Thank you. "

The response doesn't quite gel with the first answer, in my opinion. See what you think.

"Dear James:

Thank you for your reply and we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you.

Please be advised that we are only stating that the MSNBC/HD channel is not yet available to the Cox Las Vegas System at this time. As soon as the MSNBC/HD programming content is made available, we will provide a release date for addition of the requested channel.

Cox is not responsible for channel designations. The channel designations are the responsiblity [sic] of the Network and other government agencies. "

I have to wonder, when I visit sites like TVNewser or the "FOX Fan" site, Johnny Dollar's Place, if the ratings comparisons between CNN, MSNBC and FOX "News" are apples-to apples-to apples. How many other cable outfits have MSNBC segregated like Las Vegas' Cox Cable does? How many are not providing the HD feed? Maybe all the gloating about FOX's ratings are a bit overblown?

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Stuck on Crazy: FReepers Lament Franken Win

Image from Star-Tribune

I'll round out the evening's Al Franken posts with a bit of schadenfreude. As you might know, one of the wackiest far-right outposts on the internet is FreeRepublic. The denizens of this realm--known as FReepers--are in a lather about the ultimate win of Al Franken over Norm Coleman in the 2008 Minnesota Senate race.

I thought you might want to see some of the more unhinged responses to this long-in-coming eventuality. You'd think that they were sore losers or something.

And one more word before we begin. There is a PhotoShopped photo of Franken that keeps popping up on their site (and elsewhere in Right-Wing World). It depicts him in bunny ears, and a diaper, next to a package of "Luvs." The joke is lost on me, as I don't believe Franken has ever been rumored to be either a "furry" or into "adult baby" fetishism. But the FReepers seem to think the photo is genuine. Which gives Franken credit for having legs that would look good on a twenty-something. And gives the FReepers a big ol' gullibility trophy. On with the show. . .

"America takes another hit... "

"We as a nation have truly sunk to a new level of depravity and darkness."

"Seems like all we have been taking is hits lately ... Time to pray."

"America is effed. Glad all those people stayed home last November."

"WE ARE SO SCREWED"

"I don’t know how much more of this sh*t I can take... this really sucks."

"reading this felt like a punch to the stomach after this week of death and destruction"

"Our long state nightmare has ended...our long national nightmare begins."

"How much more evidence do we need to prove that this Republic is lost forever?"

"Absolutely disgusting. Everything is totally upside down. WTH is going on???????????????????"

There's a whole lot more, if you dare at: FreeRepublic

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"FOX Nation" Derides Sen.-elect Al Franken as "Stuart Smalley"

While I'm not sure that Senator-elect Al Franken (DFL-Minn.) considers it to be an insult, there can be little doubt that the yahoos at FOX Nation think calling him "Stuart Smalley" is a way to demean him. Stay classy, FOX. And suck it up, Franken will be Senator!

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Franken Defeats Coleman Finally!

Image from source, MSNBC

Election 2008 is finally over. And while everybody is talking about the "60-seat super majority" now in the Democrats' hands, I'm not so sure it's going to matter. There is the infamous problem of Democrats lacking spines. There's the unwillingness to give the Republicans at least a little of their own medicine. And there is the fact that Al Franken's victory did not come with any pressure, or any chastisement to speak of.

Still, I've been a Franken fan for a very long time, and I'll be happy to see him in the Senate. Let the Al Franken Decade (or 5-1/2 years) begin at last!

[Excerpt]

Franken: 'So thrilled' at Minn. Senate race win

Al Franken ascended Tuesday from the hallowed ranks of former "Saturday Night Live" comedians to an even more exclusive club, outlasting Republican Norm Coleman in an eight-month recount and courtroom saga to win a seat in the U.S. Senate.

Read more (with video) at: MSNBC

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Embarq Becomes CenturyLink

Image from source, Brand New

A couple of years ago, our local phone service went from Sprint to Embarq. I thought Embarq was an interesting name, and I have to admit I really liked the logo. It was sort of a paper airplane design, and I was fortunate enough to have the right color foils in my library at work to depict it without resorting to four-color process printing (which usually produce unacceptable dot patterns on my sign company's equipment).

But now, apparently, Embarq is becoming something new--already. It's changing to CenturyLink. I've got to say, I'm not a fan of either the logo or the name. And I'm only featuring it on the blog because I love the site BrandNew, and because I'm a big fan (and professional designer of) logos. And hey, at least they got rid of the swooshes. See what you think.

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Visualizing the Link

Still waiting for federal regulatory approval on the transaction of the merger between CenturyTel and Embarq — two telecommunication companies that, together, will bring together more than two million broadband customers (you can learn more about what they each do here) — the combined entity has announced their new name, CenturyLink.

Read more at: Brand New

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