Monday, July 6, 2009
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Sarah Palin: Play Her Off, Keyboard Cat!
Posted at 7/05/2009 10:29:00 PM by James L. Greenlee 0 comments - Click HERE to Comment Links to this post
Labels:
Keyboard Cat,
Political Humor,
Sarah Palin
Holiday Weekend Blogging, Barbecues and Tea Bagging
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Posted at 7/05/2009 12:56:00 PM by James L. Greenlee 0 comments - Click HERE to Comment Links to this post
Labels:
Double Entendres,
FOX "News",
Independence Day,
July 4,
Protests,
Tea baggers,
Tea Bagging
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.
Posted at 7/05/2009 03:20:00 AM by James L. Greenlee 0 comments - Click HERE to Comment Links to this post
Labels:
Blast from the Past,
Cat Chow,
Cats,
Jinx,
Jinx the Cat,
Meow Mix,
Old Commercials,
Purina
Independence Day Weekend: Feeling Old!
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.
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Posted at 7/05/2009 01:28:00 AM by James L. Greenlee 1 comments - Click HERE to Comment Links to this post
Labels:
4th of July,
Bicentennial,
Farrah Fawcett,
Freedom Train,
Independence Day,
Michael Jackson,
Spirit of 76,
Swingtown,
The Age Thing
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Has Media Been Unfair to Sarah Palin? Too Nice to Obama?
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.
Posted at 7/04/2009 09:54:00 PM by James L. Greenlee 0 comments - Click HERE to Comment Links to this post
Labels:
In the Tank,
Liberal Media,
Mainstream Media,
President Barack Obama,
Revisionist History,
Sarah Palin
Mini DVD Review: Charlie's Angels The Movies
Posted at 7/04/2009 02:06:00 AM by James L. Greenlee 0 comments - Click HERE to Comment Links to this post
Labels:
Cameron Diaz,
Charlie's Angels,
Drew Barrymore,
DVD Review,
Farrah Fawcett,
Jaclyn Smith,
John Forsythe,
Kate Jackson,
Lucy Liu
Friday, July 3, 2009
Friday News Dump: Sarah Palin Resigns as Governor
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. . .
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Posted at 7/03/2009 07:15:00 PM by James L. Greenlee 0 comments - Click HERE to Comment Links to this post
Labels:
2008 Presidential Election,
2012 Presidential Election,
Alaska,
Friday News Dump,
resignation,
Sarah Palin
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.
Found at: Joe.My.God If post says "Continued," click here!
Posted at 7/03/2009 12:59:00 PM by James L. Greenlee 0 comments - Click HERE to Comment Links to this post
Labels:
Joe My God,
Musical Parody,
Musicals,
West Side Story
Friday WTF? Moment: Forced Perspective & Giant Midget
Giant midget? Big little person? Freaks my sh*t out? Yeah, that will do!
Posted at 7/03/2009 12:35:00 PM by James L. Greenlee 0 comments - Click HERE to Comment Links to this post
Labels:
Dwarfs,
Forced Perspective,
Freak Show,
Midgets,
Optical Illusion,
Picture is Unrelated,
WTF
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. . .
Posted at 7/03/2009 12:19:00 PM by James L. Greenlee 0 comments - Click HERE to Comment Links to this post
Labels:
Advertising,
Burger King,
Carl's Jr.,
Double Entendres,
Fast Food,
Hardee's,
Quizno's,
Viral Advertising
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.
Posted at 7/03/2009 11:18:00 AM by James L. Greenlee 0 comments - Click HERE to Comment Links to this post
Labels:
Billy Madison,
Frivolity Break,
Good Times,
Happy Days,
Price is Right,
Sarcasm,
Snappy Answers,
Stepford Wives
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
Posted at 7/03/2009 12:01:00 AM by James L. Greenlee 0 comments - Click HERE to Comment Links to this post
Labels:
Bush Era,
Geroge W. Bush,
Irony,
Karl Rove,
President Barack Obama,
Turd Blossom
Thursday, July 2, 2009
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/ | ||||
| ||||
Posted at 7/02/2009 09:46:00 PM by James L. Greenlee 0 comments - Click HERE to Comment Links to this post
Labels:
Countdown with Keith Olbermann,
Cynthia Davis,
Political Humor,
Stephen Colbert,
The Colbert Report
Mollie Sugden Dead at 86. I Will Miss Her, and I am Unianimous in That!
[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
Posted at 7/02/2009 01:55:00 AM by James L. Greenlee 0 comments - Click HERE to Comment Links to this post
Labels:
Are You Being Served,
BBC,
Britcom,
Celebrity Death,
Mollie Sugden
Blogiversary: 25 Months!
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Posted at 7/02/2009 01:26:00 AM by James L. Greenlee 0 comments - Click HERE to Comment Links to this post
Labels:
Anniversary,
Blogging,
Blogiversary,
Greenlee Gazette
FOX "News" Can't Believe that Al Franken is a Senator
Poor babies. . .
Posted at 7/02/2009 12:50:00 AM by James L. Greenlee 0 comments - Click HERE to Comment Links to this post
Labels:
Al Franken,
Denial,
FOX "News",
US Senate
Karl Malden Dead at 97
Posted at 7/02/2009 12:41:00 AM by James L. Greenlee 0 comments - Click HERE to Comment Links to this post
Labels:
Celebrity Death,
Karl Malden
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
The Right-wing Response to Franken Victory
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Posted at 7/01/2009 03:06:00 AM by James L. Greenlee 2 comments - Click HERE to Comment Links to this post
Labels:
Al Franken,
Freepers,
Minnesota,
Norm Coleman,
Politics,
Sports,
USA
Sarah Palin "Little Shop of Horrors"
Posted at 7/01/2009 12:01:00 AM by James L. Greenlee 0 comments - Click HERE to Comment Links to this post
Labels:
2008 Presidential Election,
Alaska,
Caribou Barbie,
John McCain,
Sarah Palin
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
MSNBC in HD, If You're Lucky
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."
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.
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Posted at 6/30/2009 11:13:00 PM by James L. Greenlee 0 comments - Click HERE to Comment Links to this post
Labels:
Cable News,
Cox Cable,
FOX "News",
HDTV,
Johnny Dollar's Place,
MSNBC,
TV Newser
Stuck on Crazy: FReepers Lament Franken Win
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Posted at 6/30/2009 10:57:00 PM by James L. Greenlee 0 comments - Click HERE to Comment Links to this post
Labels:
Al Franken,
Free Republic,
Freepers,
Minnesota,
Norm Coleman,
Stuck on Crazy,
US Senate
"FOX Nation" Derides Sen.-elect Al Franken as "Stuart Smalley"
Posted at 6/30/2009 10:51:00 PM by James L. Greenlee 0 comments - Click HERE to Comment Links to this post
Labels:
Al Franken,
FOX Nation,
Saturday Night Live,
SNL,
Stuart Smalley
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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Posted at 6/30/2009 10:32:00 PM by James L. Greenlee 0 comments - Click HERE to Comment Links to this post
Labels:
2008 Election,
Al Franken,
Minnesota,
Norm Coleman,
US Senate
Embarq Becomes CenturyLink
Posted at 6/30/2009 02:52:00 AM by James L. Greenlee 0 comments - Click HERE to Comment Links to this post
Labels:
CenturyLink,
CenturyTel,
Embarq,
Graphic Design,
Logos,
Swooshes
















