Yet Another Lazy Sunday (And Saturday, And Friday)

Image from MyCatHatesYou

Wow, what a wasted weekend! I almost feel guilty for what little I've accomplished. Almost. But while The Other Half's been away, I've enjoyed a little alone time. Besides a little computing time and a few errands, all I have accomplished is to watch a boatload of Angel episodes on DVD. It's the easiest weekend project I've worked on, really. Lazy, lazy, lazy. Haven't even gotten the Jeep top off yet, and didn't really care.

I did manage to squeeze in the Sunday morning political yak-fests, but they were all even less interesting than usual. More of the Sotomayer blabber we've been hearing all week. Nothing new there either, with the same single quote from 2001 being lobbed into the air as "proof" that she's a horrible, unstoppable racist. Or something.

Anyway, no matter how you slice it, I've been spending waaaayyyyy too much time in front of one type of screen or another. So before I actually develop a wave of guilt, I suppose I should accomplish something. I may be back later.

Frivolity Break: Happy Birthday, Maru!

I've featured a couple of Maru the Cat videos in the past. He's a huge, Scottish Fold kitty who lives in Japan, and he's adorable. Well, Maru has apparently just had his second birthday, and his owner has posted a video of Maru as a little kitten. What a cutie.

Norm Coleman/Al Franken Fight Drags On

Photo from source, Minnesota Public Radio

Oh, brother. When will this thing finally be over?

[Excerpt]

Coleman appeal heads to state's highest court

Minnesota's long-running U.S. Senate battle reaches another milestone Monday.

The state Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the election contest, which currently has Republican Norm Coleman trailing Democrat Al Franken by 312 votes. Coleman's attorneys will argue a special three-judge panel didn't adhere to the constitution in coming up with that tally. . .

Read more at: Minnesota Public Radio

Bill Maher's New Rules, May 29, 2009

I was surprised to find that my DVR recorded Real Time with Bill Maher last night. I was certain that he had the week off, since I've seen signs all around Las Vegas for his show at The Orleans this weekend. Somehow, he squeezed in a show, and must have just made the Orleans Arena with moments to spare. Los Angeles is not a long flight from Las Vegas, but that's cutting things mighty close.

Anyway, the show was atypical last night, with only two guests at the beginning of the round table segment, one of whom was John Bolten. Bolten is one of a very long list of former government officials who I wish would just go away. So the panel wasn't a lot of fun for this viewer. But New Rules was--as usual--pretty good, both funny and thought provoking.



EDITOR'S NOTE: The screen shot says "May 30," which isn't right. And I accidentally typed "March 29" in my original headline, and that isn't right either.

FOX "News" Still Cant Say Nuclear

I just finished watching Real Time with Bill Maher on the DVR, and when it was over, started flipping through the HD channels. I landed on FOX "News," for some reason, which was showing "America's News HQ" which would be a sad title were it true.

But what really made me yell at the TV is that both the host (a man named Kelly), and the guest, Gordon Chang, while discussing North Korea's missile test, both pronounced the word "nuclear" as "new-cue-lerr." And if you don't know it that is wrong. So wrong, it is the George W. Bush way of saying the word. And they did it over and over again. The host also said "bellergerant," but that didn't bother me so much.

Oh, and in case you're wondering, good ol' FOX still managed to ding President Obama with the framing of each segment. There isn't even a pretense anymore on FOX "News" that this is actually "fair and balanced." It's nothing more than a slogan. Perhaps it is supposed to be ironic?

UPDATE: I left FOX "News" on for noise, and it was really more of the same. Every show, every segment was very, VERY clearly from a right-wing standpoint. Every tease for "after the break" would be posed as a question, usually framed in such a way as to put down the Obama Administration. Also, the second biggest target seems to be "the media." "Is the media doing it's job. . ." is the framing used here, usually claiming that the "MSM" is too soft on the administration. And by "the media," FOX clearly thinks of itself as outside the mainstream media. They are half right. They ARE part of the media, but they are NOT a legitimate news source.

Traditional Marriage For Real

Great video. Great point. Tradition isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Total Eclipse of the Heart: Literally

OK, this is just hilarious. Total Eclipse of the Heart is a classic song of the 80s by Bonnie Tyler. It was always one of my favorites. But 80s videos had a tendency to be dramatically over-the-top and pretentious. And boy howdy was this one. Someone has managed to turn the whole thing into a very literal comedic masterpiece. Enjoy.

Former Vice President Dick Cheney, Loser

Image from source, Huffington Post

Hey, that might not be the actual quote contained in the story excerpted below, but that's what I took from it. I've used a lot of negative adjectives to describe Darth Cheney, so "loser" is not so bad really. I kind of like "lonely, paranoid, and frightened" too.

[Excerpt]

Wilkerson: Cheney "Lonely, Paranoid, Frightened"

The night after Colin Powell delivered his infamous argument to the United Nations justifying the invasion of Iraq, Lawrence Wilkerson, his chief of staff, sat down and wrote a letter of resignation. It was, said Wilkerson Friday, " the lowest point in my professional and my personal life."

He stuffed the letter in his desk drawer. And left it there. . .

Read more at: Huffington Post

Gen. David Petraeus on Gitmo and Torture

Image from MoveOn.org

The image in this post is from a long ago faux outrage-inducing MoveOn.org ad that Republicans ranted about for a couple of news cycles. They were aghast, appalled, disgusted that the liberal group--and by extension all liberals--would say such a thing about a great American hero.

But now that Gen. David Petraeus is on record basically echoing President Obama's sentiments on torture and Guantanamo Bay, I predict that those same people are going to begin using "Betray Us" to describe him, whattaya bet?

[Excerpt]

Petraeus Criticizes Gitmo And Torture: ‘I Don’t Think We Should Be Afraid To Live Our Values’

Last week, Gen. David Petraeus told Radio Free Europe that he supports President Obama’s decision to close the Guantanamo Bay prison and that he opposes the use of so-called “enhance interrogation techniques.” “I have long been on record as having testified and also in helping write doctrine for interrogation techniques that are completely in line with the Geneva Convention,” Petraeus said. . .

Read more at: Think Progress

The Gay Thing: A Primer

Ever since I've been writing this blog, I've wanted to address this topic in a thorough way. I've tried several times, refuting the ridiculous rantings at FreeRepublic, or with a news item of the day. But I've never been satisfied with the result. There is such disinformation out there regarding gay people, that it is difficult to know where to start.

In the online world, you'll find gay-friendly sites, where all the realities of gay people are a given. Explanations are not needed, because the people that go there already know the skinny. On anti-gay sites, disinformation, stupidity, bigotry, juvenile humor and willful ignorance rule. And their overall wrongness is so broad, tackling each level of wrong can be daunting. But I'm going to take one more stab at it, this time giving a brief "wrong" belief, followed by the reality. And I'll probably still be disappointed with the result. On we go. . .

Myth #1: Gays are out to indoctrinate or convert people, specifically children

Nope. There is no need. Heterosexuals continue to produce gay offspring. There is no shortage. Even if this were not true, a straight person cannot be "converted." A bisexual could possibly be shown that he/she is more gay than straight, but that's about it. Honestly, straight people, could you be converted? And if so, how straight are you?

As for children, that is a whole different category, distinct from homosexuality. Pedophiles exist in all sexual orientations, straight, gay and bi. They harm people that cannot legally consent. Like all kinks and 'philes, pedophilia is not a sexual orientation.

Myth #2: The Gay Agenda

Gay people are not a cabal. We don't have membership cards, and we don't go through orientation. We are as diverse as straight people, and are more loosely affiliated than most any other minority group. Nobody speaks for all gay people, and no two gay people are alike. No matter what you've read, or what sources you cite, you cannot claim that anybody or anything speaks for all gay people.

Myth #3: Gays are an insignificant minority

This one makes me laugh. While Dr. Kinsey's "10%" figure has been disputed, my belief is that it is not far from the truth. For every gay person I know, I've known of the "straight" guys who they've hooked up with. One of my best friends was a straight-guy magnet, through no fault of his own. There are a lot of "straight" guys out there who are fond of other guys.

Beyond that, any survey that gives you a 1%-2% figure, remember this: a lot of people are excluded in these surveys. 1) People who will not reveal their sexuality for a survey. 2) People who have not reconciled their own sexuality yet. 3) Bisexuals. 4) People too young to have considered the category. 5) People who are gay, but don't admit it. 6) Any other sort of rationalization.

And if gays are so insignificant, why are there legions of anti-gay websites out there? What kind of threat is such a minuscule population?

Myth #4: Gays want to shred the fabric of society

This one kills me. I've read countless posts from people who claim that same-sex marriage and gay acceptance aren't the real goals of "the gay agenda." No, we want to subvert society, rend the structures of civilization, destroy religion, and turn the country gay! Where do they get this stuff? Most gay people just want to be left alone, and be afforded the same rights as any other taxpaying citizen. We want nothing more than you have. It's the ultimate paranoid fantasy to justify homophobia.

Myth #5: The Gay "Lifestyle"

This term, as near as I can figure, stems from euphemisms used in the 70s when "gay" and "homosexual" couldn't be printed in "family" publications. It has since been latched on to by opponents (and unfortunately has entered the lexicon effectively enough to be used by actual gay people). It is a meaningless term, but it conjures the image of the promiscuous, drug-using party boys. Such people exist, and in fact many gay people do phase through it.

But it isn't the life of most gay people. Sure, many of us go through a sort of delayed adolescence, and some of us do come swinging out of the closet on a rope. But generally, we settle down into a typical--not all that different from straight folks--domesticated existence. My life is no different in any significant way from that of my heterosexual married friends. And this is true for more gay people I know than not.

Myth #6: Gay guys want to be girls/Gay girls want to be guys

Um, no. I can understand the confusion. The most noticeable gay people can feed into this misconception. Drag queens, butch lesbians, effeminate gays. All exist (and I cast no dispersions), but these folks don't necessarily want to be the opposite gender. The people that do are called "transsexuals," and you have to admit that the people that want to change their sex by surgically cutting off and/or modifying their bodies must be serious about it.

But most gay folks are just men attracted to men, or women attracted to women. No great mystery about it. You go with the one who turns your head. You can't fake it or "choose" it. This brings me to. . .

Myth #7: Being gay is a choice. Gays are not born.

This one is perhaps the most stupid. Right-wingers will claim this, though they are "100% straight" and would really have no way of knowing, right? Even though most surveys will tell you that about 95% of gay people will claim that they were "born that way," or at least had no conscious choice, right-wingers will say we're all lying.

Yes, at our last big gay meeting, we all decided to lie about it. Seriously, most gay people--if they're lucky--realize and acknowledge their sexuality right about puberty. There ain't no faking attraction. And there is no great mystery as to what causes arousal. A straight guy isn't going to look at gay porn and go, "Hey, wait a minute! That looks fun! I'm a-goin'-gay!" That's just ridiculous.

The craziest thing about this myth, is that those that hold it also often hold that they can "tell" a lesbian or a gay man by looking at them. Yes, they have "gaydar." This is cognitive dissonance at its finest. That someone could look at a Paul Lynde, Elton John or a Charles Nelson Reilly, and say at the same time, "what a flamer," and "they had a choice" ought to disprove this myth once and for all.

That's it, I'm out. Ha! Not sure if I've wrapped it all up yet, but it's a start. . .

UPDATE:

Myth #8: The gay rights effort does not compare to other civil rights struggles

This one comes up a lot, because comparisons are sometimes made to the African-American civil rights struggle, women's suffrage, etc. That is because there are analogous issues, and because gay rights issues fall into the category of "civil rights." The comparisons are not 100% perfect--as most analogies are not--but they are not apples and oranges either.

The arguments against interracial marriage--for instance--are nearly identical to those used against gay marriage. Is race the exact same thing as sexuality? Of course not. But both are immutable, and both have faced ignorance and discrimination for no good reason.

But don't trust me on the issue. I'm a white guy, raised to be a straight, Republican Christian. The only thing I still am in that list is a white guy, but I can pass for the rest. Ask a black gay person, or better yet, a black lesbian if race, gender and sexuality are analogous when discussing civil rights. I'm betting you get a high 90-percentile who would say "yes."

Star Trek My (Late) Mini Review

We don't go to see movies in the theater much anymore. There's a huge list of reasons, from the $8 matinee tickets, to the $20 popcorn bucket. Plus, with the Blu-ray player and the 55" HDTV, the six-month wait for the video is easy to justify. But sometimes, you've just got to see an event movie at the cinema, right?

I've been excited to see Star Trek, the re-boot of the venerable science fiction franchise, since I heard they were making it. They'd been talking about doing a Starfleet Academy movie forever, and this one comes pretty close to that idea. Instead, they elected to give us some backstory on the original series characters, along with a time-warp idea that links the existing Star Trek universe with a new one.

First off, let me say that the movie was a heck of a lot of fun. The Other Half even enjoyed it, and he isn't a fan of any version of Trek (except for The Next Generation). The casting was impressive, with Chris Pine completely believable as a young Capt. James T. Kirk. One can only assume that some space disease will cause Kirk to develop his. . .halting. . .speech patterns. . .at a. . .later date. Zachary Quinto (Sylar from Heroes) was just about perfect as the young Mr. Spock, though it takes a while to forget that it is Sylar!

Simon Pegg as Montgomery "Scotty" Scott is a case of good actor, not his role. He's fine (and I'm a fan), but he absolutely does not bring to mind James Doohan. The actors playing Lt. Uhura, Mr. Sulu (John Cho of Harold and Kumar) and Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy do a good job too, though are not perfect matches like Kirk and Spock.

The story is spectacular, and the movie never bores you or takes you out of your suspension of disbelief. Even the creation of a new Star Trek universe doesn't bug, at least while you're watching the film. But afterward, if you're a Trek fan like me, it will start to bother you a bit.

Star Trek has always had a (mostly) consistent mythology. Each series and film (and comic book, and novel) is interconnected, part of a larger grand epic. A story event from Deep Space Nine might resonate later in Voyager. Legions of fanboys have made near careers out of keeping the timelines straight. And now, all of the different versions are effectively wiped out, as if they never happened. Except, ironically, the least fan-favorite of all, Star Trek: Enterprise, which took place before the events of the new movie.

I'm not sure how I feel about it, though I should by now be used to it. After all, DC Comics (and presumably Marvel) has ret-conned its entire history many times. The Terminator movies and TV Show have cancelled each other out a couple of times. And movie franchises like Friday the 13th and James Bond have never kept anything resembling a coherant continuity. Somehow, I've still found a way to enjoy them. And it doesn't hurt that the new Star Trek is a fantastic, popcorn munching good time.

My review: Highly Recommended

First They End Gay Marriage, Next Stop. . .Yours?

Here's a brilliant video that puts the whole "majority rules/the people have spoken" argument in a new light. So, the California Supreme Court has decreed that the people can vote to remove marriage rights for same-sex couples? What else could the majority rule? What other rights could be voted on and taken away? This video presents only the possibilities for marriage, but I'm sure you can think of others.

Summer Glau on Dollhouse?

Image from source, TV Squad

Some of you might be saying, "aw, geez, he's going on about Dollhouse and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles again?" I know, I know. I'm still having trouble getting over the fact that the latter was cancelled, and being happy that the former has been renewed.

But this news will make fans of both shows go "squeeeeee!" Well, maybe. Fans of T:TSCC were mightily pissed at FOX-TV, and took it out (via message boards) on Joss Whedon's Dollhouse. DH fans got defensive, and sniped right back. As a fan of both, I'm just tickled that Summer Glau (who played the "nice" Terminator, Cameron) appears to be getting a role on Dollhouse! Which is crazy cool.

[Excerpt]

Joss Whedon plans to put Summer Glau on Dollhouse

I'm not sure how many people watched both Dollhouse and The Sarah Connor Chronicles, though both were on Friday nights at the end, so they probably had a lot of fans in common. If you were a fan of the latter show, this news might ease the pain of knowing that show will not be returning in the fall. . .

Read more at: TV Squad

Blast from the Past: Remote Control!

This video is a hoot. It's a 1961 ad for an amazing new invention, a color TV with a "remote control." Kids today would be confused by the non-remote sets we grew up with. We didn't even have a knob on our earliest set, it had to be turned with pliers. But my bio-dad's second wife's dad (how's that for a family tree?) had a wired remote, with two whole buttons on it.

Mom's mom had a TV with a remote too, one with six or eight buttons, including "zoom" and only three volume levels: too loud, too soft, and not quite "just right." Mom eventually had one too, and like Grandma's, it wasn't infra-red, but was controlled by high-frequency sound. Mom actually sneezed the TV on once by apparently hitting the right note! These days, we all have so many remotes, we sometimes have to buy even more to unify them. But this is how it all began. . .



The lady in this ad looks like she's been turned on by the remote, the way she fondles the TV!

Bush Still Pre-screening Questions at Events

Image from source, Think Progress

I like the web site Think Progress a lot, and link to it often. But I'll confess to linking to this one primarily for the photo! It's been a long time since I've put up a goofy picture of Chimpy McFlightsuit Commander Cuckoo Bananas George W. Bush. I miss it a little. Not enough to want him back though.

[Excerpt]

Bush still pre-screening questions at speaking events.

Throughout George W. Bush’s presidency, his handlers always made a special effort to ensure his appearances with regular Americans were scripted in such a way that shined the best possible light on Bush and his polices. Whether he was meeting troops in Iraq, leading “Ask President Bush” re-election campaign events, or trying to sell his (failed) Social Security reform plan, Bush always had a friend in the audience ready to ask a softball question or heap praise on the president. . .

Read more at: ThinkProgress

Olbermann's WTF? Moment: Republican Chrysler Conspiracy

One of the best things about shows like Countdown with Keith Olbermann and The Rachel Maddow Show, is when they skewer and utterly destroy right-wing talking points. Tonight's was about a conspiracy to close only Republican Chrysler dealerships. Olbermann rips the meme to shreds.

Sadly, these thorough obliterations of GOP ridiculousness seldom do what they are intended to do: shut down the talking point. They keep repeating the debunked stories anyway.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Fall TV Season: V (I Can't Wait!)

Image from EW

I got excited for the remake of Bionic Woman, and was let down. I watched with zero expectations when they remade Knight Rider, and had that zero met. I got really excited about the Terminator series, and was rewarded with one-and-a-half seasons of great TV, only to have it yanked away.

So you would think that when I heard that V, the classic science fiction TV mini-series/series from the eighties, was coming back to television, I'd be wary. And I am. But I'm also excited. V and V: The Final Battle were two of the most enjoyable events in sci-fi TV for me when they originally aired. The follow-up series only lasted a year, probably due to low budgets and the dreary story-telling of dramas of that era.

But the underlying storyline of all of them was compelling, and could be dynamite if done correctly. V started with a fleet of huge motherships arriving from outer space (ripped off later in Independence Day), containing a contingent of aliens promising help for all that ailed the human race. They were greeted warmly by the populace, and seemed on the surface to be all that they said. "The Visitors are our Friends," was their propaganda message, and it hid their true motives: to enslave and/or eat us all! Oh, and to steal our water.

Top that off with the fact that they were lizards under their (unconvincing in retrospect) human skins, and ate live rodents whole, and you got a whole 'nother level of creepy. The cast was great, with the evil Diana (Jane Badler), the good alien Willie (Robert Englund), the leaders of the resistance Mike (Marc Singer) and Juliette (Faye Grant). While modern special effects can fix the flaws of the 80s series, I don't know if they'll be able to match the cast. But I'll be watching, that I'm sure of.

Olbermann's WTF? Moment: John Culberson (R-TX)

Rep. John Culberson (R-TX)had himself a wandering Sarah Palin-like answer to a question about same-sex marriage. And Keith Olbermann had a blast taking him to task for it. These WTF!?! moments are a lot of fun. But what's the deal with the picture of Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons and President Barack Obama under the Las Vegas sign? There's comedy gold to be had in our doofy governor too. Maybe Olbermann had a last-minute change of topic?

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

The Young Turks on Supreme Court Nomination

Before President Obama had even picked a nominee for the Supreme Court (to replace David Souter), the right-wing noise machine had begun to attack. After Obama picked Sonia Sotomayer, they hit the ground running, throwing everything--no matter how stupid or hypocritical--at her. Here's a bit of a primer to help you sort out all of their allegations.

Proposition 8 to be Challenged Federally

Image of Ted Olson from Wikipedia

This is a very interesting development for a couple of reasons. For one, nobody expected for this to "go national" this fast. And for another, the lawyers for both sides in Bush v. Gore have teamed up to overturn California's Proposition 8. This could be great news. . .or could kill the whole idea of federally recognized same-sex marriage. Too soon? Who knows?

[Excerpt]

Bush Solicitor General Ted Olson Supporting Same Sex Marriage

President George W. Bush's first Solicitor General, Ted Olson, filed a lawsuit in US district court on May 22 to protest Prop 8, the California law banning same sex marriage. . .

Read more at: ABC News

The Gay Thing: Are Opponents Stupid, Ignorant, Confused...a Little Gay?

Grrr. I made the mistake (OK, for only the thousandth time) of checking out FreeRepublic to see what the nutty FReepers had to say about the Ted Olson/Proposition 8 story.

As is usually the case, there is widespread confusion/ignorance/stupidity on the subject of gay marriage, of gays in general, and basic logic. I'm sure some of it is willful ignorance. Some of it is the tendency of the intensely partisan to fit the facts into their worldview. Some are icked out by "the gay thing," and are trying to justify it. Others might be just a little too interested in the subject and thus must lash out for cover.

Unfortunately, the misinformation runs so deep, and in so many different directions, it is difficult to write about. I want to rebut every charge, but this post would then run the risk of never ending. So, instead, I am going to randomly pick a few quotes from FR and respond to them.

"Ted Olson has sold out... or come out."

Yeah, because every supporter of gay rights must be gay. Idiot.

"If same sex marriage becomes an actual "right" then plural marriage is sure to follow."

Why? It didn't follow from interfaith or interracial marriages. What is it about legal same-sex marriage that would automatically lead to polygamy?

"We don't need another great wedge issue dividing this country for decades."

Well, if anybody would know about wedge issues, it would be a FReeper. But I'd counter that after same-sex marriage has been legal a few years, people will stop caring--or even thinking--about the issue anymore.

"No one is denying homosexuals the right to marry a person of the opposite sex."

Sure, I could go marry a woman. Maybe have kids. Then after years of a loveless/sexless marriage, I'd probably leave her for a guy, or she'd leave me for a guy, or we'd both just remain unhappy. And people like this guy would then fault me either way. The argument is ridiculous.

"I think this will be bigger than Roe because adults do not want their children endangered by homosexuals."

What danger? What the hell are you talking about? I don't have kids, hell I don't even like most kids.

". . .when homosexual coitus can produce babies then homosexual unions meet the basic qualification for marriage. . ."

Because you can't get married unless you intend (and are able) to have children, and you can't have babies unless you're legally married. Right? Idiot.

"Homosexuals cannot be monogamous. Mono-'gamy' denotes a biological procreation homosexuals are incapable of with each other."

You're pissed at me for redefining "marriage," but then you go ahead and redefine "monogamy?" Unbelievable.

"If they let queers marry they open the door to anything and everything."

You obviously are unaware that slippery slope arguments are inherently illogical. Oh, and you are also unbelievable paranoid (or excited, it's hard to tell).

"It’s not about “equal rights” as much as it is about destroying the concept of the traditional family."

What secret meeting did you go to where "the gays" discussed this, and set it at the top of the "agenda?" Because they forgot to invite me. Seriously, this "destroying the family" crap is just that, a load of crap, only believed by arch right-wingers like this guy. And I thought the previous one was paranoid.

There is so much more, but once again I grow weary. Oddly enough, this particular topic was much less offensive than usual, if you can believe it.

Read more (if you dare) at: FreeRepublic.

Bad Idea: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Remake

Photo from source, TV Squad

Hollywood has had some bad ideas. But remaking Buffy the Vampire Slayer without creator Joss Whedon or any of the cast or writers of the cult TV series has to top the list.

Fran Rubel Kuzui was involved in getting the original movie version made, and that film--while enjoyable on some levels--was far from the success the TV series later became. And though Kuzui and her husband were not involved in the TV show or the spinoff, Angel, they got executive producer credits on every episode anyway for contractual reasons. This has given them something of an unsavory reputation from fans.

So now, Kuzui wants to remake the original movie to get a few more dollars apparently. And while the remake might snare the occasional Buffy viewer, most fans would shun it like the plague. Since those people would constitute the target audience, what would be the point? All it would do is sour the prospects of a proper follow-up to the series--something that would secure the Kuzuis money for nothing. Let's hope this one never makes it to the screen.

[Excerpt]

A Buffy remake without Joss?

It looks like Roy Lee and Doug Davison of Vertigo Entertainment are working with original movie director Fran Rubel Kuzui, the director of the original movie, to create a remake of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The trick is, they're not involving the creator or any of the original cast of the television series. In fact, they're not even basing it on the television series. . .

Read more at: TV Squad

Still Waiting for the Green Lantern Movie!

I wrote a piece about one of the Movies I Can't Wait to See, DC Comics' Green Lantern many months ago. I'm still waiting. While Marvel Comics brings hit after hit (and not a few clunkers) to the screen, DC hasn't been so successful. Maybe corporate parent Warner Brothers has too many cooks in the kitchen or something.

A fan has taken it upon himself to make his own "coming soon" trailer for a Green Lantern movie, and I've got to say it's pretty impressive. This version would star Firefly's Nathan Fillion. I recognize several of the clips used here from Star Trek to Superman Returns. But this is a pretty amazing job! It has me sold on the idea.

Bizarre Right-Wing Reasons to Prohibit Gay Marriage

Image from CafePress

Wow. Just wow. I've done a lot of punishing reading of right-wing sites regarding the issue of same-sex marriage. In fact, going back perhaps 15 or more years, I have participated in online arguments on the subject. I've encountered astonishing stupidity and/or ignorance on the subject. I've been assaulted with religious condemnation. I've seen the ridiculously juvenile "junior high school"-level insults and "humor." I've been insulted by being compared to animals, pedophiles and all manner of 'philes.

Through it all, the single most amazing thing is, these supposed heterosexuals are allegedly more knowledgeable about all things "gay" than me, an actual gay person. After all of that, you'd think I'd have seen everything. Not so. The following collection of reasons against same-sex marriage is as impressive for its originality as it is for its jaw-dropping stupidity and general ickiness.

[Excerpt]

The Weekly Standard On Opposition To Gay Marriage

In the annals of idiotic reasons for opposing gay marriage, is this cream of the crap explanation from The Weekly Standard -- it's not because they think homosexuality is icky or because the Bible tells them so, but believe it or not, by the end of the article you'll wish it was. . .

Read on, and be amazed at: DailyKos

"Mancow" on Olbermann About Waterboarding Experience

I have very little knowledge about right-wing "shock jock" Erich "Mancow" Muller. I don't even know why a media personality would want to be known by such an odd nickname. But I know that a lot of right-wingers are fans of this dude. And that he's repudiated their notion that waterboarding is not torture. So, he'll probably land in the slag heap with Colin Powell.

Gen. David Petraeus Agrees Guantanamo Should Be Closed

Photo from source, Think Progress

I wonder what right-wingers will have to say about one of their heroes aligning with President Obama?

[Excerpt]

Petraeus agrees with Obama: It’s time to close Guantanamo and end torture.

In an interview this past weekend with Radio Free Europe, Gen. David Petraeus said that he supports President Obama’s decision to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility and opposes the use of enhanced interrogation techniques. . .

Read more at: Think Progress

ACLU Speaks Out About California's Proposition 8

Good clip. Watch.

President Obama Picks Sonia Sotomayor for Supreme Court

OK, here's the deal: I don't care who President Obama picks for the Supreme Court. Unless he's nominated the equivelant of Harriet Miers, or even worse Antonin Scalia, I'm cool with it.

But it is an important news item, and a historic pick. So I'm just going to go with video here.

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Proposition 8 Decided: Split Decision

Today, the long-awaited decision by the California Supreme Court regarding last November's Proposition 8 was finally handed down. The surprise was that it wasn't all that surprising a result. The Court upheld the misguided vote by the people to strip marriage rights from gay people. But they also decided that the 18,000+ same-sex marriages that had already taken place would be allowed to stand.

Which places yours truly in a category I've never sought: a recipient of "special rights." The Other Half and I got married in Palm Springs almost a year ago. And while I would have continued to wear my wedding ring in any event, I'm relieved that it still represents a legally valid marriage in an increasing number of states. But it puts me in an odd category. I hold a right that no further gay person will be allowed to hold in California as the law currently stands.

Of course, there will be further challenges to the new status quo. Gay rights activists plan to put another ballot initiative to a vote, and good for them. Oddly, it compounds the already flawed system of voting on the rights of a group of citizens. I think most people had previously understood that voting on minority rights just isn't how we usually do things in America. There's the whole "tyranny of the majority" thing. Civil rights might never have been passed for African Americans--for example--if they had been put to a vote in the 1960s.

So, there will probably be a hew and cry by "Yes on 8" activists who started this whole thing. They'll likely shout "the people have spoken," and accuse their opposition of trying to reverse "settled law." But you see, this whole flawed system was exploited by the Yes on 8ers. And there is no prohibition about trying again. If anything, the new initiative will have a stronger leg to stand on, since people like me enjoy a right that other people cannot. Plus, it may shine a light on the absurdity of California's initiative process. So a disappointing day in this long war may end up being a turning point for future success. All in my opinion, of course.

Milestone: 5,000 Posts!

Wow! I didn't think I'd get here! 5,000 posts is quite a milestone for Greenlee Gazette, I'll tell you. My three goals have been 2 years, 5,000 posts and 100,000 visits. Well, two years is just a few days away, 5,000 posts have just happened, and 100,000 visits. . .well, that could measure months away. But two out of three ain't bad.

Over the next several weeks, I'll have to decide what I want to do with the blog. Do I want to continue full strength? Do I want to do a "lite" version, where I just post a couple of posts per day? Do I want to take a break? I'm really not sure. Giving up the blog would be difficult--I'm enjoying it too much. But the constant blogging does take a toll. So, I guess we'll see. I may decide to take a sabbatical, or at least draw the blog back to a sporadic type of thing. Time will tell.

For now, I intend to go full strenth until June 2, which is my two-year anniversary. Beyond that, I'll play it by ear. In the mean time, thank you for reading. And bring your friends! It could make all the difference.

Susan Boyle's Semi-final Video

One of the hardest things as a blogger to do, is to find something interesting to post the day after a long holiday weekend. Nothing interesting seems to happen on a holiday weekend. So since this seems to be the case today, here is something new for you--OK, maybe not you, but for most people.

In fact, probably millions of people have seen this video already. But so be it. This is primarily for The Other Half anyway. If you enjoy it, all the better.

Susan Boyle - Memories (Britains Got Talent - Semi Final)
Uploaded by Susan-Boyle. - Music videos, artist interviews, concerts and more.

UPDATE: In a completely silly coincidence, the picture of Susan Boyle in this video resembles greatly the image of Newt Gingrich in my previous post!

Top 10 Conservative Idiots, May 26, 2009

I usually start the week with a link to Democratic Underground's "Top 10 Conservative Idiots" column, when there is one to link to. And I didn't expect there to be one today, due to the holiday. But in a pleasant surprise, here it is! Enjoy.

[Excerpt]

The Top 10 Conservative Idiots, No. 365
May 25, 2009
Lie Of Newt Edition

Just when you thought you'd seen the last of them, Newt Gingrich (1) and Dick Cheney (2) rear their ugly heads. Elsewhere, Michael Steele (3) and The RNC (4,5) plan a big comeback. . .

Read the list at: Democratic Underground

UPDATE: In a completely silly coincidence, the picture of Newt Gingrich at the top of this post resembles greatly the image of Susan Boyle in my very next post!

Happy Memorial Day

Image from StraightArrowBison

I, like many Americans, have today off. And other than the possibility of finally seeing the new Star Trek movie, I have nothing on the agenda. I suppose part of today is supposed to be spent on paying remembrance to those military men who have lost their lives in the defense of the country. But I come from a family who hasn't had any of those in at least 100 years.

Of course I am grateful to those who have. But I'm only able to have a vague thanks because of absolutely no experience with these things. But for some reason, I did start thinking of times past. Now that I can measure my life in decades rather than just years, I've been thinking back in increments of 10.

In 1979 I was 13 years old. I remember that there was a (now famous) malaise blanketing the country. The economy wasn't so good, and not very many people were happy with President Jimmy Carter. A lot of time was spent talking about rising interest rates. Homes--which by today's standards were pretty cheap--were difficult to buy because of the jacked up interest.

Music kind of blew at this point, with the death of disco, and no suitable replacement on the horizon. The escapist fare on TV was growing stale. Star Wars had come and gone, but the sequel had not yet been released. Everybody just seemed bummed out. 1980 would bring a new (sort of illusory) dawn with Ronald Reagan, whose presence on the scene was not altogether unlike Barack Obama's. For all of the conservative mockery of Obama's "anointed one" reputation, Reagan's wasn't all that different.

Ten years went by, and by 1989 we were in another malaisy-type time. Another recession. Reagan was history and George H.W. Bush wasn't all that inspiring. Music, movies and TV were a bit better though. Unlike today, politics did not seem to overpower everything else. It was there--with the Iran-Contra hearings and such--but I don't remember deep divisions between people who called themselves Democrats or Republicans. People seemed more likely to think that, hey, the other side won. But it's only for four or eight years, and then the other side gets a shot. It didn't seem like the very existence of the United States was on the line, one way or another.

1999 is of course a little easier to envision. We'd finally hit the magic year when we were supposed to be in air cars or jetpacks. But the world wasn't all that different yet. Bill Clinton was pretty popular, even after the Monica Lewinsky fiasco. The ruckus being raised by people like Rush Limbaugh seemed pretty fringy. Opposition to the President all seemed to have an air of the ridiculous. The economy seemed to be just fine, terrorism was known but not exactly terrifying. It rated somewhere between a typical plane crash and a natural disaster.

The common wisdom that politics and religion were topics that could get you into hot water were well known, but didn't carry anywhere near the same weight they do now. When, the next year, Al Gore faced off against George W. Bush, the gravity of the decision just wasn't there. It was a typically right-vs.-left decision, with the attendant sniping of course. But the crushing "national security" weight of it didn't really occur to us.

Wouldn't it be something if we could send a message back somehow, with the high and low points of what has happened? I'm not talking so much about specifics, just some way to tell our former selves that these decisions were more important than we thought. That the whole "restoring dignity to the White House" meme wasn't only unimportant in the scheme of things, but that it wasn't gonna happen any time soon.

Anyway, this is a meandering, rather pointless post I suppose. That'll happen when you write after enjoying a Memorial Day pool party fueled by malt liquor. So I'll just wrap it up right here and wish you all a great holiday.

Sunday Roundup, Pt. 2

Aaaand, now we're on to FOX "News" Sunday. It's not a news show, and probably doesn't belong in this category. Except that Meet the Press has fallen to FOX's level, evening things out a bit. But MTP has nothing on FOX when it comes to a naked partisan agenda. It couldn't be clearer when watching the show who the "us" and who the "them" are.

The big first issue here is again Guantanamo Bay, and the canard that "terr'ists" would be "released" into the United States. This is such a deeply idiotic point, it even seems beneath Chris Wallace. But no, he goes there. Republicans on this show and others are ignoring that George W. Bush and John McCain both talked about closing Gitmo. Republicans all seem to think now, that the prison is just terrific, has some sort of dampening field for all of the terr'ists' super-villain powers, and is the only way to keep the prisoners from moving in next door.

Wallace has a very similar line of attack to David Gregory, but even more shallow, if possible. It's all about "Cheney said/Obama said/who's right?" There is no depth, no insight to the questions or the answers by the guests. Why do I watch these shows? Why?

Today's trend: Republicans mentioning terrorist attacks of the past, like Khobar Towers, the 1993 World Trade Center attack, the U.S.S. Cole, etc. Forgetting, perhaps, that some of the perpetrators are currently in US prisons. Oh, and be afraid, be very afraid.

FOX has trumped the irrelevance of Newt Gingrich on NBC by featuring Karl Rove, a man of zero integrity and undetectable credibility. I'm not sure if there is another person besides Dick Cheney that inspires such revulsion in me, just sitting there making utterances without shackles on their hands and feet. But I digress. . .

"Power Panel" time! Every time I type that phrase, I wonder who at FOX finds these people "powerful." Except for Cheshire Cat William Kristol, the panel is all understudies this week. No Brit Hume, no Juan Williams, not even that dark haired lady with the tiny forehead. Curiously, both of the "liberal" panelists come from areas that don't seem thoroughly liberal to me, The Washington Post, and Fortune Magazine. I mean you've got these two up against a guy from The Weekly Standard (a straight-up partisan magazine) and Bill freakin' Kristol. Still, I guess the usual "liberal" panelists are both from NPR, so things haven't changed much. On FOX, extreme partisans on the right are "balanced" with center-right/center-leftists. I'm listening to Nina Easton right now--the "liberal"--taking issue with Obama for mentioning that he'd inherited much of what is on his plate. WTF, Nina?

More dumb stuff about "releasing terrorists" into our streets. More dumb Cheney vs. Obama speech stuff. Some crystal ball gazing about Obama's Supreme Court pick. All of it speculative (which is all these panels can do, I guess), and none of it consequential. Everything said by every panelist could be dead wrong, and they will all still be asked back to chatter more in the future. I really might stop watching this crap. Oh, and the FOX "Power Player of the Week?" Who cares? It's about as meaningful as being on a "Who's Who" list.

This week, there will be no more political show watching for me. This Week with George Stephanopolous is pre-empted until late in the day (when I'll be at a party), and as usual, Face the Nation with Bob Schieffer is on at the exact same time as the two shows I watched. Sorry, Bob, my DVR won't record three shows at once!

Sunday Roundup, Pt. 1

OK, first up, on Meet the Press with David Gregory we've got Dick Durbin for the Democratic side (in front of an incredibly fake-looking bookcase) and Kermit the Frog Newt Gingrich for the Republicans. Seriously. Newt.

Why is this man still being trotted out? Who is he any more? Why are his ideas relevant? For all of this stupid "pre-9/11 mentality" talk from the right, Gingrich has got an "immediately post-9/11 mentality." He still talks like people did right after, when they were still shell shocked. And he says stupid things like Guantanamo Bay should stay open for the duration of the "war." 'Til terrorism is gone. Well, that's just brilliant, Newt! And he still has delusions that he could ever be elected president in the United States.

And seriously, my assessment of Gregory still stands: he's got no depth. The bulk of his questions are along the lines of, "Speaker Pelosi on blah blah date said blah blah. Do you agree with that assessment? Does she owe blah blah an apology?" It's all so surfacey. Just chatter.

In the round table segment, there's still the distraction of Pelosi in this whole torture story, which as at least a week past when we should even be talking about it. I liked seeing Eugene Robinson, and Chuck Todd on the panel. There was a little more variety there from the usual faces. But in all, this week's show could have been broadcast last week. Not much there there.

Jimmy Kimmel's This Week in Unnecessary Censorship

I love these things!

No Liberty at Liberty University

While I am surprised a progressive/liberal/Democrat would want to go to Jerry Falwell's Liberty University, this story is still sort of shocking. The super-Jesusy college has banned official recognition of a Democratic club, deeming them incompatible with their mission. Or something. Ridiculous.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Blast from the Past: Shock Treatment: "Bitchin' in the Kitchen"

I'm on a Rocky Horror Picture Show/Shock Treatment kick this morning, so, what the hell? Here is my favorite song from the sequel.

Blast from the Past: Shock Treatment

Did you know there was a sequel to The Rocky Horror Picture Show called Shock Treatment?

Well, most people don't. But it did happen, and the music was particularly fun. So why not take a look?

Blast from the Past: Meatloaf Paradise by the Dashboard Light

Back when I used to go to The Rocky Horror Picture Show in Columbus, Ohio at Graceland, one of my favorite parts of the evening was the pre-show. Usually, that meant some Tim Curry or Meat Loaf videos. And Paradise by the Dashboard Light was one of the best.

The clip does not include the "will you offer your thoat to the wolf with the red roses" part, but it'll do. . .

Blast from the Past: Tim Curry Paradise Garage

OK, so I'm on a Rocky Horror Picture Show kick. After Tim Curry's I Do the Rock, I remembered that he had another cool video (often played before RHPS) called Paradise Garage. I thought you might enjoy it too. So, here you go.

Blast from the Past: Tim Curry I Do the Rock

While writing about Charlie's Angels, earlier, I remembered a fantastic song by Tim Curry, star of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. In his song "I Do the Rock," he mentions the stars of the show, and it has always been one of my favorite songs. They used to play this at the theater before The Rocky Horror Picture Show. So here you go. . .



Lyrics:

Edith Sitwell giving readings
14 Moscow Road
Osbert's giving champagne parties
Sachie's got a cold
Gertrude's hanging pictures
Alice making tea
Me, I do the only thing that still makes sense to me
I Do the RockI Do the Rock Rock
John and Yoko farming beef
Raising protein quota
Sometimes they make love and art
Inside the Coda
Rodney's feeling sexy
Mick is really frightfully bold
Me, I do the only thing that stops me growing old
I Do the RockI Do the Rock RockI Do the Rock Rock Rock
It's stimulating
Solzhenitzin feels exposed
Built a barbed-wire prison
Nietzsche's six feet under
But his babies' still got rhythm
Einstein's celebrating ten decades
But I'm afraid philosophy is just too much responsibility for me
I Do the RockI Do the Rock
Baby Ruth and Dizzy Dean
Best and Colin Cowdrey
Little Mo, Virginia Wade
Pistol Pete and O.J.
I've always liked Di Maggio
And Rockne's pretty Knute you know
I could never whack a ball with such velocity
I Do the RockI Do the RockI Do the Rock
It's stimulatingI'm a keen student
Liz and Dick and Britt and Liza
Jaclyn, Kate and Farrah
Meg and Roddy, John Travolta
Governor Brown and Linda
Interview and People Magazine
Miss Rona and the Queen
It must be really frightful to attract publicity
I Do the Rock
Myself
Carter, Begin and Sadat
Brezhnev, Teng and Castro
Everyday negotiate us closer to disastro
Idi Amin and the ShahAnd Al Fatah is quite Bizarre
I could never get the hang of ideology
I Do the RockI Do the RockI Do the Rock
Sunshine

Weekend Frivolity: Jaclyn, Kate and Farrah

Image from BittenAndBound

I'm enjoying my second weekend of Charlie's Angels season one. And I'm struck by the fact that all of the original angels have had cancer scares. It seems profoundly unfair, and statistically unlikely that all of them had to deal with that. Jaclyn Smith and Kate Jackson both had breast cancer (years ago), and seem to have come through it. Farrah Fawcett (Majors) has had worse luck, as the NBC documentary has shown us all. I'll continue to hope for a miracle for her, as she seems to be a very nice and sweet person. Not that anyone deserves a horrible disease, mind you.

The first season DVDs are far more enjoyable than you'd think. Sure, it's a silly 70s crime series, with all of the "TV tropes" cliches. But the girls had an undeniable chemistry. And the show is more than the sum of its parts. Aside from the fun "hey, I know them!" celebrity sightings (like Kim Basinger, Richard Mulligan, Tom Selleck and more), we find a group of actors who can rise above their material. Farrah can be coy and fun. Jaclyn exudes a knowing quality. Kate seems smart and perky no matter what she's doing. And even David Doyle as Bosley comes across as a very competent overseer to the girls. As dumb as the show is on the surface, there's a lot going on here. Only John Forsythe's Charlie seems irredeemable. The girls' comments to him seem like gentle-hearted pity.

Farrah Fawcett only got her proper credit as an actress after The Burning Bed, and Extremities. But all of the original Angels rose above their material. For all of the hair flipping and contrivances, they all come off as natural and realistic. I can only hope that the other angels (Shelley Hack, Cheryl Ladd and Tanya Roberts) have had better luck, health-wise.

Right-wing Radio Host Endures Waterboarding: It's Torture

Keith Olbermann proclaimed Sean Hannity irrelevant yesterday. As though we didn't already know that. But Hannity's agreement to be waterboarded for charity--now nearly one month old--has gone unheeded. At least by Hannity himself. Fellow right-wing radio host "Mancow" underwent the procedure, lasted a whopping 6 seconds under controlled conditions, and declared the procedure "torture." Hannity remains a coward, and Olbermann will be sending his charity money to someone else. Damn, I'd have like to seen Hannity in any sort of duress.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Bill Maher's New Rules, May 22, 2009

Always entertaining. See what you think.

Dick Cheney: "Stuff Happens." Play Him Off, Keyboard Cat!

There will come a time when the "Play him off, Keyboard Cat" thing is no longer funny. But we're not there yet.

Why Does Karl Rove Get Any Respect?

Photo from Wikipedia

The excerpted article below asks a very good question. Why in the world does Karl Rove--hey, "Christian" is literally his middle name--have even a shred of credibility? He lied and schemed for his whole career, committing ethical and most probably violations of the law as a matter of course. He's a detestible toady, who even to his biggest supporters is known as "Turdblossom" or "Rove, you magnificent bastard." They love his scumminess.

Rove's policies have been proven wrong, and even worse, his predictions and pronouncements are regularly proven wrong as well. He's got a horrible track record. Still, people keep asking his opinion. Hell, they pay for it. I suppose this isn't entirely uncommon. Pundits like Bill Kristol, Brit Hume, Mort Kondrake, Charles Krauthammer (and so many others) are quite regularly wrong. And the lord, god, king Mr. Wrong of all time--Dick Cheney--still gives speeches that are covered by all of the cable news channels live.

Wouldn't it be nice to have a career you could suck really bad at, and still get gigs?

[Excerpt]

Karl Rove, Super Genius

Karl Rove has a regular Wall Street Journal column. He's a Fox News contributor. Newsweek hired him as a contributor. As Gloria Borger said in 2007: "[W]hen Rove speaks, the political class pays attention -- usually with good reason."

But it is increasingly clear that there isn't really any "good reason" to pay attention to what Rove says. . .

Read more at: Media Matters

Rachel Maddow Ponders Obama's "Prolonged Detention"

Listening to President Obama's speech yesterday, you could be forgiven for missing a whopper of a Presidential overreach. Unprecedented, actually, even considering the goober that was in there previously. That's why I'm glad we have Rachel Maddow. Nothing gets past her.

On a side note, next time someone mentions MSNBC or its hosts being slavishly pro-Obama, show them this video.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Frivolity Break: Cat in a Suitcase. . .Attack!

If you've ever left your suitcase out, and you have a cat, then your cat has been on it and in it. Guaranteed.

Ron Reagan's Rush Limbaugh Rant

Photo from (ha!) FOX "News"

I meant to post this yesterday. I heard Ron Reagan's show yesterday, and this bit really made me laugh. Remember, this is from the son of "Saint Ronnie of the Gipper." And Rush Limbaugh really deserved it.

[Excerpt]

Reagan Slams Rush

"Limbaugh hasn't had a natural erection since the Nixon Administration; think he's compensating for something? Now, I wouldn't pick on him for any of this stuff, not his blubbiness, not his man-boobs, not his inability to have a natural erection—none of that stuff—to me, off limits until! until! Mr. Limbaugh, you turn that sort of gun on somebody else—once you start doing that, you're fair game, fat boy. Absolutely, you jiggly pile of mess. You're just fair game, and you're going to get it, too."

From: The Stranger

Obama and Cheney: Dueling Speeches in 100 Seconds

To spare you from watching two interminable speeches (The President's was good, but long. Cheney's. . .ugh), here's a very quick recap!

Steven Weber on Dick Cheney, Seditionist

Image from Democratic Underground

Hot on the heels of Keith Olbermann's Special Comment on Dick Cheney tonight, is this terrific post by actor Steven Weber from The Huffington Post. I've featured excerpts of Weber's work on the blog before, because he writes like I only wish I could. And he's done it again.

[Excerpt]

Who Is Dick Cheney? Questions and Answers

. . .He is exercising his right to express himself. But given the responsibility inherent in having served high profile terms in government and given the content of his recent pronouncements set against the current instability of the economy at home and abroad he is, in the exercise of that right, practicing nothing less than sedition. . .

Read more at: Huffington Post

Keith Olbermann's Special Comment on Dick Cheney

Keith Olbermann ditched his lighthearted WTF!?! segment tonight in favor of his much more serious Special Comment feature. The subject was Dick Cheney, and his umpteenth re-spinning of his defense for the war in Iraq, and "enhanced interrogation techniques" (torture). It's a doozy, and well worth your time. Just watch.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Religion Tropes: Explaining the Major Religions

I tried but couldn't find the original source for this brilliant analogy, but will be happy to provide attribution if anyone knows. As a fan of "tv tropes" and the idioms and conventions of pop culture, this analogy explaining religions hit me as just perfect. See what you think.

No, Muslims don't believe that Jesus was the messiah.

Think of it like a movie. The Torah is the first one, and the New Testament is the sequel.

Then the Koran comes out, and it retcons the last one like it never happened. There's still Jesus, but he's not the main character anymore, and the messiah hasn't shown up yet.

Jews like the first movie but ignored the sequels. Christians think you need to watch the first two, but the third movie doesn't count. Muslims think the third one was the best.

Mormons like the second one so much that they started writing fan-fiction that doesn't fit with any of the series canon.

Source: Ask 500 People

What if Obama Nominated Jesus to the Supreme Court?

This video spoof is probably not too far off. After all, before there were even any "short lists" to speculate about, Republicans were already speaking out against whomever President Obama might nominate.

Frivolity Break: Whack-A-Kitty!

So cute and sweet it will hurt your teeth.

Glenn Beck, Lying Sack of Dog Mess

Earlier, I said "No one but no one deserves a skewering more than Rush Limbaugh." I may have spoken too soon. Limbaugh has been around for 20 years after all, and there is probably nothing that could be said about him that would even make an impact. Glenn Beck is a much more recent creation, or rather, his popularity has ascended recently. We are in real danger of Beck filling Rush's enormous chair if his bubble isn't popped.

Leave it to the ladies at The View to show what a clod he really is. I'm not a fan of the show at all (though I love a few of the ladies individually). And how close do you think Whoopi Goldberg came to full-on Tourette's when she called Beck a "lying sack of dog mess?" I'll fondly remember a scene from Jumpin' Jack Flash while you watch this. . .