Friday, April 30, 2010

Nancy Pelosi Pushing Obama on Don't Ask, Don't Tell


Image from The Daily Beast

I've often wondered what President Obama (and prominent Democrats in general) really think of gay people. I suspect that privately, they haven't got much of an issue with the subject.  And publicly, they have to tap dance. They have to say enough of the "right things" to get us to vote for them, but they can't do too much, or they risk alienating potential voters who do have a problem with gay people.

In that way, gay people share an uncomfortable similarity within their primary party that evangelicals do in theirs.  Once gay people help Democrats win office, they usually throw us a bone or two. Maybe even a juicy one. But the big stuff? Well, they'd like to pass that. . .it's the right thing to do. . .but now is not the time.  Like with Don't Ask, Don't tell: it has to be studied for a year. What is to study? It's a black-or-white, no shades of gray, yes-or-no question. You either let the policy stand, or you get rid of it.  And right now, they don't really want to move on it, or so it would appear.

Luckily, some Democrats have recently found their spines (or orb-like body parts), and seem to think that November be damned, they're going to get some stuff done.  It's a good strategy, in my opinion. No matter what the Democrats do, they will be portrayed as Satan's minions by the right. So, they might as well do what we sent them there to do.  And whether Democrats deem gay causes to be top-shelf issues or not, they can't really afford to dismiss the gay vote.

[Excerpt]

Pelosi calls for Obama to stop discharging gay servicemembers immediately

“We all look forward to the report on the review of the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy by the Defense Department. In the meantime, the Administration should immediately place a moratorium on dismissals under this policy until the review has been completed and Congress has acted. . .”

Read more at: AmericaBlog

Rachel Maddow Fact Checks FAIR Interview

I told you yesterday about Rachel Maddow's contentious interview with Dan Stein of FAIR.  It was difficult to ascertain who the "winner" was, if there is a winner in an interview. Even Rachel had trouble with what to call it, settling for "discussion."  What is clear is that Stein was being evasive and untruthful. To be blunt, he was lying.

More Craziness from Arizona: No Ethnic Studies, No English Teachers with Accents

Image from source, Huffington Post


And the craziness from Arizona just keeps coming. I've got to say, this no English teachers with accents thing could be a real problem.  What about teachers from Louisiana, Maine, Alabama or Kentucky? Some American accents are almost impenetrable to people not from those regions. Under these rules, George W. Bush couldn't be an English teacher. Or Sarah Palin, also.

[Excerpt]

Arizona Ethnic Studies Classes Banned, Teachers With Accents Can No Longer Teach English

Arizona's new immigration law is just about crime, its supporters say, but given that the state's new education policy equates ethnic studies programs with high treason, they may not be using the commonly accepted definition of "crime. . ."

Read more at: Huffington Post

Thanks to my friend Tracy for the link.

Arizona Targeting "Human-Animal Hybrids"

Image from source, Politico

Are you kidding me? What the hell is going on in Arizona? I do not support man/bear/pigs or any other exotic combinations of people and the animal kingdom. But who does? Too weird for words, man.

[Excerpt]

Arizona legislature targets 'human-animal hybrids'

The Arizona state Senate on Thursday passed a bill making it illegal for a person to “intentionally or knowingly creating a human-animal hybrid.”



The bill, which passed 16 to 12, would prohibit anyone in the state from “creating or attempting to create an in vitro human embryo by any means other than fertilization of a human egg by a human sperm. . .”

Read more at: Politico

Thanks to Stupid Monkey Planet for the link.

Nevada Considering Taxing Odometers?

Everybody hates taxes. And it seems almost inconceivable that Nevada's wacky Governor Jim Gibbons would even consider levelling a new one. Let alone one crazier than he is. This despite the fact that Gibbons was handed a surplus (unless I'm misremembering my local history), and is currently presiding over a state with a huge shortfall.  I can't think of anything that could be taxed that assaults the feeling of "freedom" than our cars. Maybe hookers?

Anyway, this is one tax that would have very little impact on yours truly.  My 12-year-old Jeep had only 51,000 miles on it when I traded it in.  I travel about 16 miles a day. So they're not going to be hitting the jackpot on me.

[Excerpt]

Nevada Officials Consider Fees on Miles Driven


Nevada officials are studying a controversial proposal that would impose a tax on drivers based on the number of miles they drive.


The Nevada Department of Transportation is considering a fee on vehicle miles traveled or VMT. In short, the more miles you drive, the more you pay. Highways and bridges would get more money, but the odometer on your car would essentially be a tax bill from Uncle Sam. . .

Read more at: 8NewsNow

Thanks to Stupid Monkey Planet for the link.

Drill Baby Drill Becomes Spill Baby Spill


Image from source, Huffington Post

I know, I know, President Obama recently committed to offshore oil exploration, so this is not exclusively a Republican thing. But Obama didn't have "drill baby, drill!" as a campaign motto like the GOP did in 2008. And Obama didn't declare that "study" was unnecessary, and that we just need to drill here, drill now, like Sarah Palin (R-Facebook) recently did.  The disaster is still growing, and I cannot claim schadenfreude on this one. Still, it bears pointing out that the mindless, simplistic drilling "solution" was misguided.  If anything good comes of this, I hope that offshore drilling be regulated so that no deep water drilling happens ever again unless there is a contingency plan to deal with deep water cleanup.

[Excerpt]

'Drill, Baby, Drill' Champions Silent On Gulf Oil Spill

More than a week has passed since the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded 50 miles off the Louisiana coast, killing 11 workers, injuring over a dozen more, and causing a massive oil spill that may eclipse the Exxon Valdez.


Yet the two most prominent political champions of offshore drilling -- Sarah Palin and Michael Steele -- appear not to have uttered a word about the incident. . .

Read more at: Huffington Post

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Rachel Maddow Grills President of FAIR

Something I really like about The Rachel Maddow Show, is how she prods the underbelly of the big stories, digging underneath to see who the players are, and what they're up to.  A lot of those players like being more anonymous, and really don't like it when she does that.  In the case of FAIR (Federation for American Immigration Reform), a group that helped form the recent draconian immigration law in Arizona, there are some decidedly hinky characters behind the scenes. Rachel interviewed Dan Stein, the President of FAIR on Thursday's show, and it was contentious, to say the least.

Stein didn't like the fact that Rachel kept bringing up people tied to FAIR who are racist or worse, and protested vociferously. "Guilt by association!" he bellowed at one point. Really?  The founder of the organization, who sits on the board of directors is not relevant?  Rachel had lots and lots of research on her side. Stein didn't like where she allegedly got her information, and said it was all wrong. But he had a very difficult time pointing out how it was wrong.

I've seen people like Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly throw around "guilt by association" charges (Bill Ayers, anyone?) with far less to allege.  Say what you will about Rachel, she's damned good at what she does.  It's hard to say that she won the "debate" since Stein wasn't exactly playing along.  But it was entertaining television.


SyFy (The Sci-Fi Channel) Doesn't Need Nerdy Sci-Fi Fans Anymore

Image from source, MSNBC
Obviously, there is a boob in charge of SyFy.  First, they picked that ridiculous name when Sci-Fi Channel was perfectly serviceable. Then, they added wrestling to their line-up. Now, they've turned Friday nights--a death slot for the networks, but a boon for shows like Battlestar Galactica on SyFy--into a wrasslin' extravaganza.  So they're basically Spike now?  I just want to know what they're going to do with Eureka, their single best show ever.

On a side note, I find it very, very strange that professional wrestling continues to draw a sizable audience after all of these years. It's a good thing IQ points don't count in the ratings.
[Excerpt]

So long, nerds! Syfy doesn’t need you

Presumably fulfilling its post-rebranding promise to “Imagine Greater,” the former Sci Fi Channel — now known as Syfy — has imagined its way right out of the niche that made the cable network.



Forget about space operas, tech dramas or B-movie monsters (except for “Mega Piranha” — never forget “Mega Piranha”), programming shake-ups reveal Syfy is ready to live up to its theme-less new name. If the recent announcement that “Top Chef” alum Marcel Vigneron would be joining the network for a cooking show called “Marcel’s Quantum Kitchen” wasn’t proof enough, Syfy’s acquisition of “Friday Night SmackDown” should be. . .

Read more: MSNBC

Dave Foley, Prophet, Predicted Glenn Beck Show 16 Years Ago!

Dave Foley is one of my favorite comics, from the genius The Kids in the Hall to the quirky NewsRadio.  Thanks to Countdown with Keith Olbermann via Twitter, we now know that in addition to being hilarious, Foley is also a prophet.  Check it out.



Posted specially for my sister, Jen, who I don't call nearly often enough.

Tancredo on President Obama's Birth Certificate

Image from source, Think Progress

Bingo, Tom. You got it. And it's working.

[Excerpt]

Tancredo’s Conspiracy Theory: Obama Hides His Birth Certificate To Stir Up The Right And Make Us Look Crazy

During a speech in 2008, Michelle Obama mentioned her husband’s famous trip to Kenya in 2006 and referred to it as his “home country,” most likely referring to the fact that he has immediate ancestral ties there. Video of the comment recently surfaced on YouTube, sending the far-right birther movement into a frenzy. . .

Read more at: Think Progress

Glenn Beck Loses 1/3 of His Audience

Image from azjamon

Awwww, what a shame. Don't cry, Glenn!

[Excerpt]

Glenn Beck has lost 1/3 of its TV audience since January

Should we blame it on the Massa Moment?

Will that Hindenburg performance soon be seen as the turning point for Glenn Beck: the pivotal moment when the Fox News show began to permanently leak viewers?


Who can forget the March day that will live in cable news infamy, when Beck invited embattled Democratic Congressman Eric Massa onto his show, for an entire hour, to blow the whistle on Democratic Party corruption? Or so Beck thought. Instead, Massa went on and on about tickle fights, and Beck became a laughing stock -- the butt of endless Geraldo-opens-Al-Capone's-vault jokes. . .

Read more at: Media Matters

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

When is Your Blog Not Your Blog?

It has come to my attention that some "bloggers" are posting Greenlee Gazette items--all of them--under their own banners.  While I find it flattering, and I even encourage other bloggers to excerpt any posts I might write on their own blogs, using the entire thing seems a little out-of-bounds to me. And more than a little weird.

At the bottom of this page, I have a disclaimer of attribution. I, like most bloggers, use works from all over the interwebs. And I always try to attribute other people's work, even if it is just a tip.  But I'd never try to pass off another person's work--let alone their entire blog--as my own.  Now, to be fair, the examples I've found have included attribution. But under the banner of "written by" somebody else. As I said, weird.

So if you're reading my blog--particularly this post--under any other banner than Greenlee Gazette, written by James L. Greenlee of Las Vegas. . .well, you're reading a purloined blog!

Iowa Congressional Candidate: Put Microchips in Illegals!

Image from source, Huffington Post

The political barometer in this country is just spinning right into crazy territory, isn't it?  Putting microchips in people? Really? Isn't this the kind of thing the rapture-ready Christians like Pat Robertson and Tim LaHaye have been warning about? Isn't it supposed to be The Mark of the Beast™?  And proposed by a Republican, no less.

[Excerpt]

Pat Bertroche: Iowa Congressional Candidate Wants Microchips In Illegal Immigrants

Illegal immigrants: can't live with them, can't put them on leashes, like human chattel. But at least one Republican candidate for the 3rd District Congressional primary in Iowa, birthplace of presidential primaries, wants to do something about this dilemma. By which I mean to say he wants to implant microchip tracking devices inside illegal aliens, because why not, right? Then we can all keep tabs on them with our android phones! . . .

Read more at: Huffington Post

Thanks to Tracy for the link.

Pot Petition Used to Trick Voters into Registering Republican

Image from source, TPM Muckraker

Somebody somewhere thought this was a good idea.  What they didn't figure out was how to blame it on ACORN if they got caught.

[Excerpt]

Report: CA Voters Tricked Into Registering As Republicans With Pot Petition

Orange County authorities are launching an investigation into possible voter registration fraud after a local newspaper reported over a hundred cases of voters being tricked into registering as Republicans by petitioners who asked them to sign petitions for, among other causes, legalizing pot. 
The Orange County Register reported last week that the Orange County District Attorney's office announced it would team up with the Secretary of State on the case, following a Register report that 99 written complaints were filed since March by voters who said they were registered as Republicans without their consent. . .

Read more at: TPM Muckraker

Democrats Call GOP Bluff: All-Night Threat Yields Financial Reform Discussion

Image from source, TPM Muckraker
So, was it "internal pressure," or as Rachel Maddow suggests, fear of the dreaded cots?

[Excerpt]

Bowing To Internal Pressure, GOP Allows Debate On Financial Reform

Without a single objection, Republicans tonight dropped their three day filibuster of financial reform legislation, agreeing unanimously to debate the Democrats' bill on the Senate floor.


Though clearly a big defeat for the Republicans, their line tonight is that they endured this week's political maelstrom for a substantive reason: to allow Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) to extract as many concessions out of Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd as he could. When Dodd said no more, they relented. . .

Read more at: TPM Muckraker

The Shitty Deal Heard 'Round the World

Because if it's in the Congressional Record and aired live on C-SPAN, I don't need to spell shitty "sh**ty."  Right?

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Noah's Ark Found?

Image from Moronail.net

I found this story to be kind of deja vu. Hasn't Noah's Ark already been found, maybe a couple of times?  Actually, things that people claimed were remnants of the ark have been found. As an agnostic, I am of course open to the possibility, but by my nature am extremely dubious.

Mostly because the story of Noah is right up there in my top five for utterly ridiculous Bible stories.  Scientifically speaking, the likelihood of any of the story being literally true are virtually nil.  But forget that part.  This story claims that the ark dates to 4,800 years ago.  Sorry, but there are known civilizations older than that. Shoot, beer has been around longer than that. Fail.

[Excerpt]

'Noah's Ark' found in Turkey

A group of Chinese and Turkish evangelical explorers say they have found wooden remains on Mount Ararat in eastern Turkey. . .

Read more: www.thesun.co.uk

Sarah Palin Look-alike Stripper Contest!

Image from source, Huffington Post

If there is a current events question, I guarantee the entrants' responses will make more sense than anything the real Palin has to say at her GOP event. Also.

[Excerpt]

Sarah Palin Lookalike Contest Being Held At Chicago Strip Club The Day Palin Speaks At GOP Fundraiser

A Chicago strip club is celebrating Sarah Palin's visit to Illinois next month by hosting a Palin lookalike contest titled "Less Taxation, More Stimulation"--and a portion of the event's proceeds will be donated to the Tea Party movement. . .

Read more at: Huffington Post

Thanks to Tracy for the link.

Rachel Maddow Overtakes Keith Olbermann in Ratings

Image from source, TV by theNumbers

I'm a regular--some might say obsessive--viewer of both shows. And some of Olbermann's ratings erosion is likely due to his frequent absences (because of the ill health, then death of his father). But I still feel a little proud of Rachel, like I "discovered" her or something. I've been a fan since her early days at Air America Radio, and one of her biggest cheerleaders since her first appearances at MSNBC.  Plus, the photo is cute.

[Excerpt]

Keith Olbermann Takes A Ratings Backseat To Rachel Maddow At MSNBC

Has Keith Olbermann slipped from his top ratings perch within MSNBC?



During the month of April* MSNBC’s Countdown With Keith Olbermann trailed the Rachel Maddow Show in primetime adults 25-54 ratings, the demo group that news advertisers target. Although Countdown also trailed Maddow in March, Keith was gone from the show effectively the entire month.


The Rachel Maddow Show is up noticeably in the adults 25-54 demo since January-February, but Countdown has been flat. . .

Read more at: TV By the Numbers

Jon Stewart's Take on Arizona Illegals Law

I'm frankly a little surprised at the national response to Arizona's draconian illegal immigration law.  I was perhaps a little to encouraged to see that 63% of my fellow Americans were supporting financial regulation. So, I was disheartened to see that around the same percentage of people support the "papers please" law.  Yikes.

I'm hopeful that it is just a case of not having considered the ramifications and possible unintended consequences of it. But already, people who are opposed to the law are being referred to as "pro illegal immigration."  Which is stupid.  And, as usual, to straighten this all out, we must turn to a comedian.  Frankly, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart often defines the implications of laws like this better than anyone else in the media.  It's certainly more entertaining.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartMon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Law & Border
www.thedailyshow.com
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Arizona Capitol Smeared with Refried Bean Swastikas

Image from source, Huffington Post

Well, that's one way to get your message across. Thanks to my friend Tracy for the link.

[Excerpt]

Refried Bean Swastikas Smeared On Arizona Capitol 

The conflict over a sweeping crackdown on illegal immigration in Arizona intensified Monday as vandals smeared refried beans in the shape of swastikas on the state Capitol's windows.



More protests were planned Monday after thousands gathered this weekend to demonstrate against a bill that will make it a state crime to be an illegal immigrant in Arizona. . .

Read more at: Huffington Post

Republicans (and One Democrat) Block Financial Reform Debate


Image from source, Huffington Post

No! No! No! A bajillion times no! We won't even discuss it!  And you know what? If the Democrats manage to break the filibuster (or for once make them actually stand there and DO it), they should shut them completely out of the discussion, and vote the damned thing in. If they've voted that it need not be discussed, why should they have a seat at the table? Just sayin'. . .

[Excerpt]

GOP, Ben Nelson Block Debate On Financial Reform Bill

Undaunted by a Senate setback, Democrats appeared increasingly confident Monday they will be able to take advantage of Americans' anger at Wall Street and push through the most sweeping new controls on financial institutions since the Great Depression. . .

Read more at: Huffington Post

Monday, April 26, 2010

Crayola Thanks the Tea Baggers!

Yeah, yeah, it's a parody. But it's funny!

The Simpsons (Kinda) Supports South Park

This was nice to see. I know that there is a bit of rivalry between the two shows, so to see some support (and in such a timely way) was pretty cool.

[Excerpt]

The Simpsons Stand Behind South Park with Help of Bart’s Chalkboard

The Simpsons and South Park have made fun of each other in the past, but tonight’s Simpsons opened with a quick but touching show of inter-cartoon support, courtesy of Bart’s chalkboard. . .

Read more (with video) at: Geekosystem

John Birch Society Uses Rachel Maddow to Raise Money

Is Rachel Maddow really that scary? I set my Google updates to let me know when there is an interesting Maddow story in the news, and more often than not, there is some conservative site all riled up about something she's said.  The funny thing is, the Maddow they describe (Madcow, invariably) bears little resemblance to the one I watch on my teevee machine.  Usually, what they have to say is so ridiculous (she's the flip-side to Ann Coulter!) it isn't even worth shooting down.  But lately, conservatives are using things she hasn't even said or done to scare their conservative donors into sending them money.  And Rachel wants a piece of the action!


Man With Gun & Police Equipment Arrested at Airport Near Obama

Yikes.

[Excerpt]

Joseph McVey, Armed Man, Arrested At Airport Where Obama Was Leaving

An armed man spotted at a North Carolina airport parking lot just after Air Force One departed Sunday told an officer he wanted to see the president and had a car equipped with police gear, including a siren and flashing lights, authorities said.



Joseph Sean McVey, 23, of Coshocton, Ohio, is charged with going armed in terror of the public, a misdemeanor, said Asheville Regional Airport Police Capt. Kevan Smith. . .

Read more at: Huffington Post

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Betty White's Saturday Night Live Promo!

Yes, last night's Saturday Night Live kind of sucked. Outside of a funny moment or two from Weekend Update, there wasn't even anything blogworthy.  But the promo for the upcoming Betty White hosted episode is.

Imagine a World Where the Tea Party Was a Black Thing

The first time I heard this concept was on The Karel Show, a talk radio program out of San Francisco.  I was a little gobsmacked, because I hadn't heard the idea before. But really, imagine it. An angry, organized, gun-toting protest, made up of mostly black people. Do you think Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh would be for such a thing?

[Excerpt]

"Imagine if the Tea Party Was Black" - Tim Wise

Let’s play a game, shall we? The name of the game is called “Imagine.” The way it’s played is simple: we’ll envision recent happenings in the news, but then change them up a bit. Instead of envisioning white people as the main actors in the scenes we’ll conjure - the ones who are driving the action - we’ll envision black folks or other people of color instead. The object of the game is to imagine the public reaction to the events or incidents, if the main actors were of color, rather than white. Whoever gains the most insight into the workings of race in America, at the end of the game, wins. . .

Read more at: Ephphatha Poetry by way of AmericaBlog.com

Bill Maher Becomes a Tea Bagger for New Rules

These YouTube clips from Real Time with Bill Maher tend to go away quickly, so enjoy it while you can.

Overtime with Bill Maher, April 23, 2010

I wish there were more clips available clips of the regular Real Time with Bill Maher, but here is the "after the show" part.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Swingtown Alums Make Good in Other Series


Image from source, Edge New York
I was a huge fan, and online supporter of CBS's late, lamented summer series, Swingtown. It was a show about the swingin' 70s, with all the fun and sexual liberation that (allegedly) happened in that decade. When I talk about a TV show on this blog, it is inevitably cancelled, so I probably should stop doing that.  But thankfully, many of the actors in Swingtown have found themselves in other shows this season, and I thought it might be fun to see where they all are. Let's see.

Grant Show

Show made his first splash in the original version of Melrose Place.  His role on Swingtown was as an airline pilot, with the whole plotline hinging upon him and his sexually adventurous wife.  This season, he's been seen on Accidentally on Purpose.  The show is from the producer of Two and a Half Men, and The Big Bang Theory.  Unfortunately, Accidentally has been on a lower rung of the popular sitcom ladder. Good luck with the renewal, Grant.

Michael Rady

Rady's character was a summer school teacher, having an inappropriate relationship with an underage (?) student.  He ended up as one of the main characters on a rebooted Melrose Place as half of a "perfect couple."  The couple broke up, and Rady ended up with a scheming, cold, bisexual publicist, putting his character at odds with his image as "Mr. Adorable."  But the pull of his original flame ended that. Whatever happens to the show, Rady pulled off a coup as the single most redeemable character in the show.

Jack Davenport

Jack played one half of the straight-laced couple whose eyes were opened to the swingin' 70s.  His character was basically nice, but kind of a douche, with a fixation on his secretary.  After Swingtown, he got the role of a pivotal character on FlashForward. There, he finds himself "the other man" in the marriage of a central married couple.  Nice shift.

Lana Parilla

Lana was the sultry, semi-bi stewardess wife of Show's pilot. She was sexually adventurous, but vulnerable, and by the end of the series, pregnant.  Now, she's a doctor on Miami Medical.

Josh Hopkins

Josh played the unhappy husband of an uptight, suburban prude.  By the end of Swingtown, he'd done the nasty with a neighbor. Now, he plays a neighbor again, but this time as the flirtatious foil of Courtney Cox on Cougar Town.

I'm sure some of the other actors of the series are also appearing in current or upcoming projects. But I'm happy to see so many of them appearing in current series. Sadly, not many of them look good for renewal. Still, given how quickly those actors found new jobs, I'm confident we'll be seeing more of them. And my Swingtown DVD set is due to arrive any day now. Yay!

Archie Comics Gets First Gay Character



Image from source, NY Daily News

Well, I don't know about first. I've always wondered about Jughead. And Mr. Weatherbee.  I guess Moose would be too much to ask for. Cue the right-wing-world outrage in 3, 2, 1. . .

[Excerpt]
Comic book shocker! Archie's Riverdale high school gets openly gay student, Kevin Keller


Gee whiz, Archie!


Riverdale High School, the stomping grounds of comic books' favorite teen and his friends, is opening its doors to an openly gay student - a first in the 69-year history of the character.

"We're trying to reflect society and we're just trying to show Riverdale is a diverse place," says Dan Parent, the artist-writer behind the series. . .

Read more at: New York Daily News
 

Friday, April 23, 2010

Republican Plan for Everything: Start Over!

When the GOP isn't saying "NO!" they're saying "Start over!" About just about everything.  Now, when I hear Sen. Mitch McConnell or John Boner Boehner say something, my spidey sense always starts tingling. But when you hear the very same words echoed by the lesser lights in the Senate and House, and then by FOX "News" and Karl freakin' Rove, I automatically know it's b.s.

Get Ready to Show Your Papers in Arizona

Image from source, MSNBC

This is insane. You don't have to go very far in modern politics to see insane over-reactions, do you?  So, the Police in Arizona will now be compelled to demand any "suspicious" person's papers on sight.  Forget that recognizing illegal aliens on sight is downright impossible. Forget that--despite the batshit insane Governor's insistence--this has to lead to racial profiling.  Remember this: Republicans and conservatives in the state of Arizona have abandoned their "smaller government" principles.  They don't think it is a government over-step to have all people in Arizona carry their citizenship paper by mandate.  They don't think it will be an affront to a person's civil rights to lock them up if they don't have a passport or birth certificate on them at all times.  In case you didn't notice, the birthers won one.  As I said, it's insane.

[Excerpt]

Ariz. governor signs toughest immigration law

Gov. Jan Brewer ignored criticism from President Barack Obama on Friday and signed into law a bill supporters said would take handcuffs off police in dealing with illegal immigration in Arizona, the nation's busiest gateway for human and drug smuggling from Mexico. . .

Read more at: MSNBC

Jon Stewart Sends a Big Go F(Bomb) Yourself to South Park Hating Muslim Group

A fitting coda to the FOX "News" smack-down the other night.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartMon - Thurs 11p / 10c
South Park Death Threats
www.thedailyshow.com
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The Chicken Logo, and a Few More Potential Logos to Replace the Elephant


Recently, I created a chicken logo for Nevada candidate for Senate (and Harry Reid nemesis) Sue Lowden. She's the goofy lady who thinks the answer to health care is to pay cash, or barter such items as chickens or manual labor at the doctor's office.  After making the logo, it occurred to me (I'm a sign maker and logo designer) that the GOP has lots of options if they want to try something besides their old elephant.  After all, their base has now accepted "tea partier" rather than Republican as their political identity.  And what the hell is with those upside-down stars, anyway?


FOX "News": Hard News? Again, No.


Between catching up on some DVR recordings this morning, I flipped on FOX "News" in my continuing experiment in sampling their "hard news" programming.  At the moment, the program America Live is on, supposedly one of their "non-commentary" shows.  Inside of five minutes: an anti-Obama Administration story with Joe Lieberman, a pro-George W. Bush story (versus a rap artist?), and a pro-Sarah Palin story.  Verdict? Not fair and balanced.  The experiment continues. . .

Michael Steele Admits GOP is Racist

Image from source, Wonkette
Well, that's kind of the gist, anyway.  And I mean c'mon, that's about as shocking as when we learned Ricky Martin is gay.  The honest truth is, I posted this because of the graphic, which cracks me up.

[Excerpt]

Michael Steele Admits GOP Has Been Strategically Racist For 40+ Years, Hooray!

Perhaps you have heard about this one! Michael Steele gave another one of his speeches. In this speech, he confirmed what all you race-baiting liberal ‘tards have been wetting your pants about since forever: minorities such as Africkans have not had much of a reason to vote for the Republican party since Pat Buchanan wrote up Nixon’s “Southern Strategy” 40-some years ago. . .

Read more at: Wonkette

Thursday, April 22, 2010

The Over-Inflated Importance of the Tea Party Movement

Image from source, Politico

I've done my share of posts on the tea baggers, and I've given my reasons why--even though I believe they're a fringy group that thrives on publicity--I've continued to cover them.  It's kind of fun (and they throw a fit about the "bagger" tag. . .tough).  But the time has come to say loudly, this is a fringe movement. They have managed to drag in some mainstream (kinda) politicians, but their cheerleaders are the usual suspects: faux grassroots organizations like Freedom Works; FOX "News"; right-wing talk radio, and arch conservative websites like FreeRepublic.  In other words: the Republican base. Period.

These are the dead-enders, the 20-25%ers who think George W. Bush was a heckuva guy. The same people who swoon at every nonsensical utterance of Sarah Palin.  Can they be a factor in November? Possibly.  It is traditional for the President's party to lose Congressional seats in the first mid-term. But if they hadn't coalesced into the Tea Party, they'd still be there.  Only this way, they hold hilariously misspelled signs, dangle tea bags off their hats, and generally look (and act) like idiots. Bonus!


[Excerpt]


The tea party's exaggerated importance

2009 was the year when many journalists concluded they were slow to recognize the anti-government, anti-Obama rage that gave birth to the tea party movement.

2010 is the year when news organizations have decided to prove they get it. 
And get it. And get it some more. . .

Read more: Politico

South Park Censored by Comedy Central

Grrr.  This is a rather stupid capitulation by Comedy Central (or Viacom, or whomever). Obviously, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of South Park were not worried about the reaction to their episode. The storyline of their 200th (and 201st) anniversary shows basically crammed every celebrity and religion that has been offended by the show into one story.  Anyone taking it seriously would have to have a screw loose. Waitaminute. . .Okay, I can see why the powers-that-be may have been wary.

But the whole storyline was about the ridiculousness of being immune from criticism. By censoring every mention of the word "Muslim," and by covering up the depiction of Mohammad--a character that has appeared before, mind you--they wrecked the whole idea.  The irony of course, is that there wasn't any criticism of Mohammad or Islam in the whole story. Just the appearance of the character.  If Muslims can't depict an image of Mohammad, fine. Parker and Stone are not Muslims.  

[Excerpt]


Has 'South Park' gone too far this time?




Nothing is sacred on "South Park."

This is a show, after all, that once painted God as a gap-toothed rhinoceros-monkey, portrays Satan as a simpering milquetoast and regularly features Jesus as a superhero -- the kind who's not afraid to ignore the peaceful teachings of the Sermon on the Mount to smite his opponents. The show has mocked Jews, Catholics, Mormons, Scientologists and atheists, among (many) others. . .

Read more at: CNN

Nevada Senate Hopeful Sue Lowden's New Party Mascot!




So, Republican Chick? RepubChicken?  Go, Sue! You dingbat.

Chicken Barterer Sue Lowden Gets What She Deserves

Image from source, Raw Story

It was only a matter of time, but given most Democrats' inability to seize the moment, I'm heartened that somebody came up with this one so fast!

[Excerpt]


Dem site Chickens for Checkups mocks Lowden’s barter-system health care proposal


Democrats have seized upon a proposal from the GOP challenger to Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) that bartering with doctors for treatment could help solve the health care crisis.

Sue Lowden, who suggests in a video below that a barter-system could replace health insurance, is now being explicitly mocked by a website called "Chickens For Checkups," Talking Points Memoreported. . .

Read more at: Raw Story



They've Changed the $100 Bill. Again.

Seriously? How many times are they going to redesign this thing? And what's to stop counterfeiters from copying the older versions?

GOP Blocks 97 Nominations

With the seeming new-found cooperation on financial reform, I was beginning to think that the Republicans were shedding their "party of no" reputation. Sadly, no is still the order of the day.  I'd get it it there were legitimate concerns about certain judicial appointments. But, c'mon, 97 of them? Really? That just spells o-b-s-t-r-u-c-t-i-o-n pretty clearly, doesn't it?

[Excerpt]

Republicans Block Votes On 97 Federal Nominees In A Single Day 



Republicans have been blocking votes on nominees to federal posts, taking longer to confirm President Obama’s nominees to executive agencies than nominees submitted by the previous three administrations. Due to these blocks, there is a backlog of 101 executive branch nominees that have yet to be voted on, ranging from the Transportation Safety Authority chief to members of the Marine Mammal Commission. Senators commonly issue “anonymous holds” to prevent a nomination from coming up for a vote. . .

Read more at: Think Progress

 

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Bad News for Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons

Image from source, Las Vegas Now

Living in Nevada means being embarrassed by your politicians. Over and over again.

[Excerpt]

I-Team: Explosive Allegations Made in Gibbons Lawsuit


New documents have been filed in the lawsuit of a former Las Vegas cocktail waitress against Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons.

Gibbons is being sued by Chrissy Mazzeo, who said then-Congressman Gibbons assaulted her after a night of drinking during his campaign in 2006. . .

Read more at: Las Vegas Now

Thanks to Stupid Monkey Planet for the link.

South Park's Trey Parker & Matt Stone Threatened by Muslims

Image from BloggerExperiment.com

Really? That's a great way to win good will. South Park is irreverent to everything reverent. Mormons, Christians, Scientologists and Christians, not to mention feminists, Canadians, gays, blacks, Mexicans, fat people, and much more have been lampooned for over a decade now.  Muslims are somehow immune from criticism? And fairly tame criticism at that. The irony of course is that South Park has featured Mohammad years ago, with no fanfare whatsoever. Late to the party much?

[Excerpt]

Muslim Group Issues "Warning" to "South Park" Show 


A U.S. Muslim group has issued a dire Internet "warning" to creators of the satirical animated TV show "South Park" over a depiction of the Prophet Mohammad in a bear outfit.

"We have to warn Matt (Stone) and Trey (Parker) that what they are doing is stupid and they will probably wind up like Theo Van Gogh for airing this show," said a posting on website RevolutionMuslim.com. . .

Read more at: New York Times

Captain Obvious: Attention Paid to Crazies in Politics is Necessary AND Detrimental


Captain Obvious is a feature at Greenlee Gazette, where I get up on my soapbox and opine on issues that should be obvious but for some reason aren't. I'll make an attempt to be brief and pithy, but I have a tendency to get windy, so please bear with me while I hammer out the format.

There is a sense from many that the attention paid to tea baggers, FOX "News", Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh and the rest of the craziness in politics is bad.  These politicians and commentators occupy the fringe, and shining a spotlight on them is actually detrimental; amplifying their message far beyond what they'd be able to do on their own.  True that.

But it is also important that the crazy things all of the above are up to need to be debunked.  The messages that so many eat up, need to be shouted down.  Sure, we might not change the minds of the faithful, but there is a large mass of people out there who aren't paying attention like we are.  If they only hear the far-right wingnuts' side of things, they might start to believe it.  As Rachel Maddow often says, when people are saying and doing things that are hypocritical, ignorant, or dishonest, they need to be reported as such.  So that's why I do it.

Also, the crazy train is irresistible to a blogger like me.  If I didn't point and laugh, I'd just get angry.

Leonard Nimoy Retiring

Image from source, Bam! Kapow!

Really? I'm a little surprised actually. After an abortive attempt at Twitter, I recently plugged in again, adding a bevvy of my favorite celebrities, Leonard Nimoy above them. He recently began putting LLAP in his tweets ("Live Long and Prosper"), a nod to his most famous role, Mr. Spock of Star Trek.  Which doesn't sound like he's left the role behind exactly.  And what of William Bell of Fringe?  Maybe his last appearance on the show will be a big death scene?  I understand if he's tired, and just doesn't want to do it all anymore. But I hope that William Shatner doesn't follow his lead.

[Excerpt]

Mr. Spock has Retired.

It looks like Leonard Nimoy’s acting career has finally passed the final frontier, as the 79-year-old actor has told the Toronto Sun that he’ll be retiring from acting, including his roles as Really Old Spock in Star Trek and William Bell in Fringe. In fact, he says that he was only supposed to do a couple episodes of Fringe as a favor to J.J. Abrams anyway. . .


Read more at: Bam! Kapow!

Harry Reid's Competition, Sue Lowden: Pay Your Doctor in Chickens!

Image from source, TPM

Okay, so politics in Nevada has always been more than a little strange. We got the mob out of Las Vegas, but we didn't get the corruption out.  It seems that politicians whose names have been famous for years eventually become infamous.  And statewide, we're not a lot better. A quick look in the direction of Sen. John Ensign makes that very clear.  We've got "Tea Party" candidates who are disavowed by the tea baggers, and many other colorful kooks.  Now, the Senate Majority Leader from Nevada, Harry Reid, is in the fight of his political life against a trio of Republican hopefuls.

We've got a far-right candidate who is popular in rural areas (Sharron Angle), a good looking dude who is related to a famous Nevada coach (Danny Tarkenian), and a rich lady from a casino and TV news (Sue Lowden).  Sue seems to have a leg up, what with lots of money, a recognizable face and all.  She sort of fell down when slamming Reid for having lost touch with the common man, while saying herself that people should pay their doctor bills in cash.  Oh, and then there's the barter thing. Which just keeps getting weirder and weirder.

[Excerpt]

Lowden Campaign: 'Bartering With Your Doctor Is Not A New Concept'

The campaign of Senate candidate Sue Lowden (R-NV) is continuing to stand by Lowden's call for the use of the barter system as a means to bring down health care costs.



On Monday, Lowden doubled down on the barter idea: "You know, before we all started having health care, in the olden days, our grandparents, they would bring a chicken to the doctor. They would say I'll paint your house. . ."

Read more at: TPM Muckraker

Jon Stewart: FOX "News" is the Lupus of News

Perfect. Oh, and FOX? Go F(bomb) yourself!

The Daily Show With Jon StewartMon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Bernie Goldberg Fires Back
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full EpisodesPolitical HumorTea Party

Right TV: Who Is This Really Intended For?

I ran a piece on the new conservative TV network, RightTV a few days ago. But I just looked at their promo ad, and I've got to wonder, who do they think they're kidding here?  There is far more diversity shown in this ad than you'll see in almost any grouping of conservatives. Certainly more than you'd find at any tea party rally.  This ad seems to be trying to convince somebody that the network is for multicultural, tolerant, open-minded people.  Does that sound like any part of right-wing world that you know?  I call shenanigans.  Who are they trying to grab with this campaign?

Tea Baggers in Their Own Words.

Oh, my. . .



Found at: Joe.My.God.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Shameless Gossip: Is Senator Lindsey Graham Gay?

Shameless Gossip is a Greenlee Gazette feature that departs from the usual straight-ahead news and commentary. Stories under this banner should be read with a great deal of skepticism. But you never know, they could turn out to be true. . .

Not that I care much one way or the other, mind you. But it would be even less surprising than Ricky Martin's, Sean Hayes' or Clay Aiken's revelations.


[Excerpt]

Lindsey Graham Gay? Conservative Group ALIPAC Demands Senator 'Admit Homosexuality'



William Gheen, head of the conservative, anti-"amnesty," anti-illegal immigration group Americans for Legal Immigration PAC (ALIPAC), spoke at a Greenville, S.C. Tea Party rally this weekend and called for Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) to "come out of that log cabin closet. . ."

Read more at: Huffington Post

What Happens in Vegas: Bungee Jump off of the Stratosphere Tower

My friend, Stupid Monkey Planet asked me if I'm up for this.  In a word: NO!

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