In Case You Missed It: President Obama at the White House Correspondents' Dinner

He's funny, and (yes, Karl Rove) cool with a hint of square. But I'd take him over Dubya any day of the week.

Blast from the Past: The Go-Go's

Well, the weekend is almost gone again as I type this, having run myself out of time again. Even with The Other Half out of town all week and all weekend, I didn't get everything done that I wanted to do. Isn't that something? You feel like you're running full blast, and still don't feel like you got much done?

Anyway, it's time for this week's installment of Blast from the Past, and I'm pooped. So, here's kind of a quickie. The Go-Go's were always a favorite of mine, Belinda Carlisle, misplaced apostrophe and all. I think my favorite part of any Go-Go's song will always be Jane Weidlin's "hush my darlin'. . ." solo on Our Lips are Sealed. Given the girls' instant fame, it's surprising they didn't get more hits. But when you burn bright, you burn out. Kinda like me today!

And that's all for this edition! Have a happy Monday, everybody!

Over Time with Bill Maher, April 27, 2012

Ep. 246: April 27, 2012 - Overtime

Karl Rove's "Cool President" Ad Backfires

Showing Barack Obama being cool in various venues is probably not a good idea for Karl Rove's super-dollar SuperPAC. I know Karl thinks it's a great idea to take an opponent's strength and try to use it against him, but in this case, it's a huge fail. And is Karl going to disavow Sarah Palin, who quit her job in politics to become the conservatives' biggest celebrity? Because that's all she is.

Anyway, to the question of are we better off than we were in the waning days of the Bush Administration? Yes, actually. We're not losing jobs anymore. We're in one less war. Osama bin Laden is dead. Chrysler and GM are alive. The stock market has doubled. We're not out of the woods, but we're headed there. And what does Romney (via Karl) promise? The same crap that took us to the brink in the first place? No thanks. I'll take the cool guy.

So, How Upset Should We Be About CISPA?

Image from source, Think Progress.

Remember a few months ago when many on the internet (Greenlee Gazette included) were trumpeting the "STOP SOPA" message? There were twin bills in the houses of Congress, SOPA and PIPA, and both were attempts to deal with 21st Century media and communications. But they went way too far, and had so many (hopefully) unintended consequences, that the internet rose up--with the help of Facebook and other heavy hitters--and slew SOPA and PIPA. Hallelujah!

So, why is Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA) sneaking under the radar, seemingly with the support of companies like Facebook? It seems once again to be a bit of legislation with arguably good intentions, but with hideous, odious potential consequences. For me, the parts that seem absolutely nuts, are provisions that make it exempt from other laws. It's almost like an asterisk on the Constitution's bill of rights. Can a law like that be Constitutional? Would we trust the current Supreme Court, post-Citizens United, post-we can strip search you for a parking offense Roberts court to rule on it? Where's George Clooney? Brad Pitt? Sean Penn? This seems like it needs more focus.

[Excerpt]

What Everyone Who Uses The Internet Needs To Know About CISPA 

CISPA’s broad language will likely give the government access to anyone’s personal information with few privacy protections: CISPA allows the government access to any “information pertaining directly to a vulnerability of, or threat to, a system or network of a government or private entity.” There is little indication of what this information could include, and what it means to be ‘pertinent’ to cyber security. Without boundaries, any internet user’s personal, private information would likely be fair game for the government. . .

Read (much, much) more at: Think Progress

Youth Reaction to Mitt Romney vs. Barack Obama

Is it even necessary to comment on this? Speaks for itself!

 

Image from Think Progress on Facebook

Quote of the Day: Dana Gould on the GOP

 "[The Republican Party] is the party of Eddie Haskell and the principal from Ferris Bueller's Day Off." 

--Dana Gould on The Stephanie Miller Show

FOX Renews Fringe for Fifth (and Last) Season!

Image from Huffington Post.

If your favorite show was going to be given half a season next year, and then cancelled, you'd probably be bummed out. But we're talking about Fringe here, the wonderfully novel sci-fi series that has lived in perpetual cancellation danger. That it received a fourth season was something of a surprise, so any fifth season--13 episodes though it may be--is fantastic news! And let's face it, some of the best TV series currently running have seasons that long or even shorter. If the show had transferred to Showtime or AMC, it would count as a full season! Anyway, after many heart rending premature cancellations of favorite shows by FOX, I'm sending out a huge thank you for this one!

[Excerpt]


'Fringe' Renewed For 13-Episode Fifth And Final Season On Fox 

"Fringe" fans, consider yourselves lucky: Fox's trippy sci-fi drama has been renewed for a 13-episode fifth and final season. . .

Read more at: Huffington Post

Like Us on Facebook, Follow Us on Twitter! (Please?)

Yes, it is once again time to whore myself for "likes" and "follows" on Twitter and Facebook. Since I started this part of Greenlee Gazette, I've managed to gather 38 "likes" on Facebook, and somewhere around 111 "follows" on Twitter. The likes are solid but smallish. The follows are very, very fickle. I don't prune my Twitter follows very often, but other people seem to. Meanwhile, Stupid Monkey Planet and his Church of Primatheism has gathered "likes" like nobody's business. What am I, chopped liver?

I am thankful for every reader, and heartened by the fact that I get from 250 to 1,000 readers on any given day. But dammit, I want more! Like me! Follow me! It doesn't cost you anything, and will make a middle-aged Las Vegas denizen very happy. Mmmkay? Mmmkay.

   

Remembering Newt: I'm Going to Be the Nominee!

No, Newtie himself may never have said those exact words, but it was pretty close. Though every other contender to the GOP throne got his day in the sun (except for Ron Paul), Gingrich was the only one whose ego wrote the check his ample butt couldn't cash: he really thought he was going to be the nominee. And he actually had two peaks, if you remember. That's how weak this field really was.

Right Wing World's Faux Outrage Over Obama's Late Night Appearance

I am convinced that there is literally nothing that President Obama could do (or by ommission not do) to avoid the right-wing faux outrage machine. When I saw Obama on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, I was a) struck by how good Obama is at that sort of thing, b) marveled that such a thing would be impossible for Mitt Romney and c) knew that Right Wing World would go all wobbly over it.

Predictably, they did. It was beneath the dignity of the office they said (it wasn't). It wasn't funny they said (it was). I didn't need Lawrence O'Donnell to remind me about Richard Nixon on Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In, or Ronald Reagan's spot on the Dean Martin Roast. And even recent history had Obama's rivals, Hillary Clinton, John McCain and Sarah Palin on Saturday Night Live, as was Obama himself. Dubya appeared in several different popular programs, notably American Idol.

So, get the stick out of your asses, Right Wing World! You're starting to go from having sketchy senses of humor to being completely humorless.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Mitt Romney Vows to Take Away Your Porn

There are very few really non-partisan issues. Everything no matter how removed from politics, has somehow become political. Global warming, evolution, solar power, birth control, all have a left-right divide. Know what doesn't? Porn. Oh, yes, some severely conservative people will come out as anti-porn. But the users of porn span the political spectrum. Utah is a huge buyer of porn, for instance. People just don't tend to talk about it much. So, from Mitt Romney's perspective, it's probably a seemingly winning issue. Being prudish could be seen as conservative. But I have a problem squaring government screening of any media with "small government," don't you?

As silent as porn fans might be, do you know what else is secretive? Voting. A person who may never speak up when you threaten his porn will not feel that embarrassment in the voting booth. Beware, Mittens.

Found at: BuzzFeed

Ugliest Car, Chrysler Edition: 1979 Dodge Magnum

Not the ugliest car. But it shares the name.
Image from Wikipedia.

I got briefly stuck in a Wiki-hole this evening, first looking up the generations of Mitsubishi Eclipse (the sporty version of my Galant), segueing into the related Chrysler/Dodge products, and winded up landing on the Plymouth Barracuda, Dodge Charger and Dodge Challenger. A couple of links later, I landed on the Dodge Magnum page.

The Magnum was a car I pondered when I traded in my old Jeep. By this time, circa 2010, that Dodge model had been discontinued, but I could have gotten a 2008 at a decent price. It was the wagon version of the Dodge Charger, and looked kinda nifty. I ultimately passed, because the Magnum is likely too big for my garage (and if you can find the double entendre there, good for you!). Anyway, what I didn't know is that Chrysler had not just named that wagon "Magnum" out of the clear blue sky. They had resurrected the name of a seventies model. Why on earth they'd ever want to conjure the previous version remains a mystery.

The 1979 Dodge Magnum looks like a joke. If someone showed me the picture, I would have thought it was designed by George Barris like the "Wagon Queen Family Truckster" from National Lampoon's Vacation! It is a hideous beast. A collision of lines and ideas that were never adequately resolved into a presentable finished product. So without further ado, the ugliest Chrysler product ever. It was only sold in Brazil for a reason.

Image from Wikipedia.

President Obama "Slow Jams the News" with Jimmy Fallon

UPDATED: Scroll down for the full video.

Made of awesome. Just try to picture Mitt Romney in the same scenario. No freakin' way.

Bill Maher Renewed for 2 More Years of Real Time

Image from source, Deadline.

Real Time with Bill Maher is one of the main reasons I still have HBO, so I'm happy to hear this. I don't agree with everything Maher says, but we're talking 85/15 here, so it's barely a quibble. Plus, he really, really torques off the rabid right, and we need all of that we can get. I'm not sure how a three-year deal translates into two more seasons, but whatever. Thanks, HBO!

[Excerpt]


HBO Renews ‘Real Time With Bill Maher’ For Two More Seasons

Bill Maher‘s HBO series is sticking around not only for the upcoming presidential election but also for the following mid-term one. The pay cable network has signed a new three-year deal with Maher. . .

Read more at: Deadline

Sean Hannity is a Moron (Again)

Calling Sean Hannity a moron is like calling dust dirty. It's sort of a given. But this man has the second most popular radio show in the country. He also has the second most popular show on FOX "News" (and of all cable news, if you consider that station news). He's got a following, and yet he's a moron. I really don't know why. His latest brain fart is that there are no hungry people in America. Or if there are, beans and rice are cheap. Or something. He's a moron.

Newt is Going to Try Being Realistic

Maybe they can go into a his 'n' hers wig business?
Image from source, Politico.

No, if Newt Gingrich were going to take a realistic approach to his campaign, he would have quit weeks (months?) ago. He got a coda on his political career, one that was seemingly unsalvageable. And that says more about what kind of politician can thrive in today's Republican Party than it does about Gingrich as a candidate. I do understand--sort of--why Newt has held on this long. When it's over, it's really over. Sure, he might have a book or two left in him. Another sham "awards" program to scam gullible Republicans with.  Maybe he can go back to FOX "News" or failing that, CNN or something. But his career as a potential politician is over.


[Excerpt]


Newt Gingrich to look ‘realistically’ at campaign

Following his five-state shutout Tuesday night, Newt Gingrich sent the strongest signal yet that he’s nearing the end of his tottering campaign. “We’re going to look realistically at where we’re at,” Gingrich said at an election -night rally in North Carolina. “We are going to think carefully about how we can be the most helpful to this country. . .”

Read more: Politico

Funny or Die: Rick Santorum Aborts Presidential Campaign

Rarely does comedy work quite as perfectly as this bit does. It's very nearly perfect, amusing and stars several very familiar faces. Faces like Ashley Judd, Michelle Trachtenberg (Buffy), Katy Mixon (Mike & Molly), and Eliza Coupe (Happy Endings). Enjoy.

Rick Santorum Aborts Presidential Campaign from Ashley Judd

Mittens Cleans Up, Assured the Nomination

Image of Willard from source, HuffPo

Well, we've known it for a while. Though Newtie and Ron Paul have been hanging on by their fingernails, Mitt Romney is now assured the nomination, barring a political bombshell or something. The FReepers have pledged not to vote for him. It will be interesting to see if "FReeper" is as useless as "PUMA" was in the 2008 election. And it remains to be seen if anti-Obama hate will equal pro-Romney love.

[Excerpt]


Mitt Romney Sweeps GOP Primaries, Promises 'Better America' 

Mitt Romney laid claim to the fiercely contested Republican presidential nomination Tuesday night with a fistful of primary triumphs, then urged all who struggle in a shaky U.S. economy to "hold on a little longer, a better America begins tonight. . ."

Read more at: Huffington Post

Ron Paul Actually Won Iowa?

I guess this is a lesson: you can play by the rules as they are understood, or you can play by the rules as they are written. Something tells me that Mitt Romney's team is working overtime to sew up any straggling delegates.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Newt Gingrich: Ban Gay Marriage in North Carolina

The Stay Puft Marshmallow Man The late Geraldine Ferraro
Newt Gingrich. From source, Raw Story

I'm no dummy. I'm aware that the constitutional amendment on the ballot in North Carolina to (doubly) ban same-sex marriage will probably pass. It isn't just the fact that these things have passed each time they were tried, and it isn't just the lies and fear mongering used to get them passed. It's just a gut feeling about the politics of North Carolina. I'd be happy to be proven wrong.

I'd be happier if we weren't--yet again--voting on a group of tax-paying citizens' civil rights. Something wholly un-American. I'd be happier if busy-bodies would quit proposing laws that only outlaw the rights of "others." When you have no stake in something, it is infinitely easier to vote against it. And I'd really like it, if that doughy pant-load, Newt Gingrich, would shut his blubbery pie-hole about any legislation to do with marriage. Not only is it brazenly hypocritical, he is an utterly irrelevant voice among a sea of them. His final political achievement is being a barnacle on Mitt Romney's ass. Who gives a flying crap what Gingrich thinks?

The bracketed comment is my own:

[Excerpt]


Gingrich calls on North Carolina to ban same sex marriage

[Gingrich dared to say, with no apparent recognition of the irony,] “Marriage between a man and a woman is at the heart of our civilization,” he said. “It’s a belief that is now under attack, yet it’s at the very core of defining who we are. That’s why I urge you to vote for the initiative right here in North Carolina. The chance to vote for a referendum to declare clearly that marriage is between a man and a woman. . .”

Read more at: Raw Story

Marco Rubio Thinks George W. Bush a "Fantastic" President

No. Not in a gazillion years. Image from Huffington Post.

Okay, Captain Comb-Over, what kind of scale are you running that on? If George W. Bush is "fantastic," how many ticks up from "miserable" is that? Is there a Marcus Bachmann "fabulous" a couple of notches up? Because tell you what Marco!. . . . Rubio! Those ridiculous "Miss Me Yet?" Bush posters just remind people how bad he was.



[Excerpt]


Rubio: George W. Bush 'Did a Fantastic Job as President'



Republican Florida Sen. Marco Rubio on Sunday refused to explain how a potential Romney administration would be different from George W. Bush's administration, but insisted that the last Republican president "did a fantastic job" and his brother, former Gov. Jeb Bush (R-FL), would be a "fantastic vice president. . ."

Read more at: Crooks & Liars

Mike in Raleigh Double-Post: Secret Service Man & Cheap Hooker in Paradise

I don't know how he does it. Mike in Raleigh keeps cranking out the gold. Both of these are on the same topic: the Secret Service HookerGate scandal. I'm sure Jimmy Buffett would approve, but I don't know about Johnny Rivers!

Karl Rove SuperPAC Gets Majority "Secret" Donors

Karl Rove.

There are a great many mysteries to me, as it pertains to conservative politics, and American politics in general right now. On Sunday morning, I saw Karl Rove as a panelist on FOX "News" Sunday. The panel included (the always wrong) Bill Kristol, and the discussion was over how Mitt Romney should be going 100% high-road, letting people like Rove be the attackers on President Obama. Rove understandably concurred.

WTF? Karl Rove wasn't being interviewed, he was empaneled in a discussion group, abstractly discussing a campaign that he is a key player in. It's almost surreal. Then you have ALEC, a group that melds corporations with legislators. They've become a bit radioactive since liberals started turning their Geiger counters on them. But--because liberals hate it?--conservatives have leapt to to ALEC's defense. Granted, they are a creator of legislation that then gets mostly Republicans to enact them verbatim. But is it at all conservative to support a group like that?

But back to Rove. Rove runs one of the biggest groups of SuperPACs, two actually, American Crossroads, and CrossroadsGPS. They're the same but different in ways that aren't particularly important. Different money from different people in different pockets. But the one that's allowed to get secret donors has just stuffed its pockets with them. 62% from secret donors! They could be anyone. . .church groups, criminals, illegal aliens, foreign interests, anyone. How is that a conservative ideal?

[Excerpt]


62 Percent Of Karl Rove’s $123 Million In ‘Crossroads’ Fundraising Comes From Secret Donors

The Karl Rove-linked American Crossroads Super PAC and Crossroads GPS 501(c)(4) organizations have the same president, same spokesman, same mailing address, and same right-wing ideology. Both groups can, thanks to the Citizens United and SpeechNow.org rulings, accept unlimited sums of money from individuals and corporations — a privilege they’ve wielded to raise $100 million for the 2012 cycle alone and to run millions of dollars worth of political television ads. . .

Read more at: Think Progress

Blast from the Past: Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW)

Well, the weekend has come and gone already. For me, it started early--but painfully--when I was struck with a 102.6 fever on Thursday. I was sick all that day, followed by a wrung-out Friday. Saturday, I forced myself to do several chores around the house that were sorely needed. And today, I'm just enjoying a beautiful--though hot--Las Vegas afternoon, and damn it, it's a school night!

So, what's with Blast from the Past honoring a what. . .law firm? A stock trading company? An insurance broker? No, Stock Aitken Waterman was a music production team. They had a flurry of hits from the mid eighties to the early nineties. Some of their songs are fondly remembered, but their techniques, and much of their output is shunned by a lot of music fans. "Disposable" is what you'll hear from some people. And it's true, you could plug any artist from any SAW hit into a different one, and get essentially the same song.  Seriously, listen to the Donna Summer tune below, and imagine it with Rick Astley's voice. See what I mean?

But they were successful for quite a while, so it can't all be that bad, right?

1. Bananarama, Venus
2. Dead or Alive, You Spin Me 'Round (Like a Record)

3. Kylie Minogue, The Locomotion
4. Samantha Fox, I Only Wanna Be With You



5. Donna Summer, This Time I Know it's For Real
6. Rick Astley, Never Gonna Give You Up

And that's most of the big ones, but you get the idea. SAW made several songs with each of these artists, and many others to less acclaim. Every so often there are new hit factories, explosions of boy or girl bands, and other pop confections. There has been cheese and fakery almost as far back as the industry goes. And let's face it: those "alternative" groups people like my brother used to listen to (while snorting in derision at "pop" music) are now played alongside them on virtually any radio station that plays them at all. Oh, and probably advertising for Burger King.

That does it for me for this week. Have a great Monday, everyobody!

Over Time with Bill Maher, April 20, 2012

A Bill Maher episode on 4/20, really? Isn't that ironic (no it isn't, Alannis, it's coincidence).

Ep. 245: April 20, 2012 - Overtime

Romney's New Gay Advisor is a Twitter Terror

GOProud bait. Image from Gay Star News.

What? Yeah, I don't know why Mitt Romney's new foreign policy spokesman has teh gay either. I'd think that would make him lose far more potential voters than he'd gain, but whatevs. What it does seem like, however, is that Richard Grenell is a stereotypical gossip queen, doesn't it?

[Excerpt]


Romney's new advisor in trouble for sexist tweeting

Mitt Romney's new foreign policy spokesperson has a Twitter history of sexist comments.
Yesterday, 20 April, Think Progress published an article on Richard Grenell's social media habits. The out gay man 'has an odd penchant for targeting the wives of male politicians and women in general on Twitter. . .'

Read more at: Gay Star News

Mitt Romney's "CookieGate"

Okay, so Mitt Romney dissed a beloved bakery's offering of delicious cookies, what's the big deal, right? Well, it's just the latest in a series of tone-deaf, boneheaded gaffes that makes Romney look out of touch. If riding in a tank or windsurfing can derail a candidate (and how dumb is that, really?), which of these gaffes will be the final straw for Romney?

"The Gay" is Not a Choice (Duh)

More than a decade ago a psychological study seemed to show that certain gay and lesbian people were capable of "changing" their sexual orientation to "straight." The rabid right--several certified hate groups, usually with "Family" in their names--latched onto this study, and used it as the basis for their anti-gay agenda. But the guy who released that study has now denounced it. He's not very happy it was used that way, and really wishes he had never released it in the first place.

So, without that study, what do these groups now base their agenda on, besides hatred?

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Ted Nugent is Batshit Crazy!

Mike in Raleigh (of The Stephanie Miller Show) is quickly becoming the most prolific political song satirist of the day. And this brilliant skewing of Ted Nugent's Cat Scratch Fever is one of his best ones yet.

The Young Turks: Ted Nugent, Pants Pooper

Did you know that Ted Nugent spent a week crapping and peeing himself, in order to dodge the draft during the Viet Nam War era? Yeah, he's quite a freakin' patriot.

Dick Clark Dead at 82

Image from Huffington Post

Dick Clark is one of those figures who didn't really stand out much in my life, but he was always there in the background. I've seen more than my share of New Year's Rockin' Eve over the years, not to mention the $? Thousand Dollar Pyramid, TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes and many other shows. He was known as "America's Oldest Teenager" from the 1980s forward, for his youthful, sunny appearance. So, it was sad and ironic when a stroke robbed him of that. I was glad to see him in his cameos on the New Year's shows, but it was also kind of depressing. Thanks for the memories, Mr. Clark.


[Excerpt]


Dick Clark Dead: TV Legend Dies At 82 

The 82-year-old longtime TV producer and host had been at St. John's Hospital in L.A. after undergoing an outpatient procedure on Tuesday, according to TMZ. Clark reportedly suffered the heart attack following the procedure and died on Wednesday after unsuccessful attempts to resuscitate him. . .

Read more at: Huffington Post

Why is Ted Nugent Not Getting the "Dixie Chicks" Treatment?

Image from Babble.

Back in 2003, Natalie Maines of the country band, The Dixie Chicks, said this:

"Just so you know, we're on the good side with y'all. We do not want this war, this violence, and we're ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas."

For that rather mild insult, Right-Wing World wobbled on its axis, and the Chicks were pilloried. Their albums were destroyed, venues cancelled. Certainly, the reaction was more than just a little bit overblown. Ostensibly, this was because we were a nation at war, and they'd insulted a war president! Or something.

Flash-forward to 2012. Ted Nugent, a rock music has-been, said this:

This is a right-wing hero. Image from CNN.

"If Barack Obama becomes the president in November again, I will either be dead or in jail by this time next year," Nugent said, according to a video posted on YouTube by the NRA. "If you can't go home and get everybody in your lives to clean house in this vile, evil, America-hating administration, I don't even know what you're made out of."

That's just some of what he said, and it's caused the Secret Service to stop hiring hookers and look into the Nuge's statements. But this obviously batshit crazy D-lister continues to be a right-wing hero. Are we not still a nation at war? Can the Dixie Chicks be forgiven now?

[Excerpt]

Ted Nugent to be interviewed by Secret Service

Ted Nugent, the rocker whose comments about President Barack Obama have come under scrutiny, will be interviewed by agents with the Secret Service, a U.S. official said Wednesday. The interview, scheduled for Thursday, comes amid outcry over comments Nugent made at the annual meeting of the National Rifle Association, which took place in St. Louis this past weekend. . .

Read more at: CNN

North Carolina Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment is Mean

Image from source, TPM

In my ongoing theme, Republicans are just freaking mean, comes this story. I know the source is a week old, but it really does point out what I'm saying. North Carolina has a amendment to their state constitution up for a vote that doesn't just ban same-sex marriage (something already in NC law), it undoes and prevents every other type of domestic partnership.

Why? Please tell me, besides meanness, why? Come on, you "small government" conservatives! Admit it, you just like being mean.

[Excerpt]


Beyond Gay Marriage: North Carolina Amendment Carries Massive Implications


When North Carolina holds an election on May 8, voters won’t merely be deciding the fate of same-sex marriage in the state; they will be voting on an amendment with implications that could affect gay and straight couples alike. . . 

Read more at: Talking Points Memo

Gay Marriage Shouldn't be Allowed Because There Aren't Enough of Them?

A few points:

- Where same-sex marriages are legal, there has been no measurable effect on any other marriage.
- The number of people affected by civil rights laws should have no bearing on the legality of their rights. Whether it's .001% or 10%, their rights are important.
- Civil rights should never be up to public vote.
- Stock photos of happy hetero families prove nothing.
- Census measurements of gay people are never going to be conclusive, as long as some gay people feel the need to hide their identities.
- And on and on. . .

Found at: Joe.My.God.

Georgia Passes Drug Testing for Welfare

Eric Cantor has nothing to do with this story, but sort
of epitomizes the "meanness" I'm talking about.

I've been saying for a long time--at least as long as the life of this blog--that one of the most prominent aspects of conservative/Republican policies is meanness. There seems to be a competition between Republican legislators to see who can be the meanest. Vaginal probes. Voter restrictions. Stand your ground. Often, they have very reasonable sounding justifications for their policies. Which is understandable, since they are focus tested and word sculpted by think tanks, ALEC and Frank Luntz within an inch of their being.

But Voter ID laws didn't arise from public outcry or the specter of voter fraud. They were engineered to limit certain segments of the voting public from voting. Vaginal probes aren't necessary medically or for any other reasons. They're mandated to shame women who'd dare go through a (legal) abortion. And these "drug tests for welfare" laws have nothing to do with the actual percentage of recipients who are drug users. It's another shaming technique. It's mean. You think we'd have learned our lesson from the Tom DeLay/Karl Rove/Dick Cheney era of politics, that Republicans given power are just f***ing mean.

[Excerpt]


Georgia signs welfare drug-testing bill into law

Georgia’s Governor Nathan Deal has signed House Bill 861 into law, a controversial measure which will require drug testing of all applicants for public assistance, according to the Associated Press. The Social Responsibility and Accountability Act was passed by the state’s deliberative bodies in votes that broke down along party lines, then signed by Governor Deal on Monday night. . .

Read more at: Raw Story

Nuge the Stooge: Ted Nugent is Himself, Attracts Secret Service Attention

Rusty, Mittens and the Nuge. Image from TPM.

No, this isn't anything to do with the Secret Service's HookerGate. . . this has to do with has-been rocker Ted Nugent shooting off his pie-hole, and inciting attention from the President's bodyguards. And it's about time, too. Remember back in 2008 when he made all kinds of gun "jokes" about then Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton? That was glossed over by the Nuge's "friend," Sean Hannity, who has still not disavowed that.

This still only boils down to entertainment/infotainment figures. But why is it that Hillary Rosen's stupid statement ricocheted across the news cycle, even though she's just a CNN commentator? Rosen sounded bitchy. Nugent sounds dangerous.

[Excerpt]

Team Romney Gives Ted Nugent The Rush Limbaugh Treatment

. . .On Tuesday, Democrats highlighted comments made by conservative shock rocker Ted Nugent at the NRA convention over the weekend, briefly forcing the general election campaign into yet another disavowal-off. The Romney campaign played along, but with minimal effort — it blamed both sides for Nugent’s comments, with language nearly identical to its blame-both-sides statement on offensive comments made by Rush Limbaugh earlier this year. . .

Read more at: Talking Points Memo

Come On! Arrested Development News

Image from source, HuffPo

I watched Arrested Development back when it was on FOX originally. But I think I kind of lost track of it before it was prematurely cancelled. I was thankful when Netflix added all three seasons, so that I could marathon them. It turned out I'd seen a lot of them. . .maybe most of them. But full immersion was far better than my standard half-hearted divided TV attention. AD is nothing short of brilliant. Its cancellation was thus a crime, and inevitable. But fortunately for fans, it wasn't the end.


[Excerpt]

Mitch Hurwitz Talks Arrested Development 2.0


Doubters to the left: The Arrested Development reunion took another step toward reality on Tuesday when creator Mitch Hurwitz and several members of the cast appeared onstage together at a Netflix-sponsored event in Las Vegas. Speaking on the floor of the National Association of Broadcasters convention, Netflix chief Ted Sarandos confirmed that all ten episodes of Arrested's long-awaited fourth season will premiere together on a single day sometime next year. Hurwitz also confirmed that production is set to begin this summer, but he also dropped a new nugget of information about what form the Arrested revival will take. . .

Read more at: Huffington Post

Bob Beckel Drops the F-Bomb on Sean Hannity's Show

You can see it was just bottled up
in there. Image from Wonkette.

It was a matter of time until one of the FOX "News" token liberals snapped. And if you had to guess, you'd certainly guess it would happen on Hannity, right? I mean of all the doofus, slack-jawed, oafish commentators, Sean Hannity is surely the top (bottom?). He'd drive any liberal--even a FOX "News" liberal--up the wall.


[Excerpt]


Fox News Token Liberal’s F-Bomb Terrifies Sean Hannity

Do you know this guy Bob Beckel, the Fox News Liberal Who Isn’t Juan Williams? Usually his job is to go on Glenn Beck replacement The Five and have Dana Perino scratch his eyeballs out, while C. Montgomery Burns, The Joker, and, who else, Ashley Todd, maybe, cackle at the horror. But he also moonlights as, well, the Token Liberal on Sean Hannity’s program, and last night he said the only decent thing that’s ever been said on that show: “If you say that Head Start is a failure, you don’t know what the FUCK you’re talking about. . .”

Read more at: Wonkette 

Senate Filibusters "Buffett Rule" Despite Broad Support

I think this is something of a new trend. Surely, Congress is not bound by public opinion on all legislation. That would be chaos. But it is odd, when bills like the one to remove Big Oil subsidies fails, even though it has massive support. Or this week's "Buffett Rule" which is just about as popular. The issue has more to do with hyper partisanship, and the now standard over-use of the filibuster in the Senate. In a world where 60 votes are needed to pass anything (and where there are always a couple of wavering Democrats), nothing passes, unless it's something extraordinary. And when you throw in the insanity of a Republican supplication to conservative toady Grover Norquist to never, ever, ever, ever, ever raise taxes, it's just that much worse. Stupid.

Here's the deal, Republicans: you have now set the standard on filibusters. If you take the Senate (shudder), do you expect Democrats to forget that tactic? You need sixty solid votes--no Susan Collinses or Olympia Snowes or Scott Browns--from now on. Stupid.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Mike in Raleigh (Again!): Bain Made You a Rich Man

At the risk of turning my blog into a blatant rip-off of The Stephanie Miller Show (shut up, that's not what it already was), here's another Mike in Raleigh work of genius. In addition to Mike's talent, these things just seem to lend themselves perfectly to parody, don't they? Baby You're a Rich Man by the Beatles might be a natural for Willard Mitt Romney, but who knew it was this perfect?

Mike in Raleigh: GOP and Say!

Surely, when you were a kid you had a See 'n Say, a toy with a big knob in the middle? You'd turn the dial, point it to a cow, pull the string, and get "The cow goes, 'moooooo!" Now, just imagine you filled that sucker up with the GOP primary candidates. You get the idea.

Quote of the Day: The Rude Pundit on Dick Cheney

"In Brief: Dick Cheney Is Still Alive and Talking, For Some Reason"

--The Rude Pundit


And nothing more really needs to be said. But of course he did, and of course, it's good. Read more at: RudePundit.blogspot.com

Blast from the Past: Loverboy

Image found at EIL.com

A bit of a blogging break this past weekend. 'Scuze me, I've been busy! Now, on with the show. . .

Yes, last week was part one in my Blast from the Past "ABBA Gold," but I wanted something different from that this week. We'll pick up with ABBA in a week or two. For some reason, the group Loverboy was on my mind. I think I must have heard a couple of their songs close together this week, and it just stuck out in my mind. I firmly believe that the group became famous for primarily two reasons: lead singer Mike Reno was cute, and that ass in the red leather pants on the album cover. Certainly, that's what people remember. But along the way, they had some pretty great tunes. However hopelessly mired in the 1980s they are.

And that's about it for Loverboy. They had a couple of other middling hits, but even some of these didn't reach the upper reaches of the charts. But they were fun for what they were. And I loved those leather pants. Happy Monday, everybody!

Over Time with Bill Maher, April 13, 2012

Ep. 244: April 13, 2012 - Overtime

Child Celebrities Opposed to Kirk Cameron

This hilarious video (which you probably shouldn't play too loudly if at work) also has a message. And lets us see what some former child stars look like these days. I'm not a CCOKC myself, but I'm a huge fan. Ahem.

CCOKC - Child Celebrities Opposing Kirk Cameron - watch more funny videos

Found at: BoyCulture.com

Greenlee Gazette's Guide to Friday the 13th

Happy Friday the 13th everybody! If you've read this blog even a little bit, you know that I'm a cheesy horror movie fan. And there is no cheesier series of horror films than the Friday the 13th series. From the beginning, it was a rip-off (but the first one!) of Halloween. But you could safely say that Halloween as a franchise was born due to the success of Friday the 13th. The following blog post was written for my annual Halloween scary movie retrospectives. But every time there is a Friday the 13th on the calendar, these movies come back into vogue. But don't worry if you didn't plan ahead, there is another one in July!

Original post from October 2011.

Photo from Wikipedia.org

Sprinkled throughout this blog is ample evidence that I am a horror movie nut. That's in addition to being a comic book/superhero nut, a 70s ABC-TV nut, and a far-left loony moonbat political nut!

With Halloween coming up, there will undoubtedly be a heavier focus on the horror movie nut side of me. Previously, I commented on how much I did not want to see Rob Zombie's re-imagined Halloween. I still don't, but I'm sure someday I'll get the DVD. Anyway, unlike the original Halloween, I'm not sure anyone would put Friday the 13th in the "classic" category. At least not good classics. The series is loved with a heavy dose of nostalgia, and not a lot else.

Sure, it's iconic, was amazingly influential, and made a whole lot of money for both Paramount and New Line studios. But the Friday the 13th string of movies was easily the hollowest, least plotted, acted and impactful storywise of the horror movie franchises (Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, Hellraiser). Each Friday film pretty much follows a mindless killer, stalking stupid people.

There were variations along the way. And if you try to assign a real-world continuity to the films, you'll give yourself a headache that feels like a machete in your skull. Here are some short recaps (star ratings do not relate to the real movie world, only within the horror movie genre!):

Friday the 13th - The first film is by far the best. Jason does not appear (outside of a possible hallucination), but his storyline is set up. Notable for Betsy Palmer's iconic performance as Jason's mother. Sets the tone and atmosphere for the first four to seven movies. Genuinely scary for the uninitiated. Plus, Kevin Bacon. ***

Friday the 13th, Part 2 -Almost as good as the first, though very short (especially considering the recap at the beginning). Notable for Amy Steel's strong performance, the VW bug scene, and the guy in the wheelchair. Struggles to find a reason why Jason didn't drown, and why he was motivated to start his killing spree. Though the explanation is weak, it is used as the basis for the rest of the series. **

Friday the 13th, Part 3 - This (originally) 3D installment is one of the weakest, with very little story, and shots that were intended for the 3D audience. Most notable for hand-walking guy's death, and Jason's acquisition of his iconic hockey mask.  I initially thought this installment was terrible, but it's better in retrospect. *

Friday the 13th - The Final Chapter - Yeah, right! It's the best of sequels, and could have served as the finale, but there was more money to be made. Jason ventures out of Camp Crystal Lake, and seems to meet his end. Considering that this was 1984, I'm sure you know that it wasn't to be. Plus, Corey Feldman and Crispin Glover? ***

Friday the 13th (Part V): A New Beginning - Close to as good as part 4, reviled by fans for its plot twist, but very much in line with the tone of the first four movies. And Corey Feldman only wishes he grew up to look like John Shepherd!  Woof. **

Friday the 13th, Part VI: Jason Lives - Yeah, I guess he lives. Often considered one of the best sequels, it left me cold. It felt like a different studio picked up the reigns. This edition has a vastly different tone from the first five films, and the gory kills just aren't there.  But I guess the MPAA is to blame for that. *

Friday the 13th, Part VII: The New Blood - They throw a psychic girl into the mix, and tack on a ridiculous ending, which puts Jason into the same scenario as the end of the last movie--making this one irrelevant. On the plus side the tone of the first five movies is back. And for you gay fans out there, this one is known as FriGAY the 13th for the high number of gay actors in the movie. *

Friday the 13th, Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan - The tone is still there, as Jason stows away on a cruise ship bound for New York. Most of the action is on the boat, and there are some great scenes. But it feels like the series is running on fumes. And that ending. What the hell? *1/2

Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday - Speaking of Hell, New Line Cinema took over the franchise from Paramount here, and it is very, very obvious this was made by others. Some of the feel is still there, and the film is undeniably fun. Adds a bunch of new story elements that wreck any (already strained) continuity from the first 8 films. Also ignores the end of Part VIII. Fun anyway. And it sets up the movie after the next one.**1/2

Jason X - Tenth installment puts Jason in space, with no context to the rest of the storyline. Continuity-wise has no home, and is akin to a comic book "elseworlds" or "imaginary story." Has its fun parts, but utterly skippable. But the cryogenic scene? Priceless. *1/2

Freddy Vs. Jason - I loved it. They took the monster from the best horror franchise (though it had run out of steam) and the worst (but still loved), and pitted them against each other. Truly, one of the best outings for this type of movie in a long, long time. That said, not the least bit scary. Plays like gory comedy. ***

Friday the 13th (Remake) - I was right that they couldn't really mess up the remake. It's a hoot. The twist--apparently--is that most of the characters you kinda want to see dead. And Jason is given a much heftier back-story. Unfortunately, they still don't explain what happened that made Mrs. Voorhees think he died when he didn't. Still, I'd put this in the top three with the first two installments. I don't know if there will be a part 2 (actually XIII), but I'm game. ***

Marcus Bachmann Still Trying to Pray Away the Gay

Oh, Marcus! You can't get rid of your outsized gayness with any regular-strength prayer. You're going to need Industrial Strength God in a Drum for that kind of job! Sweetheart, dump Crazy Eyes, change the clinic's purpose to a support-centered place, and come out! You might get a game show on Bravo, or a fabulous reality series on Logo!

[Excerpt]

Bachmann clinic continues ‘pray the gay away’ treatment

Kristina Lapinski, a documentary film-maker who is contributing to “Gay U.S.A. the Movie,” a documentary project, went undercover, and attended a session with Bachmann & Associates, the counselling clinic in Minnesota owned by Michele and Marcus Bachmann. Mrs Bachmann was a contender for the Republican Presidential Nomination, though she pulled out of the race at the beginning of the year. . .

Read more at (yes): Pink News