Totally Not Gay Rick Perry's Ideas on The GayThing

Rick Perry was once the great GOP hope. I mean after Fred Thompson, who turned out to be a big snooze. Perry was handsome, and rugged. He's been a governor of Texas, which makes him seem even more manly. But he turned out to be something of a tone-deaf goober. And a bit of a dolt.

Now, this isn't the first time Perry has shown a mixture of stupidity/ignorance, mixed with a good helping of homophobia. But I think it's particularly ironic, when you consider that Perry has had gay rumors swirling about him for years. So, it makes me wonder. I mean if Perry is on the "down-low," maybe this is how he's compartmentalized it in his mind? Like a drunk who decides not to drink, he just decides not to acknowledge his true feelings?

Image from source, Think Progress

[Excerpt]

Rick Perry Derides Gay ‘Lifestyle’, Compares It To Alcoholism
 
This past weekend, the Texas Republican Party approved a new platform plank that endorsed ex-gay therapy for those “who are seeking escape from the homosexual lifestyle.” Asked about the platform Wednesday night, Gov. Rick Perry (R) seemed to defend it by suggesting that homosexuality is comparable to alcoholism. “Whether or not you feel compelled to follow a particular lifestyle or not, you have the ability to decide not to do that,” Perry suggested. “I may have the genetic coding that I’m inclined to be an alcoholic, but I have the desire not to do that, and I look at the homosexual issue the same way. . .”

Read more at: ThinkProgress

Non-troversy: Obama Says Pot Less Harmful than Alcohol

I can't figure out the problem here. I thought this was a fact that was self-evident. Alcohol is clearly a more dangerous (though socially more acceptable) drug. Where's the controversy?

[Excerpt]

President Obama Says Pot Is Less Dangerous Than Alcohol For The Individual Consumer

In an interview published Sunday by the New Yorker, President Obama said pot is no more dangerous than alcohol — and that marijuana legalization in Colorado and Washington state is an “important” move towards a more just legal system. “I smoked pot as a kid, and I view it as a bad habit and a vice, not very different from the cigarettes that I smoked as a young person up through a big chunk of my adult life,” Obama told reporter David Remnick. “I don’t think it is more dangerous than alcohol.” In fact, the president went on to admit pot was actually less dangerous “in terms of its impact on the individual consumer. . .”

Read more at: Think Progress

Somebody Finally Noticed: Is John Boehner a Lush?

Image from Wonkette

Boozy. Other than "weepy" or "orange," that is the best descriptive term for Speaker of the House John Boner Boehner.  Whether he is or is not often publicly inebriated is open to speculation, but there is no question that it seems like it. Curiously though, it was only bloggers or the occasional comedian who would say so. And sure, the linked article below is from Wonkette--a blog, if a big one--but it's linked to The Fix and Salon, which makes me think the issue is coming to the fore. Will Boehner have to address it, in a teary-eyed press conference?

[Excerpt]

The Fix: Is John Boehner Hitting The Bottle?

The Fix, as reposted by Salon, had a simple question: Is John Boehner hitting the bottle? But nobody could discover the answer, because the story was one million three hundred seventy-four thousand two hundred twenty five point four words long, all like "Five days before Christmas, House Speaker John Boehner stood before the Republican-controlled Congress—his Plan B alternative for avoiding the fiscal cliff defeated by lack of votes from his own party, a public humiliation and repudiation of the Speaker’s authority, rare in House history. . ."

Read more at: Wonkette

John Boehner (Barely) Holds On to Speakership

Image found at NoTeaPartyToday

Well the weeping, orange boner gets to keep his job. Even though the 112th Congress was less effective than the infamous "Do Nothing Congress" of 1948. Even though he's a perpetually drunken (allegedly), oafish clown. It wasn't in the bag though. He had some defectors, and only got in by two votes. I'd say, "no wonder he cried in his acceptance speech," but by now it would be weirder if he didn't.

[Excerpt]

Boehner reelected as Speaker; nine Republicans defect in vote

Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) was reelected Speaker of the House on Thursday after a week of rumors of a possible GOP revolt.

Boehner won a bare majority in a vote that saw nine Republicans vote for other GOP members, and several others who abstained from voting or voted "present." Two years ago, Boehner won all 241 available GOP votes. . .

Read more: The Hill

Jon Stewart Skewers Mitch McConnell's Filibuster of Himself

Image from SpydersDen

I know that the Democrats get teased for having notables like Nancy Pelosi (who I actually like), Howard Dean (like him too), but I often wonder how you can be a "proud conservative" when you look at the GOP roster. John Boner Boehner has his fake tan, weepy histrionics and seems permanently soused (hey, maybe he's orange from the bourbon!). Eric Cantor looks like he's trying to ignore the smell of a fart, and oh Mitch McConnell. Now, I hate to pick on his looks, but being looks-challenged myself I think I have room: he looks like a cartoon turtle. Worse than that, if you were going to come up with a cartoon voice for him, it would sound exactly like his real voice, seemingly produced without lips.

But beyond their looks and demeanor, these guys have shitty policies and juvenile and ridiculous behavior for men of their stature. McConnell rolls out his theatrical theater pieces, with a smirk and laughter in his eyes, all the while pretending he's deadly serious. Boehner is scarcely better, he just slurs when he says it all. But Boehner--though he's put his foot in it many times--has never had to walk back something so embarrassing to my knowledge. Of course there is no filibuster in the House of Representatives, or he probably would have had to do this by now. Yes, McConnell brought up a proposed bill, and then filibustered it! Because it wasn't serious in the first place, and his bluff was called. Too delicious.

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Mitch McConnell's Self-Filibuster
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What Happens in Vegas: The Sad Story of John Fredericks

I've sort of fallen out of the local news habit. The only time I seem to watch are those nights when The Daily Show is in reruns, or if I just happen to have the TV on at the right time. I catch it often enough to know who the local personalities are for the most part, and to know one station from the other. John Fredericks was--to me--just another of the many locally recognized names. I knew he had a dog named Jordan, and that to his regular viewers, his dog was something of a celebrity.

John Fredericks with Jordan in 2008.
Image from LVRJ.

When his dog died, I was involved in making the grave marker, an elaborate and attractive monument. And after that, I didn't really follow what happened to John Fredericks. Until I caught a snippet about some alleged misconduct, and reported it here on my blog: What Happens in Vegas: Local Weatherman Accused of Stalking. I really only took notice because it seemed so out of character. His persona was rather sunny, the middle-aged reporter with his adorable--but manly--dog.

I knew that Fredericks was breaking in a new dog named LJ ("Little Jordan"), and later that he'd left Las Vegas for a different market. I didn't think about Fredericks after that, except for the odd time that the link to my post would randomly pop up on my page. Then today, there was activity at work about the original Jordan monument. There was going to be an addition to acknowledge the passing of John Fredericks. Huh?

He can't even be out of his fifties, I thought. Again, it just seemed unlikely. But it was true, he'd died. Worse, he was in hospice at the time, suffering from cirrhosis. Apparently, he'd never gotten over Jordan's death. Which is sad enough. But the more you read about it, the sadder it gets.  Here is an excerpt from a local Las Vegas paper, a year before Fredericks died:

[Excerpt]

"When Jordan died in August 2007, Fredericks struggled with depression and alcoholism.
During Christmas week 2008, he left the business shortly after his replacement dog, LJ (for Little Jordan), was banned from the station. . .

. . .But jobs were scarce and he ended up with a $9-an-hour job cleaning 150 cat litter boxes every morning. The owner allowed him to stay in a trailer. He slept in a sleeping bag, existing without water or heat. . ." Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal

It just gets worse from there, and as I said, that was a year ago. I went into this story just to note the death of a moderate local celebrity, and came out depressed and a bit upset. And ask anyone, I'm all black-hearted and compassion free most of the time. But apparently, this guy led one of the most sad-sack, string-of-bad-luck, depressing lives you can almost imagine, buoyed briefly by a stetch of years where he simultaneously had a wonderful dog and a great job as a local celebrity. The rest is just. . .well, the poor guy. Obviously, a long-term healthy life can't be anchored to the life of an animal that only lives an average of 12-15 years. It's too bad somebody couldn't have helped him before his life took such a sad turn.

[Excerpt]

John Fredericks, 57, dies in hospice

Former Las Vegas weatherman John Fredericks, who never recovered from the 2007 death of his golden Lab, Jordan, his longtime on-air companion, died Friday. He had checked in Nathan Adelson Hospice on Tuesday. . .

Read more at: LVRJ

Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Xander Drunk and Disorderly

Image from source, Examiner

Not Xander! Surely, somebody conjured a demon (probably Dawn, probably by mistake--stupid Dawn!) that possessed him, and caused him to react badly. Giles will soon crack the case, and Xander will be no worse for wear. Or, Nicholas Brendon will go to rehab (again), and the cycle repeats.

[Excerpt]

Buffy the Vampire Slayer star arrested for drunk and disorderly incident

Television actor Nicholas Brendon, who starred on the hit series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," was forcibly subdued and arrested by police during a violent altercation.

According to law enforcement officers in Venice, California, the 38-year old actor provoked officers into using a stun gun when Brendon allegedly attempted to strike the arresting officers. At the time and place of occurrence the 38-year-old actor was reportedly drunk and boisterous on Wednesday night, which prompted residents to call the police. . .

Read more at: Examiner

What's Up With (Still) President Bush's Jaw?

I've mentioned this before, the weird jaw-wiggle that (still) President George W. Bush does after he completes a sentence. It's a strange, distracting thing, once you start to notice it. John Boehner has a similar thing, tensing back the corners of his mouth repeatedly. When you clue into it, you notice almost nothing else.

But Boehner's grimace is pretty obviously a facial tic. He's probably not aware he's doing it. Bush's looks more serious than that. It's a waggle more than a wiggle, a jut outward and to the left. It alternates with tightly pursed lips. What the hell does that to his face? Is his slurred (schlurrred) speech part of the problem? And why does it come and go from speech to speech? Is he just drunk? Medicated? Is it a holdover from his cocaine-binge days? This just bugs me. I hate unsolved mysteries.

Slurred speech 'n' coke jaw, before a captive audience at Fort Campbell. Junior's RIPPED.



Found at: Democratic Underground

Is Bush Drinking Again?

Image from source, NewsCorpse

Maybe this should be filed under "Shameless Gossip," but I've never been 100% convinced that our "reformed alcoholic" President has ever been entirely off of the sauce. Periodic drunkenness would go a long way to explaining his idiotic behavior, wouldn't it?

[Excerpt]

Bush: Back On The Bottle?

The national embarrassment that is our president once again raises its reddened face. In photographs from the Olympics in China, it appears that recovering souse, George W. Bush, is relapsing. . .

Read more at: NewsCorpse

George Bush Jokes About Drinking, Press Yuks it Up

One of the most insufferable things those of us with Bush Derangement Syndrome or BDS (believe me, I come by it honestly) have to put up with is George W. Bush when he's trying to be funny. Partly because he isn't funny, partly because he shouldn't be joking about serious matters. But mostly because the press eats it up, and laughs along with him.

Here, The Decider makes an alcoholic analogy when talking about the economy. "Wall Street has a hangover." I know how they feel. The whole country has had an eight-year-long hangover, caused by the alcoholic-in-chief.

Wonder Woman Lynda Carter's Confession

Image from source, People

While it is great that Lynda Carter overcame an addiction, and has remained sober for almost a decade, I'm not sure it's newsworthy. What it is is an excuse for me to put one of my favorite pop-culture icons on the blog (again).

And just to give it a bit more relevance, not only is Carter making an admission of addiction, she was also recently in the news--for a very odd thing. So, I'm posting a link to both stories, a fabulous picture of the actress today, and of course, some classic Wonder Woman!!!

[Excerpt]

Wonder Woman Lynda Carter: 'I'm an Alcoholic'

To children of the '70s, she was a glamorous TV icon with her bullet-proof bracelets and Star-Spangled corset. But now Wonder Woman Lynda Carter has turned the "Lasso of Truth" on herself, admitting publicly that she's an alcoholic. . .

Read more at: People

[Excerpt]

Wonder Woman finds body

Wonder Woman is a mortal after all and a good citizen. Lynda Carter, best known for her portrayal of the superhero on TV in the '70s, didn't have her lasso, bulletproof bracelets or a cell phone when she discovered a body floating in the Potomac River. . .

Read more at: NJ.com

And now, some classic Wonder Woman!

Is President Bush Drunk?

I've already reported on President Bush's gaffes in Australia. But I hadn't seen the actual video proof. I'm no expert, but my GOD, is this man inebriated, senile or what? I know I am biased. Every utterance from our Commander in Chief seriously embarrasses me, but I really think something is wrong with him.