Photo of the Day: The Walking Dead Funeral Parlor

Thanks to Stupid Monkey Planet for this belly laugh.

Source: Entertainment Weekly

President Obama Caught on Open Mic. . .Yeah, So?

Chill out, I got this. Image from LATimes

Um, really. I'm having trouble finding the story here. Bush was all swagger and bravado on camera. Here's Obama being a little brash and swaggery off camera. Is the story that he's less "cool as a cucumber" as he likes to appear? Is it that he said the word "stupid?" I really don't know why this is such a big story. I don't get it.


[Excerpt]

Obama remarks caught by open mic

The president casually criticizes Republicans, federal workers and White House technology during a Chicago fundraiser. The remarks were accidentally piped into the White House press room where reporters heard them. . .

Read more at: Los Angeles Times

What Happens in Vegas (Sorta): USPS Uses Wrong Statue of Liberty on Stamp


The New York-New York Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas holds a special place in history, and in my heart. I was involved in the genesis of the resort.

I attended many of the start-up conferences regarding its construction. I was almost pushed bodily (and vehicularly) into the pit being dug for the basement levels, when foolishly driving across the work site in the path of an earth mover. I was involved with the construction of the Manhattan Express roller coaster, and the hiring and training of its first crew. I was in charge of operations the night that David Hasselhoff took the "first ride".


<>

Las Vegas' Faux NYNY

This was in the waning days of my involvement with the amusement industry. But immediately after that career death, I began working in the signage industry in Las Vegas, and played a role designing much of the signage for the interior of the property. The company I work for even had a hand in the creation of the Statue of Liberty out front. It was around Lady Liberty's harbor that offerings of t-shirts and other mementos were left to mourn the losses of September 11, 2011. And by a stroke of outrageous luck, the New York-New York property--while containing scale replicas of many New York City skyscrapers--never included a copy of the World Trade Center towers. Which is all a long wind-up to toot my own horn as a tie-in to a story that involves Las Vegas' faux Statue of Liberty. . .

[Excerpt]

Image from source, Sun-Sentinel

Oops! Statue of Liberty stamp shows Las Vegas lady

After printing 3 billion copies of a new postage stamp bearing an image of the Statue of Liberty, the United States Postal Service received a strange question from a stamp collector.

Did postal officials realize the photograph was not of the famed statue in New York Harbor, but of a less-feted fiberglass and Styrofoam replica outside a Las Vegas casino? . . .

Read more at: Sun-Sentinel

House Democrats Punk the GOP Majority with "Present" Votes

Nancy Pelosi, plotting to hit John Boner Boehner with
his own hammer. From TMM

Now, this is amusing. For quite some time, detractors of President Obama have criticized his use of a "present" vote when he was a state senator. But as the excerpted article below shows, a vote of "present" can be a strategic maneuver, and can also be very entertaining to watch if you are a political junkie. Here, the Democrats in the House of Representatives used the tactic to force Republicans to squirm. A lot. It isn't often that the Dems try something so strategic, or so successful. Kudos, Mrs. Pelosi!

[Excerpt]


Pandemonium! Dems Jam Republicans With Even More Conservative Budget

What was supposed to be a routine vote in the House -- to knock down an amendment authored by conservative Republicans -- turned into pandemonium on the House floor Friday, as Democrats tried to jam the plan through, and hang it around the GOP's necks. . .
 
Read more at: Talking Points Memo

Captain Obvious: Cut FAT, not BONE and MUSCLE from Budget

One of the most irritating things about politics--if you follow it with any regularity--is the childishness of it all. Politicians long ago realized that the bulk of the public isn't "plugged in" all the time, and so they've only got to give the impression that they're doing what "America wants." Perception is everything. This is where sound bites and Frank Luntz's Words that Work Orwellian NewSpeak comes in.  Relaxing pollution regulations for big business thus becomes a "Clear Skies" initiative, and the casual observer says, "okay, that's fine."

The insidiousness of this is, that politicians now take something they want to accomplish--busting unions, killing Medicare, giving tax bennies to rich guys, making it okay to dump waste into the river--and they dress it up with language and talking points that appeal to their base to get it done. They do this in countless ways. They find one or two good arguments that support what they're doing, and the casual observer (or the blindly partisan) among us not only go along, we actually support the position.  Here are a couple of examples:

Budget Munster, Paul "Eddie" Ryan
from Washington Examiner

- Voter ID laws - Done to decrease Democratic voter turn out, but argued that it is to weed out voter fraud.

- Constitutional amendments against same-sex marriage - Passed to keep a boot on the neck of gay people, but argued to "protect the children" or "protect marriage" (the word or concept).

- Union busting - Done to decrease financial support of Democratic candidates (among other things), but argued that it somehow helps state budgets. Proof of that not needed.

- Privatizing Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, etc. - Supposedly to "save" the programs, but really to dismantle them, and shift the burden and expense to the user. Puts the dollars into private hands, further enriching the upper class, while pushing the middle class, working poor and elderly further down.

There is much more along these lines, and the argument that "both sides do it" may have a little legitimacy in this issue, but not a lot. Democrats may employ similar tactics to get things done, but it is rare for a Democratic policy proposal to take from the poor and give to the rich. It is rare that a Democratic proposal is a wolf in sheep's clothing to enrich the already rich. When it comes down to Koch brothers vs. George Soros, at least Soros is actually spending money that leads to policies that are not in his own financial interest.

All this brings me around to (finally) Rep. Paul Ryan and his supposedly courageous and serious and powerful debt reducing plan.  It isn't either of those things. It fails to address revenue at all, and further cuts taxes for the upper tier. It places emphasis not only on the ridiculous "trickle down" theory that has never been shown to work, but on other projected numbers that have nothing to support them but hope and/or magic. When it could propose cutting fat (think: $500 hammers and $1,000 toilet seats in defense contracts), it instead cuts bone and muscle (EPA regulations, Medicare, Medicaid, etc.).

I'm all for cutting waste. There's got to be tons of it. And there's probably waste even in the popular and needed programs. But using over-simplistic language, buzz words and talking points, politicians like Ryan dive in to the budget with a meat fork and carving knife, and just start hacking away. It may already be cliche, but President Obama's "scalpel" analogy is right on the money. And by not addressing the revenue side of things, Ryan and the Republicans ultimately show that they are not serious.

Rick "Frothy Mixture" Santorum Enters 2012 GOP Primary Race

Image available everywhere.

Oh, joy. For every semi-rational contender, we get one packed-to-the gills with crazy. The latest from the latter group is Rick Santorum, the only candidate who is also a double entendre. All I can think of is, oh, his poor daughter. I mean sure, she's probably almost grown up by now, but this just means that the picture at the left will be displayed even more. By people like me. Boo-hoo.

[Excerpt]

Santorum throws his hat into the GOP primary's frothy mixture



After years of waiting, everybody's favorite bestiality dreamer, Rick Santorum, announced that he's officially forming his presidential exploratory committee tonight... on Greta Van Sustren's show, of all places. . .
 
Read more at: AmericaBlog Elections

Jon Stewart on the 2012 GOP Presidential Hopefuls

Good stuff, from Tuesday night's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

The Daily Show
Tags: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

Shutting Up the "Birthers" for Good?

Image from source, Addicting Info

The title of this post is taken from the excerpted piece below. I do not believe it accomplishes that goal. I do not believe it is possible to accomplish that goal. If a home movie of President Obama's actual birth appeared, shot in the actual Hawaii hospital, with actual identifiable nurses and doctors, they wouldn't believe it. If that same movie showed the original long-form certificate of live birth being written and signed while Mrs. Obama beamed, while cradling little Barry. . .they still wouldn't believe it. I do believe, however that the basis of all of this is race. They can deny it all they want to, but this was never an issue with previous presidents. Why now, if not race?

[Excerpt]

Shutting ‘Birthers’ Up For Good

It goes without saying that there is a general bout of racism going on in our nation. However, never in my life, nor the lives of my parents and/or grandparents has their been such disdain for the President of the United States. Largely in part to the feeling that our President was not born in one of the 50 states that make up the great nation of the United States. . .


Read more at: Addicting Info

FOX Nation Reacts to Bill Maher "Hating" Republicans

Ever been to FOX Nation? It's a far-right internet outpost not unlike FreeRepublic, only it's got the FOX brand on it. Odd that a "fair and balanced" "news" channel has its own, huge partisan web site. It's also odd that it's FOX Nation, like it is its own country or something. I've always said that right-wing world was its own alternate reality, and now they've got their own alternate reality country.

Anyway, when Bill Maher--interviewed by Rachel Maddow on Tuesday night--said of Republicans, "I hate them as much as you do," I knew he was in for some trouble on the internets.  I think he was speaking extemporaneously, and probably would have phrased it like, "I hate their lying as much as you do," since that is what they were talking about. But whatever, he said it, and I knew that right-wing world would be wobbling on its axis.

Funny thing though. In criticizing Maher (and by extension, Maddow) for his overly broad impossible-to-take-seriously jab, the denizens of FOX Nation make very specific, very harsh, easy-to-take-seriously comments. They are nothing if not predictable.

[Excerpt]

Maher to Maddow on the GOP: 'I Hate Them as Much as You Do'



. . .At the end of an almost thirteen minute interview with Rachel Maddow, the comedian said of Republicans, "I hate them as much as you do." 

And here are some of their enlightened responses:
 
"Hey Bill, Drop dead."
 
"Mahr and Maddow both mental midgets, mentality ill and disabled from the neck up. They may be the reason why liberals believe in abortion?"
 
"And we DESPISE Maher and Madcow even more."
 
"I keep looking at these two and I just can't confirm - which one is the male?"
 
"We hate you too midget man. And, your friend Maddow has to be the stupidest bi_ch on television."
 
"The man is a hateful arrogant jew."
 
"So they hate us..........I don't hate them, the Good Lord says love you neighbor.... I just think they are stupid..."
 
Annnnnd scene.

Read more at: FOX Nation

Rachel Maddow Interviews Bill Maher

Sweet!

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

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

Mitt Romney Packs Fudge

"Okay everyone, let me put on my glove, and pack some fudge!"

Is it wrong to say that Willard "Mitt" Romney is a fudge packer? Is it wrong to think that that particular double entendre is hilarious? Is it wrong that at (very nearly) 45 years old, this picture still cracks me up? Don't care. I'm laughing. Doesn't matter if it's appropriate.

Mittens is, apparently, running for president again. . .

Tim Pawlenty is Running for President

You down with T-Paw, dogg? Image from CBS

Surprise! We're now up to two declared candidates besides Barack Obama who are not batshit crazy, Tim Pawlenty and  Willard "Mitt" Romney. Willard has a couple of issues that may hurt him. Like, he lost last time to Grampa Simpson McCain. And he's a Mormon (not necessarily casting aspersions, but I know it's an issue with "the base"). Aaaaaand, there's Romneycare, that suspiciously like Obamacare thingybobber he passed in Massachusetts. TPaw doesn't seem to have those major flaws, but he has the charisma of a bar of (unscented) bath soap, and has made at least one embarrassing attempt to go all gangsta (for a white guy) to toughen his image.

But up against the crazies like Donald Trump, Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann, Rick Santorum and others (none of whom have thrown down yet), and the unappealing like Newt Gingrich, TPaw's only real competition is Mittens and maybe Mike Huckabee. Huckabee has the disturbing ability to make extreme things sound almost reasonable, so I'm worried about him. I'm not so worried about Pawlenty, except that he's so mild, he might just win.

[Excerpt]

Pawlenty says 'I'm running;" campaign downplays it



Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty may be running for president, but he's not ready to be official about it.



Pawlenty moved quickly Tuesday to knock down a CNN story that appeared to show him officially entering the race.

During an airing of Piers Morgan Tonight, taped earlier in the day, the talk show host remarked on Pawlenty's low standing in early polls. He asked if Pawlenty would consider being real estate tycoon Donald Trump's No. 2 on a ticket. The former governor laughed and responded, "I'm running for president. . ."

Read more at: CBS News

Out Names Gay "Power 50" Shepard Smith, Anderson Cooper, Matt Drudge

Image from source, Out

My eyes just about bugged out of my head when I saw a post about this on AmericaBlog. Of course they popped out when Anderson Cooper and Matt Drudge made the list in years past. Maybe since the word "gay" isn't in the official top 50 list, they can't get sued? But then, the truth is a defense in a libel case, and telling the truth really can't be defamation either, right? And I'd have to think that Out Magazine must be pretty sure about the orientation of the people they picked. And Shepard placed sixth! Welcome to the club, Shep.

[Excerpt]

The Fifth Annual [Out] Power 50

In times of upheaval, power changes hands fast. It's no surprise, then, that two of our 10 10 names this year are new entries. Or that one -- Apple's Tim Cook -- rockets to the top of the list. TV and the internet remain fertile ground for LGBT talent and power to flourish, with five more of our group coming from talk shows, news programs, or tablet launches (Ellen DeGeneres, Anderson Cooper, Rachel Maddow, new entry Shepard Smith and Barry Diller). . .

Read more at: Out

What Happens in Vegas: Lies and Irony on Right-wing Talk Radio

I forgot to write about this yesterday. On my short trip home for work, I had the radio tuned to KXNT, the local Las Vegas right-wing talk station (now on FM and AM!!!). Alan Stock, the afternoon/evening host (whom I've tangled with in the past) had on a couple of local ladies who were fixing to raise a protest. I didn't hear enough of the conversation to find out what exactly they were protesting, but that isn't what's important. They didn't call themselves tea baggers specifically, but they were clearly aligned with them, even though they were a separate group. The ladies were making a great effort to portray themselves as previously apolitical, spurred by current events to speak out and protest. They were not backed by the money-rich, fancy pants unions, no, no! Just a genuine, grass-roots, citizen uprising, you betcha!

And then one of the ladies indicated that they were "partnered with" Americans for Prosperity. THAT'S RIGHT, the Koch-brothers backed faux grass roots group that funds much of the Tea Party!!! Unbelievable. No, wait, completely believable.

Before I arrived home, Stock had switched topics, and was onto a local proposed law to make pseudoephedrine allergy medicines available only by prescription. On this issue, I'm WITH the "conservative" side of the issue (though I'm completely unsure if there IS a partisan split on this one). I think it's stupid to have to go to the doctor to get a prescription for something that only MIGHT be used to make meth. But the hilarious part of the argument Stock and his callers were taking was just how MANY uninsured people there were in Nevada, and what a hardship this would be on them! EXACTLY! That's why we wanted single-payer universal health care, you DOPES!!!

House Progressives' Alternate Budget Plan? Sounds Great to Me

Yeah, I'm not familiar with this guy either.
Photo from Raw Story.

Really, there may be some issues inside the thing somewhere to be ironed out, but just try to argue with the headline:

[Excerpt]

House progressives offer budget plan: Tax the rich, end the wars, slash oil subsidies, invest in jobs



As the focus on Capitol Hill shifts to America's long-run fiscal woes, Congressional progressives are one step ahead of the White House and Democratic leaders in offering a counter-proposal to the  House GOP approach. . .
 
Read more at: Raw Story
 
Sounds friggin' perfect to me.

Red State Update: Government Shutdown! Nevermind. . .

The Japanese China Syndrome Gets Worse

Back in the 70s, I remember the Three Mile Island incident dominating the news. It was during the Carter Administration, and I was barely a teenager. I didn't pay a whole lot of attention to the news then, and we only really had Walter Cronkite and two other networks for half an hour per night. But it was significant enough to make a very large impact. But I'd wager not many people who remember it remember the details. No, we remember The China Syndrome.

The movie about a nuclear meltdown opened just before the incident about a nuclear meltdown. The Jane Fonda thriller seemed a lot more urgent than what's going on in Japan. I don't mean that to sound like the nuclear catastrophe in Japan isn't serious. It's just that The China Syndrome made it all seem like a ticking time bomb. A race against time, or BOOOOMMMM!!!! This has been going on for a month now. And they just raised the threat level two notches, above Three Mile Island and up to Chernobyl. There is no higher step. Eeep.

[Excerpt]

Japan raises nuclear crisis alert level



The Japanese government's nuclear safety agency raised the crisis level of the Fukushima Dai-ichi power plant accident from 5 to 7, the worst on the international scale and on par with the Chernobyl accident 25 years ago. . .
 
Read more at: MSNBC

Is Sarah Palin Behind Donald Trump in His "Birther"-ism?

I happened to catch part of this live. As stupid as the whole birther business is--not to mention opportunistic for Donald Trump and Sarah Palin--that's not the thing that struck me. Mostly, I was surprised at the low-rent weekend program that Palin was appearing on, and the exceedingly casual clothing she's wearing.

I know she's supposed to be all folksy, you betcha. And I know that there are people who watch FOX "News" at any given hour of the day, all day.  But this appearance does not look like an appearance by a potential presidential candidate to me. Does it to you?

Blast from the Past: Workplace TV Shows

The workplace is a big setting for TV series, vying for the top spot with family dramas and comedies. But the workplaces aren't very varied. There are cop shows, lawyer shows, medical shows (with a subset of forensics), and procedurals like CSI or Law & Order that may have a blend of those settings.  I don't know about you, but I've never worked for a law firm, police department or hospital. There are other occupations out there, Hollywood! Sure, my job as an artist in a Las Vegas sign company would make a damned boring drama, but I'll bet it could be a comedy or reality show!

Anyway, sometimes the networks get away from their comfort zone, and actually set a program in a different sort of workplace from every other show on the tube. Here are a few off the top of my head. . .





1. Flying High (1978) - Before she was on The Greatest American Hero and Hotel, Connie Selleca (Mrs. John Tesh) was on this series, set at an airline. It didn't last long.

2. Alice (1976) - Lasting much longer was this television version of the movie, Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore. Linda Lavin was the waitress at Mel's Diner, and couldn't get out of the joint for eleven years.

3. It's a Living/Making a Living (1980) - Another comedy set in a restaurant, but this one a posh eatery at the top of a skyscraper, with gorgeous waitresses. Sexist as hell, but what a catchy theme song!

4. 9 to 5 (1983) - The movie spawned a series that couldn't decide what it wanted to be. There were three or four variations, but they were all set at an office. . .before The Office. Starred Dolly Parton's sister and Rita Moreno.

5. Scarecrow & Mrs. King (1983) - After leaving her private eye/jiggle show, Charlie's Angels, Kate Jackson landed in this successful spy drama. It was set at a film company that was a front for a government agency, like the CIA. But plenty of workplace dramedy went down there.

6. WKRP in Cincinnati (1978) - One of the best workplace sitcoms ever took place at a little AM radio station in Ohio. Nearly every episode is a classic. Howard Hessman's Dr. Johnny Fever was a highlight, but every other cast member had their chance to shine. Nearly equalled in the nineties by Newsradio, for a radio studio-set sitcom.

That's it for this weekend. Have a great week!

Jon Stewart Channels Glenn Beck Again (Beck's Leaving FOX "News")

Weekend blogging can be a chore. A lot of bloggers don't even bother. But I like to put up at least a few fresh things on the weekend. I've got more time to do it. And it lets me catch up on a couple of things I may have forgotten during the week. For instance, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart dedicated the first two segments of Thursday's show to Stewart's brilliant and hilarious Glenn Beck impression. Beck has quit or been fired from FOX "News", and as Bill Maher said this weekend, his absence is going to be hard on comedians.

The Daily Show
Tags: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

The Daily Show
Tags: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

The Daily Show
Tags: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

The Daily Show
Tags: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook