Ray Bradbury Dies at 91

My good friend, Rev. Stu of Stupid Monkey Planet Church of Primatheism alerted me to the fact that Ray Bradbury has died. I was quite embarrassed because I'm pretty good at the dead/alive celebrity game, and I'd have sworn he'd previously left this mortal coil. Surely, I had confused him with one of his contemporaries, such as Isaac Asimov. I don't know. But I very much did enjoy Mr. Bradbury's works, including The Martian Chronicles and Fahrenheit 451. He was amazingly talented, and his works started my love affair with science fiction and dystopian future fiction. RIP, Mr. Bradbury.


[Excerpt]


Me and you and Ray Bradbury

In recent years, following his stroke, Ray Bradbury continued to write stories, which appeared in national publications, by talking to his daughter over the phone. He’d call her up, long distance, and, in essence, talk the story to her; she would transcribe it. He’d go over the result with her later. His hands no longer worked well enough to type, but he was still a storyteller. He said being a writer, telling stories, kept him alive—and he lived to be 91. . .

Read more at: Raw Story

Randi Rhodes on Austerity and Irony

"The irony is that conservatives are spending millions and millions of dollars... in the name of austerity. No amount of spending is too much to put an end to wasteful spending!"


--Radio host, Randi Rhodes

Mitt Romney: Super Trooper

Huh. This Mitt Romney fellow is starting to sound like something of a creep in his formative years. And you know, if Mittens liked wearing a uniform so much, there was a far more honest way to do it in the sixties. . .it's called the Viet Nam War.

[Excerpt]


Did Young Mitt Romney Impersonate A Police Officer? Another Witness Says Yes

When Mitt Romney was a college freshman, he told fellow residents of his Stanford University dormitory that he sometimes disguised himself as a police officer – a crime in many states, including Michigan and California, where he then lived. And he had the uniform on display as proof. . .

Read more at: National Memo

Proposition 8 Knocked Down Again

Image from source, LA Times

Yesterday was all about Scott Walker, and he (and all of the other recall targets) inexplicably retained their seats. I never said I understood Wisconsin, or why toady politicians often get eternally re-elected. But that's not all that was going on in the news. The California "Proposition 8" battle logged another loss for the proponents.

I have a personal stake in the case, being one-half of one of the 18,000 same-sex couples who were married in California in the brief months in which it was legal. My marriage remains legal, in a weird grandfathered pocket, but no same-sex couples have been allowed to marry since November 2008, when Proposition 8 was passed. Since then, Proposition 8 was put to a legal challenge, and lost badly. Seriously, the defense was comically bad. And then that was appealed.

And appealed again. Along the way, it was whittled down to a very narrow "California only" decision, meaning that even if it goes to the Supreme Court, it would likely only deal with California, not the entire country. Which is fortunate if the Supremes are inclined to rule in favor of Prop 8 (and thus against gay couples), or a delay if they rule against (and might have made marriage equality national). I personally believe that an unbiased, un-politically motivated court would rule in favor of marriage equality, on the legal merits. But we know that the SCOTUS does not operate in a political vacuum. And I don't want to test this court unnecessarily. After Citizens United, who could trust them?

[Excerpt]


Proposition 8 same-sex marriage fight headed to U.S. Supreme Court

California's legal battle over same-sex nuptials is now headed to the U.S. Supreme Court, the final chapter in four years of litigation over the constitutionality of Proposition 8's ban on gay marriage. . .

Read more at: Los Angeles Times

Orly Taitz NOT a Winner in Senate Primary

Dr. Orly Taitz, Esq.

California had a weird primary this year, dumping all of the candidates--Republican, Democrat and otherwise--into one primary election, with the two top winners facing off in November. Why? Yeah, I don't know. Anyway, the one big worry was that "Birther Queen" Orly Taitz could have been in the #2 slot for Senate after Diane Feinstein.

Orly (a word that is short for "oh, really?" in internet speak) Taitz is the seemingly crazy lost Gabor sister. She is--if I'm not mistaken--a lawyer/dentist/real estate agent. And she is on a loony crusade to get President Obama ejected from the White House on the grounds that he is ineligible to be President. She has many different reasons for this, from his "fake" birth certificate(s), alleged numerous Social Security numbers, some strange stuff about him being adopted, dual or renounced citizenship, just all kinds of stuff. Some of it self-contradictory.

I could go on and on about Orly, but I won't. She--luckily for the California and national GOP--will not be a candidate for Senate. Her quixotic quest to unseat Obama has seen nothing but defeat, and sometimes punishment from the judiciary. As such, unless she goes on a murderous rampage, has sex reassignment surgery or reveals herself to be Andy Kaufmann, I expect this to be my last post, ever on Dr. Orly Taitz, Esq.

The cat is mine, the hair is Orly's.

[Excerpt]


Sen. Dianne Feinstein is assured a spot on fall ballot

Feinstein captured about 51% of the early balloting, assuring her a place in the general election under the state's new "top-two" primary rules. . .[Susan] Emken was among 14 Republicans wanting to take on Feinstein. Others included Oceanside businessman Dan Hughes and dentist/attorney Orly Taitz of Laguna Niguel, who gained name recognition for her efforts to show that President Obama was not born in the U.S. . .

Read more at: Los Angeles Times

Wisconsin's Wanker Walker Wins (And Turds Sometimes Float)

Image from source, Politico

I'm a little surprised. I mean, I figured that all of that money had a good shot of buying a winner, I just thought it would be closer. Or maybe a surprise loss. Though I don't have a lot of emotional investment in this fight, it is disheartening to see what Citizens United hath wrought. A dweebie, uncharismatic, radical rightist holds onto his job in Wisconsin of all places? This is a place where Obama still--just today--polls above Romney. Another thought: Walker gave a victory speech. In an election that was akin to an impeachment that failed. Did Bill Clinton give a victory speech? It just seems like there should be a little humility.

And so it goes. And think of this. Whenever the huge infusion of cash into Walker's coffers is brought up, people on the right shriek, "UNIONS! The unions give money to Democrats!" Yes, they do. Which is exactly why Scott Walker and his compatriots are trying to bust unions. And with this success under their belt, where are we at if money always buys the winner? Is this the real Republican Permanent Majority that Karl Rove dreamed of? I have to hope not.

[Excerpt]


Wisconsin recall: Walker wins

A two-year saga of recall elections, public demonstrations, litigation and legislative walkouts drew to a finish Tuesday as Wisconsin voters turned out in massive numbers and voted to keep Republican Gov. Scott Walker in office.  A half-dozen states are casting ballots today in House and Senate primary elections, but it was on Wisconsin — the site of a historic Democratic campaign to oust a sitting governor — where the eyes of the political world were trained. . .

Read more: Politico

Texas Purging Voters Too

Republicans have a really good story for why they are enacting so many new voting restrictions in many states. Voter fraud. We have to prevent ineligible people--illegal aliens, dead people, felons, fictional people--from voting. So, it is vital that we shorten or eliminate early voting, tighten regulations regarding ID, and purge the rolls.

It sounds good. But the fact of the matter is, actual voter fraud--votes cast by ineligible people--is vanishingly rare in America. It barely happens, and when it does, it is not some organized conspiracy with the intent of rigging an election. So, if there is no pressing need for all of these voting restrictions, and there's no public outrcry, why have there been so many in the last two years? And why is it, that in each and every case, the people most affected by the restrictions are likely Democratic voters? That's a fairly easy question to answer. When voters show up en masse at the polls, Democrats tend to win. Suppressing the vote--almost entirely on one side--makes that less likely. Simple really.

And the galling thing about it (beside the fact that it often works) is that it shows that the GOP doesn't care if they actually win fair and square. They don't care if they only win by rigging the game. To them, a win is a win, dirty or not. For evidence, look to Florida in 2000, when there was another voter purge. Eligible voters were purged in much larger numbers than the margin of "victory" for President Bush. And in a couple of months, they were referring to Gore/Lieberman as "Sore/Loserman." Jeb Bush ordered the purge, and his brother benefited. And if the same thing had happened in Libya or Cuba or Iran, not a soul in the United States would see it the same way.

[Excerpt]


In Texas, 300,000 Eligible Voters Targeted In Purge

Florida voters are not the only ones who should be worried about whether their state has erroneously purged them from the list of eligible voters; the state of Texas also has a voter purge policy that erroneously targets eligible voters. The Houston Chronicle reports that, in a two year period, 300,000 eligible voters were warned that they may be removed from Texas voter rolls. Texas voter registration rates are already among the lowest in the nation, and one out of every 10 Texas voters’ registration is currently suspended. The almost 1.5 million voters who are suspended could be purged if they fail to vote in two consecutive general elections. . .

Read more at: Think Progress

Another Step in the Prop 8 Case Tuesday

Image from Towleroad

Tuesday isn't just about the recall votes in Wisconsin. It's also the day we hear the next phase in the seemingly glacially slow Proposition 8 case in California. I got married to my husband during the short window of time when it was legal. We'll have our fourth anniversary (though together for over 14 years) this month. Voters took away that right for others the following November, the same night President Obama was elected. Since then, there has been a huge trial on the subject in which Prop 8 was overturned. But the busybodies who brought the issue up wouldn't have it, and so the case is like a beachball being batted around. That ball comes down again today.

Whatever happens, the ball is going to be batted again, it's just a question of which direction. Unfortunately, the misguided Prop 8 proponents are much more passionate on the issue than a lot of marriage equality supporters. Or, I should say, they get more fired up about it. While I was mightily impressed with the legal team on the marriage equality side (the defense was just horrible, go read the case if you don't believe me), and with Judge Walker's decision, I don't have a lot of confidence in the legal system, particularly the Supreme Court. I meanwhile remain hopeful.


[Excerpt]


Ninth Circuit Announces Filing Tomorrow in Prop 8 Case Likely to Be Decision on 'En Banc' Rehearing
KQED's Scott Shafer said this is almost surely the decision on whether to rehear the case en banc. An en banc panel is made up of 11 judges, chosen at random from the circuit.

If the 9th Circuit denies the request, Prop 8 supporters will almost certainly ask the United States Supreme Court to hear the case. . .

Read more at: Towleroad

Herman Cain, Radio Star

Image from Mediaite

Annnnd, the first cast-off from the GOP primary clown show to cash in is? Herman Cain! Second- (third-?) string right-wing radio host Neal Boortz is retiring, and Captain 9-9-9 is taking his microphone! Next, I expect Rick Santorum to get his own show on FOX "News," and Michele and Marcus Bachmann to get a song-and-dance variety show on Logo!

[Excerpt]


Radio Host Neal Boortz To Retire, Will Be Replaced By Herman Cain

Long-time conservative radio talker Neal Boortz will announce his retirement today, according to a report. The announcement that contains Boortz’s retirement also says that former GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain will replace him early next year. . .

Read more at: Mediaite

New Obama Ad: We've Heard it All Before

A lot of people used to complain that President Obama didn't have enough experience to be president. Well, they probably still do. But what is Mitt Romney's experience? Four years as a fairly unaccomplished governor (except for RomneyCare, which they're not touting much), and being a vulture capitalist. But really, for the last several years, he's just been a professional campaigner for office. And last time out, he was beaten by the guy who was beaten by Obama!

Kathryn Joosten Dead at 72

So sad. Image from source.

Oh, this one is sad for me. I fell in love with Kathryn Joosten when she played Mrs. Landingham on The West Wing. Though she was only on for a couple of years, she made an indelible impression as the president's assistant. After they wrote her off, she landed on her feet on Desperate Housewives as the irascible old lady down the street. A bit part became a central character, whose death scene was the center of the finale of the 8-season series. Joosten may not have become an actress until her forties, but she made a lot of people happy later in life. Like I said in the Richard Dawson installment, I'm not religious. . .but if there is anything to "life after death?" I hope Kathryn Joosten has a very happy one.

[Excerpt]

'Housewives' actress Kathryn Joosten dies

Kathryn Joosten, a character actress best known as the crotchety, yet loveable, Karen McCluskey on "Desperate Housewives" and the president's secretary on "The West Wing," has died. She was 72. . .

Read more at: The Hour 

Richard Dawson, Dead at 79

Image from source, LA Times

I first knew of Richard Dawson at the age of six or so, through reruns of Hogan's Heroes. Not long after, I became familiar with him (still before the age of ten) through Match Game '74 and later, Family Feud. Richard was one of those great quasi-famous people of the 70s, along with his compatriots Brett Somers, Fannie Flagg and Charles Nelson Reilley. Not A-list by any means, but treasured by pop culture enthusiasts like myself. I'm not a believer of "ever after," but if there is one, I hope that Richard gets to kiss the ladies of his choice there.


[Excerpt]


Richard Dawson dies at 79; host of TV's 'Family Feud'

Richard Dawson, the British actor who went from comedy co-star in the popular TV series "Hogan's Heroes" to his best-known role as the charming host of the TV game show "Family Feud" with his trademark of kissing the female contestants on the lips, has died. He was 79. . .

Read more at: Los Angeles Times

Five Years of Greenlee Gazette: My First Post

As I said a couple of posts ago, Greenlee Gazette has reached its fifth birthday, as of June 2, this past Saturday. Here is a look back to my very first post. Comments follow at the end.

ORIGINAL POST, June 2, 2007

AWAKE IN LAS VEGAS

This blog will never be found by anybody. Well, at least I don't think it will.

It would be nice someday, to see it bloom into something interesting, but for now it is a work (barely) in progress. A place for me to write down my frustrations, my growing rage at the state of our society.

As I type this, my first blog post on my first blog, I'm watching a FOX NEWS ALERT! on my little office TV. The alert has to do with a "foiled terror attempt on JFK Airport." Now, I was able to glean--even on FOX--that there was barely anything to this plot. In the first 30 seconds, I heard "only in planning stages," "not feasible," and that it didn't have anything to do with actual airplanes or the passenger areas of the airport.

But, right now, at least 45 minutes into my viewing, they are still on this singular "story," showing endless b-roll footage (in triplicate split screen!) of passengers, planes, air marshals with guns, live shots of the airport. . . To a casual (lazy) viewer, not listening intently, you'd think something BIG was going down RIGHT NOW at the airport.

It is only the most current example of the media's handling of damned near everything that inspired my first post. Without a place to put my frustration, I'm going to end up like that character, "Exidor" on "Mork & Mindy." I may be babbling conspiracy theories to my invisible entourage, but that doesn't seem as crazy if it's done here in cyberspace!

As I said before, I don't expect this to ever be read by anybody, unless I specifically TELL them to read something I wrote. I don't even know if I'll remember to come back here with any frequency. But, if somehow you did find me. . .if you found something I wrote interesting. . .or if you even want to argue with me. . .have at it! Drop me a line.

UPDATE: OK, I'm having more fun than I thought I would playing with the layout, and learning how Blogger works. Maybe I'll keep it up!

Meanwhile, I've kept Fox "News" on in the background most of the time I've been online. Disgraceful. There is apparently NO other news going on today besides a foiled "terror plot." A plot that seems no more threatening than any of the other "foiled plots" we've heard about over the last couple of years. My take: The Homeland Security guys are embarrassed by the handling of the TUBERCULOSIS GUY, and pulled out the best thing they had to make themselves look a little better. Better luck next time, guys.

And that's what was going on the day I started the blog. Obviously, I was learning how to embed hyperlinks. I hadn't yet learned how to put up pictures, or didn't think of it. I'm sure I'm not the first person enraged by FOX "News" into action (and I hadn't started putting "News" in quotes when referring to FOX!). And I won't be the last. They're still going strong. But so am I!

A few years ago, I instituted a feature called "One Year Ago Today. . ." I stopped doing it. But now that I have five years of blog posts stockpiled? And now that we're in another presidential election year, the second with Mitt Romney? I think I'm going to have to re-institute it, this time with a variation: 5 years ago, 4 years ago, 3 years ago, 2 years ago! They may be reruns, but they'll be new to you (and a Blast from the Past for me)!

Blast from the Past: The Best Spoof Movies of All Time (Part 1)

Image from Wikipedia.

So, I'm thinking of things for Blast from the Past today during my walk, and I came up with a great idea! And now, I have no idea what it was. But I still have a column to do. So, why not the best spoof movies of all time? It's one of my favorite pop culture things, and they're the kind of films you can watch over and over again. Unfortunately, today's generation has been fed a series of hideously bad spoof movies like Date Movie and Meet the Spartans. They really need to read this list, and check out some of the films on it, to see how it's supposed to be done. These are in no particular order, but I've given each a score on a * to **** scale.

1. Blazing Saddles (1974) - Western spoof. This is Mel Brooks' funniest film (his best is below), and he's chased it ever since. Don't get me wrong, I'm in awe of the man. But his best work was in 1974. The cast, Cleavon Little, Harvey Korman, Slim Pickens, Madeline Kahn, and especially Gene Wilder are sublime. The jokes are rapid-fire, and hilarious. The script (co-written by Richard Pryor among others) would never be green-lit today. But it will live on forever on video. If you haven't seen it, add it to your movie list. ****

2. Young Frankenstein (1974) - Universal horror spoof. Mel Brooks' best film by a mile, and funny too, if less rapid-fire than Blazing Saddles. Probably more quotable than any other film in history, this is a cinematic masterpiece. It's as much an homage to the original Frankenstein series as it is a send-up. Wilder is also at his best, and ably supported by Terri Garr, Marty Feldman, Cloris Leachman and Madeline Kahn. ****



3. High Anxiety (1978) - Hitchcock spoof. The last Mel Brooks film of the list isn't in a league with the first two, but is better than most attempts by others. And it holds a very special place in my pop culture noggin. I've loved this since I saw it (again and again) on TeleCinema, the precursor to HBO. Madeline Kahn doesn't enter until the second half, but is fantastic. Cloris Leachman is demented and very memorable as Nurse Diesel. Harvey Korman, Ron Carey, Dick Van Patten and many others are all pros. The more you know Hitchcock, the better you'll like it. ***

4. Airplane! (1980) - Disaster movie spoof. This is one of the funniest movies of all time, by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams and Jerry Zucker (ZAZ). It's somewhat dated, having been shot in the waning days of the 1970s. But considering the heyday of disaster movies was the 70s, that actually helps with the humor. Robert Hays and Julie Haggerty are pitch perfect, but it's the unlikely comedic performances of Lloyd Bridges, Leslie Nielsen (at the time, not known for comedy), Peter Graves and Robert Stack that added an extra layer of brilliance. (Followed by a much lesser sequel) ****

5. Hot Shots! (1991) - Top Gun parody. Jim Abrahams of ZAZ was behind this one, and he loses nothing without the Zuckers. It's a riot. It spoofs far more than Top Gun, though it uses that movie as a framework. Charlie Sheen is terrific in the lead, and supported by many funny supporting actors, including Lloyd Bridges (again). (Followed by a decent sequel) ***-1/2

6. Top Secret! (1982) - Elvis movie/Cold War parody. ZAZ again, and this one is an odd one to try to describe. In addition to Elvis movies, and "behind enemy lines" Cold War movies, this one spoofs The Blue Lagoon, beach movies, westerns and even The Wizard of Oz! Scattershot, but oh-so funny. Val Kilmer--in his first major role--is fantastic: singing, dancing and hilarious. Not a lot of famous co-stars, though Omar Sharif and Peter Cushing are here, but it doesn't matter. It's the characters that make this one, and wow, what characters! Deja Vu, Latrine and Chocolate Mousse, just to name a few! This one is only marred by a too-abrupt ending. Watch it.  ***-1/2

And that's going to have to wrap it up for this week. More to come! In the mean time, have a great Monday!

Blogiversary: Greenlee Gazette is Five Years Old!

This past weekend--June 2, to be exact--was the 5th anniversary of this here blog thingy. I started the blog on a whim, out of frustration. It was the Bush era, and I was watching FOX "News" (sometimes I torture myself), and had heard the fourth or fifth thing in half an hour that I knew was wrong. A lie, a misstatement, a spin, a distortion, a combination of those, whatever. My psyche was screaming to be heard, and I didn't have an outlet?

Or did I? At that moment, I happened to be reading a blog. And I noticed up in the corner, "Create Blog." And, so I did. Greenlee Gazette was chosen as the title, both as an homage to Huffington Post (which wasn't yet the behemoth it became) and a one-sheet by the same name that I used to create and pass out in my 6th grade classroom.  I began small, but it became something of an obsession. And like someone who has started a diet or hobby, I couldn't shut up about it. In the early days, I posted a couple of things every couple of days, then very soon started posting four, five, maybe ten things per day (I've settled down since then). What started as something of a personal journal very quickly became a liberal, current events, pop culture blog, occasionally sprinkled with gay rights. You know, stuff that interests me.

That turned out to be a little too scattershot and diffuse to really ever get much of a following. Actually, when I started, I doubted I'd attract any attention at all, outside of the few people I'd told about it.  Maybe six weeks in, I discovered SiteMeter, which keeps track of vistors, and Ping-O-Matic which alerts the interwebs when you've posted something. Suddenly, I had an audience! Still nothing to shout about, I know. If you want to be famous online, you need a niche. Though I did come up with some semi-regular and regular features, my subject matter seems to be just too broad for mass consumption.

But that's okay! I appreciate all of the people who have visited, and love it when I hear from them (most of the time). Recently, I've branched out to Facebook and Twitter to make accessing my posts easier, and there my numbers are even more sobering! But I'm happy to report that my good friend and contributor "Rev. Stu" at Stupid Monkey Planet Church of Primatheism has flourished at Facebook, even though they keep banishing him to Facebook jail. As I said, you need a niche, and he's got one!

So, going forward--and I do intend to--we'll see what the future brings. We've got the Presidential election this fall, and all that entails. We've got either a ton of bragging or a mess of crying to do after that. So either way, there's going to be plenty to talk about. I'll be here. Thanks for reading, and bring your friends! While you're at it, like me (and Stupid Monkey Planet) on Facebook and follow me on Twitter! It just takes a click (click the buttons below).

DC's Green Lantern of Earth Two is Gay

"Coming out" in the DC Universe apparently causes
a great deal of pain! Image from Rolling Stone.

My first thought about DC Comics' Earth Two version of Green Lantern being gay was: "But, isn't he like 100?" Yes, he would be. But this is a re-boot of Earth Two, which follows the umpteenth reboot of the DC Universe. My comics obsession culminated in the first reboot, Crisis on Infinite Earths, which came about because of some tangled history, and the progressing age of some characters. Since then, there has been a string of other reboots, which I couldn't hope to untangle.

The original Green Lantern. Image from (I'm not
kidding, but it is appropriate) Green Lantern
Butts Forever!

Which makes the gay revelation of Alan Scott, the new Earth Two's Green Lantern kind of a letdown. Sure, he's a character who first appeared in 1940. A character whose son (in earlier continuity) was an early gay comics character. But this isn't the same guy, he just shares a name. And he was second-string, even in his heyday. It's cool that DC was willing to do it, and I'm sure they won't get much blowback, except for those who already screech about anything concerning "the gay." And hey, at least it wasn't The Creeper or Brother Power, The Geek!

[Excerpt]

Green Lantern comes out as gay in DC Comics' 'Earth Two'


When DC Comics relaunched its fictional world from scratch last fall, some aspects of the DC mythos temporarily fell by the wayside, such as the notion of parallel worlds featuring different versions of the company's iconic heroes. . .

Read more at: Rolling Stone

I'm a Birther (Wouldn't You Like to be a Birther Too?)

Another one on the nose from Rocky Mountain Mike (formerly Mike in Raleigh of The Stephanie Miller Show). This one is--obviously, if you were alive in the 70s--a parody of Dr. Pepper's Be a Pepper.

Jesus Christ! Clean Your Shower! (Again)

One more time, you--I'm sure, earnest and heartfelt--crazy freaking religious nutjobs:

Nobody knows what Jesus looked like. Or Mary either, for that matter. You may have your perfect, blond, white, blue-eyed underwear-model Jesus in your mind, but it's at best a guess. A really inappropriate guess, based on the location and time. And some Renaissance painting of Mary, in her splendiferous shawls? Completely made up. So, when you see something like this shower scum, realize it's just pattern recognition. Or, maybe it's John Lennon, Tommy Chong or Frank Zappa. Jesus!

Previously:
Jesus! That's Pizza Sauce!
Jesus Appears on a Steam Iron

Jesus on a Pickup Truck!

Virgin Mary Appears in a Brain Scan?

News of the Weird: Jesus! Clean Your Shower!

The Second Coming of Cheesus!

Cheesus: Jesus Found in a Cheetos Bag

Jesus Found in Potato!

Jesus Found in Slab of Granite

Jesus Christ on a Pancake!

Jesus is Everywhere!

Republican Talking Point: The Sun is an Obama Crony!

Duffy, the voice guy on The Randi Rhodes Show has an amazing voice, and some pretty funny schtick. I don't know if he writes his own material, but he is a definite talent.

Rachel Maddow Straight Up Calls Mitt Romney a Liar

It's one thing to have a gibbering, screechy right-wing radio host like Mark Levin calling President Obama a liar. He's a reeking ball of negativity. But outside of people like that, it's rare to hear pundits and commentators actually use the "lie" word. There are lots of euphemisms for lying, like misspoke, misconstrued, obfuscated, muddied the waters, played fast and loose and the phrase "to limbaugh." So, when somebody like Rachel Maddow--generally polite, amiable, respectful--calls Mitt Romney a liar. . .my ears perk up.

And she wouldn't do it without evidence. Here's the clip that gets right to the heart of the matter, followed by her lead-in clip with copious lead-in and build-up. They're out of order, because though I'm a fan, not everybody appreciates Rachel's patter. I don't know what's wrong with such people, but there you go.

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