Sunday, January 30, 2011

Miscellaneous 56

1) Rarely do we ever get foreign policy right. Yeah, we occasionally do; Carter's brokering of the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty, Bush 1's decision to NOT follow the Iraqis into Baghdad - two examples. But, more often than not, we tend to either overreact (the second Iraq war, Ike's decision to back the Diem regime in South Vietnam) or under-react (our continuing to prop up these thugs such as Mubarak, etc.). When, folks, are we ever going to a) act prudently and b) do so in a way that's truly representative of our (supposed) values?............2) Rand Paul - now there's an interesting individual. On the one hand, the fellow has, on several occasions, shown that he is flat-out NOT ready for prime-time (that Rachel Maddow interview obviously the most illustrative example). On the other hand, he is kind of refreshing in that, no, he seemingly doesn't sugarcoat ANY opinions. On this recent interview, for example, he actually went as far as to laud divided government. Wow, huh? I mean, seriously, you don't think that the Obama administration isn't going to use that in the next election?...Can you'all say, Mitch McConnell is having a heart attack?............3) One of the teases on "The O'Reilly Factor" tonight had to do with Mr. O'Reilly's coming-up interview with Glenn Beck. Right there in bold print, right under Bill O'Reilly, it read, "Beck's Egypt Analysis"....Needless to say, people, I started laughing immediately. I mean, it was literally like, who in the hell would ever want to hear a guy like THAT give HIS "analysis" on a topic that is just so frigging delicate/complicated? Seriously, you might as well just ask Barney Fife to explain quantum physics.

We'll Be Right Back After a Few Words From Our Whoes'

"The Weekly Standard" advertises on Fox. "The Nation" advertises on MSNBC.......Enough said?........................................................................................................P.S. I also saw on Fox an ad for a company called "Christian Singles". I gotta admit it. That one I DID get a chuckle out of.

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Miscellaneous 55

1) I love it (as in completely hate it) how Mr. O'Reilly always bitches and moans about "The View" not having a sufficient number of conservatives on it. Not, mind you, that this is necessarily an unfair observation (this, in that, yes, Elizabeth Hassellbeck does seem a trifle lonely there). Shows like that probably SHOULD have a much more balanced presentation. But, come on here. Mr. O'Reilly works for frigging Fox. When we the last time that you've ever seen a completely well balanced panel on THAT network? I mean, just that idiotic morning program alone; three conservative bobble-heads, an agenda that literally always puts the Democrats on the defensive, etc.. Hell, even on Brett Baier's mostly well-respected (by Fox's standards) evening show, "Special Report", the panel on that show is almost always two conservatives and one (usually mushy) liberal/two conservatives and one non-partisan (mostly respected) journalist. You never see O'Reilly bitch and moan about any of this stuff - at least not on the air you don't.............2) As for those "liberals" on Fox, I don't know, folks - to me, it almost looks as if they're taking a dive at times. Just yesterday, for instance, Hannity made this utterly simplistic statement about the Iraqis being "much better off now than they were under Saddam Hussein".....and, yeah, the liberal just frigging sat there, "duh!". I mean, I was literally yelling at the screen, for Christ, "Tell him about the four million refugees, the persecution of Christians, the strengthening of Iran's hand, the largely destroyed infrastructure, ANYTHING!! Don't just frigging sit there!".....Oh well, hopefully the woman got a nice little check for her appearance.............3) It appears here that Vice President Biden has opened up his yapper and inserted his foot into it again. This, folks, in that, yes, according to Mr. Biden, the beleaguered Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, ISN'T a dictator....ISN'T A DICTATOR!! I mean, come on, if Mrs. Palin or Mrs. Bachmann had something that idiotic (and, yes, they do - frequently), would not those two have been pilloried, laughed out of the God-damned room, etc.?. I'm telling you here, there DOES seem to be a double-standard at times.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Canned or Candid?

I would love to get John Boehner and Eric Cantor on some truth serum and ask them these, the following questions: 1) "So, what do you two hammerheads REALLY think about Sarah Palin?" 2) "So, what do you two hammerheads REALLY think about Michele Bachman?" 3) "So, do you two hammerheads really and truly think that large tax-cuts pay for themselves (this, I'm saying, despite the fact that none other than Alan Greenspan has said that they DO NOT)?" 4) "So, do you two hammerheads really plan on significantly cutting spending....or, OR, is it all a bunch of vague bullshit that you've cynically put forward in order to get elected?" 5) "So, what do you two hammerheads really think about those 12 colleagues of yours who apparently STILL maintain that the President wasn't born in America?" 6) "So, what do you two hammerheads really and truly think about Beck and Limbaugh?" 7) "Are they (Beck and Limbaugh), in your opinion, nuts?"..................................................................................................Look, folks, I'm not necessarily trying to denigrate Congressman Boehner and Cantor. They actually seem like a couple of fundamentally decent guys. BUT, just like it's very often the case in politics (and, yes, it happens on the Democratic side, too), it seems like they've pretty much gotten sucked in/blinded by something completely different from light. And, no, I DON'T think that it's going to be bearing us fruit, either.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Miscellaneous 54

1) It appears that most Americans had a solid/favorable reaction to President Obama's State of the Union speech (most of the polls that I've seen show an 80-something to 90-something approval rating). Needless to say, Sarah Palin flat-out wasn't one of them. But not only did she use this occasion as yet another opportunity to lambaste Mr. Obama, she also did it in a manner that was a) wholly divisive (President Obama is bad for America, yada yada) and b) sublimely ignorant. Take, for example, Mr. Obama's Sputnik analogy. Not only did she not seem to appreciate it, she didn't even seem to get it. And, AND, she came out with this idiotic assertion that it was Sputnik (the costly price-tag, I'm assuming) that ultimately bankrupted the Soviet Union (this, and NOT the thousands of nuclear weapons). I mean, I know that Mrs. Palin doesn't like to listen to anybody and all, but, really, isn't it about time that she simply took David Frum's advice and just stopped jabbering for a while?............2) Tonight on his "show", Sean Hannity asked Juan Williams, "So, why hasn't Mr. Obama come out and condemned Congressman Cohen for all of that Nazi talk from last week (I'm paraphrasing here)?" It was actually a pretty fair question, I decided. I just wish that Mr. Williams had "turn about is fair play" asked Mr. Hannity, "So, why in the hell haven't John Boehner and Eric Cantor condemned those 12 or so Republican members of the House who continue to maintain that President Obama isn't an American-born citizen?" That, too, would have been a pretty fair question.............3) Wake Forest's 2011 recruiting class for football continues to frigging bleed. The latest defection (previous defections included wideout Curt Evans, cornerback Devin Gaulden, and defensive end Mike Rose) is Texas standout, Josh Hunt. And, get this, folks, Mr. Hunt isn't dissing the Deacs for Texas, Oklahoma, or any place like that. He's dissing them for North Texas (previously called North Texas State) - team that, drum-roll, please, plays in the frigging Sunbelt Conference! I mean, how damned frigging idiotic is that? Closer to home? - that's the only thing that I can think of.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Kucinich - Not in the Spell-Check Yet

I've always had a lot of respect for Dennis Kucinich - even when I didn't always agree with him. I especially marveled at/admired his principled opposition to the Iraq War. But, I gotta tell you here, what I learned about Mr. Kucinich this evening, I'm definitely going to have to put into the category of "disappointing, at best". According to CNN's Anderson Cooper, Mr. Kucinich has decided to sue the Congressional cafeteria. Yeah, that's right, the Congressional cafeteria. It appears, folks that (get this) THREE YEARS AGO Congressman Kucinich bit into a sandwich there that supposedly had an olive pit in it.......Bad luck, you're probably thinking, right? Not to Congressman Kucinich. He wants $150,000 for it.......................................................................................................P.S. I think that it's important to point out here that dental implants and crowns, while, clearly, they ARE expensive, rarely run over $3-4,000. And, as Mr. Cooper succinctly pointed out tonight, the Congressman, hello, HAS DENTAL INSURANCE!!....In terms of any pain and suffering that the Congressman may have sustained because of this event, it certainly didn't seem to have hindered all him much (Cooper showed copious footage of Kucinich in the days and weeks following this supposedly traumatic event - seemingly his usual feisty self). I mean, it's not like he bit into razor blade or anything.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Fire This Woman

What would be my answer to the question, "So, what would your advice to the tea party caucus in terms of what they should do about Michele Bachmann (presently their leader) be?".

Photo Finish

I was all set tonight to say that Congresswoman Bachmann WASN'T the craziest person in the legislative branch, that is was instead Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert (you know, me-buckos, he, of the birther movement, a believer in the concept of "terror babies", a person who thinks that U.S Congressman should carry weapons into the House chamber). But, now, I'm not completely sure about it. This, folks, in that just tonight I just heard how Mrs. Bachmann thinks that it WASN'T Abe Lincoln, but the founding fathers who ridded the nation of slavery.......Wow, huh? Maybe Mrs. Bachman IS the craziest mother-effer of 'em all down there, after all.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Ready, Aim, What?

I want to take a few minutes to analyze this Sarah Palin - cross-hairs thing a tad more dispassionately. Yes, the woman targeted vulnerable Democratic seats on her web-page with cross-hairs. And, yes, that was a damned moronic and inflammatory thing to do (though, no, she's clearly not the only politician to have ever used such militaristic language). But, really, I ask you here, how many individuals were even aware of this prior to the mainstream media and liberal pundits making a big fat bothersome deal over it? Probably not a whole hell of a lot, in my opinion.............................................................................................And I think that that was basically the same with this whole birther bullshit. We had, what, a relatively small number (relatively speaking) of lunatics who were peddling this crap? A few, that is, until Mr.s Matthews and Olbermann came along and started fanning it - treating it as if it were some major social phenomenon. Now, this isn't to say that the Republicans haven't tried to muddy the waters at times (guys like Boehner and Cantor all the time saying stuff like "I take the President's word.....yada yada" and not fully condemning it - Lindsey Graham, to his credit, HAS shot it down). But, overall, I'm saying, this crap, too, has been significantly overblown...............................................................................................And, finally, do things like Sarah Palin's cross-hairs really cause people/lunatics to go off on murderous rampages? I mean, it certainly doesn't seem to have been the case this time....And I don't know, to me (being that most psychopaths and paranoid schizophrenics aren't stupid and more than likely DO understand metaphors) Mrs. Palin's demonization of those with whom she disagrees with is in fact a far more dangerous impetus to violence in the mind of a deluded person ("this politician is dangerous and really needs to be stopped", etc.) - one in fact that makes me think that all of us, ALL OF US (Mrs. Palin, absolutely included), should maybe be listening to that Obama speech again - much more intensely this time.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

The Former

What would be my answer to the question, "So, what in your mind would be more excruciating; going to a Celine Dion concert, or having your head put into a vice and the handle being turned three full revolutions?".

Friday, January 21, 2011

Hyperbole, Obsolete

Jon Stewart made one of the most brilliant points EVER last night. He said (and, yes, this was in direct response to Congressman Cohen comparing Republican talking-points on heath-care to Joseph Goebbels' great lie) that, if in fact this country ever does have to contend with an actual evil again (from its very OWN leaders, I'm saying); an Ahmadinejad, a Pol Pot, a Saddam Hussein, a Pinochet, a D'Aubuisson, a Milosevic, an Idi Amin, a Talat/Pasha, a Stalin, a Mussolini, a God-damned frigging Hitler, FOR CHRIST!, we just flat-out won't have an appropriate word for it now - this, folks, in that damned if we haven't already used up the filler of our foul/more loaded terms on lesser evil.......Pretty exemplary food for thought, no?

That the Idiot, Alan Keyes, Is Waaaaaaay Unelectable

What would be my answer to the question, "So, what, in your opinion, is the one thing that ALL OF US, left, right, AND center, could ultimately agree upon?".

Note to Sarah Palin

Mrs. Palin, dude, if somebody like Newt Gingrich thinks that maybe you've taken it a smidge too far, then, yeah, perhaps in fact ya' have.............Oh, and as far as that political career of yours goes - that's over. You do indeed know that, right? RIGHT?

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Hm, If He's the Worst.....

For years, Keith Olbermann has been doing this idiotic schtick entitled, "Worst Persons in the World". He claims that it was never meant to be taken literally, that it was (I'm using the past tense in that he appears to have given it a sabbatical) in fact a metaphor. Never mind the fact that the tone of his voice, his self-righteous indignation, etc., made it actually SOUND like he meant it (or at least at times) - that obviously being beside the point. And I really do have to ask you here - what if one of those people that Mr. Olbermann had put on that "list" of his....had met the same fate as Congresswoman Giffords - would THAT have been the fault of Mr. Olbermann? I mean, think about it here, a crazy person possibly taking Mr. Olbermann's words literally (the worst person in the world clearly doesn't deserve to live, right?)................................................................................................P.S. OBVIOUSLY, I'm playing devil's advocate here. It absolutely WOULD NOT have been Mr. Olbermann's fault. This lunatic, even if he had taken Mr. Olbermann's schtick literally, no doubt would have probably snapped eventually anyway (not to mention the fact that it wouldn't have been Olbermann, you know, PULLING THE TRIGGER!!). I mean, seriously, why in the hell would we even be bringing Mr. Olbermann into it?

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Miscellaneous 53

1) I think that David Frum (a person who I consider to be a reasonable Republican - his authorship of the "Axis of Evil" speech, aside) basically has it right. The danger with all of this hate-filled and violent imagery (Palin's cross-hairs, etc.) isn't so much that it's going to trigger some psychotic lunatic to kill people (those people, Mr. Frum points out, have a greater tendency to listen to different "voices"). The danger, he thinks (and, yes, I agree), is far more the toxic political environment that it creates. I mean, just think about it for a second. Who in his or her right mind would ever want to cooperate with somebody who constantly refers to him/her as the enemy (not to mention a whole hell of a lot of other things)? I mean, I certainly don't see it happening.............2) I'll admit it here. There's a part of me that really wants to like Bill O'Reilly. a) He has a good sense of humor. b) He's self-deprecating (juxtaposed, of course, with a healthy does of ego). And c) on some occasions, he actually IS fair.....But it's hard - mainly because he's largely full of shit. For instance, when asked why he hasn't been criticizing the vitriol of right-wing talk-radio, he responded (with a total straight face, I swear) by saying that it was because talk radio is mostly entertainment, not news. It's like, what, he doesn't think that we remember all of the criticisms that he had for Air America? For Rosie O'Donnell on "The View"? Those particular objects of his vitriol WEREN'T entertainment?....My God. What a frigging jerk, huh?............3) I gotta be honest with you, folks. Most of the people that I know have NOT been engaged in this relentless left versus right free-for-all. They basically see it/this lunacy for what it is; a facile/puerile/infantile/sordid/shallow/shameless/etc. attempt to glorify the particular....and they eschew it.....Well, that, and they apparently lead some busy lives, too.

Monday, January 17, 2011

I Have Two Things to Say to Melissa Leo

1) Congratulations on securing the Golden Globe yesterday for Best Supporting Actress in a motion picture. 2) Will you marry me already!

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Specificity Deficit

My problem with the tea partiers isn't that they're racists (I suspect that most of them are not)....or that they're a bunch of gun-toting lunatics (I suspect that most of them are not). My problem with them is that they haven't as yet put forth anything constructive. I mean, certainly, they've made some valid points about the size of government/the deficit, the unwieldiness of the President's Romney-like health-care plan, etc.. But, come on, other than these rather vague suggestions about cutting spending and a simple repeal of the health-care bill, what, pray tell, have these individuals suggested?.................................................................................................And, no, folks, it isn't just the tea partiers themselves. A lot of these so-called tea party candidates/politicians haven't exactly been specific, either. I mean, have you checked out Michele Bachman and Marsha Blackburn lately? These two frigging chicks are comical. Blackburn, for instance - she seems to think that the Republicans can balance the budget simply by cutting discretionary spending - and she doesn't even include military spending as a part of discretionary spending. It's God-damned frigging insane. If you're asking me about it here, I'm thinking that this country doesn't so much need a frigging tea party movement as it does another Ross Perot movement (absent the Ross Perot, of course).

Friday, January 14, 2011

Miscellaneous 52

1) Fox News has a number of irritating tendencies; a proclivity to ignore and/or undersell that which is inconvenient, probably the worst of them. The most recent example that I can site is the fact that nobody there seems to have an opinion (aka, effective spin) on Sarah Palin's use of the term, "blood libel". I mean, it's almost as if they didn't even hear Mrs. Palin say it. Of course, now we've got Sean Hannity interviewing her on Monday. That should solve the whole dilemma, right?......LOL!!!!!............2) One of the main theories why schools from the Pac 10 refuse to schedule Boise State in football is this fear that it will somehow help the Broncos coaches recruit California. Well, guess what, folks - the strategy - it ISN'T working!!! Yeah, that's right, as of now Boise already has four verbal commits for 2011 that are currently listed in the Rivals Top 100 for the state of California; linebacker - Blake Renaud, defensive tackle - Jeff Worthy, defensive end - Robert Ash, and, yes, me-buckos, the real plum, quarterback - Jimmy Laughrea (a possible heir apparent to Heisman finalist, Kellen Moore). And I'm fully expecting more to follow. Touche, I guess that you could say.............3) I suppose that I should make a few brief comments about Sarah Palin's recent eight minute video response. a) I DO think that Mrs. Palin had a right to be angry. There was/is no evidence that her cross-hairs imagery and/or (admittedly) inflammatory language had anything to do with this lunatic in Tuscon "going off". And, yes, I, too, would have been furious at Keith Olbermann and Paul Krugman for the implications (actually/maybe too week of a word) that they made. BUT b) the way that Mrs. Palin handled this whole thing I also found to be quite problematic. I mean, between the defensiveness, her failure to put the (real) victims front and center, her utilization of the term, "blood libel", etc., I just can't see how she at all helped herself. Not, mind you, that she ever had a good chance to be President anyway.............Addendum) I actually have to stand corrected here. On today's Fox media coverage show, they did in fact talk about Mrs. Palin's use of the term, blood libel (some of the panelists indeed taking a critical stance). So, while, yes, it did take a while, they ultimately did cover it.

Note to Quentin Tarantino

Dude, a piece of advice. The next time that you and Brad Pitt decide to make a movie together, don't go on tour with the fellow promoting it, alright? OR, if in fact you do have to, at the very least, don't be sitting right next to the guy, for Christ! For you're own God damned frigging sake, I'm saying.

Let's NOT Play the Feud!!!!!

This, folks, is my suggestion. Instead of this relentless, "You're side is evil/No, YOU'RE side is evil", that we currently have, we focus in on each specific individual/that individual's actions? So, with Sarah Palin, for instance - yes, Mrs. Palin was stupid, shameless and divisive when she made that idiotic decision to put cross-hairs over certain districts. The same thing, yes, with a lot of that ballsy rhetoric of hers...................................................................................................You want some additional examples? How 'bout we go with Keith Olbermann? Yes, Mr. Olbermann was vicious, childish, and disgustingly over the top when he referred to Senator Brown as an, "irresponsible, homophobic, racist, reactionary, ex-nude model, tea-bagging supporter of violence against women and against politicians with whom he disagrees (the next night he doubled-down and added, sexist, to the diatribe)." Another one? Hm, let's see, how 'bout we go with Glenn Beck? Yes, Mr. Beck was being a complete and total/disrespecting douche when he referred to the President of the United States as a person with a, "deep-seated hatred for white people and/or the white culture" and a "racist"...................................................................................................Needless to say, I obviously could go on and on here; the Huffington Post allowing somebody to write an article entitled, "Obama Needs to Break Some Knee-Caps", Sean Hannity constantly referring to Mr. Obama as the "anointed one", etc.. But, clearly, I do think that you get the message.....................................................................................................P.S. My obvious point here is that it's far more productive to deal with our grievances specifically - this, as opposed to collectively. This, folks, let's face it, has been a very trying week for the country. And the fact that certain people (on both sides) are trying to conjure up political points over it, I personally find disturbing....So, no, not all tea partiers bring guns/pejorative signs to rallies (the vast majority of them actually do not). And, no, not all Muslims are terrorists, either, liberals are pinkos, etc.. Not even a little teeny bit.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

The Cartoons Channelling

My friends on the extremes have to realize something. The vast majority of folks in this country (myself included) reside somewhere between the two forty yard lines. And, yes, me-buckos, a lot of us ourselves are also getting pissed - pissed at the childishness, the almost Romper Room caliber tenor/dialogue. I mean, think about it here, other than the actual size of the participants involved, how do we frigging differentiate these individuals from grade schoolers; the name calling, the vilifying, the constant need to have to be correct, etc.? It sure as hell doesn't seem as if there's a mass of major-league distinctions to me - PERIOD!

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Palin in the Cross-Hairs

Let me start this off by saying that, yes, of course Sarah Palin is an idiot! Among a lot of other things, the woman has basically degenerated into this mean-spirited and divisive perpetrator of hackneyed commentary (bullshit perhaps is a better term)/imagery (the targeting of vulnerable congressmen/women via those stupid little cross-hairs only the most blatant example), etc.. But a) A)!! the individual (not to mention the "right", in general) is hardly alone in utilizing these tactics and b) there isn't a single iota of evidence that those stupid little cross-hairs of hers had ANYTHING....WHATSOEVER to do with this tragedy in Arizona. Nada. And, yes, me-buckos, for hacks like Paul Krugman and Keith Olbermann to have come out ALMOST IMMEDIATELY and try to make some hay over this, I'll admit it, I find that pretty damned contemptible, too. I'm sorry, but I do.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

My Burt Lancaster Imitation

What would be my answer to the question, "So, of all the things that you're currently proud of, what's the one thing that you probably shouldn't be (proud of)?"......"I starred with Deborah Kerr in 'From Here to Eternity'. Ha ha ha ha ha."

Friday, January 7, 2011

Miscellaneous 51

1) I gotta admit. There aren't a lot of things that Sarah Palin and I agree on lately. There is, however, one humongous thing. We both, folks, agree that Arizona Governor, Jan Brewer, has some major league cajones. Now, granted, we're basing this mutual assessment upon some starkly differing criteria; Mrs. Palin - on the fact that Governor Brewer is turning it up a notch on illegal immigration, me - more so on the fact that she's letting people die (yes, a clear reference to her cutting of Medicaid for life-saving transplant surgery) . But, still, me-buckos, at least it's frigging something.............2) Just for the record here, if I were a member of Congress, I, too, would have voted against the Republican repeal of Obamacare (and, no, I'm not using the term pejoratively here). Not that I think that Obamacare is great, mind you, but I DO think that it would be a far better strategy to keep it, amend it, and, yes, eventually replace it with something better (Ezekial Emanuel's Guaranteed Health-Care Plan - that, specifically, would have been my preference). But, while, yes, I would have in fact voted with the Dems on this, so, too, do I have a major issue with them. The Dems, folks, simply have to knock it off with this 230 billion dollar figure/nonsense (the number that the Dems say a repeal of Obamacare would add to the deficit). Yes, that IS the figure that the CBO has provided. But it's also a number that is totally based upon the information that was provided to them, you guessed it, BY THE DEMOCRATS!!!! It does NOT, folks, include the Doctor-fix (which was sleazily omitted by the Dems and passed separately) OR the fact that the bill is based upon 10 years of taxes and only 6 years of benefits (yes, a few things begin immediately but the vast, VAST, amount of spending doesn't take place until 2014). Not good, people, not good.............3) Here, folks, is the thingy. We most assuredly CAN fix this health-care predicament. But it isn't even remotely a possibility until both sides, BOTH SIDES, knock it off with this food-fight/misinformation campaign. Until frigging-then....

Waiting For Godot/Topo Gigio/Sanity

I gotta be honest with you here. That whole thing about the Congress reading the U.S. Constitution...out loud, in what appeared to be an essentially empty chamber, and to the two dozen or so people tuning in to C-Span - wow, I think that we should probably just call it for what it is; a flat-out dog and pony show...............................................................................................First of all, folks, they didn't even read the entire text. Left out of the reading were all of those parts about slaves being 3/5 of a person, prohibition, etc., etc.. Second of all, the idiots didn't even stick around for it. As soon as they were done with their portions of the reading, Boehner, Pelosi, most of the rest of 'em - they were out giving frigging press conferences and shit. I mean, how frigging transparent is that? Of course, what is even more ridiculous than that is the fact that 90% of these numb-nuts don't even know what they're reading; the subtlety of the document, the ambiguity, the fact that, even in this great and reverent document, a certain degree of interpretation and detachment is necessary. And, damn it here/I'm sorry, but I just don't see folks like Michele Bachman as having a sufficient amount of any of these talents..................................................................................................Of course, what I really want to know here is what in the bluest blazes is next; Bunker Hill reenactments, Patrick Henry morphing into Howard Cosell imitations, open mike night? They might as well just go frigging all out, no?

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

ZERO

What would be my answer to the question, "So, how many Republican 2012 Presidential candidates do you think will have the courage to take on ethanol subsidies by the time that the Iowa caucuses come around?"

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Trading Circles

Randy Edsall to Maryland? That just doesn't make any sense. It doesn't make sense for Edsall OR Maryland. It doesn't make sense for Edsall in that it really isn't a significant advancement (a scootch over a lateral move, at best) for him. Yes, the ACC is a little bit better/more stable than the Big East currently is. But Maryland, folks - they haven't been a football power since the 1950s (save, of course, for several years here and there; the early '80s with Randy White and the first three years of Ralph Friedgen's tenure as head coach a decade ago). And it doesn't make sense for Maryland in that, while, yes, Mr. Edsall is in fact a decent coach, he doesn't seem to bring to Maryland what THEY need; more excitement, a boost in attendance, a capacity to recruit that rich abundance of local talent, etc.. I don't know there, me-buckos, to me, this basically looks just like a change for the sake of a change - FOR BOTH.....Of course, what in the hell do I know, right?

Monday, January 3, 2011

Two Dicks Don't Make a Something

There aren't a lot of folks who love animals more than I (an 18 year vegetarian) do; dogs, cats, bunnies, guinea pigs, hamsters - basically anything that's cuddleable (yeah, Sarah Palin, I can make up new words, too). But, I gotta give it to you here. Even I was taken aback last week when Tucker Carlson said that he thought that Michael Vick should have been EXECUTED for those dog fighting/animal cruelty offenses of his. I mean, seriously, it's not like Michael Vick murdered a bunch of human beings or anything like that...................................................................................................And, really, folks, what in the hell is going on with Tucker Carlson IN GENERAL? Not, mind you, that I was ever a humongous fan of the guy's. But he seemed for the most part to be reasonable (I recall his opposition to the Iraq War, specifically). Is he WHAT NOW, trying to draw attention to himself? Is this what a person who's been fired from the other two cable news channels, and who's presently backing up Sean Hannity, does to try and stay relevant? I mean, this, folks, was SO over the top that Mr. Carlson actually had to be lectured by Hannity himself (this took place on tonight's show). Wow, huh? Now that is what I call humiliating.

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Eat Elephant Dung

What would be my answer to the question, "So, what would you rather do, drink Pabst or eat elephant dung?"

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Walls, Walmarts, and Nothing In Between

This whole debate involving Walmart is extremely illustrative. It is also, unfortunately, just another example of how shallow that the political discourse has gotten these days. I mean, just think about it here. On the far-right, you have some ideologues saying that Walmart is the greatest thing since sliced bread. And on the far-left, you have equally ideological people saying that this same Walmart is bringing about the end of western civilization. It flat-out can't get any more polarizing than that.........................................................................................................But what's the answer here/who's right? Common sense obviously tells us that the truth is somewhere in between. But how 'bout the research? What in the hell does that tell us? Well, it basically says that, yes, Walmart does in fact put some of those smaller businesses....out of business. But it also apparently says that the net effect is negligible - this, in that a lot of newer/different businesses usually spring up to replace the vanquished ones (according to Economic Inquiry, those states with the largest number of Walmarts actually have more in terms of small firm establishments per capita). In terms of quality of life (as defined by Miller and McCune; social capital, obesity, leisure time, and social/political values), there doesn't seem to be an appreciable difference there, either (this, in terms of Walmart vs. nonWalmart communities)...................................................................................................Of course, we'd be very remiss if we didn't look at one of the more pointed criticisms of Walmart - namely, that the wages and benefits are woefully inadequate. Here, folks, is what I've basically been able to uncover. Bottom-line, a lot of it simply depends on how you choose to look at it. Yes, the pay and benefits ARE week. BUT, when you compare them to other wage/benefit packages in the retail sector, they're actually pretty competitive. Add to that the fact that, without some of these same Walmart stores, the rural poor, in particular would end up paying significantly more for their food, merchandise, prescriptions, etc. In terms of Walmart being TOO big/making too much of a profit, again, a lot of it depends on how you choose to examine at it. Yes, Walmart IS humongous and it DOES makes a crap-load of moolah. But, it only actually nets 1.5-2% of its revenue as profit (compared to 8% by their competitors) - not exactly a gargantuan amount..................................................................................................I think, folks, that we basically have to realize a fact here - the effects of Walmart on our society are probably about a wash (maybe a slightly positive effect). I mean, I know that that doesn't necessarily sell a lot of newspapers, stoke the frigging flames of controversy, etc., but it does in fact seem to be a pretty fair/accurate assessment. Sorry.

This, Folks, Courtesy of Frank Howard (Legendary Football Coach at Clemson)

"I won't support any sport where you sit on your ass and go backwards." This, folks, was Mr. Howard's response to a request that he/his staff get behind the Clemson rowing team.