Friday, April 30, 2010

Image This

There's been a lot of coverage pertaining to violent right-wing rhetoric; Sarah Palin and her idiotic cross-hairs link, for example. And, yes, because of that, a lot of people have been left with the notion that imagery such as this is ONLY coming from the right. Well, guess what, folks, it isn't. I site specifically Slate.Com's David Plotz. In a recent rant against Wall Street (a very easy target, granted), Mr. Plotz advocates (his tongue firmly in cheek, I hope) that "We should burn them down. We should go after them with pitchforks, knives, guns, clubs we find, mace - anything, because it's appalling.".......................................................................................................Add to this little blurb, a sentiment from one of Mr. Plotz's colleagues over at Slate. According to one Mitch Deerfield, "Obama needs to break some knee-caps." He needs to "use some of the goons from the SEIU to pressure recalcitrant blue-dog Democrats" and that "You'd be surprised how persuasive brass-knuckles can be when used against Senators and Congressmen who stand in the way of progress and economic justice."............................................................................................................Oh, and how 'bout this one from the normally well-spoken/measured, Roland Martin? On CNN.com, Mr. Martin says that "It's time for Obama to go gangsta' on the GOP. It's time for him to channel his inner Al Capone. Let 'em know that if they aren't with you, then they're against you, and that you'll pay a price."...................................................................................................................And, yes, folks, sometimes it's more than simple words. Add to all of this rhetoric, the fact that Harry Reid supporters threw eggs at a tea party bus, Congressman Cantor apparently received death threats, a black tea party dude was beaten badly by union thugs, pro illegal-alien protesters were seen hurling various objects at the cops, etc. and, yeah, it really does seem to be coming from both sides of late. Too bad that the mainstream media only seems to want to demonize one side.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Licence To Operate

Just to be fair and balanced here, I don't think that the Republicans have exactly been above-board on this whole immigration issue, either. Laura Ingraham is a perfect example of this. While she correctly points out that the new Arizona law only allows the police to question people (aka, ask for their papers) during the commission of a different crime, I think that, yes, we all know the brusque way that certain cops (absolutely not all - some, I'm saying) have operated elsewhere. In Louisiana, for instance, if certain cops see five or more Hispanics in a car together, they'll pull the frigging car over (DWH - driving while Hispanic is what it's euphemistically called) as a matter of course, blaming it on an "illegal" lane-change or something. Man, huh? Talk about pretty damned icky situation...............................................................................................................Look, folks, I really don't mind a tough approach (i.e., a border fence, getting tough on companies that hire illegals, etc.) to this illegal immigration issue. But, come on here, let's not eviscerate the Constitution completely. It's like, even Jeb Bush is against this Arizona law. Shouldn't THAT alone tell the Republican folks a thing or two? Yeah? No?

Grading the Hyper-Partisan Opinion-Makers (Again, An Independent's Perspective)

In no particular order (or should I say, odor?).......... 1) Keith Olbermann - F (a mean-spirited partisanship the likes of which I rarely see).....2) Rush Limbaugh - F (I can't really give Olbermann an F and not this guy).....3) Sean Hannity - F minus (probably the worst of them all - and, plus, he's stupid).....4) Rachel Maddow - D minus (claims not to have an agenda but totally does, laughs at her own stupid jokes, etc.).....5) Bill O'Reilly - C (has seemingly gotten more reasonable in his old age and, yes, he really supports the troops, too).....6) Glenn Beck - D (crazier than shit, occasionally provocative/interesting).....7) Chris Matthews - B (by far the smartest and least predictable of the bunch, definitely makes for good television).....8) Fox and Friends - D (partisan and not particularly bright, but at least they seem to have some fun).....9) Joe Scarborough - B (easily the most reasonable of the conservative hosts, and plus he's on with frigging Mika!!).....10) Ed Schultz - D (a dick, a well-intentioned dick, but, yes, still a frigging dick).....11) Laura Ingraham - F (totally obnoxious - even if I agreed with her I probably still wouldn't like her).....12) Stephanie Miller - B minus (partisan but, yes, adorable, too, and being that I'm a guy....)......................................................................................................P.S. I know that there are others out there; Randi Rhodes, something Levin, Melanie Morgan, etc.. I just don't happen to know them well enough to give them a grade. Sorry. As for Ms. Ann Coulter, I'm probably going to have to take a pass on that one. This, in that I still can't figure out if she's serious or not.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Uncivil Liberties

I agree with Mr. Olbermann that the recently passed Arizona law involving immigration no doubt DOES go to extremes, that it probably will in fact end up impinging on civil liberties, etc.. I just wish that this same Mr. Olbermann would occasionally show this same level of concern for those ranchers/farmers on the border who are terrorized LITERALLY DAILY, the bulk of those hard working health-care workers who end up losing their jobs whenever an overburdened hospital goes belly-up down there (never mind the lack of care that such a situation produces), etc.. It's like, please, help me out here? Does Mr. Olbermann just not understand that this is a complicated issue, an issue that doesn't necessarily lend itself to such a hackneyed political viewpoint? Hm. So much for that vaunted Cornell education of his, huh?

Monday, April 26, 2010

Speaking of Hoops Interviews

Have you ever seen anything quite as pointless as a basketball interview? I mean, seriously here, apart from an occasional injury update, have you ever actually learned ANYTHING from ANY of them? And talk about some major-league cliches. Me, I'd be happy just to hear one, ONE, of these "interviews" that didn't contain the words; intensity, focus, aggressive, and execution/execute. Now, granted, the hotness of some of these sideline reporters can in fact make the experience tolerable at times. But, STILL!

My Favorite Allen Iverson Sentence Of All Time (Well, At Least One That Doesn't Contain the Word, Practice)

"He did what he always do." This, in response to a game-winning shot by Reggie Miller that ended up sinking the 76ers.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Yeah, It's a Movement Alright

My main problem with the tea party movement isn't so much that it's incendiary (though, yes, there's clearly a fringe element of it that is) or that it's radical (though, yes, there's clearly a fringe element of it that is). My main problem with the tea party movement is the mere fact that it IS a movement. I mean, don't get me wrong here. I'm well aware that a lot of important things can happen/have happened when people join forces and galvanize (civil rights, for example) but, still, I'm not so sure. In my mind, there can also be a downside to it.......................................................................................................I mean, just look at the two main political parties we have. God, if I had a frigging nickel for every time that a Democratic/Republican politician went on TV and defended the indefensible (just, folks, so that they could protect the "team"), I'd be a frigging wealthy man, for Christ! Sure, every once in a while you might see some statesmanship over there (i.e., Washington). Senator Corker, for example - he goes onto the floor of the U.S. Senate (I saw the speech on C-Span) and gives an extraordinarily bipartisan speech - one in which he actually criticizes minority leader, Mitch McConnell. Too bad, though, that, yeah, within 48 hours or so, he was back to towing the party line/narrative. It's funny, isn't it? They never do seem to stray too far from that narrative, do they? It must, folks, be kind of what Eric Hoffer meant when he said that most of these grandiose movements, no matter how flaming good their intentions may have been at the start, at some point eventually become rackets. Al Sharpton, anybody?

Saturday, April 24, 2010

The Greatest Description of Rocky and Bullwinkle EVER

They're these two guys, right. One is slightly smarter than the other. Neither one of them, though, is what'd call a rocket-scientist/genius..........Man, I really wish I could remember who said that. It's perfect, no?

Superman - It's Only a Nickname, Not to be Taken Literally

My colleague, double b (aka, Beach Bum), makes a very important point. Namely, You CANNOT please everyone. And, yes, the person who knows this better than anybody is probably Orlando Magic center, Dwight Howard. Mr. Howard is, without a doubt, the very best center in the NBA. Hell, you could even go as far as to say that the guy is also amongst the top 5 players in the entire league - period/regardless of position. But still, this perennial all-star continuously faces these same old hackneyed criticisms, "he isn't offensively explosive enough", "he never takes over a game at crunch-time", etc.....................................................................................................Well, guess what, folks, Mr. Howard, in addition to his Bill Russell caliber work on the boards/defensive side of the ball, has averaged 17.6, 20.7, 20.6, and 18.3 points a game over the last four years. That sounds pretty damn good to me. And while I don't necessarily want to bore you with statistics here, just try and get a load of some of these numbers. Howard has led the league in rebounding average the last three years (14.2, 13.8, 13.2). He's led the league in total rebounds the last five (1,022, 1,008, 1,161, 1,093, 1,082). And he's led the league in blocked shots each of the last two years, average as well as total (231/2.9, 228/2.8). Oh, and did I mention the fact that he led his team to the NBA finals last year? It's like, what, what do these frigging fat 'n doughy sports reporters/couch potatoes want - the real frigging Superman, for Christ?

Criticism - Surgical, As Opposed to Detonation

There seems to be at least some confusion regarding my position on the tea party movement. Please, allow me here the opportunity to clarify a bit. 1) I DO condemn those people who've been bringing guns to the rallies (a smallish percentage but, yes, I do in fact condemn them). 2) I DO condemn the people who've been bringing racist and/or hyperbolic signs ("Obama is Hitler", for example) to the rallies (again, probably a very small percentage). 3) I DO sense a certain degree of irrationality to the stated positions of some of these people ("keep your government hands off of my Medicare", for example). 4) I DON'T, however, think that we should be stereotyping tea party members, constantly comparing them to idiots like Timothy McVeigh, etc.. That, my friends, isn't any more intellectually honest than what the far-right did to then-candidate Obama during the 2008 campaign. And, besides, isn't stereotyping supposed to be very ANTI-liberal? Me, I always kind of thought that it was.

Friday, April 23, 2010

The Longest Fued This Side of Tully Blanchard and the "American Dream", Dusty Rhodes

In terms of this latest scrum between John Stewart and Fox's Bernie Goldberg, I think it's fair to say that both men have gotten in some hay-makers. Mr. Goldberg is correct in pointing out that Stewart's liberal guests get a much more cushy treatment than do his conservative ones. Stewart - he, on the other hand, is right in pointing out that Fox News is itself extremely biased, that it seems in fact to have a strong "narrative", etc.. But the thing is, folks, as long as Fox News continues to advertise itself as a "fair and balanced" network (clearly something that Mr. Stewart has never, ever, claimed to be), the comedian will no doubt continue to have the overall upper-hand. Or at least that's the way that I see it.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

The Patty Duke of Politics

Whenever I see Mitt Romney, I always see two different individuals. One of these people is an intelligent, talented, and, yes, oft-times reasonable, individual who, yes, I could in fact see in a position of authority. The other person - he, unfortunately, isn't nearly as attractive as him. This, folks, in that, yes, this "other" Mr. Romney is a politician who will literally (and, yes, when I say literally, I literally mean literally) do or say anything in order to ingratiate himself to the audience/electorate he is speaking/pandering to....................................................................................................I mean, don't get me wrong. I'm fully aware that they ALL do this type of thing to a degree. But, I'm telling you, the way/degree to which Mr. Romney has been flip-flopping, etc., I truly find it very unnerving. Let's just hope that he never has to speak in front of a Klan rally/anything even remotely resembling that. For now, though, I think that, yes, it's fairly reasonable to call the fellow bogus, cynical, opportunistic, slick, etc.. That, and be done with it......Mr. Romney, it clearly appears as if your opportunity (to be President) has by-passed. Whether it EVER really existed or not, that, folks, is probably something for another pow-wow. Until then.....

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Defending George W. Bush AGAIN!

Think about it, folks. If President Bush really and truly was a Nazi, wouldn't he have more than likely pulled some sort of military coup/blocked the 2008 Presidential election? This, I'm saying, as opposed to the son of a bitch simply retiring to Texas, raising all sorts of money for Haitian earthquake relief, etc.. I'm just asking..................................................................................................P.S For those of you who find this perplexing/disturbing (a person defending a politician the likes of who he never voted for/supported), it's actually quite elementary. You do it because it's the right thing to do. Period.

Grading the Presidents of My Lifetime (An Independent's Perspective)

1) Eisenhower - B plus (a personal favorite, but even I can't excuse/forgive/justify his decision to install the Shah in Iran).....2) Kennedy - A minus (a shaky start, granted, but incomparable leadership when it mattered most).....3) Johnson - C (excellent on civil rights, but way too much in terms of social spending and, yes, three little BIG words; Gulf of Tonkin).....4) Nixon - F (do I really need to expound on this one?).....5) Ford - B plus (even his decision to pardon Nixon now looks pretty good in retrospect - a good and decent man).....6) Carter - C minus (only his brokering of peace in the Middle East can salvage what was essentially a lousy 4 years).....7) Reagan - B minus (strong marks for dealing with the Cold War/arms control, demerits for the savings and loan fiasco, Iran Contra, Lebanon, enormous deficits, etc.).....8) Bush 1 - B minus (a strong foreign policy president but, yes, lousy and/or unlucky when it came to the economy).....9) Clinton - B (nothing transformative accomplished, all but sexual disasters diverted).....10) Bush 2 - D (Woodrow Wilson on steroids, deficits, the debt, etc.).....11) Obama (thus far) - C (rather than changing Bush's agenda, he seems to have codified more than a fair amount of it, lousy leadership on health-care, the stimulus, etc. - I very much like him personally, though).....

Monday, April 19, 2010

To Say and Not Do or Do and Screw Up, THAT Is the Question

The thing that bugs me most about Republicans is that a lot of them TALK a good game. They TALK about spending cuts. They TALK about balancing the budget. They TALK about eliminating earmarks. They TALK about a more humble foreign policy (well, at least Bush 2 did). They TALK about illegal immigration. They TALK about health-care reform (they actually have some decent ideas here). BUT when it comes to real governing and, yes, they actually have the opportunity to do a few of these things, they totally screw things up; wars, deficits, pork-barrel projects/spending, a porous border, etc., etc.. I mean, I know that the Democrats are screwing things up pretty bad, too (fuzzy thinking pertaining to health-care, the stimulus, cap and trade, etc.). But at least these characters are attempting to do what they said they would. So, yeah, in that regard at least, I'd have to give the Democrats a slight edge here - slight, clearly being the operant term.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Star-Crossed

I'm going to be honest with you here. I couldn't even decipher what Bubkas was saying half the time. I mean, it was almost as if she'd had her own scuttlebutt, her very own shabby subset, etc. - an alternative universe (any Ivy League dream, spies who worked for the precipice, etc.). And, yes, me-buckos, damned if there wasn't that balderdashin' element - big-time! Hell, if the truth were really known, Bubkas/the rest of those curiosities at Sassy's, probably just should have kept it insular/low - insular and, yes, with quietude true, I'm saying!!!

Friday, April 16, 2010

A Lot of Character

Lee J. Cobb - I mean, how frigging good was that guy, huh? Yeah. Talk about a scowl. Talk about a sneer. Talk about a guy who could get so frigging pissed that he'd scare you in your living room. Cobb, folks, was an actor who could do each of these things and more. I mean, just his performances in "12 Angry Men" (as juror #3) and "On the Waterfront" (as the despicable Johnny Friendly) - those stellar performances alone would have been enough to place him in the pantheon...................................................................................................But, no, folks, it isn't just those two films. Add also his performances in "The Song of Bernadette" (as the kindly doctor), "The Exorcist" (as the probing detective), "The Brothers Karamazov" (as Fyodor Karamazov), "Exodus" (as the peaceful Zionist), "The Three Faces of Eve" (as the patient Dr. Luther), Elia Kazan's hugely underrated "Boomerang" (as the real life police chief), etc., and, yeah, it really does get to be impressive - this incredible canon of his.....................................................................................................And, no, I haven't even mentioned perhaps his greatest role ever. Yeah, that's right, as Willy Loman in Arthur Miller's original (1949) Broadway production of "Death of a Salesman" (a role that he later reprised in a 1966 television version - a performance that, yes, ultimately secured him an Emmy). Or his long running role on the very successful television drama, "The Virginian". These, along with his movie roles, clearly make Lee J. Cobb one of the greatest character actors EVER!

The Truest Words Ever Uttered

"Beer makes you weary, but you need some to get along.".....Jeff Tweedy and Jay Farrar (Uncle Tupelo) - from the song, "Flatness" (album, "No Depression", 1990).

"Career" Contingency (The Usual)

It appears that Elliot Spitzer's sleazy call-girl buddy, Ashley Dupre, has already done a small amount posing for Playboy. Wow, huh? Who in the world could have seen that one coming?

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Hawking the Hall

There's been an extraordinary amount of debate lately as to whether Andre Dawson truly belongs in the Baseball Hall of Fame (he's set to be inducted this summer). On the one side, you have people saying that, while, yes, the Hawk indeed was an excellent ballplayer, he isn't quite a Hall of Fame performer (and, yes, they're definitely opposed to our lowering the bar any more than it already has been). On the other side, you have people saying that Mr. Dawson definitely has the credentials to be there and, hence, he should in fact be elected..............................................................................................My opinion, folks, is that, yeah, you gotta let him in. I mean, I definitely understand the whole lowering of the bar thing and all but, seriously here, don't you think that it might be a little bit too late to stuff the genie back in the bottle now? I ask you, how do you let in Billy Williams, Tony Perez, Willie Stargell, Jim Rice and others but not let Mr. Dawson in?........................................................................................And it's not like the guy produced crappy numbers. I mean, seriously, get a load of these stats (all of them garnered well before the steroid era); 1,373 runs scored, 2,774 hits, 503 doubles, 98 triples, 438 homers, 1,591 runs batted in, and 314 stolen bases. Yeah, his lifetime batting average is a little bit low (.279). But, even here, it's higher than a lot of other guys who did make it (Ozzie Smith, for instance). And Dawson was phenomenal fielder as well. The guy racked up 8 Gold Gloves and sported a .983 lifetime fielding average (better than such luminaries as Clemente, Mays, and Aaron). And he did all of this during a career in which he was constantly hobbled by injuries. I mean, seriously, can you imagine how much better these numbers would have been if he didn't have to undergo those, count 'em, 12 knee surgeries?..........................................................................................But let me give you another reason why we need to put him in. During a regular game with the Dodgers, Dawson got beaned by the opposing pitcher (an incident that ultimately cost him 24 stitches). He was hurt so bad that he wasn't able to charge the mound. That didn't represent a problem, though. This, folks, in that every single one of his teammates did it for him. Now THAT is some serious leadership. Like I said at the top of this, put him in already.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Palin, The Insult Comic.....

I don't have a problem with people criticizing President Obama. Hell, I kind of do a lot of it myself from time to time. But, I do have to admit it here, the tone/content of a lot of what I've been hearing of late is troublesome. And, no, I'm not even referring here to those tea-party protesters. I'm referring far more to people like Hannity, Limbaugh, Palin, etc.............................................................................................For instance, did you happen to hear the way that Palin was belittling/ridiculing Obama the other night; throwing around such loaded and divisive terms as "community organizer", "part-time senator", "full-time candidate", etc.? It's like, what, why can't she just respectfully debate the fellow.....and, yes, do it on the merits of the issues? That's at least what I try and do................................................................................................And, really, words like this coming from the mouth of a "serial student", "half-term governor", "Fox News analyst, etc., do they really have all that much of a punch to them anyway? I personally found them to be very UNpersuasive.................................................................................................P.S. Just for the record here, I don't think that President Obama is necessarily a genius, either. I mean, sure, he's a bright enough fellow and all but, no, I don't think that he's anywhere near the big-time heavy-hitter that his staunchest supporters make him out to be. I'm just saying that I don't think that Palin and Bachman are necessarily the ones that you really want underscoring this. That's all.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Cogito Ergo Huh?

I remember asking Bubkus, "So, why are you standin' so close to the door like that? Are you in? Or are you out?" She responded firmly with, "Neither. I'm just standin' by the door.... and waitin'. You got a problem with that?" I told her, "I do not"....and started laughin'.

The Long Awaited Pivot

I'd like to give kudos to President Obama. This, in that, yes, this time he apparently IS standing up to his base (though, clearly, his failure to push more strongly for a public option in the health-care debate could also be construed as an example). His energy initiative, which apparently calls for much more in terms of domestic drilling, is a definite move by him to the center. I mean, I don't know if it's sincere or not. It could in fact be nothing more than him (fresh after the left/he getting victories in health-care and the stimulus)/his administration doing a little Clintonian shifting. Me, though, I'm hoping that it's more a recognition of something that he himself has uttered NUMEROUS times - namely, that both sides are capable of a good idea from time to time............................................................................................P.S. I know that a lot of my colleagues are probably going to be opposed to this measure. And, while, yes, I do in fact have some sympathies here (the part about not being able to drill our way out of the situation, especially), my penchant remains that the President may indeed be on to something here. This, in that I really do think that a comprehensive approach to energy is wise/an extremely prudent policy. I certainly don't agree with Rush that "comprehensive" is a nasty thing.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

On Tracy Jane Bubkus

Let's just put it this way, folks. She wasn't exactly what Retch had had in mind for a "partner", either. This, I'm saying, in that 1) she was crazy, 2) she smoked like an overheated factory part, and 3) she made it damn near impossible to get your own words across. Of course, the fact that Retch is ever so willing to hawk upon his own self now (just as easily enumerating HIS shortcomings, etc., AND NOT JUST THOSE OF BUBKUS), I really do think that, yeah, it might in fact be more than rotten/sour grapes this time. At least it's a faint possibility, I'm saying.

Friday, April 9, 2010

Evidence? What Evidence?

Have you noticed how a lot of the talking-heads over at Fox (Sean Hannity, Bernard Goldberg, Laura Ingraham, etc., etc.) have been clamoring lately, "PLEASE, show me some evidence (this, in regards to some tea party members' use of the n-word, etc.)!" Of course, now that we actually have some of this "hard" evidence (audio-taped messages, especially), they suddenly don't seem to be all that interested anymore (so, too, there's a seeming lack of interest in the RNC strip-club scandal). Hm. Gee, I wonder why that is............................................................................................................P.S. Just to be fair, it should also be pointed out that so, too, does MSNBC ignore certain things. In Nevada, for instance, supporters of Harry Reid were caught on videotape throwing eggs at a tea party bus. MSNBC didn't cover that event AT ALL. Apparently, folks, that story wasn't at all consistent with THEIR "narrative".

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Collateral Dumbage

Here's the way that I see it, folks. If the citizens of a certain state or district really want to send an extremist (a Bernie Sanders, a James Inhofe, etc.) to Washington, then, yeah, that's totally up to them. I would personally much prefer a John Breaux/Bill Cohen type myself but, certainly, democracy does in fact rule here. The only thing that I ask of people is that, if in fact you do elect an extremist, could you at least try and elect an intelligent one.............................................................................................Yeah, that's right, folks, I'm talking about Congresswoman Bachman again. I mean, seriously, have you not heard the latest? This woman is actually telling her conservative friends/constituents to NOT fill out the census. Talk about a counterproductive piece of advice. She's literally telling her conservative friends not to be counted. It's like, does she not know that this could actually end up hurting the Republicans (this, in that they could actually end up gaining a seat or two via the census)? Or is she just so conditioned that she simply can't help herself (the government is bad, don't cooperate with the government, yada yada)?............................................................................................Now, this isn't to imply that there aren't any problems with the census (the emphasis that it places on race, for instance, confidentially concerns, etc.). One could clearly argue that there are problems. But it's the frigging law, people. Hell, it's even in the Constitution. What, Bachman doesn't care about the Constitution now?

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

The Grassy Something

While I generally don't consider myself a huge conspiracy-theory type/fellow, I do have to admit it here folks, I am starting to get at least a little suspicious. I point specifically to the fact that the ABC television network has apparently decided that they.....(oh, alright, I'll just say it here) WANT TO FRIGGING KILL ME!!! I mean, I don't know if you'all have noticed it or not, but these sadistic bastards have decided to put Courteney Cox ("Cougar Town") and Vanessa Williams ("Ugly Betty"), not just on on the same evening, mind you, but back to frigging ball-busting back!! It's like, come on, don't these corporatist sons of bitches know that there are a humongous number of us middle-aged fellas' out there who just can't handle this type of stimulation? And, no, don't even try and give me any of that bullshit about changing the channel. This, in that, DNA-wise, we all know that that little situation ISN'T gonna happen.....I just hope that those slimy bastards have some big time attorneys. For their sake, I'm saying!

One Angry Man, One VERY Angry Man

Henry Fonda obviously had a lot of great roles throughout his career; as the conscience-driven President in "Fail Safe", as the gallant, albeit ultimately doomed, Preston Dillard, in "Jezebel", as the ordinary trouble-shooter/hero in "12 Angry Men", as the legendary (almost mythical), Tom Joad, in "The Grapes of Wrath", as Norman Thayer (his Oscar Winning performance from "On Golden Pond"), as Abraham Lincoln in "Young Mr. Lincoln", as Gil Carter, the lone man who stands up to the mob in "The Oxbow Incident" and, yes, perhaps most famously as "Mister Roberts"....................................................................................................... But I'm telling you here, people, the one that stands out most to me is the role that he had in Sergio Leone's epic masterpiece, "Once Upon a Time In the West". In this particular movie, folks, Mr. Fonda was offered the counter-casting role of a lifetime. This, in that not only does he get to play the bad guy (one of only 2 or 3 movies in which he was afforded this opportunity), he gets to play about as evil a person as there's ever been on film (I don't even want to talk about some of the crap that this guy does). And, yep/yessiree, Mr. Henry Fonda nails it! In fact, he plays this iron-clad and steely-eyed killer with such a malevolence and bile that we literally almost want to walk out of the room - almost, clearly, the operant word.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

A Husky Resume

Alright, I'll admit it. It was probably more of a Picasso than a Rembrandt. But at this point in time, I really don't give a shit. UConn's 53-47 victory tonight over Stanford was the team's 78th in a row (10 more wins and they'll tie John Wooden's UCLA men's record). It was also the school's seventh national championship (in women's basketball). To say that this is an extraordinary accomplishment is an understatement................................................................................................Oh, and if you think that it's over now, think again. Not only is Maya Moore (replete with a strong supporting cast) returning, UConn has also penned one of the best recruiting classes in the land for 2010 (Bria Hartley, Samarie Walker, Stefanie Dolson, Michala Johnson, Lauren Engeln - all of them highly rated in ESPN's top 100). UConn is going to be damn good for quite some time. I mean, sure, they might lose a few games - eventually. Not without a fight, though. Not without a fight.

Miscellaneous 9

1) Back in the early '80s, Warner Brothers (the music division) decided that they wanted to pare back a little - eliminate and cast aside some of the deadwood, in other words. Who, pray tell, did these brilliant execs finally decide to get rid of in order to accomplish this? Yeah, maybe you've actually heard of one or two of these folks. Their names were Bonnie Raitt, Van Morrison, and Arlo Guthrie. Hm. Gee, I wonder how in the hell that decision worked out for Warner Brothers......2) Please, don't include me among those people who don't think that the Republicans have some good ideas in terms of health-care (health savings accounts, purchasing insurance across state lines, wellness programs, tort reform, etc.). My criticism is simply this. Why in the hell are they only talking about these things now? I mean, seriously, they, the Republicans, had six frigging years to put forth a comprehensive plan. Why do they only seem to talk about this stuff when the Democrats are trying to accomplish something? Could it be that they only want to hurt President Obama, posture like hell for the 2010 mid-terms, etc.? That's what it's increasingly looking like to me. Correct me if I'm wrong......3) It looks like some moron has just sent Senator Murray a death-threat (for her affirmative vote on the heath-care bill, I gather). It's like, what, doesn't this guy know that he (him and all of the other people that he can ultimately persuade, peacefully, to HIS view-point) can vote her out of office instead? Seriously, what in the hell is the matter with these bozos?

Monday, April 5, 2010

Programming Note

I just wanted to inform my colleagues of some inside information that I've been able to come up with. Get this. CBS will in fact be coming out with yet another game-show this fall. It'll be emceed, though, not be a traditional host, but by the veteran actor, Mr. Ned Beatty. Early indications are that the show will be entitled, "Let's Make a Squeal".............sorry

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Cockroach Jounalism X2

Here it is, folks, ANOTHER LIE! This time, though, damned if it isn't a real doozy.....Get this. According to the intrepid one, Mr. Bartlebee, I have consistently been a champion of that right-wing rabble-rouser/film-maker, James O'Keefe. His specific charge is that I've been heralding that ACORN expose of his and, yes, slandering ACORN as well. Well, guess what, folks. He's full of bull-crap. In fact, I don't think that I've ever even written once on the incident. Yes, I have done a piece that was critical of ACORN. But it had absolutely nothing to do with O'Keefe. No sir. It only had to do with ACORN's hypocrisy relative to minimum wage/unionizing (i.e., championing these concepts for most workers - boldly ignoring them when it comes to their own folks). Not that I expect an apology for any of this, of course. This, in that, nada, it simply isn't a part of his make-up - apparently.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Take a Piece of Advice and Call Me in the Morning

Maybe it's about time that the Republicans started listening to David Frumm. This, in that, yes, Mr. Frumm (who I initially didn't care for in that it was him who allegedly penned that stupid "axis of evil" talking point) appears to be one of the few folks from that side of the aisle making sense these days (this is not to imply that the Dems have been all that cogent, either). Especially adept he's been in articulating just how debilitating (to the party and to the country) all of this obstructionism has been. He feels that the Republicans should have been far more engaging throughout this process (yes, I'm referring here to health-care reform). This, I'm saying, as opposed to the flat-out rejection of a bill that in many ways was similar to a) the Republicans' own bill from 1993, b) Mitt Romney's Massachusetts plan, and c) the bipartisan Wyden-Bennett plan from, well, just last year!!..............................................................................................I mean, don't get me wrong here. The bill that the Democrats ultimately came up with was flawed (I personally support Ezekiel Emanuel's plan of vouchers and health boards) and, yes, because of that, I can totally see having some opposition to it. But come on, roll up your sleeves and try to make it better. Don't just go around trying to make the President look like an idiot. All that that does is make you look stupid.

Friday, April 2, 2010

New Wide Receiver's Society

Joe Watson (Davie High, Mocksville North Carolina) is one of those gridiron stars who, in the past, would have never even given Duke University a whiff. Now, NOW, not only has the 6'3" 215 pound speed merchant taken a look at Duke, he's verbally committed to them. This isn't to say that Watson had had an overabundance of ink. Other than Duke, only the University of Kentucky had extended him a scholarship. But, at least from what I can gather, the interest was getting high and, yes, it was only a question of time before other schools such as Wake Forest, Syracuse, etc. started courting. He IS that good. I'm telling you folks, if the people of Durham can 1) stay patient and 2) retain their coach, David Cutcliffe, they just might have more than college hoopsters to brag about.

Tea Stains

While I agree with you folks (yeah, I guess that I'm talking to liberals on this one) that Palin would more than likely be a disaster as President and that, yes, there is in fact a lunatic fringe element out there in her audience, I'm not so sure that I can go as far as to tar an entire movement. Just like I wouldn't tar the entire civil rights movement over some of the nastiness that Sharpton and Farrakhan have said....or the entire anti-Iraq War movement for all of those "Bush is a Nazi" signs that were utilized. People STILL need to be judged as individuals (a central tenet of liberalism, no?), I think.

A Not So Beautiful Mind

Hadley couldn't even find his way from hand-tools to the carpenter shop. And the fact that he continues to lead such a purposeless (or maybe the son of a bitch has an excess of purpose - it's very difficult to process, never mind decipher) existence - that, as well - it has to be a hindrance. Of course, the way that Mr. Hadley stays stuck at that dreaded concrete (as opposed to formal) stage of "operations", all of it; the repetitiveness/predictability of his buffoonery, etc., really shouldn't come at all as a surprise, now should it?

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Happy Meals For Adults

One of the things that tends to bug me about conservatives/liberals (the much more doctrinaire ones, I'm saying) is that a large chunk of them tend to be conservative/liberal on virtually EVERYTHING!!!.....I mean, I just don't understand AT ALL. What, pray-tell, is this great connection between drilling in the ANWR/stem-cell research/gun control and, I don't know, abortion/minimum-wage laws/a single-payer health-care system? SERIOUSLY, I ask you! I mean, I don't know about you folks but, me, I would much, MUCH prefer to do my ordering off the menu a la carte - that, and to, yes, totally ignore what the idiot next to me is saying.