Archives: December 2007
3 Doors Down - Citizen Soldier
Have you see this video yet? It plays before movies at Cinemark movie theaters in the Bay Area as an advertisement for the National Guard. I think it's a pretty catchy song, and the National Guard has a great history, but I can't help but notice how there's almost no recent footage of the National Guard serving in Iraq. Because that's a huge point of controversy right now, isn't it? Don't a lot of people think that too many of our National Guardsmen and women are deployed in Iraq right now?
It just seems a little disingenuous to me to leave out more footage of the Guard serving in Iraq, especially considering the war and that anyone under 30 who enlisted in the Guard in the past year stands a good chance of being sent there.
TAGS: Citizen Soldier, Iraq, National Guard, 3 Doors Down, Music Video, Music
Benazir Bhutto: Bin Laden Murdered
I haven't posted anything about the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto yet because beyond the basic human reaction of sadness and disappointment over another brutal murder, I didn't know very much about Bhutto. Beyond the fact that she was elected the first woman prime minister of a majority Muslim country (Pakistan), she was a complete stranger to me. I had nothing to add. I still have very little to say about it.
For now, the mainstream press is in reportage mode over her death, basically rehashing the headline, "Benazir Bhutto Assassinated," showing footage of the day she died, and repeating that we still don't know for sure who killed her.
I guess that's all true, but I'd appreciate a little news context. Tell me about her as a leader. How popular was she in Pakistan? Why was she forced from office twice? What was her stance on the Taliban? Women's rights? Democracy? I still don't know much about Bhutto herself, other than the fact that she's gone. I'm certainly not getting a lot of useful information about her from CNN or FOX.
Not to take anything at all away from Benazir Bhutto, but I don't think most Americans know much about her. Before her assassination, I bet that 9 of 10 Americans couldn't even have identified her if they'd been shown a photograph.
But this Bhutto interview clip from November is certainly interesting. In it, she flatly states that Osama bin Laden was murdered. It was either a slip of the tongue, or she must have believed the bin Laden videos authenticated by the CIA were fakes.
TAGS: Bhutto, Media, Politics, Pakistan, Muslim, Islam, bin Laden
Fred vs. the Press, Snowball Fight
Man, Thompson is pure boring. He's the distilled essence of boring. If you took something boring and boiled it until what remained was a thick pasty goo, that goo would be almost as boring as Fred Thompson is.
And after all the talk about how Fred Thompson was supposed to change the face of the presidential campaign, he didn't do sh*t. His impact was barely noticed. He's not even one of the better performers in the debates, and folks were comparing him to Ronald Reagan?? Come on. Reagan had more charisma in one arthritic pinkie finger than Fred Thompson has in his entire body. Even in his present condition, Ronald Reagan is more alive than Fred Thompson is.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Calls Murphy the Plumber
Arnold is definitely a favorite tool among the YouTube prank callers. I guess it's on account of all the one-liners he delivered over his illustrious film career.
Poor Arnie. He should be flattered by the attention.
I live in California, and Arnold really is as popular here as they say he is. I live in the SF Bay Area, where 8-10 people are something other than Republican, and you hear it all the time: "Schwarzenegger has done a good job as governor." Imagine that. A blue state lovin' on a Republican governor? Especially a high profile one like Arnold??
What we see out here living in Arnold's California is a governor above partisan politics. Sure, he usually begins a political effort trying to promote the conservative agenda, but in those instances when it becomes clear that the public wants something different, Arnold will compromise. Is he the perfect leader? No, there's no such thing, but he has made the people of California the priority, and my hat goes off to him.
MARK FIORE: The Nights Before Caucus 2
Bravo! This was one of my favorite Mark Fiore cartoons in ... forever. I Iove the line, "I'm the toughest God guy with guns here tonight."
All the GOP characters are true to form. I wish I could put something like this animation together in a week. I don't know how Fiore does it, consistently cranking out cartoon after cartoon, week after week.
In case you missed the first one, here's The Nights Before Caucus.
FOX = hypocritical a-holes, BRAZEN COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT
WARNING: RATED 'R' VIDEO
I thought this was an interesting story. I remember earlier this year when Fox went after YouTube for allowing the posting of their copyrighted material. To be fair, Fox wasn't the only big corporation threatening to lay the smackdown on YouTube, but, you know, we hate Fox (CORRECTION: we love Fox TV shows; we hate Fox management).
The guy from this video, while I give him props for that cool accent, is spinning this story a little bit out of context. YouTube used to be almost entirely copyrighted videos. Practically everything posted was from TV and belonged to someone else. When Google bought YouTube they really cleaned up the place. Sure, folks like me kinda miss the old days when there wasn't anything you couldn't find on YouTube, but you can't really get angry at a company for choosing not to break the law.
But I can appreciate good Fox-bashing as much as the next guy. If they infringed on this woman's copyright, then screw 'em. Corporations exert their power and influence over consumers all the time. It's only fair to have it work both ways.
Do You Yo Gabba Gabba? Barack Obama Does
You know what makes this clip so funny? It's not Barack Obama dancing with Ellen DeGeneneres. It's the passion that everyone clearly has for the dance that makes this so great. When dancing is in your soul, when it's something you feel with all your heart, it shows in your every hip thrust. Take it from a white guy.
Both these kids have real futures in dance if they decide to go down that road.
I have no idea what I'm talking about.
The clip sure is funny though. Personally, I think Seth has better moves than either Nathaniel or Barack Obama.
Norman Bates calls a Redneck
Back in college with some of my friends we cranked called businesses a couple times, but we weren't very good at it at all. Most of the time we couldn't think of anything to say, so the calls would go something like "Uh... do you sell toilet seats? Because ... uh... that would be pretty funny if you did. Hehe... Yeah... You sell toilet seats. That's pretty funny."
And I remember always getting someone really sharp on the line who'd see right through the prank in mere seconds. "Don't you kids have some studying to do?" they'd say.
Once, I replied, "Uh... yes, sir. Actually we do."
Needless to say, after a couple failed attempts, we left crank calling to the professionals, people like Bart Simpson and the Jerky Boys.
Sketchin'
I stopped drawing cartoons for a while because I've been focussed on helping my wife with her website, but yesterday I did a quick sketch for a simple cartoon I've been thinking about.
This one would just be a single panel comic, but what I've been thinking of doing is a recurring comic strip. I've tried them before, but it's always a question of payoff. I'm not a good enough artist to justify spending six hours making a single comic page, but I figure I'll give it another try.
Another Huckabee Christmas Message
I'm p*ssed off at Mike Huckabee. Two weeks ago I told some of my liberal friends that if someone held a gun to my head and said, "If you don't vote for one of the Republicans you're a dead man," I would have voted for Mike Huckabee because he seemed to have the most integrity of the group and appeared to be the least partisan.
Yeah, and then we found out that he wanted to quarantine all AIDS patients ... back in 1992, well after scientists figured out the disease wasn't a curse or something spread by evil thoughts. And Huck has been on a God-touting tear lately, bringing up religion at every single public event. He went from keeping his faith close to his heart (where it belongs in American politics) to wearing it up on his shoulder. Now, he sounds like one of those closeted gay evangelical preachers.
I respect freedom of religion, but I won't support another Bible-thumping Christian evangelical in the White House. Never again. It's un-American.
Weak Conservative Daily Show Knockoff, Newsbusted, Confuses Smug Confidence with Reality-based Comedy
Here's another conservative Daily Show knockoff, and just like all the rest it isn't really funny. I posted it just to get a reaction out of you, not because I think it's funny at all. It's crap. Make sure you've got your heart medication close by because this sh*t will get you heated. It's hard not to let it get to you, but remember, Jesus wouldn't want your heart filled with hate at Christmas. Love thy neighbor, people, even thy's condescending, arrogant, supremely hypocritical and foolish conservative neighbor.
The joke about the state Ayatollah school isn't too bad. It makes the video worth your time.
RED STATE UPDATE: Jackie's Christmas Message: What Matters Most
An instant Christmas classic, even more meaningful and poignant than Mike Huckabee's shameless anti-political religious campaign ad, the one with the non-cross cross in the background.
On Friday at my day job's Christmas luncheon the staff did one of those pink elephant gift exchanges. We all exchanged pink elephants. There was elephant crap everywhere.
No, but seriously, one of my coworkers got one of those talking fish. I secretly resent her because I know she won't appreciate it as much as I would, but I chose not to steal it, you know, in the spirit of Christmas and all.
T-minus two days 'til Christmas and counting. Are you done with all your Christmas shopping? I am. I snuck out of the house late last night and sped to the mall to get my wife's last two presents. There comes a point every Christmas where it gets down to wire and you end up really just throwing money at any old gift at the mall to get it over with. Yup, just like Jesus would have done.
Sen. Harry Reid Needs to Step Down
Obviously, I know why Congress' approval ratings are down in the teens. Ultimately, Congress has crap approval ratings because Congress hasn't found a way to stop George Bush. If the Dems could stop Bush, Congress would instantly win the approval of millions of frustrated Democrats, launching up those low Congressional approval ratings overnight.
But what the hell are the Democrats in Congress thinking? Reid has done an embarrassingly ineffective job, and then he goes on PBS with Ray Suarez yesterday to tout their (the Democrats') record since they won the majority? "Well," says Reid, "we've been able to accomplish quite a bit, but not very much, certainly not as much as I wanted to. I'm kind of frustrated, like the American people." Good grief. "There are a lot of things that need to be done," he adds. "We found a blockage on nearly everything we tried."
In just a few short months, Reid says, rather than two years, the Republicans filibustered the Democrats 62 times. The record for two years was 61. So, in just a few short months, the Republicans had more filibusters than in the history of the Congress before. Again, what did Reid expect? If the Republicans are going to change the way the filibuster has been used, then change the way you make them use the filibuster. Force them onto the floor to debate until they talk themselves sick.
Things were made vastly worse when Congressional Democrats made the flawed political decision to focus on Bush's surge earlier this year rather than focusing on the war itself. By making it about a military tactic, rather than about the overall concept of the war and what it has cost and meant to America's safety, Reid opened the Democrats up to criticism if/when the surge ever showed even limited military results, and it has. Screw the surge! It should never have been about the surge. It was about the war, Harry! The war was wrong, should have been over, wasn't aiding American national security and was/is draining our treasure at the expense of needed domestic spending at home.
Reid is on record earlier this year saying that the "war is lost." For the love of God, why did he say that?? The war was never lost. The war was won, four years ago after Saddam Hussein's regime was toppled. Since then, the war has been wrong, but not won or lost. Reid made the effort to end the war immeasurably more difficult with that totally ridiculous remark.
Now that the surge has succeeded in stabilizing the violence in Iraq, at least for the time being, Reid and most of the Democrats in Congress, because they chose to focus on the surge instead of the overall war, are toothless. Chances are, any hope to end the war before the next president takes office has been lost.
Thank you, Sen. Reid and Speaker Pelosi. Just like we always claim that the Bush administration must be held accountable for their actions, the same should be said of the two of you.
MARK FIORE: The Nights Before Caucus
Another great political animation from Mark Fiore, who, along with the Jib Jab brothers, produces some of the best animated political satire around.
OK, Mark, I love ya, buddy, but come on! You use the same computer voice for every cartoon, man! I'm just sayin'. Mix it up, buddy. Maybe increase the pitch or pinch your nose or ... anything to change the voice.
RED STATE UPDATE: Jackie Broyles Vs. Mike Huckabee Video Post
DOH! That explains everything about the American people in a nutshell -- the Tom Hanks theory. Until Americans see Tom Hanks in a movie about something they just don't understand it. When in 1992 Huckabee said we had to quarantine AIDS patients it was because Philadelphia hadn't come out yet. They didn't understand AIDS until Tom Hanks had it in Philadelphia. They didn't understand WWII until Saving Private Ryan.
All makes perfect sense now.
Speaking of Tom Hanks, my wife can't stand the guy. Says he has a puffy face.
TAGS: video post,, democrats,, republican party,, political humor,, political satire
RED STATE UPDATE: Jamie Lynn Spears Pregnant Video Post
What I don't get is why we're still talking about a Spears. People are saying, "What do we tell our kids about it?" You're only asking that question now?? It took a teen pregnancy for you to realize that the entire Spear family is messed up? The sanest one of that group is Kevin Federline, and that ain't saying much.
I wish Jamie Lynn a happy life, but I sure hope this pushes her out of the public eye for a while, I mean, after she has the kid and another 15 minutes of fame after it, of course. Just get her out of the news already. As soon as I hear the name "Spears" I tune out now. Britney was morbidly entertaining (you know it's true) as a trainwreck story a year or two ago, but now everything having to do with Spears is just plain sad and boring.
We've got more important things to talk about, like how Congressional Democrats are spineless, overanalytical cowards and Congressional Republicans are careless, hypocritical lemmings.
TAGS: video post, democrats, republican party, political humor, political satire
If Ron Paul Can Raise More Than $6 Million in One Day, How Come He Is Not Higher in The Polls?
Smokin' Jack Cafferty asks the question, if Paul can raise more than $6 million in a day, why isn't he higher in the polls?
Good question. Now, I'm not a Paul fanatic, not even a Paul supporter. Why? 1) because I don't accept his idealistic notion of government and leadership, 2) because I think he's a little bit off his rocker, and 3) because I'm not conservative enough to believe free markets actually exist. I think Paul's get-the-government-out-of-our-lives theories would work just about as well as the conservatives' notion of free market economics. Yeah, find me a free market that's both truly free and actually works the way it's supposed to and then I'll reconsider. Paul's ideas are the kind that sound good, look great on paper in a college thesis, but completely fall apart in practice.
So, when asked how Paul can raise $6 million in a single day yet still be down in the polls, the answer to me is obvious. He has a small number of totally fanatical supporters. That's all there is to it. They'll say, "but the polls are wrong all the time." OK, that's true, but how wrong do you expect me to believe they are? Is his 5% nationally more like 10%, or is it 15%, 20%?
Come on.... Yeah, the polls may be off, but they sure ain't THAT off.
Good luck, Dr. Paul. You'll need it.
Mike Huckabee on What Really Matters
What really matters, Mr. Huckabee?
The YouTube page this video is posted on is filled with comments from viewers. Some are pretty harsh on Gov. Huckabee; some are practically mastubatory, "Ooh! God bless you TOO, Mr. Huckabee! GOD BLESS! OMG! He said God on television! That's so cool!"
If you take the ad at face value, judging it solely on what Huckabee says, then, yeah, it sounds sincere and sweet ... but, uh, wakeup, people. Huckabee is in the middle of a presidential campaign. Where were his heartfelt Christmas wishes to you and yours a year ago? Why wasn't Huckabee wishing all of us a Happy Holiday a couple years ago? Why wasn't he raising money to spread Christmas joy before he decided to run for president? I'll tell you why -- because this ad is more than just a Christmas greeting; it's an advertisement, a political advertisement to sell Mike Huckabee. That's the only reason you're seeing it now, so before people go all soft and think, "Gee, Mike Hucakbee isn't like the other politicians. He's nice," take a minute to think about what you're really watching and why you're seeing it.
OK, now, all that said, I actually like this ad more than most of the other Republican presidential ads out there because it doesn't directly attack another candidate. I don't, however, like the religious message. I wouldn't have minded a "Merry Christmas" at the end of the ad, but it just goes too far to me. This is an ad for a guy who's running for President of the United States, a country with separation of Church and State. Doesn't mean he can't be a man of faith, just that he ought to convey respect for the separation between the Executive branch and faith in his personal life, which he quite obviously isn't doing in this commercial.
If I were a Hindu, Buddhist, Shinto, Muslim or American of a non-Christian faith watching this ad, I'd be a little worried about exactly how a President Mike Huckabee might interpret the U.S. Constitution.
Rolf & The Muppet Band Come to Life
I hope you appreciate the Muppets as much as I do. I proudly admit to having an almost disturbing love for Jim Henson and the Muppets. I grew up looking forward to the old Muppet Show and learned how to count watching Sesame Street. My avatar is Kermit the Frog. All through high school my nickname was Kermit and I loved it. Some kids hated their nicknames, but I loved mine.
A few years ago my wife and I flew down to Southern California to go to Disneyland (we don't have any kids yet, BTW, and I'm 35) and visited Disney's California Adventure theme park for the first time. If you're a fan of the Muppets, you've got to make it down there because they have this attraction called Muppet Vision 3D. You're escorted into a huge theater to watch a (sort of) live presentation of The Muppet Show. You're in the audience. It's a combination of live-action animatronics, puppetry and 3D effects (you wear 3D glasses) on a big movie screen.
Highlights include:
- Singing pigs
- Penguins in the orchestra pit
- Flying cannonballs
- Hecklers in the opera boxes
- Frogs on fire trucks
You gotta see it!
I'm Dreaming of a White Trash Christmas
Hey! White trash are people too. How would you like to come from white trash and have someone make fun of your heritage, huh?
DISLAIMER: Lighten up, ya'all. It's a harmless joke. And for whatever it's worth, when I point at someone and laugh, three fingers are pointing back at me, so just remember that....
Barack Obama on Warrantless Wiretapping, Sen. Clinton on Her Iraq War Vote
Barack Obama on Warrantless Wiretapping
Hillary Clinton on Her Iraq War Vote
Listen to these two candidates speak and tell me which one sounds like they have the the right experience to be president. How little respect have we left for the Office of the President that we would support someone who we know was wrong on Iraq? -- someone wrong, but who's also denied just how wrong they were. And why deny it? Why deny it? Because it would show weakness? Because it would show poor judgment to admit that vote was a mistake? Honestly, what good comes from not admitting that vote to support the Iraq War was a mistake?
Maybe I'm just not experienced enough to understand it, not as experienced as the Clintons, to see how refusing to admit that Sen. Clinton's Iraq War vote was a mistake.
If hers is the kind of experience it takes to be president, count me out. That's it! I withdraw my candidacy immediately!
Honey, return the Hickory Farms cheese platter. I quit!
Bush Talks Back
I wish I knew how this video was made. The Mad Magazine one is good, but the Jesus one took the cake. Could there be anything more sinfully blasphemous than George Bush as Jesus?
Iran So Far Away
A Saturday Night Live digital short with Lebron James and Kanye West, Andy Samberg, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Maroon 5 lead singer Adam Levine, with some lovely imagery reminiscent of the Fabulous Baker Boys.
Obviously, America should not be starting a war with Iran, and for its own good ought to just maintain the status quo with Iran's crazy president until Bush leaves office and gets replaced by a hopefully more intelligent, competent leader.
Ron Paul Supporters Hail from the Strangest Places
I found this video of a man claiming to be a Ron Paul supporter from Dubai. He wants to participate in the big money bomb that Paul supporters threw on Sunday. It was billed as a new Boston Tea Party, and the people behind it are claiming to have raised $6 million online in a single day. If true, and it most certainly is, that would be an amazing sum of money for Paul's campaign.
Even though I think their (I say 'their' because I'd never vote for the man) candidate is doomed, I send Christmas wishes and thanks to Ron Paul supporters everywhere for splintering the far right Republican vote and effectively diminishing the post-primary intensity of support for Giuliani, Romney or whoever else wins the Republican nomination.
Thanks, Guys!
-Blue Steel
Snoopy vs. Red Baron from that Classic Peanuts Christmas Special
I remember being a kid and every Christmas looking forward to the Peanuts Christmas special. If I remember correctly, it always started at 8pm, and every kid at school would talk about it for days in advance. Those were the days before Tivo, when folks had to look forward to television specials. REmember those days? The days of the television mini-series and made-for-TV movie?
All that's changed now. We have Tivo, which I'll add is perhaps the greatest invention since ... since the television, but I miss those days of everyone in America collectively looking forward to a big TV event. Now, what I'll probably end up doing is turning on the TV on Dec. 27th and clicking the Tivo to play back the Peanuts Christmas special at 3am.
RED STATE UPDATE: Hillary Clinton's Mouth Could Run a Triathalon
Red State Update recaps the Iowa Democratic debate.
I wasn't able to watch last night's debate, but I've seen most of the others. I know today all across the Intertubes zillions of far left politicos are mad as hell that old Dennis Kucinich wasn't allowed to participate in last night's debate. Personally, I support that decision. This is a political campaign. The goal is to attract voters. Kucinich has already had more than enough time to see if his message is one that a majority of Americans would support. Unfortunately, it just isn't. He's at or near the very bottom in the polls, like 2-3 percent, and that's among voters of his own party.
I actually respect and admire Kucinich, but I fully accept that this is a presidential campaign to win voters. At some point along the process, it makes sense to me to cut the chaff, to provide the more credible candidates with additional camera time.
MARK FIORE: Learn to Speak Intel
HA! One of the my favorite Mark Fiore animations in a while. The George Bush School of Speakin' Gooder, or, How to Conjugate like the President Does, i.e. Iran was dangerous, Iran is dangerous, Iran will be dangerous.
Former Clinton Precinct Captain Switches to Obama Campaign
What constitutes an attack ad? Is it fair to say that because someone in kindergarten said they wanted to be president that they've always had designs on the White House? Is that reasonable? Hillary thinks so.
I just hope people actually listen to what both of the lead Democratic candidates are saying because they both aren't approaching this campaign in the same way, least not from what I've seen.
Clearly, judging by the change in the polls, I'm not the only person seeing a big difference between the types of candidates that Clinton and Obama are. Anyone who says "They're all the same" just isn't paying attention.
Barack Obama for president!
You'll Never Be Able to Afford This Motorhome, but Rudy Giuliani Can
Take a look at this freakin' outrageous motorhome, and then watch the Giuliani video a couple posts down. Do you believe the rich are getting richer in America today? Now, how about the Middle Class? Are they getting richer too?
Hillary and the Cookies
Tsk, tsk, tsk... Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, talks bad about baking on this website. You hear me!?
Giuliani on Democrats
Where the Democrats pledge to make the wealthy in America pay their fair share, the Republicans insist on this suicidal path of borrowing from China and other countries to spend more of our dollars thousands of miles away in Iraq and Iran (if they get their way). A FACT: The United States spends more money in Iraq over just 6 months than the entire cost of Barack Obama's proposed health care plan. I repeat, the United Sates spends more money in Iraq over just 6 months than the entire cost of Barack Obama's proposed health care plan.
Giuliani tries to sound reasonable here, quiet, respectful, all while he's talking out his effing ass. Yes, you're damn right the Democrats will raise taxes, Rudy! You're 100 percent correct. Thank God too. Because they'll raise them most on people just like you, people who make millions of dollars per year, Rudy, who've gotten a free ride thanks to ridiculous tax deductions and shelters that the wealthy now use to lower the percentage of their income they pay to the government. Under this president, the cost of living for regular Americans earning less than $100,000/year has risen faster than their incomes. Regular Americans -- meaning the non-wealthy, Rudy -- have fallen farther and farther behind. Everyone knows it's true, whether it's the cost of gasoline, the amount taken out of their paychecks for medical premiums, college tuitions, the cost of virtually every monthly bill they pay has gone up dramatically -- faster than the overall rate of inflation and faster than their incomes have risen -- since Republicans took the White House.
And for all that increased tax revenue the rich are forced to pay, along with the hundreds of billions of dollars saved when a Democratic president finally ends the needless war in Iraq, Americans will finally -- after years of empty promises -- see real relief when it comes to things like their health care bills and college tuitions. And if we're attacked again, the Democrats will respond powerfully, just like FDR did after the Japanese struck Pearl Harbor.
But the highways and bridges our citizens drive every morning to go to work will finally see the repairs they've needed for so long. Stricter gun control laws will finally take some of the guns out of the hands of criminals in our streets so gangsters running around mugging the elderly and shooting each other will find it tougher to get illegal handguns. The Democrats will spend that cash saved when they raise your taxes, Rudy, and stop the flood of money to Iraq to build up our police forces nationwide, to make sure our fire departments have what they need to protect our open spaces and communities, and provide our smaller communities the federal grant money they need to remain a healthy part of this country.
This election is about priorities and Rudy's are all wrong.
Respect the Environment
Big props to Al Gore for receiving the Nobel Peace Prize yesterday and not stumbling through his speech.
The Righties said Gore was a hypocrite because he drives an SUV, called him a liar because he's a rich man, called the Nobel prize a joke because Arafat and President Jimmy Carter won it before... but around the world people respect the Nobel Peace Prize, and THEY KNOW it too. The Righty haters KNOW that former Vice President Al Gore is immensely more widely respected than the current head and symbol of the Republican Party, President George W. Bush. Ahh... how sweet it is.
Do you smell that? That's the smell of justice.
Lichtenstein Successfuly Tests Small Nuclear Weapon
Great... as if the world didn't already have enough to worry about. Now, we've got Lichtenstein testing a nuclear weapon. Don't they realize the message this sends to rogue nations??
What a shame. What's the world coming to!?
LeRoy the Redneck Reindeer
Now, I love the South as much as the next guy, but there's something about a good Southern accent that just screams redneck.
News Bloopers: Always Funny, No Matter What
Few hate the mainstream media as much as I do. They've abandoned the notion of serving the public good, but when I feel like I have no use left for the press, someone puts together another bloopers video, and my faith in the media is restored. As long as I can laugh at a streaker sneaking on camera in a live news story, all is not lost.
And here's another one... This weatherman ate a screaming hot chili pepper just before going live.
Weather Calls for Heat Wave
OLBERMANN: SENATOR MITCH McCONNELL, MIKE HUCKABEE WORST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD
I'm no politician, but I agree with Keithums on this one: Huckabee's mandating that illegal aliens have 120 days to register and then leave the country to reapply for entry is absurd. You may get 20-30 percent of them to leave voluntarily, but all you'll be doing is criminalizing the other 5-10 million, breaking up families and suddenly increasing America's prison population by 400% or more.
Among the long list of bad ideas on illegal immigration, this one scores right up there.
Joe Lateshow: Residual Damage
Joe Lateshow is the product of professional illustrator Brad Fitzpatrick, one of my favorite illustrators around, despite his misguided support for presidential candidate Ron Paul (joke only, Brad). =)
TAGS: Cartoons, Economy, Politics, Brad Fitzpatrick, Illustrations, Drawing, Art, Comics
John Stossel Interviews Ron Paul 2007.12.07 Part
Everywhere I go on the Internets lately I see these Ron Paul posts, like "Vote Freedom Vote Ron Paul!!!!" or "Ron Paul is the only man who can bring America back to prosperity and peace," etc., and so on. I've seen them as comments on YouTube videos about Obama, Clinton, Edwards, Giuliani, and Romney. The army of Ron Paul is everywhere, even though their candidate is at the bottom of the polls.
Matter of fact, it's safe to assume the Army of Ron Paul will find this post and comment.
I actually don't agree with Ron Paul's overall message at all. I think to leave so much up to the states would have terrible consequences for millions of Americans, particularly those without the means to leave the state they live in when/if that state doesn't support the things they value. States would become disparate islands, each with vastly different local cultures, segregated from each other, with different laws and regulations. Say goodbye to free interstate trade.
And say goodbye to what it means to be an American. We'd all be Californians, Oregonians, New Yorkers, Texans or Floridians first, Americans second. In one state, homosexuals would be treated equally, while in a neighboring state they wouldn't be allowed to own property and could be fired for being gay.
TAGS: Ron Paul, interview, president, candidates, election
Bugs Bunny Christmas Carol
Just a little something to help us all get into the Christmas spirit. I hope you love Merrie Melodies and Bugs Bunny as much as I do.
MadTV: Hillary Clinton, Featuring Barack Obama, Produced By Heidi Klum and Seal
Oh, the humanity! Is nothing sacred?? Have we lost all sense of respect for the presidency? Where's our decency? What has become of us?
-This moment of introspection has been sponsored by the good people at Taco Bell. Taco Bell: Make a run for the border.
DAN ABRAMS: White House Been Dishonest about Iran and their Nuclear Weapons Program?
I don't know... sure looks like a case of "Liar, liar, pants on fire!" to me.
OLBERMANN: ON THE WHITE HOUSE AND IRAN, DEC 06, 2007
What the hell is going on in the White House?? Seriously, what's up? A couple months ago, every other word out of the president or vice president's mouth was Iran. Everything was about how Iran was fueling the Iraqi insurgency, how Iran was violating UN resolutions, how something had to be done about it, how they were sending waves of terrorists and bombs across the border into Iraq... Now, it's like all of that never happened. The White House has gone into Iran lock-down mode.
Ever since the National Intelligence Estimate hit the streets this week, the White House has gone on the defensive over Iran, insisting that Iran is STILL trying to build nuclear weapons, even though our government (outside of the White House) says that it stopped trying to four years ago.
Something's up. It doesn't take a genius (thankfully, because I sure ain't one) to figure out that someone in Washington D.C. is lying to us about Iran.
But did the president lie all the times over the past few months when he tried to tie Iran to a nuclear weapons program? That's the question. They're saying he was told about the National Intelligence Estimate months ago, yet in public he basically ignored it, still pushing the notion that Iran was trying to build nukes. Isn't that what they call lying?
The Catholic Church Unveils a Coloring Book to Combat Sex Abuse by Priests
So now it's the kid's fault? Let's not forget who's behind this little public service act: the organization whose leaders have been guilty of so much of this abuse in the first place. Imagine if a rapist released a book for young women on proper work attire.
Catholic Church's Touchy Coloring Book
Shouldn't the church be making this coloring book for priests, instead, teaching them not to fondle kids?
As a Catholic, I'll tell ya... I strongly believe the Catholic Church needs to allow priests to marry. That's the only way they'll be able to restore their image, at least in my eyes.
The first pope and most of Jesus' apostles were, in fact, married men. Most priests prior to the Nicene Creed in 325 A.D. were, again, married men. The rule against priestly marriage has not always existed, so there is a precedent for its change. The Church cannot point to Jesus and say that the Lord didn't want priests to marry.
Jenna Bush calls Daddy Bush on Ellen DeGeneres show
I think it's good to be reminded from time to time that the president is still a human being. To despise the man for the job he has done is reasonable -- this is still a democracy after all -- but many of his critics picture him as a sharp-fanged, clawed beast from hell who feeds on human souls. Bit of an exaggeration there....
My hat's off to Ellen DeGeneres for pulling this off in such a respectful way, without a hint of cynicism.
Yes, boys and girls, the president cares deeply about his family just like you do about yours. Shocking, isn't it?
RED STATE UPDATE: Securing Giuliani's Mistress
So, does this whole thing about Giuliani's then-mistress-now-wife getting a security detail on the government's dime while they were having their affair have any truth to it? How much truth? Did New York citizens also pay for security for his then-mistress's family? Because that'd be taking the abuse of power a little farther.
One thing's for sure, most skeptical voters aren't going to bother to figure out the truth. That's the thing about these campaign scandals: the allegation of impropriety does the damage most of the time, especially if there's any truth to the charges at all.
But you can't deny the irony that the party which claims the moral high ground much of the time, the party of high-minded religious morality, has high-profile members guilty of the same kinds of transgressions we blasphemous, hedonistic lefties do.
Rudy Giuliani isn't the only Republican presidential contender with marital baggage. Newt Gingrich was recently interviewed on a conservative talk radio show by Dr. James Dobson, a leader among social conservatives.
Dobson addressed Gingrich's marital troubles and questioned the former speaker of the House, saying, "I asked you if the rumors were true that you were in an affair with a woman obviously who wasn't your wife at the same time that Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky were having their escapade."
Gingrich bluntly responded, "Well the fact is that the honest answer is yes." Gingrich, like Giuliani, is on his third marriage.
Of course, Gingrich has revised history (in his own mind) to insist that he was right to pursue Clinton's impeachment...because Clinton's violation was a legal one. The president lied under oath, remember? Nevermind that he lied about having an affair. Forget that. HE LIED UNDER OATH!
Yeah, take that moral high ground, fellas, and shove it where the sun don't shine....
OLBERMANN: RATIONAL INTELLIGENCE ESTIMATE
Notice how now Bush is emphasizing that Iran must not be allowed to acquire the "knowledge" of how to build a nuclear weapon. It used to be "means" or "capability," but now it's "knowledge."
I'd wager there are even college students here in our own country who possess the knowledge of how to build a nuclear weapon. Knowledge is one thing, resources are another. The new National Intelligence Estimate -- the opinion of 14 U.S. intelligence agencies -- says Iran ceased its nuclear weapons program four years ago. That's the takeaway information here, not that Stephen Hadley or Bush or Cheney or any other Neocon don't believe the report and are still beating the drums of war. Let's hope America is done waging pre-emptive wars on faulty intelligence.
And another thing, how, exactly, does one bomb the knowledge out of Iran?
OLBERMANN: LOU DOBBS, WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD
OK, I must say, I like Lou Dobbs. I do. I agree with him on labor issues and in general on illegal immigration (yes, I call it illegal immigration because that's what I think it is), but he screwed up this time. Olbermann's right: Dobbs' "shoveling poop" remark sounds a little racist, if not ignorant. I don't think Dobbs is a racist. I've read and watched him for years. More than anything, he's old and out of touch. I can forgive him for that. Honestly, here, I think he thought he was being funny.
That said, two thumbs up for both Keith Olbermann AND Lou Dobbs -- two guys who make a lot of sense, a lot of the time.
RED STATE UPDATE: Jackie & Dunlap Want To Do Mitt Romney Yardwork
Romney can't keep illegal aliens out of his yard. Jackie and Dunlap want in on the fun!
Al Gore, George Bush Meet at the White House to Discuss Climate Change and Whaling
If you haven't heard of comedian Phillip Wilburn before, here's a YouTube clip for ya. I prefer Wilburn's Al Gore impression to his George Bush. They're both pretty good, but he's got Gore's (GORE 2008!) deadpan, folksy manner of speech down pat.
Uncle Jay Explains the News - December 3, 2007
There's something a bit off about this guy, but I'm willing to overlook the creepy old man vibe because he dons a beret. Anyone courageous enough to wear a beret deserves a chance.
Sheep 2008 - On Protesting
A visit to the White House leads to criticism of how today's anti-war protesters lack the style of past movements. (From the animated series "Off Road" available for viewing at www.Sheep2008.com.)
Rove Picking Republicans in 2008
Karl Rove is actually a great political speaker in my opinion. He's a sleazy scumbag -- no question about it -- but if you watch his body language (the thumb-wagging to emphasize his various points) and listen to the way he frames the discussion here, I think you'll agree he's good at what he does/did.
In this Rove is trying to make the case that the Democrats lost the momentum they won in November of 2006, and that they've lost it for what Rove says are the following reasons:
1) they've proposed big taxes
2) big spending
3) have failed to support our troops
4) are undermining our intelligence collection effort
5) have shut the Republicans out of any meaningful discussion
6) demonstrated an utter lack of fiscal responsibility.
First, Rove overlooks the No. 1 reason the Democrats in Congress have such a low approval rating: George Bush is still in office. Period. The No. 1 reason so many Democratic voters have been unhappy with this Congress is because they have not held this president accountable for Iraq, nor have they halted the war. For that reason and no other is this Congress as unpopular as it is.
If Congress had ended the war in Iraq and held Bush accountable by either impeachment or censure, Rove knows -- although he'd dare not admit it -- Congressional approval ratings would be far, far higher than they are today. Ending the war and holding the Bush administration accountable are what Democratic and many Independent voters have wanted more than anything else since Nov. 2006.
Obama Campaign Publishes Website to Track Negative Ads Run by the Clinton Campaign
THE HILLARY ATTACKS TIMELINE
December 03, 2007
ATTACK:
Clinton Campaign Manager Patti Solis Doyle Attacked Obama TV Ad Discussing Health Struggle of Obama's Mother. "I am writing concerning a false advertisement you are currently airing..." [Letter from Patti Solis Doyle, 11/30/07]
ATTACK:
New York Times: "Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign, which is now attacking Senator Barack Obama on a daily basis." [New York Times, 11/30/07]
ATTACK:
Boston Globe: "Clinton yesterday launched one of her most pointed attacks yet against chief rival Barack Obama" [Boston Globe, 11/29/07]
ATTACK:
NBC's First Read: "Another day, another Clinton campaign knock on Obama." [First Read, 11/29/07]
ATTACK:
Chicago Tribune: "Clinton: Obama 'Betrays' Democratic Values" "Intensifying the rhetoric over competing health-care expansion plans, presidential candidate Hillary Clinton accused rival Barack Obama of 'betraying Democratic principles." [Chicago Tribune, 11/28/07]
ATTACK:
Des Moines Register: "Clinton: Obama's Health Plan 'Flunks'" [Des Moines Register, 11/28/07]
ATTACK:
Chicago Sun-Times: "Clinton is drawing sharper contrasts with chief rival Barack Obama as the crucial Jan. 3 Iowa vote looms closer." [Chicago Sun-Times, 11/28/07]
ATTACK:
Chicago Tribune: "Clinton defended her increasingly aggressive approach on the campaign trail Tuesday and stepped up her criticism of Sen. Barack Obama." [Chicago Tribune, 11/28/07]
ATTACK:
AP: "Clinton Raps Obama on Health Insurance" [AP, 11/28/07]
ATTACK:
Time's The Page: "Arrives hours late due to flat tire, still gives punchy address repeatedly knocking him."{ [The Page, 11/28/07]
Senator Clinton on Not Attacking Democrats...
TAGS: Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, negative, Democrats, presidency, political, campaign
Helen Thomas Toying with White House Spokes-boob Dana Perino
This video cracked me up! Not being able to see Helen Thomas ask her questions adds to how funny it is. The look on Perino's face is priceless. Thomas sounds like a doddering old lady, but you know she isn't. Her questions are truly apt. She asks Perino if she knows how many innocent people we've (American soldiers) killed in Iraq, which is a question Perino would normally have no trouble deflecting. Not here though, haha! How many times does Dana Perino say, "commanders on the ground"? This is priceless.
CNBC - Erin Burnett calls George W. Bush a Monkey
CNBC's Erin Burnett calls President Bush a monkey on MSNBC's Morning Joe program.
And then the (pitiful) apology...
What a wuss. She has the utmost respect for the president? Bull. Come on, Erin, no one believes that. If you're going to apologize, fine, but why not apologize in a manner that doesn't leave you looking like a gutless hypocrite? Couldn't you have said, "I said something about our president the other night that upset a lot of people, and I apologize. I should have kept that particular sentiment to myself"? Instead, after calling him a monkey you then went the "I have the utmost respect for the president" fake-ass apology route.
Thumbs down for Erin Burnett.
TAGS: ERIN BURNETT, GEORGE BUSH, MONKEY, CNBC, FUNNY, HUMOR, COMEDY, BLOOPER, REPUBLICAN, DEMOCRAT, CLINTON
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