Republicans, including the Scott Brown of Massachusetts, are claiming right and left that Obama's stimulus just didn't work. (Brown is making the incredible claim that it didn't create "a single job"). David Leonhardt of the New York Times puts this meme to rest (not that it won't change the GOP message) in a thorough and compelling way: Just look at … Read More
Whatever Became Of You, Ebert
This Esquire article on movie critic Roger Ebery is a must-read if you've ever been wondering what's been happening to him. A selected quote: I know it is coming, and I do not fear it, because I believe there is nothing on the other side of death to fear, he writes in a journal entry titled “Go Gently into That Good … Read More
No Victory Laps
If there's any difference between the Bush/Cheney administration and the Obama administration when it comes to waging war, it's this: the Bush/Cheney folks were quite happy to tout their victories, even prematurely, if it could be used to score political points at home. Remember "Mission Accomplished"? There's no other way to look at this: the capture of Mullah Abdul Ghani … Read More
Which Social Networking Site To Use?
I never got into the Twitter (although I have an account). I'm on Facebook. I'm also trying out the newly-minted Google Buzz. Your mileage may vary. This chart might help. (Keep in mind that Google Buzz is still a bit of a work-in-progress, so in a week from now, some of the information regarding it may be obsolete).
Jon Stewart Hits Home
I've known Richard Swett, and at least known the name, for as long as I can remember. I don't know how I knew him — maybe his family and my family belonged to the same country club back in New Hampshire. Anyway, when Obama came to New Hampshire recently to conduct a post-State-of-the-Union town hall meeting in Nashua, Richard Swett … Read More
Happy Pancake Day!
From Wikipedia: In Canada,[8] the United Kingdom,[9] Ireland,[10] and Australia,[11] pancakes are traditionally eaten on Shrove Tuesday, which is also known as "Pancake Day" and, particularly in Ireland, as "Pancake Tuesday". (Shrove Tuesday is better known in the United States, France and other countries as Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday). Historically, pancakes were made on Shrove Tuesday so that the … Read More
Fox News Poll On Tea Party Movement
The question posed to Fox News website viewers: What Do You Think Tea Party Movement Is About? The poll is still going on right now, so feel free to weigh in. RELATED: From The Moderate Voice: If you read one article today, spend 15 minutes with this report from the NYT re: the so-called “Tea Party” and (loosely) associated groups. … Read More
Me Want
Supine Reading Glasses These are the glasses that allow you to read while lying supine in bed, eliminating the need to crane your neck. The lightweight glasses employ two optical-quality glass prisms that bend your vision 90º providing easy reading from a recumbent position. Equally useful while lounging outdoors on a hammock, chaise, or on the beach. Includes a hard … Read More
Maybe Calling Obama A “Socialist” Wasn’t A Good Idea
The unspoken GOP tactic is this: Paint Obama as a socialist. That way, people will start disliking Obama. And the GOP wins the day. Problem is, the strategy may have backfired. Why? Because it seems to have caused many Americans to reassess their view of socialism, rather than Obama. According to this recent Gallup poll: More than one-third of Americans … Read More
New Hampshire State Rep. Nancy Elliott Discusses Same-Sex Marriage
The (NSFW) money quote: "We’re talking about taking the penis of a man and putting it in the rectum of another man and wriggling it around in excrement. And you have to think, would I want that to be done to me?" News flash to Nancy: a lot of married opposite-sex couples, including many of your constituents, practice anal sex. Sorry, … Read More
The Stupid — It Hurts
I've seen a lot like this lately in the form of political cartoons, blog posts, radio rants, tweets and other asides — all from the conservative ranks. It all comes down to the same thought process: there is a lot of snow; therefore, global warming can't be true. Messages like this come from people who are either too stupid or too … Read More
Free Showing of METROPOLIS On The Internet Today
For background, I refer you to this post, telling you all you need to know about the silent film by Fritz Lang called Metropolis. In that post, I point out that somebody had discovered what is believed to be the full original uncut version of the film. That version is being shown today, over the Internet, for free. Unfortunately, it … Read More
Judges And Their Facebook Friends
Interesting opinion today from the Florida Supreme Court's Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee, which was asked this question in a recent case: “Whether a judge may add lawyers who may appear before the judge as “friends” on a social networking site, and permit such lawyers to add the judge as their “friend.” In other words, can Judge Smith, a judge in … Read More
Dumb America
Very very dumb America. There's no other conclusion to be drawn from this CBS poll, the upshot of which is this: Most people favor gay men and lesbians serving openly in the military, but when it comes to the perverted homosexuals… hell no! I'm not kidding. Check out this chart: Honest to God, a scary percentage of this country is … Read More
Palin Poll
An ABC/WaPo poll informs us that 71 percent of the public believe that the former Alaska governor is not qualified to serve in the White House as President. Another 4 percent "don't know". Stinging news for Palin, who turns 46 today. Happy Birthday, you betcha!