Aimee Mann with John ("The Office") Krasinski, live at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles, California, on December 6, 2008, as part of Aimee Mann's 3rd Annual Christmas Show:
SCOTUS Rejects Obama Birth Case
First Read reports:
The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to take up a case that questioned whether President-elect Obama met the Constitution's requirement that only a natural-born citizen is eligible to be president.
As is the court's usual custom, the request to take up the case was denied with no explanation.
I blogged about the petition here.
David Horowitz is now urging his conservative brethren to "shut up about the birth certificate", but the Freepers are in a tizzy. Apparen
It is CLEAR that the SCOTUS is more interested in politics, than it is upholding the LAW OF THE CONSTITUTION. We continue to enter a very sad time in American history whereby the example of the SCOTUS and Obama, et al, is encouraging the people to avoid and break the law to accomplish their objectives, good or bad.
A complete travesty of justice, if there really is any left in America.
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once again, judges decide whether or not to enforce law. in this case, constitutional law.
and anyone that thinks it makes sense for 0bama to go through all this trouble to avoid showing a simple birth certificate, really needs to stop drinking the kool-aid
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As said on another thread… country as we know it, is slowly coming to an end… how a fraud and empty suit like this gets all this way is beyond comprehension.
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I hope nobody here seriously thought the Supreme Court would uphold the Constitution in a case involving the black messiah! Goodness, what would you be thinking….
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I have to admit there was still some small part of me that believed truth would conquer lies, good would conquer evil, right would conquer wrong. I know… I know, I should have forgotten all those silly ideas when more than half our country voted for Obama, but there you go.
I guess, now, all a Presidential candidate has to do to prove they’re eligible is to say they’re eligible, act huffy, and lawyer up when asked to prove it by citizens (those puny little people who obviously no longer matter AT ALL in what used to be America). Of course, this only goes for Socialist, politically correct candidates. Republicans have to have lived spotless, blameless lives, documented to the Nth degree.
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The SCOTUS has just pulled the life support on our Republic.
The actual case that SCOTUS rejected has nothing to do with Obama's birth certificate, but a rather strange argument that Obama isn't a "natural born citizen" because his father was Kenyan — i.e., a British subject.
I especially enjoy the Freeper comments that deride Obama for "lawyering up", as if HE was the one who brought the lawsuit.
The bottom line is that Obama is a "natural born citizen" as that term has ALWAYS been defined. He was born in America, and has produced a certified copy of his birth certificate. He has no control over the original; that belongs to the State of Hawaii. And the State of Hawaii has officially stated (three times, by my counting) that it has the original birth certificate. It has shown it in pictures.
What more do these people want???
You Look Awesome In That Movie
Learn about the "Koobface" virus that's hitting Facebook hard. More here.
Googleplex-NC Cancelled?
North Carolina gave Google all kinds of money and tax incentives to expand its operations into the Tarheel State, in the hopes that it would provide jobs and spending. But construction of a huge data center has been halted, and Google is now turning down the grant and incentives.
They may still come, but it could be a while. Then again, this could be a sign that Google is going to reneg on everything NC hoped for.
Dispatch From The War On Christmas: Southern California Frontlines
Minstrel Boy has oral surgery, goes shopping, and drops the F-bomb on a WoC commando:
This is also the biggest time locally for our winter visitors, called Snowbirds. These are mostly retired folks from places like Michigan, Montana, Manitoba, and all the other states that freeze up in the winter. The Snowbirds hop into their motor homes and trailers and head down here to the desert. For the most part they are a big boost to the local economy and are a welcome addition to our small communities here.
While we're waiting in the checkout line, just ahead of us is a archetypal Snowbird. He's wearing the uniform so identification is a snap. Shorts and windbreaker, Costco sandals with sock, shocking alabaster white skin. Most of the locals here at least end up with "farmer" tans, even if they get their farmer tan on the golf course.
All is well and proceeding nicely until the checkout lady finishes up his transaction and hands him his receipt. She says "Happy Holidays."
You would have thought she said "Allah bless Osama bin Laden, and all gay marriages," Because the snowbird guy puffs himself all up and puts on his best Bill O'Reilly look of extreme indignation. He gives her what I expect he imagines as his best imperious and withering gaze and says:
"In MY house we say MERRY CHRISTMAS!"
Usually I have my normal brought up on the rez type of reserve. I'm not known for being chatty or even saying all that much. Usually I just would have stood there and let things shake out the way that they will. It might have been the creeping pain that I was starting to feel in my jaw as the novocaine began to subside. It might also have been the two Vicodin that the oral surgeon gave me before I left his office. It might have been my extreme feduppitude with the whole bullshit "WAR ON CHRISTMAS" fiction that is so beloved of the social conservative crowd. It might even have been some residual resentment of out of state folks who spent bazillions of dollars in the last election to amend the California State Constitution for the first time in history with the express purpose of denying rights to a whole class of our citizens, including my cousin, with their odious Proposition (h)8.
It might have been all of those things all bubbling up in my opiate addled head. Anyway, the result was that I blurted out in the same cadence and tone of voice as the Snowbird dude:
"In MY house we say go FUCK yourself!"
It's out there, it's been said, the profanity is just hanging there. Everyone within earshot is waiting to see what happens next. The checkout lady is trying to stifle her belly laughs, she's holding on to the cash drawer and grimacing like she's been punched. Snowbird dude has whirled around to face me, he's doing the flushing up from the neck, past the ears thing. He starts to see what he's dealing with. My nephew is laughing out loud, he's also 6'3" tall and right behind me. Snowbird also takes in the bloody gauze poking out of the sides of my mouth, he also sees the opiate dilated pupils in my eyes and the look of wild abandon on my face.
He decides that I am neither a worthy nor a safe debating partner at the moment. He leaves. When my transaction is finished the checkout lady sings a little phrase:
"Happy Holidays to you…
Happy Holidays…"We all have ourselves a little laugh.
Oogedy-Boogedy: Part Deux
Columnist Kathleen Parker, a longtime GOP supporter, revises and extends her "oogedy-boogedy" remarks from a controversial column last month, in which she wrote:
To be more specific, the evangelical, right-wing, oogedy-boogedy branch of the GOP is what ails the erstwhile conservative party and will continue to afflict and marginalize its constituents if reckoning doesn't soon cometh.
Today, she acknowledge addresses what "oogedy-boogedy" means (since that's the catchphrase that caught fire and ruffled a few feathers), and adds:
How about social conservatives make their arguments without bringing God into it? By all means, let faith inform one’s values, but let reason inform one’s public arguments.
That was and remains my point. It isn’t so much God causing the GOP problems; it’s his fan club.
The broad perception among centrists, moderates, conservative Democrats, renegade Republicans, etc., is that the GOP is the party of white Christians to the exclusion of others, some of whom might also be social conservatives.
One can believe this or not. But as the gazillions who have written me to say either that “God Is Here To Stay” or that “Conservatives Won’t Be Silenced” ought best to know: Just because you don’t believe something doesn’t make it untrue.
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As long as the religious right is seen as controlling the Republican party, the GOP will continue to lose some percentage of voters, and that percentage likely will increase over time as younger voters shift away from traditional to more progressive values.
The cause is not helped when someone of the stature of Rick Warren interviews the leading presidential candidates in his church, questioning them about their faith. If that’s not a religious test, I don’t know what is.
Yup.
Breaking News: O.J. Sentenced
A good long one, too. 16 years. Eligible for parole in 6 years. Good.
I guess it's really good for the "real killers" who won't have O.J. on their trail for a few years.
Supremes To Hear al-Marri Case
Background: al-Marri is a citizen of Qatar. He was in the United States, studying at Bradley University. He was arrested in Peoria, Illinois, in December 2001 on charges of credit card fraud, identity fraud, and a few other things.
This charges were dropped when Bush declared him an "enemy combatant" in 2003. He's been sitting in Naval Consolidated Brig, Charleston in South Carolina (he's not a Gitmo detainee). No charges are pending against him. No trial or anything. He's just sitting there. In solitary. Subjected to extreme cold, with insufficient bedding and clothing
Legal Issue: Can a person be locked up indefinitely simply because the President declares him to be an "enemy combatant"?
Look, I don't know if al-Marri is guilty of plotting terrorist attacks or not. That's hardly the point. The point is that we don't want the President — any President — to have the power to jail someone indefinitely, simply by declaring them an "enemy combatant". Shouldn't there be a mechanism by which the government has to prove a person is an "enemy combatant"? Like — oh, I don't know — a trial?
The Supreme Court in June rebuked Bush in a landmark ruling that prisoners held at the U.S. military base at Guantanamo can go before federal judges in Washington to seek their release. There are now about 250 prisoners at Guantanamo.
It also ruled against the Bush administration in three other war-on-terrorism cases in 2006 and 2004.
The Supreme Court most likely will hear arguments in Marri's case in March, with a decision expected by the end of June — and I suspect the Bush administration will lose again. (Actually, it may be moot by then, if Obama changes the policy).
Kennedy Dynasty Lives On
Caroline — the normally quiet, non-spotlight-seeking daughter of JFK and Jackie, sister to the now-dead JFK Jr., may take Hillary's seat in the Senate – the same seat once held by her Uncle Bobby.
I like it. I like it a lot.
Doubt And Frost/Nixon
The early buzz on these to Broadway-to-big screen movies?
Frost/Nixon, directed by Ron Howard, and starring Frank Langella, is good.
Doubt, starring Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Amy Adams, sucks and blows. The reason, the buzz says, is because John Patrick Shanley (the author) insisted on directing. Or "overdirecting" according to one critic. Another critic, after spending paragraphs about the greatness of the play, writes:
And so goes the play. As an allegory, it is a necessary antidote to our own cocksure era, but just as suitable for any civilization across time. Despite its trappings, such themes will never suffer the spoilage of a dated curiosity. The movie, however, is an abomination; a knife to the back of everything the play spoke for and alluded to. In order to conform to the demands of cinema and admittedly mainstream tastes, a wrongheaded “fleshing out” occurred that stripped away mystery, discussion, and yes, doubt itself. The play, wisely, never showed any of the school children. What’s more, we never saw so much as an eyelid of young Donald Muller, the “victim” in question. The play understood that the moment we see the faces of youth, our emotions take over and we side with their cause. We glance at the priest, then back at the child, and without thinking, believe the worst about the adult. We’ve seen too many broken lives to consider anything else. And as soon as the movie begins, we observe detail previously left to the imagination on stage. The early scenes, therefore, play much like Nunsense, or any overworked study of Catholic school life where rulers smack tiny hands and rosaries jingle in the cold halls. Nuns are towering absurdities, unapologetically mean, and they whack the backs of heads whenever they see fit. The kiddies are so fresh-faced and innocent by contrast that the authority figures become oversimplified objects of scorn. Instead of interpreting Sister Aloysius’ words for ourselves (and what they represent), we witness overt behavior that takes away audience agency. It’s the lazy, unconscionable way out.
It’s also important not to see the kids because, well, “whodunit” doesn’t mean a damn thing this time around. Did Father Flynn ply the young man with wine and take off his shirt? If you care about the answer, you’ve already lost the battle. The play didn’t care, but the film seems to, even though the playwright is on board as both screenwriter and director. Is it possible that he gutted his own work for a bit of Hollywood coin?
What Does Your Alma Mater Smell Like?
They name perfumes and cologne after celebrities. Why not name them after universities?
That's the thinking behind Masik Collegiate Fragrances, a company which formulates different "signature scents" for universities.
So far, they've only come out with fragrances for UNC and Penn State.
UNC cologne, for example:
UNC for men is a light and crisp fragrance that embodies alluring Carolina Blue in a bottle. The fragrance opens with fresh Sicilian lemon and bergamot. The aromatics extend with lavender and the subtle spice of sensual white pepper. The base notes combine a soft white amber and tonka bean. An irresistible and fresh creation for the proud Carolina man.
Fragrance Notes:
Top: Neroli, Sicilian Lemon, Cardamom, Crisp Bergamot
Middle: Iced Juniper, Lavender, Sunny Geranium, Jasmine, White Pepper
Base: Sheer White Amber, Tonka Bean, Haitian Vetiver, Cashmere Woods
I'm gonna get me a jug.
AFTERTHOUGHT: Is there any job more cheesy than writing blurbs for fragrances? I mean, do they mean anything? The blurb for Penn State cologne says "The fragrance exudes Penn State blue and signifies masculinity, passion and honor." Which is much like the blurb above, wherein the fragrance "embodies Carolina Blue".
Can someone tell me how a smell can "exude" university colors, or "signify" honor? A smell?
The ad copy is just mindless drivel. I'm sure if I walked by a Penn Stater wearing this cologne, I'm not going to go: "Sniff, sniff. Hey, I smell honor. And blue. I smell blue. But not just any blue; it's Penn State blue I smell."
Still, somewhere out there, there is a person whose job it is to write this stuff. They probably have a list a verbs ("embodies", "captures", "conveys" "exudes", "signifies") and a list of traits ("masculinity", "passion", "earthiness", "command", "power") and then it's just a process much like the clever technique employed by Mad Libs, i.e., "The fragrance conveys the spirit of passion, earthiness and power of the East Idaho Community Technical College Red Devils."
Whatever.
A Dollar Per Gallon of Gas?
Could happen this year, says this oil executive.
It's under $1.70 around here, and still falling. But I don't think it'll be as low as a buck a gallon ever again.
But I saw two Hummers out today. It's been a while…
Online Xmas Shopping This Year?
A handy-dandy list of deadlines for various online retailers — i.e., deadlines to ensure that your packages arrive on time….
The Bush Legacy Project
WSJ columnist Peggy Noonan is among the few and bold — those dedicated to creating a positive legacy for President Bush.
She certainly gives the yeoman's effort today in her WSJ op-ed, but her headline belies the difficulty she faces in coming up with something positive to say about the Bush legacy: "At Least Bush Kept Us Safe".
She talks about a Christmas party she recently attended:
Back to the Christmas gathering. There was no grousing about John McCain, and considerable grousing about the Bush administration, but it was almost always followed by one sentence, and this is more or less what it was: "But he kept us safe." In the seven years since 9/11, there were no further attacks on American soil.
Well, I guess that all depends on what you are talking about when you say "attacks", doesn't it?
Did two more planes fly into the WTC since 9/11? Was there another plane crashing into the Pentagon since 9/11? No. So in that sense, he "kept us safe".
On the other hand, I think many wouldn't be so forthcoming with praise for Bush's efforts to keep us safe. This former New Orleans resident, for example.
And while they may have their lives, I'm sure the 533,000 Americans who discovered the wonderful world of unemployment last month don't exactly feel "safe" when it comes to providing for their families or their future.
Not to mention the assualt on our civil liberties and privacy.
Not to mention the decline in our world standing.
But, I guess if you had as much egg nog as Peggy Noonan apparently had, you too might think Bush "kept us safe". But I wouldn't drive afterwards.