Thursday Stuff

I think it’s actually pretty hilarious to watch anyone from our supposedly “respectable” corporate media take shots at Jon Stewart for supposedly debasing our already-trashed political discourse, and Fix Noise dutifully obliges here (as always, though, it’s a stretch to consider these particular frauds as emblematic of anything whatsoever besides rank propaganda).

The networks with initials for names have fundamentally failed to educate and inform their audience on the critical issues that we face in this country, opting instead for a two-or-more-dueling-talking-head format that serves only to inflame passion instead of cultivating reason (for ratings of course, and also to try and deflect the charge of “liberal bias” that will be made by the usual suspects regardless). And the void created by that terrible decision has been filled by Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Bill Maher, John Oliver, and many others.

I would ask that you consider all that while you watch this clip (here)…

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…and I give you Ed Schultz on Jeb Bush (Rachel Maddow, among others, covered some of this already, though it shows that Jeb definitely haven’t “sealed the deal” with the base)…



…and here is Cenk and Ana from TYT on Patricia Arquette (NSFW…sounds like the extremes of both sides were mad, which must mean that she was doing something right)…



…and here is something bluesy and more current than the rest of what I’ve featured here this week.

Wednesday Stuff

By the way, when we refer to the “corpocracy,” we’re not kidding, and never have been – and oh yeah, the Idaho Repugs apparently need a biology lesson; the serious stuff, though, has to do with DHS (an update is here - yep, looks like congressional Repugs still can't get their act together; heckuva job, all you idiot voters who gave them the keys to the metaphorical car that they promptly drove into a ditch)…



...and as I watch this, I wonder why the hell every Democrat running for election last year didn't wrap themselves around health care reform - and yes, I know the answer...



...and after watching this NSFW clip, I have even less interest in ever actually seeing “American Sniper”...



...and "the quiet Beatle" would have been 72 today.

Monday Stuff

I give you Glenn “Instapundit” Reynolds, from here…

Science fiction writer Robert Heinlein, in his famous novel Starship Troopers, envisioned a society where voters, too, had to demonstrate their patriotism before being allowed to vote. In his fictional society, the right to vote came only after some kind of dangerous public service — in the military, as a volunteer in dangerous medical experiments, or in other ways that demonstrated a willingness to sacrifice personally for the common good. The thought was that such voters would be more careful, and less selfish, in their voting.

So when the five-day wonder of questioning Barack Obama’s patriotism is over, perhaps we should address another question: How patriotic is the electorate? And how long can we survive as a nation if the answer is “not very”? And we should proceed from there.

So, just for the record, "The Ole Perfesser" thinks that voting should only be allowed if someone of a suitable age had first participated in an activity like this...



…and I have no idea whether or not author Robert Heinlein was ever influenced by controlled substances or not – makes me wonder a bit based on that clip – but in case he was, I think that makes this NSFW commentary from Bill Maher (here) particularly at the end even more timely…



…and I have three words for Cenk Uygur based on this…Nail. Hammer. Head…



…and RIP Clark Terry.

Saturday Stuff

Malcolm X was killed 50 years ago today, just so you know (more here)...



...and I know I put up this tune a month or so ago already, but I think it fits for the occasion, definitely if you've seen the film, which is great.

Friday Stuff

Meet the new Bush, same as the old Bush…



…also, Ed Schultz tells us more about the battle to keep the U.S. Postal Service in operation – yes people, it really is a bargain, and if it goes away, we’re going to be really screwed…



…and I give you more misogynist Repug hijinks (yeah, let me know how that whole “outreach to women voters” thing goes, OK)…



…and I really don’t have a dog in the hunt, as it were, concerning Tinsel town’s upcoming soiree on Sunday evening (here), but may the best in each category win – makes me recall this glam-rock-ish tune, which I think is apropos.

Thursday Stuff

By the way, allow me to say right now that I am absolutely done with this crap about what Obama did or didn’t say about radical Islam at that prayer breakfast, whenever it was. I expect Fix Noise to come down with a case of the vapors, but I’m beyond disgusted with how the supposedly liberal MSNBC is wasting precious time and resources on this idiocy also.

Meanwhile, there goes Shep Smith of Fix Noise practicing some actual journalism again here, this time with another Dubya-era flunky who apparently pines for the firm foreign policy hands of "Honor and Virtue" McCain and Huckleberry Graham...



…and though I’ve never completely bought into the concept of Black History Month, which we observe in February of course – what about Jewish History Month or Catholic History Month? – I have to admit that I thought this was a good report by Melissa Harris Perry…



…and in a related story, just remember that idiot Mississippi state rep Gene Alday is the real victim here, people – sure he is (more here)…



...and I hope she's on the mend from her recent health issues - can't tell based on this.

Wednesday Stuff

Rev. Al takes a look at the stalling going on in “the world’s greatest deliberative body” concerning Obama Attorney General Nominee Loretta Lynch (though I think the following needs to be pointed out here – not taking a shot at Lynch, but only saying that there’s a way for intelligent adults to discuss the HSBC stuff…I realize that many in the Senate are not intelligent adults, of course…and by the way, it’s particularly galling for the Repugs to complain about improper fiscal oversight given this, where they punted on their own chance to do the same thing, which led to the meltdown of our economy)…



…and as far as I’m concerned, one answer to this is to shop at Office Max and tell Staples where to go (and just toss out the 5:00 – 6:00 stuff with this guy from The Manhattan Institute – trying to un-couple the employer mandate from the individual mandate would be catastrophic to the ACA, and if he isn’t smart enough to know that or honest enough to admit it, then he doesn’t belong on my teevee)…



…and congrats to Miss P (woof!)…



…and boy, am I sick of that other tune from this guy, though this is OK I guess – kind of dark for a “relationship” song, though.

Tuesday Stuff

Joy Reid tells us about FBI Director James Comey’s recent speech on race – I wonder if FBI agents will turn their backs on Comey now as the NYPD did against Mayor de Blasio for saying much the same thing?...



Update 2/22/15: Sorry to find out that Joy Reid's show was cancelled - would that that fate would befall "Morning Joe" instead.

…and I hope the cause of what is mentioned in this story isn't attributed to the legalization of pot in the state of Colorado – sure would be a drag, as it were…



…and this just in – it looks like tragedy has come to the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile (though as “America’s Fish Wrap” tells us here, it plans to be back on the “hot dog highway” again soon)…



…and RIP Lesley Gore (sad face).

Monday Stuff

Happy President’s Day – I thought this video was kind of cool; the Inquirer gave a little exercise on the Op-Ed page to list all of them in order, which would have been kind of neat if it weren’t for the fact that it gave the answers on the same page – kind of takes away the challenge, I would say…



…and I give you another bravura report by John Oliver, this time on cigarettes here - hopefully he won't get sued, and no, I'm not kidding (NSFW)…



…and this just in – Bill Maher provides a great New Rules segment on Brian Williams IMHO (here - I think this is NSFW also)…



…and I thought this was a neat story on Pattie Boyd, ex-wife of both George Harrison and Eric Clapton, who had a bit of a penchant for photography – I know she’s credited as the influence behind “Layla,” but I always associate her with this tune above all others.

Friday Stuff

Happy Friday the 13th, everybody (what's left of it anyway)...



...and I thought this was a good Russia Today interview with original CIA torture whistleblower John Kiriakou...



...and this just in...and hold onto your hats, people...but more guns actually means more gun violence - hard to believe, I know (removing my tongue from my cheek)...



...oh, and of course it "demeans the presidency" as far as the wingnuts are concerned if it's actually positive for Number 44 - as opposed to just about anything by Obama's wretched predecessor that did that for real (maybe I shouldn't have something a bit light-hearted given the Kiriakou stuff, but I have to admit that I got a kick out of this)...



...also, I hope everyone has a Happy Valentine's Day tomorrow...



...and for the opposing point of view, I give you this :-).

Thursday Stuff

Yeah, it’s more than a bit of an understatement to say that I’ll miss Jon Stewart on my teevee, but God knows he’s earned the right to walk away from all of this stuff as far as I’m concerned (here)…

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…though I’d like to see Stewart’s soon-to-be-open spot go to Samantha Bee along with possibly her “Daily Show” husband Jason Jones – still blown away by this legendary “Black Swan” parody of “The Five” from awhile back…

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…and changing the mood, I honestly can’t recall moments of corporate media wankery attributable to Bob Simon of CBS News, a legendary correspondent who was killed in a horrific auto accident yesterday; condolences to family and friends (though I think this stands as a bit of an indirect tribute to his work…afflicting the comfortable, as it were)…



…and I should probably be tired of these guys by now, but I’m really not.

Wednesday Stuff

(I also posted about Brian Williams here, for what it's worth.)

Rachel Maddow tells us the story of C.J. Phillips and Charlie Rainwater, the “high-tech bears” who, as far as I’m concerned, have done a first-class job trolling Jeb Bush (here)…



…also, Cenk Uygur goes after that numbskull Eric Bolling for saying that Christianity has never, ever led to violence – uh huh…



…and I thought this was a pretty damn funny (and definitely NSFW) commentary by Australian comic Jim Jefferies on guns here…



…and speaking of crazy, I felt like hearing both these tunes after reading this story, particularly the second one (and is it too cheeky of me to point out the phallic image on the cover of that great album?).

Tuesday Stuff

Now seriously, where else are you going to go now when you need a new phone line to plug into the wall outlet at the last minute because your cat has eaten through it? Oh, and by the way, the clip is very NSFW…



…and after watching this clip also, I’m starting to realize just how much I missed John Oliver on my teevee…



…and while I applaud the efforts of the manufacturer of this device intended to reduce fatalities arising from the response of a police officer, the cases that I see and read about where police have used excessive force aren’t exactly scenarios where the officer is in a dark alley surrounded by armed hoodlums who plainly intend to do harm – it’s more a case of horrible judgment aimed at civilians such as a hugely overweight man in NYC pleading not to get hurt or a 12-year-old boy getting shot…



…and given the weather in these parts, I guess I should have put this up yesterday; don’t think much of the vocals, but I love the melody.

Monday Stuff

I give Bill Maher credit for trying to drive a metaphorical stake through the zombie lies that pollute our discourse, but the problem is that a waay-too-profitable cottage industry has been created built on their continued propagation – and oh yeah, Sarah Palin is still an idiot (here)…



…and I know this is mainly about Governor Bully, as it should be (and he can’t resist the food metaphors, can he?), but I’m sure the full title of the Jeb Bush book at the end is “I Only Fight Old, Small People Who Are Not Capable Of Anything Larger Than A Five-Figured Campaign Donation” (here)…

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...and Rev. Al tells us about how Fix Noise typically blew off coverage of the prayer breakfast recently attended by President Obama (always a slippery slope as far as I'm concerned when politicians talk religion, but don't attack Obama if you don't even give your viewers "fair and balanced" reporting on the subject)...



…and I know these guys toured all over the place last year, but apparently they’re giving 2015 a rest so far – should be coming to a venue near you eventually.

Friday Stuff

Rachel Maddow brings us the latest on the war with ISIS, including the long-overdue deliberations from the "loyal opposition" on Capitol Hill (and kudos to Jordan for standing up big time here)…



...and you can safely consider this as my response to that idiot Thom Tillis in North Carolina here – take a bow, all you numbskulls who voted out Kay Hagan in favor of this fool…



…and can we all just agree that this “both sides do it” mentality on the question of which political party is more responsible for our crumbling infrastructure is nothing but BS (in light of this)? Yeah, the Dems haven’t been perfect, but they’ve been a hell of a lot better than the other side (more evidence is here)…



...and happy belated 64th birthday to drummer Phil Ehart of Kansas.

Thursday Stuff

I know the measles thing is serious stuff, but I have to admit that I got a kick out of this from Jon Stewart…

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...and do you want to learn about the Trans-Pacific Partnership? Former Clinton Labor Secretary Robert Reich explains all...



...and to help MoveOn keep this ad on the air, click here...



...and here's a peppy little number that the kids seems to like - I think I've seen the actor playing the interviewer in a few comedies - name escapes me at the moment.

Wednesday Stuff

Chris Hayes tells us about how pot is big bidness in Colorado - maybe too big, actually (and on that subject, I give you this concerning our beloved commonwealth of PA)...



…and consider this to be my periodic reminder that we need to invest in the people and infrastructure of this country, particularly our kids, as opposed to doling out tax cuts for millionaires (here)…



…and I give you another reminder here in light of this story…



…and here’s a tune I had in mind concerning this item (yep, time for more ‘80s big hair and jump suits - a bit freaked out by the animation, though; yes, I know the tune came from a recording called "Bad Animals," which was actually pretty good).

Tuesday Stuff

All of today’s videos ended up having a theme, though I really didn’t plan on that and it’s kind of a sad testimony to Not Your Father’s Republican Party; first, Shep Smith of Fix Noise forgets the script again – kudos to him (here)…



…and for anyone who is still wondering about this, I give you the following from the reality-based community…



…and on this subject, gee, do you think Rand “Aqua Buddha” Paul would have told a male anchor to “calm down”? Of course, his claim about supposed disorders from vaccines is BS also (as Shep Smith noted above - here).

What an idiot…



…and I know I just had a Van Halen video up here a couple of days ago, but it ended up giving my page views a spike, so here I go again :-).

Monday Stuff

Yeah, Repugs, just keep on pretending that you think most of this country actually exists as opposed to just your rich sugar daddies (here...NSFW of course)…



…and I guess it really isn’t that much of a stretch to go from porn to Republican politics, since I believe the metaphor that comes immediately to mind would work on a couple of different levels…



…and I suppose nobody else is going to add this clip in response to this, so I might as well do it…



…and yesterday marked the signoff of folk radio legend Gene Shay in these parts after 50 years on the air (here) – many thanks and all the best (he favored us with this tune among many others yesterday, which still fits I guess).

Sunday Stuff

But OF COURSE the Repugs oppose infrastructure spending (here) – lather, rinse, repeat (sigh)...



...and anyone who thinks that MSNBC is actually liberal must believe in fairies and elves (here) – for some godawful stupid reason, they decided to preempt Rachel Maddow and Chris Hayes last Friday and give two hours in prime time to these “Morning Joe” numbskulls, though Tweety makes more than a little sense here...



...and I don't know much about Victoria Nuland, but if she thinks that media in this country tells nothing but the truth, then she must believe in fairies and elves too – is RT perfect? No, but no media outlet is, and casually trying to dismiss them as insignificant somehow is just plain dumb (and a nice little "get" by RT on Nuland at the end)...



...and RIP Rod McKuen – yeah, a bit of a '60s relic, but still a talented lyricist and vocalist.