progressive politics and regressive entertainment. like peanut and butter.
February 10, 2013 Leave a comment
My family back East appears to have survived the Blizzard of 2013 well so far. What were they up against? 0dysseus pointed me to a semi-disturbing time lapse video of Elmo being put to use in order to demonstrate the depth of the snowfall.
The worst ever Rankin/Bass special…
February 6, 2013 Leave a comment
Another gun death getting headlines. Too bad the victim didn’t have a gun to protect himself with. Oh, wait. He was an accomplished sniper and he was killed at a gun range.
Condolences to Chris Kyle’s loved ones. Let’s hope something good comes of his death. Maybe NRA supporters will figure out that guns don’t make them safe. Guns favor those who shoot first; they’re great for attacking, not so good for defending against other guns. It’s much better to prevent the bad guy from getting a gun in the first place than to have a gun around when he starts shooting.
January 30, 2013 1 Comment
It doesn’t take a genius to realize that the executive vice president of the National Rifle Association, Wayne LaPierre, is an ideologue. Still, it’s refreshing to watch Illinois Senator Durbin of call out LaPierre, and point out that the point of background checks is precisely to reduce the purchase of guns by those who can’t pass background checks.
I get very frustrated with the argument that we shouldn’t attempt to reduce the number of criminals with guns because there will still be criminals with guns. There is always going to be crime — are we not supposed to try and reduce it?
January 21, 2013 4 Comments
Pro-gun activists designated Saturday “Gun Appreciation Day” and many gathered to show opposition to gun control. Nobody took the holiday more seriously than the five people who celebrated by being accidentally shot.
Meanwhile, in Albuquerque, a
boy, believed to be 15 years old, is in custody, charged with two counts of murder and three counts of “child abuse resulting in death.”
I know, of course, that guns don’t kill people, fifteen-year-olds kill people. I’m just having trouble remembering how they did it before they had access to guns.
January 20, 2013 Leave a comment
Buzzfeed has the full repertoire of Zodiac cats.
January 20 – February 18: Aquarius Cats are visionaries. They are unconventional and they go their own way. Sure, they will use the litter box every now and then, but they’d prefer to surprise you.
January 13, 2013 2 Comments
The Hall of Fame’s failure to elect anyone from the unusually long list of talented players on this year’s ballot has prompted a lot of complaints, so it gives me a chance to complain about the Hall, too. Why are the voters focused so exclusively on career numbers? Just as it isn’t the Hall of Virtue, it also isn’t the Hall of Accounting. Honoring only those who compiled big stats prevents the Hall from acknowledging some of the greatest contributions to the game. Here are a few of the players whose short-term accomplishments should qualify them for Cooperstown.
January 11, 2013 5 Comments
Vice President [Joe] Biden is asking the president to bypass Congress and use executive privilege, executive order to ban assault rifles and to impose stricter gun control. F*ck that.
I’m telling you that if that happens, it’s going to spark a civil war, and I’ll be glad to fire the first shot. I’m not putting up with it. You shouldn’t put up with it. And I need all you patriots to start thinking about what you’re going to do, load your damn mags, make sure your rifle’s clean, pack a backpack with some food in it and get ready to fight.
I’m not f*cking putting up with this. I’m not letting my country be ruled by a dictator. I’m not letting anybody take my guns! If it goes one inch further, I’m going to start killing people.
–James Yeager, CEO of Tactical Response
William Saletan sensibly suggests that, despite differences of opinion on gun control, it should be easy to agree that we need to find a way to keep guns away from dangerous people. The obvious place to start, I would think, would be those who threaten that if they don’t get their way, they’ll kill people.
January 9, 2013 Leave a comment
On Saturday, my brother emailed regarding his latest wish.
MATTHEW’S BROTHER: I would be happy if Joe Biden was named Vice-President for life. I really would.
My brother also sent an email linking to the following clip of Ezra Klein guest hosting The Last Word. I like how Klein divides his time talking about Biden-the-entertainer and Biden-the-negotiator. But why does it look to me like Klein borrowed his dad’s suit to be on the TV?
January 4, 2013 4 Comments
One of the reasons I haven’t been posting lately is because I’ve been in rehearsal. Today, one of the actors mentioned this compilation of Claire Danes crying. Her chin quiver is particularly impressive. And it reminds me that I should really check out Homeland once I get more free time.
December 27, 2012 Leave a comment
It’s a lengthy clip, and not exactly highbrow. Definitely some salty language that’s not safe for work! But I needed a few laughs as we get near the end of 2012. It’s been great at times, but also tough. In other words, life.
My favorite moment of the blooper reel? Watch for “I so pale.”
December 25, 2012 Leave a comment
A dentist acted legally when he fired an assistant that he found attractive simply because he and his wife viewed the woman as a threat to their marriage, the all-male Iowa Supreme Court ruled Friday. The court ruled 7-0 that bosses can fire employees they see as an “irresistible attraction,” even if the employees have not engaged in flirtatious behavior or otherwise done anything wrong.
Irresistible
(to the tune of “Unforgettable,” by Irving Gordon,
popularized by Nat King Cole)
(Dentist James Knight)
Irresistible, you’re truly grand,
Irresistible. So, doll, you’re canned.
Female charms are unignorable.
Here’s the ax, ’cause you’re adorable,
You have to go because you are so
Irresistible in every way,
Irresistible, if you should stay.
That is why I stand here stating you
Get this pink slip, terminating you,
‘Cause I dream of fornicating with you.
(All-male Iowa Supreme Court)
Irresistible we found his case
Irresistible. She has no place
In his office looking glamorous.
It’s her fault that he is amorous.
So he wants to wham-bam-ma’am her? Us, too.
December 24, 2012 2 Comments
‘nuf said.
