F U Paul Krugman.  Yep.  That's it.  I mean what else needs to be said to this most despicable, angry little person?  In his interestingly titled New York Times column, The Conscience of a Liberal, he posted a little piece (emphasis intentional) called The Years of Shame.  

I'm reposting here so you don't have to bother to visit the NY Times.  I'm not sure what this guy's major malfunction is and I know he has written some pretty bizarre stuff in the past but this one takes it for me.  

On the 10th anniversary of 9/11... (1) Fake hero (2) George Bush (3) raced to cash in on the horror (4) memory of 9/11 now irrevocably poisoned (it was so wonderful before) and is now an occasion for shame.  

I could go on but why?  Enjoy the photos.  Yes, they're real and as is often the case, say it better than I could ever.  And speaking of saying it, the last line of Krugman's post tells you everything you need to know about him and his liberal mindset.  It should be on t-shirts! "I’m not going to allow comments on this post, for obvious reasons."  F U Paul Krugman. There's your comment.

NY Times 

Paul Krugman

September 11, 2011, 8:41 am

The Years of Shame 

Is it just me, or are the 9/11 commemorations oddly subdued?

Actually, I don’t think it’s me, and it’s not really that odd.

What happened after 9/11 — and I think even people on the right know this, whether they admit it or not — was deeply shameful. Te atrocity should have been a unifying event, but instead it became a wedge issue. Fake heroes like Bernie Kerik, Rudy Giuliani, and, yes, George W. Bush raced to cash in on the horror. And then the attack was used to justify an unrelated war the neocons wanted to fight, for all the wrong reasons.

A lot of other people behaved badly. How many of our professional pundits — people who should have understood very well what was happening — took the easy way out, turning a blind eye to the corruption and lending their support to the hijacking of the atrocity?

The memory of 9/11 has been irrevocably poisoned; it has become an occasion for shame. And in its heart, the nation knows it.

I’m not going to allow comments on this post, for obvious reasons.

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/11/the-years-of-shame/

And thank God they didn't loose.  LA would would still be in flames.  Not that that's a bad thing.... 

latimes.com

Despite heavy LAPD presence, violence breaks out after Lakers' victory

Crowds hurl bottles and other objects at police, smash marquees, jump on vehicles, break windows and light a small fire along Figueroa Street. At least one person is beaten unconscious.

By Sam Allen and Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times


June 18, 2010

Despite a massive Los Angeles police presence Thursday night, sporadic violence broke out near Staples Center after the Lakers defeated the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals.

Crowds hurled bottles and other objects at police, smashed marquees, jumped on vehicles, broke windows, and set rubbish dumpsters and vehicles on fire along Figueroa Street north of Staples Center and on Flower Street.

Police fired non-lethal rounds to disperse the crowd at Figueroa and Venice Boulevard after several small fires were set, as well as at 11th and Hope streets. At 7th and Flower, a car believed to be a taxicab was engulfed in flames.

At least one person was beaten unconscious as fights broke out on Flower Street near Olympic Boulevard. A bicyclist was injured when struck by a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department vehicle near 11th and Flower streets, according to the LAPD.

In all, there were multiple injuries but no loss of life, officials said. One police officer suffered a broken nose. As night wore on, fire crews responded to many rubbish fires and some vehicle fires, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The LAPD declared an unlawful assembly moments after the game ended.

Hundreds of officers in patrol cars, on foot and on horseback moved in to clear streets and break up the crowds. At least 12 people were arrested for crimes including public drunkenness, vandalism and inciting a riot. One person was arrested for assault on a police officer, authorities said.

Several dozen people rushed onto the 10 Freeway near Figueroa and Washington boulevards, disrupting traffic, the California Highway Patrol said.

At 8th and Figueroa, Lakers fans and a phalanx of more than two dozen police, wearing riot gear and wielding batons, faced off. The stand-off began when a bunch of fans tore down a traffic sign and then ripped out two newspaper stands and lighted the papers on fire. When the police marched up Figueroa, about two dozen abreast, the crowd slowly receded. Some people were throwing energy drinks, which had been passed out for free after the win. Others posed for photos in front of the line of police.

A group of overzealous fans began smashing the windows of a black Honda and trying to turn it over. Others protested the violence: "You isn't from L.A.! This is L.A. No burning!" one person in a Kobe Bryant jersey shouted.

The YMCA at 11th and Olive Street was vandalized as taggers marked graffiti up and down the side of a wall. Another person upended a traffic sign and bashed in several windows.

That was too much for two men. "It's getting too hot, dog," one of them said to his friend. "Let's bounce!"

The LAPD reported that things seemed to be calming down after 11 p.m.

In 2000, the LAPD was criticized after mayhem erupted following the Lakers' championship victory. Roaming mobs torched vehicles and looted and vandalized businesses near Staples Center with seeming impunity. The department fared better after last year's championship but still needed a few hours to gain control of rowdy fans.

Top LAPD officials had vowed to do things differently this year and relied, in part, on a strategy of keeping large groups from roaming the area around Staples Center.

As the Lakers battled the Celtics in the first half, crowds began to form at the Nokia Theatre plaza across from Staples Center.

Witnesses said the LAPD was quick to respond when the throng began to grow.

A black-and-white police cruiser drove through the middle of the plaza, splitting the crowd as officers on foot began to move people from the area, according to diners at nearby restaurants.

"It was controlled chaos. They blocked them and pinched them so everyone had to leave out the same side," said John Hall of Bakersfield, who watched the scene unfold from the ESPN Zone.

With the plaza area cleared, officers shut down Figueroa Street at Olympic Boulevard to pedestrian traffic. About 100 people gathered at the corner after they were stopped from heading south toward Staples Center.

Some of them crowded the window at La Bella Covina restaurant, trying to watch the game on a television inside.

Police patrol cars lined Chick Hearn Plaza. Two trucks of police in riot gear and another group of officers on horseback lined up along Figueroa and Olympic as people assembled nearby.

Meanwhile, inspectors with the Los Angeles Fire Department were checking bars to ensure they had not exceeded maximum capacity.

My open letter to Sir Paul McCartney...

Dear Paul;

In light of your status as an absolute legend in the world of modern music it pains me greatly to have to tell you to STFU A**hole!

Who exactly do you think you are coming to OUR country to receive an award and in doing so bashing OUR former President in OUR White House no less?   

President George W. Bush did earn an undergrad degree from Yale and an MBA from Harvard Business School.  Not being from the US you may not know that the aforementioned schools and degrees are kind of a big deal.  He was elected governor of Texas and President of the United States, twice.  Governor and President, also a big deal in America.

You have been blessed with a musical career beyond compare and challenged with a number of personal difficulties in your own life, none of which we'll detail here.  Suffice it to say that next time you have the opportunity on a similar occasion... you might just want to leave it at "Thank You".

PS... And shame on Barack Obama and everyone else in the room for letting you get away with it.

Paul McCartney Bashes Bush in Front of Obama and White House Guests | NewsBusters.org

Paul McCartney Bashes Bush in Front of Obama and White House Guests

By Noel Sheppard

Created 06/03/2010 - 15:14

Former Beatles star Paul McCartney took a cheap shot at George W. Bush Wednesday evening after receiving an award from Barack Obama.

McCartney was honored in the East Room of the White House by the President, his family, and a star-studded guest list that included Stevie Wonder, Dave Grohl, Faith Hill, the Jonas Brothers, Jack White, Elvis Costello, Emmylou Harris, Herbie Hancock, Corinne Bailey Rae, and Jerry Seinfeld.

After receiving the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, McCartney told the audience, "After the last eight years, it's good to have a president that knows what a library is" (video follows with commentary):



Potentially even more disgraceful, those in the audience wildly applauded after McCartney made this disgusting comment.

Isn't that special?

Two weeks ago, a Mexican president got cheered [0] by Democrats in Congress when he insulted Arizona's governor and every American that supports that state's new anti-illegal immigration law.
Days later, a British pop star insults our 43rd president -- while being honored by our nation in THE WHITE HOUSE!!! -- and those in attendance think it's a riot.

Makes you proud to be an American, doesn't it?

Post facto exit question: McCartney is touring America this summer. Will this comment help or hurt ticket sales?

The band that outed themselves as angry malcontent liberals and then continued to amaze us with their ever widening spiral of stupid stunts and statements is... well, back?  It would appear.

The Dixie Chicks are touring this summer with The Eagles and Keith Urban.  Of the eight dates originally announced,  two shows (Philadelphia and Hershey, PA) have been canceled.  No one will say why but I, of course, have my suspicions.  The Dixie Chicks had their own issues with poor ticket sales on their last tour four years ago.  We'll see how the remaining six dates play out.  The tour begins June 8th in Toronto.

Some of my favorite Dixie Chick quotes:

 "Just so you know, we’re on the good side with y’all. We do not want this war, this violence, and we’re ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas." -- Natalie Maines, March 10, 2003

"I feel the President is ignoring the opinions of many in the U.S. and alienating the rest of the world" -- Natalie Maines, March 10, 2003 - in a lame attempt to clarify her original statement

And finally the non-apology four days later. -- "As a concerned American citizen, I apologize to President Bush because my remark was disrespectful. I feel that whoever holds that office should be treated with the utmost respect. We are currently in Europe and witnessing a huge anti-American sentiment as a result of the perceived rush to war. While war may remain a viable option, as a mother, I just want to see every possible alternative exhausted before children and American soldiers' lives are lost. I love my country. I am a proud American."  -- Natalie Maines, March 14, 2003

"I'd rather have a smaller following of really cool people who get it, who will grow with us as we grow and are fans for life, than people that have us in their five-disc changer with Reba McEntire and Toby Keith. We don't want those kinds of fans. They limit what you can do."  -- Natalie Maines, May, 2006

On her original "apology" to President Bush -- "...I don't feel that way anymore. I don't feel he is owed any respect whatsoever ... If people are going to ask me to apologize based on who I am ... I don't know what to do about that. I can't change who I am."  -- Natalie Maines, May 21 2006

"A lot of artists cashed in on being against what we said or what we stood for because that was promoting their career, which was a horrible thing to do. A lot of pandering started going on, and you'd see soldiers and the American flag in every video. It became a sickening display of ultra-patriotism. " --  Emily Robison, June 15, 2006

The entire country may disagree with me, but I don't understand the necessity for patriotism. Why do you have to be a patriot? About what? This land is our land? Why? You can like where you live and like your life, but as for loving the whole country ... I don't see why people care about patriotism." -- Natalie Maines, June 15, 2006

"Just so y'all know, we're ashamed the President of the United States is from Texas,"  Natalie Maines,  June, 2006

November 25, 2009

This afternoon I was helping a friend research a possible Apple MacBook Pro purchase online.  For some as yet unknown reason I ended up on the Apple UK site when I got a very pleasant surprise.  (see images)

Imagine my disappointment when I redirected to the Apple US site. (see images again)

What gives Apple?  Christmas is good enough for the UK but not the USA?

First a screenshot from the Apple UK Online Store

http://store.apple.com/uk/browse/home/shop_mac/family/macbook_pro?aid=AIC-WWW-NAUS-K2-BUYNOW-MACBOOKPRO-INDEX&cp=BUYNOW-MACBOOKPRO-INDEX

And now from the Apple USA Online Store

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_mac/family/macbook_pro?aid=AIC-WWW-NAUS-K2-BUYNOW-MACBOOKPRO-INDEX&cp=BUYNOW-MACBOOKPRO-INDEX

Apple UK Online Store

Apple USA Online Store

Just when you thought MSNBC couldn't sink any lower... Last night I decided to tune in to see how they might cover / spin the election results (VA, NJ and NY 23).

Enduring my time with MSNBC was much like a root canal but they did not disappoint. The spin was as impressive as it was dizzying. Not so impressive when they pushed it too far and I realized that much of their reactions and analysis, primarily on the subject of Democrat losses, had been conceived and rehearsed well in advance. Hello it's SPIN!

Anyway... Imagine my SHOCK when, during a Chris Matthews segment, disgraced New York Governor Eliot Spitzer fills my screen!   MSNBC had actually brought him in as an analyst. Really.   Luckily it was low def.

You see while my big fat conservative TV is much pretty, DirecTV, my satellite provider, doesn't seem to carry MSNBC in hi-def. Rupert Murdoch and News Corp don't own DirecTV anymore but I wonder if some of the old feelings remain. Either that or the provider doesn't want to waste precious bandwidth on such an infrequently viewed channel.

Friday August 21st, 2009 - Today marks a terribly, terribly sad day in the history of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and Christianity in general. I left the ELCA a few years ago for a variety of reasons but this situation was chief among them as it was clear that something like this was coming.

As a Christian I know that all of this has been foretold and that we're to expect some very dark days to come. I guess it's just strange to experience it firsthand. I never really expected it to begin during my lifetime. The press release below is from the ELCA. It speaks for itself. Pray.

ELCA NEWS SERVICE - August 21, 2009

ELCA Assembly Opens Ministry to Partnered Gay and Lesbian Lutherans

MINNEAPOLIS (ELCA) - The 2009 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) voted today to open the ministry of the church to gay and lesbian pastors and other professional workers living in committed relationships.

The action came by a vote of 559-451 at the highest legislative body of the 4.6 million member denomination. Earlier the assembly also approved a resolution committing the church to find ways for congregations that choose to do so to "recognize, support and hold publicly accountable life-long, monogamous, same gender relationships," though the resolution did not use the word "marriage."

The actions here change the church's policy, which previously allowed gays and lesbians into the ordained ministry only if they remained celibate.

Throughout the assembly, which opened Aug. 17, the more than 1,000 voting members have debated issues of human sexuality. On Wednesday they adopted a social statement on the subject as a teaching tool and policy guide for the denomination.

The churchwide assembly of the ELCA is meeting here Aug. 17-23 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. About 2,000 people are participating, including 1,045 ELCA voting members. The theme for the biennial assembly is "God's work. Our hands."

Before discussing the thornier issues of same-gender unions in the ordained ministry, the assembly approved, by a vote of 771-230, a resolution committing the church to respect the differences of opinions on the matter and honor the "bound consciences" of those who disagree.

During the hours of discussion, led by ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson, the delegates paused several times each hour for prayer, sometimes as a whole assembly, sometimes in small groups around the tables where the voting members of the assembly sat, debated and cast their votes.

Discussion here proved that matters of sexuality will be contentious throughout the church. A resolution that would have reasserted the church's current policy drew 344 votes, but failed because it was rejected by 670 of the voting members.

Pastor Richard Mahan of the ELCA West Virginia-Western Maryland Synod was among several speakers contending that the proposed changes are contrary to biblical teaching. "I cannot see how the church that I have known for 40 years can condone what God has condemned," Mahan said, "Nowhere does it say in scripture that homosexuality and same sex marriage is acceptable of God."

But others said a greater acceptance of people who are gay and lesbian in the church was consistent with the Bible. Bishop Gary Wollersheim of the ELCA Northern Illinois Synod said, "It's a matter of justice, a matter of hospitality, it's what Jesus would have us do." Wollersheim said he had been strongly influenced by meetings with youth at youth leadership events in his synod, a regional unit of the ELCA.

Some speakers contend that the actions taken here will alienate ELCA members and cause a drop in membership. But Allison Guttu of the ELCA Metropolitan New York Synod said, "I have seen congregations flourish while engaging these issues; I have seen congregations grow recognizing the gifts of gay and lesbian pastors."

During discussion of resolutions on implementation of the proposals, Bishop Kurt Kusserow of the ELCA Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod asked that the church make clear provision in its policies to recognize the conviction of members who believe that this church cannot call or roster people in a publicly accountable, lifelong, monagamous, same-gender relationship. A resolution that the denomination consider a proposal for how it will exercise flexibility within its existing structure and practices to allow Lutherans in same gender relationship to be approved for professional service in the church. That resolution passed by a vote of 667-307.

Just when you thought President Obama's 5th press conference since taking office (and the 4th in prime time) couldn't get any worse... He's getting ready to wrap things up and then takes one last question.

A reporter from the Chicago Sun-Times asks a (clearly staged and prepped for) question about the recent controversy between Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and Cambridge Mass Police Officer James Crowley.

If you're not up on the story Gates appeared to be breaking in to a house with another man and a neighbor called police. It was in fact Gates house which a sticky door. Office Crowley responds to the call, investigates and confirms Gates identity. This is where things get cloudy and ugly. Gates calls Crowley a racist and claims he was profiled. Crowley says Gates crossed the line, followed him onto a public street and gave him a ton of attitude. Crowley arrests Gates for disorderly conduct. Gates is a distinguished college professor. Crowley an experienced police officer who, strangely, teaches a course in racial profiling.

The charges were dropped the next day, likely because cooler heads, on reflection, saw this thing for what it was... one of those bizarre "misalignment of the planets" type things. A regrettable misunderstanding where both sides probably overreacted a bit. One that should have blown over quickly. But not now.

The President, with no real knowledge of the situation, comments that the police behaved stupidly. Really? Why in the world would the President of the United States think he could or should make a comment on a cloudy civil matter in Massachusetts?

A situation that should have and otherwise would have quickly blown over has now been elevated to a not at all positive discussion about race in America. Many will now feel required to take a stand and pick a side. All because of a terribly misguided and irresponsible comment by the President. Nice job, sir.

In the interest of full disclosure... I've never liked Kobe Bryant, Phil Jackson nor many other elements of the LA Lakers organization. I could go into why... but why?

I suppose one could accuse me (inaccurately) of bitter grapes as my team, The San Antonio Spurs, got knocked out in the first round of the playoffs. No, I wasn't happy when that happened. I also don't remember any riots when the Spurs won any of their 4 national titles.

Lakers roll to 15th title behind Bryant

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- The Los Angeles Lakers have won their 15th championship, beating the Orlando Magic 99-86 in Game 5 of the NBA finals.

Kobe Bryant scored 30 points Sunday night in winning his fourth title, the first without Shaquille O'Neal. It was the 10th championship for coach Phil Jackson, moving him past Boston's Red Auerbach for the most all-time.

Police: 8 officers hurt in Laker victory melees

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Downtown celebrations after the Los Angeles Lakers' championship win turned ugly as darkness fell, with some throwing rocks and bottles that left five police officers with minor injuries.
Police also said Monday that police cruisers were damaged, windows on public buses were smashed and fires were set in the street. Seventeen people were arrested Sunday night after police declared the gathering an unlawful assembly, authorities said.

Ok.. No, I don't really want Bill Maher to go to Hell.  I was just trying to be cute given the subject (and muted controversy) of his latest film, Religulous.

I'm not going to go into my thoughts on the movie other than to say that it is but one more example of that something I'm not legally qualified to diagnose but definitely affects him.   That "seems to be becoming more disturbed by the day" something.

I was a Bill Maher fan for a long time despite his continued best efforts to the contrary.  I was even a studio audience member during his Politically Incorrect days at ABC.  I even continued to watch his show for a while when he moved to HBO despite the fact that he rarely stages fair fights between his liberal and conservative guests anymore.

I overlooked a lot of his crap over the years, defended his right to free speech even when he was clearly wrong.   His brand of self-righteous nastiness though has now gone too far, one too many times.  He's becoming kind of  scary actually.  Reminds me a little of when George Carlin started jumping the track.

Who does this guy think he is?  Really?  He feels as if he can lecture us, the rest of the world, on religion (he doesn't believe),  politics (he's a far left right liberal),  and morality (don't get me started).

What ever got up into his backside?  Here is a guy who admits to regularly smoking pot and has served on the advisory board of NORML.  He is in favor of legalizing gambling and prostitution.  He has never been married and says he doesn't believe in marriage.  He also serves on the board of PETA.  You know, the people passing out the bloody versions of the McDonalds Happy Meals to scare kids and the ones that used to throw red paint fur wearing supermodels.  Yes, that PETA.

This is anything but a complete breakdown of Bill's views and I'm neither judging him or disputing his right to believe whatever it is that he belives.  I have to ask though...  With his amusing but extremist views, who does Bill Maher think he is to tell any of the rest of us anything about anything?  Further, why is it that the more extreme someone's views are the more apt they are to tell others how to live? 

Please go back to making us laugh Bill and for Heaven's sake would you get happy already.

So, here I am, surfing the web (I know, no one calls it that anymore) and I run across this photo.  All of a sudden the irony hits me...

1.  It's the Republicans that are running a woman candidate this year and;

2.  The woman they picked is twice the man that Barack Obama and Joe Biden are.  

Anyone else feel like they have been transported to a funny, alternate universe?  Mark Twain once said "Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; Truth isn't."

I always feel smarter and more legitimate when I have quoted someone notable.

China: 12 Is The New 16

12: The New 16 - Beijing 2008

Phelch Phan

Phelch Phelps

I'm not completely sure how I feel about this one.  Ok, call me a crude jerk but I have to admit that part of me thinks that the prank was a wee bit funny and that the "victim" is a pussy that needs to man up and get over himself.  

Of course the prank was disgusting and inappropriate but if that type of thing bothers him enough to file criminal sexual assault charges against a fellow student and athlete then he would likely be a better candidate for the school's Apple Computer Club than the wrestling team.  (Relax, this is being typed on a Mac) 

To me an appropriate personal response would have been to either get even or to kick the offenders ass.  If I were his father (I have two sons in college) that's exactly what I would have told my son.  No, I wouldn't have been thrilled if it had happened to me, my son or any of the men in my world.  But to file criminal sexual assault charges over this, something that will follow the other kid the rest of his life, seems way too harsh.   

So let me see if I can wrap this up.... 

Shame on Wally Wanker for putting his junk in the other kids face;

Shame on Johhny Junkface for not handling this personally;

Shame on Mr. Junkface for teaching his kid to be a pussy and to hyper-escalate a situation;

Shame on the authorities for not urging the parties to handle matters privately;

Shame on the adults for not finding a better more appropriate punishment for Wally Wanker and;

Shame on Connecticut and the rest of us for allowing things to get to a point where common sense has been overtaken by extreme political correctness.  

__________

Cops: Bunnell wrestler assaulted mate

DANIEL TEPFER

Article Last Updated: 08/13/2008 05:55:28 PM EDT

http://www.connpost.com/breakingnews/ci_10192282

STRATFORD — A member of the Bunnell High School wrestling team was arrested yesterday for allegedly sexually assaulting another member of the team during a practice session. The 16-year-old boy, whose name was not disclosed because of his age, was charged with one count of fourth-degree sexual assault.

He surrendered to police, accompanied by his father, after learning there was a warrant for his arrest. The boy was released after posting $1,000 bond, pending arraignment in Superior Court. The charges are based on an incident last December during a wrestling team practice session at the school.

The 17-year-old victim was wrestling with another teammate, police said, when he allegedly heard the defendant tell his opponent to pin him to the mat.  While the victim was pinned on his back, police said, the defendant approached, bent down and exposed his genitals in the victim's face.

The victim managed to free himself and went to a water cooler to rinse out his mouth, declaring, "That was disgusting," according to the police report.  The victim was initially reluctant to report the incident, police said, but later came forward after other Bunnell students learned about it.

Police detectives later confronted the defendant, and while he contended he made a "gesture" that may have appeared his genitals had contact with the other wrestler, he claimed he didn't actually do it.

__________

Wikipedia on Teabagging - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teabagging

My wife and daughter have been trying hard to get me to go with them to see the movie Mamma Mia. They've both seen the play on Broadway and in a regional touring production. They're just sure I'll love it and are dying to share the joy that is this production with me.

Newsflash Ladies... Men (95% of us anyway) are not women with slightly different equipment. Chick Flicks are so called for a reason. Note the Chick part. They appeal to and are enjoyed overwhelmingly by... help me out here... Chicks!

Similar but slightly different is the concept of a Date Movie. A Date Movie is a Chick Flick that dating men, men trying to make points or men trying to make amends for some horrible offense (such as leaving the toilet seat up one too many times) might suggest. But we digress...

What makes Mamma Mia especially dicey is that it is not only a Chick Flick but a... are you ready... Musical! ARRGGHHHH!

A musical to me is kind of like an infomercial, a training film or some other sort of propaganda with really good writing and production values. If you're not careful you get sucked in... Just when you're ready to commit, suspend disbelief and enjoy the work you realize you've been ripped off and it's not a real movie! Usually when the stars start talking to the camera or break out into song.

UPDATE: They made we watch it. It, umm, wasn't that bad.

Ok... This one will be relatively short and sweet. Here's an idea for a screenplay. A guy from India comes to the US and begins making films... incredibly bad films. We'll call him M. Knight Shamalamadingdong.

Despite the fact that his movies suck, that his productions seem to have as much drama behind the scenes as they do in front of the lens and that he's kind of a jerk, he still seems to get greenlighted somehow.

In steps our hero... We'll call him Dick Brawny. Dick is a sort of genius / lawyer / super-hero type guy. He alone figures out that Shamalamadingdong is really an alien (of the ET variety) using his space powers to dupe studio executives into making his films.

Brawny files suit on behalf of all citizens of Earth in order to protect them from further creative efforts by Shamalamadingdong. He prevails in court by using a long forgotten national security clause in US immigration code and Shamalamadingdong is shot back into deep space never to be heard from again.

The End

PS... Oh, and as punishment for the movies he inflicted upon us he's forced to star in a reenactment of a scene from a truly good movie... the shower scene from Shawshank Redemption.

So Don Imus is in trouble again. Seems he's made yet another incredibly stupid comment relating to African-Americans. He says that he was misunderstood, that he was actually standing up for troubled NFL player Adam "Pacman" Jones.

I'm inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt insofar as I do not believe he's a racist. I do think he's an idiot though. I mean wow... how dumb do you have to be to even hint at someones race after what happened in the last episode. Also getting the idiot nod from yours truly are Imus' many critics... all of those that are calling for his head. Just as in the Rutgers incident, there will be no winners.

In his first well publicized incident, rather than simply apologizing earnestly and taking his lumps, Imus, flush with white guilt, snivels and grovels his way through repeated attempts to repent... as misguided as they are pathetic. All that this did was energize and in a sense validate his critics. And now he's snivelling and grovelling again... Imus says this time that "What people should be outraged about is that they arrest blacks for no reason". I'm not going to run down Pacman's record here but suffice it to say that his issues are neither imaginary nor trumped up.

So was Imus insincere or grasping at straws in his attempt to explain his latest goofy statement? I'm not so sure. I think that once again his strange sense of white guilt is showing through and he may actually believe what he is saying. As for the many other losers... The Rutgers Women's Basketball Team, in allowing themselves to be used by Imus' critics in this mess came out looking less than stellar. Ladies, you can fight your way to a national championship but some PG-13 crap from Don Imus is going to ruin your day? Oh, please.

Then there are the hundreds or thousands of kids that could of been helped in the way of scholarship dollars. Don Imus, his then employers and sponsors were desperate for a positive and low impact resolution to the first public relations nightmare. Imus is a proven fundraiser (http://www.imusranchfoods.com/) and has established "a working cattle ranch for kids with cancer". How many millions of dollars could have been raised for tuition in a positive, reasoned and respectful effort to raise awareness and promote dialog on race? It would seem that, at the hands of a group of very narrow minded and agenda driven folks, we'll never know.