1/ Frank Rich with an essay on why we still have news anchors in this era. He takes us through the history of how the job was created, and its evolution. The article is most interesting and confirms why I personally never watch TV news.....
It's not political, just a well written story on something we take for granted, and opens our eyes to the changes coming....
But we report, you decide!
Some two months into Brian Williams’s six-month banishment from NBC for making stuff up, it’s not known whether he will ever return to the anchor chair at Nightly News. It’s also not known whether anyone cares. The understudy who stepped in, Lester Holt, is leading in evening-news viewership as Williams did. No one is complaining that Holt’s résumé includes three years co-hosting the Westminster Dog Show but lacks those narrow Indiana Jones escapes from danger, whether in Iraq or New Orleans, that his predecessor conjured up to prove his gravitas. No one is fretting about whether Holt sullied the dignity of an anchor’s higher calling when he did a cameo on 30 Rock. No one seems to notice that Holt is continuing as anchor at NBC’s Dateline, the trashy newsmagazine whose signature feature is “To Catch a Predator.”
2/ John Oliver had a coup this week - he had a rare interview with Edward Snowden, and as usual with Oliver it wasn't a "normal" interview....really good, and although I think he went a little coarse with the emphasis on "dick pics" it's a good look at Snowden, who according to your political viewpoint is either public enemy #1 or a courageous whistleblower of the liberties the military/industrial complex is taking with our privacy, on the BS excuse of "terrorism".....
Thirty minutes, and worth watching the first 15 minutes.....
On Sunday’s Last Week Tonight, host John Oliverrevealed that he traveled to Russia to interview former NSA contractor Edward Snowden — yes, that Edward Snowden. Now, such an interview is not an easy “get.” In fact, the last high-profile journalist to secure an interview with Snowden was NBC’s Brian Williams, so this was a big surprise.
Upon Snowden’s entrance into the room (albeit, a bit late), Oliver jokingly called him “the most famous hero and/or traitor in recent American history.” In the interview, which aired in full on Sunday’s episode, Snowden said he misses his family and his country — and yes, even Hot Pockets.
Snowden reiterated his warnings against overarching government surveillance, to which Oliver countered that “Americans do not give a sh*t about foreign surveillance.” To prove that point, he played a video of random people who were asked about Snowden, many of whom could not accurately say who he is. Snowden laughed throughout it.
Oliver delved into the tricky technical terms of surveillance, urging Snowden to raise hell about “d*ck pics” and “junk” in an effort to get average Americans to care about the NSA’s surveillance capabilities. According to Oliver, people are “terrified” that the government would be able to see naked pictures of random Americans.
“Well, the good news is there’s no program named, ‘the d*ck pic program,’” Snowden said. “The bad news is, they are still collecting everybody’s information, including your d*ck pics.”
3/ Kansas is a textbook failed experiment for Tea Party government - it's broke, and gutting basic functions of government which mainly impact working families and the poor, while simultaneously cutting taxes for the wealthiest Kansans.....
You could say that the people of Kansas deserve what they get, because they elected Governor Brownback again and instead of changing course on his hopelessly failed policies he is doubling down.....slash and cut some more. Suck it up, stupids....you voted for him.....
Of course we in Floriduh can talk - we've got four more years of our Governor, the slimy, corrupt piece of ratshit Rick Scott.....that YOU voted for, or maybe didn't. I heard a fascinating titbit last week, which was that out of the six million votes cast in November 2014, about a million did NOT vote for the top of the ticket, i.e. for Scott or Crist. It could be moderate Republicans who were disgusted with the piece of pond scum, or Democrats who couldn't muster up any enthusiasm for Charlie, and the person who passed this on said it was Crist - the Dem base didn't like him....
Anyway, we're not in as much shit as Kansas....
Like a brained and wounded animal in the wild, the government of Kansas has been lashing out in all directions at its supposed tormentors. Since its problems are exclusively those of its own making, the spectacle is all the more horrific.
The latest targets of the state's Republican-controlled legislature--and presumably of Republican Gov. Sam Brownback--are the state's relief recipients. By the terms of a measure now awaiting Brownback's signature, they're going to be saddled with dozens of directives and limitations on how and where they can spend their relief assistance.
Some of these are just stupid (no "cruise ships"!), some are intrusive (no movies, no swimming pools), and some are stupid, intrusive and counterproductive (no ATM withdrawals of more than $25 a day).
4/ Jon Stewart follows this story up with a mild, but amusing takedown of Kansas and it's policies.....he starts with their gun bill and ends with a wonderful zinger.....a pretty good six minutes....
Shots were fired at Kansas last night on “The Daily Show.” Jon Stewart chipped away at the Sunflower State’s “normal” and “good ol’-fashioned” exterior in one segment and found that underneath it all: An insane right-wing agenda is motoring most of their political decisions.
Stewart tore into the state’s lax gun control laws first, explaining that a current measure is lifting the 8-hour training course that was once required for gun owners. Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback (R) apparently signed the bill into law after claiming that Kansas gun-owners had proven that they were responsible. “The state that believes 8 hours of gun training is too much for its gun owners requires 1,000 hours of training for its professional estheticians,” Stewart said. “I tell you why: you can never be too careful with hot wax and butt hair.”
Stewart also slammed Kansas for its disgraceful treatment of the poor. A new law restricts those in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) from spending any of their benefits on things like “lingerie, cruises, tattoos, piercings, and movie tickets.”
5/ Rolling Stone made a major blunder in it's story on campus rape, and has since retracted it because the accusations were false and based on the story on one girl, who wasn't fact-checked.....
But as this great article in Salon says, Rolling Stone is held to a higher standard of journalism than all of the major media, excluding some of the major newspapers but definitely higher than TV news, especially Fox. Think about it - a music magazine is more trustworthy than our news sources....
Fox News’ Rolling Stone problem: Imagine a panel investigating Bill O’Reilly’s “war stories” and Megyn Kelly’s hyperbole
We all know "fair and balanced" is a lie. As a result, their "news" isn't held to same standard as a music magazine
SOPHIA A. MCCLENNEN
Megyn Kelly (Credit: AP/Richard Drew)
The media hasn’t had a good run with ethics stories lately. First we heard about Brian Williams’ misrepresentations, then Bill O’Reilly’s fabrications, and now we have the full report of Rolling Stone’s erroneous coverage of a rape scandal at UVA.
There is no question that Rolling Stone did not adequately fact-check the UVA rape story and that it’s proof of a severe lapse in journalistic ethics. The fact that the story was about campus rape is especially disturbing: This is an issue that requires even greater ethics and transparency—it also needs reporting of the highest standards. Rolling Stone needs to answer for the mistake and not try to pass it off onto others.
6/ One for all of us married guys.......a two minute lesson on how to handle a situation with a woman....but it's tough.....
Painfully amusing.....
7/ And Jon Stewart also skewered Rolling Stone.......a funny four minutes, but the second part with Samantha Bee about how rapists have a right to child visitation, is amazing.......that's another four minutes....
Jon Stewart tonight tackled the fallout from Rolling Stone‘s botched UVA rape report, and was a little shocked that no one has been punished in the slightest over it. He said, “What the fuck?!”
In fact, Stewart was so riled up that he decided to make a “citizen’s firing,” asking bewilderingly, “How can there be no consequences for an error of this magnitude?!”
Despite the suggestion that the damning report is punishment enough, Stewart pointed out that, no, it’s just “a list of things, in many circumstances, people would be punished for.”
Watch the full segment, including Samantha Bee‘s report on parental rights of rapists below, via Comedy Central:
8/ If you, like me, cannot understand the extreme right wing mentality of clinging to beliefs that are provably, patently false then this story about Ted Cruz will be essential reading.....
It's an illuminating story......some of the crazies, Cruz included, are living in a parallel universe that they believe to be real.......this is why you can talk till you're blue in the face with facts and examples, and not make a dent in their convictions.....
Ted Cruz Isn't an Idiot, He's Delusional and That's Far More Dangerous
For those who think like Cruz, there is virtually no amount of data, reality checks or facts that can persuade them to give up their false ideas.
April 5, 2015
Since Ted Cruz first announced his candidacy, much has been made of his chances of winning, his arrogance and his extreme conservative views. But most of the controversy over his candidacy centers on his lying.
It is no surprise to any of us that politicians lie. We generally assume they stretch the truth to get elected, to denigrate their political foes, and to bolster their images. But Cruz may just represent one of the biggest liars in recent history. In fact, he may be a whole new form of political liar.
The Daily Beast reports that, “Cruz’s Politifact track record for publicly asserted falsehoods is the second-highest among front-runners, totaling 56 percent of all statements they’ve looked at.” And Matthew Rozsa tell us that “Googling ‘Ted Cruz lies’ pulls back an astonishing 7,890,000 results, and on Twitter, the two phrases are basically synonymous.”
The trouble with this angle on Cruz’s misstatements is that it presumes that Cruz is, in fact, lying. But lying depends on the liar knowing that what he is saying is false. Cruz shows no signs of such awareness. As Ann Marie Cox points out in her survey of Cruz’s lies, there’s more going on here than just a politician’s twisting of the truth or a partisan spin on data. She wonders whether it is time to take seriously the idea that he really believes what he is saying. “There are objective falsehoods that show Cruz could just be looking at a different set of data. Other, more telling whoppers show that Cruz isn’t just looking at different data, he’s living in a different universe.”
9/ Fascinating video of a huge bear interrupting a commercial video shoot for a washing machine out in the snowy woods.....two minutes....
10/ I'm sure some of our readers go to Walmart, even though this company has pretty well destroyed small town America, shipped our manufacturing base and millions of jobs to China and impoverished all of it's employees, who are dependent on public assistance which you and I are paying for, straight to Walmart's bottom line. And the fact that the Walton family has as much wealth as 40% of Americans, and give none of it away to charity......
So when you go there for your cheap Chinese shit, or tainted food keep this article in mind too.....Walmart is a cancer on our country.....
Downtown Asheville, North Carolina (Credit: SeanPavonePhoto via Shutterstock/Salon)
Excerpted from "Happy City"
Most of us agree that development that provides employment and tax revenue is good for cities. Some even argue that the need for jobs outweighs aesthetic, lifestyle, or climate concerns—in fact, this argument comes up any time Walmart proposes a new megastore near a small town. But a clear-eyed look at the spatial economics of land, jobs, and tax regimes should cause anyone to reject the anything-and-anywhere-goes development model. To explain, let me offer the story of an obsessive number cruncher who found his own urban laboratory quite by chance.
11/ The Rolling Stones, live in concert in 1981 with "Waiting On A Friend"......great sound, crystal clear video [unusual for 35 years ago] and Mick and the boys showing why they are considered the best rock and roll band of all time.......fabulous solo from their saxophone player.....
12/ California's water situation is dire, but a lot of the media coverage is written in a condescending way, that California is now getting what it deserves.....which makes sense because the right wing corporate media has long been super jealous of the "liberal" sunshine state.....
But as this piece argues the situation is much more complex than you are hearing about......
There’s a certain kind of story, and a certain kind of tone, that runs through the recent history of the East Coast writing about the West Coast. Call it apocalyptic schadenfreude. Many variations of this mode exist, but they can generally be reduced down to this formula: all the “lifestyle”-seekers who set off for the Pacific high of California’s perfect weather are at last confronting the limits of Mother Nature. I know the attitude well in part because I used to strike that pose on occasion myself; I remember berating my Los Angeles friends that living in Southern California was like being a weather libertarian. Rain, I’d argue, was the tax we pay for sustainable human settlements.
But then I started spending more time in California and realized that the water situation there is far more complex than it had seemed from the Atlantic states. Which is why it has been particularly interesting to read the extensive coverage of California’s water crisis in the New York Times for the past few days, in the wake of Governor Brown’s executive order last week limiting water usage across the state. There has been some great reporting and data analysis in this sequence of stories. (This, for instance, is one of the most useful infographics I’ve seen all year.) Yet I think some of the complexity of the situation has been sacrificed in order to adhere to the familiar moral that the state’s residents are finally getting their environmental just deserts.
13/ Amusing spoof from SNL on CNN's obsession with goofy stories......four pretty good minutes.....
(Credit: NBC)
On this week’s “Saturday Night Live,” Cecily Strong played Brooke Baldwin of CNN Newsroom. During the sketch, she consults with correspondents who explain current events including the Germanwings crash, US-Iran nuclear weapons negotiations and Indiana’s “religious freedom” law with a variety of increasingly unhelpful “reenactments.”
14/ Carl Hiaasen with the latest from "RickScottland", the fabled mythical place where reality meets corruption and stupidity.......
The FDLE was ordered to investigate a journalist who quoted Beatles lyrics.....
In theory, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement is the state’s elite equivalent of the FBI. In theory, the agency saves its resources for investigating the most serious crimes.
Yet in the Bizarro World created by Gov. Rick Scott, almost nothing in government operates the way it was meant to. Recently the FDLE dispatched an agent to investigate a blogger who had used Beatles lyrics to poke fun at the governor.
The song was not The Fool on the Hill, an obvious choice.
Nor was it Mean Mr. Mustard, or Baby, You’re a Rich Man, or Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except for Me and My Monkey.
The number in question was the benign and spacey Magical Mystery Tour, from the 1967 album of the same name. It was quoted in a Google Plus post by Daniel Tilson, a Democratic activist and frequent critic of Scott.
Tilson was scoffing at a “tax cut calculator” put on display in the Capitol that showed off the piddling $43 that an average Florida family supposedly would save annually from the governor’s proposed tax changes.
“Gov. Scott’s Magical Mystery Tax Cut Calculator,” Tilson called it, adding a line from the original Lennon-McCartney song: Coming to take you away, take you away...”
Some person at FDLE (an “analyst,” the agency said) eyeballed those words on Tilson’s blog and perceived a potential threat to the governor. Could somebody be plotting to take him away, take him away...?
Not since Charlie Manson got mesmerized by Helter Skelter has anyone twisted the words of a Beatles song so ludicrously — and Manson, let’s remember, is crazier than an outhouse rat.
15/ Another wonderful show for the summer doldrums....."Wolf Hall", which is on PBS right now....."A Masterpiece" is the quote......
Put it on your Netflix queue right now!
PBS
When it comes to PBS, the word “Masterpiece” is used rather liberally these days (I’m looking at you, Downton). But of all the myriad British exports to have been aired by the anthology series in recent years, Wolf Hall is one that truly earns the adjective. The six-part adaptation of Hilary Mantel’s Booker Prize-winning novel, debuting Sunday at 10 p.m., is magnificent—the kind of achingly grand BBC drama that gathers every estimable actor within a hundred-mile radius and has them portray a story so intricate and ambitious and tragic that it could only come from history itself. “A man’s power is in the half-light, in the half-seen movements of his hand, and the unguessed-at expression of his face,” writes Mantel in the book. There are no smarmy Frank Underwood asides or preposterous Sorkinian soliloquies here. Rather, the adaptation looks at a quieter, more authoritative manipulation of power, via a hero so inscrutable that most of the pleasure in watching him comes from having no idea whatsoever what he might be thinking, or what he might do next.
Todays video - some wonderful Clint Eastwood moments......including the iconic "Do you feel lucky? Well do ya punk?" Four minutes....
Todays pet joke
DOG DIARY
8:00 AM - Dog food! My favorite thing!
9:30 AM - A car ride! My favorite thing!
9:40 AM - A walk in the park! My favorite thing!
10:30 AM - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!
12:00 PM - Lunch! My favorite thing!
1:00 PM - Played in the yard! My favorite thing!
3:00 PM - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!
5:00 PM - Milk bones! My favorite thing!
7:00 PM - Got to play ball! My favorite thing!
8:00 PM - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!
11:00 PM - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!
CAT DIARY
Day 983 of my captivity!
My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength. The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape.
In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet. Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a 'good little hunter' I am. The sick bastards!
There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of 'allergies'. I must learn what this means, and how to use it to my advantage.
Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow - but at the top of the stairs.
I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to be more than willing to return. He obviously has issues.
8:00 AM - Dog food! My favorite thing!
9:30 AM - A car ride! My favorite thing!
9:40 AM - A walk in the park! My favorite thing!
10:30 AM - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!
12:00 PM - Lunch! My favorite thing!
1:00 PM - Played in the yard! My favorite thing!
3:00 PM - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!
5:00 PM - Milk bones! My favorite thing!
7:00 PM - Got to play ball! My favorite thing!
8:00 PM - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!
11:00 PM - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!
CAT DIARY
Day 983 of my captivity!
My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength. The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape.
In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet. Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a 'good little hunter' I am. The sick bastards!
There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of 'allergies'. I must learn what this means, and how to use it to my advantage.
Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow - but at the top of the stairs.
I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to be more than willing to return. He obviously has issues.
Todays blonde joke
Bob, a handsome dude, walked into a sports bar around 9:58 PM. He sat down next to a blonde at the bar and stared up at the TV.
The 10 PM news was coming on. The news crew was covering the story of a man on the ledge of a large building preparing to jump.
The blonde looked at Bob and said, "Do you think he'll jump?"
Bob said, "You know, I bet he'll jump."
The blonde replied, "Well, I bet he won't."
Bob placed a $20 bill on the bar and said, "You're on!"
Just as the blonde placed her money on the bar, the guy on the ledge did a swan dive off the building, falling to his death.
The blonde was very upset, but willingly handed her $20 to Bob, saying, "Fair's fair. Here's your money."
Bob replied, "I can't take your money. I saw this earlier on the 5 PM news, and so I knew he would jump."
The blonde replied, "I did too, but didn't think he'd do it again."
Bob took the money......
Bob said, "You know, I bet he'll jump."
The blonde replied, "Well, I bet he won't."
Bob placed a $20 bill on the bar and said, "You're on!"
Just as the blonde placed her money on the bar, the guy on the ledge did a swan dive off the building, falling to his death.
The blonde was very upset, but willingly handed her $20 to Bob, saying, "Fair's fair. Here's your money."
Bob replied, "I can't take your money. I saw this earlier on the 5 PM news, and so I knew he would jump."
The blonde replied, "I did too, but didn't think he'd do it again."
Bob took the money......
Todays Irish joke
A golfer playing in Ireland hooked his drive into the woods. Looking for
his ball, he found a little Leprechaun flat on his back, a big bump on
his head and the golfer's ball beside him.
Horrified, the golfer got his water bottle from the cart and poured it over
the little guy, reviving him.
"Arrgh! What happened?" the Leprechaun asked.
"I'm afraid I hit you with my golf ball," the golfer says.
"Oh, I see. Well, ye got me fair and square. Ye get three wishes, so
whaddya want?"
"Thank God, you're all right!" the golfer answers in relief. "I don't want
anything, I'm just glad you're OK, and I apologise."
And the golfer walks off.
"What a nice guy," the Leprechaun says to himself.
"I have to do something for him. I'll give him the three things I would
want... a great golf game, all the money he ever needs, and a fantastic
sex life."
A year goes by and the golfer is back. On the same hole, he again hits a
bad drive into the woods and the Leprechaun is there waiting for him.
"Twas me that made ye hit the ball here," the little guy says. "I just want
to ask ye, how's yer golf game?"
"My game is fantastic!" the golfer answers. "I'm an internationally famous
golfer now." He adds, "By the way, it's good to see you're all right."
his ball, he found a little Leprechaun flat on his back, a big bump on
his head and the golfer's ball beside him.
Horrified, the golfer got his water bottle from the cart and poured it over
the little guy, reviving him.
"Arrgh! What happened?" the Leprechaun asked.
"I'm afraid I hit you with my golf ball," the golfer says.
"Oh, I see. Well, ye got me fair and square. Ye get three wishes, so
whaddya want?"
"Thank God, you're all right!" the golfer answers in relief. "I don't want
anything, I'm just glad you're OK, and I apologise."
And the golfer walks off.
"What a nice guy," the Leprechaun says to himself.
"I have to do something for him. I'll give him the three things I would
want... a great golf game, all the money he ever needs, and a fantastic
sex life."
A year goes by and the golfer is back. On the same hole, he again hits a
bad drive into the woods and the Leprechaun is there waiting for him.
"Twas me that made ye hit the ball here," the little guy says. "I just want
to ask ye, how's yer golf game?"
"My game is fantastic!" the golfer answers. "I'm an internationally famous
golfer now." He adds, "By the way, it's good to see you're all right."
"Oh, I'm fine now, thank ye. I did that fer yer golf game, you know. And
tell me, how's yer money situation?"
"Why, it's just wonderful!" the golfer states. "When I need cash, I just
reach in my pocket and pull out $100 bills I didn't even know were there!"
"I did that fer ye also. And tell me, how's yer sex life?"
The golfer blushes, turns his head away in embarrassment, and says shyly,
"It's OK."
"C'mon, c'mon now," urged the Leprechaun, "I'm wanting to know if I did a
good job. How many times a week?"
Blushing even more, the golfer looks around then whispers, "Once,
sometimes twice a week."
"What?" responds the Leprechaun in shock. "That's all? Only once or
twice a week?"
"Well," says the golfer, "I figure that's not bad for a Catholic priest in
a small parish."
tell me, how's yer money situation?"
"Why, it's just wonderful!" the golfer states. "When I need cash, I just
reach in my pocket and pull out $100 bills I didn't even know were there!"
"I did that fer ye also. And tell me, how's yer sex life?"
The golfer blushes, turns his head away in embarrassment, and says shyly,
"It's OK."
"C'mon, c'mon now," urged the Leprechaun, "I'm wanting to know if I did a
good job. How many times a week?"
Blushing even more, the golfer looks around then whispers, "Once,
sometimes twice a week."
"What?" responds the Leprechaun in shock. "That's all? Only once or
twice a week?"
"Well," says the golfer, "I figure that's not bad for a Catholic priest in
a small parish."
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