Bill Maher is a great irreverent comic, but his recent tasteless comments related to the fatal car bombing incident for guards in Afghanistan near whereVice President Cheney was, were completely uncalled for and wholly inappropriate. Sometimes Maher displays the same lack of taste as Ann Coulter, another who tends to unskillfully use shock humor. Now with fresh concerns about Cheney's health due to a blood clot situation, Maher's remarks seem even worse and more offensive.
Make no mistake, Cheney is a mean spirited vice president, and a gutter level politician. He supports the wrong values for the majority of most Americans, and is very unpopular. He is one of main group of Project For The New American Century members who helped to pen the absurd policy that sent the many Americans to their death in Iraq. This can never be justified when the first Bush Administration had the opportunity to force the unconditional surrender of Saddam Hussein in the first Gulf War back when Cheney was the defense secretary. You cannot restart an old war that you poorly concluded. if anything this should be the message of the current Iraq War, which has only opened a terrible cycle of killing and sectarian violence and regional instability.
It's only right to oppose the policies of Cheney with your every fiber. But no one should ever wish him personal bad. The extreme shock humor of Maher and Coulter sometimes just go too far.
Senin, 05 Maret 2007
Minggu, 04 Maret 2007
Yet Another Ann Coulter Classic
Ann Coulter just can't seem to get it through her head that sane people just don't say certain things.
A few months ago, Coulter published a feature in the conservative journal, HUMAN EVENTS, entitled "They Shot The Wrong Lincoln", an outrageous attack on then moderate Republican Senator Lincoln Chafee, a decent and honest man who maybe didn't always vote the way that Coulter always likes. But her outlandish feature, which makes a ghoulish violence inference comparison with the brutal assassination of Abraham Lincoln is completely irresponsible. No responsible journalist should ever, ever, ever, make a violence inference against anyone. Period.
When Harriet Myers was under consideration in her ill-fated nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court, instead of Coulter offering an intelligent analysis, she instead penned a hope that Justice John Paul Stevens could have a heart attack, so yet another supreme Court position becomes open. Yet another deeply offensive attack on a wholly decent and honest man who considers himself a conservative Republican, but is seen as one of the moderates on the U.S. Supreme Court. This represented a new breakthrough low for Coulter, as it broke ground for her to pen more death wishes against persons she personally disagrees with. It also allowed her to make the later outrageous Lincoln Chaffee remark.
Now this weekend, Coulter just couldn't help herself again and came up with a new zinger somehow comparing John Edwards, who keeps up a great public appearance, with in her own crummy choice of words, "faggots". When Coulter had an opportunity to apologize for her very disturbed and outrageous remark, she instead compounded her remarks by somehow claiming she should never have tarred Gays with John Edwards. Another clear outrage.
For one thing it is outrageous to refer to a minority group as "faggots". This wholly is offensive public language. Secondly, there has never been any question about the sexual identity of John Edwards. It is patently unfair to falsely label him any label that Coulter thinks may damage his political career by raising an absurd question not based in fact. This is a political lynch job smear of the very worst variety.
It should be up to voters to decide whether they like John Edwards or not, and whether to vote for him or not.
Coulter's remarks appear to be a variation on "swift boating". She raises an absurd notion, and it begins to raise unfair and absurd questions against candidate John Edwards. This is unfair and dirty politics of the very worst variety. Coulter is not offering any intelligent comment on any Edwards position, just an absurd and unfair attack that is meant to destruct someone she disagrees with.
This is the problem with the reactionaries of the far right in the Republican Party. Extremists like Coulter and some others, but cetainly not all, who attended this weekend's "conservative" conference are really neoBrown shirts and thugs, not the run-of-the-mill genuine "conservatives" as they would like to mislead others into believing. They only attempt to minimize their extremism by calling themselves "conservatives". In the 1960's members of The John Birch Society did the same thing. They refered to themselves as "conservatives" to minimize their extreme views on issues.
Thankfully, some like John McCain and Mitt Romney have been quick to condemn Coulter's remarks. Other responsible conservatives will as well. There should be no home in their Republican Party for political extremists like Coulter who wish the very worst to anyone she disagrees with as though she's some sort of political Voodoo priestess, out to "hex" anyone she wants out of her way. She's so self-righteous, that any that dare disagrree with her deserve her death wishes she surmises in her own warped psychology.
Coulter represents the battle for the soul of the Republican Party. It contains many extremist voters like Coulter who are merely outright reactionaries and not conservatives by any stretch of the imagination. This party must decide how important these extremists are, and whether to cut them free from acting as spokespersons for this party, and let them start a goofy small fringe party of some sort or not.
In simple words, extremists like Coulter are simply "bad for business" anywhere near the Republican Party. And her vulgar words will have a lasting impression over the self-proclaimed "conservative" conference for days to come. Coulter defined this conference with her outrageous attack, and she's too small of a person morally to admit her wrong.
A few months ago, Coulter published a feature in the conservative journal, HUMAN EVENTS, entitled "They Shot The Wrong Lincoln", an outrageous attack on then moderate Republican Senator Lincoln Chafee, a decent and honest man who maybe didn't always vote the way that Coulter always likes. But her outlandish feature, which makes a ghoulish violence inference comparison with the brutal assassination of Abraham Lincoln is completely irresponsible. No responsible journalist should ever, ever, ever, make a violence inference against anyone. Period.
When Harriet Myers was under consideration in her ill-fated nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court, instead of Coulter offering an intelligent analysis, she instead penned a hope that Justice John Paul Stevens could have a heart attack, so yet another supreme Court position becomes open. Yet another deeply offensive attack on a wholly decent and honest man who considers himself a conservative Republican, but is seen as one of the moderates on the U.S. Supreme Court. This represented a new breakthrough low for Coulter, as it broke ground for her to pen more death wishes against persons she personally disagrees with. It also allowed her to make the later outrageous Lincoln Chaffee remark.
Now this weekend, Coulter just couldn't help herself again and came up with a new zinger somehow comparing John Edwards, who keeps up a great public appearance, with in her own crummy choice of words, "faggots". When Coulter had an opportunity to apologize for her very disturbed and outrageous remark, she instead compounded her remarks by somehow claiming she should never have tarred Gays with John Edwards. Another clear outrage.
For one thing it is outrageous to refer to a minority group as "faggots". This wholly is offensive public language. Secondly, there has never been any question about the sexual identity of John Edwards. It is patently unfair to falsely label him any label that Coulter thinks may damage his political career by raising an absurd question not based in fact. This is a political lynch job smear of the very worst variety.
It should be up to voters to decide whether they like John Edwards or not, and whether to vote for him or not.
Coulter's remarks appear to be a variation on "swift boating". She raises an absurd notion, and it begins to raise unfair and absurd questions against candidate John Edwards. This is unfair and dirty politics of the very worst variety. Coulter is not offering any intelligent comment on any Edwards position, just an absurd and unfair attack that is meant to destruct someone she disagrees with.
This is the problem with the reactionaries of the far right in the Republican Party. Extremists like Coulter and some others, but cetainly not all, who attended this weekend's "conservative" conference are really neoBrown shirts and thugs, not the run-of-the-mill genuine "conservatives" as they would like to mislead others into believing. They only attempt to minimize their extremism by calling themselves "conservatives". In the 1960's members of The John Birch Society did the same thing. They refered to themselves as "conservatives" to minimize their extreme views on issues.
Thankfully, some like John McCain and Mitt Romney have been quick to condemn Coulter's remarks. Other responsible conservatives will as well. There should be no home in their Republican Party for political extremists like Coulter who wish the very worst to anyone she disagrees with as though she's some sort of political Voodoo priestess, out to "hex" anyone she wants out of her way. She's so self-righteous, that any that dare disagrree with her deserve her death wishes she surmises in her own warped psychology.
Coulter represents the battle for the soul of the Republican Party. It contains many extremist voters like Coulter who are merely outright reactionaries and not conservatives by any stretch of the imagination. This party must decide how important these extremists are, and whether to cut them free from acting as spokespersons for this party, and let them start a goofy small fringe party of some sort or not.
In simple words, extremists like Coulter are simply "bad for business" anywhere near the Republican Party. And her vulgar words will have a lasting impression over the self-proclaimed "conservative" conference for days to come. Coulter defined this conference with her outrageous attack, and she's too small of a person morally to admit her wrong.
Sabtu, 03 Maret 2007
Heart Attack Grill Markets Bad Taste And Bad Health Into A Unique Restaurant
The Heart Attack Grill in Tempe, Arizona of all places has to be one of the strangest bad taste experiments in a restaurant ever, making even Hooters look like the family diner by comparison. Waitresses are dressly up in decidely sexualized naughty nurse uniforms that look like they were inspired either by porn or S&M. Maybe the conservative Arizona standards don't really allow too many strip clubs or other real adult entertainment establishments because of zoning or moral values of many residents, so maybe this as close as many customers really want to get to an upscale outrageous business in this state.
The menu features such health challenging products such as the wholly unhealthy Flatliner Fries, which are cooked in pure lard. Huge oversized burgers come in the Single Bypass, Double Bypass and Triple Bypass sizes. Beer and cigarettes are also served. And the naughty nurses offer wheelchair service out to the parking lot for the best customers.
All in all, it's just a gimmick and a marketing ploy to lure customers who value their freedom to choose grossly unhealthy but good tasting food. This house of health horrors currently has just one location, but warns it is coming to an "artery near you" with more locations.
The menu features such health challenging products such as the wholly unhealthy Flatliner Fries, which are cooked in pure lard. Huge oversized burgers come in the Single Bypass, Double Bypass and Triple Bypass sizes. Beer and cigarettes are also served. And the naughty nurses offer wheelchair service out to the parking lot for the best customers.
All in all, it's just a gimmick and a marketing ploy to lure customers who value their freedom to choose grossly unhealthy but good tasting food. This house of health horrors currently has just one location, but warns it is coming to an "artery near you" with more locations.
Quirky, Idiosnycratic Detectives Becoming The Genre For NBC
As MONK winds up it's season five 16 episode run over on NBC's sister cable USA Network with this weekend's airings of "Mr. Monk Goes To The Hospital", NBC gears up to run two quirky, idiosyncratic detective series to see if the successful MONK genre of the quirky detective can mean success for the main broadcast channel.
Conan O'Brien produces his friend Andy Richter in ANDY BARKER:P.I., a promising looking new sitcom detective show where Richter plays a strip mall accountant mistakingly thought to be a famous P.I., who then decides to start moonlighting as a P.I. Some of the previews look funny enough. But hampered with only a half hour time slot, one has to ponder whether a funny case can be constructed and executed properly enough for the show to work well beyond just another sitcom. MONK has an hour to build not only a decent "who done it", but also to give a generous helping of his funny and sometimes frustratingly strange obsessive compulsive personality quirks. The result has been a huge cable hit with a cult following of loyal fans.
Jeff Goldblum, the quirky actor who was perfect in the remake of THE FLY, is cast in an hour long idiosyncratic detective show, RAINES. Goldblum is an excellent actor, where his strange and unconventional personality and acting style may well be a perfect match in this new series.
As ratings continue to sag from the aging LAW & ORDER franchise shows, NBC looks to new ideas to put new blood into the detective series. The formula of MONK has worked so well that NBC was ready to see if the same concept can work on their broadcast network as well. Both ANDY BARKER P.I. and RAINES look good so far. whether audiences will embrace these two shows as well as they did the quirky MONK series remains to be seen though.
Conan O'Brien produces his friend Andy Richter in ANDY BARKER:P.I., a promising looking new sitcom detective show where Richter plays a strip mall accountant mistakingly thought to be a famous P.I., who then decides to start moonlighting as a P.I. Some of the previews look funny enough. But hampered with only a half hour time slot, one has to ponder whether a funny case can be constructed and executed properly enough for the show to work well beyond just another sitcom. MONK has an hour to build not only a decent "who done it", but also to give a generous helping of his funny and sometimes frustratingly strange obsessive compulsive personality quirks. The result has been a huge cable hit with a cult following of loyal fans.
Jeff Goldblum, the quirky actor who was perfect in the remake of THE FLY, is cast in an hour long idiosyncratic detective show, RAINES. Goldblum is an excellent actor, where his strange and unconventional personality and acting style may well be a perfect match in this new series.
As ratings continue to sag from the aging LAW & ORDER franchise shows, NBC looks to new ideas to put new blood into the detective series. The formula of MONK has worked so well that NBC was ready to see if the same concept can work on their broadcast network as well. Both ANDY BARKER P.I. and RAINES look good so far. whether audiences will embrace these two shows as well as they did the quirky MONK series remains to be seen though.
Writing A Sitcom Is So Easy A Caveman Can Do It
Inspiration for bad sitcom ideas can come from interesting places. For many, the "So easy a caveman can do it" Geico ads sure seem like wasted advertising dollars, but not to some hotshot ABC executives who see great inspiration for what they believe to be the next great ABC sitcom. Rumors are that a pilot is in development for an ABC sitcom involving three cavemen who live in a city and face day to day discrimination. Oh, great.
First of all, the Geico ads are hardly effective. They hardly give viewers any real identity of Geico or their available services. Yet ABC thinks that this is somehow an inspirational concept that deserves extension to a sitcom.
And since cavemen are a fictional minority group, there is hardly any deeper message about discrimination at issue in regards to racial, ethnic or sexual minority discrimination issues.
ABC was lucky with the UGLY BETTY concept because the show is well written, well acted and well thought out. It's very hard to see where as much inspiration can come from the very lame Geico concept, but we'll see. At one time it was hard to imagine how a show about a puppet named Alf that looked nothing like an alien, but more like a big orange anteater could even be a good show. But ALF was surprisingly charming. The writing and comic who provided the voice were good enough that the concept worked for a few years.
Can a caveman sitcom work on ABC. It's highly doubtful. But stranger things have happened.
First of all, the Geico ads are hardly effective. They hardly give viewers any real identity of Geico or their available services. Yet ABC thinks that this is somehow an inspirational concept that deserves extension to a sitcom.
And since cavemen are a fictional minority group, there is hardly any deeper message about discrimination at issue in regards to racial, ethnic or sexual minority discrimination issues.
ABC was lucky with the UGLY BETTY concept because the show is well written, well acted and well thought out. It's very hard to see where as much inspiration can come from the very lame Geico concept, but we'll see. At one time it was hard to imagine how a show about a puppet named Alf that looked nothing like an alien, but more like a big orange anteater could even be a good show. But ALF was surprisingly charming. The writing and comic who provided the voice were good enough that the concept worked for a few years.
Can a caveman sitcom work on ABC. It's highly doubtful. But stranger things have happened.
Jumat, 02 Maret 2007
Bush's Defense Contractor Army Secretary Resigns Over Walter Reed Scandal
Bush's handpicked choice as Secretary Of The Army, Dr. Francis J. Harvey, a metallurgist who formerly was the Director and Vice Chairman of the military contractor, Duratek, Inc., has resigned over the widening scandal at Walter Reed Army Hospital. Harvey became Secretary Of the Army in 2004.
Under Bush, all of the Secretaries of Army, Navy and Air Force offices have been handed over to control by military contractor officials, not military officials. Now, this has resulted in a scandal at one of the military's most important hospitals as too much has been put into planning wars such as Iraq and not enough into help for injured veterans from these wars.
Upon leaving office, President Dwight Eisenhower, a highly decorated general himself, warned about the influence of the "military industrial complex", and would never have allowed military contractors who could plan or start wars simply for profit to become the heads of the Army, Navy and Air Force.
More than any presidential administration, the Bush administration has been about rewarding big political donors and defense contractor interests. 33 of the Bush administration officials are associated with defense contractor interests, while even more, 43 persons are associated with oil industry interests.
Under Bush, all of the Secretaries of Army, Navy and Air Force offices have been handed over to control by military contractor officials, not military officials. Now, this has resulted in a scandal at one of the military's most important hospitals as too much has been put into planning wars such as Iraq and not enough into help for injured veterans from these wars.
Upon leaving office, President Dwight Eisenhower, a highly decorated general himself, warned about the influence of the "military industrial complex", and would never have allowed military contractors who could plan or start wars simply for profit to become the heads of the Army, Navy and Air Force.
More than any presidential administration, the Bush administration has been about rewarding big political donors and defense contractor interests. 33 of the Bush administration officials are associated with defense contractor interests, while even more, 43 persons are associated with oil industry interests.
Romney Chooses Reactionary Sheriff Joe Arpaio As Arizona State Honorary Chairman
In a clear slap to human rights and organizations such as Amnesty International, right wing politician Mitt Romney chose reactionary Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio as his honorary Arizona state chairman for his failing presidential bid. As Romney continues to slide in the polls, he only makes further attempts to attract the political right's waning support. However, choosing someone with the terrible human rights record of Sheriff Joe Arpaio is a clear slap at basic decency and opposed to basic human dignity, even if some individuals are guilty of serious crimes. The absurd choice of Sheriff Arpaio speaks very poorly for the reasoning and judgement abilities of Romney. It should make serious voters ask whether Romney has the reasoning ability to really be president or not.
Sheriff Arpaio was known for bringing back the chain gangs to Arizona, something that harkens back to the days of slavery, and is especially racist and archaic in law enforcement these days. Sheriff Arpaio also saved $750,000 by not building a new jail wing and instead for $100,000 puts up many prisoners in the 110 degree Arizona sun in tents. The poor food, which includes moldy cold baloney sandwiches has also been condemned by many critics.
Most modern Sheriffs understand the need for drug treatment or psychiatric help for many of their prisoners. Some like Multnomah County, Oregon Sheriif Bernie Guisto accept responsibility that they are in charge of providing needed psychiatric or drug counseling help as many county drug treatment or psychiatric counseling services in the county have faced sharp cutbacks.
Sheriff Arpaio has also consistently denied that torture is practiced in his jail. However, a British television station Channel 4 presented clear medical autopsy evidence from prisoners who died while being held by Arpaio of substantial injuries enough to result in death. In one case, a blind inmate, Brian Crenshaw, was beaten so badly that his neck was broken and had a perforated intestine and later died. Yet Sheriif Arpaio lied about the incident falsely claiming that the blind prisoner fell off a bunk bed. In another case, Sheriff Arpaio lost a $8.25 million dollar lawsuit in another case in which a man high on meth, Scott Norberg, was arrested for chasing two young girls. Still suffering from the mental health problems from his meth addiction, Norberg was roughly treated during a violent outburst in captivity and suffocated with a wet towel by guards working under Sheriff Arpaio.
Romney may think that choosing a reactionary like Sheriff Arpaio is the proper way to appeal to the right wing of his party. But after the dismal human rights record of the Bush administration, Romney appears to have learned nothing about the rule of law or using jails to help rehabilitate prisoners into constructive citizens. A jail, unlike a prison, may involve many of those in custody for relatively minor crimes such as driving under the influence, or minor possession of drugs. A policy that condones torture and abuse of prisoners is counterproductive to rehabilitation and modern criminal justice procedures. It's also illegal and makes Sheriff Arpaio a criminal himself.
Sheriff Arpaio was known for bringing back the chain gangs to Arizona, something that harkens back to the days of slavery, and is especially racist and archaic in law enforcement these days. Sheriff Arpaio also saved $750,000 by not building a new jail wing and instead for $100,000 puts up many prisoners in the 110 degree Arizona sun in tents. The poor food, which includes moldy cold baloney sandwiches has also been condemned by many critics.
Most modern Sheriffs understand the need for drug treatment or psychiatric help for many of their prisoners. Some like Multnomah County, Oregon Sheriif Bernie Guisto accept responsibility that they are in charge of providing needed psychiatric or drug counseling help as many county drug treatment or psychiatric counseling services in the county have faced sharp cutbacks.
Sheriff Arpaio has also consistently denied that torture is practiced in his jail. However, a British television station Channel 4 presented clear medical autopsy evidence from prisoners who died while being held by Arpaio of substantial injuries enough to result in death. In one case, a blind inmate, Brian Crenshaw, was beaten so badly that his neck was broken and had a perforated intestine and later died. Yet Sheriif Arpaio lied about the incident falsely claiming that the blind prisoner fell off a bunk bed. In another case, Sheriff Arpaio lost a $8.25 million dollar lawsuit in another case in which a man high on meth, Scott Norberg, was arrested for chasing two young girls. Still suffering from the mental health problems from his meth addiction, Norberg was roughly treated during a violent outburst in captivity and suffocated with a wet towel by guards working under Sheriff Arpaio.
Romney may think that choosing a reactionary like Sheriff Arpaio is the proper way to appeal to the right wing of his party. But after the dismal human rights record of the Bush administration, Romney appears to have learned nothing about the rule of law or using jails to help rehabilitate prisoners into constructive citizens. A jail, unlike a prison, may involve many of those in custody for relatively minor crimes such as driving under the influence, or minor possession of drugs. A policy that condones torture and abuse of prisoners is counterproductive to rehabilitation and modern criminal justice procedures. It's also illegal and makes Sheriff Arpaio a criminal himself.
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