Month: July 2009

Stupid Republican Tricks6 Comments

Sessions’ Statement on Sotomayor

Say that three times fast. Then punch yourself in the head and fall down onto a pile of tacks, because it will be more pleasant thanreading this: Indeed, our legal system is based on a firm belief in an ordered universe and objective truth. The trial is the process by which the impartial and wise judge guides us to the truth. Down the other path lies a Brave New World where words have no true meaning and judges are free to decide what facts they choose to see. In this world, a judge is free to push his or her … Continue reading Sessions’ Statement on Sotomayor

Terrorism8 Comments

Rule of Journalism, Politics, World in General

It is always worse than you think: President George W. Bush authorized other secret intelligence activities — which have yet to become public — even as he was launching the massive warrentless wiretapping program, the summary said. It describes the entire program as the “President’s Surveillance Program.” The report describes the program as unprecedented and raises questions about the legal grounding used for its creation. It also says the intelligence agencies’ continued retention and use of the information collected under the program should be carefully monitored. I suppose that is AP-speak for “the report basically had a whole page that … Continue reading Rule of Journalism, Politics, World in General

So Called Liberal Media1 Comment

Pageview Bonuses

So what, seriously? Paying for pageviews adds on obvious, ifcontroversial, incentive for writers to create popular content, but in our IM conversation, Denton described the move as “a way to reward young and highly productive writers who might have come in at a low rate that doesn’t reflect their real value.” He said that even without paying bonuses, his bloggers have felt an incentive to perform because Gawker Media displays pageview statistics alongside every post and on apage that breaks down the stats by writer. This is yet another case of print pretending it’s pure and that the Internet is … Continue reading Pageview Bonuses

Diary, Jude4 Comments

The Wisdom At The Bottom Of The Keg

Like this, but not so furry. It’s amazing, the things you learn as you go through life. It turns out that going-away parties are actually a sort of analgesic. You hurt so badly from the hangover the next day that you don’t realize how much you’re actually going to miss the person/people in whose honor said hangover-inducing party was thrown. Also: OWWWW. Continue reading The Wisdom At The Bottom Of The Keg

Law/Justice

Sotomayor Hearing Schedule

Here’s what’s happening today and the rest of the week: Each Committee member will be permitted to deliver opening statements up to 10 minutes in length. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) will provide the introductions of Judge Sotomayor. Chairman Leahy will then administer the oath to Judge Sotomayor, and she will be invited to make an opening statement. Her statement is expected to begin around 1:30 p.m. The Judiciary Committee will recess for the day following Judge Sotomayor’s statement. Watch here. A. Continue reading Sotomayor Hearing Schedule

Propaganda9 Comments

Yankee Stadium Uber Alles

If you love baseball and you aren’t a tool, chances are you hate the Yankees. If you are from New York or you are a front-runner, chances are you love the Yankees. In either case, you have a choice as to whether to cheer for them because America is all about choices. You can read this post or skip to the Friday Ferretblogging because you have a choice. You can thank God for this right or you can thank the framers of the Constitution because you have a choice. You can choose to choose, or you can choose to have … Continue reading Yankee Stadium Uber Alles

Music2 Comments

Music That Inspires Such Devotion

Must be something really special: They played a few more songs anyway. I heart them. It was their last show of the tour, so they were pretty enthused. They had a disreputable, mangy, unspeakably soiled stuffed unicorn with them, and they tossed it into the pit. Within seconds foam innards began to erupt from the pit as eyeliner-crazed maenads shredded the damn thing. Pretty soon people were popping up from the pit with handfuls of nappy unicorn fur, and then some knob boiled forth wearing most of the skin of the thing like a primeval trophy, its denuded and flaccid … Continue reading Music That Inspires Such Devotion

So Called Liberal Media11 Comments

Could You Run a Newspaper on $237 Million?

I’m pretty sure you could. Hell, I’m pretty sure Puck and Riot could. If they had thumbs. Instead of being happy with their $237 million, which may or may not be the total across multiple newspapers but STILL, the Times wants to alienate its online readership with a stupid, counterproductive $5-per-month online subscription charge that is so small as to convey to those who pay it that said content is only worth $5 per month so why bother. Which move would likely drive current page counts down through the basement all the way to at least the second circle of … Continue reading Could You Run a Newspaper on $237 Million?

So Called Liberal Media8 Comments

Up the Post

Having actually looked at the flier, oy.To hear the Postdescribe it, this was a thing the third intern from the back made up in MS Paint and posted in the local Starbucks, and the problem was that he used Comic Sans instead of Rage Italic and that was what all the fuss was about. Like they were doing a piece on kittens and ran a photo of puppies instead. Like this was a packaging issue. As you can see, this clearly wasn’t made in an hour and not by an intern, either. Multiple people saw this and nobody said, “Um, … Continue reading Up the Post

Law/Justice8 Comments

Pretty Much

Tim on the choice that presently exists for President Obama and his merry men and women: The simple fact is that Obama doesn’t have a multifaceted decision to make. Doing the right thing (one could call that ‘respecting his oath of office’) will bring on a political shitstorm as every Republican down to the student government level declares that the government has gone commiefascist and starts digging bunkers in their back yard. If Obama doesn’t want that fight then he has to keep innocent people in cages and tell the courts and the international community to go f*ck themselves. Our … Continue reading Pretty Much

Propaganda11 Comments

I just need you to tell me how to get to the time machine…

ah, I know, this is popping up everywhere this morning, so maybe you’ve seen it. But..but…I justcannot pass it by. People always wonder what the hell happened to the brilliantly off-kilter Victoria Jackson between Saturday Night Live (she wasToonces‘ mom, ferchrissakes!) in the late 80’s and now. Kidnapped by a cult? Psychiatric hospitalization? Gone Galt? Head trauma? I choose Attacked by Zombies. They ate most of her brain, leaving just the amygdala. She’s just a series of autonomic fear-based tics now but I have to give her credit for the timing. Coming on the heels of the Michael Jackson Death … Continue reading I just need you to tell me how to get to the time machine…

Television10 Comments

Screened in

I was going to do a post about how I don’t think I’m gonna make it through this health care debate with my f-a-c-u-l-t-i-e-s intact because I’m already developing an autonomic eye twitch every time I hear “public option” just a few weeks in. BUT Athenae already wrote that post this morning, eleventy times better than I ever could have so I’m gonna post about teevee instead.

Last week when I shared that I chose to goAC-free this summer, I purposely left out a fact that some might take as proof that my already-questionable priorities are even more skewed. Not only do I happily still pay for internet, I’ve kept the cable, AND I’ve even added back HBO and Showtime for the summer. Plain old sweating I can deal with but the thought of going through the summer missing a new season ofWeeds, not to mention the return ofTrue Blood?

And new TV crush on-the-blockNurse Jackie?

What? Do you people think I’m made of steel?

If you aren’t watching any of them yet, of the three, Nurse Jackie’s probably the easiest to jump into because it’s brand new, plus some of the eps are up at Showtime. I was looking forward to this show before it arrived, and damn, I’m falling harder for it every week. The supporting characters alone make it rock, with the endearing Zoey pulling ahead as an early crowd favorite, but after repeated viewings, I’ve got to say that all of them (and the actors) are just as full of win. I mean, c’mon, Anna Deveare Smith? Brilliant genius legend, right? She’s not even in one of the top tier roles but as Jackie’s main opponent, every syllable of dialogue is delivered to the fullest, and what a delight to see her doing comedy.

Of course, it’s Edie Falco who’s the sun in the middle. LikeJacob says, you just don’t want to take your eyes off her. Jackie has to use her body like a soldier, her heart like a saint, her mind like a computer, and that’s where the whole show flows from — keeping all those superpowers going. In the very first scene of the series, the first crack is revealed: “What do you call a nurse with a bad back? Unemployed.” Cue the bouncing grains of painkillers and “Theme to Valley of the Dolls.” Jackie may be a saint but she’s also a (very high functioning) drug addict. A cynical, snarky, compassionate, wound-up, shut-down, skilled and efficient drug addict. Watch this show.

Continue reading “Screened in”

So Called Liberal Media3 Comments

Shutdown Bonuses

Killing journalism: It pays, apparently! In issuing his ruling Tuesday afternoon, Judge Allan L. Gropper (pictured coming out of the courthouse late last month) overruled objections to a plan to pay about $1.3 million to managers in exchange for duties including firing scores of employees, closing newspapers (referred to as “shutdown bonuses”) and remaining with the company. Anybody want to give me a million-dollar bonus for closing the blog down? Via Romenesko. A. Continue reading Shutdown Bonuses

Immoral Values5 Comments

Insert Own ‘Severance’ Joke Here

Oh, those family-values Republicans: LAS VEGAS – The sex scandal engulfingSen. John Ensign has deepened now that his former mistress’s husband has revealed new details about the relationship, saying the Nevada Republican paid the woman more than $25,000 in severance when she stopped working for him. Doug Hampton also provided a letter to the Las Vegas Sun that he claimed was a handwritten apology from Ensign to Cindy Hampton, a former treasurer for the senator’s campaign committees. “I used you for my own pleasure,” the letter reads, later adding. “Plain and simple it was wrong; it was sin.” I think … Continue reading Insert Own ‘Severance’ Joke Here

Immoral Values10 Comments

Freedom’s Just Another Word for Get Over It Already

OMG WOMEN WILL USE FREE HEALTH CARE TO GET GAY ABORTIONS! Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee are pushing for language in health care reform legislation that would eliminate coverage for abortion services. If this happens, many women could lose coverage for abortion services that their private insurance currently includes. Plus, millions of uninsured women will still lack a basic health care service despite having been promised a better quality of life. If these senators are allowed to deny coverage of abortion services, the burden will inevitably fall on low-income women and widen the huge gap in health status and … Continue reading Freedom’s Just Another Word for Get Over It Already

Immoral Values5 Comments

Once Again, Black People Fail to Please Bill O’Reilly

It’s hard out here for a simp: So Bill O’Reilly and his twin blondes of the apocalypse would like to know where all the mourning black people were when John Lennon died or something. Leave aside that no one is required to mourn anyone, that you should love people while they’re alive and then recognize that after their deaths it’s about you and not them, that everybody deals with death differently. Leave aside that this isn’t a contest of pop culture death bingo or something where you have to fill in all the squares of people you’ve grieved for in … Continue reading Once Again, Black People Fail to Please Bill O’Reilly

Current Affairs15 Comments

An ounce…

I started the day with a bang this morning–a dentist visit. In my case, that often involves fillings, crowns, etc. Yes, I look very much likethis. Only a lot shorter. So you would think, wouldn’t you, after my dental insurance people covering filling after filling, crown after crown, root canal after root canal, that maybe–just maybe–they’d be interested in preventing more such procedures? Ah, silly me. You know better, don’t you? This is health care in America, where the abbreviation POS means exactly what you think it does and where an ounce of prevention equals $560 in out of pocket … Continue reading An ounce…