Colbert earns a salute in Iraq

I want to salute Stephen Colbert. I’m sure he expects it, of course, but this time it is deserved. Because of what he has done for our troops in Iraq.

By now everyone has had the chance to see the new Colbert haircut. And how he got it. Under orders by the Commander-and-Chief himself (that would be President Obama). Who also gave a nice bit of self-mockery with his line about not needing spy satellites with his big ears.

I’m more than happy to see the President mocked in good taste. But the fact that Colbert has brought a bit of home to our troops is a far better sight. It reminds me of what Bob Hope used to do. Something that the major news media seemed hell-bent on ignoring these days.

Stephen Colbert (the man and not the character) is a liberal without shame. So it’s no surprise how often, and accurately, he jabs Conservatives and Republicans in his show. But unlike the Sean Penn’s of the world, Colbert has always supported our troops. He has always made the distinction between serving our nation and the policy makers that require the sacrifices the troops make.

Thus in going to Iraq, he has acknowledged what the major news media has denied for years now. That our U.S. military is doing a good job in a bad situation. That our people are dying because of our system of Government and their belief that it is the best in the world. Faults and all.

You don’t have to agree with the war on terror (a term that our President can’t even bring himself to say). You don’t have to like why we got into this mess, or who gave the orders to do it. You don’t even have to agree with the people that think not talking about the situation, or placating governments in the region, will end the problems. But we all should recognize those that are doing the best they can, ultimately so we can all sleep back home without pause.

That deserves attention. It deserves commendation. It makes Stephen Colbert worthy of a salute.

NASA slaps Stephen Colbert

So I wonder how Stephen Colbert is enjoying the Government slap in the face he just got. It all stems from his recent push to have a new node on the new space station named after him. NASA placed the name of the node up to the decisions of the public, via a poll. Colbert won hands down by a 5-1 margin.

But like the current Administration, what is promised is not exactly what you get. The name of the station will not bear Colbert’s name, instead being called Tranquility. By the way, the 2nd most popular name was Serenity (likely due to fans of the television show and movie). So it seems NASA never had any intention of living up to the projected offer they made to the public.

I find this to be yet another example of the liberal mantra,

“You can say and do anything you want, if it matches what I believe.”

It’s one more example of a Government that really doesn’t care what the public wants. Instead they prefer to steamroll ahead with plans they already have in place. It’s an insult to Colbert, and all the people that got involved in an unpopular attempt by NASA to drive interest into the hundreds of millions they are spending of the public’s money.

I’m not against Colbert, liberals (sometimes), or NASA. I just think that when a Government Agency reaches out to the public, they should stand by their word and the public response. Since we are paying for the space station, and everything in or on it, given the opportunity to make a choice of a name it should be used.

Ultimately NASA has shot itself in the foot. Had they lived up to their word, they would have gained popularity with the next generation of taxpayers that will ultimately fund, or stop funding, their programs. Colbert has influence with this generation; a generation that is more interested with visions of space in the future than the limited reality of just circling the Earth. This will come back and bite them, down the road when NASA asks for more money and this generation will recall that what NASA provides is not what they promise.

There was a saying that I grew up with

“My word is my bond.”

You don’t hear it much these days. NASA apparently never heard it at all. The space station node should be named Colbert. Anything less is unacceptable.

Stephen Colbert's Michael Steele remix

I just don’t know who I am more upset with, Michael Steele or Stephen Colbert. It’s just so hard to say at this point.

The problem starts with the idiotic statements of Michael Steele purporting that hip hop needs to be the means of gaining more Black and Hispanic/Latinos into the Republican Party. Which is just dumb. A bad gimmick and a waste of time.

In fact it’s more than a bit insulting. Just because we are Black or Latino does not obviate us to being hip hop fans. Nor does it mean that we all support the lifestyle choices that are the definition of modern commercialized ghettofabulous hip hop. It in fact flies in the face of the reality that most of the ideals of many of the Black Civil Rights leaders were more in line with current Republican views than those of President Obama and Democrats. And Michael Steele knows this as well as most anyone.

So I don’t blame Stephen Colbert for jumping on that bandwagon. It was just obvious and easy. Not like he is going to take on President Obama for lying to the public about promises he has made. Like pork-barrel spending by the Government, creating a plan to deal with the economic crisis, getting all troops out of Iraq, or giving full transparency to the public on each bill before he signs them into law – to name just a few. Colbert, like Jon Stewart, is far too in love with President Obama to dare touch on those facts.

But as I was saying, Colbert took Steele on in this hip hop is the answer (lack of) mentality. Thus came a challenge to Steele to perform a rap battle. Steele of course fell into the trap, by agreeing to this and then not following thru to do it. You know that Colbert would never let that slide.

Thus we get the following.



Yes it’s funny. Yes the massive man-power and resources of Comedy Central came up with an inventive remix of the many things Steele has said, to achieve a highly biased view of all Republicans. But it irks me.

Not because it’s against Republicans. That’s what Jon Stewart and Colbert do. And they do it well most of the time. It’s just that they are degrading African Americans. All of us.

If you don’t see that, just think of this. If Fox News, or Saturday Night Live (which will never happen) – or Jon Stewart if hell froze over - created a remix of the speeches of President Obama highlighting all the lies and broken promises he has done so far what would be the result? Massive outrage. From Democrats and the media in general as every liberal in the nation would freak-out over the portrayal that the remix implies about African Americans. Yet, it’s the same joke.

Even if you change the person to say Dr. Martin Luther King, or Malcolm X – and highlighted how their political views are actually more in line with Republican values than Democrats today – the outrage would still happen. Perhaps even more.

Thus it makes me ill at ease. Because if you can’t flip the scenario, then something is wrong in the message. Laugh it up, enjoy the humor at Michael Steele’s expense all you want. Colbert makes it work, I admit. But there is more to it. The subliminal message is not positive.

Am I over the top on this? Maybe. Then again, just because someone says it’s only a joke does not make it funny, less cruel or less offensive. Even if they bring it on to themselves.

Alan Colmes - the smartest commentor on television?

I was at my weekly pool league game yesterday when the topic of the departure of Alan Colmes from Hannity & Colmes came up. Several people were surprised at the move, and a couple claimed that it’s just what they would expect from Fox News.

Putting aside the far-left promoted misconceptions of Fox News for a moment, I thought about why this might be happening right now. And I also remembered a recent Word of the day from Stephen Colbert – which was on love lost and love found (highly pro-Obama). And I came to a conclusion that was interesting.

I expect that Stephen Colbert will lose his show, and so will several liberal commentators in both television and radio. Also Sean Hannity will lose his #1 rating, and possibly his time slot. The reason is because Democrats now lead the Congress and Presidency. It’s just that simple. After years of promoting liberal issues (Colmes), and (liberals) demonizing in the most personal way President Bush, they are getting out of the way.

Comedians and political satirists on the airwaves have flourished since the 2000 election of President Bush. Besides the fact that he is as eloquent as a stroke victim (no offense meant to those that have suffered this) it was the fact that President Bush won (liberals still say stole) the election by the slimmest of margins. It was taken as a personal slam by many liberals, and they never forgot it. Most of liberal media was motivated by this to attack President Bush on every issue and front they could cover.

For those that chose comedy and were less venom filled than the extremes, there was success. That led to huge moves forward by Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert as examples. They had an easy target, and they had the support of many liberals. But the most extreme individuals were shunned.

But now there is the media promoted, near flawless (according to many liberal pundits) President Obama. The popularity of this elected official is enormous. As such he cannot do anything but fail these ridiculously high standards placed in front of him. And liberal commentators are realizing that when he fails to keep up to the lofty expectations they will have to critique him harshly. None of them wish to do that.

Add to this the fact that as an African American critique of President Obama will be seen with an eye towards race and race relations. That is an issue America has yet to come to terms with. It’s the dirty secret that everyone knows and few acknowledge. As such comments about President Obama in the negative, from those that lauded him prior to the election will be seen as especially harsh. And that can’t be good for ratings or future career prospects.

So the smartest move is to get out of the way. To let the focus fall on conservatives that oppose the liberal plans of the Democrats. That any opposition will look as if it is entirely partisan (and some of it will be). Thus they can return at a later point and look like shiny defenders of the realm. It’s an interesting political plan, if I am correct.

The problem is that some cannot get out of the way. Like Colbert. And thus he will suffer. Since his television program is meant to mock conservative views, in an Administration of liberal programs he will be hard pressed to mock the Administration and keep the support of his followers. Comedians with similar objectives will face a similar problem. Many will fail as they are too far to the extreme to balance in the new environment.

Alan Colmes may be one of the smartest political pundits the Democrats have. By leaving the #1 rated program on the #1 rated news channel BEFORE President Obama enacts any of his programs (though not before he has broken several campaign promises) he leaves on top. He will continue to support President Obama and the Democrat policies, as an occasional and maybe regular pundit, but that’s not the same.

This will make the views of Sean Hannity seem even more extreme (not to say that several of his views are not already). And it might make some room for critique of President Obama and the Democrat-led Congress to be taken only as partisan. It will definitely make his return, on a more liberal focused program, seem more fair and bi-partisan. Thus Colmes will win big.

All of this makes me see one thing. The news media is far too political and commercialized. There is no room for objective analysis anymore. We have already heard several organizations declare how they slanted their coverage to promote President Obama in the election. Going forward there will be the continuation of this, to the detriment of the public they are supposed to be serving. All in the name of ratings.

And those that critique the politicians, have equally been partisan. Whether it’s David Letterman, Jon Stewart, Chris Matthews, or whomever. But their reward will be the loss of much of these ratings. At least at first.

Television and news media coverage of politics are about to change. Many liberals won’t like what it turns out to be. Neither will conservative be thrilled by the media response. In effect, over the next 2 years the public will lose as will the media. If I am correct, Alan Colmes saw this outcome and stepped out of the way. That makes him the smartest commentator on television at the moment.

Who really belongs on the Top 40 most Influential Men of 2008 list

Everybody loves a list of top anything. You just can’t resist seeing what got rated and how high things were ranked. Everyone has an opinion, this was too high or that was too low. At Askmen.com they have just released their Top 49 Most Influential Men of 2008.

Over 200,000 people voted to establish the men and ranks on this list. That’s pretty impressive. Going through the list I found it interesting not only who and what rank some men were ranked, but also why. This years list includes a bit of a bio and the reasons for the influence of the person. Amazingly, some on the list were ranked for the most inane reasons, in my opinion.

#48 – Lil Wayne. Ranked with an overall score of 73.3 his claim to fame this year was the plethora of songs he has released over his career, and the fact that he was arrested and charged with 4 felonies. Being a rapper there was no surprise in that the charges are related to drugs. So drug addicts (and definitely his drug dealer) are sure to have been impressed that he could get arrested with a massive amount of drugs, remain out of jail, and release an album.

#47 – Criss Angel. Ranked at 73.4. He makes people believe as only Houdinni and David Blaine have. If you don’t see him in Vegas, check out his show on cable television. Amazing.

#46 – Alex Rodriguez. Ranked with a score of 73.9. A real trend setter A-Rod was influential for all the men that want to divorce their wife and hook up with the wife of another guy (who subsequently is also getting a divorce). You might have expected him to have been ranked because of his success as a baseball player, but then again where did the Yankees finish?

#44 – Ryan Seacrest. Ranked in a tie with A-Rod at 73.9, you just have to be impressed that he made the list. The only claim to fame for this guy is American Idol. He must be influential to someone because he is making a career out of the least skill intensive career separate of being a judge on American Idol.

#41 – Lewis Hamilton. Ranked a mere 75.5. The first Black man to break the race barrier in Formula 1 racing, and the best in the world right now (possibly disputable). He has made Formula 1 racing exciting again and is a rage throughout Europe. Considering the reasons some are on this list, how he was not ranked higher escapes me.

#40 – Brett Farve. Ranked 75.9 you just have to love his spirit. He has come back out of retirement and brought life into the Jets game. This has been huge for the fans and changed up all the expectations in the NFL. Perhaps the only people that want this ranked lower are in Green Bay.

#39 – Heath Ledger. Ranked with a solid 77, he’s doing quite well for being dead. His big accomplishments were dying form a drug overdose/mix and his performance as the Joker in the latest Batman movie. Honestly I have never been impressed with his acting, and even less so with his rendition of the Joker. Where was the joke? Maybe that his death catapulted the movie higher than it ever could be if he lived and it was reviewed fairly?

#33 – Brad Pitt. Ranked with a 79.5, and you just have to wonder why. His film Burn After Reading got burned in theaters (he’s done much better). He hasn’t done much else this year except be a dad, which is reason enough to get credit. The big draw for him on the list – his wife Angelina Jolie.

#32 – Harvey Levin. Ranked at 79.5 with Brad Pitt. He is the man responsible for all the news you don’t care to know about Lindsey Lohan and Britney Spears. His gossip website, TMZ.com, is the spot for news that used to only be fit for the Globe. Influencing bathroom reading every day.

#28 – Arnold Schwarzenegger. Ranked 80.8 and the Guvernator. He has made almost as much of an impact on politics as he has in his movies. His influence was felt this year as he endorsed Senator McCain for President over Rudy Giuliani. Up to this point he is the only man on the list that is both well-known and actually influential for something.

#26 – Jimmy Kimmel. Ranked 81.4. Hey you just have to cheer for the success of this guy. And he got ranked above the Guvernator! Good for him.

#25 – David Beckham. Ranked 81.8 and the saviour of the L.A. Galaxy. The man is still a great soccer (futbol in the rest of the world) player and definitely the best playing in the U.S. today. His introduction to U.S. soccer has helped to lift the sport and got the Galaxy to finish above .500 which takes doing. Plus a 70 yard goal is damn hard to do.

#22 – George Clooney. Ranked 83 and far above pal Brad Pitt. Like Pitt I like the acting of Clooney. But he is an outspoken advocate of many causes. He was named a Messenger of Peace by the U.N. this year. His work dealing with Darfur (along with Pitt) is only exceeded by Don Cheadle. Too bad he’s not a Republican.

#21 – Usain Bolt. Ranked 83.2 for his performance at the 2008 Olympics. And it was a performance. Perhaps I was the only one a bit off-put by his showboating especially in the 100 meter race. Yes he’s fast, but if he wants to act he should get a different career.

#19 – Ben Bernanke. Ranked 83.5. Generally everyone on this list was ranked for their positive influence. Bernanke is the only person that I would absolutely say influenced the world with his negative actions. He failed in his monetary policy, his late rate cuts and abysmal attention to the span of the mortgage crisis. Influential and nearly deserving of a jail sentence, he makes Paul Volker look like a smart guy.

#17 – Kanye West. Overranked at 84.2 this performer is only overshadowed by his ego. I mean really, above Bernanke, Beckham, Hamilton, Clooney? Why is he even on the list? What did he influence?

#15 – Jon Stewart. Ranked at 85 he is one of the most important faces of politics today. That is both funny and sad because he is a comedian making fun of what is happening. Considering that he is reported to be watch by more aged 30 and under than regular news for the news it’s little surprise that so many are leaning left in this next election. But he’s just so funny.

#10 – Senator John McCain. Ranked 86.2 you would expect that one of the Presidential candidates would be ranked higher. I’m sure it’s a far-left internet plot (sarcasm if you didn’t guess). Still as one of the men that would run the nation, and with the best outlook for America – in my opinion – and an American hero (indisputable) he should be rated higher.

#9 - Cristiano Ronaldo. Ranked 86.2 he is an international futbol superstar. He had a good year with Manchester United, scoring his first hat trick and won the UEFA Champions League. He had 8 goals for Portugal, including one in the quarterfinals, as Portugal qualifies for the next World Cup.

#7 – Christian Bale. Ranked an astounding 89. Are they serious? I like him as Bruce Wayne, and he was one of the few saving graces in The Dark Knight but let’s be serious. More influence than Senator McCain? Bigger than Jon Stewart? Better than Lewis Hamilton? I think not.

#5 – Stephen Colbert. Can you believe that he is only ranked 89.9? I bet he can’t. And his gut will tell him it was a typo and really is 98.8 only behind Senator McCain. He is the best at parsing politics and being ingenuine in the very ingenuine field of politics. You know he is funny when Republicans watch his fake Republican rants and laugh. (and he is a great Phil Ken Sebin – Harvey Birdman Attorney at Law – Ha!ha)

#4 – Robert Downey Jr. Ranked a cool 90.4 he is the king of the hill right now. Iron Man, the upcoming The Soloist with Jamie Foxx. He is an actor that can make movies like Tropic Thunder look good, and can be huge in anything else. He gives hope that even the worst junkie has a touch of grace, and the ability to overcome any downfall.

#1 – Senator Barack Obama. His rank of 93.1 will likely shock some since it’s not 100%. He is the first African American to have a serious shot at being President. He is intelligent, an orator without current par, young (as politics go) and determined. Even if you don’t like his political positions (and I don’t) you have to respect his rise and ability to bring so many from the apathy most Presidential races fall into. Win or lose the election, he is the face of where politics will be going soon (in 4 years I think he can’t help but win the election).

There are others on the list that some might feel are of note. And some might not agree with the reasons, or lack thereof, for the rankings – or my interpretations. But if I had to list the aforementioned the top 5 would have to be:

• Senator Barack Obama
  
• Senator John McCain
  
• Robert Downey Jr.
  
• Stephen Colbert
  
• Lewis Hamilton
  

And on the list of infamy and negative influence, which should be a separate list:

Ben Bernanke
Harry Paulson
Barney Frank
Chris Dodd
Harry Reid
Nancy Pelosi

Each and every one of them for allowing the mortgage crisis which has created the credit crunch and damaging America.

Slavery: House of Representatives apologizes, Senate silent, Presidential candidates without comment

Excerpt from VASS

Chalk up another victory for Senator Obama and African Americans, and America in general. It’s taken some time but another historical event has taken place, and again it has received about as much fanfare as Janet Jackson’s latest album.

When I started to first write my blogs I wrote about an issue that has plagued every aspect of American life and politics since before the creation of America. That issue is Slavery. I have long been a proponent of an apology from the Government and I am a staunch supporter of Reparations...

“If the average slave worked only 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, 360 days a year for 4 decades of life that’s 158,880 hours of work per slave. If we assume that there were 3 million slaves from 1619 to 1865 (which is a low-ball estimate) then that is 476,640,000,000 hours of work done. Those are BILLIONS of hours. This does not even touch the Jim Crow era. Assuming a pay of just .05 cents an hour in 1865 money (no adjustment for actual worth in money today) that means $23,832,000,000. If I adjust by taking an increase of just 10% for each year for 55 years that’s a 9150% increase to $2,180,628,000,000. That’s TRILLIONS of dollars, adjusted just 55 years at 10%. There’s still another 87 years to go and we are adjusting from .05 cents. If anyone feels that more than TRILLIONS of dollars of work did not change America, they are stupid in my opinion.”

But finally yesterday House Resolution 194 was passed, a mere 5 months after it was introduced to the House of Representatives. House Resolution 194 is

“Apologizing for the enslavement and racial segregation of African-Americans.
Whereas millions of Africans and their descendants were enslaved in the United States and the 13 American colonies from 1619 through 1865;

Whereas slavery in America resembled no other form of involuntary servitude known in history, as Africans were captured and sold at auction like inanimate objects or animals;

…Whereas after emancipation from 246 years of slavery , African-Americans soon saw the fleeting political, social, and economic gains they made during Reconstruction eviscerated by virulent racism, lynchings, disenfranchisement, Black Codes, and racial segregation laws that imposed a rigid system of officially sanctioned racial segregation in virtually all areas of life;

Whereas the system of de jure racial segregation known as `Jim Crow,' which arose in certain parts of the Nation following the Civil War to create separate and unequal societies for whites and African-Americans, was a direct result of the racism against persons of African descent engendered by slavery ;

… Whereas on July 8, 2003, during a trip to Goree Island, Senegal, a former slave port, President George W. Bush acknowledged slavery's continuing legacy in American life and the need to confront that legacy when he stated that slavery `was . . . one of the greatest crimes of history . . . The racial bigotry fed by slavery did not end with slavery or with segregation. And many of the issues that still trouble America have roots in the bitter experience of other times. But however long the journey, our destiny is set: liberty and justice for all.';

Whereas President Bill Clinton also acknowledged the deep-seated problems caused by the continuing legacy of racism against African-Americans that began with slavery when he initiated a national dialogue about race;

… Whereas it is important for this country, which legally recognized slavery through its Constitution and its laws, to make a formal apology for slavery and for its successor, Jim Crow, so that it can move forward and seek reconciliation, justice, and harmony for all of its citizens…”

Only at least 389 years late...

Yet a question has to be asked. Why has the Senate not acted on this resolution? Why did the Representatives not stand up and have their votes recorded for history? Why have both current Presidential candidates shunned and avoided the subject actively?...

The answer is, in my opinion at least, NO we haven’t. If we had there would not be cases in courts like Rodney King or Megan Williams, there would be no deaths like Sean Bell and Amadou Diallo, there would be no outrages like the one enacted by the police in Philadelphia. There would be no way that Michael Richards would have acted in the manner that he did, nor that the media would have railroaded Wesley Snipes as they did. There would be no need for comedians like Stephen Colbert to point out the obvious. And there would be no way that politicians like Frank Hargrove or Tancredo could could say what they have said....

The House of Representatives has taken a step, the Senate must follow that step, and the President must acknowledge and reiterate these actions. And in proving the sincerity and completing the rite of acknowledgement America...

See full posts here

The Confederate Flag - The Colbert Word

Never let it be said that I do not pay attention to the tradidions and symbols of the South. Beyond my rememberance of Rosewood, The Tuskegee Experiments, Jim Crow laws and similar events and actions there are my multiple posts about slavery and reparations (found at Vass and here).

But there are other symbols of the old south that some want to remember with the same fondness and romanticism as found in stories about knights or Ancient Rome or movies about the wild west and indians. Key in that remastered, highly editied, fictional South is the flag - a symbol of a world built upon and sustained by a denial of humanity and a willful diregard for life. The Confederate Flag is everything that the South was, a corrupt ugly crude beastial repressed offense to the mind and soul.

But these are my thoughts.

Stephen Colbert has his own way of looking at the Confederate Flag and what it stands for. What do you think?

It's a flashback to 2006

I was watching Stephen Colbert and I just realized something. Does any of this sound familiar?



Hint: it was 2006

"So the Democrats have won the mid-term elections. Yea for them. Now what? I mean this seriously. What exactly is the Democratic platform on Iraq. No longer can the statement "we need a change" be the answer. The fact is we need a detailed description of what that change is. And it will be the Democratic Party that must be held accountable for what they define as needed change."

Wow, the power of the Colbert Report and YouTube. Amazing.

Stephen Colbert and the Yellow Ribbon Fund - 8.21.2007.1

Leave it to Mr. Stephen Colbert to bring attention to a serious issue by promoting himself. As many readers have noted, I am a fan of the Colbert Report (the T in Colbert is silent). It is a satirical spin on political news that is refreshing and often more informative than regular news reports.

One of the more recent items has been the injury to Mr. Colbert’s wrist. This has lead to his promotion of the WristStrong bracelet. Similar to the various ribbon campaigns, his red wrist band,

“made of the best plastic, red.”

Is a promotion of the wrist injuries in the nation. In a further step of shameless self-promotion, Mr. Colbert has made his wriststrong bracelet available for sale on his website (www.colbertnation.com).

But the reason I’m mentioning it is the serious part of this. For every band bought, the entire proceeds are going to the Yellow Ribbon Fund. That is for real and an issue that needs more attention.

The Yellow Ribbon Fund is dedicated to

...assist our injured service members and their families while they recuperate at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the National Naval Medical Center.

While this only affects 2 military medical centers, serving some 940 of the roughly 24,000 injured American Armed Services members that have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is something. I am always happy to support any cause and organization that betters the lives of those that VOLUNTEERED to server this nation.

My reasons have been mentioned several times in this blog and at Vass, but I will say it again. My father, my sister, and I have all volunteered for military service. My father was a former Marine, who fought in Viet Nam. He suffered from Agent Orange, Post Traumatic Distress, and various wounds in the war. He returned from the war to protests, insults, and a VA medical treatment that I feel was piss poor at best. I would never wish this experience on anyone who has made the commitment to sacrifice everything for this nation and our freedom to do things like write this blog from the comfort of my office.

The Yellow Ribbon Fund may not be the largest organization, it may not reach every injured serviceman, but it is helping to improve the condition and lives of those that have served this nation and their families. I don’t need a better reason than that.

If you do, the WristStong bracelets are merely $5.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Ron Jeremy, Al Franken, Americone Dream - 2.15.2007.2

Well I have to say this sounds like a joke of sorts. A porn star wants to be paid to keep on clothes and an ice cream is named after a conservative. Perhaps the best is a comedian wants to be a politician (then again is there a difference?). They may sound funny [maybe not coming from me but I’m sure they could be] but each is true.

From the top there is Mr. Ron Jeremy. Possibly one of the most famous porn stars, especially for a man, and a veteran of over 1500 adult films Mr. Jeremy is looking to get a regular film career going. It seems that because he starred in the reality show Surreal Life women and young viewers have come to know of him without a connection to his 30 year career. The reality television program has lead to another program and an appearance in a movie comedy Finishing the Game.

I just find it amusing that a star of adult films, reputedly having been with 4000 women is now able to draw female television fans in this very PC world. The irony is huge. Plus this is probably the second best thing to happen to a reality television star. The first was Christopher Knight finding his wife. Third would be the massively unforeseen romance between Flava Flav and Ms. Bridgette Neilsen. I may not have watched these shows but it was almost impossible to not know of these things. And yes I was rooting for Flav and Ms. Neilsen to work things out. Got to root for the underdog, even if it doesn’t make sense.

Speaking of odd fits, Mr. Al Franken is now going to be the real Man of the Year. With the failure of Air America Radio, it went bankrupt in October 2006, Mr. Franken has decided to run for public office. I have to give it to him though, he is very intelligent and does occasionally make some good points. I don’t doubt that he will be the strongest candidate the Democrats will have in Minnesota. I imagine that his speeches and debates could be quite lively, especially if he turns out to be losing in the polls and decides to just ridicule his opponent. I’ll keep an eye out for the video bits, you know there will be lots of coverage.

Possibly the best bit of news though is the new ice cream. It’s the Stephen Colbert’s Americone Dream by Ben & Jerry’s. It sounds tasty. Actually it probably tastes just like liberty, or so it’s advertised. You have to give it to Mr. Colbert. In little over a year he has affected the English language, had mascots and an eagle named after him, and been suggested as a write-in candidate for President along with Mr. Jon Stewart. If you seen the show you’d get why he’s done so well. I can’t wait til 2008 when the real election politics get started and he has a chance to rip the Democrats. I bet he gets a candidate on his show for an interview. I’d love to watch him rip Senator Clinton. That would be worth watching while eating Americone Dream. Talk about feeling the Liberty.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Tancredo and Hargrove - 2.2.2007.1

Leave it to Mr. Stephen Colbert to hit the nail on the head. In discussing Black History Month he brought to light the question of Virginia wanting to express “profound regret” about slavery. Yes the state legislature of Virginia has considered saying they are strongly remembering with feeling a loss the act of slavery they imposed on Africans taken against their will and brought to America to build the nation that has become what we know today. It’s only taken 140+ years since the abolishment of slavery.

Of course not everyone agrees. Mr. Frank Hargrove, a delegate, thinks that Black Americans should just “get over” 246 years of slavery and consideration as property. That the subsequent 100 years of Jim Crow laws and segregation and de facto third-class status should have been more than enough to adjust. I would imagine that he feels that the Civil Rights movement was all the reparation that was due to the descendants of more that 4 million slavers in America. The fact that Hargrove doesn’t want to “apologize for anything” seems to support that thought. Since I infer that Hargrove thinks its such a great idea, or at least no big deal, he wouldn’t mind having all of the stuff he and his family (all of them) own taken away and to have them all go into the fields of farms in his state, owned by Black Americans, and work 20 hours a day seven days a week with out healthcare and no pay. I’m sure they will get over it.

Of course Mr. Colbert pointed out another joyous thought by a politician, in this case Mr. Tancredo. Mr. Tancredo feels that minorities having a caucus is just hypocritical and discriminatory. As Mr. Colbert mentioned it’s not like Congress is anything but overwhelmingly comprised of 45+ year old white men (for the last 200 years or so). Yes, according to Mr. Tancredo minority caucuses need to include the majority so they can fairly represent the views of the minorities in this nation. What a visionary. I’m so happy he his around to help me understand the political goals that will help improve my life as a Black Puerto Rican American.

It’s not like either man would be able to survive a day if they were to live as a minority in this nation, I imagine. Especially if they had to encounter others with views such as their own, I think. But maybe they were able to see how ridiculous they seem, thanks to Mr. Colbert. Hopefully everyone else could see it just by reading what they said.

This is what I think, what do you think?

Bob Marley, Stephen Colbert, & Armed and Cancelled

I am shocked and amazed. The magnitude of this event is inspiring. This may even herald a new trend in television programming. Yeah, right. So what am I almost gushing about? The latest bottom of the barrel scraping, Armed and Famous, has been canceled. This silly idea of a ‘reality’ program flopped, just as I thought it would. The Mayor of Muncie may have felt it was a good idea, a way to show off the police force but the ratings confirmed my thought that it was just stupid. Rather than “showing what they’re doing in the middle of the night…” (something that is better served by COPS in my opinion) it just was something to put people to sleep early in the night. Let hope the executives at CBS learn from this and stop with the ‘reality’ shows. I’m sure they can afford to put on a new television show, and please don’t make it another CSI spinoff.

Well as one Mayor has failed to win an audience for his town, another has lost his birthday. Yes, it’s true. Mayor of Oshawa, Mr. John Gray, can’t celebrate his birthday on March 20th because he will be busy celebrating Stephen Colbert Day instead. Fans of Mr. Colbert’s show and readers here may recall that a bet was made on a hockey game during an episode of the program. The Saginaw Spirit, the Ontario Hockey League team favored by Mr. Colbert due to its Steagle Colbeagle the Eagle mascot, beat the Oshawa Generals 5-4 guaranteeing the day of celebration in Mr. Colbert’s honor.

Now knowing Mr. Colbert, I am sure that there will be something special happening at that event. I would not be surprised to see him visit the city and join in the festivities. Either way, with the added press and interest of fans, it should be a fun time. I might even go up there to see what happens. If I can figure out where Oshawa is. What can I say, it’s in Canada and I’m a better-than-average-yet-geographically-challenged-American. [yes, another bad joke. Are there any comedy writers out there?]

Another trip worth taking will be on February 10th. On that day a concert celebrating singer Mr. Bob Marley will be performed at Nine Miles in Jamaica. The show will be a tribute to Mr. Marley, and the performers will be his sons – sans Ziggy. I wasn’t nearly old enough to go to a Bob Marley concert when he was alive, but his music conveys a feeling to me that it was something I would have loved.

I’m sure everyone has heard a song or several by Bob Marley and the Wailers. Most may not get the fact that Mr. Marley was highly political, and hopeful of world peace. The songs Buffalo Soldier, Wake Up Stand Up!, and many others are wonderful to listen to, but also hold far deeper meanings.

There was a Buffalo Soldier in the heart of America, Stolen from Africa, brought to America,
Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival – from Buffalo Soldier

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery;
None but ourselves can free our mind.
Wo! Have no fear for atomic energy,
'Cause none of them-a can-a stop-a the time –from Redemption Song

Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery;
None but ourselves can free our mind.
Wo! Have no fear for atomic energy,
'Cause none of them-a can-a stop-a the time – from Could You Be Loved

Look, how long (wo-o-o-o)
And the people they (wo-o-o-o) still can't see.
Why do they fight against the poor youth of today?
And without these youths, they would be gone All gone astray – from 400 Years

That until there no longer
First class and second class citizens of any nation
Until the colour of a man's skin
Is of no more significance than the colour of his eyes -
Me say war. – War

Don’t just hear the songs, listen to them. Mr. Marley did more than just entertain, he taught those who took a moment to look deeper. Entertainers like this are far too rare, sadly.

This is what I think, what do you think?

The odd and dumb before the holiday - 12.21.2006.2

Usually I have found that the odd and bizarre tends to appear throughout the weekend, but last weekend there really wasn’t anything. Now this week seems to be making up for that and may well take care of the holiday weekend as well. The odd and dumb are in abundance, so much so that I’m not sure where I will start.

Well perhaps the news that a Komodo dragon is capable of virgin births. Yes it’s true; the big lizards can reproduce without any help from a mate. Nature is just way smarter than us, as scientist had no clue this was possible. But like it was said in Jurassic Park Nature always finds a way. I doubt this spontaneous birthing is as big a deal for Komodo dragons though, and I’d imagine a whole lot less fun.

With the pleasant news done, Miss USA is up. The thing I don’t understand is how this took up so much time. Coverage by news stations was enormous. Almost as much time was given to whether this girl would lose her title as was given to cover several forest fires. Seriously, this was a full day of news with coverage of Mr. Donald Trump giving the girl a second chance. Now compare that to how much attention is being to the letter by Rep. Goode about Muslims. If that’s not odd and sad I’m not sure what is.

For the record, Mr. Trump should have removed her. All this has proven is that if you can bat your eyes enough and cry well you can get away with anything. That is if you are a pretty girl. Not drop dead gorgeous just pretty and young. Try that in the real world and see what happens. It’s not like she did anything to deserve a second chance. All she had to do was show up at events and look pretty, maybe say a couple of words. Tough job.

Millions of women (maybe not that many) move to the city every year. Many are form smaller, well all of them are from smaller cities now that I think about it and they don’t go berserk drinking and allegedly doing drugs and missing work. At least they don’t if they expect to keep their places and have food to eat. She made the choices; she should have reaped the consequences.

Before I mentioned that the attention given Miss USA was sad and what could be worse. I thought about it. The ongoing name calling by Ms. Rosie O’Donnell and Mr. Trump is worse. It deserves even less time that the Miss USA slap on the wrist that sparked it. This is simple, Ms. O’Donnell is wrong. She attacked Mr. Trump on a personal level. She questioned his morality (which was never an issue nor involved in what he was doing) and fidelity (also totally off subject). There was no call for it.

Mr. Trump responded more harshly than needed. But I can understand. She made a personal attack and it hit him. I wouldn’t stand for something like that myself, if I were a celebrity or entertainer. And of course she had to respond. Do we really need hourly reports on this? Is this so important that it all couldn’t be summed up during the evening news?

I’ll say it again, where is the coverage of important items? If the news about a politician essentially claiming that only certain religions should be allowed in the nation, and that only European immigrants should be allowed in this nation, is too real or serious perhaps something else could be covered in this time. There’s always the news that Mr. Stephen Colbert ‘won’ the guitar solo greenscreen battle against the Decemberists. Of course he got a bit of help from Mr. Peter Frampton, but I feel the truthiness of it was all the vindication Mr. Colbert needed. And there would be enough time left over to mull the impact of a tell-all book on Oprah, like it really matters. Or maybe another chance to view the basketball fight and mention the pitiful ‘penalty’ issued to the irresponsible NBA players. Or is that too serious again?

This is what I think, what do you think?