Archive for December, 2009

While this weekend brought a Nor’easter of record proportions to New England, it seems that, sadly, the biggest casualty of  some other form of white stuff may have dropped like a snow angel in Hollywood.

Brittany Murphy

Back on the East Coast, the snow storm provided a perfect “hook”  to report on the Health Care “snow job” coming down simultaneously in Washington for journalists from the New York Times and Fox News. It was low-hanging, frost-bitten fruit.

I too was tempted to do a “2009 snow-job” round up…

Any 2009 snow job recap of liars and crooks might mention the hypocritical Promise Keepers of C-street: Senator Ensign and Governor Sanford. Who are, frankly, no less hypocritical than the reptilian John Edwards. But to be honest, I couldn’t care less about who any of them are banging.

Crazy Orly

The biggest snow jobs of 2009 would probably also include those wacky snow-blower-hards: The Birthers. Lead by the certifiable Birther Queen, Orly Taitz, from (get the audacity of dope here) the former Soviet Union.

These wack jobs spend countless hours scouring the internet for some “proof” that Obama can be impeached because he’s really a Muslim from Kenya. And while their brand of crazy is certainly disconcerting…

I’m more concerned about the biggest, smartest and best liar of 2009, Liz Cheney. This evil spawn spent her time on TV giving  tacit support to fringe groups like the birthers and trying to rewrite history as it related to the sins of her father. And all the while she defends the indefensible with a Gaga-like poker face.

So be warned: this storm is just getting started and is sure to take a big dump on all of us soon. Lady Cheney, like her father before her, seems determined to Keep America Scared through her website. Which looks conspicuously like a campaign site to me.

Lady Gaga Cheney

Love the go-cup (s). Classy SNL appearance!

Snooki

Always the victim, Sarah Palin had to cut-and-run her vacation short because of an ill-advisor-ed fashion slip. I mean are you really so stupid, so tacky or so cheap that you took a magic marker to an old hat and wore it out in public? I guess she kept ALL the clothes from the campaign, even the promotional swag. Well you can be certain that this beauty queen wouldn’t be caught dead wearing old campaign gear….You bettah WORK GIRL!

Its been a big coupla weeks for us Italians. It seems Italians from Perugia to Milan, and now even the Jersey Shore, are starting to overshadow the big upcoming Christmas show at the Vatican. And that cannot be met with favor from the Holy See.

First Amanda Knox, aka Foxy Roxy, is convicted of murdering an innocent British roommate who’s only crime, it was alleged by the British press, was to have refused participation in a wild sex romp. And it was interesting to see how different the take was on this story depending on where the report was coming from. In England it wasn’t about Amanda…it was about Meredith’s murder and murderers. But here in the US, Senators and newspapers were convinced that it was America itself that was on trial. That the Italians despised the vulgar American lifestyle epitomized by drunk college students ruining their idyllic villages. Journalists in Italy and England reacted with disdain to the US characterizations of the Italian Justice System. While the American press certainly has a fascination with a blue-eyed, fair-skinned beauty in trouble overseas (Natalee Holloway… memba her?) the truth in this messy matter will not be resolved in the press. Appeals to come, it ain’t ova yet. So in the meantime I suggest that Roxy settle into her cell and enjoy some of those delicious Baci chocolates made right there in her new hometown. And if the Italians in Perugia hate Americans so much, why do you think they use an American-style English language jingle for their most famous export?

This week also brought yet another bloody nose to Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Earlier this year after sex and corruption scandals his wife of 15 years finally filed for divorce (note to Elin Woods…this could take years). But this time the attack drew real blood. What I loved about this particular incident is that it underscored just how much Italians everywhere love a statue. The alleged assailant used a replica of the Milan Cathedral as the weapon of choice. I hope the irony was not lost on Silvio.

The "weapon" was probably a statue a little larger than these replicas of the Milan Cathedral I found for sale on E-Bay. Ouch...these jagged little sukas would hurt.

But Silvio’s antics pale in comparison to da “classy” lifestyles of the real Italian Stallions back here on our own shores…the Jersey Shore to be specific. This show is a big, if controversial, hit for MTV. And while at least one sponsor Domino’s (no stranger to controversy themselves) has pulled out, this looks to be a ratings and revenue bonanza for the network.

So all the fuss is about the image of Italian Americans portrayed by MTV? About the negative stereotype evoked by the word Guido? Gimme A Friggin’ Break! This isn’t an Italian problem. Its a New Jersey problem. Its what happens to Italians when they GET to New Jersey. Don’t believe me? Look no farther than here and here and here. Now granted, the same transformation happened to Italians that settled in say, Dyker Heights Brooklyn. But it is by far NOT universal. I mean I didn’t even know what a Guido was growing up in and Italian family in Ohio. Never heard the word.

So I’m not sure why the Italians have stepped up to take the heat…its New Jersey that needs to own it. Well I’m gonna sign off now…got some Christmas shopping and decorating to do. Here’s a great site if you need ornaments. And there’re some amazing nativity scene ideas here in case you haven’t set yours up as of yet.

Ciao.

Bathtub Grotto

It got a little cold in New York yesterday. All this talk about climate change gives me a shudder. And, I have to admit, part of me likes the idea of warmer winters. I mean, I don’t really remember what the temperature was last week…but all I know is I was not wearing my old down coat…and I liked it. I’m just sayin’.

Somethin's Meltin'

So everyone’s off to Copenhagen for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (and if you’re there, heres some helpful info that you’re not gonna find in the conference guide, thank me later).

It all seems to be taking place under a dark (probably CO2) cloud of scandal: Climategate!

Fox is all over this scandal. They are reporting on the hacked emails from The University of East Anglia (huh?) at every turn and accusing the “mainstream media”, which I guess Fox is not part of, of both distorting and ignoring the scandal. The emails, they say, prove that climate change is a hoax. The right wing blogesphere is all a twitter with the possibility that the Climate change convention will be a bust because of it. And the scandal hasn’t escaped notice in Copenhagen either. If this conversation about who is censoring what sounds familiar, just look back at how the Bush Administration was accused of pretty much the same thing by countless news organizations in the last term.

Now I’m one who believes more in money, power and the agendas they breed than coincidences. So it seemed a little too Convenient of a Truth that this scandal breaks out on the eve of the most important climate meeting ever without good measures of both. So I turned to Rush for some guidance…and I think I got it.

Rush has this to say about AL Gore and Climategate. Toward the bottom of the page, if you want to learn more Rush suggests some reading and sends folks to Climate Depot for a “news” update.Climate Depot (not to be confused with former MTV’er Sarah Beatty’s  very cool new store Green Depot) from the looks of this site, seems like something put together by an average Joe The Blogger who just cares ’bout Amurhica. But if you look closely, its a project of  CFACT. And if you check CFACT out just a little, you see that they are heavily  funded by Exxon. Now there’s a concerned party…with money and power…and  a lot to lose. Just like our friends from Saudi Arabia who also seem very concerned about Climategate.

So I don’t know…bout the sience or the politics. All I know is this. While I like the warmer weather…I also miss the snow.

That's me in Zanesville, I'm probably about ten and that's a few feet of snow.

So what’s the big deal? If the vast majority of scientists on this earth say shit is melting and, as MSNBC’s Jeff Corwin reports in his amazing Future Earth series, one out of every five species on the planet may become extinct in the next 20 years…what’s the big deal in responding? Worst thing that happens is the air gets cleaner, a few frogs see the next decade and jobs are created in a whole new Green Industry.

But if we choose to ignore it because the people with the most to loose tell us to, then maybe Mr Squiggles and other mechanical toys like him will just have to be as close as we’ll ever get to a real living Cheetah. But be careful what you wish for, these little China dolls aren’t without their own toxic downside.

The new wildlife

According to this story, it looks like Sarah prefers a spud to a rice bowl. I am, however, more than willing to believe that her dad is just Dim Some.

Dumb in the dorm.

If you haven’t already seen this…take a look. Its from a Chinese news service. They probably have to animate because they have no agreements with other news outlets for sharing footage. Or maybe this is just the way they like to present a “fair and balanced” look at  the news. This is now my new favorite Tiger video.