'Best of TBH Politoons'
Recommended Reading
from Bruce
Jim Hightower: CEOs FIGHT CORPORATE DEMOCRACY (jimhightower.com)
Time for another Gooberhead Award - presented periodically to those in the news who have their tongues running 100-miles an hour... but forgot to put their brains in gear. Today's Goober comes from that rich treasure trove of gooberness: congress.
David Sirota: Blank Check Democrats & The Danger of Becoming A Blank Check Movement (huffingtonpost.com)
Here we are six months after an election that delivered the Congress to the Democrats based on the American public's desire to end the war. Here we are at a moment when polls show the public firmly supports the Democratic leadership's effort to enforce accountability on the White House when it comes to the war. And yet here we are, once again at the mercy of a small faction of Blank Check Democrats threatening to essentially overturn the 2006 election's mandate and give the big middle finger to the majority of the American people on the most important national security issue ...
Wayne Woolley and Brian Donohue: Recent fortifications at fort didn't include a pizza-delivery plan (New Jersey Star-Ledger; Posted on michaelmoore.com)
Surrounded by miles of chain link fence, with the old side roads that once cut through the base closed off since 2001, Fort Dix is effectively an island nestled in the Pine Barrens of South Jersey. There are only three ways onto the grounds: a trio of heavily guarded checkpoints, with armed soldiers, concrete barriers and an X-ray machine that sees through truck walls. Nobody gets by without a military-issued ID card. Unless they're delivering pizza.
Mike Whitney: "Are we headed for another Great Depression". My talks with Elaine Meinel Supkis (smirkingchimp.com)
Question: I've been getting get more and more e-mails from people who are worried that the policies of the Bush administration will bring about a severe economic downturn or, perhaps, even another Great Depression. Do you believe that the problems in the real estate market, the falling dollar, the massive current account deficit, or the shaky hedge fund industry are likely to cause major meltdown?
Michael Moore faces U.S. Treasury probe
Academy Award-winning filmmaker Michael Moore is under investigation by the U.S. Treasury Department for taking ailing Sept. 11 rescue workers to Cuba for a segment in his upcoming health-care documentary "Sicko," The Associated Press has learned.
Statement in Response to Bush Administration's Investigation of 'SiCKO' (michaelmoore.com)
On September 11, 2001 this country was attacked. Thousands of Americans responded with heroism and courage, toiling for days, weeks and months in the ruins at Ground Zero. These 9/11 first responders risked their lives searching for survivors, recovering bodies, and clearing away toxic rubble. Now, many of these heroes face serious health issues -- and far too many of them are not receiving the care they need and deserve. President Bush and the Bush Administration should be spending their time trying to help these heroes get health care instead of abusing the legal process to advance a political agenda.
Froma Harrop: The French Election and the American Way (creators.com)
France's next president wants his compatriots to be more like us - us, as in U.S. That's what Nicolas Sarkozy's Socialist rival charged during the recent campaign. The French left labels much of what it abhors as "American," not unlike the U.S. right's childish practice of using "French" as a smear.
Froma Harrop: Computing to the X-Treme (creators.com)
Computers have become the new cars. The American lust for speed, power and performance has been transferred from the Corvette to the Athlon 64 FX-60 microprocessor. Computers, like cars, are all about cutting-edge technology, and whoever can get under the hood commands respect.
Richard Roeper: New lease on life comes with big IOU (suntimes.com)
What would you do if you found out you had only a short time left to live? We're assuming you're not going to be in the hospital for the duration. In fact, you feel fine as of this moment -- but you've been told the end is near.
Cinnamon Stillwell: Will Franken: Comedy, Not Political Correctness (sfgate.com)
That last skit ended the show on a powerful note. The would-be terrorist played by Franken does indeed intend to bring down the airplane he and an accomplice have boarded, but it crashes first. "Tell the media we did it!" the suicide bomber exhorts the audience as the figurative plane plunges toward the ground. This time around, there was no laughter, only an uneasy silence.
Little Britain, Gwyneth and me (guardian.co.uk)
Ruth Jones is best known for her banter with the only gay in the village. Now she's starring in her own TV show. She talks to Emine Saner about the comedy of madness, cake, and meeting Ms Paltrow.
Curling up with a good ebook (guardian.co.uk)
It has long been predicted that traditional books are about to be replaced by little machines on which you can download any novel you fancy. But the technology has never really been up to the job - until now. Here Andrew Marr, who treasures his smelly, beautiful library of real books, spends a month with one of the new gadgets.
David Bruce: Commentary: Zombie-killing excursion perhaps isn't best use of a scholar's time (athensnews.com)
I wrote this after receiving a letter from the Ohio University Club Sports Department telling me that the OU Waterskiing Club is traveling to Dale Hollow (a lake in Tennessee? The letter didn't say) for a week to participate in spring training. Much of this letter is taken word for word from the letter I received. I leave it to you to guess which parts I wrote and which parts Ohio University wrote.
Reader Comment
Bear Story
ducks wrote "I'm not a hunter but I understand that bears have to live, as do mooses, but it's NOT a human's responsibility to get in-between them when they are looking for food"
The point I was making was, it would be far better to have a moose on the loose, on your property, than a bear. The point having been lost in the diatribe as to if I am a hunter, or tuned into sensitivities of nature.
Really don't hear of too many moose attacks, bears on the other hand... I hope not to read of that bear attacking some human in the future, because of your inability to act. I, for one, couldn't bear that.
Skyfrequency
Thanks, Skyfrequency!
Heh - my Idaho relatives would've carved up the moose carcass and had the steaks in the freezer before the bear came back.
But, I do agree a wandering moose is less of a threat than a bear. Unless the moose is angry.
OTOH, I try to give lots of space to things that weigh hundreds of pounds more than me, regardless of species.
Selected Readings
from that Mad Cat, JD
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Cool and sunny.
World Food Program Ambassador
Drew Barrymore
Drew Barrymore has been named an ambassador against hunger for the World Food Program.
The 32-year-old actress recently returned from a trip to Kenya, where she toured WFP-supported school meal projects, the United Nations announced this week.
Barrymore joins marathoner Paul Tergat as an ambassador. Tergat, from Kenya, benefited from school meal programs as a child, then won the New York City marathon in 2005.
Drew Barrymore
Returns Home
Les Paul
Guitar legend Les Paul enthralled a hometown crowd at a concert that raised more than $100,000 for an exhibit on his life.
The 91-year-old Grammy winner hadn't played in Waukesha in decades. Even though he claimed earlier he's never nervous before going onstage, he said, "I was lying. I'm nervous tonight."
During his 90-minute concert, he joined his jazz trio in playing tunes such as "Tennessee Waltz," "Lady Is a Tramp" and "Embraceable You" as the crowd paid rapt attention.
Les Paul
Risen From The Grave
Hammer Films
The coffin lid for cult British horror label Hammer Film Prods. has been pried open once again, this time by a group of European investors.
The consortium -- which includes such industry players as Dutch reality-TV mogul John de Mol and Hollywood producers Guy East and Nigel Sinclair -- plans to resurrect the dormant label and put it back into production for the big and small screen alike.
No financial details of the deal, which includes Hammer's 295-title library, were given, but those close to the deal said it was in the millions of dollars.
The new management team is headed by former Liberty Global European executives Simon Oakes and Marc Schipper, with East and Sinclair of Los Angeles-based label Spitfire Pictures on board as non-executive directors.
Hammer Films
At Forefront Of Fight
Jon "Bowzer" Bauman
As the rubber-faced frontman for Sha Na Na, Jon "Bowzer" Bauman brought doo-wop to the hippies at Woodstock. During the days of disco, he took his '50s shtick to TV.
Now, nearly 60 years old, Bauman is still championing the golden age of rock 'n' roll, this time as point man for a push to keep impostors from ripping off his musical heroes.
He's been lobbying U.S. states on behalf of the Vocal Group Hall of Fame for laws to prevent phoneys and fakers from passing themselves off as authentic members of groups like the Platters, the Coasters and the Drifters.
Tennessee's legislature passed Bauman's "Truth in Music" bill Thursday, and it now goes to the governor. Nine other states have already enacted the law; two more are also waiting for the governors' signatures.
Jon "Bowzer" Bauman
Baby News
Wyatt Steven Crow
Happy Mother's Day to Sheryl Crow - the singer-guitarist has adopted a baby boy. "I am so excited to share with you guys that I've adopted a little boy. He was born two weeks ago," Crow announced on her Web site Friday.
She told fans the boy's name "is Wyatt (after my dad) Steven (after my little brother and Scooter) and we are enjoying some very private family time."
Wyatt Steven Crow
Baby News
Dezi James Cubiche
Jaime Pressly has given birth to a baby boy, People magazine reports. The actress, known for her Emmy-nominated role on NBC's "My Name Is Earl," and her DJ fiance Eric Cubiche, welcomed their son, Dezi James, on Friday, Pressly's representative told the magazine. The 6-pound-4-ounce baby was born at 7:31 a.m. in Los Angeles.
Pressly, 29, told People the couple came up the name "Dezi" as a tribute to Cuban-born "I Love Lucy" star Desi Arnaz. The Cuban-American Cubiche does an impression of him.
Dezi James Cubiche
Blasts Bush Over Probe
Michael Moore
Filmmaker Michael Moore has asked the Bush administration to call off an investigation of his trip to Cuba to get treatment for ailing Sept. 11 rescue workers for a segment in his upcoming health-care expose, "Sicko."
"For five and a half years, the Bush administration has ignored and neglected the heroes of the 9/11 community," Moore said in the letter, which he posted on the liberal Web site Daily Kos. "These heroic first responders have been left to fend for themselves, without coverage and without care.
The health-care industry Moore skewers in "Sicko" was a major contributor to Bush's 2004 re-election campaign and to Republican candidates over the last four years, Moore wrote.
Michael Moore
Apologizing Again
Opie & Anthony
XM Satellite Radio shock jocks Opie and Anthony apologized Friday for airing a homeless man's crude comments that he'd like to have sex with Condoleezza Rice, Laura Bush and Queen Elizabeth.
The remarks were made on their show Wednesday by a guest the duo call Homeless Charlie. As the name of each woman came up, the guest said he would like to have sex with her - using language not fit for print.
Because the show airs on satellite radio, there are no federal restrictions on its content. According to XM's Web site, the radio service has parental controls that allow users to block access to channels that frequently contain explicit language. Those channels are designated with an "XL" notation.
Opie & Anthony
Yet Pigboy, on AM radio, plays 'Obama The Magic Negro' daily, with no notice from the MSM.
'Crouching Tiger' Author
Wang Dulu
Ang Lee's 2000 martial arts hit "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" made more than US$130 million at the box office and won four Oscars.
One would think the movie's success would have brought great wealth to the family of the late Chinese author Wang Dulu, who wrote the novel that inspired the film. Not so, says Wang's son in Canadian court documents. Wang Hong said the Wang family only received US$30,000 because they were ignorant about the movie industry and the law.
Now more cautious about protecting the legal rights of his father's works, Wang Hong, a research scientist who lives near Regina, has been caught up in a lawsuit over the movie rights to his father's other novels.
Wang Dulu
Vanquishes Mexico Soft Drink Lookalike
Donald Duck
Donald Duck has chased off a Mexican look-alike after a trademark dispute that simmered for decades between Disney and a beverage maker that copied the hot-headed cartoon character for its logo in 1940.
Pascual Boing, known in Mexico for tropical fruit drinks like mango and guayaba, is ditching its old logo based on Walt Disney Co.'s sailor-suited duck in favor of a rapper-style duck with spiky feathers and a blue baseball cap worn backward.
The updated character still will be known as Pato Pascual (Pascual Duck) and the beverage cooperative already has printed the new logo on some of its packaging. Alfonso Sanchez, No. 2 on the Pascual Boing board, said the company was replacing logos on its trucks and staff uniforms with the new design.
Donald Duck
Faces Tax Charge
Joe Francis
A federal judge ruled Thursday that the multimillionaire founder of the Girls Gone Wild empire should be sent to Nevada to face charges there once he finishes serving a jail sentence in Florida.
Joe Francis, 34, should be released from Bay County custody Tuesday after serving a 35-day sentence for contempt of court. Florida prosecutors want Francis to remain in custody for unresolved 2003 criminal charges involving filming minors in sexual situations on Panama City beach.
Francis also faces legal problems in California where his probation for violating federal laws designed to prevent the sexual exploitation of minors could be revoked.
Joe Francis
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