'Best of TBH Politoons'
Thanks, again, Tim!
Reader Rant
Of Monopolies & Grocery Strikes
The southern California Grocery strike caught us all off guard. Nearly 5 months ago we decided if we would cross the pickets or support them. From the get go, my family decided to support the workers.
We drove another 2 miles to a union grocery not involved in the strike and brought the striking workers at our local Albertsons cookies or donuts and sodas every week. Each Tuesday, shopping day, I would encourage the strikers. Praising them for defending the liveable wage we all seek; I would say 'I'll see you next week, hopefully inside!'
This Tuesday I went back inside my store and was greeted by my friends and former strikers. The hugs and tears were well worth the inconvenience, as if I had sacrificed what these workers lost!
70 thousand hard working people, looking for a fair contract lost out to a monopoly. As all our jobs are maginalized and outsourced, we should consider these brave people and the future of all workers.
~ Cal P.
Thanks, Cal!
My sentiments, exactly.
The Wall Street Poet
Greenspan And Social Security
Alan Greenspan had a great plan
Back in nineteen eighty-three;
He said his plan would surely save
Social Security.
Folks would kick in something extra
From their weekly sal'ry check;
Send the dough into a Trust Fund
To prevent a system wreck.
But instead the Trust's been rifled
Bit by bit by Beltway slicks,
The money used to help disguise
Yearly budget deficits.
Now this Trust's become a bad joke,
One that makes the slickers nervous;
Just an IOU collection
That more taxes soon must service.
So the Chairman has a new plan
That he says will make things right:
"We'll cut the bennies of the old
To help ease our fiscal plight."
I must say it occurs to me,
Given Greenspan's history,
Instead of a new recipe,
He owes us an apology.
© 2004
**********
For more political verse: http://www.beltwaybard.com
from Mark
¿Cómo se dice "pendejo" en inglés?
Reader Review
The Agony Of Watching Mel's Movie
Wow, my wife dragged me to see "The Passion of the Christ," directed and written by Mel Gibson. This movie dashed what little faith I had going into the movie.
The best short answer to describe the movie is extreme overkill. There is more bloodletting in this show than in all 5 of the Rocky movies put together. It is more believable that Rocky actually beat Apollo Creed than it is that Christ could have endured all that torture.
I'm no doctor but I believe that if Gibson's rendition is true, Christ would have bled to death approximately 30 minutes after the beating by the Roman soldiers began. Then Christ wouldn't have lived long enough to be crucified, and the Christian faith would never have been born.
Maybe that's how it should have happened? Anyway, I didn't see any anti-Semitism in the show. The Jews led by Caiphus, demanded that Christ be crucified, and they were not presented in a favorable light, but it is not believable that so many people would have stood idly by while the most inhumane treatment to another human being took place for what; for claiming to be the Son of God? Naw it's just not believable.
This movie robbed me of 2 hours of my life.
You can get the same effect of actually seeing it if you could torture 50 lovable puppies to death in a two hour period.
Greg W
Columbus, Ohio
Thanks, Greg!
Sounds as entertaining as sticking firecrackers up a frogs' butt.
from Mark
Another Bumpersticker
Selected Readings
from that Mad Cat, JD
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Had a little sun, some clouds, a bit of rain and a lot of wind.
All the local TV stations had cameras at Ahnold's polling place in the Pacific Palisades before 8am, ready for a cut-in of his voting. Ahnold was running late - the line was 'he had to drop his kids off at school'.
A little over half an hour later, he finally showed up, and started electioneering at the polling place, while all the talking heads talked about how cool he is.
Even after it was pointed out that it was illegal to electioneer at a polling place, Ahnold was excused by the talking heads - they found it endearing.
How cute, the governor doesn't have a clue about the law?
I'm so old I can remember when the media was required to remain impartial.
And if they were sucking somebody off they had the professionalism to do it in private.
The Thursday page will have a new feature - 'Trimmed Bush' from Felipe - or is it Phillip? ; )
Tonight, Wednesday, CBS begins the night with '60 Minutes II', followed by a FRESH 'King Of Queens', then a
RERUN 'Raymond', followed by a RERUN 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'.
Scheduled on a FRESH Dave are Ben Stiller and Chloe Pang.
Scheduled on a FRESH Craiggers are Jeff Gordon, Richie Sambora, and Wyclef Jean.
NBC starts the night with the weekly RERUN of last's week's 'Trump Atrocity', followed by a FRESH
'West Wing', then a FRESH 'Law & Order'.
Scheduled on a FRESH Jay are Carmen Electra and Benny "Boom Boom" Koskey, and Yellowcard.
Scheduled on a FRESH Conan are Snoop Dogg, Paul Bettany and Mr. Geography.
Scheduled on a FRESH Carson Daly are Brian Williams and the Sounds.
ABC starts the night with a FRESH 1-hour 'My Wife & Kids', followed by the Season Premiere of
'Stephen King's Kingdom Hospital'.
Scheduled on a FRESH Jimmy Kimmel are Molly Sims, with this week's guest co-host Tracy Morgan.
The WB offers a FRESH 'Smallville', followed by a FRESH 'Angel'.
Faux has a FRESH 'That 70s Show', followed by a FRESH 'American Idol', then a FRESH
'The O.C.'.
UPN has a FRESH 'Enterprise', followed by the clumsily-named, but FRESH, 'The Mania Of Wrestlemania'.
Check local PBS listings for 'Great Performances' where 'Concert For George' - the tribute concert to George Harrison debuts.
A&E has 'American Justice', 'Biography' (the Genovese family), 'American Justice', and 'City Confidential'.
AMC offers the movie 'The Fighting Seabees', followed by the movie 'The Day The Earth Stood Still' (Klaatu barada nikto!), then the movie 'War Of The Worlds'.
BBC -
[6pm] 'BBC World News';
[6:30pm] 'Cash in the Attic' - Davies;
[7pm] 'House Invaders' - Halesowen;
[7:30pm] 'Changing Rooms' - Willenhall;
[8pm] 'The Life Laundry' - The Robinsons: Sheffield;
[8:30pm] 'House Doctor' - Episode 8;
[9pm] 'The Thin Blue Line' - Fire and Terror;
[9:40pm] 'Keeping Up Appearances' - Episode 1;
[10:20pm] 'Keeping Up Appearances' - Episode 2;
[11pm] 'The Life Laundry' - The Robinsons: Sheffield;
[11:30pm] 'House Doctor' - Episode 8;
[12am] 'The Thin Blue Line' - Fire and Terror;
[12:40am] 'Keeping Up Appearances' - Episode 1;
[1:20am] 'Keeping Up Appearances' - Episode 2;
[2am] 'House Invaders' - Halesowen;
[2:30am] 'Changing Rooms' - Willenhall;
[3am] 'The Thin Blue Line' - Fire and Terror;
[3:40am] 'Keeping Up Appearances' - Episode 1;
[4:20am] 'Keeping Up Appearances' - Episode 2;
[5am] 'The Life Laundry' - The Robinsons: Sheffield;
[5:30am] 'House Doctor' - Episode 8; and
[6am] 'BBC World News'. (ALL TIMES EST)
Bravo 'West Wing', followed by the movie 'Highlander', then 'West Wing', and another 'West Wing'>
Comedy Central has 'MAD TV', 'Trigger Happy TV', 'Insomniac', 'South Park', another 'South Park', then 'Chappelle's Show'.
Scheduled on a FRESH Jon Stewart is serial philanderer Rudolph Giuliani.
History is all 'Modern Marvels' all night.
SciFi has the movie 'Urban Legend', followed by the movie 'The Rage: Carrie 2', then the movie 'Idle Hands'.
TCM
TCM spends the day celebrating Jean Harlow (today would have been
her 93rd birthday), then pays tribute to Charlie Chaplin all night.
[6am] 'The Beast Of The City' (1932);
[7:30am] 'Red Headed Woman' (1932);
[9am] 'Hold Your Man' (1933);
[10:30am] 'The Girl From Missouri' (1934);
[11:45am] 'Riffraff' (1935);
[1:30pm] 'Reckless' (1935);
[3:30pm] 'Suzy' (1936);
[5:30pm] 'Personal Property' (1937);
[7pm] 'Harlow: The Blonde Bombshell' (1993);
[8pm] 'Charlie: The Life and Art of Charles Chaplin' (2003);
[10:15pm] 'The Kid' (1921) SILENT ;
[11:15pm] 'Chaplin Today: The Kid' (2003);
[11:45pm] 'The Idle Class' (1921) SILENT ;
[12:30am] 'Charlie: The Life and Art of Charles Chaplin' (2003);
[2:45am] 'Tillie's Punctured Romance' (1914) SILENT ;
[4am] 'Chaplin at Essanay Studios III' (1915) SILENT ;
[5:45am] 'Chaplin at Essanay Studios IV' (1915) SILENT . (ALL TIMES EST)
Actor Harry Belafonte gets a hug from Director Jonathan Demme at a 50th Anniversary Screening of 'Carmen Jones,' presented by 'Monday Night with Oscar,' in New York March 1, 2004. Belafonte who starred in the film, which was nominated for two Academy Awards, celebrates his 77th Birthday today.
Photo by Albert Ferreira
The Information One-Stop
Moose & Squirrel
Too Rich for Broadcasters to Drop
Raunchy Radio
Pulling the plug on foul-mouthed commentators or racy performers would cost U.S. broadcasters far more than having to pay an occasional fine for indecent programing, making them unlikely to give up their raunchy but highly rated shows, media analysts said.
Radio shock jock Howard Stern, who was pulled from six markets by broadcaster Clear Channel Communications Inc. last week for making crude comments, generates as much as $100 million in advertising and fees for his nationwide carrier Infinity Broadcasting, a unit of Viacom Inc., analysts said.
That kind of take could carry greater weight than a push in Congress to raise fines for indecent programing to as much as $3 million per violation, although broadcasters would be loath to be labeled obscene or stir more discontent among viewers angry with what's on the airwaves.
For the rest, Raunchy Radio
Reruns To TNT
'Alias'
"Alias" has infiltrated TNT, which acquired syndicated rights to the ABC spy series for a relatively modest sum.
The drama-heavy cable network bought "Alias" on a nonexclusive basis for less than $200,000 per episode, sources said. The sum is well below not only the almost $1 million asking price six months ago, but less than the seven-figure bills TNT foots for other primetime series, including CBS' "Without a Trace" and NBC's "Law & Order."
"Alias" will begin airing five nights a week on TNT in fall 2005. Although the show is in its third season on ABC, TNT is believed to have rights to episodes until at least its fifth season. ABC and its Disney corporate sibling, Touchstone Television, which produce the show, have "Alias" star Jennifer Garner under contract through the 2007-08 season.
With little interest in "Alias" from competing cable networks, TNT is said to have waited until the price plummeted before scooping it up. The show's Disney-owned syndicator, Buena Vista Television Distribution, likely will meet with the same tepid demand in broadcast syndication when it begins the difficult task of finding a weekend home for "Alias."
'Alias'
Rita Wilson, left, Christina Aguilera, second from left, Nicole Kidman, second from right, and Tom Hanks pose for photographers as Nicole Kidman is honored by EIF's Womens Cancer Research Fund an Honorary Chairs Monday, March 1, 2004, in Los Angeles.
Photo by Chris Polk
Able to Walk Again
Roy Horn
Five months after he was mauled by a tiger, illusionist Roy Horn of "Siegfried & Roy" was able to walk again with the help of a wheeled walking aid, a spokeswoman for the duo said Tuesday.
Horn, 59, managed to walk 558 paces last week with the assistance of the device, spokeswoman Claudia Dressler said from Munich, adding that he has "strong willpower" and is training intensively.
Roy Horn
Siegfried & Roy.com
Back on Cartoon Trail
Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney is back on the cartoon trail, 20 years after his best-selling "Rupert And The Frog Song."
The former Beatle, an avid fan of animation since childhood, is releasing "Tropical Island Hum," the tale of Wirral the Squirrel with a Liverpool accent.
"In animation, it's good to have a bit of a childlike quality about yourself and I certainly have. It's just something that is in me," said McCartney, announcing the imminent DVD release of the short film.
Paul McCartney
In The Kitchen With BartCop & Friends
Takes Role On 'Law & Order'
Mayor Michael Bloomberg
Billionaire Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who made his fortune as a media mogul, is taking a stab at a new role on Wednesday -- that of television actor.
The mayor, however, should not be overly taxed by the challenge. Bloomberg will play himself in an episode of NBC's "Law & Order" that will be filmed on Wednesday in City Hall, his spokesman said.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg
Slashes Jobs, Ousts Bigwigs
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group announced 1,000 job cuts and a shakeup of top management on Tuesday, one day after Edgar Bronfman Jr. closed a deal to buy the company from Time Warner Inc.
The company is also consolidating the back-office functions of its Elektra and Atlantic labels. The job cuts, which are equivalent to 20 percent of Warner Music Group's global work force, will take place over the next month.
Three senior executives will also be leaving the company: Val Azzoli, the co-chairman of Atlantic Records; the label's co-president Ron Shapiro, and Sylvia Rhone, the chairman of Elektra.
Ahmet Ertegun, the founder of Atlantic Records, will be staying with the company but his exact role has yet to be determined, according to company spokesman Will Tanous.
For more, Warner Music Group
Dolly Parton smiles after receiving the 'Reading Works!' award given by NashvilleREAD during a luncheon Monday, March 1, 2004, at the Stadium Club at Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tenn. The award is give to a person or persons who have brought awareness of literacy needs in the community to the forefront, demonstrated long-term support of literacy programs, advanced the literacy of children and families and helped to improve the standard of living for Tennesseans.
Photo by George Walker
Playing at Fenway?
Jimmy Buffett
First they hosted "The Boss." Now the owners of the Boston Red Sox are hoping for a siege of "Parrotheads" at Fenway Park.
Team officials have applied to the city for entertainment licenses to stage Jimmy Buffett concerts on Sept. 10 and 12.
It would be the second big act to play Fenway in a year after Bruce Springsteen's shows last summer, the first rock concerts in the venerable park's history.
Mayor Thomas Menino, a Buffet fan, said there's no reason the show shouldn't go on, and said he wants to convert a neighborhood parking lot the Red Sox own into an all-day party spot for Parrotheads, as Buffett fans are called.
Jimmy Buffett
Hopes for Stephen King Crowds
Lewiston, Maine
Officials in Maine's second-largest city hope an upcoming Stephen King miniseries about a haunted hospital will bring an influx of tourists eager to visit the places portrayed in the show.
"This is the type of publicity that the city could never afford to buy," Lewiston Mayor Lionel Guay said. "This is going to be national."
The 15-hour "Kingdom Hospital," which begins Wednesday night on ABC, was shot in Vancouver, British Columbia, but is set in Lewiston.
It's is inspired by a Danish miniseries, "The Kingdom," by Lars von Trier. King adapted it, loosely basing some events on his own 1999 accident, in which a van struck him while he was walking along a roadside. Much of his recovery took place at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston.
Lewiston, Maine
Formerly 'The Vidiot'
CBS Hopeful Sitcom Will Return
'Raymond'
CBS President Leslie Moonves said he's guardedly optimistic that his most popular comedy, "Everybody Loves Raymond," will return next season — but he's discussed a spinoff just in case.
Moonves said he hoped to conclude negotiations on a return of the Monday night comedy within the next few weeks.
CBS has talked about a potential spinoff involving Brad Garrett, who plays Romano's brother in the series, but Moonves said no decision will be made until the future of "Raymond" is determined.
'Raymond'
Viggo Mortensen (L) and Omar Sharif, cast members of the motion picture 'Hidalgo' pose during the premiere of the film in Los Angeles, California March 1, 2004. Hidalgo is an epic action adventure set in Saudia Arabia in 1890.
Photo by Jim Ruymen
Oscar Tribute Draws Ire
Leni Riefenstahl
A tribute to Nazi-era filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl during the 76th annual Academy Awards rankled a few Oscar-watchers, who argued the propagandist shouldn't have been included.
During Sunday's ceremony, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences honored Riefenstahl in its list of filmmakers who have died recently.
Leni Riefenstahl
Shelved Statue Linked to Janet Jackson
Disney
The Walt Disney Co. has quietly shelved a life-size statue of Mickey Mouse inspired by singer Janet Jackson, who was roundly criticized for a risque Super Bowl halftime performance.
The 6-foot, 700-pound statue was one of 75 unveiled at Walt Disney World in Orlando last fall to celebrate the 75th birthday of Mickey Mouse. The statues were inspired by celebrities such as tennis star Andre Agassi, actress Jamie Lee Curtis and comedian Ellen DeGeneres.
The statue inspired by Jackson was clad in a tight black outfit similar to one she wore in 1990 after the release of her album, Rhythm Nation 1928. It was replaced by a spare statue designed by Luis Fernandez, an in-house Disney artist.
Disney
'Christ You Know It Ain't Easy' by Sarah Lucas, is seen in the Tate Britain, London, Tuesday, March 2, 2004. The work, made from fiberglass and cigarettes, is part of the In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida modern art exhibition, which opens March 3.
Photo by John D McHugh
Early Copy To Auction
'Hamlet'
To bid, or not to bid, that is the question that will face collectors when offered a 1611 edition of Shakespeare's "Hamlet" at auction next month.
The extremely rare third quarto edition of the tragedy, that was first published in 1603 is from the collection of Mary, Viscountess Eccles, and is expected to fetch between $1.5 million and $2 million at Christie's sale on April 14.
It is considered the earliest-obtainable copy of Hamlet remaining in private hands, according to the auctioneers.
'Hamlet'
Prime-Time Nielsens
Ratings
Prime-time viewership numbers compiled by Nielsen Media Research for Feb. 23-29. Listings include the week's ranking, with viewership for the week and season-to-date rankings in parentheses. An "X" in parentheses denotes a one-time-only presentation.
1. (X) "Academy Awards," ABC, 43.5 million viewers.
2. (1) "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," CBS, 28 million viewers.
3. (X) "Countdown to Oscars 2004," ABC, 27.7 million viewers.
4. (2) "American Idol" (Tuesday), Fox, 26.6 million viewers.
5. (3) "American Idol" (Wednesday), Fox, 23 million viewers.
6. (4) "Friends," NBC, 22.8 million viewers.
7. (5) "Survivor: All-Stars," CBS, 22.2 million viewers.
8. (6) "ER," NBC, 21.9 million viewers.
9. (16) "My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiance," Fox, 21 million viewers.
10. (9) "CSI: Miami," CBS, 20.3 million viewers.
11. (8) "The Apprentice," NBC, 20 million viewers.
12. (14) "Will & Grace," NBC, 18.1 million viewers.
13. (11) "Everybody Loves Raymond," CBS, 17.8 million viewers.
14. (12) "Without a Trace," CBS, 17 million viewers.
15. (13) "Law & Order," NBC, 16.7 million viewers.
16. (15) "Two and a Half Men," CBS, 16.5 million viewers.
17. (27) "Fear Factor," NBC, 14.9 million viewers.
18. (21) "Law & Order: Special Victim's Unit," NBC, 14.4 million viewers.
19. (34) "The Bachelorette," ABC, 13.5 million viewers.
20. (X) "Barbara Walters Special," ABC, 13.5 million viewers.
Ratings
Separated by a pane of glass, a white cat on the inside of a Brooklyn brownstone tries to play with a black cat sitting on the exterior window sill Monday, March 1, 2004, in New York.
Photo by Kathy Willens
'The Osbournes'
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