Just Outside Philly

March Madness!!!

2009-03-20T07:32:00.021-06:00

I haven't blogged in a couple of days. Why you ask? OK, maybe you didn't ask; but I am going to tell you anyway. It is March Madness baby!!! There is plenty of madness out there. You just have to know where to look. Here are some of my top picks:

I have seen more details from Obama regarding who his favorite college basketball teams are, then regarding how Geithner is going to fix up this economy. And by the way - what about those AIG players? They get better bonuses that a kid signing on to the NBA. Here are Obama's NCAA picks, in case you wanted to check them out:

And speaking of Obama, how about last night's appearance on Jay Leno? Anyone is entitled to an occasional gaffe. But, never never base any joke on the Special Olympics. You just don't do that. And, how long before a group of special needs kids is marched into the White House to bowl with Obama? I can see the bowling shoes lined up at the door as we speak. He is a video of the oops moment, in case you didn't see it:
This next madness moment I call, "the pot calling the kettle a prostitute." It is brought to us by Elliot Spitzer, the former NY governor and self proclaimed, "Sheriff of Wall Street." CNN explains that Spitzer had this to say in recent interviews: Spitzer says the AIG bonus issue is "penny ante" compared to the billions of the insurer's bailout money funneled to bad banks, and that Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner owes America an explanation, quickly. As for all those politicians piling on AIG this week? Been there. Done that. "We pursued AIG and Wall Street's structural failures in a way that others shied away from because it was politically unpalatable for them to address those issues," Spitzer told host Brian Lehrer Wednesday on WNYC Radio in New York City. "Now it is the flavor of the month. Everybody is jumping up and down serving subpoenas, beating their chests trying to be tougher than the next person."
The entire AIG, large corporation in general, bonus issue, seems like madness to me. There is such hypocrisy surrounding it. If our economy were not in the toilet, would there be such outrage from congress, etc., regarding the huge corporate bonuses? Heck no. There hasn't been any outrage for the last 10 years, while upper management and lower level employee salaries/benefits have been steadily drifting apart for years.

Before I go, I want to wish everyone a peaceful first day of Spring. I bet there will be more madness, even once we head into April.

Always after me lucky charms!!

2009-03-17T12:45:00.012-06:00

Top of the Blog to you, everyone. It is St. Patrick's Day. What is the likelihood of any leprechaun finding a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, this year? Unless he is a CEO with AIG, probably not very likely. Since the economy seems to be the only thing in the pot this year, here is a list of 2009 "pot of gold" replacements for what may be at the end of the rainbow:

2 months of Cobra medical coverage

30 tickets for production of Love Letters, starring Hal Linden and Marki Post

One month supply of Jimmy Dean breakfast, "Flapsticks"

10 "Spend the day with Nancy Pelosi Makeovers"

5 - Bristol Palin-Levin Johnston Getaway stays at Birdridge Motel and RV Park

Train ride with Joe Biden (round trip)

Slum Dog Millionaire Game - play at home version

Life time supply of colonoscopies (free limo and accompaniment by Katie Couric)

Chance to be on Ty Pennington's new ABC show - Extreme Makeover: Foreclosed Home Edition

Partner with Ruth Madoff on Season 9 of Dancing with the Stars

Say Goodnight, Dick.

2009-03-16T07:39:00.006-06:00

Dick Cheney has certainly been vocal for the last couple of months, and I have to say, that I am somewhat surprised. Not completely surprised, but somewhat. I think it was his wheelchair appearance at President Obama's inauguration that led me to believe that Cheney might recede into the woodwork. It did seem a little morose.

Well, anyway, he is definitely no where even near the woodwork. In early February, the New York Times had this to say regarding a Cheney interview: In an interview two weeks after leaving office, former Vice President Dick Cheney predicted a “high probability” of a nuclear or biological attack in the next few years and said the Obama administration was approaching a “tough, mean, dirty, nasty business” of keeping the country safe from terrorists too timidly.

Cheney was interviewed just yesterday on CNN's, State of the Union; during this interview, Cheney said that President Obama had made the country less safe, and that the new administration’s changes to detention and interrogation programs for terrorism suspects would hamper intelligence gathering. Oh, and according to Cheney, our current economic woes have nothing to do with the Bush administration.

Well, so much for the woodwork. In fact, I don't perceive any "goodnight, Dick" in the near future. Remember that line from Rowan and Martin's, Laugh-In? At the end of each show, Dan Rowan would usually tell Dick Martin to, "say goodnight, Dick." That was pretty risque for the 1960s. Just in case you want a little dose of Laugh-In humor, here you go:

Kramer vs Cramer

2009-03-13T07:15:00.011-06:00

I admit it, you had me fooled Kramer. You can across as this quirky but interesting guy, who was very fun to watch. I believed that you were an every man's man, who just happened to make it big on television. I trusted you and felt like I knew you. I thought that you were real and genuine. But, alas, you fooled me and millions of others. Once you thought that the cameras were not rolling, you exposed the darkness that lurks in your heart - and possibly all humans to some extent. Now, when I see you on television, you will never be the same to me.

OK, I am not actually talking about Cosmo Kramer from the Seinfeld show (although if the story fits...). Remember his racially-driven, hate-filled, tirade a while back? I will never forget it. Actually, in this case, I am speaking of money "expert," Jim Cramer, from MSNBC's - Mad Money. He was on Jon Stewart's show last night; he and Jon had been going back and forth for a while now, making comments about each other in a pretend but not-so-pretend barb fest. A recorded interview with Cramer was aired yesterday, and Jon Stewart did a phenomenal job at picking at the scab of hypocrisy that exits within the economic world. I am including a portion of the interview below:

Was some of Stewart's anger misdirected? Well, I guess to some extent. But, Jim Cramer is just one of the millions of money-advising talking heads out there, who told us to invest, while at the same time knowing that the "house of cards" (our economy) was on the brink of collapse for years. So, when does advice stop and entertainment begin? In Cramer's world, it seems that it makes the jump when his advice is wrong. So, if Cramer and those like him tell the public some good advice - it is because they are knowledgable. If Cramer tells us some bad advice (like buy Bear Sterns for example), than we can't get angry, because it is just entertainment. It kind of reminds me of that old Psychic Network with Dionne Warwick. But, who actually pays attention to those disclaimers anyway?

Deal or No Deal

2009-03-11T09:02:00.015-06:00

US Secretary of the Treasury Tim Geithner was interviewed by Charlie Rose last evening. I have a short clip of the interview below:

Here is a portion of the Huffington Post's take on the interview: Towards the end, the Treasury Secretary said that American capitalism "will be different" and the financial system too. But he expressed confidence that a plan that involved putting banks through stress test, shoring up the housing market, and removing the toxic assets away from the books through a combination of public and private capital would, in the end, get the economy running. American capitalism "will be different" and the financial system too. But he expressed confidence that a plan that involved putting banks through stress test, shoring up the housing market, and removing the toxic assets away from the books through a combination of public and private capital would, in the end, get the economy running.

All of this money talk got me thinking about the game show, "Deal or No Deal." You know, the flashy one hosted by comedian, Howie Mandel - with all of the girls and their bright gold suitcases. The part that always fascinates me about the show, is how so many people - many of whom really need the money - pass up good deals (sure things) to go for the unknown - the chance to win a million dollars. In listening to Geithner and all of the other talking heads on the news recently, I realized that for the last decade or so, our banks/government have been playing one big game of, "Deal or No Deal." They, and the millions who invested in them, were lured by the shiny suitcases, while having no idea what the suitcases actually held.

In some topsy-turvey world, it's like the role of Howie Mandel is being played by Bernie Madoff (I don't mean this as an insult to Howie - I love Howie). Except, instead of the contestants just losing the game - they lose much more - like homes and life savings. I have a clip from Deal or No Deal below. I always said that if I ever were on the show, I would go for the sure thing...but you never know:

If it's in a commercial, it must be good for you.

2009-03-10T07:51:00.011-06:00

Have you seen those recent commercials advertising the virtues of high fructose corn syrup. The ads are bright, cheerful, and have a bouncy little tune accompanying them. I am attaching one above. Of course, if something is in a commercial, it has to be good for you. I know, I am being sarcastic - but come on. Even cigarettes used to be advertised on television.

The commercials (there are several of them now playing), remind me of an old Saturday Night Live piece with John Belushi. It was a take-off on the Bruce Jenner-Wheaties era. This was long before the Kardashian family was even heard of. Here is the ad below:

OK, so what is the deal with High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) anyway? Well, it is made out of corn and is comparable in taste to sugar. Those manufacturing giants like Coca-Cola and Pepsi love it because it is a lot cheaper than sugar. In his recent book In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto, journalist Michael Pollan claims that the way that the body processes HFCS is different from the way it processes the glucose and fructose found in other sugars. A study in mice suggests that fructose increases obesity.

Many were hoping that Pollan would actually become President Obama's choice for Secretary of Agriculture; this did not happen. Instead, the honors went to Tom Vilsack, former Governor of Iowa. Back in November of 2008, Ezra Klein had this to say about Obama's choice: Iowa, of course, is a corn state. For the last 14 years, they've been the leading corn producer in the nation. In 2006, they grew almost 2.1 billion bushels. But they don't just grow corn. They also demand subsidies. And they get them. Tens of billions of dollars of them. And corn subsidies are far and away the worst of our food policy abominations -- they make processed food cheaper, meat cheaper, sweeteners cheaper, and create a market for ethanol that would not naturally exist.

So, does Vilsack have anything to do with these recent corn syrup commercials? Who can really say. Probably as much chance of that, as of HFCS being bad for you.

"W"

2009-03-09T10:52:00.007-06:00

I finally watched Oliver Stone's, "W" last night (on-demand), and I liked it much more than I thought that I would. I had heard so many negative things about the film from family and friends when it was in the theaters, that I did not go to see it in the movies. The most common negative comment that I had heard, was that Oliver Stone had portrayed George W. Bush as being more "misunderstood," than "evil." I can understand that point, but perhaps Stone attempted to do something else with the dramatic biography.

There was something "Forrest Gumpish" about the depiction, but I did not feel that it in any way detracted from Stone's portrayal of Bush as egocentric, power-driven, and rigid. It often seemed that we were viewing George W. Bush's life story from W's own perspective - which brought with it the fantasy, almost dream-like presence of the film. In the story, you saw a man whom life happened to, more than a person who made life happen. Even the famous "pretzel choking" scene seemed to bring this to light. Bush was choking on a hard pretzel and couldn't dislodge the food from his throat himself. When he finally fell before passing out, the pretzel piece came flying out when his gut hit the floor. By a fluke of luck, he saved himself.

Stone's subtle portrayal of Bush's egocentricness, played out beautifully in the scenes when he was walking through his ranch with his cabinet members behind him. Bush was enjoying himself, having not one clue - or care - that Condi Rice, Dick Cheney, and others were shvitzing through their suits and ready to pass out. To me, I don't feel that the subtleties in Stone's depiction in any way detracted from the film audience being able to view W as the egomaniac that is was/is. The fantasy-like quality actually made me more angry, than if Stone had portrayed him as full, in-your-face, evil-doer.

Now, Barack Obama is left dealing with the full brunt of the fantasy world that George W. Bush resided in. To put it mildly, that is a heck of a lot of reality. I am thankful that Obama won. Sarah Palin was a little too close to Bush's, "Frontier Land" to me.

Got Guilt?

2009-03-06T21:15:00.015-07:00

I have to admit it; I took that "Got Guilt" slogan from a bumper sticker that I saw. Why do I have to say that? Well, I guess if I didn't, I would feel guilty for taking something and presenting it as my own idea. Guilt can be fascinating. It is definitely a big part of my Jewish culture. You know, the whole Jewish Mother thing.

Lately, one of the types of guilt that I have been experiencing is "blog guilt." I never had blog guilt before. It came out of the blue and hit me last week. It is not guilt regarding writing fewer blog posts, but guilt regarding the actual blog writing process itself. With more and more people dealing with job loss, lay offs, companies closing, poverty, lack of medical insurance, etc - it has seemed increasingly difficult to write about things which may be quite meaningless - in the big picture that is. It is similar to that feeling of it not seeming "right" when laughing about something soon after a death or loss.

Perhaps guilt gets a bad rap. Some guilt - guilt that is not debilitating - may actually be a good thing. It means that a human has empathy and a conscience. It demonstrates that an individual thinks about someone other than him or herself. Thankfully, I believe that we finally have a President in the White House who is capable of feeling guilt. I don't think that either George W. Bush or Bill Clinton were big "guilt" feelers - at least while they were each in office.

So, although I am not Catholic, I am appreciative of being able to have this blog "confession." Humans are resilient, and most guilt does not stick around permanently - at least not guilt regarding one issue. Once you get rid of one kind of guilt - there's usually another type ready to take its place.

Oh - before I go - I just wanted to share a Joan Rivers joke that she used to tell. I am paraphrasing - but it goes something like - "Did you ever see a Jewish porno movie - it is 5 minutes of sex and 1&1/2 hours of guilt."

A picture's worth a thousand words...and then some.

2009-03-05T08:27:00.052-07:00

Whether or not you have ever given or received a Rorschach, most people have heard of it. You know, the famous ink blots that clinicians use as a projective test. The images (see example below) are fairly innocuous: it is the feelings that people project onto the images that provide the meat of the matter. I know that I am simplifying it, but you get the idea.

I thought of the Rorschach Test when reading about how President and First Lady Obama surprised their two daughters with a swing set earlier in the week (see photo above). Talk about a fairly innocuous picture - that of a playground-like contraption on the White House lawn. What was more interesting, however, were the reactions that CNN website readers projected onto the swingset photo. I am posting a few of the comments below. Responses ranged from positive, to negative, to sad, to scary. When it comes down to it, it is those types of feelings that are what many people in the US are experiencing right about now. Of course, anger and prejudice are present even in the best of times; but, poverty doesn't help. To paraphrase Freud, I guess that sometimes a swingset is not just a swingset:

Very cool! Enjoy, girls!

The girls still don't have a puppy.
Life can be so cruel !

I am over 50, and I still don't have a puppy either.
Get over it, girls! You're spoiled ROT-ten.

That looks fun !!!

GOPers complaining that taxpayer money

was spent on this even tho it wasn't…in 3…2…1…

Guaranteed 10+/- posts from GOPers who think
taxpayer money was spent on this. Morons.

Fantastic! The girls need it and WHY NOT!

For crying out loud - it didn't take long to start junking up the White House lawn, did it?

Watermelon patch in the rose garden next?

Being a late night host means never having to say your sorry.

2009-03-03T07:16:00.006-07:00

For the love of god Dave, please don't apologize to Rush Limbaugh. Michael Steele did - which I think was undermining to his role as Chair of the GOP. I think that you have more chutzpah than Steele does. Look - even Katie Couric squirmed a little bit when you mentioned ill of Rush. She was probably thinking - "my ratings just went up a little bit, don't mess it up for me." But, again, this is giving Limbaugh too much power. I am attaching this video below:

When it comes down to it Dave, you and Rush are more alike than different. You are an entertainer who brought a new level of irreverence to late night television, while Limbaugh is a talk show host who brought irreverence to the radio arena (truthfully I think that this was more Howard Stern's doing, but I don't want to split hairs).

So Dave - to borrow a line from Ali McGraw in Love Story - being a late night host means never having to say your sorry. I don't think that Steele should have either.

I Say, I Say Son...

2009-03-02T13:00:00.013-07:00

Something about Rush Limbaugh reminds me of Foghorn Leghorn lately. Remember Foghorn? He was the Warner Brothers' rooster with a strong Kentucky or Virginia accent. He wasn't a headliner, like Bugs Bunny or Daffy Duck, but he was definitely well known for his antics and unique vocalizing style.

During the past several weeks, Rush Limbaugh has been getting a heck of a lot of press. Most recently, there was the comment that he made regarding his wanting President Obama to fail. In particular, that he would want his "socialist" economic agenda to fail. Limbaugh has been going back and forth with Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele, suggesting on his radio show the GOP leader appears to be supporting President Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Limbaugh said, "I frankly am stunned that the chairman of the Republican National Committee endorses such an agenda. I have to conclude that he does because he attacks me for wanting it to fail," said Limbaugh.

Does Rush want Obama - or Obama's economic plan to be more precise - to fail? Who knows? Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't. Some part of me thinks that it really doesn't matter. What does matter - is that Limbaugh is getting lots or press. That is something that he definitely does want. Hey, even Rahm Emanuel stoked the fires last weekend by talking about Rush on Face the Nation: "Well, he was given the keynote, basically, at the Conservative Caucus to speak. When a Republican did attack him, he was -- clearly had to turn around and come back and basically said that he's apologizing and was wrong. And I do think he's an intellectual force, which is why the Republicans pay such attention to him."

So, at least for now, Rush Limbaugh is to the RNC what Foghorn Leghorn is to Warner Brothers - a bold, vocal character to entertain you while waiting for Bugs or Daffy to come on. I don't think that the Republicans know who those lead players will be yet - although it seems that Bobby Jindal isn't up to the task yet. Oh - just in case all this Warner Brothers talk put you in the mood for some cartoons - I am attaching a video below.

Bada Bing - Bada Boom

2009-02-25T07:23:00.015-07:00

All my Godfather talk yesterday put me in the mood to be somewhat "Sopranos-like." I was planning to go into depth in talking about the State of the Union evening; after some reconsideration, I decided to get as Tony Soprano as is possible for me. Here we go:

Bada Bing - Obama's speech was great. He didn't talk down to people, and the man knows how to work a room.

Bada Boom - Bobby Jindal's response to the State of the Union really sucked. He was talking at us like Mr. Rogers - a fake Mr. Rogers at that. I kept waiting for the trolley to come around the corner. And another thing, he said that us regular individuals are supposed to solve problems, because look how bad the government did in response to Katrina. Hey buddy, aren't you forgetting something? Your people were in charge during Katrina.

Bada Bing-Bada Boom - Hey Mr. George Will, real men do hug. It doesn't mean that we are fags - not that there's anything wrong with that. I remember a couple of your own buddies doing some hugging - OK - it was pitiful hugging, but it was still hugging.

I am attaching a video you might want to watch (see below). If you want to watch it, go for it. If you don't want to watch it, I really don't give a $%$#%.

Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.

2009-02-24T13:41:00.011-07:00

I have never been a big fan of the Godfather movies. I know that they are critically acclaimed films; I even know many of the more famous lines. The actual love for the movies seems to be more of a guy thing. Despite this limited Godfather knowledge, there was something "Godfather-esque" about Michael Steele's (RNC Chair) take on how the Republican Senators (all three of them) who backed the economic stimulus package should be handled by the GOP. Here is the Huffington Post's report on the interview:

During an appearance on Your World with Neil Cavuto yesterday, Michael Steele told the host that he was "open to" punishing Senators Susan Collins, Olympia Snowe, and Arlen Specter for their votes on the stimulus package, by withholding RNC monies for their re-election bids. He then said he was "open to everything, baby," because that's his bold shtick: inserting the word "baby" into everything.

I am attaching the clip from Fox News:

I am in no way saying that the GOP wants to physically harm Senators Collins, Spector, and Snowe. It does feel, however, that there is some sense of "you voted for the stimulus - you brought dishonor to our family." The family, in this case, is the GOP.

Before I end, I just wanted to include a brief snippet of my favorite Godfather line. Peter Clemenza (played by Richard Castellano) utters it right after Paulie Gotto is shot in the head. In one short phrase it demonstrates that business is business, and that family comes first (Clemenza's wife had asked him to bring home dessert). Here is the short clip below:

And the Oscar goes to.....Hope!!!

2009-02-23T10:01:00.006-07:00

Let's face it, the 81st showing of the Academy Awards last night had no other option but to go with "hope" as the major winner. It was inevitable. Obama is in the White House, and you can't be angry. At least the entertainment industry and those in last night's audience can't be angry. I bet if neo-conservatives filled the seats at the Kodak Theater, it would have been a much different show. But they didn't - so hope was there in full bloom.

For the last several years, the Oscars have been nights filled with sarcasm, anger, politics, and general self-loathing. Recent hosts - such as Whoopi Goldberg, Billy Crystal, Chris Rock, and Jon Stewart - have fulfilled their needs as acerbic commentators on life. Not this year, however; last night's host was not even a comedian. It was Hugh Jackman - actor and musical performer from Australia. Now that I think about it, I guess the Oscars had an appreciation of International things as well. The one negative thing that managed to sneak it's ugly head into the show last night, was the issue of poverty. Alessandra Stanley notes in today's NY Times: The movie industry was in no mood for mockery, and perhaps in no condition for it. Every Oscar ceremony tries to reclaim old Hollywood glamour; this one tried to suit the times by reverting straight to old Depression-era glamour.

Below is the opening number in case you missed it:

The concept of "hope" was quite prevalent in the major award-winning films last night too. Slumdog Millionaire examines a young man's journey in escaping from years of poverty and violence. Milk, although telling the story of the California's first openly gay elected office who is murdered, brings to mind the feeling that - someday - hopefully - gays will be allowed to marry and Proposition 8 will disappear. I guess whether or not "hope" will make a repeat performance at next year's Oscars, depends a lot on how the ratings were.

Just a brief aside - the first Oscar night televised was in 1953. I couldn't locate anything from it, but do have a little snippet from 1954. Enjoy:

Get the Sensation - in Mexico

2009-02-20T17:05:00.008-07:00

Well, another one bites the dust. Another manufacturer is leaving the United States and heading to the land of low-paid employees. This time, it is a company near my hometown in Philadelphia. Today, the Associated Press released this statement:

"Production of York Peppermint Patties and other candy brands is coming to an end at The Hershey Company plant in Reading. After 23 years in Reading, the chocolate maker is closing the plant Friday and moving production to a new factory it has built in Monterey, Mexico. Hershey says it will mean the loss of about 260 jobs in the southeastern Pennsylvania city."

One of the things that President Obama spoke about during his campaigning for office, was that he was going to try to put a limit on the financial incentives of companies to relocate their businesses outside of the United States. The chances of that happening sooner rather than later is probably very low, particularly with the current state of the economy. For now, at least, companies are still choosing to jump ship, rather than sink completely. As a little bon voyage, I am including a clip of one of the classic York Peppermint Pattie commercials; by the way - 5th Avenue Bars, Zagnuts, and Jolly Rancher candies will also be included in the relocation:

WACKY WEDNESDAY

2009-02-18T12:35:00.013-07:00

I have never had a Wacky Wednesday before. I have had some Wacky Pack stickers when I was a kid, but none recently (see photo above). Wacky Packs - which were out in the 70s - were like advertising media meets Mad Magazine. Kids, including myself, loved them. Well, back to Wacky Wednesday. There are a lot of crazy stories in the news, and I am taking advantage of today to put it out there. Wacky Thursday just doesn't have the same oomph.

OK to start, how about the story with the chimpanzee? Sandra Herold (70 yo), owner of a 200 pound chimp named Travis, was having trouble controlling her pet. So, what would anyone in the same situation do? Well, I am sure the same as Sandra did - give the chimp a cup of tea, a Xanax, and telephone your 55-year-old female friend to help you get the animal in the house. As a result of this decision, Sandra Herold's friend, Charla Nash, was terribly mauled by the chimp and is currently in critical condition with face and hand wounds. The chimp was shot dead by police; the owner had eventually called 9-1-1 once her friend was being mauled. Somehow I bet that if Sandra's 200 lb husband (I don't actually know if she has one, but for story-telling effect) was out of control and taking Xanax, that she would have called the police first, and her friend, second. But, who am I to judge? Look, we humans have larger frontal lobes than chimps, and we still have increasing trouble controlling our behavior. So, with a nice segway - below is the next wacky story that I saw today.

Speaking of frontal lobes, the NY Times is reporting that Air New Zealand is hiring people to have their heads shaved in order to display a temporary tattoo (see photo above). The tattoos read, "Need a Change? Head Down to New Zealand." It is kind of catchy. Well, in these terrible economic times, 30 people have decided to become, "cranial billboards." That is what those in the advertising biz are calling it. The NY Times writes, "For shaving their noggins and displaying the ad copy for two weeks in November, they received either a round-trip ticket to New Zealand (worth about $1,200) or $777 in cash (an allusion to the Boeing 777, a model in the airline’s fleet)." Speaking of bad economic times...below is my next (and last) wacky tale.

Today's New York Post featured the cartoon shown below, in which cartoonist Sean Delonas relays the concept that the economic stimulus bill was written by a chimp:

This cartoon is bound to generate controversy - in so many different directions and ways. I guess that is what the cartoonist was trying to do. I have to say, not as a defense but just for historical purposes, that George W. Bush was portrayed as a chimp many times in his cartoon lifetime. Reverand Al Sharpton has released this statement:

"The cartoon in today's New York Post is troubling at best given the historic racist attacks of African-Americans as being synonymous with monkeys. One has to question whether the cartoonist is making a less than casual reference to this when in the cartoon they have police saying after shooting a chimpanzee that "Now they will have to find someone else to write the stimulus bill."
"Being that the stimulus bill has been the first legislative victory of President Barack Obama (the first African American president) and has become synonymous with him it is not a reach to wonder are they inferring that a monkey wrote the last bill?"

I am sure that there was much more craziness out there, but that is what I have to offer for today. I wonder what Thursday will bring? Let's see...thirsty Thursday...thistle Thursday...thundering Thursday...

They're back.....with new music

2009-02-17T09:36:00.023-07:00

They're back, their here - it's something like that. Who am I referring to? Well, the GOP of course. At least that is what they claim. More specifically, that is what Minority Whip, Eric Cantor is saying. And he is saying it not with country music - but with late 70s early 80s, big hair, spandex pants, rock. Here is the video clip with Aerosmith providing the music (Back in the Saddle is the song):

As the Huffington Post indicated, the GOP was unable to "stop a stimulus bill that it deemed as wasteful and liberal," so it is "taking solace in the unity of its opposition." Wow, the GOP stubbornly resisting any change, even when their 8-year plan did not seem helpful. To me it feels less like "back in the saddle" and more like they never got off the horse. Well, where ever Eric Cantor goes with this (possibly a White House run in 2012?), I find the music choice interesting. It seems like, out with country music and in with 80s rock. Cantor was actually one of the choices mentioned as a VP candidate with McCain, before Palin came into the picture. Here is a brief clip of Eric Cantor discussing the stimulus bill in the Senate:

So, I guess even if the music has changed, I am not sure if the approach has been revised. We shall see in a couple of years from now. As we know, music was a big force in getting President Obama's name out there when he was campaigning. Just remember the "Yes We Can" video with Will.i.am. What worries me, is if the public expects President Obama to pull off a quick turn-around of the country, particularly in terms of the economy. There is no quick fix to what we are in the midst of now; but, we are not known for our patience. Just as a side note, I wanted to include some musical selections of prior Republican calls to battle:

Give him a break...

2009-02-13T15:23:00.005-07:00

Just a short blog this Friday afternoon. It is for President Obama. I want to say to everyone, "Give Him a Break." I know, Nell Carter's show was called, "Give Me a Break;" but, you get the idea. The Bush-Obama transition reminds me of when you work for years for an employer or manager who is awful. You know the kind. The boss does not listen, talks down to you, never formulates any new strategies, and leads a business to a downward spiral that will take years from which to recover. Eventually, this terrible boss leaves. Then, you get this thoughtful new boss, who actually can do some good. Suddenly, employees who were too fearful to stand up to the old boss, are making negative comments about the new boss, out the wazoo. That is the position that I feel like President Obama is in now.

Even the media is getting into it. Chief White House Correspondent, Chuck Todd voiced his concerns on his website today, about how poorly the press is treated in this current White House administration:

Obviously, I'm one of the newbies here in the White House press corps, so maybe I'm unfamiliar with the ways of how this place works. I have to say, nothing is more frustrating than covering an actual event here at the White House if you at all believe in anything remotely having to do with the First Amendment.
For instance, today, the president gave a speech in the East Room to the business council, an audience of dozens of CEOs and major business leaders in America. As per usual, we're allowed to watch the event behind a ropeline. Ok, standard procedure for any event for any candidate, let alone a president. But unlike public events, here at the White House, when the event ends, we get no access to the audience unless the audience happens to amble up to the ropeline and chat with the press.
Today, it was so bad that we were kept behind closed doors so that these CEOs and other business leaders could leave without accidentally mingling with us poor press peons. Once the CEOs were clear and escorted downstairs, then we were let out of our East Room pen. And it's not like we could rush over to the east side of the White House and find anyone left to interview about their role on this business council. By the time, a member of the press leaves out the one exit they can come in and out of, those guys and gals would be history. I'm sure most of them had cars at the ready to quickly get them to their next meeting.

Where were the concerns from the press during President Bush's reign? I did not hear many. Now suddenly, it's "whah whah." OK - that is my whining for today. Have a good holiday weekend.

If a picture's worth a 1,000 words, what's the exchange rate on the internet?

2009-02-12T11:01:00.010-07:00

I remember reading the day after the presidential election, how many people were waiting in line to get copies of newspapers on 11/5/08. The New York Times reported having to print 275,000 extra copies to meet demand.
At that time, I remember thinking, "oh - that is so old school." "Why would you need newspapers when you have everything on the internet?" You know, I consider myself quite "bloggy."

Last week when reading through the latest copy of Vanity Fair (the actual magazine - not their website) - I saw a photo which made me rethink my judgment described above. The feature story focused on President Obama and the beginning of the "Obama Era" (see cover above). In addition to photos of President Obama and his family, were other Annie Leibovitz shots of Obama's current (and soon to be in place) cabinet members. Who was in one of the photos? No - not Miley Cyrus - but non other than Tom Daschle. Here is the photo and Daschle's comment below:

“This is our opportunity to change the health-care system in this country for the first time in a comprehensive way. Expectations are very high. We are ready to go.” —Tom Daschle

Of course, Daschle as Secretary of Health and Human Services would never come to fruition, and Daschle ended up withdrawing his name as a possible because of tax evasion issues. It was then that I thought - I bet if Vanity Fair were strictly an on-line publication, that this photo would have been pulled; but, with print, it's already out there. Once it is out there, it can't be taken back. Sure, someone can always have a screen shot of an old website item/photo - but that is not as likely as a person having a back copy of a magazine or newspaper. So - real, hand-dirtying, often hard-to-fold publications can definitely capture our triumphs - but - and I guess this is a good thing - they can also capture our failures, mistakes, and "never really happened."

I just want to end with a totally superfluous reference. The term, "it's already out there" always reminds me of "When Harry Met Sally." Here is a snippet of the scene that the line is from. Enjoy:

"Mr. Monster, Dr. Frankenstein will see you now."

2009-02-11T08:03:00.018-07:00

The top story out there today is how the banking CEOs are making their way to meet with members of Congress this morning, to provide details as to how they spent $160 billion in taxpayers' money in bail out funds. According to the Huffington Post, they are going to receive quite a "grilling." CNN's Campbell Brown even presented Wells Fargo with her evening's Chutzpah Award for their "throwing a lavish party while taking taxpayer money." OK, she kind of said, "chahtzpah," but we get the point (see video below):

With all of fire and outrage coming from Congress, I just want to say, "give me a break." Like Dr. Frankenstein, you created your monster, now you have to live with it. (I know that the photo above is not from the original Frankenstein film, but I have always been a fan of Mel Brooks). Congress, and politicians in general, have "lived off the fat of the land" for years now and taken large amounts of money (also known as donations) from some of the same banks/corporations that they are now condemning. Look at who some of the top all-time donors have been to the political arena from 1989-2008 (according to Open Secrets.org): Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, Freddie Mac, Prudential Financial, and the American Bankers Association. Hey, some of the banking companies even made large donations, most recently, to the recent inagural events.

Don't take this the wrong way. I am not saying that CEO's should be making billions; that is not my point. I am just making the argument, that the same group that helped create these "monsters," benefited from them themselves. So, they should both - face the music and dance (good segway for video below):

Make em' Laugh

2009-02-09T09:23:00.013-07:00

The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter.
Mark Twain (1835-1910)

There are two things that I definitely inherited from my father - an appreciation of both politics and humor. Although I did not think of my father as a particularly political person, he did love to see the irony and humor occurring daily in the political happenings. I can remember his mentioning several times that he always enjoyed watching President John F. Kennedy's press conferences. In particular, my dad appreciated Kennedy's ability to use humor to communicate with the press and the public.

I checked, and Kennedy's first press conference was in the State Department Auditorium on 1/24/61. It was unique, in that it was the first presidential press conference that was ever broadcast/televised live. Prior to this, the conferences were always filmed and recorded to be aired at a later date. I am attaching a video which contains some highlights of various Kennedy press conferences throughout his administration (see above). Aside from his knowing how to "work a room," he actually did answer questions in a direct and non-spin manner.

In Walter Shapiro's article in The New Republic, he writes of the inevitable comparison with Kennedy when President Obama holds his first press conference later this evening. He writes:

With Barack Obama's first news conference slated for tonight at 8 p.m. eastern, it is a safe bet that--like on Inauguration Day--the most over-used word in the English language Monday will be "Kennedy-esque." There will be paeans to John Kennedy's style and grace in the press room, as well as questions about whether Obama could ever possibly match them.

We know that President is young, graceful, and articulate. But, will this lead to his having the kind of rapport that President Kennedy was able to have with his reporter audience? I don't really know. Both times and the media are very different than they were 48 years ago. As one writer said last week in regard to Jake Tapper's questions to Robert Gibbs (wish I could remember where I read it) - that journalists are often more interested in making news than reporting it. The writer also commented (in so many words) that he wondered where all of this tough questioning was when George W. Bush was in office.

STUCK

2009-02-06T12:05:00.032-07:00

It appears that, at least for now, that things are stuck in terms of the economic stimulus package. This speech by John McCain made it feel like it was June 2008 rather than January 2009 (see above). I guess when it comes down to it, the people who voted for Obama want change, but the GOP senators - not so much. Actually, what incentive is there really for a US Senator to embrace Obama's stimulus package? Okay - our economy is down the toilet, people are losing jobs at a mortifying rate, and more and more Americans can't afford things like food and healthcare. How many senators are personally experiencing these same issues? I would say, probably - none.

There are 25 US Senators who have had their senate seats for at least 34 years. Where else can you find that kind of job stability now? The average Senate salary is $169,300.00. Sure, it is not as much as some of those CEOs we have heard about recently, but since the median US household income was $50,233.00 in 2007, it is nothing to sneeze at. Consider vacations, healthcare, and various other perks - and no wonder it is the kind of group whose members don't want to leave.

I have been thinking. If things seem this "stuck" with Obama, can you imagine if Hillary Clinton had actually become president. Talk about stuck. Think of the Senate. There is nothing a bunch of old guys want less than a woman telling them how to spend their money.

Coffee Talk...well, sort of...

2009-02-04T13:15:00.017-07:00

My plan for my blog post today, was to talk about Starbucks. Okay, not just Starbucks, but how the Starbucks Company seems to be a metaphor for our recent economic woes. Something like, a Starbucks' Latte is similar to all of those sub-prime mortgages that the banks used to love so much. You know, they looked pretty, had a lot of froth, made you feel good, but didn't really have much substance once you get past the foam. I even had a pretty little picture all picked out (see below):

That was my plan, until I saw an op-ed piece by Maureen Dowd in the NY Times this morning. The title of the editorial was, "Well, That Certainly Didn't Take Long." Here is the opening paragraph that really got my goat (I don't have a goat, but if I did, it would have been gotten): On 9/11, President Bush learned of disaster while reading “The Pet Goat” to grade-school kids. On Tuesday, President Obama escaped from disaster by reading “The Moon Over Star” to grade-school kids.

My first thought was, "lady - you have got to be kidding." To compare President Bush's initial non-response to a horrific attack in the United States, to President and Michele Obama's appearance at a elementary school class on the same day that Tom Daschle had tax shame, is absurd. The only thing that the two events had in common, is that they both involved a President of the United States sitting at the front of a classroom.

I know, I know. Republicans are looking for ways to condemn President Obama. While I admired his willingness to get on television yesterday and take full responsibility for the recent cabinet post issues, many may see it as a weakness. They have their eyes open for any slip-ups. Rush Limbaugh is practically leading the march with lit torch in hand. Even Dick Cheney is chiming in. He told Politico, that as a result of President Obama planning to close Gitmo, that there will be an increase in the probability of "terrorists attempting a massive nuclear or biological attack in coming years."

Can't you picture Cheney sitting in his log cabin with his rifle in hand - maybe a bear rug on the floor with a spitoon near by - thinking something like, "being a real President means never having to say that you're sorry." Come to think of it, I bet he never had a venti latte.

Tax Tuesday

2009-02-03T10:28:00.015-07:00

I was going to name this blog posting, "Proverb Tuesday," but the double Ts in "Tax Tuesday" seemed to have more of a ring to it. I am a sucker for alliteration. I am still going to include a few proverbs, or at least proverb-based sayings. My first proverb that seems relevant this week, is one that I slightly modified. It is as follows: "A politician is only as strong as his/her weakest Certified Public Accountant." I know, I borrowed a little bit from the "weakest link" saying; but, if the shoe fits...

Three of President Obama's cabinet picks this week have been found to have tax issues during the vetting process. These include Tim Geithner (Secretary of the Treasury), Nancy Killefer (Chief Performance Officer), and Tom Daschle (HHS Secretary). Sources now report that both Nancy Killefer (see photo below) and Tom Daschle have decided to withdraw their names from consideration. Killefer was found to owe unemployment taxes, while Daschle was found to have owed thousands of back taxes as recently as early January 2009. Some of the taxes were related to a car and driver that he had been given for his own use.

In his First Read blog with MSNBC, Chuck Todd writes about a Mel Brooks' proverb: Tom Daschle is proving Mel Brooks’ theory, “We mock what we are to be.” As first reported by First Read on Sunday, we learned of the existence of a 1986 Daschle for Senate campaign ad called "Old Car," which we dug up for NBC Nightly News last night.

I attached the video below. Talk about your ironies.

"Don't you kids make me come back there...."

2009-02-02T14:02:00.018-07:00

As kids, we always seemed to know when our parents' were making statements that they weren't going to carry through with. You know what I mean. Those kind of warnings from the front seat of a moving vehicle, such as, "don't make me come back there," or "the next time, I swear, I am going to pull over." Kids know when adults are just "full of hot air," and don't have the strength or means with which to carry through with their statements. That is the same way that I perceive US Bank CEOs as feeling when they read the headline in today's Huffington Post, that - "Bailed Out Bankers are to be Hauled Before Congress." Ooooh, those CEOs must be shaking (NOT!).

According to the article, the CEOs are going to be called before Congress to explain just how the bail out funds have been used. Bank of America sponsored a huge Super Bowl event, while Morgan Stanley, the company that took $10 billion in taxpayer bailout money, held a three-day conference for clients at the Breakers, a five-star oceanfront resort in Palm Beach, Florida. Here is a video clip from CNN of the Bank of America details:

It kind of reminds me of a guy who is going in for a triple bypass, and has a steak dinner with a baked potato and sour cream the night before surgery. The only difference is, in this case, is that the taxpayers are paying for the surgery and the high cholesterol meal. But don't worry, Congress is going to be giving those bank CEOs a good talking to.

Sometimes gray is a "good thing"

2009-01-29T11:33:00.015-07:00

OK, I have never had a gray room. I've never had a gray car (silver, but that doesn't count). The gray color palette is not one of the options that jumps right out at you in the paint section at Home Depot. But, there are times, as Martha Stewart would say, when gray is a "good thing." This is one of those times, at least in the political sense.

We finally have a president in the in the White House who can see and, more importantly, understand the concept of grayness. It took a long time for us to get to this point. Americans had to be receptive to this notion as well. We Americans are not much for subtlety. We tend to like our options Black and White. Black and White is easy; gray is more abstract.

When I initially thought about this blog entry, I had assumed that I would just be referring to the George W. Bush administration. You know, President Bush loved Black and White. There was: good vs evil, rich vs poor, love of country vs anti-military...the list goes on and on. Senator John McCain had once been a "gray" kind of guy. You know, "reaching his hand across the Senate aisle." That view went away quickly, once he began running for office. After adding Sarah Palin to the mix, with all of her "real Americans" kind of talk, McCain's bus became more black and white than a skunk (just the mention of Palin increases my reference to wildlife creatures).

It is unfair to suggest that the Black and White era of politics (at least our most recent rendition) started with George W. Bush. The Clinton terms in office were not very "gray loving" either. Both Bill and Hillary Clinton came from a very "us vs them" mindset. Although some of it may be in response to realities of the times, the approach was definitely there. Even Bill Clinton's campaign office was referred to as the, "War Room." In 2008, when Hillary Clinton was running for president, Americans seemed to not only reject her, but this Black and White thinking as well.

I guess the next challenge for President Obama, is whether or not the U.S. will continue to embrace his receptiveness to seeing the nuances of gray, now that he is in office. President Obama's recent sit-down interview with Al-Arabiya News definitely tested the waters. Op-ed columnist Roger Cohen writes that the new president’s abandonment of post-9/11 Bush doctrine is a critical breakthrough. It resolves nothing but opens the way for a rapprochement with a Muslim world long cast into the “against-us” camp. Nothing good in Israel-Palestine, Afghanistan or Iran could happen with that Manichean chasm. I guess you can always have setbacks. Not a single Republican voted for Obama's economic stimulus package. It did manage to pass, however, 244-188. This is how the Huffington Post described the situation:
I guess that not even "going gray," is always that Black and White

Wonder Land

2009-01-27T14:53:00.010-07:00

Sometimes I have answers, sometimes I have questions. This is one of those times where I have several things that I am wondering...

I wonder what kind of flack President Obama will get for having his first formal interview be with the Arabic cable TV network, Al-Arabiya? This was happening just a special envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, was heading off to begin work on negotiating a cease fire between Israel and the Palestinians. Even David Gergen, political commentator on CNN, seemed surprised by Obama's boldness while discussing it with Anderson Cooper last evening. Reaching out like that does take guts.

How bizarre is it that Ron Blagojevich's audio tapes were at his impeachment trial, but Ron wasn't? Instead, he was making appearances on almost every television show, except Wheel of Fortune (I think that Vana wouldn't agree to let him touch her letter board). Here is a clip from his appearance on The View:

Doesn't it seem that the press is referring to the Hillary Clinton't State Department as "Foggy Bottom," much more than during reigns of other Secretaries of State? Do you think that it has something to do with their disdain of her pantsuits?

It's Limbaugh Time - How low can he go?

2009-01-26T14:24:00.006-07:00

Rush Limbaugh is at it again. Asserting his foot into the conservative Republican landscape. In some ways, it is actually a good thing. It means that there is no other Republican force, at least at this current time, who is powerful enough to get the neo-conservative airways going. Limbaugh made a statement about his wanting Obama to fail - or at least his "socialist" agenda - in so many words. President Obama responded, stating to the GOP leaders that, “you can’t just listen to Rush Limbaugh and get things done."

Rush Limbaugh is about attention and ratings. He has managed to get both of these things for years now. I wondered how his radio show would survive once the Clintons were out of the White House - but it did. Hey, Presidents George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush even called Limbaugh during his anniversary show to thank him for all that he has done for the Republican party.

The one thing that we must keep in focus now, is that this is not 2000. This time, Rush Limbaugh's call to action in "Operation Chaos" did not work. Hillary Clinton did not win the primaries, and John McCain did not win the Presidential elections. It wasn't even close. The Limbaugh approach did not work, and people - particularly Democrats - need to keep that in mind. Limbaugh discouraged McCain in going with someone like Lieberman for his Vice President, and Sarah Palin was costly to McCain. Limbaugh may portray himself as the new "architect," but his design collapsed. We need to remember that, as well as remember how good it feels to have an educated, articulate, balanced, level-headed, President in the White House. 2012 will be here soon enough.

Whatever Sells

2009-01-23T12:34:00.024-07:00

You know how it is. If something is going to sell, someone is going to make or manufacture it (or them, in this case). The "them" I am referring to is the new Ty Beanie Babie Dolls named after the First Children, Sasha and Malia (photo above). To be more precise, the dolls are named, "Marvelous Malia" and "Sweet Sasha." The Chicago Sun Times reported today that First Lady Michele Obama is not thrilled about the items, to say the least. Mrs. Obama's spokeswoman had this to say: We believe it is inappropriate to use young, private citizens for marketing purposes. Now Ty Inc. is trying to repackage their intentions a little bit, saying that, Sweet Sasha and Marvelous Malia -- were chosen because they are beautiful names, not because of any resemblance to first kids Malia and Sasha Obama."

Although as the mother of Sasha and Malia - Mrs. Obama has the right to be upset - this is not the first time that such attempts at making some cash at the expense of a child of a United State's President has taken place. Here are some older, although not any less gimmicky, retail attempts (see below):

There were the Bush Twin Sisters Bowling Bags:

In 1999, Tyson Chelsea Chicken Fingers were very popular:

In 1979, Whitman Chocolates offered the Special Amy Carter Edition Whitman Sampler (all peanut centers):

Nixon's presidency brought with it the 1968 Tricia Edition of the Westinghouse Range:

In 1962, Pez offered the Caroline Kennedy Candy Dispenser:

Lastly, just in case you thought that manufacturers only thought of cashing in like this during the 20th and 21st centuries, let me remind you of the Tad Lincoln Brass Bleeding Bowl:

I guess some things never change...

Hypocrisy in Camelot

2009-01-22T17:47:00.009-07:00

Now it is completely understandable. According to the Huffington Post, Governor James Paterson did not intend to pick Caroline Kennedy to fill Hillary Clinton's former NY Senate Seat. Caroline recently withdrew her name from the "pickings," but many feel that she did not expect to be chosen. Sources close to Paterson say that he was not happy with the results from some of the early vetting of Caroline. Kirsten Gillibrand (photo on right) was leaked as Patterson's major person of consideration for the open seat.

The Huffington Post writes: that Paterson never intended to pick her due to issues over taxes, her nanny and even the state of her marriage. Kennedy was "mired in some potentially embarrassing personal issues," the source said, citing tax liabilities and worker compensation liabilities connected to the employment of a nanny. "She has a tax problem that came up in the vetting and a potential nanny issue," the source said. "And reporters are starting to look at her marriage more closely," the source continued, refusing to provide any specifics.

I don't know about you, but I find the whole decision refreshing. Governer Patterson (extramarital affairs) seemed to want to prevent Caroline Kennedy from having embarrassing information being released about her and/or her family. Paterson and his wife (extramarital affairs - some with state workers) understand that being a high-level politician, brings with it the responsibility for a certain standard of moral ethics. That is something that Paterson learned from his mentor, the former Governor of New York, Eliot Spitzer (Emperor's Club). Spitzer (high priced prostitution ring) would have expected nothing less from his former Lieutenant Governor. Thankfully, there are still some ethical politicians left in this world, to help save Caroline Kennedy from herself.

Oh, Baraaaack...

2009-01-21T07:37:00.036-07:00

Yesterday was just amazing. I have never watched an entire day of inaugural events in my whole life. I have seen portions of some inaugurations in past years; others, like during the last two election seasons, I missed completely. But yesterday was different. You couldn't help but be struck by the awe of it all. There is nothing like having a smart, sophisticated, vibrant couple in the White House. There is also nothing like having such a vital young couple, to make the other political people around them seem old and crotchety. Even the Clintons appeared stodgy - and they are comparatively younger than the rest of the crowd. Dick Cheney was so decrepit that he had to use a wheel chair. I know, he had back issues; but there was something bizarre about it. I couldn't help but think that his powers were lessening, and that once Barack was sworn in, that he would take off his Darth Vader-like helmet. The whole "ushering in the new" seemed to play itself out dramatically, with Ted Kennedy having to be taken out of the Inaugural Luncheon by wheelchair after suffering a seizure.

The comparison is often made between Barack and Michelle Obama with John and Jackie Kennedy. I understand it. There is the whole cool-youth factor. Once having read more details of John Kennedy's life, the similarities seem less strong. I am referring mostly to Kennedy's womanizing and significantly poor physical health. Personally, while the new President and First Lady were walking portions of the road to the White House yesterday, I kept picturing Rob and Laura Petrie (photo above on right). They are the characters that Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore portrayed on the Dick Van Dyke Show back in the 1960s. Rob and Laura were a young, smart, and hip couple who you could tell really loved and liked one another. Rob Petrie was able to laugh at himself, and seemed to have the knack to bring out the best in people at his job. He appeared to be more of the "boss" at work than at home. Laura was a "stay at home mom" (that term was a given in those days) who supported her husband; even though it was subtle, viewers somehow knew that Laura Petrie was in charge of the family. These dynamics are what I picture when thinking of the Obamas.

Of course, since making these comparisons, I could not help but think of the other characters on the Dick Van Dyke Show, and wonder who are their counterparts in President Obama's team. Well, let's take a look. First, you have Buddy and Sally. Buddy Sorrell (Morey Amsterdam) was one of the writers for the Alan Brady Show. He was Jewish, and had a sarcastic wit about him. You could somehow tell that he had won a few fights as a kid. To me, Buddy Sorrell = Rahm Emanuel. And, how about Sally Rogers (Rose Marie). Sally was a bright woman who knew how to get along with the guys in the office. Sometimes, they even forgot that she was a "girl." One thing about Sally, however, is that she could never find a guy who would treat her with the respect that she deserved. OK - this is not a tough one. Sally Rogers = Hillary Clinton:

Alright, four down. Who else do we have? Oh yes, there is Melvin Cooley (Richard Deacon). He was the balding producer of the Alan Brady show. Mel ran things and did much of the grunt work, but did not have the type of personality that would win him the respect that he probably deserved. OK, I've got it. Melvin Cooley = Howard Dean (chairman of the DNC):

We're doing good here. We only have one more person at Rob Petrie's workplace to consider. That is none other than, Alan Brady (Carl Reiner). He was the egocentric star of the Alan Brady Show. Alan took much of the credit for things that others put their time and energy into. He had a kind of - "it's all about me" type of attitude. OK, no one said that we can't go outside the sex of the original character. Are you ready? Alan Brady = Nancy Pelosi (Speaker of the House). Just an aside...I am not sure if Nancy sometimes wears a wig:

Are you still with me? We are almost done. Who would be Rob and Laura's fun-loving neighbors, Jerry and Millie Helper (Jerry Paris and Ann Guilbert)? They were a little bit older and did not seem to have as much sexual energy as the Petries, but you knew that they really loved one another. They were good people - somewhat less suave than Rob and Laura. Millie tended to talk too much, sometimes. To me, there is only one option. Jerry and Millie Helper = Joe and Jill Biden.

We did it. We got through everybody. My only question to ponder now is, I wonder if Rahm Emanuel's wife is named, Pickles?

POETRY - this post is dedicated to my friend Barb, who has witnessed much of the journey mentioned below, first hand.

2009-01-19T09:09:00.025-07:00

Sometimes it is difficult to understand the poetry or flow of something, while other times it seems so natural and elegant, that it's meaning and interpretation could only be hard-wired. To me, that is the poetic nature involved in the fact that Barack Obama's inauguration day tomorrow, comes the day after Martin Luther King Day today. It took what Martin Luther King did throughout his lifetime - such as the March in Washington in 1963 - for us to have gotten where we are right now. I know, as Robert Frost wrote, that we have "miles to go before we sleep;" but, at least we have taken a forward step in our journey. Speaking of poetry, here is a little clip from 1963's March on Washington, with a very young Bob Dylan and Joan Baez.

Jumped the Shark

2009-01-16T08:36:00.019-07:00

This weekend Obama and his team/family start their train trip in Philadelphia to the Presidential inauguration. I wish them well. Is it just me, or does it seem like the longest Presidential goodbye, EVER? I know the speech wasn't that long (see video above) - but the actual time between Barack Obama winning the election and George W. Bush exiting office seems like an eternity. Like they say, I guess, "a watched pot never boils." Some part of me feels, however, that Obama is already President of the United States. Look, he already got his first legislative victory in getting the second half of the TARP money released. Obama is doing the job - he just doesn't have the big house to go along with it - at least not yet. My favorite parts of George Bush's goodbye speech had to be when he mentioned that there is "good and evil in the world" - with Dick Cheney sitting on the first row, as well as when he stressed (in words to the effect) that no one has the right to kill innocent people in the name of pushing their own agenda.

I often tend to compare real life to TV. With that being said, I can't help but think of Bush's farewell speech as the last episode of a long-running series. Shows that seem to hang on too long past their prime are referred to as having, "jumped the shark." The origin of the phrase dates back to a scene in a three-part episode of the television series, Happy Days, broadcast in 1977. In the gimmicky "Hollywood" episode, Fonzie (Henry Winkler) jumps over a penned-in shark while water skiing. Personally, I think that Bush's term in office "jumped the shark" a long time ago. Most of the country will be glad to see it finally go off the air.

Simon Cowell vs. Barack Obama

2009-01-14T12:38:00.007-07:00

Sometimes I am embarrassed to say that I have never seen a full episode of American Idol. The show had it's United States debut in 2002, and I have never really watched an episode. I know who the judges are, even know some of the winning contestants; that is mainly because it saturated the media completely. American Idol had its 9th season debut last night on Fox Television. It had 30.1 million viewers. That is no small number. But, it is down 10% from 2008 - which had 33.4 million viewers. The shows highest rated season opener was in 2007, at 37.4 million.

Part of me wonders, can Simon Cowell (known as the mean judge on Idol) and Barack Obama exist in the universe at the same time? Realistically, I know that is a silly question. Of course they can. I guess I am referring more to their outlooks and manners of being. Simon Cowell is paid well to be harsh, critical, and basically demeaning to be contestants on the show. That is the gimmick. Barack Obama is attempting to take the United States (and world) in a more positive and strength-based direction.

I want to stress, that I am not comparing Simon Cowell's job to that of the President of the United States. But I wonder, do the television shows most popular during the George W. Bush terms in office, basically reflect how people in the U.S. were feeling? It's happened before. Look at the movies in the 1930s and 1940s. A good majority were musicals with happy endings. People were going through tough times and wanted an escape from the gray poverty of their lives. Technicolor musicals were the perfect answers.

Some of the most popular television shows from 2001 through 2008, were basically variations on a theme - the harsh judging of people. If you aren't strong enough to make it, than you are "voted off." It is natural. For a brief time after the tragedy of 9/11/01, networks were careful not to air shows that depicted any kind of violence that may have reminded viewers of that terrible day. Even certain movies were delayed in their openings. That awareness did not last long, however. Eventually, with the war in Iraq, fear of terrorism, and eventual financial tumbling - people started to feel powerless. What's one of the easiest ways to deal with those feelings? Perhaps by laughing and making fun of others who we see as worse off than us. Just take a look of some of the television shows of 2001-2008 that were highest in the Nielsen Ratings: American Idol; Weakest Link; Survivor; Supernanny; So You Think You Can Dance; Fear Factor. Here is a little snippet of video which show some of Simon Cowell's harshest critiques:

I don't mean to come across as "holier than thou" as they say. Believe me - I am a big fan of the Bravo show, "Top Chef." I say I watch it to see the cooking, but maybe I just like to see the judges beat up on the chefs. Anyway, although it may be far-fetched, perhaps the slightly lower showing of American Idol this season means that people in the United States are feeling even a little bit more hopeful. Or - it could be just a natural dip in ratings due to the number of years that it has been on television. Or - it may be because the judges on the show are always drinking/marketing for Coca Cola (see photo at top of posting). Don't they know that Obama is a Pepsi president? Pepsi is even slightly revamping their labels to make them even more "Obama-esque" (see photo below). Well, I guess we will have to wait and see. Maybe all of these judging type shows we be off in a few years (except for Top Chef, of course).

Some fleeting thoughts...

2009-01-13T13:28:00.008-07:00

Senator Hillary Clinton's confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is taking place today, and I wanted to list a few points that I found interesting. They are listed in no order of relative importance:

Senator John Kerry has been selected to be Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for the 111th Congress. In watching the hearing today, he seems to have found a place to shine. Interestingly, there was talk that he was interested in the Secretary of State position himself. I voted for John Kerry during the 2004 elections and believe that he would have been a good president; his style and persona, however, just don't seem to provide that spark that is often needed for such a highly visible governmental position. As the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and in his running of the Senate hearing, he seems to be the perfect person for the job. He was supportive of Hillary Clinton during the hearing, but never seemed to be gushing. John Kerry has the gravitas that seems necessary for the Chairman position. As an aside - I have been waiting to use the word - gravitas - in a blog for months now. If ever a person was a fit for this word, it is Kerry. He could make ordering extra croutons for a Caesar Salad seem serious.

I believe that Hillary Clinton has been preparing her whole life for this hearing. I know that articles say that she has been practicing for the last few weeks with staff, but practice and rehearsal can only get you so far (remember Palin?). I am currently listening to the audio of Hillary Clinton's autobiography. She has worked hard, and basically seems to be a very intelligent "geek." Note - this is meant as a positive rather than a negative.

This third point is a brief one. Not only do you have to be intelligent to go through such a process, but you have to kiss a lot of Senate butt, as well. Before questioning Hillary Clinton, each Senator provided her with a laundry list of what they would like her focus to be if she gets confirmed as Secretary of State. Of course, after hearing each list, Senator Clinton had to compliment each Senator on his/her eloquence, as well as assure each that she would address their respective "wish lists."

Lastly, one can say that: "Bill giveth, and Bill taketh away." Former President Bill Clinton has definitely helped Hillary with their partnership, but it has brought it's negatives with it as well. This most recent negative is surrounding the Bill Clinton Foundation and potential for conflict of interest. The foundation does much good, but complicates things for Hillary by way of taking donations from "less than loved" international donors. I don't think that this fact will cause Hillary to not get confirmed, but it does make the process a bit more messy. In 2007 for example, the Bill Clinton Foundation generated a total revenue of $131,450.00. (Truthfully, if it were up to me, I think that the US government should ask Clinton for his advice on money raising, rather than judging it. We could use some cash flow at this time).

Hey there, Georgie Boys!

2009-01-12T13:21:00.016-07:00

President George W. Bush had his last press conference earlier today. The people in the news media, along with scores of others, seem to be waiting for Bush to come to some sort of epiphany of understanding in terms of the mistakes and errors he has made during his 8 year presidential term. Sure, President Bush can look at mistakes in a superficial or non-meaningful way, but when it comes to his seeing the "big picture," it ain't going to happen. Not from what I can see. Below is a video clip of this a portion of the conference:

For a moment, let's picture another George. The George that I am referring to is, "George Costanza," from the Seinfeld show. George Costanza (portrayed by Jason Alexander) was Jerry Seinfeld's friend on the series for nine years. The series came to an end in 1998. One of my favorite Costanza quotes (which seems to fit very well for George Bush's view of his handling of Katrina) is - "Jerry, just remember, it's not a lie if you believe it." I am including a video snippet of another classic bit of Costanza advice (see video below):

One of the things that disappointed me about the Seinfeld show, was it's last episode. In looking back almost ten years later, I can now appreciate the keen sensibility in its understanding of human nature. Growing up a television junkie, I wanted there to be "happy ending." You know, something like - Jerry and Elaine realize that they are made for each other and decide to get married. But, that didn't happen. Unlike the current media and many hopeful U.S. citizens, Jerry Seinfeld (the writer) was able to understand that his "George" (along with the other characters) probably wasn't going to metamorphasize in the last few scenes of his run. No, life usually doesn't work that way.

In the last episode of Seinfeld, Jerry, George, Elaine and Kramer are prosecuted for violating a "Good Samaritan law" and are sentenced to jail. The last scene in this final episode repeats the very first conversation from the pilot episode, with the characters talking about the positioning of a top button on George's shirt. In the finale, the characters vaguely recall having the conversation before. I imagine that this will, to some degree, define the last few weeks of the Bush administration. There may be some increased emotion in the characters, but somehow, the audience will get the sense that we have heard the words before.

Those Awkward Photo Ops

2009-01-09T13:14:00.016-07:00

We all saw the awkward photos and video. Earlier this week, President George W. Bush invited President Elect Obama and all living former presidents (Bush Sr., Clinton, and Carter) to the White House for a lunch gathering. The five gentlemen stood in the oval office, allowing photographers to snap much anticipated pictures. You could see the uncomfortableness in their stances. One highlight was when former President Bill Clinton complimented current President Bush for his choice of Oval Office decor, saying - "I like that rug." This really did happen. You may have seen it.

I know that I tend to criticize President Bush in my blog, but I must give him kudos for such a historical gathering. What you may not know, is that this is not the first time that President Bush has "gone out on a limb" and extended invitations to people whom he may not be that comfortable with. That is one area where Bush has had more courage than many of his predecessors. Although not viewed by many, I have a collection of photos from some of these Oval Office gatherings that would make even Martha Stewart proud. Enjoy:

There was the "Fans of MSNBC Day." That was a rough one, but Bush got through it smiling:

And yes, I remember "Salute Your Friendly Rappers Day." Surprisingly, it went off without a hitch:

Few press showed up for, "Take your egocentric, abusive, ex-husband to lunch day:"

Things got pretty tense for, "Lunch with Looney Toons," but luckily, it was a vegetarian menu:

"Terrorist Awareness Week" was interesting:

Lastly, who could forget the opening day of moose hunting season:

I hope you enjoyed this little trip down memory lane. I also hope that you learned a few things. So, just when you start to think that January 20th could not get here soon enough, just remember...President George W. Bush - he sure could host a lunch.

Something Familiar

2009-01-08T14:35:00.017-07:00

Sometimes blog posts are like relationships - the timing has to be right. That is the way the I felt about today's blog topic. A few weeks ago when the Blagojevich scandal broke and some reports said that Rahm Emanuel had actually been the leak for the story, I suddenly was reminded of Robert Kennedy. Something about Emanuel's style made me think that he could be Obama's version of Robert Kennedy. You know, the suave, calm Obama/John F. Kennedy with the shadow of the little bulldog never far behind (Rahm Emanuel/Robert Kennedy). Almost like a version of good cop/bad cop. Someone has to play the "bad guy" - even in real life.

There is a new book coming out that is based on the idea that John F. Kennedy's assassination was set up by a member of organized crime. The author explains that a mobster actually admitted it to the FBI in 1985. I am including a video clip about the book from CNN below:

I know, the conspiracy theories about the JFK assassination have been numerous. I have to admit it, Oliver Stone's JFK is one of my favorite movies. Gore Vidal wrote in his recent autobiography, that he believed that Robert Kennedy was exceedingly guilty about his brother's assassination, because RFK knew that it was mob related. RFK had gone after organized crime very heavily during the time of his brother's presidency. It always seemed ironic, in that many say that JFK's father got help from organized crime members to get his son into office.

When the stories reported that Rahm Emanuel had leaked the Blagojevich scandal, it made me think of RFK. Perhaps the Blagojevich story was released instead of bigger fish ending up in the frying pan. It always did seem too easy, didn't it? All the information that was recorded practically came gift wrapped for the Attorney General's office. Almost like a "let's put this out there so that the real dirt doesn't get exposed."

I think I have been watching too many movies...

When time is tee off?

2009-01-07T09:19:00.012-07:00

You have to admit, they do have a fairly small membership group. One hundred members is their maximum capacity. Once you are voted in, many members tend to stay for years and years. Those who do move on, often do so for the purpose of reaching "bigger and better." As of 2003, about 40% of the active members were millionaires. Although many of the 100 members are well into their 60s and 70s - some even in their 80s - retirement from the club has its benefits as well. Most are entitled to pretty hefty pensions, as well as health benefits, of course. Certainly, as with any club, becoming a member is often easier if someone in the applying member's family also was a member of the club. Like other restricted groups, it is not "what you know, but who you know."

OK, OK - you probably got me figured out. I am actually talking about the United States Senate, and not a country club. But, something about recent happenings surrounding the Senate remind me more of a restricted country club than of the upper house of Congress. Maybe it has always been this way - but just take a look at recent happenings. The only African American member of the Senate has recently gone. Roland Burris, who was named by Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich to fill Obama's seat, attempted to gain admittance to the Senate on Tuesday, but was turned away because of incomplete paperwork. Burris is African American. Today the Huffington Post reported that the Senate will seat Burris. Blagojevich, as you know, tried to sell a membership, I mean seat, to the highest bidder. Another person trying his hardest to be seated is Al Franken, who is Jewish. Although Minnesota's canvassing board Monday certified the results of a recount that showed Al Franken defeating Republican incumbent Norm Coleman by 225 votes, Senate Democrats have decided not to seat Franken until legal challenges are resolved. Lastly is Caroline Kennedy. Caroline's Uncle Ted Kennedy feels that his niece should be granted a membership - after all - her last name is Kennedy. Others tend to disagree. Why? Probably because she has not jumped through enough hoops yet. Hey - they don't want it to look too easy to get in. And aside from that, there is the fact that she is female (as well as that pesky speech pattern she has of saying, y'know).

Lastly, there is Senator Joe Biden. He likes the membership so much, that he doesn't want to leave. This is despite being accepted to an even more swanky group. In looking for the video of Biden recently being sworn into the Senate, I happened to find a video of his first swearing in ceremony. That swearing in was performed at the hospital where his two young sons were patients. It was 1973, and Biden's then wife and young daughter had recently been killed in a car accident (his sons were also hurt in that accident). I am including both videos below. The older video is quite poignant.

Mazel Tov and Hasta Luego

2009-01-05T13:46:00.009-07:00

Just a couple of briefs notes today. Look at the photo above. President Elect Obama arrived in Washington, DC last night and met with Nancy Pelosi this morning. Is it just me, or when standing with Obama, does Pelosi always look like a proud mother at her son's Bar Mitzvah? I just can't get that interpretation out of my head when seeing them together. I am not sure if she is "kvelling" at Obama's accomplishment, or at her own and Howard Dean's. I know she is proud of somebody.

Also, Bill Richardson withdrew his nomination as Commerce Secretary during the weekend. He cited a "pay to play" investigation that might tie up his confirmation (lots of that going around). Below is the video from early in December in which Obama announces his nomination (see below). Some are saying that the Obama team goofed in not doing a thorough vetting. I tend to think that they never expected the nomination to actually "stick." The nomination always felt forced. There was frequent talk that Richardson had his eye set on the Secretary of State spot now held in waiting by Hillary Clinton. The Obama transition team was dealing with criticism from Hispanic supporters, who were upset that none of the big Cabinet slots were going to Hispanics. Now, at least they can say that they made the nomination, even if it didn't pan out.

Barack and Barak

2009-01-02T10:28:00.015-07:00

When news happen, I can't help but ask - why now? In doing counseling, it is one of those questions that therapists will often ask their patients - why have you decided to seek help now? Although stressors build and build over time, there is usually one incident or underlying prompt that causes a person to take action. Why now is one of those questions that I asked myself when hearing the news that Israel had begun an air assault on the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

It should be pointed out that the major reason that Israel chose this time to strike, is that on December 19, 2008, Hamas stated that it would not renew the cease-fire agreement and initiated rocket attacks into Israel. But, there may some more issues related to timing that may have helped spur Israel's move to action. I wondered whether Israel saw this time in the United States as the "changing of the guards." You know, George W. Bush is on his way out and Barack Obama (photo on the above left) is not yet in. Perhaps Israel realized that the United States would be "slow on the draw" to make any comments regarding their actions.

Secondly, there may be another Barak-timing issue. This refers not to Barack Obama, but to Israel's - Ehud Barak (photo on the above right). Israel is in the middle of an election campaign. Ehud Barak is the most decorated soldier in Israel history. He was Prime Minister of Israel from1999 to 2001, and is currently Defense Minister. Barak is now running for his old position, that of Prime Minister. His performance was not seen as great, to say the least, during his first go-around. To turn Barak's image around, his PR people decided to launch a reverse psychology campaign, with billboards stating, "He's not nice, but he's a leader," and other variations on this idea. The Los Angeles Times had this to say:

Reporting from Jerusalem -- A week ago Ehud Barak was trailing so badly in Israel's election campaign that he appeared, awkwardly, on a satirical television show to tout his leadership skills.The next day, a massive Israeli air assault on the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip thrust him center stage in a deadly serious role. It was Barak -- defense minister, decorated war hero, military strategist par excellence -- who planned the operation. And politically it is Barak, a former prime minister running for his old job, who has the most to gain or lose in the ongoing military offensive in the Palestinian enclave (Richard Bourdeaux).

Something about the description of a decorated war hero appearing awkwardly on a satirical television show sounds so familiar to me.....well - anyway - here is the skit below:

I know what you are thinking - this is in Hebrew - I can't understand what he is saying. Well yes, you are right. The Jerusalem Post provided a brief synopsis of the performance: Barak's skit showed him searching for a new home to replace his luxury apartment in Tel Aviv's Akirov Towers.
The Labor leader has come under heavy flak for purchasing the $2.5 million flat in 2006, which he is now trying to sell for some $11m. In the skit, Barak tries, with no success, to get accepted to a regular apartment building, where the residents justify their refusal by telling him that someone had just published ads saying he wasn't nice, trendy or a buddy (from Labor's own election campaign).

I am a supporter of Israel, and hope that the innocent lives lost on either side of the fighting are few. Today's news talks about ground troops perhaps going in. It seems that Barak - Ehud Barak - has a lot riding on whether the military actions are viewed as a success or a failure. It also appears that Hillary Clinton will have a full plate once taking her position as Secretary of State.

New Year's Rockin Eve

2008-12-31T07:56:00.017-07:00

New Year's Eve. The time when many turn their attention to what will change and what they would like to change in the upcoming year. You know, resolutions and all. Well, I decided to make a listing of some things that probably won't be changing - at least any time soon. I realize that this summary of non-changing issues/facts is rather anti-Obamanesque in nature. I tend to view this approach as more realistic than pessimistic. I am still a believer in the concept that "consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." Ralph Waldo Emerson said this. I like to spout this phrase every once in a while to sound well-read. I think I actually heard it on an episode of thirtysomething. Well, I digress. Here is my listing of some situations/facts which will, most likely, still be the case in 2009. There is no significance in level of importance based on order in the listing:

The conflict between Israel and Palestinians will still exist. This seems inevitable. A few months ago I watched the video of a young Arab actress. She explained that even if a full truce took place between the Israelis and the Palestinians, that the hatred toward Israel will still exist. She described it being almost "genetic" in nature. The actress said that it is like the animosity is passed from mother to child during breastfeeding.
People are hoping that the financial situation in the United States and throughout the world will improve during 2009. Although things may stabilize to some degree, it will probably be many years before things actually improve.
The Clintons are survivors. You must admit it. Bill and Hillary tend to rise to the top. As evidence of this, they will even be initiating the ball-dropping event at Times Square this evening. It is almost poetic in nature. The Clintons' balls may drop, but they never lose them completely.
Despite the fact that many business suffered during the past year, McDonalds will continue to thrive. Let's face it, unhealthful food is cheaper than food that is good for you. Obama's recent pick of Tom Vilsack as Secretary of Agriculture did not do much to boost the idea that farming changes will be occurring any time soon. Vilsack has been called the "King of Corn." Remember, corn is used to make corn syrup - a cheap sweetner. Many were hoping that Michael Pollan would be picked. He is the author of, "In Defense of Food," and is the composer of a recent New York Times article, "Farmer in Chief." In it, Pollan urged Obama to make changes in America's food production. Obama's pick of Vilsack seems to indicate that not too many changes will be happening in this area.
Poor people will still be poor. Even when middle class and upper class people have some financial stability back, the poor will still be poor.
Lastly, in the field of entertainment - Brad and Angelina will keep having kids, Rosie O'Donnell (despite failures) will keep having new projects, Oprah Winfrey will continue to be popular, and Dick Clark will continue to be connected to New Years Eve entertainment long past when he should.

Hey, sex sells.

2008-12-26T09:04:00.008-07:00

Let's face it, sex sells. Books, movies, television, internet, print ads - it works. All of these media outlets - and more - have realized that sex works for getting the attention of the retail market. It is a given. If you want proof that sex sells, just take a look at Viagra. Since becoming available in 1998, Viagra has been the prime treatment for erectile dysfunction. Annual sales of Viagra in the period 1999–2001 exceeded $1 billion. If sex sells, than the combination of sex and Elvis Presley is a slam dunk. Take a look at this commercial:

According to today's Washington Post, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has it's own experience in the "sex sells" arena. While the CIA has a long history of buying information with cash, the growing Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan has prompted the use of unique incentives and bargaining items to gain support in some of the country's most dangerous areas. Joby Warrick of the Washington Post writes:

The Afghan chieftain looked older than his 60-odd years, and his bearded face bore the creases of a man burdened with duties as tribal patriarch and husband to four younger women. His visitor, a CIA officer, saw an opportunity, and reached into his bag for a small gift.
Four blue pills -Viagra.
"Take one of these. You'll love it," the officer said. Compliments of Uncle Sam.
The enticement worked. The officer, who described the encounter, returned four days later to an enthusiastic reception. The grinning chief offered up a bonanza of information about Taliban movements and supply routes -- followed by a request for more pills.

Well - I guess whatever works. And I always figured that the surge referred to an increase in troops. I guess one should never assume.

Ho Ho Ho

2008-12-24T08:07:00.021-07:00

Hey everyone, let's have some holiday cheer. Let's not be all Bah-Blagojevich. I was a kid during the late 1960s and 1970s. During those years, variety/musical shows were still regular fixtures on primetime television. Now, they are just not that common. Look at Rosie O'Donnell - her variety show lasted for only one episode. Not that I watched it - and I did hear that it was pretty bad - but at least give her a chance to do a couple of lousy shows before pulling it off the air. It seems that in the 50s - game shows were the rage; then, variety shows were a hit for a decade or so. Now it appears that reality television is the place to be.

Anyway, I digress. Back to variety shows. During the Christmas holidays throughout the late 1960s and 1970s, musical variety shows were a staple. They were often odd combinations of personalities who happened to all be popular during any particular television season. This melding of personalities offers up a wide range of video clips of holiday hijinks's that are almost surreal in nature. Here are a few that I located on You Tube (best place to find oddly surreal images).

The first is from a Sonny and Cher Christmas Show, with guests Chastity Bono and William Conrad. Around this period, Conrad was popular playing a detective named, Cannon on CBS:

Here is one that you probably saw, or at least heard, before. It is such an odd pairing however, that I had to include it. Enjoy:

This next clip is like a bad Love Boat episode. It includes The Carpenters, Harvey Korman, and Kristy McNichol. How seventies can you get? Take a look:

I don't know about you, but nothing says Christmas to me like the crooning of Dean Martin - while he is taking drags on a non-filtered cigarette:

This last clip - I have to admit - I really like. It is the Osmond Brothers singing with the Williams Brothers - circa 1960s. How can you beat that harmony? Here it is:

Barney Cam

2008-12-23T14:54:00.010-07:00

Somehow it seems so fitting that the current President of the United States and his family be leaving the White House around the time of the Season of Christmas. Christmas is a holiday filled with wonderment, childlike fantasy, and the belief that god's word will lead you down the right path. It often felt to me that President Bush based his executive decisions on these same foundations. Those concepts work well for a holiday, but for a government - not so much. Condoleeza Rice was on last Sunday's edition of Meet the Press, and expressed her belief that eventually, history will prove that President Bush made good decisions. She explained that President Bush always asked that his cabinet remain optimistic, and look at the positives of situations. In an interview, Laura Bush described how she always planned that the theme for her last Christmas at the White House be - "A Red, White, and Blue Christmas." And yes, that is this year's focus. Here is a little excerpt from the White House homepage:

This year’s theme celebrates the patriotic spirit that unites us as Americans. During this hopeful season we are reminded of the blessings of freedom we enjoy, and we renew our sense of what is important in our lives. Family and friends gather to share old traditions and create new ones. Strangers exchange smiles and tidings of good cheer. Children happily sing along to the songs of the holidays and help bake holiday treats for their loved ones.

Here is a holiday video presented by the Bush's family dog - Barney:

Whew - I don't know about you, but I am pretty glad that "Obama is coming to town."

Things that make you go, Oy!

2008-12-22T11:18:00.014-07:00

I am a member of a couple of minority groups. This being said, I have to admit that I am very hypervigilant of any instance in which a fellow member of one of my minority groups does something that fulfills a stereotype of that group. That is just a long-winded way of me explaining that when I realized that the perpetrator of a 50 billion dollar Ponzi scheme - Bernard Madoff (photo above) - is Jewish, I thought - "oh no, not a Jew."

OK, call me self-loathing. I have thought it and heard it all before. I just can't help it. That is the way I was brought up. In talking with my cousin this weekend, I learned that my mother had the same response to this news story. I guess that the Jewish acorn does not fall far from the tree. This hypervigilance does not always make sense, but it is there. It doesn't even matter to me that Madoff's scheme had great impact on the Jewish population. Here is a bit of the story from NPR's, Tovia Smith:

The alleged pyramid scheme run by Bernard Madoff has wounded the world of Jewish philanthropy. Several charities have already shut down after discovering their endowments had disappeared overnight, and many others are worrying how they will survive without the support of some major philanthropists who were wiped out as well.
In the world of Jewish philanthropy these are what you'd call the go-to givers, the pillars of the community and the ones with their names on buildings — from Steven Spielberg to Elie Wiesel to billionaire Mort Zuckerman, who says he found out by e-mail that $30 million — a portion of his charitable trust — no longer existed.
"I have to put this kind of bluntly," Zuckerman says. "I made the money, contributed to charity. And to find out this kind of money dissipated is just infuriating," not to mention tragic for the community, says Zuckerman, who says he will definitely have to make cuts in his giving.

What exactly is a Ponzi scam? I had to look it up when I heard about it. Wikipedia (I know, but it is easy to get to) - says this about the origin of this term:

Charles Ponzi (1882-1949) was an Italian immigrant to the United States who became one of the greatest swindlers in American history. His aliases include Charles Ponei, Charles P. Bianchi, Carl and Carlo. The term "Ponzi scheme" is a widely known description of any scam that relies on a "pyramid" of "investors" who contribute money to a fraudulent program. He promised clients a 50% profit within 45 days, or 100% profit within 90 days, by buying discounted postal reply coupons in other countries and redeem them at face value in the United States as a form of arbitrage. Ponzi was probably inspired by the scheme of William Miller, a Brooklyn bookkeeper who in 1899 used the same pyramid scheme to take in $1 million.

In reading about Madoff (former nasdaq chair) for the last few days, I found a video clip of a portion of a round-table discussion that included him in October of 2007. It was posted by TPM. The nature of what Madoff is saying is so ironic considering his current situation. I am not going to assume anything about his nervous-looking employee sitting next to him, other than the fact that he is near the boss and on camera. Here is the video below:

So, that is the story. Can any positive note be found in what is being described as the biggest financial fraud in history? Well, at least Madoff isn't gay. I know that this really does not help, but it makes me feel better.

Questions to Ponder

2008-12-19T14:51:00.010-07:00

Some questions to ponder this Friday late afternoon:

1. If what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, can they report that it has snowed?

2. Can Al Franken be considered the "Hardest Working Man in the Senate?" Truthfully - how hard has this guy worked to get in? I know not in yet - but seems inevitable.

3. I was watching a Mickey Mouse Christmas with my daughter today. Donald Duck, Daisy Duck (and Huey, Duey and Louie) were all sitting down for Christmas dinner. Daisy had cooked a big turkey. Is there something wrong with that? Just seems too canabalistic to me.

4. Blagojevich had his first press conference today and swore his innocence. He claims that he is the victim of a political lynch mob. How much chutzpah does this guy have? With what has been recorded, how can he say that? Is he being paid off to cover something bigger? I just don't get it. As an aside, what kind of shampoo do you think he uses? I bet, Prell.

5. Palin's pregnant daughter's fiance's mother was arrested in a drug raid. Is it sad that it happened, or sadder that it is news?

6. Why does there have to be a religious representative at the Presidential Inauguration? This year Obama is getting flack for inviting Rick Warren (pro-life, anti gay marriage, etc). To me, it is just Obama's first official day at work. I didn't bring my Rabbi with me when I started my most recent job.

Shall I stay or shall I go?

2008-12-18T11:16:00.022-07:00

I was planning on writing about Obama's pick of Tom Vilsack as Secretary of Agriculture today, but sometimes ideas hit me that I don't expect to come up. It all started yesterday when I was looking for a clip of David Axelrod on Fox News. While searching, I came upon a older Fox News clip that involved a local reporter covering a story about a wine making contest. In the clip, the reporter (who's name is Melissa Sander) falls off the platform from which she is being filmed and smacks into the ground beneath her. I checked, and the reporter was OK. Nothing broken. She did have the wind knocked out of her (I experienced that once when I fell - and it does feel awful). A day after seeing this clip (which was actually from back in the 1990s), I learned that the Fox series Family Guy incorporated this scene into their most recent episode. Family Guy is known for being funny but very irreverent. The videos that I am referring to are include attached below:

The incident has even become such a fixture that an artist has even captured it on canvas (see below):

Another item that got my attention today was a seller on ebay who auctioning off a entire carton of stressballs with the Lehman Brothers logo on each. Apparently, Lehman Brothers used them as a promotional item. Here is a photo of the items for sale:

What do these two stories have in common you may ask? Well for me, they are both representative of how some things are fleeting and impermanent, while other things seem to last forever. The problem or catch is, that we as human beings have no real control over which way it goes. For example, I read that the Fox News reporter has been at numerous other stations since the infamous grape stomping tumble. I am sure that she does not wish to relieve the experience over and over again. But for some reason, that is the way it is, at least for now.

Now take Lehman Brothers (no one did, I guess that is the problem). The financial firm had been around in at least some form since 1844. I imagine that up until the last few years or so, no one thought that the company would ever file for bankruptcy. Their building is a landmark in Manhattan. It just seems impossible. But that is the way it is. And what is left? Well for one thing, the box of stressballs that some guy who probably is losing his job has to hock on ebay in order to make some money. Life really is ironic that way.

Obama's Narrator?

2008-12-17T10:54:00.030-07:00

I found the video attached above on a more obscure site than You Tube. If you attempt to locate this video on You Tube, it states that it has been removed due to copyright issues. Believe me, there are thousands of other Fox related videos that are still available on You Tube. Often, what is removed from that site is often more significant than what is added. In the video above, David Axelrod explains that Barack Obama has been in contact with Governor Blagojevich regarding his picks for a senate seat replacement. Axelrod has later said that he was "mistaken" when making this comment.

The longer the Blagojevich situation continues, the more I wonder how it will play out. Will Rahm Emanuel's 21 recorded conversations with Blagojevich's office regarding the Illinois senate seat come back to bite Obama? I can't imagine it not. Obama's quick pick of Rahm Emanuel as his Chief of Staff always did seem opposite of his "no drama Obama" campaign mantra. Was Emanuel actually Obama's first choice, or was it more of an David Axelrod decision? Emanuel and Axelrod are such close friends that Axelrod even signed Emanuel's kettubah (Jewish wedding certificate). There were many times during the primaries and the election seasons when I wondered whose campaign was it - was it Obama's or Axelrod's.

Remember the Hillary Clinton comment about change you can Xerox; the jab did not work out well for her - but what she was referring to was the similarity between some of the content of Obama's speeches with that of Deval Patrick. He is the current Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the first African American to hold that office. Both Obama's and Patrick's campaigns were guided by David Axelrod. Here is a bit of the speech similarities (see below):

I can remember the first time that I had that feeling of a blurring between Axelrod and Obama. It was when reading an old story about Axelrod in the New York Times Magazine (see photo below).
It was titled, "Obama's Narrator," and it spoke about Axelrod's history and force in politics:
In the last four years, Axelrod has helped steer campaigns for fully four of the Democrats now running for president — Obama, Clinton, John Edwards and Chris Dodd — and one who dropped out (Tom Vilsack); framed the messages for the new young governor of Massachusetts, Deval Patrick; and served as the chief political adviser for Representative Rahm Emanuel when the congressman helped orchestrate the Democratic takeover of the House of Representatives last fall.
Axelrod, who is 52, is lumbering, sardonic and self-deprecating, and he still has the old Chicago street-fighter belief that you can see what matters about politics most clearly when you’re slumming in the wards. His bookshelves are filled with Abe Lincoln biographies, but what he says he admires about Lincoln isn’t just his philosophy but his political effectiveness, the Great Emancipator’s secret shiv. Professional opinions of Axelrod in this pitted, rivalrous field vary, but Axelrod, working from Chicago, has become perhaps the consultant with the tightest grip on his party’s future. “So many consultants are fighting the last war, but David is fighting the next one, and that makes him very, very dangerous,” the Republican consultant Mike Murphy told me.

Please note that Vilsack was just chosen today as Obama's pick for Secretary of Agriculture, but more about that in tomorrow's blog. I think the part of the story that really got me the most, was the description of Axelrod's shelves being filled with biographies about Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln was whom Obama has often stated had the approach to politics that he most respected. I can remember thinking - where does Axelrod stop and Obama begin?
I feel like I should clarify that I do respect Barack Obama, and feel that he was the far better choice for President of the United States. What I wonder however, is if Axelrod is a god-like force in today's politics, can he likewise - giveth and taketh away? I guess we shall see the answer to that question.

Just one more thing, ma'am...

2008-12-16T13:42:00.014-07:00

Ok, I know it is odd. Shoes being thrown at President Bush, Rahm Emanuel's eyes looking more beady than usual, the economy in the tank, Caroline Kennedy being considered to take the NY senate throne (I mean seat) of Hillary Clinton - and what am I writing about - Peter Falk.

Why Peter Falk you may wonder? Well, I saw that the 81 year old actor has recently been diagnosed with dementia - they say Alzheimer's Disease - and it made me feel sad. I loved watching Columbo - as a kid and as an adult. I could watch the same Columbo shows over and over again and never tire of them. Peter Falk portrayed detective Lt. Columbo. The series began on a Sunday presentation of the NBC Mystery Movie rotation, which included McCloud, McMillan & Wife, and other police/mystery series. Columbo aired regularly on NBC from 1971 to 1978, and then sporadically on ABC from 1989 to 2003. The classic 1970s episodes were my favorites. Here is a little snippet of a scene from the series (see video below):

Peter Falk's portrayal of Columbo was charming, subtle, and in my perspective - brilliant. It was not like the police shows of today, with their rarely being any gore. In fact, Columbo only fired a gun once that I can remember; that was simply for an experiment when testing to see if the spouse of a "bad guy" could hear a gunshot from her upstairs bedroom. I would say that the one crime show that comes close to Columbo currently, is the USA network series, Monk. Tony Shalhoub's portrayal of OCD-stricken detective, Adrian Monk is excellent, but it is missing some of the humanity that Falk's portrayal of Columbo had.

Lt. Columbo usually got to know the "villain" in each episode. Of course, the shtick was that Columbo would hound the villain with a plethora of questions. With each question the "bad guy" would come to understand that Lt. Columbo was more of a keen detective, and less of a bumbling, forgetful, fool. To me, the mingling of detective/villain was deeper than that. Columbo not only got to know the person he was pursuing, but often got to respect and perhaps even like him or her. Of course the villain would be arrested at the end, but it made the process less "black and white" than is seen in most crime series.

My career has involved working with the public for years now. I sometimes think of Columbo when I am conducting an interview with a patient. My goal is not the same as Columbo's, but I have found that really listening to someone, relating to him or her, and trying to see the humanity in everyone - can all be helpful things. I know that some may see this style as deceptively manipulative, but I tend not to. For me, it is the artful blending of two well known expressions - "You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar" and "There but for the grace of god go I." Simply, be nice to others when you can, and we are generally more similar than we are different. Heck, Columbo once even had a glass of wine with a man, before taking him in to charge him with the murder of the wine connoisseur's brother.

No Room at the Inn

2008-12-13T07:15:00.020-07:00

Just a short entry this weekend. I could not resist noting a bit of irony. After all of McCain's claims this election season that Barack Obama was portraying himself as some sort of Messiah - remember The One - the republicans finally got their revenge. Here is a little reminder of one of their ads (see video below):

How did the conservatives get their revenge, you ask? In the oldest possible way - in biblical style. Apparently, the White House turned down Barack Obama's request to move into the Blair House (photo above) early in January 2009 so that his daughters would be in Washington, DC to start school on January 5th. There was just no room at the inn - or house I guess. Here is a little snippet from the New York Times story:

The Obamas were told that Blair House, where incoming presidents usually stay in the five days before Inauguration Day, is booked in early January, a spokesperson to the Obama transition said. “We explored the idea so that the girls could start school on schedule,’ the spokesperson said. “But, there were previously scheduled events and guests that couldn't’t be displaced.” It remained unclear who on Bushes guest list outranked the incoming President. “It’s not a public schedule,” said Sally McDonough, spokeswoman for First Lady Laura Bush, in refusing to disclose who was staying at Blair House. “It’s not a question of outranking the Obamas. Blair House will be available to them on January 15."

Well, I guess you make your swipes where and when you can.

Chicago Style Christmas - Not Available in Stores

2008-12-11T09:40:00.010-07:00

With only two weeks left until Christmas, it is not too late to get your copy of the classic holiday album - Chicago Style Christmas (see photo above). Just look at some of the highlights of this stocking stuffer anyone would love. We think that you will understand what listeners have been talking about for years now. Hits include:

All I Want for Christmas is to Cut a Deal.

Do You Hear What I Hear? If Not, Turn Up the Volume on the Recording Device.

I Saw Mommy Kissing Up to the Feds.

I'll Be Home for Christmas - But Memorial Day, Not So Much.

Away in the Federal Pen.

Wire Taps We Have Heard on High.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Plea Bargain.

The Attorney General is Coming to Town.

I'm Getting Nuttin for Christmas, but my Attorney Sol Rabinowitz is Set.

Someone's Nuts Will be Roasting Over an Open Fire.

Act now - for this album will not be available in stores. Limited supply available. Limit 2 per customer. Operators are standing by to take your order.

We've only just begun.

2008-12-10T12:35:00.018-07:00

Did you ever get a gut feeling that you knew who was going to be nailed next when government investigations were going on? My oldest friend told me that as a kid, she knew who was going to be named (aside from Nixon)during the Watergate trials. To tell you the truth, I was nine years old in 1972 and a very ignorant nine years at that. I remember watching the brother-sister singing duo The Carpenters on PBS the night that Nixon gave his resignation speech.

Well, Rod Blagojevich is being told to resign his position, and this time I do have one of those feelings of whom is going to be named next. A law enforcement official confirms that the person referred to in the federal criminal complaint against Gov. Rod Blagojevich as "Candidate 5" is Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. Incoming White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett has her own pseudonym - "Candidate 1." I have a sense that Jackson and Jarrett will be OK. The person whom I do think may "take a hit" is Danny Davis, the 67 year old State Representative of Illinois. Davis is older than Jackson and Jarrett and may have gotten his official seal of doom last Thanksgiving. Here is the Chicago Sun Times excerpt of the event:

It was at a Thanksgiving Day event with his old friend U.S. Rep. Danny Davis (IL-7) that IL Governor Rod Blagojevich joked "Where's Senator Davis?" and raised suspicions that the 11 year veteran congressman may emerge as the next U.S. Senator from Illinois."Congressman Davis is a very good person. He and I have worked together in Congress, and I know the kind of man he is. I know that he is a good, decent man, and you don't find a lot of that in politics." "I'm breaking my rules about speculating on a candidate, but Congressman Davis is here, and I can tell you he's certainly a strong candidate for the position" (see photo below):

Representative Davis also has one strike against him regarding an incident in 2004. In 2004, Davis was met with national controversy when he crowned the Rev. Sun Myung Moon in a religious ceremony at the Dirksen Senate Office Building honoring the controversial spiritual leader. Moon named himself the Messiah at the crowning ceremony, in which Davis appeared on the invitation as a sponsoring co-chair. Davis wore white gloves and carried the crown on a pillow to crown Moon and his wife "the King and Queen of Peace."

It should be noted that Davis denied any mentioning of a pay off demand when describing his recent talk with Blagojevich (see video):

Jersey vs. Camelot

2008-12-09T12:55:00.031-07:00

The big story all over the news today is the arrest of Rod Blagojevich. Federal prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald alleges that Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (see video below) sought kickbacks as he considered a replacement for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by the president-elect.

Is this a negative for the already contaminated view of Chicago politics? Sure it is. Could Blagojevich spill his guts and bring down more people? Of course he could. It is interesting that stories are reporting that Rahm Emanuel is the person who let this situation be known. Is there a possibility that this could reflect poorly on Obama and his team? I am sure that it can and probably will. Does some of Blagojevich's conversation sound more like an episode of the Sopranos than it does the political arena? It sure does. Here is a small snippet:

On Nov. 5, Blagojevich allegedly told an adviser: "I've got this thing and it's [expletive] golden, and, uh, uh, I'm just not giving it up for [expletive] nothing. I'm not gonna do it."

On Nov. 11, Blagojevich said he knew that Obama wanted a specific candidate for the open Senate seat but added: "They're not willing to give me anything except appreciation. [Expletive] them."

Of course this is quite a story, but the similarity (and often link) between crime and politics has had a long history. I find it ironic that for days before this story broke, the media was telling us how Senator Ted Kennedy is working hard to try to get Caroline Kennedy to be the replacement for Hillary Clinton's senate seat. Is that much different than the situation with Blagojevich? The main difference seems to be is that the Kennedy money is old and their power is more understated and less direct. It wasn't that many years ago that John F. Kennedy's father supposedly used organized crime assistance to help get his son elected as President. My question is, in reality, how far is Tony Soprano's New Jersey from the Kennedy-Hyannasport version of Camelot. I tend to see it as a pretty short walk.

Was it what you saw or what you wanted to see?

2008-12-08T15:06:00.005-07:00

There is a lot of talk out there today about progressives being upset regarding Obama's cabinet picks. They feel that Obama has talked the talk of being a liberal but has not walked the walk. The disappointment within the blogosphere in the last couple of days even pushed Steve Hildebrand into writing an article for the Huffington Post. He was the deputy national campaign director of Barack Obama's presidential campaign. In it, Hildebrand directs comments to Obama's progressive critics. He says:

I could go on and on. The point I'm making here is that our new president, the Congress and all Americans must come together to solve these problems. This is not a time for the left wing of our Party to draw conclusions about the Cabinet and White House appointments that President-Elect Obama is making. Some believe the appointments generally aren't progressive enough. Having worked with former Senator Obama for the last two years, I can tell you, that isn't the way he thinks and it's not likely the way he will lead. The problems I mentioned above and the many I didn't, suggest that our president surround himself with the most qualified people to address these challenges. After all, he was elected to be the president of all the people - not just those on the left.

In reading his comments as well as having heard/read much of the disappointment from the far left over the past six months or so, I wondered whether the people who are so disappointed in Obama's more center than left decision making actually ever truly saw him as extremely liberal? Was it real, or was it just their hopeful projections?

I voted for Obama and I am so happy that he won and will be our next president, but I never really saw him as a leftist liberal. I never got that picture. I know that the right tried to portray him as such, but I never got that image. To me, he always seemed to be a bright, articulate, educated man who will do what he has to do to try to make things better.

Perhaps it was the issue surrounding gay marriage that confirmed my belief that the Obama/Biden ticket was not as liberal as some may have thought. The idea that marriage should only be considered a marriage if between a man and a woman, was the one issue that the Obama/Biden and McCain/Palin ticket had in common. It was actually Hillary Clinton who had more liberal views regarding gay marriage. I also felt that Obama probably would not have belonged to the church that he did if he were very liberal. There is a difference between a place of worship saying that they support gay marriage, than saying that they support programs that assist people with HIV.

Well, when it comes down to it, I am proud to say that Obama is President Elect, but I guess that I never saw him as liberal as some other voters may have. Perhaps some were looking at what they hoped to be there, rather than what actually was.

Guess Who?

2008-12-05T11:59:00.007-07:00

Okay - I have a question for you. I am going to give you three choices to identify the guy on the left of the picture. If you are not sure which is the left, he is the young man pretending to grab Hillary Clinton's boobie. Yes - that guy. OK, here are the choices. Is he:

Fraternity pledge at a college party?
Young republican prankster?
Guy trying to win Rolling Rock Beer Outrageous Photo Contest?

OK...did you pick one? Well, I have to admit - it was a trick question. None of the options are correct. The young man on the left of the photo is 27 year old Jon Favreau, who has been officially named as Barack Obama's Presidential Speech Writer. Jon recently moved to Washington, DC, and has has had a hand in (no pun intended) practically every speech that the president-elect has delivered over the last four years. Mr. Favreau, a 2003 graduate of the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., began his writing career for Senator John Kerry’s presidential campaign.

So, when it comes down to it, will this photo that showed up oh-so-briefly on someone's Facebook page cost Jon Favraeu his position? Nah, probably not. But it does make you wonder how Jon Favreau answered Question No. 63 of Obama's applicants request that asks that applicants "please provide any other information ... that could ... be a possible source of embarrassment to you, your family, or the President-Elect." Years ago, all you had to do was make sure that you got the originals and the negatives of embarrassing photos. Now, thanks to the digital age, the proof of poor judgment can last forever.

What would you do for a bailout deal?

2008-12-04T07:43:00.023-07:00

They're back. No - I am not talking about a poltergeist. I am referring to the Big 3 automakers' CEOs on Capitol Hill. This time, instead of traveling by private jet, they are all commuting the 500 miles from Detroit to Washington, DC by car (fuel efficient models of course). They will be testifying before lawmakers today. Each company has different plans in mind in regard to bailout requests. Ford seems to be the most secure in their ability to survive and thrive. GM is in a somewhat more precarious position, while Chrysler seems to be in the worst shape and is asking for the most assistance. MSNBC made a little cartoon of the trek (see video below):

All of this recent talk about what the GM, Ford, and Chrysler CEOs are willing to do to for bailouts - like forgoing private planes, getting one-cent annual salaries, etc., reminds me of an old commercial for a frozen novelty treat. Remember Klondike Bars? Their famous pitch line is - "what would you do for a Klondike Bar?" Hey, desperate times call for desperate measures. OK, the CEOs may not be as desperate as a former child star of 80s sitcom Different Strokes, but it could be close (see video below):

Morphing, and Mics, and Jeb Bush - Oh My!

2008-12-03T09:21:00.022-07:00

Please forgive my not too subtle Wizard of Oz reference. Sometimes there is one big story that gets my mind going, while other times, like today, there are little bits that make up a whole. I can't say I even know what the whole is, but the parts are definitely intriguing.
The first is these parts is a fascinating morphing video that shows all 44 Presidents of the United States - including Barack Obama, of course. The blendings - how one image flows into the other - are so interesting to watch. It reaffirmed for me that realization feeling that I had last night, that we will have the first black President of the United States. I am sure that is not the first - or last time - that this thought will come to mind. I am proud to be one of the millions of people who brought it to fruition. Here is the video below:

Next, is an interesting little story that took place in my hometown, Philadelphia. It was brought to light by Campbell Brown, during her "Cutting through the Bull" segment on CNN. Governors were in Philadelphia to meet with Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Pennsylvania Governer Ed Rendell was hosting the event. Ed Rendell did not seem to understand tip #34 in hosting good parties - in that you never talk about your guests until after they leave. Especially, especially, in front of an open microphone. Here is what Campbell Brown describes:

Speaking about Obama's Homeland Security Secretary pick, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, Ed Rendell said, "Janet's perfect for that job. Because for that job, you have to have no life. Janet has no family, perfect. She can devote, literally, 19-20 hours a day to it."

Oops - that can't be good. The video is below. One thing that is not mentioned by Campbell Brown, is that Ed Rendell made the same open mic mistake in regard to Sarah Palin, remarking that she may not be a genius, but that she has good political sense.

OK, lastly in these odds and ends, is the story that CBS News chief political consultant Mark Ambinder reported today, that Jeb Bush (photo below) is "seriously considering" running for Florida Senate now that Mel Martinez has decided not to seek a second term in 2010. Can't you feel it coming? Jeb Bush for President in 2012? A few years as governor, a couple of years in the Senate, and he will be set. The more paranoid part of me has always felt that the Republican base always knew that 2008 was not going to be their year. They may have seen John McCain as somewhat expendable. If he happened to win, he would be out by 2012 (most likely). If he lost, well, no big deal. He is older, and I don't think that they were completely behind him anyway. He may have been the sacrificial lamb for a season in which they were destined to lose.

All the Presidents Men

2008-12-02T09:34:00.024-07:00

A few names have been floating around in my head for the last day or so. It is probably because of seeing the people on television and on the internet. These names are David Frost, Richard Nixon, and Karl Rove. I know - it is a odd grouping. I think what initiated this combo entering my brain, was seeing David Frost interviewed recently by Jon Stewart. My first thought was, "boy, David Frost got old." I couldn't help it. My permanent image of David Frost will always be how he looked during his well-known interview with Former President Richard Nixon in 1977. I was a kid when this was on television, but I remember it clearly. I did not realize that the interview was the subject of a 2006 play by Peter Morgan, Frost/Nixon, which ran in both London and New York. Most recently, the play has been adapted into a movie, which was directed by Ron Howard (see photo above).

There was a special screening of Frost/Nixon last night in Washington, DC. Of course, due to the timing of when the film has been released, there is the inevitable tendency to compare the presidency of Richard Nixon with that of George W. Bush. Chris Wallace, host of Fox News Sunday, was in the audience during the screening last evening, and offered his thoughts to counter this proposal:

“To compare George W. Bush to Richard Nixon is to trivialize Nixon’s crimes and is a disservice to Bush,” Wallace said. Recalling that 3,000 people were killed on 9/11, and noting that there hadn’t been any attacks on U.S. soil since. That’s why, he said, “we are all sitting here tonight so comfortably”—and not afraid of another terrorist attack. Moreover, Wallace said, “Richard Nixon’s crimes were committed solely for his own political gain, whereas George W. Bush was trying to protect the American people.” To suggest otherwise, Wallace insisted, “was a grave misrepresentation of history, then and now.” (James Pinkerton, The Fox Forum)

I am including the movie trailer for Frost/Nixon, which will be released this week (see video below):

I know that many have said things like, "I think Bush should be impeached," or, "once he is out of office all will be known." I don't think that either of those two things will happen. Well, the impeachment part is kind of obvious - but in terms of further processes - I think that there is too much money and power behind him for any ramifications to occur. Look, Karl Rove was on the Today Show this morning being interviewed by Matt Lauer. Here is a guy who has avoided being called before the House Judiciary Committee regarding the Valerie Plame situation, and is instead, seen as an "architect" and prophet of all things political.

Lastly, I wanted to include a clip that I found on You Tube the other day. I was looking for video about Walter Cronkite, when I saw footage of a very young Karl Rove being interviewed by Dan Rather. Rove was the GOP College Director of the Republican National Committee in 1972 and was "getting out the young person vote" for Richard Nixon. It is ironic to me that although the technology has greatly changed, that many of the grassroots strategies seem similar to sound bytes during a not that long ago tour of Obama's campaign headquarters.

That's the way it is...

2008-12-01T08:37:00.009-07:00

For the most part, I look to the news (either on TV or on the internet) as a way to gain answers to questions. Questions like: "what will the weather be," "who will win the election," "how bad is the economy today," and "what is happening in Iraq." This past holiday weekend, the news seemed to generate many more questions than answers. The questions were numerous. Here are just a few of mine:

Who were the terrorists in Mumbai, India and why did they feel justified to perform such terrible acts of cruelty and violence? Can terrorism be fought the way we have become used to fighting it - with more violence?
Was the "new media" that jumped into action after the terrorism in India started, a help or a hindrance? Sites such as Twitter provided real time information as events unfolded. Did it's usefulness in providing firsthand information outweigh any risk in actually relaying sensitive information to the terrorist groups?
Why did I choose to follow this new media? Was it my concern for others, or - like some implied - was it the same reflex that causes me to slow down to see a car wreck?
What caused me to focus so strongly on the hostages at the Chabad House in Mumbai? Was it that I care more about Jews because I am Jewish, or was it because those victims had names and faces?
What caused shoppers at that Walmart in Long Island, NY to become an angry mob who pushed down a glass door and trampled and killed a store worker? Was it out of desperation over tough economic times, or was it pure human greed? Was the store at fault for setting up such emotionally charged conditions and for not providing proper security? It can't be just the idea of wanting to get a "good deal" on a plasma television.

Well, I don't really expect to get the answers to these questions - at least not yet. Part of me was glad to have it be Monday news again with Obama announcing his National Security Team. Maybe part of the reason that Obama was elected is that he has an innate sense to understand what people need in order to gain some stability and support in dealing with these questions.

Although the news media's being able to provide more questions than answers was felt overwhelmingly by me this past weekend, I have a sense that this change has been gradually taking place over the past few years. Things have changed. There is so much information out there on the internet, that we don't have to go home to see what happened during the day while we were busy at work or home. Perhaps it is also that we as a people are less naive than we used to be.

I wanted to close with a piece of nostalgia. To recall the days when Americans would go home and find out what happened via Walter Cronkite. Walter would never mislead us. What Walter said was fact. Heck, he even closed his broadcasts with that famous line, "and that's the way it is." That is a far cry from Hannity or Olberman. Nowadays, interpretation is presented as fact. Interestingly, Walter Cronkite only said his typical closing on evenings when he didn't provide watchers with his "take" or interpretation of events. One of those more unique kinds of nights can be seen on the video below:

Thank you for flying with us.

2008-11-26T08:00:00.012-07:00

Remember that famous quote from Animal Farm? You know, the one that says, “all animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.” There is a certain age that you reach when you suddenly realize that this is true. I am not sure when it happens - but it eventually occurs. First you may be angry, feel some loss, grieve a little bit, and then get on with things. That realization somewhat comforted me while watching Chris Wallace's special "inside look" at the president's plane - Air Force One - on last Sunday's Fox News (see video at bottom of post). There were many features aboard Air Force One that I could deal with. I am a realist. I understand that with certain jobs come certain perks. Here are the luxuries that I may have said "wow" to, but that I could definitely handle:

Air Force One has it's own version of the Oval Office - with a president's desk, accompanying chairs, etc.
Air Force One has secure communication lines. The President of the US can do a press conference aboard the plane.
Aboard the plane is real china, glassware, and cutlery.
The President and First Lady have their own separate living quarters, with bed, lavatories, double vanities, and full shower.
Passengers aboard Air Force One have meals of their choosing. The elite list of fliers have their coffee preferences (cream, sugar, etc) posted for wait staff.
Of course, security is a major concern. All plane parts are scanned for safety and listening/camera devices.
To avoid spotting, the body of Air Force One is never bathed with water. Cleaning is performed with soft shammies only.

I know - some of these things seem really luxurious, but I was fine with everything. It was only one statement that the Master Sargent of the crew team made that got my goat. OK, I don't have a goat, but if I did, it would have gotten it. The statement was, "on most 747s a part is fixed because it is broken; on Air Force One, we find things before they are broken and fix them before it becomes a problem." Oooh - it was like a shot in the gut to me. That is the issue. There is the line that is crossed between luxury and inequality. That is the thinking that got Americans buying Hondas and Subarus, while Ford, GM, and Chrysler were on Capital Hill this week begging for their financial lives.

I guess the fact the Thanksgiving is approaching and that about 41 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home around the holiday (according to AAA) got me thinking about this more. We can settle for crowded seating, airplane peanuts, and no hot shower aboard our flights (although a shower would be lovely). I think that people should be able to expect that our commuter planes are just as safe and in as good of a condition as Air Force One.

OK. I am down off my soapbox. Thank you for flying with me, and have a good holiday. Bye bye...bye now...bye bye...bye...bye bye now...

Here's the story of the White House Transition.

2008-11-25T10:10:00.016-07:00

I grew up in the television generation. When I was a young kid, there were no VCRs, no DVDs, no cable channels, no home computers, and no iPods. But, there was definitely television. I loved TV. I admit it. The images and sounds from the late 1960s and the 1970s will forever be in my brain. That is why when MSNBC created the White House Transition website grid which is pictured above, I could not help but make a few alterations (see below). Enjoy.

Send in the clowns???

2008-11-24T09:46:00.047-07:00

OK, I know that sometimes we Americans are seen as being naive, or wearing "rose colored glasses." I tend to be a worrier, so I often admire this "half full" perspective on life. Look, Barack Obama based his whole campaign on change and the "audacity of hope." His hope was contagious and he managed to get voters to embrace it. But, there are certain times when this "looking at the bright side of things" just seems incongruous to the situation. One such instance caught my eye just this morning.

Our economy is in the toilet and we are practically mid-way in a flush. In fact, Obama today is announcing his financial team of experts who will hopefully throw us a rope to aid in our at least clinging to the bowl (sorry - no more toilet analogies for the rest of this entry). Things look pretty bleak. But - who shows up to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange? None other than Santa, Mrs. Claus, and Macy's staff. Something just seems wrong about that. It would be as if a funeral service featured a performance from Disney on Ice. Something is just odd. See the video below:

John Stewart demonstrated the irony of a similar NYSE start of the day, when a several clowns were there to ring the opening bell. See below:

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

So, who should be there, at least temporarily, to start the day during these terrible financial times. Who would have the gravitas (Tom Cruise's favorite word)? Here are some of my suggestions:

Dick Cheney - He's got the sneer. Also, let's face it, the irony is pure Shakespeare.

Alex Trebeck - He makes everything look serious, even when it's not.

Condi Rice - She always looks like she is worried about something.

James Earl Jones - He has a great voice, and could come dressed like Darth Vader.

Emma Thompson or anyone British - They seem more serious. And even if they told a joke, the American public probably wouldn't get it.

Wolf Blitzer - He takes everything serious, particularly himself.

Gobble Gobble

2008-11-21T12:21:00.019-07:00

My rule of thumb is, if we can't discuss Sarah Palin having a photo op in front of a dying turkey the Friday before Thanksgiving, then when can we talk about it? That is right. See the video for yourself (see above). And I bet you thought that the lime green backdrop that McCain used for his speech the night that Obama cinched the nomination was tacky (see below):

Well, in honor of this video opportunity, I have decided to pay homage to David Letterman and create a Top Ten List for the Palin/Turkey combo. Here we go....

Top Ten things heard at the turkey farm during Palin visit:

10. "Hey lady, get away from me with that lipstick. It doesn't match my beak."

9. "Why don't you go try to find some moose to humiliate and let us be."

8. "What a rip off; they told us that Joe Biden was coming."

7. "Hey George - pan the camera to the left; there's an old lady falling and breaking her hip."

6. "It's Thanksgiving and I'm a turkey. Did you at least bring me a six-pack?"

5. "My friends call me, Joe the Turkey Slayer."

4. "Why do you assume because we are turkeys that we are all Republicans?"

3. "This is from the Neiman-Marcus Turkey Farm Collection."

2. "I'm a turkey dying while Sarah Palin is talking...Now I know how McCain must have felt."

1. "Quick Harry, put me in the funnel. She's going to start talking again."

Gas Guzzlers

2008-11-20T12:45:00.019-07:00

Two older, not very fuel efficient, outdated models were taken off the showroom floor, but it is not what you may think. Okay, I am being sarcastic, but it is not far from the truth. The first gas guzzler was Ted Stevens (R-Alaska). Stevens is 85 years old and the longest running Republican in the senate. He was indicted last summer on seven felony counts of failing to disclose gifts that he received from an oil services company. He gave his last ever Senate floor speech today, bidding farewell to his colleagues and the chamber he has served in since 1968. Below is a video of portions of his final speech on the Senate floor:

The second change was really not a discontinuation, but more of a decrease in production. Democrats voted 137-122 by secret ballot today for California Rep. Henry A. Waxman to replace veteran John Dingell as House Energy and Commerce Chairman. Dingell has chaired that committee since 1981. Dingell was born in 1926 and is the second longest serving member all-time of the House of Representatives and the fourth longest serving member of Congress ever. The three largest contributors to his campaign for the 2006 election cycle were political action committees, employees, or other affiliates of General Motors, Ford Motor Company, and Chrysler. Since 1989, these corporations have contributed more than $600,000 to his campaign. Currently, Dingell's wife is a senior executive at General Motors and vice chair of the General Motors Foundation. This is what columnist Thomas Friedman recently wrote about Dingell:

"The blame for this travesty not only belongs to the auto executives, but must be shared equally with the entire Michigan delegation in the House and Senate, virtually all of whom, year after year, voted however the Detroit automakers and unions instructed them to vote. That shielded General Motors, Ford and Chrysler from environmental concerns, mileage concerns and the full impact of global competition that could have forced Detroit to adapt long ago. Indeed, if and when they do have to bury Detroit, I hope that all the current and past representatives and senators from Michigan have to serve as pallbearers. And no one has earned the “honor” of chief pallbearer more than the Michigan Representative John Dingell, the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee who is more responsible for protecting Detroit to death than any single legislator."

Here is a campaign ad for Dingell paid for by Michigan car manufacturers:

See the USA in your Toyota Camry?

2008-11-19T09:41:00.010-07:00

I admit it. I have a Ford Focus and I am suffering from car shame. Why do I have a Ford? Is it because I wanted to support America? Nah. I really can't say that it is. It is more because about two years ago, I was desperate and needed a car, and Ford was desperate and needed a sale, and I figured, why not put those two things together. If money were no object, I would have gotten a hybrid. Interestingly though, it is not my first Ford. Also, the Ford Focus has proven itself to be a good car for me. It handles well and gets good gas mileage. But, despite those positives, I have had American car shame for years now. I am 45 years old and have heard negative things about American car manufacturers my entire adult life. You know, things like Ford stands for "fix or repair daily." Even now, telling someone in my age bracket or younger that I have a Ford Focus, I get one of those head tilt reactions. You know, like when you tell someone some sort of bad news and they feel sorry for you. The statement, "I have a Ford Focus" inevitably leads to a "oh, they're nice" with the accompanying head tilt.

Why is my car shame on my mind now? Mainly because CEOs from GM, Ford, and Chrysler are testifying this week before a House Financial Services Committee basically begging for their lives. They are asking for a "bridge loan" to give them a large infusion of cash to prevent layoffs and bankruptcy. Part of me wonders, how does this happen? Look at this old Chevy commercial from the 1950s (see below). Would Dinah Shore ever picture this kind of financial scenario?

Who is to blame about the car companies troubles is as big of a debate as is whether or not to bail them out. There are those who say that the American car manufacturers are at fault because of their not being innovative and producing the more fuel-efficient (or non-fuel using) cars that people are looking for. There are others who say that the car companies are just a victim of this terrible economy, and that basically, any and all companies are at risk.

How this will end is anyone's guess. The only thing that is for sure is that these economic troubles are severe and not going away quickly. I think that Tom Friedman said it best on Sunday's edition of Meet the Press when he compared our financial strife to the scene in Jaws, when Roy Scheider gets his first glimpse of the shark and says to the captain, "we're gonna need a bigger boat." Mr Friedman feels that America, and perhaps the world, is "going to need a bigger boat." Hey - don't some of those old Chevys have fins?

The story behind the story.

2008-11-18T09:07:00.010-07:00

There is a lot going on out there. I always find it interesting to hear the "story behind the story." Of course, this is always subject to the particular news media bias. But, it is fascinating to say the least. Here are some of those stories:

Perception - Why would Hillary Clinton want to leave the Senate? She has so much power. You know, she has her health care agenda, etc.
Possible Reality - As Andrea Mitchell pointed out on Meet the Press last Sunday, Clinton really does not have that much power. She is a Junior Senator, and she was recently turned down in the Senate to chair her own healthcare subcommittee. There is really not much room for her to grow in the Senate.

Perception - Oh, isn't that nice. Senator Edward Kennedy is feeling good enough to return to work.
Possible Reality - Ted Kennedy came back to the Senate yesterday with a signal of "staking his claim." He let it be known that health care reform is his issue, and that Hillary Clinton better stay out of it. Heck, he even brought his dogs with him - maybe as a way to mark his territory (see video):

Perception - Barack Obama is considering Hillary Clinton for his Secretary of State position to emulate Abraham Lincoln's "team of rivals" approach.
Possible Reality - As pointed out by Andrea Mitchell and Mark Halperin, putting Hillary in this SOS position will get her "boxed in" and out of the Senate. As experienced by other presidents, having a former rival in Congress is not a match made in heaven. Also, Barack needs a Secretary of State who gets along with -and does not butt heads with - Joe Biden. Biden and Hillary Clinton get along very well.

Perception - Barack Obama resigned from his Senate seat particulary early, because he wants more time to put things in order.
Possible Reality - Barack Obama resigned early so that he can stay clear of voting on the bailout package being proposed for the "Big Three" automakers (GM, Ford, & Chrysler). UAW supported Obama during the presidential race. Here is an ad that the sponsored (see below):

Twitter and Moms

2008-11-17T12:30:00.019-07:00

It seems that Johnson & Johnson has pulled a recent ad for Motrin due to negative feedback that the advertisement got from "moms" on Twitter. OK, I know what you may be thinking. What the heck is Twitter? Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging network, that allows users to send and read other users' updates, called Tweets. A Tweet is text which can be up to 140 characters in length.

I became fascinated with Twitter about a year ago, during the presidential primary season. I still use it as a resource for getting updates regarding all kind of current news items, not just related to politics. After you spend some time on the site, you can develop a listing of Followers and Followees. You can be as social or non-social as you wish.

Well, back to Motrin. Recently a new ad for the product tried to appeal to moms and the physical ramifications of using a baby carrier to transport your infant/child. Some members of the target audience for the ad became offended at the tone of the ad, and a slew of negative comments (or Tweets you could say) began showing up on Twitter. I am attaching a link to the Twitter real time site of Tweets posted by "MotrinMoms:"

http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23MotrinMoms

I know that Twitter has been getting more and more mainstream press, and has been used by many companies lately as a way to get their brand names out there. I guess like anything, that the use of social media by corporations/businesses can be a double-edged sword. I am attaching the front page of the Motrin website as of today:

I am also attaching the Motrin ad video below. See if you don't agree with me that something about the tone of woman on the ad seems oh so familiar to me. Hey, even Cher Horowitz (Silverstone's character in Clueless) can become a mom:

As Dr. Evil would say...

2008-11-14T09:10:00.006-07:00

There is a lot of talk out there today about Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton meeting in Chicago yesterday. Andrea Mitchell of MSNBC reported that there is serious Secretary of State consideration for Hillary. In my opinion, and as Dr. Evil as been known to say, "come on, throw me a frickin' bone here." Go ahead Team Obama, give Hillary the spot, or at least another cabinet position. She would be excellent Secretary of State. Throw her the bone; it's not like it is even a pity decision. She knows her stuff and has been around the world. I know, the Bosnia thing would make it kind of ironic, but it does not take away from all that she has done over the years. Heck, you already have almost the whole Clinton team in there already.

I watched Hillary Clinton's tribute video from the DNC convention the other day. She has taken the high road, and definitely has given her full fledged support. I am attaching the film clip below. The energy that she generates can not be disregarded. So come on Team Obama - what do you say?

The Cringe Effect

2008-11-13T13:22:00.020-07:00

I am not going to miss the "cringe effect" once George W. Bush is no longer in office. I won't miss it at all. That feeling of "what is he going to say," or "why is he smirking," or "why is he talking to us like we are 8 years old." I am glad to say that Barack Obama has never said or done anything to make me cringe (a few of his friends may have, but that is a different story).

I supported John Kerry in 2004. Even he pushed the cringe button on two occasions that I can remember. First, there was the picture of him in that NASA suit while he was campaigning. That wasn't good. There was something "Woody-Allenesque" about it (see above). Then there was the moment during one of his debates with Bush that Kerry outed Cheney's daughter. OK, most of us already knew that she was gay, but still, you don't talk about someone else's kid while making a point about your feelings toward gay people.

I am attaching the link to an article by Paul Waldman in The American Prospect website. He expressed what I, and millions of Americans, will not be sad to say goodbye to:

http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=goodbye_and_good_riddance

Here is a recent video clip that I feel is "cringeworthy." I only had to watch about 15 seconds before the cringing began (see below).

The Rove before Karl

2008-11-12T07:39:00.014-07:00

Last night PBS aired a Frontline episode titled, "Boogie Man, The Lee Atwater Story." It was a scarily fascinating biography of Lee Atwater, a Republican political operative. He helped George H. W. Bush get elected in 1988, and later became chairman of the Republican National Committee. He died of a brain tumor in 1991 at the age of 40.

I remember the name "Lee Atwater," and was in my early 20s during his rise to fame and power. After watching this biography, I realize that I had no clue as to his level of impact on our political landscape. He has been characterized as the "happy hatchet man" and "Darth Vader" of the Republican Party. I am attaching a link to the documentary, where portions can be viewed on line (see below):

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/atwater/

While watching this documentary, several points were very striking to me:

Even Karl Rove needed some mentoring, and Lee Atwater was the man to do it. Atwater invented or improved upon ruthless strategies, like starting and spreading unflattering rumors about a candidate, and the aggressive use of opposition research. Opposition research is when someone representing Candidate A calls voters and asks a question such as, "would you be upset to learn that Candidate B has an illegitimate black daughter." This is what happened to John McCain in 2000.
Many feel that if Atwater were alive to help George H.W. Bush during his 1992 run against Bill Clinton, that he may have won. Lee Atwater realized that Clinton would be a threat to Bush early on, and started the dirty press early. But, Atwater became sick and died in 1991.
Lee Atwater destroyed Michael Dukakis during the 1988 presidential campaign. It reinforced for me how excellent a campaign Barack Obama ran. The Dukakis approach of "taking the high road," or ignoring negative smears definitely did not, and does not work. This was shown again by Kerry in 2004. Barack Obama fought smears head on. Obama addressed the "elephant in the room," before it came back to bite him (or charge him - I'm not sure what elephants do).

I wanted to include a television ad that was used by the George H.W. Bush campaign against Michael Dukakis. It was used to make reference to (although never showing the picture of) Willie Horton, a convicted murderer serving a life sentence in a Massachusetts prison who committed a rape while participating in a weekend furlough strongly supported by Michael Dukakis. In reference to Dukakis, Atwater declared that he would "strip the bark off the little bastard" and "make Willie Horton his running mate."

Thank You

2008-11-11T11:17:00.004-07:00

Thanks Keith Olbermann (see video below):

"Flintstones Meets the Jetsons"

2008-11-11T09:43:00.006-07:00

You have to admit, it was quite a picture. For the first time since the election, President Elect Obama and soon to be First Lady Michelle Obama, visited the White House and were greeted by George and Laura Bush. What a contrast. It made me proud.

The media was abuzz. Spectators actually had their faces up against the White House fence trying to sneak a peek at history in the making. I can't take credit for my blog title. The kudos for the comparison of this historic event to a "sort of Flintstones meets the Jetsons moment," was courtesy of Jack Cafferty of CNN. Matt Drudge of the Drudge Report is already doing his "fly on the wall" act by posting statements that President Bush was not happy regarding how much of his conversation with Obama made its way into the news. Drudge posted this comment by a White House staff:

"Senator Obama may not be familiar with a long-standing tradition of presidents holding their private conversations, private," a senior adviser explained to the DRUDGE REPORT."

Something that I did not know, or at least remember, is that the Jetsons actually did have an opportunity to meet the Flintsones in a made for TV special from the 1987. I am including a video advertisement below. Like the Obamas visit with the current President and First Lady, the contrasts were quite striking. My only trouble with Jack Cafferty's comparison of the two presidential families, is that somehow I see Joe Biden more as Barney Rubble.

Sidney Poitier and a Rabbit

2008-11-10T07:41:00.011-07:00

I find the similarities between art and "real life" to be fascinating. Sometimes these crossings are done purposefully, while other times - as in most cases - they happen simply by coincidence. I noticed two of these similarities this weekend.

The first occurred to me last Friday, when I was inadvertently channel surfing. TV Land was showing the moving "Fatal Attraction," with Michael Douglas and Glenn Close. It is one of those movies that I love to hate. I never really watched the entire movie in one sitting, but have gotten sucked into watching parts of it several times over the past few years. I just can't help it. The performances and filming were mesmerizing. It is about a married man who has a weekend affair with a woman who refuses to allow it to end and who becomes obsessed with him. One of the most famous (or infamous, I guess) scenes is where Michael's Douglas' character's family comes home to find that the character portrayed by Glenn Close, has boiled the family's bunny to death on their kitchen stove. While watching this movie, I was also watching CNN and MSNBC, who were both discussing Governor Sarah Palin and the negative things that were "leaked" out by Republican staffers about her activities while campaigning. They were things like - she spent too much on clothes, she was too "mavericky," she refused to be coached, she didn't know that Africa was a continent, she used low level staffers credit cards, she was difficult to control, etc. After flipping back and forth between CNN and TV Land, I realized that the general plots of these two stories were the same. Both Glenn Close and Sarah Palin were used as seemed fit at the time, and then later revealed to be "unstable." Believe me, I bet if John McCain had won this election, that these Palin tidbits would not have been released. Now Sarah Palin is like Glen Close in the final bathtub scene. Everyone is waiting to see if she comes up for air or if she is down for the count.

My second instance of art imitating life, or visa versa, was when I decided to record the movie "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner," from the Turner Classic Movie channel. It is a 1967 comedy-drama film starring Spencer Tracy, Sidney Poitier, Katharine Hepburn, and Katharine Houghton. The movie revolves around Joanna Drayton (Houghton), a young white American woman who has fallen in love with Dr. Prentice (Poitier), whom she met while vacationing in Hawaii. The couple plans to marry. The plot is centered on Joanna’s return to her liberal, upper-class home in San Francisco, bringing her new fiance to dinner to meet her parents (Tracy and Hepburn), and the reaction of family and friends to his being black.

Barack and Michelle Obama are going to be meeting with George and Laura Bush at the White House this afternoon. The current President and First Lady will greet the future President and First Lady. There are many in this country, and around the world, who wondered whether this day would ever come in the United States. Just as surprised as Spencer Tracy's character was regarding his daughter's choice of a fiance, so are some regarding the United State's choice of a President. This meeting at the White House at 2pmET will be an amazing moment. 1967 was over 40 years ago, and so much has changed. But, the content of Spencer Tracy's closing monologue at the end of the film seems just as appropriate today, as it was back then (see below).

I want my CNN!

2008-11-06T08:06:00.015-07:00

I admit it, I used to watch Real World and Road Rules, and the occasional Real World/Road Rules Challenge. There were about 5 seasons or so where I was a steady watcher. I am talking about when I was in my late 30s. I have not watched the shows (not steady at least) for the last couple of years. It was the Las Vegas season that kind of ended it for me. It felt like it was over the top.

I must have matured. No more reality TV for me. I am past that. Then, I heard something after the election that made me think. That kind of, "what are we going to talk about now" type of statement. Is politics my new brand of reality tv? I think that it may be the case. They both generate the same type of feelings: I wonder what will happen next? Will my team win? I am bored with them, we need new characters.

Hey, you have to admit it, some of the plot lines are very similar. Take these reality tv examples (see below). There is not one that could not also relate to a situation in politics:

Guy and girl have been together for a long time. Guy cheats on girl, but tells girl and entire house that he did not cheat. Eventually, the recorded evidence is revealed and guy has to admit that he did cheat.
Cast members try to get guy kicked out of house, after he displays inappropriate and abusive behavior.
Two cast members form a secret alliance, where they benefit, despite the consequences to the others in their team.
Gay cast member decides to come out and tell the rest of the group that he/she is gay. Many in the house are OK with that, while others feel uncomfortable due to their religious values.
Black male cast member has to lay low and not get into heated arguments, for fear that he may be viewed as the "angry black man."

I could go on and on, but I won't. I will leave with two closing videos that support my claim (see below).

Pride and Obi-Wan

2008-11-05T07:44:00.008-07:00

The word that keeps coming to me, both last night and this morning, is "pride." I am so proud that the United States - young voters in particular - elected a president who is intelligent, introspective, and articulate. The U.S. opted for hope and change over fear and status quo. I am also proud to say that I feel that a good man won last night, but also that a good man lost last night. In my view, the "biggest loser" in this race was the Repulican's Party use of Rovian politics. I am proud, and hopeful, that with the election of Barack Obama, that the world will begin to see us through different eyes.

I could not close this blog this morning without mentioning CNN's use of holographic images last night. What was up with that (see video below)? I kept expecting the reporter to say to Wolf Blitzer, "help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope." I guess last night really was filled with firsts.