What is your least favorite show currently airing on television? And by currently airing, I don't mean it has to be in-season now, since most US networks are on summer hiatus; I mean only that it has to be airing new episodes when it is on, rather than a show available exclusively in re-run.
I have only seen a few minutes of one episode, but that was enough for me to nominate without hesitation Two and a Half Men.
Question of the Day
Quote of the Day
"In keeping with our special relationship, the president also made it clear that he has the utmost confidence in our close friend and ally, the United Kingdom, as they finalize preparations to host the London Olympics."—White House Spokesman Jay Carney.
Ouch. LOL.
Garbage Treasures: Now with extra Chuck Norris!
As you may recall, Deeky collects and saves useless garbage like we're beyond Thunderdome and useless garbage is now a form of currency and he's a garbageaire. Then, instead of throwing it away, he throws pieces of his fancy detritus collection into an envelope and pays money to ship it to me, at which point I put them in plastic treasure chests and put them out by the curb every week to be collected by the "treasure man," who buries them at the "treasure dump" for me for safe keeping.
But not before taking a picture of the bounty so that I can post it, natch.
[Click to embiggen.
Clockwise from bottom left: A schedule effective January 9,2012 for the Metrolink; a promotional sticker for Allagash Brewing Company of Portland, Maine; a Trojan-Enz lubricated condom (my preferred brand!) that looks to be about a decade old; a pamphlet on STD Facts; a stack of glossy "Get Out of Jail Free" business cards; a stack of glossy "Over the Top" business cards; a flyer for Maryland Deathfest ("America's biggest metal party of the year!") which took place two months ago; a post-it stack featuring an army of Bossk the Bounty Hunter action figures; a burned DVD labeled "Cowboy George"; and, the pièce de résistance, a hardcover copy of Chuck Norris with Ken Abraham's Against All Odds: My Story, which came with a note attached on post-it stationery from the desk of Jim Devlin, Vice President of Finance for GM, that read: "I thought this might make a good replacement for your Bush book! Love, Deeks."
In case you hadn't guessed, Deeky's real identity is not Jim Devlin, Vice President of Finance for GM.
All of which came in a package for which the return address was simply: "DEEKY."
LOL!
Plans:
1. I will definitely do something with the Chuck Norris with Ken Abraham book. I don't know what yet. Watch this space.
2. I will carry around some of the Chance cards with me wherever I go, and the next time someone around me says something ignorant about fatties (FOR EXAMPLE) or immigrants (FOR EXAMPLE), and then realizes I am fat or married to an immigrant, I will hand them one of those cards.
3. The Bossk post-its, which Deeky created for his desk "but didn't realize til they got here that there is NO PLACE TO WRITE ON THEM," which is WHY I LOVE THEM MOST OF ALL, are going with me every time I travel. And I will leave one, mysteriously, wherever I go.
Generally Speaking
There is A LOT of presidential election-related news today! Most of it is about how Mitt Romney is terrible! In ways we hadn't even yet begun to imagine! So here is a Generally Speaking post, which still won't be daily again for awhile, to collate a bunch of those election-related items, plus a picture of President Barack Obama campaigning that I really like. Hooray for us all!
Portland, Oregon: July 24.
Steve Holland for Reuters—"Anglo-Saxon" quote overshadows start of Romney tour: "Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney began a foreign tour on Wednesday forced to disavow a report that an adviser had accused President Barack Obama of not understanding the shared 'Anglo-Saxon heritage' of Britain and the United States. ... Romney, in an NBC News interview, dismissed the comment but said the United States and Britain do enjoy specialties and that he believes Obama recognizes this as well." How magnanimous, etc.
Pema Levy at TPM—Anger Games: Cameron, British Press pounce on Romney's Olympics critiques: "Mitt Romney's big international tour got off to a rocky start Thursday morning, as British officials including Prime Minister David Cameron took offense at the Republican candidate's criticisms over London's preparedness for the Olympics. Romney expressed wariness over England's ability to pull off the Olympics without a hitch, as well as reservations over security [and wondered if Britons would unite to make the Olympic Games successful]. ... The comments did not go over well in Britain."
Owen Gibson in the Guardian—David Cameron hits back at Mitt Romney over London 2012 doubts: "Cameron, who was due to meet Romney later on Thursday, said: 'In terms of people coming together, the torch relay demonstrated that this is not a London Games, this is not an England Games but this is a United Kingdom Games. We'll show the world we've not only come together as a United Kingdom but are extremely good at welcoming people from across the world.' Cameron said he was going to make this point to Romney when he met him later on Thursday."
Greg Sargent in the Washington Post—Romney: Foreign trip not the time to detail foreign policy: "If a foreign trip is not a good time to discuss foreign policy, why take the trip at all? This raises questions as to whether the trip is only about staging political theatrics for a domestic audience."
Aviva Shen at Think Progress—Heavily edited Romney video targets black voters, shows NAACP audience applauding: "Mitt Romney's speech at the NAACP was defined in the media by the resounding chorus of boos he elicited from the crowd. Campaign staffers had a different interpretation, insisting that he received 'thunderous applause over and over again.' Reflecting this idea, the campaign's new video targeting African American voters, 'We Need Mitt Romney,' rewrites history by splicing together Romney's speech with shots of a couple audience members nodding as if in agreement. While Romney received a polite standing ovation when he was done speaking, the video has been edited to make it seem like the audience rose to their feet to applaud him mid-speech."
Michael D. Shear for the New York Times—Conservative paper faults Romney on tax disclosure: "The Union Leader newspaper in Manchester, N.H., known for its conservative editorial stances, slammed Mitt Romney on Thursday for not releasing multiple years of his tax returns. 'Maintaining the secrecy creates the impression, justly or not, that there is something there to hide. No escaping that reality. The impression is there,' the paper wrote in an editorial posted online early Thursday. The newspaper expressed surprise that Mr. Romney had not ensured that his tax returns were 'above reproach' in the many years he was pursuing a national political career."
Daniel J. Weiss and Seth Hanlon at the Center for American Progress—Romney tax plan: Many happy returns for Big Oil: "Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's economic plan slashes corporate tax rates while failing to identify a single corporate tax loophole to eliminate. Highly profitable large oil companies that already enjoy lucrative tax breaks stand to receive some of the biggest benefits from Gov. Romney's plan. The world's five biggest public oil companies—BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, and Royal Dutch Shell—would keep special tax breaks worth $2.4 billion each year. And by cutting corporate tax rates, the Romney plan could lower the companies' annual tax bill by another $2.3 billion, based on an analysis of the companies' tax expense for 2011. The special tax breaks, supplemented by Gov. Romney's lower corporate rates, could benefit the oil companies by more than $4 billion annually."
And in Obama news...
Gallup—U.S. Business Owners Now Among Least Approving of Obama: "U.S. business owners' approval of President Barack Obama fell in the second quarter of 2012 to 35%, essentially tying farmers and fishers for the lowest approval among major occupational groups. Overall, professional workers remain the most approving, at 52%."
Darren Samuelsohn for the Politico—Obama: AK-47s belong on battlefield, not streets: At the National Urban League conference in New Orleans, President Obama said, "I, like most Americans, believe that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual the right to bear arms. I think we recognize the traditions of gun ownership passed on from generation to generation, that hunting and shooting are part of a cherished national heritage. But I also believe that a lot of gun owners would agree that AK-47s belong in the hands of soldiers and not in the hands of crooks. They belong on the battlefield of war, not on the streets of our cities."
In related news: Colorado gun sales up after cinema killings.
Talk about these things! Or don't. Whatever makes you happy. Life is short.
Photo of the Day
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton listens at left as President Barack Obama speaks to members of the media during a Cabinet Meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, July, 26, 2012. [Getty Images]Look at her. No doubt still plotting to ruin his electoral chances and personally destroy him the way all those highly-paid and very smart pundits predicted she would after losing the 2008 primary! It would be just like Hillary Clinton to insinuate herself into his cabinet, do an awesome job for four years, get absurdly high approval ratings, reflect well on his presidency, and then, when we're all LEAST EXPECTING IT, do something conniving like campaign for his reelection. She's dastardly, that one. She'll stop at NOTHING to fulfill her ambitions!
Insert ALL the derisive snorts here. And all the hearts for Hilz.
Daily Dose of Cute
This is Dudley.
This is Dudley sitting politely like a Good Boy, begging for a treat.
This is Dudley yawning with a bit of violet on his head.
This is Dudley giving me the stink-eye.
This is Dudley taking a nap because he is worn out from being cute.
An Observation
I'm in the middle of moving. And I don't want to have to stop and cook.
So I bought some really cheapo frozen pizzas and entrees to eat while I'm packing the apartment, but I might have gone TOO cheap. This pizza is listed as having a "pepperoni FLAVORED" topping.
I don't even want to know what's in it, or where you get "pepperoni flavor."
ETA: Maybe a vestment?
I Write Letters
[Content Note: Violence; misogyny.]
To Whom It May Concern:
What the fuck? CNN, we really don't need Bill Bennett exploiting the Aurora Shooting to promote more of his misogynistic garbage. I'm not just saying that as a feminist, and a woman, but as a human being with a modicum of fucking decency. Jesus Jones.
Also: What the fuck? Wall Street Journal, exactly how fucking gross does James Taranto have to be before you sever your relationship with him? I'm not just asking that as a feminist, and a woman, but as a human being with a modicum of fucking decency. Jesus Jones.
I love, ahem, how even the Denver Shooting has to become a referendum on the value of women.
Get it together, planet.
Contemptuously,
Liss
cc. Aphra-Behn, who gave me the head-ups on the Taranto tweet, care of Digby.
Do You Need a Nice Story?
Here is a very nice story about a retired racing greyhound named Audi who became a therapy dog and a reading companion to children (and adults) at his local library.
"I want them to learn about being gentle, about being kind," [said Audi's guardian Cheryl Woolnough]. "But I also want them to love coming to the library. I want them to love reading and stories."I don't guess I need to tell you that the fact Audi resembles a certain other greyhound I know who's hung out the library made me blub with above-average blubbiness.
[Via @GreyhoundSafe.]
Today in Mitt Romney Is Confused
US Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney (2nd R) tours the Great Pavilion exhibit with British Secretary William Hague (2nd L), alongside other government officials, at the Foreign Ministry in London, July 26, 2012. [Reuters Pictures][Content Note: Guns; discussion of shooting in Colorado.]
I'm sure Mitt Romney is aware he is in Great Britain. He is not, however, aware of anything resembling facts about gun access and the shooting outside Denver:
Well, this person shouldn't have had any kind of weapons and bombs and other devices and it was illegal for him to have many of those things already. But he had them. And so we can sometimes hope that just changing the law will make all bad things go away. It won't. Changing the heart of the American people may well be what's essential, to improve the lots of the American people.As Annie-Rose points out at Think Progress: "In fact, 24-year-old Holmes legally purchased every firearm, bullet, and piece of tactical gear that he used for the attack, according to local law enforcement. He bought most of it over the Internet."
Romney's spokesperson is now trying to spin this bullshit with: "Romney was referring to the bombs the shooter set in his apartment, which police found and disarmed after the shooting occurred." Except that all of the bombs found in James Holmes' apartment were fashioned from totally legal materials.
The fact is, Mitt Romney either has no idea what he's talking about, or is deliberately lying in order to justify his bullshit argument that tighter gun controls wouldn't have saved lives lost in Holmes' massacre. Possibly both. Either way, he's a jackass who shouldn't be allowed anywhere near the US presidency.
In other news: Water wet.
Random Nerd Nostalgia: The Exciting Ant Farm
[Image Description: Headline: "Now! Your Very Own! EXITING ANT FARM! As Seen On TV! AN ANT'S ENTIRE WORLD! COMPLETE WITH LIVE ANTS!" There is a picture of a white boy and girl, starting in apparent rapt appreciation at their EXCITING ANT FARM, where ants the size of the kids' EYES burrow into the ground and also hang around the ant farmhouse, windmill, and ant-barn. There is also a lot of super-tuny text exhorting you to apprecate the wonders of the ant farm. Headlines include:"WHAT IS AN 'ANT FARM'?" "FASCINATING!....EDUCATIONAL!....WORLD'S TINIEST ENGINEERS! SEE YOUR TINY PETS! ONLY $2.98!" (but whooops the DELUXE version will run you $6.98. "Discover how ants work...play...live...order now!"
I love the urgency of these ads. It's as if the entire future of the Cold War depends on your immediate consumerism. "ORDER THE ANT FARM OR THE COMMIES WIN!"
Anaheim Protests/Police Violence: Two Americas
[Content Note: Police brutality; shooting; violence.]
There have been protests in Anaheim, California, all week, following two separate police shootings over the weekend that left two Latino men dead. The FBI has agreed to review the shootings. As the rioting has continued, tensions with police have escalated, and there has been some property damage and lots of arrests. More protests are scheduled.
I've been following this story, although I've not written about it because, for one, I'm on a serious shortage of spoons at the moment, but mostly because I was sort of waiting to see what the national coverage would be like, not figuring it would be essentially nonexistent.
But it is.
Part of that is because the media is still very focused on the shooting in Aurora, Colorado, and Maude forbid we focus on two whole stories at once. And part of it is the usual racism: We routinely fail in the US to give attention to the ongoing problem of state-sponsored police brutality and murder of people of color.
I also suspect, rather cynically, that there is no small urge among our national corporate media to downplay evidence of class-based unrest across the US. The situation in Anaheim is not merely one of police vs. people, or white supremacy vs. Latino communities, but also one of the Haves vs. the Have-Nots.
Anaheim could hardly be a town more symbolic of the increasing class divide in the US, with Disneyland ("the happiest place on earth!"), populated by rich tourists, taking up one part of town, and extremely poor communities with high unemployment taking up another. Desperate residents of Anaheim who long for the ability to provide stable lives for themselves can watch from the front porches a parade of privilege, just out of their reach.
How can that not take a toll?
As the city blows up, its evident suitability as an emblem for the nation at large cannot be missed. It can, however, be ignored by a media whose wealthy private owners would certainly prefer not to broadcast encouragements to revolution across a nation whose compliance keeps them in gold-plated bidets.
But they are delaying the inevitable. This is where we are all headed, if something doesn't change. Meaningfully. And quick.
The Two Americas are breaking in half.
Top Five
[Content Note: Food, eating.]
Here is your topic: Top Five Favorite Foods. (Dishes, individual foods, beverages, savory, sweet, whatever.) Go!
Please feel welcome to share stories about why your Top Five picks are what they are, though a straight-up list is fine, too. Please refrain from negatively auditing other people's lists, because judgment discourages participation.
This is so the worst thing you're going to read all day.
Frank Deford for NPR: From Obscurity to the Olympics Back to Obscurity.
Jessica (@scatx) absolutely destroyed this article on Twitter yesterday (a sample: "'Can you even name a gymnast?' Your problem is that they are getting attention only once every 4 yrs so instead they should get none? Also, the answer to that question was YES."), during which she observed: "Is there more of a time that women's sports are praised and followed than during the Olympics?"
And to that I'd add: Or when men's sports frequently coded as "feminine" (gymnastics, trampoline, equestrian events, ice skating in the winter games, etc.) and/or are not directly physical, aggressive contests (swimming vs. American football) are given so much attention?
There are legitimate criticisms to be made about the Olympics, and privilege, and indulgent displays in a context of global need, and other things, but many of the harrumphy grump pieces like Deford's that you'll being seeing over the next couple of weeks will justify their hostility with some variation on "unseriousness" or "frivolity" or "useless sports," which is simply coded misogyny.
Question of the Day
What is your favorite show currently airing on television? And by currently airing, I don't mean it has to be in-season now, since most US networks are on summer hiatus; I mean only that it has to be airing new episodes when it is on, rather than a show available exclusively in re-run.
Obviously, I gotta go with Parks & Rec.
Tweet of the Day
House unlikely to pass middle-class tax cut plan as it does not limit reproductive rights or name something after Reagan.
— pourmecoffee (@pourmecoffee) July 25, 2012
Earlier today, the US Senate passed a bill to extend Bush-era tax cuts for another year for middle class Americans (defined as individuals making up to $200,000 and families making up to $250,000). It was, however, an exercise in futility: "Senate Democrats called for House Republicans to act immediately so the president can sign the bill into law. But House Republicans have no plans to do so. They plan to take up their own bill next week that would extend the Bush tax rates for all Americans for one year while taking up comprehensive tax reform."
Where "comprehensive tax reform" equals "further rigging the system in favor of the one-percenters and corporations."
[See also.]
Simplified Tax Plan
At long last, the Republicans have come up with their simplified tax plan for America.
Senate Republicans will press this week to extend tax cuts for affluent families scheduled to expire Jan. 1, but the same Republican tax plan would allow a series of tax cuts for the working poor and the middle class to end next year.Hey, if you had any real ambition, you wouldn't settle for just being middle class.
Republicans say the tax breaks for lower-income families — passed with little notice in the extensive 2009 economic stimulus law — were always supposed to be temporary. But President Obama had made them a priority in 2009 and demanded their extension in 2010 as a price for extending the Bush-era tax cuts for two years, and both the White House and Senate Democrats are determined to extend them again.
That sets up a potentially tricky issue for Republicans. They have said they do not want taxes to go up on anyone while the economy struggles to gain altitude, but under their plan, written by Senator Orrin G. Hatch of Utah, the senior Republican on the Finance Committee, about 13 million families would see their tax refunds reduced, and some would see their taxes increase.
Crossposted from Bark Bark Woof Woof.
