But, The Kid Is *Not* My Son?

Michael Jackson: The Paternity Wars has begun.

Now I Need An X-Box

Darnit.

No Main Topic

1. Gonna be starting something.
2. Moving day.
3. Now who ya gonna call?
4. Hearts and minds.
5. Getting the word out.

NBA Stuff

1. Jason Kidd could head to the Knicks.
2. Yao Ming's foot injury is serious...
3. ...and things don't look good for Tracy McGrady either.
4. And here's what an (anonymous) veteran international player had to say about the 2009 #5 pick: "Rubio isn't very quick, isn't very strong, and isn't a very good shooter," says the player, who was a record-setting point guard for a mid-Division I college. "What he can do is play hard, see the floor, deliver the ball, be totally unselfish, and make terrific decisions."

Making Movie Critics Shut Up Is The Right Of All Sentient Beings

Let me begin by addressing the buhmillion movie critics out there who are sucking it right now: We don't need you anymore. We're tired of you trying to tell us what constitutes a "great" or "prefect" movie. They can't all be like the one you saw in film school, journalism class or your first month on the job. Comedies, horror flicks, action/adventure pictures and dramas are no all cut from the same cloth and can't all be held to the same standard. We're happy movies like Return of the King and The Dark Knight won awards, because it tells us that stories we like can be made into movies both the fans and the casual watcher will appreciate. But you're no longer the gatekeeper. Transformers is a story of two factions of robots from another planet fight each other over resources; that implies a movie with explosions, warfare and (hopefully) awesome fighting scenes. It does not imply a ton of scenes with humans, and you're going to have to deal with that. And on a personal note: I've endured "Pokeformers," dumb human sidekicks, a Teen Titan infection and "Dinobots: UNITE!;" some snobby reviews will never deter me.

Bottom Line: when I go to the theaters, I'm looking for the cinematic version of this:


In all it's CGI glory.

Now for the movie.

If you've never played a video game after 1995, you'll probably get dizzy with the scene changes. The special effects rock; you haven't lived until you've seen Decepticons and Autobots fight in a forest using giant trees like 2-by-4s. The best character in the movie is Judy Witwicky (Julie White), who, between her emotions over her son leaving college, her (first?) experience with "special brownies" and being kidnapped, handles herself just as you would expect a mother would. Shia LaBeouf's Sam has grown up a bit and after admitting she mailed it in during the last movie Megan Fox has decided to channel Liv Tyler's performance from Armageddon. Josh Duhamel's and Tyrese Gibson's characters, while admirable here, would have been better off staring in that other Hasbro movie thats deal with the military.

The Plot: Sam Witwicky, preparing for college, stumbles upon a piece of the AllSpark that he didn't ram into Megatron's chest in the 1st movie. After being zapped with billions of bits of data, he becomes the target for the Deceptions (including a resurrected Megatron) who needs what he knows in order to complete a new, even more world-ending scheme than last time. The Autobots fight to protect him; the human characters come along for the ride.

My Scale: as far as a regular flick goes, 2 & half stars; they could have given some lines for some of the minor Transformers to other characters (I really though Arcee would get more time, but she was cool in the scenes she was in), and the human character Leo Spitz could have been left out entirely. As far as a summer movie: I give it an 7.5/10: lots of action, some funny moments (not as much from the Autobots as they do more fighting/government schmoozing now, surprisingly the Deceptions pick up the slack) and one genuine sensitive moment (see: Julie White; I tell ya, if she isn't lined up for a TV show now she will be soon).

If you're a fan or Transformers, you've probably already seen it, but if not it's worth the admission. If you're a summer movie goer looking for his/her action quota, it should fit the bill.

Now I Know Why They're Called "Blue Devils"

Yuck.

(AP) WASHINGTON - A Duke University official has been
arrested and charged with offering his adopted 5-year-old son for sex.

Frank Lombard, the school's associate director of the Center for Health Policy, was arrested after an Internet sting, according to the FBI's Washington field office and the city's police department.

According to an affidavit by District of Columbia Police Det. Timothy Palchak, an unnamed informant facing charges in his own child sex case led authorities to Lombard.

Authorities said that Lombard tried to persuade a person -- who he did not know was a police officer -- to travel to North Carolina to have sex with Lombard's child.

The detective's affidavit charges Lombard identified himself online as "perv dad for fun," and says that in an online chat with the detective, Lombard said he had sexually molested his son, whom he adopted as an infant.

The court papers say Lombard also invited the undercover detective to North Carolina to have sex with the young boy, and even suggested which hotel he should use.

Just...yuck.

John Edwards Sex Tape?

If so, the Democrats soooo dodged a bullet.

When You Scare The Establishment...

...they call you names. Make no mistake: the mainstream media hates the Internet. They hate the way that anyone can have a voice that can't be filtered through their standards. They hate to be challenged by people with journalism degrees, military experience, a medical background or who've traveled around the world. They hate that the casual observer may have more common sense than them. They hate that entertainers, politicians and athletes are communicating with us directly and not through them like they used to.

They want to keep in power; they want to continue to be the medium. And everytime one of us reminds them that we also have a voice, they get upset.

And they call us names.

No Main Topic

1. "I don't have a social life... I sit at home all day."
2. "He just happened to find him in his bed, and he wasn't breathing. Mr. Jackson was still warm and had a pulse."
3. "Jenny is the hero in this story. She's the hero to her children, and I think she's the hero to this state. In the midst of this tragedy, she is standing strong to who she is and what she believes in. . . . I think Jenny has not had these types of ambitions, but I think every woman in South Carolina would vote for Jenny Sanford for governor right now." (Look, I think the woman is strong to weather this, but by no means does that make her a qualified candidate for governor; that thinking is how South Carolina got in this mess).
4. “I’ve been all over him like a cheap suit when I think he’s wrong about something or not paying attention. I would go through the wall now for John Kerry, and I wouldn’t have said that 10 years ago.’’
5. "If holding a poll provokes a coup, the abduction of the president and expulsion from his country, then what kind of democracy are we living in?"

Life's A Pitch

R.I.P.; Billy Mays.

Around the Internets

1. Leo Hao is a kick-ass artist.
2. I'll need this if I'm to brush up on my texting.
3. TPM's Sex Scandal Flow Chart (tee-hee!).
4. Succesful sequels do exist.
5. Can't stress this enough: do not piss off the people who serve your food.

On The King of Pop

My first actual memory of MJ's music wasn't really with him: I was watching Weird Al Yankovic's "Eat It" and was wondering where he got the idea from. When I found out, I was so shocked to see someone with such talent; to be honest, we've rarely had someone who could write music, sing the song and dance as amazingly as Jackson could.

Then I saw Thriller, which revolutionized videos. Up until then, people didn't know what to do with video; they basically just played their song with a bland backdrop, or in a studio. Jackson showed that a video could take a musician's song to the next level.

But mostly I remember the Michael after the 80's: making movie-videos, that surreal video game where he could kill people with dance moves, the weird habits, the multiple surgeries, the sexual assault lawsuits, having Kings Dominion in his back yard, the comparisons to Prince, the almost-affair with Madonna, the videos with Michael Jordan, Eddie Murphy and his sister Janet, the challenge from M.C. Hammer, hooking up with Elvis' daughter, having children, dangling babies, leaving the U.S. and his latest attempt at a comeback.

My five personal favorite songs from Michael Jackson (in no particular order):

1. Billie Jean: classic.
2. Remember the Time: sure he turned into kitty litter at the end, but at the time is was so cool.
3. Smooth Criminal: he's talking about a girl getting shot, and no one thought this was controversial; today a rapper can't even say the word "gun" without facing a protest. Plus I believe this was the one where he did the super-lean.
4. Man in the Mirror: I liked the theme of this song: if you want to change the world, start with your self. It also showed that Jackson could sway from a generally entertaining song to one with a powerful social message without losing a step.
5. Leave Me Alone: It was essentially MJ's "fuck off" song, which every artist does from time to time. If you ever wanted to know how emo's feel, but didn't want to listen to emo music, this is the song to hear.

OK; link time:

1. The world mourns.
2. New York Times' take.
3. Let's not forget one thing: despite his appearance, Micheal Jackson was an African-American and broke many barriers. MTV essentially had a black music ban before MJ hit the scene (but of course today they'll play his music nonstop).
4. Usually it takes a politician making pop cultural references for someone like Josh Marshall to step out of the political realm. So for him to mention Jackson's passing is saying something.
5. Celebrity reaction. Yes; Jackson was a celebrity's celebrity.
6. Ten decent ways to remember the King of Pop.

"How To Play This Site [Daily Kos] Like A Three-Dollar Banjo "

by Keith Olbermann. Tee-hee.

No Main Topic

1. Ruh-roh: Gov. Sanford had his hand in the state cookie jar.
2. The real reason Iran's trying to squash the protests: the feelings of activism may spread to other Arab nations.
3. According to the FBI, Saddam was also worried about Iran; which is why he lied about having WMD.
4. Remember: racism ended with the Obama victory.

Charley Rosen On The Shaq-to-Cleveland Trade

And here's the most significant bad news for the Cavs: With Shaq stationed in the paint, there'll be precious little room for LeBron's powerhouse drives. In fact, the presence of Shaq will mostly limit LBJ's offense to the least efficient aspect of his game -- his jump-shooting.

Also, if Shaq is such a desirable player, why did Miami trade him 16 months ago, and why is Phoenix so willing to deal him now?

In sum, since it's virtually inconceivable that even with Shaq the Cavs can total more than the 66 wins they posted last season, this trade is exclusively geared to enable Cleveland to beat Orlando in the playoffs.

Amen; this trade certainly wasn't for wins: Cleveland had home court advantage for the entire Eastern Conference.

If the Cavs did this just to beat Orlando, they may get their wish; but now they're going to have to deal with the non-Orlando teams who have players that will wear Shaq down.

And if you see stories about how James has been reduced to a jump-shooter by next November, you'll know why.

That Didn't Take Long

According to Rush Limbaugh, the reason Mark Sanford had an affair with an Argentinian woman was because of Barack Obama's policies:

"This is almost like, 'I don't give a damn, the country's going to Hell in a handbasket, I just want out of here,'" said Limbaugh. "He had just tried to fight the stimulus money coming to South Carolina. He didn't want any part of it. He lost the battle. He said, 'What the Hell. I mean, I'm -- the federal government's taking over -- what the Hell, I want to enjoy life.'"

Funny; the emails between Sanford and his lover tell a different story.

Another Good Quote

Headlines all say "Sanford admits affair." No, he didn't. It's an admission if, after he's done talking, people say "oh my God, I
had no idea." If you're merely confirming what people already know because you've been found out, it's not an admission, it's just the first time you haven't lied about what you were doing.

-- 1st Republic 14th Star, in response to FoxNews (yet again) marking a fallen Republican star as a Democrat.

An "Angel" Goes To Heaven

R.I.P., Farrah Fawcett.

Hey Michael Bay: Here's Your PR!

People are saying that two of the new Transformers are racist.

My quick thoughts:

1. Could they be any worse than Jazz from the last movie?
2. At least Lucas won't be hit with any "Why did you create Jar-Jar Binks"? letters for the next week or so.
3. One of the voices is SpongeBob, people. For Pete's Sake!
4. Black people did not start the "wearing gold teeth" thing. Like men having earrings, this type of thing goes back as far as pirates.

I'm waiting patiently for Ahmadinejad to blame the Transformers movie for the protests in Iran. It's only a matter of time...

Quote Of The Day

The fact is, the Mark Sanford scandal was invented by the Democrat Party and Sanford, who is actually a RINO, to distract America from the real story: Transformers 2, which is a complete repudiation of Obama’s appeasement foreign policy. If Obama was president in the movie, we would have surrendered to the Decepticons.

"Gary Rupert," in response to a Sadly, No! find: apprently Mark Sandford's Argentina-based booty-call is distracting us from all of the people dying in Iran (read: a story about a Republican is distracting us from a story that can make President Obama look bad).

And yes: it was the Transformers reference that earned QOTD recognition.

"Oh How It Pains Me To Do This!"

From Cracked.com: these Transformers are more like: "More Than Meets the 'Why?'"

Seriously, I could do Transformers posts forever, if it wasn't for the Wizards, crazy celebrities and hypocritcal politicians.

No Main Topic

1. Translation: more people will die before this thing gets worked out.
2. Cleveland's making panic moves.
3. ...while we're still breathing.
4. Ethics upgrade for Mass. officials.

More Than Meets The Blog

In honor of the release of the sequel to the live action version of the greatest animated cartoon to come out in the 80's:

1. Mistakes from the first movie.
2. If everyday life was directed by Michael Bay.
3. The truth behind Megan Fox.
4. Five reasons Megatron should have fired Starscream years ago.
5. Not all Transformers were, um, well, cool.

No Main Topic

1. Some people don't get it: a Transformers movie with more robots and less humans is a good thing. Trust me.
2. Energy or natural disaster? Decisions, decisions.
3. Yes, there will be (more) blood.
4. You know things are bad when Harvard starts letting people go.

Quote Of The Day

I know everyone here is on a 24-hour news cycle. I'm not.

-- President Barack Obama, regarding the press' insistence that he gives them a story (inadvertently or otherwise).

Big Brother Gives Up Some Toys

Good to read.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano will notify Congress this afternoon that her department is killing a controversial Bush administration program to expand the use of spy satellite imagery by domestic law enforcement and other agencies, department and congressional officials said.

Napolitano made the decision after state and local law enforcement officials said that access to secret overhead imagery was not a priority, an official close to the secretary said.

Former president George W. Bush's top intelligence and homeland security officials authorized a program to expand sharing of remote-sensing data to domestic agencies in May 2007. But since details of plans to create a National Applications Office were reported that summer by the Wall Street Journal, congressional Democrats barred funding for what they said could become a new platform for domestic surveillance that would raise privacy and civil liberties concerns.

More, please.

Next On "Oz."

Oh wait; this really happened.

KINSHASA (Reuters) – Rioting inmates raped around 20 female prisoners during a failed prison break in Democratic Republic of Congo's violence-ravaged east, the country's U.N. peacekeeping mission said.

Two people were killed and 12 others were injured when prisoners detonated two grenades inside the central prison in Goma, capital of the eastern border province of North Kivu, during an overnight escape attempt that began late Sunday.

"The group of mutinying soldiers ... raped around 20 female inmates," said the statement released late Monday by the U.N. mission, known as MONUC.

Congolese police and military surrounded the prison, which holds a number of rebel and militia fighters, soon after the riots began, and no prisoners escaped.

I wonder: will the same people who are screaming that we should do something about Iran take any stance on something like this?

It Has Begun.

The Bucks and Spurs make the first move, swapping Richard Jefferson for Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas and Fabricio Oberto.

"Daddy stabbed Mommy."

Sigh.

BROWNSBURG, Indiana - An Indiana man arrested Monday night was accused of stabbing his estranged wife to death while his two daughters, 12 and 8, hid in a closet. Authorities said the older girl called police and told a dispatcher, "Daddy killed Mommy."

Joseph L. Warnock, 41, was arrested about 9 p.m. in the same neighborhood of Brownsburg where he had once lived with his wife, Angela Warnock, 38, said Lt. Roger Call of the Hendricks County Sheriff's Department.

The wife was found stabbed in her bed at home on Sunday night. Investigators say the couple was going through a divorce and she had a protective order requiring him to stay away from her and their daughters.

Stan Lee Was Right All Along

I (very briefly) mentioned the article that will be on 20/20 this Friday about the Girl Who Hasn't Aged. But I didn't no how serious it was until I got a chance to see pictures.

But it didn't end there:

Doctors recommended growth hormone therapy early in Brooke's life, but the treatment produced no results.

Howard Greenberg recalled the follow-up visit to the endocrinologist. "We took her back in six months, and the doctor looked at us and said, 'Why didn't you give Brooke the growth hormones?' And I said, 'We gave Brooke the growth hormones. We gave her everything you told us to do.' And Brooke didn't put on a pound, an ounce; she didn't grow an inch."

Brooke's hair and her nails are the only two things that grow, Howard said. "She has pajamas and outfits that are 10 or 12 years old," he said.

What gets me is that the doctors seem more concerned about using Brooke to cheat Death than figuring out a way to enable her to age normally.

But if Brooke's condition was something to behold, I don't know what to make of these other three stories (ABC must be trying to form some super group): a girl who feels no pain , a woman with a man's DNA and a guy who can withstand the cold.

No Main Topic

1. Madoff didn't do it alone.
2. Details on yesterday's Metro crash.
3. Shorter Iran Power Structure: There may be something shady here and there, but the results are still legit; now go home.
4. Whoa; this better not be a hoax.
5. R.I.P.; Ed McMahon.

8 Was Enough

Can't say I'm surprised, based on what I've been hearing:

NEW YORK (AP) -- Celebrity parents Jon and Kate Gosselin say they plan to divorce.

The co-stars of "Jon & Kate Plus 8," who are parents of 5-year-old sextuplets and 8-year-old twins, spoke of their decision to separate during Monday's episode of the TLC reality series. Near the end of the hour-long episode, a title card summed things up in stark terms: It said that on Monday, "legal proceedings were initiated in Pennsylvania to dissolve the 10-year marriage of Jon and Kate Gosselin."

The network had been promising a major on-air decision from the couple, whose increasingly troubled marriage has dominated the series in recent weeks, as well as fueling a firestorm of tabloid coverage.

"We've been dealing a long time with this," Kate said, speaking of her marital problems and the attendant publicity.

No Main Topic

1. "Tense calm" or "unrest?" Either way, JP has been all over this story. Go check him out.
2. Looks like a job for Aquaman...because seriously: what else is he gonna do?
3. From Russia, with bomb.
4. A naked Sandra Bullock + a naked Ryan Reynolds + a thirst for summer comdies = new box office hit.
5. Blah, blah, Obama didn't follow his campaign promise to the letter-cakes. The good still outweighs the bad, and I'm not going to shift from "critical" to "outraged" until that happens.
6. What; no Heavy D update?

Around the Internets

1. 8 hair myths.
2. Obama has no shame, does he?
3. These trends need to die a slow death.
4. (Lame) conspiracy theories.
5. Is that Matthew Fox's stunt double for emotional scenes?
6. There are other, more boring ways to oil-check the economy, I'm sure.

What Would Life Be Like Without Lists?

Especially ones about female celebrities who need a new act.

Next On "Rescue Me"

Makes one look at the whole "firefighter seduction fantasy" in a new light:

PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. (AP) -- A D.C. fire captain accused of sexually assaulting a woman who had passed out at a party at his stepdaughter's house has been convicted of second-degree rape.

A Calvert County jury deliberated nearly 13 hours before returning the verdict Wednesday night.

Forty-eight-year-old Tony Sneed of Upper Marlboro was charged with attacking the 23-year-old woman, a friend of his stepdaughter, in August. Sneed's attorney says Sneed testified that the two had sex but that she was the aggressor.

Prosecutors say Sneed was convicted under the notion that the woman was "mentally incapacitated or physically helpless" and could not have consented.

Why Bring Gitmo Prisoners To The US...

...when they can go to such exotic places?

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Guantanamo Baywatch - Uighur, Please
thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Jason Jones in Iran

No Main Topic

1. Stop the music!
2. Iran Government to Iranian people: keep protesting and we'll kill you.
3. LeAnn Rimes can't catch a break.
4. Ideologically-speaking, US Supreme Court says prisoners can't use DNA evidence to prove their innocence.
5. Congress is petty and they bicker? Too bad Obama didn't realise that when he...was...a Senator...

Tom Daschle: Just Like We Remember Him

I chuckled when people lamented the Tom Daschle's decision not to be Obama head health guru in his fight for a more workable, affordable health care system. I mean, wasn't this the guy who folded like a lawn chair while Bush 41's Supreme Court was handing over the presidency to Bush 43?

It that light, this does not surpise me in the least:

In an attempt at bipartisanship, three former majority leaders of the U.S. Senate, Tom Daschle, Howard Baker, and Bob Dole, offered their solution today to the biggest obstacle to achieving health care reform -- a public option.

"While I feel very strongly that consumers should have the choice of a national, Medicare-like plan, my colleagues do not. . . But we were concerned that the ongoing health reform debate is beginning to show signs of fracture on the public plan issue, so in order to advance the process of developing bipartisan legislation and to move it forward, it's time to find consensus here," Daschle said.

"We've come too far and gained too much momentum for our efforts to fail over disagreements on one single issue," he said.

If he was running things, health care reform would have already been dead in the water.

UPDATE: Looks like Tom wanted to have it both ways.

That's What I Like To Hear

Although I didn't get Arenas, I did talk for a while with Grover, who was at every game working exclusively for Finals MVP Bryant. Grover told me that he expects Arenas to come to his Attacks Athletics facility in Chicago in about two weeks. Arenas has committed to coming and Grover said while he hasn't seen
Arenas's medical records, he estimated that it will take at least a two month commitment for Arenas to get the necessary training required. He added that several stars overcoming left knee injuries, including Tracy McGrady and Jermaine O'Neal, are expected to be in Chicago this summer.

The Wizards support Arenas's decision to train elsewhere and will likely send someone up to Chicago to keep an eye on him, which is similar to what the Heat did with Wade last season. With Arenas already back to his playing weight from five years ago, maybe Grover can help him return to that all-star, all-NBA
form again. And, given how Wade bounced back to the form that made him Finals MVP in 2006, this might be the best move for Arenas, who hasn't had much luck with his rehabilitation since injuring his left knee in April 2007.

If your a Wizards fan who's been concerned about Arenas and his knee, this is definitely good news.

Quote Of The Day

George W. would have run from the room or hidden under his desk while Cheney, Kristol, Wolfowitz, Perle, Pipes, etc. agitated for a Global War On Bugs.

Clinton would have dazzled the fly with a big, folksy grin, convincing it to establish a Housefly PAC to lobby for federal funds.

Bush Sr. would have ordered the fly to be assassinated, and make it look like an accident.

Reagan would have kept talking, oblivious to the fly’s presence, even when it landed on his unblinking, glassy eyes and started laying eggs.

Carter would have mediated a housefly summit, with a breakthrough agreement for a homeland, and protected international status for all displaced insect refugees.

Ford would have tried to swat the fly, but miss, giving himself a black eye, and, somehow, a broken leg.

Nixon would have disintegrated it in mid-flight with laser-beams emitted from his eyes.

-- "Steerpike," from Sadly No's post on Flygate.

Can't Believe I Missed This Story

Wasn't the first time a human used Megatron for evil, but it is defintely the most realistic:

WINDSOR, Ont. -- A 25-year-old Windsor man who allegedly pointed a handgun at his neighbours was arrested onWednesday after police officers surrounded his west end residence.

The three-hour standoff forced the lockdown of a nearby elementary school, and drew a police response that included tactical officers, body armour, submachine guns, sniper rifles, a police dog and the mobile command centre.

[snip]

But the man’s friends accused police of overreacting, and said his supposed handgun was a toy.

“It’s a Transformer,” said William Findley, 24. “It turns into a Luger. It’s an 80s-style Transformer... He’s had a really bad day. People are treating him like crap.”

Findley said his friend had a pellet gun in the house at one point, but it was elsewhere at the time of the incident, and the only thing left resembling a weapon was his “Megatron” toy gun.

Of course, I don't go searching for "people who use Transformers for crimes," so maybe it's a good thing that this story's a bit stale.

This Is Fucking Awesome

BJ Jr. is right: T-Pain doesn't have to listen to Jay-Z's archaic comments about country. I've always thought it's cool when to musical genres fuse to make something better than the individual parts.

Ah, Cable News

Where Fox News is blatantly partisan and MSNBC is blatantly sychophantic, CNN is reliably desperate to get the viewers who'd prefer to not watch the other two. Problem is, they've become increasing tech-crazy as well as lackadaisical in the whole "journalism" thing:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Irandecision 2009 - CNN's Unverified Material
thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Jason Jones in Iran

Sometimes Being a Celebrity Means

completely throwing your ethinic background under a bus.

Who Would Be Gilbert Arenas' Best Backcourt Mate?

Mike Prada has an excellent breakdown on the topic.

One Man's Art Is Another Man's Crime

Which may partially explain Batman's Rogue Gallery. Anyway, an interesting tale from the smoking gun.

Three weeks until this becomes a Cracked.com "craption."

No Main Topic

1. Lohan strikes back (@ Dr. Drew).
2. R.I.P., Edith Ronne.
3. As soon as unemployment drops, people begin to sour on health care and the economy.
4. Actually, I'm glad they aren't all California girls.

Conservatives Need To Consolidate

Skimming this post from Media Matters got me thinking: in an age where every conservative with a computer and Internet access can put their own spin on the news, why is the Drudge Report still relevant?

I mean, places like Newsbusters has more staff and resources, right? And they pretty much do the same thing...only with more explanation. Or places like The Corner. Or Redstate.

I mean, we're not talking about sites like Michelle Malkin or Ann Coulter, where conservatives give their own personal opinion on issues and news events. We're talking about a guy who just takes headlines and changes them to favor conservatives (when's the last time he's written a substantial, or controversial opinion piece?).

Seriously, any conservative can do the cut-and-revise-paste thing. So why do they even bother going to Drudge?

Twitter-dumb.

TPM counts the ways the GOP has failed in their use of the Internet's newest toy.

No Main Topic

1. What can brown do for you?
2. Talk while you can, Mousavi.
3. Republican Senator has an affair; Irony and Hypocrisy go to undisclosed location.
4. Congradulations, Taylor Swift.
5. With the media pretty much shut out of Iran, Twitter has become the source of information.
6. Harvard needs to fill their classrooms.
7. Building a better banking system.
8. Girl needs help.
9. "Every move you make, every step you take: I'll be watching you."

Quote of the Day

All these wild trade scenarios are funny.

To work a trade you need to have something that someone else wants.

What do the Wizzies have that someone else wants?

We have a 6'10 center that just had heart surgery.

A $120million pt gd that just had two (2) knee surgeries.

a 7 foot Ukrain shooting guard.

A 7 foot skirt chasing doofus that only plays when he feels like it.

A 6'6" guard that has a lot of fun and is always smiling---- why? no one knows.

A 6'5" guard that just had back surgery.

Now if you were gonna work a trade with the Wizzies who would you want???

Ernie ain't gonna trade anyone until he sees who is healthy.

There's a possibility that half of his team is either re injured, in jail or doing stand up comedy.

VBFan, on The Wizards' Insider. While I don't completely agree with everything, I'll concede that very few trade proposals have answered the "What do the Wizards have to offer?" question (especially considering that Jamison, Butler and Arenas have been labeled "off limits").

Armee Von Einem

Neo-Nazis are trying to infiltrate the military...again.

Black President = No More Funding For (Bush) Wars

You stay classy, House Republicans.

No Main Topic

1. What a Shock.
2. Tell me something I don't know.
3. Hearts and minds: the saga continues.
4. Don't rock the boat.
5. Oink, oink.
6. Sure; she needs the cash, but that doesn't mean that...

GOP Still Employs Racists As Underlings

But I'm sure some will say she's really a leftist.

Amen.

Health Care Is a Right, Not a Privilege ...by Sen. Bernie Sanders.

P.S.: Obama spoke on ths issue today. Here's a video link.

Make Up Your Mind, Republican Party

Either Iran's elections are the product of former President G. W. Bush's "substantial reform movement" or current President Obama's "policies of going around the world and apologizing for America aren't working."

It. Can't. Be. Both.

Why I Love Media Matters

You can't make this stuff up. It's the best "what happened last week" composite I've seen in a long time.

Riddle Me This...

If the attacks 9/11/01 occurred over a weekend (like the Iranian elections), would the cable news (CNN, MSNBC, FoxNews) have covered it?

No Main Topic

1. In fighting for health care reform, President Obama takes on the AMA (good luck with that).
2. 'With the leveraged-buyout business on life support, major private-equity firms such as the Carlyle Group are taking a closer look at the battered banking sector as a way to make money for their clients. '
3. A new general in charge of Afghanistan.
4. Iran, Iran, Iran.

The NBA Chamionship Cliche Needs To Be Amended

"You need a good center or Michael Jordan/Kobe Bryant in order to win a championship."

There we go.

Around the Internets

1. Rapperz R In Dainga...of getting old.
2. The four best way to clean your hard drive.
3. Hell yeah it's Reagan's fault.
4. The Gloved One's kids are remarkably normal-looking. See what happens when you don't try to turn yourself into a Ken doll?
5. Some of these weight-shaving tips are pretty-well known, others not so much.
6. Never confuse cable news people for scholars...you'll be disappointed.
7. Mourning the LeBron James puppet.

Foregone Conclusion

Over at TPMCafe, Tom Goldstein explains why Sonia Sotomayor will be our next US Supreme Court Justice (and how her critics blew it).

Why Did Phil Spector Where A Wig During His Trial?

Answer: because he looks like Gollum without it.

If Only We Could Tame Them...

There's a study trying to figure out why lion and wolves are harder to tame than cats and dogs.

No word yet on the study of how many scientists die while trying to interact with wild, aggressive lions and wolves.

What The Heck's A "ROTUS?"

Find out here.

No Main Topic

1. Moving day: al Qaeda heads towards Somalia.
2. Blessed are the pacemakers: another recall.
3. Do not adjust your set: just get cable, satellite TV or a converter box.
4. It all adds up: one rusty Jameer Nelson + one savvy Derek Fisher + terrible Orlando free-throw shooting = Lakers victory.
5. Smoke 'em if you got 'em: Tobacco regulation underway (remember when it was tobacco lobbyists, not health insurance lobbyists, who ruled?).
6. Worlds apart: three different suitors emerge to potentially buy the Boston Globe.
7. Watch the birdie: McNabb and Eagles make a new deal.

Mistaken Balance

Sure, there will be people like criminal G. Gordon Liddy who would like to link the Holocaust Museum Shooting to those associated with Democrats (even when all the signs point to a conservative-based influence).

What people need to understand is this: while the Right and Left each have their fringes, that doesn't mean each side is equal in how they react. The whole "They Do It Too" retort just doesn't hold water.

Take Liddy's claim for example. While there hasn't been a report on Rev. Wright's reactions toLiddy's comments or the shooting, the media has decided to but Obama's ex-pastor into the mix by releasing a story saying Wright blames Jewish people for his limited (read: non-existent) access to the President:

"Them Jews ain't going to let him talk to me. I told my baby daughter that he'll talk to me in five years when he's a lame duck, or in eight years when he's out of office," Wright told the Daily Press of Newport News following a Tuesday night sermon at the 95th annual Hampton University Ministers' Conference.

"They will not let him to talk to somebody who calls a spade what it is. ... I said from the beginning: He's a politician; I'm a
pastor. He's got to do what politicians do."

Wright clearly isn't concerned about any agenda Obama may have (which is precisely why Obama has distanced himself from the Reverend), but more importantly (and Wright admits this much himself) he doesn't care about what the political climate is right now. We have had three violent, ideologically-charged shootings in the past few months and Wright is boo-hooing about not being able to have a chat with Obama.

And before anyone starts ranting, let me mention that you don't hear these complaints coming from other religious-political figures like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. Wright's issues are most likely just about him.

But I digress: while I doubt that Wright influenced von Brunn in any way (the guy liked African-Americans as much as he liked Jewish people), the two do seem to share a "blame the Jews" philosophy. As despicable as that philosophy is, until I see Wright (or one of his followers) brandishing a gun in public, I'm going to hold back from saying the two are exactly the same.

And the media needs to learn that while every story may have two sides, they are not always equally factual, accurate or sympathetic.

UPDATE: Here's Olbermann's take on Wright, which I have no problem with:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

He's Gonna Pay

Norm Coleman, that is: for strecthing what should have been a simple resolution to a close election into such a farce that he's making Al Gore's attempt to win the White House by court decision look downright noble.

"Can I Borrow Your Baby For A Child Support Scheme?"

"'No?' Well, I'm just take him anyway."

NewsMax's Bottom Line

A Black President made a white supremist so angry, he went to the Holocaust Museum to shoot Jewish people and ended up killing a black secruity guard. Or Something.

Letterman Vs. Palin: Battle For The Ages

Or, at least it would be if Palin was VPOTUS and Letterman wasn't being overshadowed by Conan O'Brien's month-long debut on the Tonight Show.

No Main Topic

1. "Feed 'em and they'll come. The ones we keep, we want to take care of."
2. "If we could make the rest of the nation practice medicine the way that Green Bay does, we would have higher quality and significantly lower costs."
3. “Addressing cultural issues is just as fundamental to our assignment as addressing the balance sheet or financing.”
4. "There are no words to express our grief and shock over today's events. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Officer Johns's family."

NBA Stuff

Alonzo Mourning shares his thoughts on Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson.


Tim Donaghy, will be released from jail soon; apparently he was attacked in prison from someone with mob ties, which isn't surprised since he was in jail for cheating on games as a ref...


Remember when people were saying that Kwame Brown could be as good as Jermaine O'Neal? Well, maybe he still can be, finacially-speaking: O'Neal decides to stay with the Heat another year and give himself another $23 million...

She Served Her Purpose

Miss California has been fired. Remember: Trump is a businessman; as soon as he was able to promote his pageant and get some mileage out of the controversy, she became expendable.

And not preforming her duties didn't help her case either.

She Annoys Some Republicans As Well

Sarah Palin, this is.

If It's A Day Ending In "Y"

...then Bill O'Reilly's lying.

American's Treatment Of Animals Is So Inconsistent

We make laws preventing the use of horsemeat as a delicacy. We lock up football players for organizing dog fights. But Swans that can't "talk?" Fuck 'em:

Everyone loves swans in Maryland! They're very pretty. But some of them are mute! Those ones... well they are not so pretty and must be killed immediately, says the state Department of Natural Resources.

DNR Secretary John Griffin "accepted the report of a task force on the swans" on Monday and is "unfortunately compelled" to "continue population control efforts on the fewer than 500 birds still living on the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries."

What exactly are these population control efforts for these, the dumbest of swans?

"That means shooting adults or snapping their necks, and coating eggs with vegetable oil to suffocate embryos."

And you thought they were cruel in "The Ugly Duckling."

No Main Topic

1. Mike Tyson copes as best as he cans.
2. Do you believe in Magic?
3. You say you want a revolution...
4. Don't say VA Democrats are dummies.
5. Google fears Bing not.
6. Interesting statement from a guy who denies the Holocaust.

Will This Be On "Law & Order" Or "CSI?"

I'm leaning towards "Law & Order:"

LOS ANGELES – A veteran detective was charged with murder Monday in the slaying of her ex-boyfriend's wife in 1986 — a crime that went unsolved for more than two decades as she rose through the Los Angeles Police Department ranks.

Detective Stephanie Lazarus, 49, could be sentenced to death if convicted of breaking into the victim's condominium on Feb. 24, 1986, and repeatedly biting, beating and shooting the woman.

Lazarus, who joined the force in 1983, was identified as a suspect through a recent DNA match of saliva taken from bite marks on Sherri Rasmussen's body, said Deputy Chief Charlie Beck.

Lazarus' husband, Scott Young, who works as a detective in the San Fernando Valley, knew nothing about the slaying, Beck said.

"None of us blames him. I don't know if he's been interviewed yet, but he will be, as will a lot of people," he said.

Lazarus was not a suspect at the time of Rasmussen's death because detectives believed that two robbers who had attacked another woman in the victim's Van Nuys neighborhood were to blame.

And her name is "Lazarus?" This story is too good not to be made into a TV episode. Heck, it could be a TV movie (they still do those, right?)

No Main Topic

1. New York State Senate Democrats making Federal Government Democrats look compotent.
2. It's not getting any better in Somalia.
3. They won't stop until everyone has an iPhone.
4. Supreme Court puts the Chrysler deal in neutral.
5. I wonder if these are the documents Cheney wanted de-classified a few weeks ago.
6. It takes balls to go to a gang and say, "Stop shooting each other."

"Honor And Dignity" Must Have Left With G.W. Bush

I remember when, as governor, he said that he was going to bring "honor and dignity" back to the White House (because lying about oral sex -as opposed to say, torturing people- totally destroyed the country).

But EarlG of Democratic Underground reminds us that as much as Bush used that as a symbol of the new GOP, the old GOP just couldn't help from rearing it's ugly, mysoginistic, racist head when a Democrat got back into the White House and decided to nominate a left-leaning judge to the Supreme Court:

Time for one last recap. According to top Republicans, Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor, who has spent her entire life pulling herself up by the bootstraps:

1. Is actually called Maria
2. Is dumb
3. Is a racist
4. Is an affirmative action candidate
5. Has led a life of privilege
6. Has a troubling fondness for Puerto Rican food
7. Has an unnatural-sounding name
8. Is a member of the Latino KKK
9. Is a threat to American civilization
10. Is a chick lady
11. Should not be considered for the job because she menstruates

I think that just about sums it up.

So do I.

No Main Topic

1. And the Tony goes to...
2. Newsflash: Ahmadinejad doesn't have a lock on Iran.
3. I'm not a big fan of "magnets can heal people" theory, but there's some work being done on behalf of those who have autism.
4. ...and then there's North Korea.
5. Another case for supporting small, local banks.

Around the Internets

1. Spike Lee vs. Tyler Perry (and FTR, I'm siding with Spike on this one).
2. Michael Moore on GM's bankruptcy.
3. A drink offer we can't refuse.
4. Personally, I thought he was one of the shows' best characters.
5. Like LOST, but about ex-coach Eddie Jordan.
6. Bottom line: anything tasty means that you'll have to do a lot of walking and swimming.
7. When celebrities stay out of the spotlight too long...
8. Where's Kal Penn?
9. How will Claire come back to LOST?

Remembering The Good 'Ole Days

I'm going to mention this whenever people talk about how prepared America was when our national security was threatened in the yesteryear:

Nothing stop atomic radiation like a construct made of metal and wood. And possibly turtle-parts.

They Still Can't Find Osama Either

One thing about America is that the government can do all sorts of things to you and yours without you even knowing about it: alter bank records, issue warrants, re-schedule your flight from Atlanta to Memphis...the sky's the limit. The catch is, they have to find you first.

And in that regard, the government still has some work to do.

Take our current political environment for example. It should go without saying that having the first American president who can't deny his non-white background (aka, he's BLACK, ya'll) would enrage our more uneducated, bigotted and racist citizens. From those who quietly fear minorities to those who just outright hate them, it was clear that having a President whose name is "Barack Hussein Obama" was going to cause some drama.

Like with this guy:

The man, identified as Daniel James Murray, is charged with making threats against the president of the United States.

He recently withdrew $85,000 from a Utah bank and told a teller: "We are on a mission to kill the president of the United States," according to court papers.

Murray is originally from New York, but was seen several times in late May in St. George, Utah, making bizarre statements at a bank.

According to a criminal complaint filed in federal court in Utah, Murray opened an account at Zions First National Bank on May 19 with a $85,000 check.

So they have this guy's info, right? They know who he is, where he's from and even what he put into his new bank account.

The problem? Hint: it's the first sentence of this damn story:

Federal authorities are searching for a man who has at least eight guns registered to him and has threatened to kill President Obama.

[snip]

Authorities do not know where Murray is and said he has been seen driving a blue 2001 Buick LeSabre with New York license plate number ERL 1445.

THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE HE IS. Look; this isn't just some random person who's looking for attention by saying he'd bump off the president. It's a guy who made a Twitteresque statement in broad fucking daylight to a crowd. And he called it a "mission." And he inferred that he wasn't operating alone.

I guess what I'm saying is unless a psycho is literally running into FBI headquarters screaming "EYEZ GONNA KILLZ U" with a weedwacker in one hand and a flash drive of all of his plans, dreams and thoughts in another, Uncle Sam just isn't up for that whole "Let's track this joker down thing." You know, like how they did with the Joker.

You Know Something?

I honestly thought that The Hills was just a virtually all-blonde spin-off of One Tree Hill or something. Like they wanted to keep the word "hill" so viewers would have a sense of familarity, yet wanted it to be able to stand on it's own.Who knew?

Not that I'm motivated to watch it. Quite the opposite.

No Main Topic

1. R.I.P., David Carradine.
2. It's a romantic comedy (ugh) with Reese Witherspoon, Owen Wilson and Paul Rudd. But it's in DC!
3. President Obama walks the line to get closer towards Mideast peace.
4. You won't like the Lakers when their angry.
5. Something to read as we get closer to 4th of July.
6. Ah, yes: Pakistan.
7. File this under "Duh!"
8. Still the best; better than all the rest...
9. Something to tide people over until Will Ferrell makes his third "Ron Burgundy/Ricky Bobby" movie or the unofficial sequel to Road Trip/Old School.

Blog Association

I read this and this and it makes me think of this:

...and I don't know why.

Congress Has Waaay Too Much Time On Their Hands

Democratic Congressman Steve Cohen wants the NBA draft age limit removed, calling it “a vestige of slavery.” Strange phrasing, considering that this rule is barely four years old.

While I understand the racial argument he's trying to make, the fact of the matter is other sports like baseball and football have a system in place that prevents ultra raw athletes from entering too early and burning out due to things like bad practice habits. Basketball did not, and even when they created the Developmental League, the NBA was never really forceful about sending underdeveloped (or underachieving) players there.

It's within the context of dealing with 18-year-olds who need not only basketball fundamentals but life skills that the NBA enacted their age rule.

To use Cohen's analogy about the military: our armed forces don't just take youngsters off the street, give them a gun and put them in the middle of a war zone; they go through some kind of training or "boot camp." Can you imagine how the wars we're currently fighting would go if half of the young people their didn't learn how to fire their weapon, train to march across long distances, or weren't accustomed to waking up at 4 or 5am?

Rep. Cohen: if there's anything in the NBA that requires review, it's the officiating. Otherwise, you're better off concentrating on health care and the economy.

Dumb, Dumb-Dumb-Dumb...DUMB!

Washington Post's Dana Milbank with the scoop!

President Obama is just killing the progressive movement.

For the past few years, liberal activists have gathered in Washington each spring for the Take Back America conference, where speaker after speaker -- Obama sometimes among them -- would give rollicking denunciations of the Bush administration before packed rooms of partisans.

But now that Obama has actually taken back America, the
activists at this year's gathering feel a bit like the dog that finally caught up with the car. Organizers changed the name from Take Back America to America's Future Now, but that didn't prevent a sharp decline in participation.

Damn Obama; taking away the Left's thunder! What shall liberals and progressive do?

How about...succeed?

Less than 24 hours after President Obama announced the
nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court, an alliance formed solely to push the appointment launched a six-figure ad buy on the major television networks.

"Raised in public housing by a working mom who taught her the power of education," the text of the ad reads, as Obama talks in the background about the virtues of an ideal jurist. "Tough prosecutor. Distinguished judge. Practical understanding of the law."

Conservative groups, by contrast, stumbled through days of disjointed messages and never mustered the resources for a major television campaign. By the end of the week, Republicans were fighting among themselves over the perils of attacking the nation's first Hispanic nominee to the high court.

Gwhaa? Wait, how did this happen?

The episode was one of the latest examples of how Obama's election has dramatically altered the landscape occupied by the advocacy groups, think tanks and lobbying firms that make up Washington's sprawling influence industry. Democratic and left-leaning groups are now ascendant, enjoying clout not seen in a generation and benefiting from close access to a White House brimming with former colleagues.

Well OK then. What's that? This was also a story in the Washington Post? Well then.

Seriously: how can newspapers expect people to buy and read them on a regular basis when the employees don't even use the product?

Or maybe Dana Milbank is just killing journalism.

Gilbert Arenas Is NOT Kanye West

Because Arenas has not put out a crazy-ass book...yet.

No Main Topic

1. In the NBA, fouls are all relative.


2. Congress to automakers: just because you're running out of money doesn't mean you have to close all of your dealerships.


3. Another sad swine flu story.


4. Six down, 44 to go.


5. Some people want Gordon Brown to have an extended tea time.


6. President Obama keeps health care reform on the front burner.


7. Why would Forbes even bother with a "Celebrity Power List?" Who knows?


8. "Green" phones? Cool.

Quote Of The Day

"If you had told me before the series, 'Cleveland is going to blow 20-point leads in three of the first five games, Dwight Howard is going to make a mini-Leap, Orlando is going to put on a historic shooting display, and Mike Brown is going to freeze like Rocky during the last few seconds of the Drago-Creed fight,' yeah, I would have picked Orlando. But weren't those four pretty sizable reaches?"

--Bill Simmons, explaining why he didn't pick Orlando over Cleveland in the Eastern Conference Finals.

BWHAHAHAHA

Via.

No Main Topic

1. R.I.P.; John "Jack" Ross.
2. Protecting the monster he helped to create.
3. If you hear conservatives calling for impeachment this week, here's why.
4. Must be a GOP thing: Nancy Reagan still sees her deceased husband.
5. If he would stop grabbing it after every foul, maybe this wouldn't have been necessary.
6. Obama heads to the Mideast.
7. Osama bin Laden is apparently still alive and making tapes.

NBA's Reaction To "SoreLoserGate"

As many are aware, after the Orlando Magic beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals, League MVP LeBron James quickly exited the court, changed, and hopped on the team bus to leave. He did not shake the opposing players hands; he did not stay for post-game interviews.

A day later, he claimed that because he is "a winner" he "doesn't understand" why he had to congratulate a team who beat him...but he made sure to say that he wasn't a sore loser.

While the League has decided not to fine James for missing the interview (no surprised there), here are some reactions from those around the NBA:

Michael Wilbon: "E-mailing the Magic later, as LeBron did, isn't good enough. And you don't just get to use the media to get across your message, then bail when it's tough. Explaining yourself to what is pretty much an adoring public isn't good enough when it's a day late."

Michael Rosenberg: "By walking off the floor and refusing to shake hands or answer questions, LeBron just gave his critics fuel. It is counterproductive. But it was also just plain wrong. The difference between athletes and movie stars is that athletes can't just storm off the set. They are held accountable. When they fail, they're supposed to talk about it. That is what makes sports so real, so alluring. And you know who agrees with me? LeBron James! 'We went up against a better team,' James said in 2007, after losing to the San Antonio Spurs in his only Finals appearance so far. 'We know the Spurs are definitely the better team in this series.' That was the LeBron I like. That was the guy who seems to combine everything you would want in an NBA star: athleticism, intelligence, skill, class, unselfishness."

Adrian Wojnarowski: "Within the Cavs, someone needed to tell James that he embarrassed himself and the franchise, but that won’t happen. They’re too scared of him. Most league executives with knowledge of Cleveland’s operation believe it’s far more of an ownership issue, than basketball operations. If general manager Danny Ferry and coach Mike Brown privately disdain the ridiculous posing for pictures that James started with his teammates on a 13-game winning streak, the owner is believed to see the foolishness as a marketing dream. Someone should’ve told James that the pregame Polaroid act was belittling and beneath a championship contender, but it never happened."

Charley Rosen: "Maybe he was too disappointed, too angry, or too teary-eyed to linger for even an extra few minutes. Or perhaps the King really has the soul of a peasant."

And of course, the Cav's GM (Danny Ferry ): "I feel strongly that LeBron would never intentionally disrespect another NBA player. It was a situation where he was pretty disappointed. We just loss a tough series. He has always conducted himself in a pretty high level both on the court and off the court."

I personally think that the sports media is trying to have it both ways: they like to say that James is mature beyond his years, but then he does something like this and the general reaction is, "But he's only 24." I don't recall Kobe walking off the floor when his Lakers where beaten by the Spurs, Pistons and Celtics. I don't recall James leaving the court early after getting a whoopin' from San Antonio. So let's call it what it was: Lebron James did not respect the Orlando Magic, he thought his team was just going to sweep into the NBA Finals, and he was too caught up in a potential matchup with Bryant to focus on the series at hand.

And now that this is behind us, let the "he's going to New York/New Jersey" speculation begin.