Arkansas Tonight

THAT'S MCENTERTAINMENT!

noreply@blogger.com (Cris Seligman) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 21:42:00 +0000

Much like the New Yorker cover, we think this ad from the McCain campaign won't be received in the spirit in which it was orginally intended. We're watching Fox wail and gnash teeth about it right now. We think it's funny, and as supporters of the O man, we liked the ad and think it's great the media is infatuated with him.

What we think is funny is how McCain is doing the same thing Hillary did, and you'd think his bonehead advisors would notice how much success she had with that strategy. Only they did it better, and meaner than Johnny can. Remember? He's a man...he doesn't have the edge into this debate that Hillary had. So, where someone thought this ad would be devastating, it really comes across as pathetic, and more than a bit futile. Very funny, and enjoy. We know we're enjoying the mainstream media more all the time.

WHY JOURNALISTS HATE "HANDLERS"

noreply@blogger.com (Cris Seligman) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 08:39:00 +0000

Interesting snippet of video making the rounds, and a good on-tape example of why journalists struggle with campaign spokespeople and "handlers." These are a couple of veteran reporters dealing with John McCain's top flacks, and having a hard time making sure they keep their hands off the cameras.

Fellas, give 'em hell, because they deserve it.

THE WAR PRAYER

noreply@blogger.com (Cris Seligman) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 08:27:00 +0000

A little gift for our "Christian" friends...the PBS version of Mark Twain's short story, "A Private History of a Short Campaign that Failed." Look it up on Amazon. This is an edited version, and what you don't see is the civil war fervor of a group of young man marching off to fight as confederate soldiers. You also see them kill one man, an innocent, non-combatant, before shrinking back home. That same man (Ed Hermann) re-appears years later at the turn of the century for a bit of impromptu preaching at a neighborhood church, to set the congregation straight on the entire religion thing. Well worth watching, well worth memorizing the prayer, well worth repeating when the self-annointed deputies of God try to tell you what you should think about "righteous war" or anything like that. Kind of blows jihad out of the water as well, so should appeal to all kinds of people. Just a thought as we listen to more "100 yesrs" in Iraq crap from the other side off the aisle.

MATT JONES: WHAT A JERK

noreply@blogger.com (Cris Seligman) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 08:28:00 +0000

(Photo: a candy-nosed weiner...)

OK, so better late than never with this one. Warning - prepare for ventilation...Matt Jones, savior of the Razorback Nation, bigtime football star in Florida, busted in Fayetteville in a car wiith Jared Hicks and someone else cutting up six grams of cocaine with a credit card. Johnny Threet decides Matt wasn't going to sell the stuff (doesn't need the money, just going to snort it up his nose) and Mr. Big-time posts cheap bond and gets out of the pokey.

Ryan wanted to know what we think about this.

Here's the link to the LA Times article about what happened. We're pretty disgusted by it. More refuse from the Houston Nutt era, where anyone could do any damn thing they pleased, including the coach, and get away with it because Frank was more powerful than God, and Johnny W. couldn't do anything to stop it either.

The fans didn't care, they just wanted a winning team. We've seen video of Mr. Marching Powder, and he thinks he's pretty hot stuff. Seems like he may have an IQ of about, oh, we dont' know, maybe minus-8 or something along those lines. We liked (and still like) young Mr. Mustain better, even though he's long gone - another Houston effin Nutt accomplishment. Nutt screwed up everything and everyone in the program, and took his swashbuckling posterior out-of-state to collect even more money and inflict his personality and sub par performance on others, but his tenure continues to give the gift that keeps on giving.

Hey, Houston, you were also supposed to be a teacher. You were such a high-and-mighty Christian coach, so dedicated to principles and ideals, but what did you teach this guy? Hey, we can't blame it all on him as much as we'd love to, because Mr. Jones infantile behavior and obviously over-sized bank account plays a huuuuuggggge part in this.

Will the Jags keep him? Might as well keep on treating him the way he's always been treated, right? Letting him off, letting him and the other gifted minority of idiots do what they damned well feel like doing without consequences.

No finger-pointing here, but we wonder what would happen to a no-name like you or me if we got caught with SIX OUNCES of coke in a car in the middle of the night in a small southern town. Would we disappear? End up on a road gang? Have someone like Andy Lee put a ring through our noses, forcing us to read the ten commandments?

Ryan, does that answer your question? We think Matt Jones sucks and we're sorry for any children who might have considered him a hero, and have nothing but contempt for his actions. Perhaps he has a drug problem. Hell, Rush Limbaugh screamed that he had a honest oxycodone problem and overcame it. Maybe Matty can overcome his problem and do all kinds of really inspiring "just say no" ads on Florida television.

However, on the other hand, if he DIDN'T do it, well...we apologize, but all the Nutt critisms stand "as is."

PRYOR, LIMBAUGH, ETC.

noreply@blogger.com (Cris Seligman) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 09:58:00 +0000

A couple of interesting pieces on NPR's "On The Media" Monday night. First, an unusual reference to our very own Senator Mark Pryor. We always thought he was Baptist, but one religion writer says he really belongs to an elite evangelical movement called "The Family." Our recollection was that "The Family" referred to the followers of one, Charlie Manson. To see our Senator lumped in with Sam Brownback is frightening, to say the least. Perhaps the writer interviewed in this story really DID mean Manson's "Family" because we'd only imagine that group to be insane enough to accept someone like him.

But Pryor? WTF?

A brief excerpt, and the full transcript...

So we don't have to get involved in any kind of conspiratorial thinking. We can turn to this incredible documentary record, as well as the interviews I was able to with members of The Family, like Senator Sam Brownback, Representative Frank Wolf, Senator Mark Pryor.

The writer goes on to explain that this group considers those who are wealthy as blessed, chosen of God to lead the rest of us.

OK, we read the laudatory piece on Rush Limbaugh (scum of the earth) in the NYTimes. We don't know much about the author, but we do know quite a few people made a big deal about Zev Chafets working for the "ultra-liberal New York Times" and people wondering why Limbaugh would ever agree to do an interview with him.

Now we know. Seems Zev may have his own agenda.

BOB GARFIELD: Your piece on Limbaugh was very generous, I would say even flattering. You seem to give him a pass for his excesses. And when I'm talking about excesses, I'm talking about ad hominum attacks, truly mean-spirited stuff that goes way beyond satire and into the politics of vilification, and also playing fast and loose with the truth, seizing on some news item and grossly misrepresenting it and creating a lot of hubbub, using as the kernel of his satire something that is just fundamentally untrue.

ZEV CHAFETS: Well, do you have an example of that? I'm not an apologist for Rush Limbaugh, but I'm a little bit defensive because I think that the liberal media takes such an unfair view of him.

I hear people being vilified on the radio, on all sorts of radio stations by all sorts of people all day long. And Limbaugh is not worse than many of the ones I hear, even on NPR. He just has a different point of view.

"I think the LIBERAL MEDIA takes such an unfair view of him?" C'mon!!! The "Liberal Media?" Even Rove knows that's right-wing code language for "I'm one of you guys, go Bush!" Please, Zev, tell us the truth. This was truly an ass-kissing piece of work. You'll have to go here to the transcript to read what happened when the host called Mr. Chafets on all the BS Rush has spewed in the past few years, including many racist comments. You'll find Zev fully defended Rush on almost all of those, agreeing with him.

Who's biased? The NYTimes liberal? Try again, bonehead.

I WANT OFF THE ENERGY ROLLER-COASTER

noreply@blogger.com (Don Elkins) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 09:41:00 +0000

i feel like we've arrived at some sort of major crossroads, the end of time, something along those lines. I lived through the Arab oil embargo and those lines at gas stations in the 70s are a bit of a fog to me, but I do remember some. I also remember President Carter's weak response, telling Americans to adjust their thermostats as a way of reducing demand. You know what happened with that -- we got the Hummer and the era off the SUV when small cars were simply declasse, and looked down upon by just about everyone in a nation still obsessed with NASCAR and muscle cars.

Somehow I thought it would always be that way. That is until I started watching the price at the pump skyrocket. That is until I saw my utility bills at a very large and poorly insulated home, with an old-fashioned water heater clear a thousand dollars during a single winter month. I can't believe we're in "it" again.

It's insane, and the only thing I can that I keep thinking is that we just can't go on this way. Either the spigot opens and the gas gets more plentiful, or I've got to find some way to cut off the power company and the gas stations.

I've been fascinated with the people who have diesel vehicles and brew their own biodiesel from cooking oil thrown out by local restaurants. I've seen someone like that in just about every town I visit. They get something like 40 miles per gallon, and pay about 55 cents in all per gallon after brewing it themselves. I've toyed with the idea of buying a Chinese scooter so my fill up doesn't bust any number higher than 15-dollars, and the ride lasts more than a week in-town. God knows I don't fly anymore and I sure don't take many drives longer than 10 miles because it's simply ridiculous. The gas stations have started offering discounts for customers who pay in cash. Can it get any crazier than that?

I've spent time looking at solar systems and home-made plans for windmills (we get a lot of wind over here) and even looked at a system that uses car batteries and cuts off SWEPCO and every other damn pirate company completely. I've already switched to vonage and enjoyed disconnecting my own home from the phone company lines. Can't I do that with the power company - yeah, I know, I'll electrocute myself, but it's tempting.

Bicycles look more attractive than ever before.

I'm sick of it. When something stops working, you cut it off, stop it, cancel it, remove it before it blows up, goes bad, whatever. You just don't sit around and let people continue to take more and more of your hard earned money. There's got to be a way to get out of the power rat-race, and I'm looking for it just like everyone else. I still want to get around town quickly, live in an air-conditioned, heated home with functional plumbing and a refrigerator, but I don't want to be victimized for what most middle-income Americans consider the basics of life.

Hell, even shopping at Wal-Mart (yes, I do that too) has become more expensive. Have you bought milk lately? I can't even find decent beef at a regular price anymore. I've just about had it - forget thinking about buying a home instead of renting, because that dream went away with the home mortagage crisis. And try saving a ffew dollars - they don't go far. I've even toyed with the idea of insisting my company agree to pay me in euros instead of dollars. I'd make a lot more money, and maybe my wages would withstand the plummeting dollar.

All these things I do, much like you, while raising three middle-income children who feel entitled to the latest piece of technical wizardy from Nintendo or Sony. Prices for laptops of gone down, sure, but not far enough for my bank account, and they're quickly (along with fancy cell phones) becoming the "must have" item.

We're living in a nightmare re-run of the 1970s. I've felt it before, and I feel it now.

I'd buy stock in Exxon, but I haven't got the money to do that anymore.

The one thing I'm in the market for right now? Tips on saving money and cutting of the energy pirates who just keep getting richer as I enter poverty. Feel free to share because I'm here waiting....

DIE, VIACOM, DIE!

noreply@blogger.com (Cris Seligman) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 08:32:00 +0000

Here's a little note for the folks at Viacom. Screw you. We've posted videos on YouTube and you don't think having our IP is a violation of our privacy? So, what happens now? You take that information, hunt us down and sue us all for copyright infringement? Be our guests...good luck on that. We think the judge in this one should be examined to see if he has a penis-pump hooked up underneath his skirts like the judge in Tulsa a couple of years ago.

Here's more courtesy of Wired online...

Although Google argued that turning over the data would invade its users' privacy, the judge's ruling described that argument as "speculative" and ordered Google to turn over the logs on a set of four tera-byte hard drives. Hard to believe we actually agree wiith Google on anything (but again, they run Blogger.com)

Way to send a chill across the net and shut down the free flow of information online. In the words of the immortal Sam Kinnison, we hope you slide under a gas truck and taste your own blood (sic)

DAILY NEWS ROUNDUP

noreply@blogger.com (Cris Seligman) — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 08:58:00 +0000

OK, here's our rundown for the day...

Supreme Court decision: we like it, yes, we said we like it. We've always believed in the 2nd amendment as a more expansive definition of gun ownership. Perhaps that's the libertarian streak in us. We also believe in a very expansionist view of the amendment that comes right before it. We don't even own a handgun (we own a rifle) and we like it. Just because assholes (criminals) might break into your home and steal your gun isn't a reason to keep everyone from having one. Guns don't commit crimes, pornography doesn't cause rapes, not all drugs drive people to become "reefer madness" lunatics and alcohol isn't what drives people to become drunks, and slots and the lottery don't make people freakazoid habitual gamblers. Some of you may find that a stretch, but again, we find that to be people blaming something else for their behavior. We'd love to own a Glock -- of course, we know the proper way to use one, care for it and keep it safe. The law doesn't mean the end of sane gun control. And yes, we still hate Wayne LaPierre and the nutcases at the NRA, even though they've played a role in winning this. They're still morons who support all kinds of other political nonsense, and they've done more harm than good throughout the tenure of their more politically active lives. We still support sane gun control rules and laws -- yes, that means we think you can all have the right to own a handgun, but not have the right to bring the damned thing to church, the bar, the football or basketball game, etc. That's why we still have permits and rules, and will always need them, just like we have rules and regulations to govern the use of all the other "dangerous" things we listed above - so morons don't hurt themselves or others by misuse of the above. The DC gun ban was like a law that would prohibit "titillating" literature in the public library, because someone might read it and use it as an excuse to commit sexual assault. Are you following the analogy here? We still think this is a free country. We can say what we want, vote for whom we please and own guns if we feel so inclined. And, what's more, we think that if you disagree with this point of view, perhaps some of your other views on "freedom" are also suspect. The NRA sucks, we'll leave it at that.

Obama and Clinton. Wow, quite a fight has been raging online about whether Obama surpporters should expect some of their contributions to go to defray Auntie Hill's whopping big campaign debt. OK, we understand not wanting money to go to Hillary, and some of us here would agree with that. We also agree something needs to be done in the name of party unity and we were happy to see today's meeting with the Hillary donors went well. Oh, yeah, Obama needs to support a filibuster of the FISA bill -- c'mon, don't wait 'til after the election to fix some of these things. Go Dodd, Go Biden!

Bush and North Korea: Gotta laugh on this one. Everyone is turning against W, even weenie-weasel John Bolton who referred to the President's move RE-move N. Korea from the "Axis of Evil" as "shameful." There is no loyalty, is there Mr. Dictator. Just wait until after the election. We're sure everyone who ever met W will have some negative tell-all book to release, and we will gleefully buy, read, review and celebrate every one of them. Long live Scotty McCellan! As for the gifts and communication between DC and Pyonyang, we've heard about it before - from Obama. Didn't George and the Repuglicans refer to that kind of thing as "appeasement" and didn't some of them bandy around the word "traitor?" WTF?!?! Bush is not only hypocritical, he's (again) insane.

Oil above $140 and Wall Street down more than 350 points: Is anyone really surprised that the economy sucks the proverbial golf-ball through a garden hose? That the Dow could suck-start a B52 (hey, it' down to under 11,500 points or so, it's lowest since 2006) and Bernanke could suck the chrome of a trailer-hitch? We've always believed in the easiest explanation -- it's President Bush's fault (it really is) and John McCain will pay the price at the polls in November. When will things improve, and just how long can this Bear market continue to combine with the low dollar to make life miserable for American consumers?

In the words of Don Henley, "kick 'em when they're up, kick 'em when they're down" -- OUR W policy. Thanks and good night.

FAREWELL, GEORGE

noreply@blogger.com (Cris Seligman) — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 05:26:00 +0000

another big loss today, a man who entertained, and actually contributed to the fight for freedom of speech.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Comedian George Carlin, a counter-culture hero famed for his routines about drugs and dirty words, died of heart failure at a Los Angeles-area hospital on Sunday, a spokesman said. He was 71.

Carlin, who had a history of heart problems, died at St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica about 6 p.m. PDT (2 a.m. British time) after being admitted earlier in the afternoon for chest pains, spokesman Jeff Abraham told Reuters.

Known for his edgy, provocative material, Carlin achieved status as an anti-Establishment icon in the 1970s with stand-up bits full of drug references and a routine about seven dirty words you could not say on television. A regulatory battle over a radio broadcast of his "Filthy Words" routine ultimately reached the U.S. Supreme Court.

Farwell, George. We grew up with you, and always enjoyed your commentary. You'll be missed.

WE'RE GOING TO THE DNC IN AUGUST

noreply@blogger.com (Cris Seligman) — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:49:00 +0000

OK, you'll have your chance to personally punch us in the head. We're attending the DNC in Denver in August, and Mr. Elkins will also be there with us, although we understand he'll be inside the Pepsi Center where the action will take place.

We're also hoping to join him -- and you if you're interested -- just a few feet away in DailyKos central at something called "The Big Tent."

Here's more from Kos...

The Big Tent will be the place to be for new media journalists, bloggers, reporters, and non-profit leaders covering the Democratic National Convention in Denver this summer.

We're creating a 9,000 square foot, two-story structure that will house the work space for journalists, bloggers and new media, a Digg Stage with prominent national leaders, as well as a Google Retreat with a YouTube kiosk where you can make your own YouTube videos. The Big Tent will be open throughout the Democratic National Convention, Aug. 25- 28.

In the New Media Lounge, your pass will be a ticket to to enjoy all the benefits of the blogger / new media lounge, including free WiFi, work space, television-coverage, as well as free food and drinks. And you get to hang out with some of the top bloggers, new media journalists, and non-profit leaders in the country. And in the Public Space, you can participate in panel discussions with top national leaders on a range of hot topics. There will also be workshops on blogging, community organizing, and new technologies.

The Big Tent will host sponsored happy hours each day from 4 to 5, followed by live coverage of every minute of the Democratic National Convention until 9 p.m. each night. When the Convention ends each day, the Big Tent will still be going with late-night entertainment, including concerts and films. Check back at BigTentDenver.com for additional details as the convention nears.

Here -- The Big Tent -- you have the link. If you blog and can get away for a couple of days (we say go for the whole thing, but we'll only catch the last two days ourselves) it'll be worth it to attend such a groundbreaking event. Join us, have a couple of beers and see the stars.

Meet you at the Big Tent in August.

THE FABLE OF MCCAIN AND THE GRAPES

noreply@blogger.com (Cris Seligman) — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:04:00 +0000

ONE hot summer’s day a Fox was strolling through an orchard till he came to a bunch of Grapes just ripening on a vine which had been trained over a lofty branch. “Just the things to quench my thirst,” quoth he. Drawing back a few paces, he took a run and a jump, and just missed the bunch. Turning round again with a One, Two, Three, he jumped up, but with no greater success. Again and again he tried after the tempting morsel, but at last had to give it up, and walked away with his nose in the air, saying: “I am sure they are sour.”

--Aesop, 6th Century BC

In the case of John McCain, the alternative to the tasty snack is public financing. If his "grapes" are indeed sour, they make for another fine w(h)ine from the campaign that can't shoot straight.

Did anyone, anywhere, pay a lick of attention to the "very big" news that Barack Obama has decided to make history and opt out of public financing for the fall campaign?

I've been sitting here watching big league a-hole Bill Bennett on CNN make a big deal out of how Obama flip-flopped and made a big mistake by this.

Huh?

Let's see, either he gets 80 plus million dollars of taxpayer money shoved his way (McCain will take his share, by golly) or he says "no thank you, I'll only take the money taxpayers give me directly, and I still won't take PAC money." Hmmm, seems like that wouldn't be a hard choice for taxpayers to decide. How many of them really want to pay for the election anyway? Hey, and at least Obama didn't take any money from a whacked-out billionaire in Texas with a humor problem.

Hell, even right-winger Norm Ornstein, one of the architects of McCain-Feingold thought Obama's move was the right one. He even told reporters he'd have sued Obama for political malpractice if Obama had opted for public financing.

So, as the nation remains transfixed by Michelle Obama's "softer image" on The View and Cindy McCain's pirated cookie recipe, why would they listen to grampy McCain moan about something that just sounds like a whole lot of sour grapes? He'll have to take the public funding because he won't be able to raise his own warchest, and now he just can't compete with the Obama campaign, which will likely continue gathering those 20 through $100 contributions like falling rain. Yes, indeed, even McCain's lieutenants had to admit that their opponent would "outspend us" in many states. That sounds so familiar...didn't we just hear that complaint from another opponent in the primaries? Didn't work then, either.

###

Back to watching the aforementioned CNN (and a segue into some stream-of-consciousness writing - apologies) - by the way, Cindy McCain is still full of shit, and was born with a platinum spoon in her mouth, while Michelle Obama came from the Windy City's South Side, and worked her way up by dint of intelligence and hard work. Cindy's family sold lots of beer. We're sick of hearing from her. She says she always supports "service to our country" but we don't think she ever wore the uniform like her husband did...again, we'd be very happy to hear less of her ranting, and see more of her purloined recipes online.

Bill Bennett? He still has that big hypocrisy problem in our eyes -- Mr. "Book of Virtues" who blew a massive wad of change on the slots at Atlantic City. At least he didn't have the gall to write about the sins of gambling, but we find him a questionable source to ask about funding of ANY kind, much less of the public kind. Jim Carville at least seemed like he was trying to walk the line on Anderson Cooper's little joke of a program. We still think "Anderson Cooper 360"sounds like code for "Anderson Cooper can sit and spin."

So why write so much about those two? Because NOBODY CARES that Barack Obama won't take your tax money, and also won't take PAC and other monies! People just don't care, and even if they did, they'd probably be happy about this one. Besides, Obama is right when he says the system is broken (Sorry Russ Feingold, we know you were disappointed by the news, but it's true and even you had to admit it's time for another overhaul) and that Republicans have been gaming the system for many years and have used outside groups like the "swiftboat" crews to do their dirty work. (uh, pay no attention to that moveon.org behind the curtain, move along now...)

In short, we just find that a) CNN will do anything to drum up a story...b) CNN is so set on being the bastard child of MSNBC and Fox when it comes to politics that it's given up on actual reporting, and c) Numbskull ideas coming from the McCain campaign just won't work. Yep, he's the second coming of Grampy Dole allright.

Wonder how long before he signs on with Viagra and agrees to sell Doritos. No more CNN tonight. Colbert had Cookie Monster on as a guest, and we still want to know if the mangy muppet will eat Colbert's new Peabody Award.

Jeez, we've gotta swear off cable television sometime soon. Does anyone know if MSNBC's week long festival of Tim Russert's death has met its own untimely demise? We miss countdown, and even a little Hardball.

OBAMA VS. MCCAIN - THE MATCHUP

noreply@blogger.com (Cris Seligman) — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 06:23:00 +0000

Time for everyone to take stock of our situation.

The price of oil recently finished near $140 a barrel. Gas averages (in most places) $4.00 a gallon, with no end in site to price hike - just look at the price of oil.

The price of groceries continues to skyrocket, along with the cost of crops (see the gas prices) and many Americans have less disposable income.

The value of the dollar is down (again, making oil and gas more expensive) and wages have stagnated. The fed can't decide if the economy has gone into a recession, though common wisdom says we have. Oil companies make record setting profits, and (those houses again) the government has started looking into those subprime mortage driven derivatives that fueled the go-go real estate boom, that has now collapsed sending contractors running and leaving a few banks collapsed.

Millions of Americans have defaulted on their home loans. We're in a war in the middle east with no end in sight, and one of the presidential candidates calls it "not too important" when the troops come home, and has said we could be in Iraq for 100 years.

Our outgoing president says he gave up golf to show his solidarity with the troops overseas. Our outgoing president comes out and tells reporters in Europe that he has a goal of catching Bin Laden before he leaves office. Why didn't he do that in 2001 or anytime earlier?

What about a your country becoming a country surpassed by China and Europe in scientific research, because of the Administration's short-sighted views on science?

What about the Abramoff scandal? What about "the hammer" and his scandal in Texas? What about the millions upon millions of taxpayer dollars funnelled to Iraq, but not accounted for? What about letting Afghanistan slide back into a civil war? What about lying candidates for the U.S. Supreme Court who say one thing during Senate hearings, then take the bench and do something different? What about evangelical Christians used as pawns by an administration with a presidential counselor (Mr. Rove) who says he doesn't even believe in God? What about Rupert Murdoch twisting the message of the media, and spurring media consolidation, buying television and newspapers up as fast as he can, limiting the message and reportage available to the vast American public?

What's the old campaign question we've all heard a million times? Are you better off now than you were 8 years ago? Answer that honestly, because we'd love to hear what you think. Are you more secure now than you were in 2000? Has the Department of Homeland Security really foiled any attempt by any terrorist to attack you, or has the administration exercised a foreign policy that increased the ranks of Al Qaeda? Are you freer than you were 8 years ago? Does the government have you on a no-fly list, do they read your e-mail, do they tap your phones all the while breaking federal law, but still getting away with it?

We don't have the room to count how many times we've heard the Vice President of the United States contradict himself in public on the war, and what we could expect from it, or how much it would cost. Whether he and his colleagues did it with malice aforethought is no longer the question, because the fact remains that the administration sold the American people, and Congress, a bill of goods for the war, and thousands of young people, members of the national guard, reservists, active duty members have died as a result.

All of that makes what's happening now thrilling -- as thrilling as it must have felt for supply-side Republicans when Ronald Reagan won his first election to office.

The promise of "Morning in America" is upon us once again. Barack Obama is that promise. When he speaks, he motivates. When he writes, he makes sense. Those who haven't read his two books should do so. The still angry Hillary supporters considering casting a ballot for John McCain should at least read those books, and get to know the man better.

there's a reason a recent poll of college professors who teach history shows Senator McCain has little to no chance of losing.

We also found it interesting that the Huffingtonpost came to the same conclusion we did -- John McCain is the second coming of Bob Dole. Out of touch, and not ready to assume the nation's top office. Recent reports about his interenet efforts are almost hilarious. His website even promises to list the benefits of joining the McCain effort, but foregetfully leaves off any of those benefits. He'll veto any "beers" that come across his desk. He just took $300,000 from a Texas billionaire who once said that rape is like the weather -- one should just lie back and enjoy it. This is the campaign trying to convince the angry feminists to vote Republican.

Is someone behind the wheel here?

As for the argument about experience vs. inexperience, we don't buy it. We didn't buy it in the primaries, and neither did most of the voters. If Senator McCain was going to do great things for America, wouldn't he have done it by now? How much a role has he played in the things we've mentioned above? It just goes to reason that his "experience" had a lot to do with the problems we have now. Again, better off, or more of the same?

OK, many of you will probably read this as partisan, and that's OK. What's not partisan is the logical exercise of adding up all the things we've listed here and making a comparison. We'd imagine you'll come to the same conclusion we did.

This isn't a tough thing to understand, and without being even overly partisan, it doesn't seem like much of a contest we'll see in November as a result. Argue if you will, but this is the simplest explanation, and it's likely the way the vast majority of voters will see it.

What happens afterward is anyone's guess. Go ahead and be pessimistic, because that's always worked for the media, and quite a few people had high hopes for GW Bush and his "compassionate conservatism" and all that went to hell very quickly.

What we've seen of Obama so far doesn't lead us to believe that'll be the case. The "waters won't recede" like he told supporters on victory night, but we think he'll do a pretty good job.

TIM, YOU'LL BE MISSED

noreply@blogger.com (Cris Seligman) — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 20:22:00 +0000

Editor's Note: Don Elkins works for CBS/Fox television stations in Maryland after working a number of years for the NBC affiliate in Fayetteville. He's worked for the Northwest Arkansas Times and also for KFAY-AM in the same market. He's covering the news today, but took a moment to pen this for us. Our thanks to him.

As a broadcast journalist with more than 20 years experience under the belt, and as someone who has enjoyed covering politics for most of that time, today's news that NBC's Tim Russert had died hit me in the gut. I have to say that after the initial shock, I immediately wondered who I'd see hosting "Meet the Press" this weekend, and forever after. I'm just not sure if anyone can take Russert's place.

I haven't always agreed with him, but I've always admired him, pretty much since first seeing him hit the airwaves back in the mid 80s. He was, essentially, the political reporter all of us wanted to be. His style of questioning was dogged, and people often criticized him for cross-examing his guests. Many of us who've worked the beat admired his technique, and looked up to his style of confrontational, yet intellectual enquiry.

CNN's recent series of primary debates were soft. Apologies to Wolf Blitzer, but watching Russert manhandle the Democratic candidates made many of us cheer and say, "that's the way to do it." ABC then showed us exactly how not to conduct a debate in Philly shortly afterward.

I'm not from Buffalo. I've never visited, but I remember listening to Russert's stories about his town, and about his family and appreciating his background as a family man and someone with pride in his cultural background.

Like many of you, I'm sitting here as I write this watching NBC's coverage of what happened, and listening to the annecdotes from Russert's colleagues, a form of heartfelt and drawn out obituary. I remember a number of years ago having to sit and write a similary piece about the passing of Peter Jennings, and also about David Brinkley. All these men have been giants in the field of broadcasting in the latter quarter of the 20th century, and those of us in the field have to wonder if anyone out there can step up and fill their shoes in the right way.

Tim Russert looked overweight. He worked very hard, very long hours under high pressure. He was 58 years old. He died the way many people just like him, including my own father died. As someone who closely resembles all those descriptors, Russert's death comes as a reminder and sends a chill down my spine this afternoon.

Even those who live on-the-air day to day can check out unexpectedly. Tim Russert went out doing what he loved best, writing and reporting. He'll be missed.

NBC CONFIRMS DEATH OF RUSSERT

noreply@blogger.com (Cris Seligman) — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 19:31:00 +0000

UPDATED 3:02 p.m. - Tom Brokaw just went on the air to confirm the death of Tim Russert who was 58 years old, and who collapsed at NBC's Washington Bureau this afternoon. Again, NBC confirms the death of Tim Russert.

Other sources report that Russert was in the NBC DC Bureau today at about 1 p.m. conducting an MSNBC online question and answer session...here you might see the last thing he wrote...

Russert: I think he’s on the list. South Carolina is a solid state, but McCain really likes his passion and his ability to be on the attack against the Democrats on these foreign policy issues. I think Biden is someone who’s very much on Obama’s list because of his wealth of foreign policy experience, his knowledge of the Iran and the Iraq. It’ll be interesting. They’re both coming into the studio. It could be an vice presidential audition. A Meet the Press audition, coming your way Sunday, on Meet the Press!

We're not sure how long that page will stay up, however. Our resident tv newsguy, Don Elkins tells us that he is sad for NBC's loss. He'll have an editorial here in a little bit on Tim's passing.

CBS News is telling it's affiliate stations that NBC Political chief and host of "Meet The Press" Tim Russert has died from an apparent heart attack today. NY Post also reporting same. Details to come.

WHY YOU SHOULD VOTE REPUBLICAN (HA!)

noreply@blogger.com (Cris Seligman) — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 06:44:00 +0000

OK, it's been awhile since we last posted. I'm told we're working on the redesign and it's almost done. IN THE MEANTIME...thought I'd post this little "reverse psychology" exercise. It brought a smile to my face and hopefully it will to you too.

BTW, did we miss anything? Oh, yeah, the end of the primaries. Now, we guess, we were right, and it's on to the White House - so, Senator McCain, get the hell out of the way (and we respect your service, but you're pretty messed up in the head right now - watching Olbermann right now, love the "not too important" remark to Lauer this morning on the Today Show)

Cheers.

DOBBS UNETHICAL

noreply@blogger.com (Cris Seligman) — Wed, 21 May 2008 23:27:00 +0000

CNN's Lou Dobbs is more than just insane, he's dishonest. And, his show is even more so. In his report tonight, he went off on Media Matters, saying the group was disguising its agenda when it went after him for rabble rousing.

However, in a report by Lisa Sylvester, the program cited a report from the "Center for Immigration Studies' without revealing the nature of that group, it's right wing history or it's agenda...yet, Dobbs still goes after Media Matters...Lou, what's worse, someone else allegedly acting in a dishonest fashion (and that's a big 'alleged' because we didn't see anything MM did that seems like to conceals its purpose) or you yourself going right out and doing the thing you're accusing someone else of?

Way to make a mess and step in it, dumbass.

FROM DA COAST

noreply@blogger.com (Don Elkins) — Wed, 21 May 2008 08:40:00 +0000

I see my colleague and co-blogger Cris Seligman has been hard at work here, littering the blog with his abrasive music videos and rants about conservative politics. Thought I'd check in from the DC area with a little more on how our project is going. We're continuing to re-vamp this site, with an eye toward a more magazine-like portal site, and again, we're doing some decorating right about now, so bear with us. We endured an upgrade to wordpress just before we were going to go online, and we've had to deal with all that entails. We've also decided we needed to go back into Photoshop and do a little re-tooling as well, so, all in good time.

I apologize for the dwindling number of weblinks, but it seems the Arkansas blogosphere has had better days, and some of our past favorite reads are now gone. What's that down to, Arkansas Times, us and Jonah Tebbetts blogspot? Yes, I know, there are a few more out there, but not as many as we saw a few years ago. I think it has something to do with the changing nature of the blogosphere with more converging formats and more portal and multi-blogger sites becoming popular. I miss the old days when it was just you, blogger and nothing else.

Anyway, don't know about you, but I spent my evening working and watching cable returns from Kentucky and Oregon, with very few surprises. I'm just waiting to see how many more superdelegates jump the ship and head for the Obama camp in the morning.

have a good night...

VOTE AND DO IT NOW

noreply@blogger.com (Cris Seligman) — Tue, 20 May 2008 10:19:00 +0000

We agree with jonah tebbetts. Show Bobye and Jim what you really think. Vote.

MUSICAL THOUGHT TONITE

noreply@blogger.com (Cris Seligman) — Tue, 20 May 2008 09:50:00 +0000

Figured it feels like summer is approaching, so here's some Circle Jerks. We dig Greg Hetson's guitar on this one. It's the antidote to "American Idol." Enjoy, and punch someone you love.

ENTER LADY MACBETH, UH, HOLT

noreply@blogger.com (Cris Seligman) — Tue, 20 May 2008 08:58:00 +0000

Brummett has himself a detractor...a woman we once mistook for a polygamist. Seems he wrote something she didn't like about her husband, the right reverend Jimmy holt.

Next I heard, Bobye had fired off a hostile public letter about me, spreading it from blog to blog, asserting, among other things, that I'm "bitter at God" for the bad things I've seen happen to my family.

Wow, did he hit a nerve, or what?

You might think with the democrats ascendent in national politics, Obama on the cusp of attaining the party's nomination that the spiritual and political descendents of Elmer Gantry would have moved to a remote location of the state (or to West Virginia) to hector to local farmers and make grandeloquent speeches before some of the lesser quorum courts.

It ain't so. Bible thumping, xenophobic ultra-right radicals continue to exist, at least in the northwest quadrant of our fair state. And, what's worse, they think they still need to save all of us from the evils of modern life, and civil society, which they hate and just don't understand. (Allah the most merciful, etc., etc.)

Columnist John Brummett with the Morning News knows who they are. In point of fact, most of us who've lived here for more than a month also know them and know their history of tomfoolery. We don't want to be unkind to these near-outcasts, but we also have to live with them. And, when they're on their prozac or whatever medication someone may slip into their sweet tea, they can almost seem like normal people. hell, they're even likable.

When, however, politics comes to the fore, they tear their faces off like the mutants in one of the old Planet of the Apes movies and start making ugly noises. We mean you realllly need to think about barring your door if you have small children or pets during campaign season. These things crave human flesh, and nothing will satisfy their bloolust but a pound of flesh from anyone they consider a "socialist." That can be just about anyone with whom they disagree politically, culturally or socially.

Anyway, John is on the trail of one of the most crazed hillbilly radicals to make a public nuisance of himself in NWA in many a year. Jim holt.

And, what's worse, Mrs. holt has decided to leave the protected sphere of non-speaking political spousehood to publicly throw down the gauntlet at John's feet. We almost feel sorry for her...it's like a fight between a man (or in this case woman) with a knife, and another man carrying a loaded gun. A man who is actually more like on old-west gunfighter in his "gunslingin' skills."

Our advice? Bobye, walk away, and do it quickly and quietly because he'll hold back for just so long, out of courtesy, and then it'll hurt. We'll sell tickets and popcorn - not because it's you, but because you pulled out the nasty, name-calling rhetoric when you have no reason to do so, and you took it a step too far. And, because you've traditionally been seen as a non-combatant, we'll have to welcome you to the ring. Just be ready to take your lumps like the rest of the politicians now that you've joined the game.

Such a shame.

Remember, Jim does this as a pro, and has for years. You haven't. You might feel like you have, but think about it again...it felt like you up there at the podium, during losses and during wins, but it wasn't. You had another role, and a geneva conventions of sorts applied to you -- no longer, if you choose email and write things like this...

So, my fellow extremists, the question is what are WE going to do about it?

It is past time for, we the people, to quit listening to the liberal media, and elect true Americans to office, not socialists.

My husband asked John Brummett once if he was a socialist. John replied, "No, I'm just a very strong liberal, with strong socialistic leanings."

Right. Right out of the horses mouth. And if he and other members of the media are doing everything they can to help Ms. Henry, what does that tell you about her?

That she's sane?

Or that your hubbie has brought you to a place where you really don't want to be? Because this crap sounds a lot like him talking. We're not sure you've ever said things like this publicly.

Anyway, welcome to the fight if that's the way you'd like it. Now put up yer (daisy) dukes...

Seriously...we plan to launch a Kasparov-copter at your husband's next public appearance (see Youtube video below) and we thought we'd warn you ahead of time.

ps - here's your husband's link on the southern poverty law center's hatewatch website. What an honor, yes?

Also, we're only half joking about that toy helicopter thing. We'd encourage it, and would love to find someone with the mechanical know how to help us make one so we can effectively protest politcal retardation. It's sophmoric, but it would still be funny.

Send your email and copter plans here.

HEY, IT'S POLITICAL, OK?

noreply@blogger.com (Cris Seligman) — Tue, 20 May 2008 05:38:00 +0000

We'll continue our descent into the gutter tonight with this tidbit, from Russia. Garry Kasparov, one time chess champ and now Russian political candidate wanna-be suffers a very strange interruption during a news conference.

Again, apologies, but it made us laugh pretty hard. None of us has ever seen anything like this before. We figure some smart person could adapt this Russian technology for use in a McCain townhall meeting. We'd love to hear what he'd say.

NEW FAVORITE TUNE

noreply@blogger.com (Cris Seligman) — Sun, 18 May 2008 21:01:00 +0000

OK, since we've got a music theme going, we thought you'd enjoy our new favorite song.

YOUR THOUGHT FOR THE NIGHT

noreply@blogger.com (Cris Seligman) — Sat, 17 May 2008 09:34:00 +0000

WE LIKE MATTHEWS MORE EVERY DAY

noreply@blogger.com (Cris Seligman) — Fri, 16 May 2008 01:36:00 +0000

DUGGARMANIA RESUMES!

noreply@blogger.com (Cris Seligman) — Sat, 10 May 2008 07:04:00 +0000

After all this time, you'd think we'd be on top of a story like yet another Dugger baby on the way. Yep, we read this earlier in the afternoon and figgered we'd wait until now to say something. Of course, we pride ourselves on our extensive Duggar archive, and we still have that Duggar book and photo for sale if anyone wants it.

So, Michelle and Jim Bob have gone an done it again...

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — It's a happy Mother's Day for an Arkansas woman — she's pregnant with her 18th child.

Michelle Duggar, 41, is due on New Year's Day, and the latest addition will join seven sisters and 10 brothers. There are two sets of twins.

"We've had three in January, three in December. Those two months are a busy time for us," she said, laughing.

The Duggars' oldest child, Josh, is 20, and the youngest, Jennifer, is nine months old.

The fast-growing family lives in Tontitown in northwest Arkansas in a 7,000-square-foot home. All the children — whose names start with the letter J — are home-schooled.

Duggar has been been pregnant for more than 11 years of her life, and the family is in the process of filming another series for Discovery Health.

Yes, indeed, it's the story that never ends. Holy crap, 18!

We are continuing our migration to wordpress, and are almost ready to unveil this thing, which will mean more content soon.

Happy mother's day!