Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Some judge needs to shut this circus down soon.

Too often we hand the biggest microphones to the cynics and the critics who delight in declaring failure.

The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.

You don’t get to peddle hatred on saturday and offer condolences on sunday.

We’ve had enough carrots to last a lifetime. break out the sticks.

I know this must be bad for Joe Biden, I just don’t know how.

Is it negotiation when the other party actually wants to shoot the hostage?

Imperialist aggressors must be defeated, or the whole world loses.

The cruelty is the point; the law be damned.

Joe Lieberman disappointingly reemerged to remind us that he’s still alive.

In short, I come down firmly on all sides of the issue.

Not all heroes wear capes.

The arc of history bends toward the same old fuckery.

Accountability, motherfuckers.

Take hopelessness and turn it into resilience.

“Everybody’s entitled to be an idiot.”

Nothing worth doing is easy.

Thanks to your bullshit, we are now under siege.

Putting aside our relentless self-interest because the moral imperative is crystal clear.

Motto for the House: Flip 5 and lose none.

Historically it was a little unusual for the president to be an incoherent babbling moron.

The GOP is a fucking disgrace.

Incompetence, fear, or corruption? why not all three?

They are lying in pursuit of an agenda.

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108Comments

  2. 2.

    middlewest

    John, you gotta try Hustle; it’s kinda a British version of Leverage, and it’s awesome. Plus, it has Robert Vaughn.

  5. 5.

    Steeplejack

    Just getting ready to watch Persons Unknown. I know nothing about it, but it’s the pilot, so I’ll be in on the ground floor if it’s the next big thing.

    Also have started planning my World Cup viewing/recording strategy. Need to clear a lot of space on the DVR.

  9. 9.

    Brian J

    Real journalism lives another day. Via Greg Mitchell on Twitter, we see this major story from Pro Publica, which also worked with The Washington Post (almost trying to be a real newspaper, apparently), about how B.P. ignored warnings that were evident years in advance of the Gulf Coast spill. The first two paragraphs alone are like a general description of the Bush administration in every single way:

    A series of internal investigations over the past decade warned senior BP managers that the company repeatedly disregarded safety and environmental rules and risked a serious accident if it did not change its ways.

    The confidential inquiries, which have not previously been made public, focused on a rash of problems at BP’s Alaska oil-drilling unit that undermined the company’s publicly proclaimed commitment to safe operations. They described instances in which management flouted safety by neglecting aging equipment, pressured or harassed employees not to report problems, and cut short or delayed inspections in order to reduce production costs. Executives were not held accountable for the failures, and some were promoted despite them.

    Something tells me this is going to get a lot worse for them before they can even think about it getting better.

  12. 12.

    freelancer (itouch)

    @Steeplejack:

    Funny that, the makers of LOST and Stephen King are huge fans of each other. They drew a lot of inspiration from King and there are a lot of allusions to his writing, especially apparently his Dark Tower series. Knowing this, I picked up book 1 “the gunslinger” on Kindle and I’m about halfway through and am pretty optimistic.

  13. 13.

    CJ

    I think I actually get to watch Leverage now since it’s showing on a night I don’t work. This makes me happy.

    Also, I con vouch for middlewest’s recommendation of Hustle. I only saw a few and didn’t even know it was still on, but it’s good.

  14. 14.

    Elisabeth

    @Brian J:

    The confidential inquiries, which have not previously been made public, focused on a rash of problems at BP’s Alaska oil-drilling unit that undermined the company’s publicly proclaimed commitment to safe operations.

    But, according to a self-described “expert” drilling on land and/or in shallow water is okey dokey. I guess she forgot about this (from your linked article):

    A 2004 inquiry found a pattern of the company intimidating workers who raised safety or environmental concerns. It said managers shaved maintenance costs by using aging equipment for as long as possible. Accidents resulted, including the 200,000-gallon Prudhoe Bay pipeline spill in 2006 — the largest spill on Alaska’s North Slope — which was blamed on a corroded pipeline.

    heh. Only 200,000 gallons ~ a drop in the bucket to the “drill,baby, drill” crowd. Fuckers.

  15. 15.

    beltane

    @Brian J: The business with BP in Alaska will be fascinating if it is ever fully explored. During the presidential campaign there was a lot of discussion of Todd Palin’s relationship to BP (he was not just a humble union worker) which died off after the election.

  17. 17.

    Brian J

    @beltane:

    That was all speculation and such brought on by ACORN and Rahm Emmanuel…er, the liberal media, especially MSNBC and Keith Olbermann. I thought that much was clear.

    Seriously now, if there was any there, there, will the media pick up on it if she runs for president in 2012?

  18. 18.

    beltane

    @Brian J: It would have been nice if Andrew Sullivan had spent more time on Todd’s possible role as a BP enforcer and less time on Sarah’s gynecological history.

  19. 19.

    Violet

    @beltane:

    During the presidential campaign there was a lot of discussion of Todd Palin’s relationship to BP (he was not just a humble union worker) which died off after the election.

    What died off? His relationship to BP or the discussion of it?

  21. 21.

    Nutella

    An interesting note about dirty vs clean energy. When so-called capitalists hit you with the “clean energy can’t work without subsidies” hit back with the $550 billion that dirty energy doesn’t work without.

  22. 22.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @beltane:

    BP enforcer and less time on Sarah’s gynecological history.

    Union-buster enforcer? Shutting down investigations with threats of his wife’s office? I didn’t hear anything about it.

  25. 25.

    beltane

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: It was more a matter of Todd Palin being an unofficial, though well paid, lobbyist for BP. Maybe someone with more time and patience than myself can go digging through the Mudflats archive to find the details.

  26. 26.

    ellaesther

    Hey oh! It occurs to me that some of y’all might be interested in seeing my book review from yesterday’s Dallas Morning News (oddly, I’ve never actually been to Dallas. But I digress).

    I looked at Kai Bird’s Crossing Mandelbaum Gate: Coming of Age Between the Arabs and Israelis, 1956-1978

    A short version of the review (+ links to some Middle East reading lists) can be found here: Review: Crossing Mandelbaum Gate.

    The original is here.

  27. 27.

    ellaesther

    @BethanyAnne: Our own Incertus (Brian) posted about this as well: “This is what demonizing a population will get you.”

    All I ask–all I demand, as a citizen of this nation–is that you tolerate my non-belief, and that you tolerate your neighbor’s different belief. You don’t have to like it, you don’t have to pretend to like it. You just have to tolerate it, just like they have to tolerate you.

    Firmly in the “if it weren’t so sad, it would be fucking funny” department. The Islamophobic Christians had to be saved by the police because they were suspected of Islam.

  28. 28.

    satby

    For the Leverage-impaired: it’s written by John Rogers, the originator of the Kung Fu Monkey blog.
    And based on the British show Hustle.
    Good stuff.

  29. 29.

    Corner Stone

    Leverage sucks. There, I said it.
    I love Rogers and his blog. But Leverage infantalizes the audience to such a degree.
    And I’m a big Tim Hutton fan. It’s just high fucking cheese.

  30. 30.

    Jeffro

    Wife is upset about BP/Deepwater Horizon, wants to “DO something”, like maybe fly down to Louisiana and wash off pelicans…

    …I was like, “Maybe we could trade in for a Civic, turn out the lights we aren’t using, harass the sh!t out of our politicians to actually keep these corporations in line or be dissolved?!?”

    Am I the only one having this kind of conversation lately? I figure BP would love to have the most energetic among us devoting their time to washing oil off of pelicans…

  31. 31.

    Martin

    @robertdsc: Yes, I agree. I need to work out what the new AT&T rates come to. I think they’re merely outrageous now, as opposed to being unconscionable before.

  32. 32.

    Corner Stone

    All I know is, the girl in the ad making the “shhh, keep it quiet” sign for Pretty Little Liars.
    I love her in absentia.

  35. 35.

    Martin

    @Jeffro: Everyone is. And you’re on the right track – use less energy, harass the shit out of your politicians. Spot on.

  36. 36.

    slag

    Christ, Cole, I can’t keep up with all your television shows! What’s this one about?

    (I’ve never seen Hustle)

  37. 37.

    gwangung

    @Darkrose: The Runway Job. The main baddie was a former actor in one of our theatres and one of the Mandarin-speaking factory workers is a friend of mine who got some lines written for her.

    @Corner Stone: Oh, I understand, but, then again, a great deal of the American TV watching audience are pretty much infants….

  38. 38.

    jibeaux

    Ha! I’m watching the first season of Lost? Will Jack and Kate become an item? Stay tuned.
    It’s kind of amusing being hopelessly behind. Maybe I’ll start watching M*A*S*H when I’m done…

  39. 39.

    Darkrose

    John, if you have time later, I highly recommend watching Leverage with the commentary on. Especially the episodes directed by Frakes. I do wish they’d gotten Wil Wheaton for 2.07, though.

  40. 40.

    BethanyAnne

    @Jeffro: Nope, had a very similar conversation with Mom yesterday. We both grew up around Surfside, Texas. South of Houston. Fucking with her seafood is a line to not cross with Mom. She’s pissed, and asking good questions about what to do.

  42. 42.

    gwangung

    @slag: Leverage: Con men and rouges who are banded together to play Robin Hood against corporate executives and the wealthy who think they’re above the law.

  44. 44.

    jibeaux

    @Jeffro:

    I am kind of longing for politicians to harass the shit out of us a little bit. In the vein of, during WWII we rationed food and gasoline, and it was considered patriotic not to bitch about it, because we all had a cause more important than ourselves to serve. Well, we have a cause like that now. And we’re going to make some changes. We’re going to have a gas tax, a carbon tax, and we’re going to use those proceeds to fund R & D into renewable resources. It’s time for us all to step up to the plate for our country, and our world.
    It’s actually something I agree with the Moustache about — after 9/11 it was a wasted opportunity for Bush not to tap into the national energy to DO something, and it would be a wasted opportunity here as well.

  45. 45.

    Little Boots

    Ok, this is too fabulous. 2 Egyptian-American Christians flew to Ground Zero to protest against the mosque being built nearby… police had to drag them away to save them from the crowd that turned on 2 Arabs at “their” protest.

    Tribe confused. How can be?

  46. 46.

    The Dangerman

    If solving mysteries and or history is your thing, you may want to check out the latest search for evidence of Amelia Earhardt landing on an Island called Nikumaroro; that search is occurring right now and daily reports are here.

    For an overview of the project, there is a video here.

    There is a lot of evidence of her landing on this island; the video discusses some, but not all, of it. My favorite is a report of hearing Earhardt on the radio after the disappearance talking about “New York City”; sadly, that could have been misheard, as she surely wasn’t in NYC, but there is a shipwreck on Nikumaroro. The name of the ship? Norwich City.

    I’m linking this now because there is a sense they are very close to the answer, so, again, if history/mysteries are your thing, check it out.

  49. 49.

    Little Boots

    I am kind of longing for politicians to harass the shit out of us a little bit. In the vein of, during WWII we rationed food and gasoline, and it was considered patriotic not to bitch about it, because we all had a cause more important than ourselves to serve. Well, we have a cause like that now. And we’re going to make some changes. We’re going to have a gas tax, a carbon tax, and we’re going to use those proceeds to fund R & D into renewable resources. It’s time for us all to step up to the plate for our country, and our world.
    It’s actually something I agree with the Moustache about—after 9/11 it was a wasted opportunity for Bush not to tap into the national energy to DO something, and it would be a wasted opportunity here as well.

    We’d need a moment of non stupid as a people. Do we have that moment left in us? I’m not so sure.

  50. 50.

    gwangung

    @slag: Haven’t seen it yet, but I’m guessing HUSTLE has a lot more sharp edges in characters (American audiences like their rogues to be cuddly) and probably seems more inventive because they have fewer episodes to pack story into.

  51. 51.

    Mnemosyne

    @jibeaux:

    It’s actually something I agree with the Moustache about—after 9/11 it was a wasted opportunity for Bush not to tap into the national energy to DO something, and it would be a wasted opportunity here as well.

    With all of his other crimes, that’s actually the thing I hold most against Bush. He had the frickin’ opportunity of a lifetime to change everything, and he blew it.

  52. 52.

    Brian J

    @robertdsc:

    Is it 4G? It’s unclear based on what I’ve read.

    @Martin:

    I need to learn more about it, but changing the rates based on how much people use the network isn’t the craziest thing in the world. If a small percentage of users, which probably includes me, use up far more of the network’s capability than most others, why shouldn’t we pay more? That said, I’d more interested in seeing the ease to switch between the two different groups.

  53. 53.

    Little Boots

    Sadly, I think in that one instance he knew exactly what he was dealing with. The slightest attempt to get America to look beyond its most immediate self interest traumatizes us. It is truly, in every sense, pathetic.

  55. 55.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @jibeaux:

    I am kind of longing for politicians to harass the shit out of us a little bit. In the vein of, during WWII we rationed food and gasoline,

    I was listening to Left Jab yesterday, and they were saying “what Obama needs to do now…” is ask the country “Do you get it now?” about conservation, energy-reduction, deregulation, ‘drill baby drill’, etc. A nice idea, but I don’t think it will ever work. We (not us enlightened types, but the country as a whole) need to be told we’re innocent victims, we are in no way responsible, and above all, we will in no way, shape or form be asked to sacrifice, or even inconvenienced, to find a solution. There was a window for it after 9/11, and we were told that the American Way of Life is a blessed one, and we should go to DisneyLand.

    Jim, + dejected cynicism

  56. 56.

    Little Boots

    The trick is to tell us ever righteous, ever victimized, ever wise clowns how to do the right thing without ever suggesting that we’ve ever done the wrong thing. That is what true statesmanship amounts to in this circus. And it ain’t easy. On the other hand, an evil foreign company screwing up our pristine beaches does offer interesting possibilities, if handled right.

  57. 57.

    Violet

    One way to convince people to want to make the change over to more sustainable energy forms is to appeal to national pride, a la the space program. America is going to be first, best and a leader!

    Put money behind it. Sponsor contests for schools to come up with ideas. Scholarships for science majors. Establish a renewable energy grant for universities that come up with idea that can be put to use. Show how we’ll lead.

    Set big goals. We’ll get X number of houses using solar power by a certain year. We’ll lower our fossil fuel consumption by X by the year Y. Why will we do this? Because American doesn’t just stand by while other countries show how its done, America leads! America sets the example. National pride!

  58. 58.

    Jenn

    @The Dangerman:

    Thanks for sharing this! It really does look promising. It’s terrible to think of them, though, waiting and hoping for rescue, particularly if they had actually said “Norwich City”, which had only wrecked a few years before. I can imagine they’d have had high hopes at first, given that recent history. I’d never looked into it, really, and I’d always assumed they’d gone down in water.

    Sad.

  59. 59.

    Jibeaux

    Yeah, it’s tricky, no doubt. Especially with the t-a-x word in there. But there’s a way to sell it. If now isn’t the right time and Obama isn’t the right guy, it’s never going to happen. I know this sounds kind of cheesy pep rally, but if you’re with me on this, try talking up the idea a little. My republican dad is totally on board with clean energy subsidies, but he’s always thought the latest innovations in doing things better and more efficiently are cool. It’s sort of violet’s model. Target your audience accordingly and give it a go.

  61. 61.

    MikeJ

    I am kind of longing for politicians to harass the shit out of us a little bit. In the vein of, during WWII we rationed food and gasoline,

    Remember when Jimmy Carter wore a sweater and told people to turn their thermostats down? What was the result of that?

  63. 63.

    Little Boots

    Remember when Jimmy Carter wore a sweater and told people to turn their thermostats down? What was the result of that?

    Embarrassment. It did not have the requisite respect for our collective stupidity as a nation. It must be done more subtly, definitely.

  64. 64.

    The Dangerman

    @Jenn:

    The Norwich City was a blessing for the aviators (if the story plays out they landed). The crew of the ship was stranded for a time; when they left, they left a cache of food for future parties coming to the island. Those parties did come … well after the supposed crash.

    There was some evidence that Noonan died fairly quickly after the crash. That makes the story of Amelia even sadder.

    The video didn’t discuss the complete story of the bones. When discovered, there was some belief that these were of Earhardt and were taken to a doctor on some local island. Thankfully, the doctor took good notes, but indicated the bones could not have been Earhardt’s.

    Sadly, he was not an expert in such things, but the notes have since been analyzed by experts and, without knowing who the bones might have belonged to, they came up with a woman of European descent roughly the height of Earhardt.

    They have every thing but the smoking gun, which is either a bone from the Island or the plane. A bone is unlikely, but the plane? Time will tell.

  65. 65.

    Little Boots

    Maybe it started well. Somehow DONT TREAD ON ME became DONT EVER TELL ME I’M EVER WRONG ABOUT ANYTHING.

  67. 67.

    mclaren

    @The dangerman:

    John, you gotta try Hustle; it’s kinda a British version of Leverage, and it’s awesome. Plus, it has Robert Vaughn.

    Hustle is the original British TV series from which the inferior American version Leverage was ripped off. As usual, the original version is vastly superior to the cheap cheesy knock-off imitation.

    Other examples include the British TV series Cracker that had a short-lived crappy American ripoff imitation; an the origin infinitely better Touching Evil TV series that had a cruddy third-rate U.S. ripoff verion.

    The original version is always better. Americans have this weird superiority complex that assumes nothing can be worthwhile if it’s not made in America, so if the French or Brit or Swedes come out with some great film or TV series, Hollywood has to rush out a crappy Americanized version. Bad idea. Real bad idea.

  68. 68.

    Little Boots

    That looks awesome, jeffrey, despite the fact that the only fan in the comments seems to be a pirate. But why can’t pirates enjoy the finer things too?

  69. 69.

    Little Boots

    While I don’t disagree with the overall premise, the original British version of the Office is really kind of annoying.

  70. 70.

    Violet

    @MikeJ:
    It’s all about framing. Those are great ideas, but they don’t work if they’re not framed in a winning manner.

    I read an article talking about those smart energy monitors for the home, where you can monitor your household energy usage and figure out what items use the most power. Turns out that when a lot of people in the neighborhood started using them, it became something of a competition. Who could use the least energy, save the most? Guys boasted about it at the latest neighborhood get-together. Same idea (turn down the thermostat), but very different result. Suddenly it was cool to use less energy.

    @Jibeaux:

    My republican dad is totally on board with clean energy subsidies, but he’s always thought the latest innovations in doing things better and more efficiently are cool.

    Yep. The latest and greatest innovation is cool. America has the latest and greatest. America is the coolest. It’s pretty easy to point that out, if we’re actually doing it.

    After this oil disaster, oil isn’t cool anymore. Sure, it’s necessary. We get that. But it’s not cool. What’s cool is the newest developments in sustainable technology, like solar-power cars. It’s a great time to pivot off this oil-is-not-cool theme and reinvigorate green technologies.

    They should put me in charge of this project. LOL.

  72. 72.

    Jenn

    @The Dangerman:

    Yeah, I saw that. I was thinking of all of it more as a circumstance that would initially boost the hopes, and eventually extend the despair.

  73. 73.

    MikeJ

    @Violet:

    Turns out that when a lot of people in the neighborhood started using them, it became something of a competition.

    I’m convinced that if every car had the 25 cent fuel efficiency gauge that priuseseses (and some other cars so) do the whole country would start getting better gas mileage. When it’s staring you in the face you make a game out of getting better mileage.

  74. 74.

    mcd410x

    @mclaren:

    Hustle is the original British TV series from which the inferior American version Leverage was ripped off. As usual, the original version is vastly superior to the cheap cheesy knock-off imitation.

    Usually, I’d be right there with you, but I watched the first two Hustle series. When I didn’t pick it back up, I didn’t feel like I was missing anything.

    I’m not sure that British TV is in itself superior. I do think that American TV shows continue running well past the point of quality — and that makes them seem inferior.

  75. 75.

    jeffreyw

    @Little Boots: Lol! hardly ever get comments on the food except for asiangrrl and my pirate fan. Couple of Tumblr blogs trawl the food porn group on Flickr and repost a lot of my pics. Here’s a newish blog that turned up recently in the referrer logs: http://foodpornstar.tumblr.com/page/2 (The bowl of noodles is mine.) Food Porn Star! Yep, that’s me ma’am.

  76. 76.

    mcd410x

    Ah, it seems Mr. van der Sloot has confessed. Or at least been tortured into confessing.

  77. 77.

    Violet

    @MikeJ:
    Indeed. I have a friend who does that with his car’s mpg display. He’s always trying to get his mpg higher. So he drives more efficiently. Same result as “put on a sweater” but different incentive to get people there.

    Another way to sell the whole energy package is the national security angle. Oil is a part of that, sure, but green, renewable energy is even better. It won’t destroy the Gulf of Mexico or some other area if something goes wrong. Safety first! America’s safety is essential! Green energy is part of our national security! Help American by ensuring her safety and security! National pride!

    I’m not sure that now is the exact right time to roll out a big idea like this, but maybe in the fall once the relief wells (hopefully) are doing their thing, and kids are back in school. All hands on deck for protecting America’s national security interests and showing that America is the world leader in green energy!

  79. 79.

    JMY

    I’m sorry but, how does Israel have a “right to exist”? I’ve never understood that. When the U.S. finally gets off its collective high-horse and recognize that are relationship w/ Israel is why we have to worry about terrorism, the better off we will be.

    We bend over backwards for this country, sending them weapons, while they continue to oppress on group of people, but health care for all Americans isn’t a no-brainer?

  80. 80.

    Bnut

    So very sad, today I had to defriend on Facebook several people I served with in the military. I commented on the length of our military involvement in AfPak in my status and was greeted as pretty much a rodent. It dawned on me today: People who share common experiences do not always experience them the same way. Considering some of the shit I did overseas, I guess I’m glad that these people are no longer my “friends” if they don’t feel the same way about said experiences affected them.

  81. 81.

    mclaren

    @mcd410x:

    I’m not sure that British TV is in itself superior. I do think that American TV shows continue running well past the point of quality—and that makes them seem inferior.

    I entirely agree with you that British TV is not at all necessarily superior to U.S. TV. The BBC produces a lot of unwatchable ridiculous miniseries, things like “The History of the Phillips Screwdriver, Part 12 of 47.” (Okay, an exaggeration, but you get the idea…)

    A lot of American TV shows are far far better than their British knockoffs. For instance, Blake’s 7 was a dystopian knock-off of the original Star Trek, but Roddenberry’s original Trek just kicks Blake’s 7‘s ass. After all, the original Trek series spawned 10 movies and 4 more TV series. How many sequels or movies did Blake’s 7 inspire? Not that Blake’s 7 was bad (aside from the godawful cheesy plywood sets and the absurdly low budget special effects in the first season), mind you, but c’mon! In the last episode of Blake’s 7 the heroes kill one another and then the evil Federation kills the last good guy standing! That’s not a big audience-pleaser, lemme tell ya.

    The Brits have nothing to compare with The Wire or Deadwood or The Sopranos. The BBC never produced anything as fun as The Wild Wild West or Hawaii 5-0. On the other hand, British spy shows like Callan and the Patrick McGoohan show Dangerman (AKA Secret Agent in the states) remain far better than anything America attempted in that vein, with the possible exception of the little-known 2001 U.S. TV series The Agency and the first season of The Man From UNCLE. Though those are light escapist fare compared with the much better British versions.

    If you want to go back a ways, American TV series like The Defenders (1964) or The Naked City (1960) are still better than almost anything the British have done in that regard, with the possible exception of Wimpole of the Bailey.

    British TV has absolutely nothing to compare with Thirty Something or The Wonder Years or Parker Lewis Can’t Lose or Babylon 5.

    So it’s a mixed bag. Some British shows kick the ass of any U.S. imitators while many U.S. shows blow the British versions away.

    You’re certainly right about many U.S. shows going on far too long. That U.S. series Surface would have been awesome if it had been done as a short 6-episode miniseries, as originally planned. Instead, it got bloated up to 22 episodes, and dragged interminably. Odyssey 5 should have wound up in a single season. Great show, but the endless mystery ruined it — ditto Lost, which should have ended after season 2 or 3. Stargate SG-1 obviously should have ended after season 8. Beyond that it slogged down and turned boring. Arguably the last Star Trek series, Enterprise was overkill and should never have been done. Gunsmoke was absurd and deserved to die sometime in the 60s and should never have dragged on as long as it did. The X Files was obviously dead after season 8 and should have ended then…and so on.

    On the other hand, this has happened with British shows too — The Prisoner was originally only intended to last 6 episodes. When it got extended to 13 episodes, it became incoherent and ridiculous.

  82. 82.

    asiangrrlMN

    @jeffreyw: Hey! What can I say? You’ve enslaved me with your food-makin’ prowess. I love pics of food. Nom nom nom.

    @ellaesther: I’m very neutral about Twitter. I go there once a week or so just to check out who is saying what and to put up a brief, snarky Twit. Then I forget about it.

    @Bnut: That must be really difficult. I have read that some of the most intense bonds are formed between people serving in the military, and it’s gotta be hard to realize there are irreconcilable differences (much like divorce, I guess).

    Hey! Anne Laurie. We can haz late-night open thread, plz? kthxbai.

    P.S. I haven’t watched any of the shows mentioned here. I feel strangely fine with that.

  83. 83.

    mclaren

    @JMY:

    I’m sorry but, how does Israel have a “right to exist”?

    The United Nations recognizes as one of its basic charter principles that any established nation today which exists has a right to exist and not to be invaded, or wiped out, or absorbed by forcible anschluss or depopulated by genocide.

    This seems pretty sensible. If a nation exists, it sets an awfully bad precedent to declare that the nation is illegitimate because of ugly behavior involved in the founding of the nation and then summarily declare that the nation has no right to exist.

    For one thing, this gets us into very thorny areas. Let’s agree the Israel was founded by murdering and forcibly expelling the Palestinians from their own land — land their ancestors had lived on and owned for thousands of years. Even the most rabid pro-Israel fanatics would have to admit that’s a fair assessment.

    Problem is, America was also founded by murdering and/or forcibly expelling the original inhabitants from their own land — land the ancetors of native American indians had lived on for thouands of years. So okay, let’s say we decide to say Israel has no right to exist because the entire country w create by massive crimes by the Iraelis that produced enormous violations of human rights (which once gain I think is a fair description of the founding of Israel).

    Well, then America has no right to exist, according to that logic. And Australia sure has no right to exist if we follow that line of reasoning. Now it gets sticky, because contemporary Britain was taken over by some French bandits in 1066, so modern Britain has no legitimate right to exist.

    Trouble is, you can go back and look almost anywhere in the world, and you find invaders coming in and murdering or displacing or enslaving the native population and taking over. And this happens not just once, but again and again and again. The Greek islands were overrun by Turks, but the Greeks overran earlier peoples. The Mongolians invaded and conquered most of China, then subsequent Han invaders threw the Mongols out.

    Where do we stop?

    Who does the land originally belong to?

    I don’t think that question is answerable.

    It’s not question with good answers. If we say “The current rulers are by definition legitimate,” then what do we do about military coups, as in Burma? That gives the green light to piracy and oppression and genocide. On the other hand, if we start to head down the road of “Who has the original legitimate claim to the land…” Boy, that opens a whole can ‘o worms.

    The other issue involves a practical question: What do you do with the current population of a nation if you decide the nation isn’t legitimate?

    Genocide? Gas chambers? Forcible expulsion? Internment camps? What?

    Most of those options involve murder or starvation. Do we really want to do that? Millions of people thrown out and herded into camps? Isn’t that what everyone is complaining about right now with the Palestinians in Gaza? Do we really want to compound the original crime with a new crime?

  84. 84.

    Maude

    @Bnut:
    Isn’t that a kick in the head? You go through a situation with a group of people and it’s all different when it’s over and done.
    Leaves one feeling very lonely.

  85. 85.

    Yutsano

    @asiangrrlMN: Oh just ask the man to adopt you already and get it over with. It’s not like you two live all that far from each other as it is. I’m certain he’d be more than happy with a tattooed bisexual Taiwanese daughter who loves puppehs and kittehs. We just need to formalize the arrangement. Plus you could assist Mrs J at the shelter, although knowing you you’d want to take them all home.

    Hi hon. My mood is currently standing at unevaluated until possibly bedtime. Work, at least the half after lunch/dinner (I go at 5) was actually fairly decent for once. My pregnant boss is such a kick and is missing the night shift terribly. We might have to juggle her back after she comes back from maternity leave. If I’m still there. And she survives her third child while having MS too.

    Haz had Kylie in my head all day.

    @Bnut: As the Japanese say, ganbatte kudasai. It may seem rough now, but it’s always possible that when the emotions cool down the bonds that made you friends and Corps mates will resurface. Have a little faith in them even after putting some distance. And beer. Lots and lots of beer.

  86. 86.

    Martin

    @Brian J:

    The iPhone is not 4G. LTE, which both Verizon and AT&T are going to use won’t roll out until late this/early next year. Just so you know, the Sprint 4G WiMax isn’t likely to have a long life – even Sprint expect they’ll have to switch to LTE. Lots of unhappy Evo customers, I imagine.

    The new rates are more sensible, though the $20 tethering is dumb now that the unlimited plan is gone. At least there is an option. I think it’s a smart move by AT&T overall, and should result in a lower bill for a lot of people.

  87. 87.

    asiangrrlMN

    @Yutsano: Now that would be very cool–being fed by jeffreyw and visiting teh puppehs and kittehs with mrsj. However, you are right. I will want to take them all home. And, by the way, Mr. West Coaster–it’s not like IL and MN are right next door to each other!

    Good vibes to your boss. There are worse things than having Kylie stuck in your head all day. Slow night.

  88. 88.

    Yutsano

    @asiangrrlMN: I was noticing that. We might have to do some enlivening about these parts, wake up the neighbors.

    Ahh so it’s a nice leisurely drive through Wisconsin. I don’t suggest getting lost in Paul Ryan’s district however.

    This thread may need more cowbell.

  89. 89.

    JGabriel

    @Little Boots:

    Tribe confused. How can be?

    I know you’re being ironic, but:

    They’re Coptic Christians – it’s one of the oldest branches of Christianity, pretty much been independent of Rome from the very beginning. And the Coptic language is the only remaining living descendant of Ancient Egyptian.

    .

  90. 90.

    Americanadian

    @Yutsano: Also, there’s excellent local cheese and meat snacks in every grocery and convenience store between Minneapolis and the IL state line. Every time I’ve made that trip there’s always been a “wait, did we just eat the entire package?” moment, followed by another quick jaunt off I-94.

    Wisconsin has heard of “diets” and “vegans” but apparently wants no part of these heresies.

  91. 91.

    Yutsano

    @Americanadian: Diet is die with a T. Cheese is one of the oldest processed foods ever made by mankind. If we’ve been eating it for so long and Europe literally survives on cheese (I know I did: when I was in Germany I ate cheese at least twice a day and even got a traditional German breakfast that featured three kids of cheeses) it certainly can’t be that bad for us. I’m choosing to blame American overindulgence rather than the cheese itself. Although, well, it’s CHEESE. It’s one of two things I shall never give up eating.

  92. 92.

    mclaren

    @asiangrrlMN:

    P.S. I haven’t watched any of the shows mentioned here. I feel strangely fine with that.

    That just means you haven’t destroyed your frontal lobes with a wasted childhood watching trash TV.

    On the other hand, missing out on trash TV classics like The A Team and F Troop does mean that you will not understand American foreign policy, which is based on these TV shows.

  94. 94.

    Lysana

    @mclaren:

    On the other hand, this has happened with British shows too—The Prisoner was originally only intended to last 6 episodes. When it got extended to 13 episodes, it became incoherent and ridiculous.

    Which show are you thinking of? The Prisoner with Patrick McGoohan consisted of 17 episodes, and McGoohan’s first set of scripts came to a total of seven. He used those as the base for the series bible other episodes were based on with his approval. And there were four additional synopses and scripts written but never shot. As for its alleged incoherence, that’s a long fannish argument I refuse to indulge in when I’m otherwise headed for bed. Suffice it to say that some of us consider deep mystery and allegory to be artistic rather than incoherent.

  96. 96.

    Yutsano

    @Tattoosydney: Yeah, they’re pretty much being massive fucktards about this. One would think some executive would notice TWO MILLION FUCKING HITS by just word of mouth alone, but oh no they have to act like it’s the worst hit on their bottom line attack on their intellectual property rights. Fuck them all in the ear.

    Oh and hopefully we can get Miss Kylie to notice and let her music go free. Oh and hi hon.

  97. 97.

    asiangrrlMN

    @mclaren: Actually, I watched the ones in my youth (such as The A-Team). I mean the current crop being discussed.

    @Americanadian: Problem is, I am lactose-intolerant. Even when use acidophilus (or however you spell it. I can’t be bothered to look it up, oh, wait, I can, and I corrected myself), the results are not pretty. I looooove cheese, though.

    Yutsy, and TattooSydney, hi, hons! How the both of you doing? So, is the ban on Kylie’s vid because it’s too sexy for the US or because of EMI being dicks?

  98. 98.

    Viva BrisVegas

    @mclaren:

    Blake’s 7 was a dystopian knock-off of the original Star Trek, but Roddenberry’s original Trek just kicks Blake’s 7’s ass.

    I humbly disagree, although I liked both. The concept for both shows was vastly different. Trek was to say the least episodic and varied from the sublime to the ridiculous. Gangster World anyone? Blakes7 was an attempt to be a bit more adult and character driven, which it had to be considering the budget.

    The Brits have nothing to compare with The Wire or Deadwood or The Sopranos.

    I see you that and raise you “Our Friends in the North”, “Jewel in the Crown” and “Boys from the Blackstuff”.

    The BBC never produced anything as fun as The Wild Wild West or Hawaii 5-0.

    Well it’s a bit hard for them to do a Western, but how about “The Avengers”? I’ll put “The Sweeney” up against 5-0.

    British spy shows like Callan

    Probably my favourite show of all time. My life used to revolve around this show in the 70s.

    American TV series like The Defenders (1964) or The Naked City (1960)

    I barely remember “The Defenders”, “Naked City” is before my time.

    But I’ll go “The Main Chance” and “Z-Cars”.

    Wimpole of the Bailey

    Rumpole, one of the greatest TV characters of all time. Played by the late great Leo McKern.

    British TV has absolutely nothing to compare with Thirty Something or The Wonder Years or Parker Lewis Can’t Lose or Babylon 5.

    I somehow missed Thirtysomething, but I would hazard a guess that it’s not a million miles from “Coupling” or “Spaced”.

    As to “The Wonder Years”, I think that there may just be more laughs to be had in the “Secret Diary of Adrian Mole”.

    Parker Lewis is another one I’ve missed, so I’ll go out on a limb and suggest “Skins”.

    As for “Babylon 5”, I could be cheeky and suggest “Red Dwarf”, but I won’t.

  99. 99.

    fucen tarmal

    @mclaren:

    nonono

    if you want to understand foreign policy, you need three’s company and maybe laverne and shirley,

    gomer pyle, f-troop etc are about domestic policy.

  100. 100.

    Yutsano

    @asiangrrlMN: Considering the ban is affecting FH #1’s country, I’m thinking the latter. I think it’s an amazingly short-sighted decision on their part honestly. I get the feeling this interesting game of whack-a-mole will keep going for awhile, however, as there is a ton of buzz about this video.

    @Viva BrisVegas:

    As for “Babylon 5”, I could be cheeky and suggest “Red Dwarf”, but I won’t.

    Please do. Red Dwarf was all about mocking the serious tone of shows like Babylon 5, and no doubt there is some inspiration from the latter show in the grand hijinks of Lister and company. Plus what’s the fun if you can’t laugh at yourselves?

  101. 101.

    mclaren

    @asiangrrl:

    I mean the current crop of TV shows being discussed.

    Chuck and Leverage are good, not great, not bad…but boy, do yourself a favor and join Netflix at the $8.99 per month option and order all 5 seasons of The Wire one disc at a time. Only 25 discs total, so you can watch the whole show in about 2 months by mail from Netflix for a total cost of less than $18.

    The. Best. Show. Ever. Made.

  102. 102.

    Zuzu's Petals

    @BethanyAnne:

    Ok, this is too fabulous. 2 Egyptian-American Christians flew to Ground Zero to protest against the mosque being built nearby… police had to drag them away to save them from the crowd that turned on 2 Arabs at “their” protest.

    And per the original article, looks like it was none other than Atlas Shrieks Pam Gellar leading the mob. Geeze, what’re the chances?!

  103. 103.

    John Rogers

    Hey, John Rogers here, creator of LEVERAGE, and a big fan of Balloon Juice.

    FWIW, we’re not an adaptation or ripoff of HUSTLE. HUSTLE is a straight con show. They’re criminals, they run cons. We’re a Robin Hood show. We help people, they don’t; we have fight scenes, they don’t; we blow shit up, they don’t. We also go for the laughs. As much as I like HUSTLE, they’re a bit … dry.

    LEVERAGE is actually meant to be a direct descendant of IT TAKES A THIEF and ROCKFORD, with a heavy dose of MISSION IMPOSSIBLE or, depending on the episode’s fun factor, A-TEAM. We’re quite intentionally a pulp action show.

    Ordinarily I wouldn’t bother to answer this sort of thing, but we are premiering June 20th, Sunday, on TNT. That’s June 20th, if any of you have Nielsen boxes. TNT. 9pm. Check your local listings. Tell your friends.

    Oh, and I say this as someone who considers the British version of LIFE ON MARS as the most perfect TV show of all time — if you think OUR FRIEND IN THE NORTH is better than THE WIRE, you are nine kinds of high.

    Although I have to spot you THE SANDBAGGERS. Best spy show ever made.

  105. 105.

    Michael

    @Little Boots:

    We’d need a moment of non stupid as a people. Do we have that moment left in us? I’m not so sure.

    Between the 3 hour daily hate of Rush Limbaugh and the continued existence of jowly, drawling white wingnuts with stolen and inherited bucks who fund the Limbaughs, Hannitys, Becks and Vigueries of this befuddled country, I don’t think we’d be allowed that non-stupid moment.

    About the only possible door out would include revolutionary tribunals and pay-per-view firing squads.

  106. 106.

    Viva BrisVegas

    @John Rogers:

    if you think OUR FRIEND IN THE NORTH is better than THE WIRE, you are nine kinds of high.

    I tend to agree, but not by all that much. I was trying as far as possible to compare apples with apples and it just seemed to me that OFITN loosely had a kind of “Wire” vibe to it. Otherwise if I was just comparing best to best I would have mentioned “I, Claudius”, “Cracker” or “House of Cards”.

    Anyway OFITN is pretty damn good, even if not quite Wire quality.

    As an aside Simon Cellan Jones, director from OFITN (and Cracker), has been doing work on Treme. So it goes to show that in TV land everything is connected.

  107. 107.

    Stogoe

    Persons Unknown is fugly.

    It’s better than Heroes. Also, it’s a limited run series, so the story’s set to wrap up in 13 episodes just like Daybreak and Harper’s Island which I loved. I’m probably in for the run, barring something incredibly stupid like pitting it against Psych or Burn Notice (or any of USA’s summer lineup, really) or Leverage.

    BTW, I’m stoked that Leverage is no longer airing in the same slot as Psych. Leverage is fun and awesome, but I love Psych more than all my future children and pets combined.

  108. 108.

    Darkrose

    @mclaren:

    Hustle is the original British TV series from which the inferior American version Leverage was ripped off.

    Except for the part where it wasn’t. I’m not sure Rogers, Downey and Devlin had seen Hustle when they pitched Leverage. Yes, they’re both about a team of con artists, but that’s about all they have in common. Leverage’s ancestry is Ocean’s 11 and the Rockford Files. It’s not supposed to be deep and srs bzns. I’m not watching it because I want a gritty drama; I watch because it’s fun, and there are geeky in-jokes, and because Aldis, Beth, Kane, Gina and Tim have an awesome dynamic and are all really easy on the eyes.

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