The Blog of Others
Other people’s notes on an American phenomenon. From Omaha.com (Omaha World-Herald)
"What's the deal with Paula?" said Joe Gudenrath, Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey's spokesman. "I've never really watched the show. She was interesting."
Longtime fan Megan Nanfito of Omaha noticed the same thing. "Paula Abdul was a little bit crazy," Nanfito said.
Nature, back in the news!
AP: “As people spend more time communing with their televisions and computers, the impact is not just on their health, researchers say. Less time spent outdoors means less contact with nature and, eventually, less interest in conservation and parks.”
But much more interest in tap-dancing penguins.
Sean Young, back in the news!
The video is everywhere: Sean Young heckling Julian Schnabel as he accepts an award at the Director’s Guild of America ceremony. She is yelling, “Get on with it!” As I watch him speak, it seems like sensible advice, but she winds up in rehab anyway.
Hooray for science!
AFP " Scientists in New Zealand and Japan have created a 'tear-free' onion using biotechnology to switch off the gene behind the enzyme that makes us cry, one of the leading researchers said Friday."
New techniques in debt collection.
AP “A collection agency tried to collect a $16.96 debt with an letter that addressed its recipient with a four-letter word for excrement. ‘Dear S---,’began the letter attempting to collect from an old record club membership. The word was spelled out in the letter, which arrived in an envelope addressed to ‘S--- Face.’”
The president of Nationwide Collections claims that “Shitface” is the name under which the account was opened. The man formerly known as “Shitface” plans to sue.
A moment in the New Economy
The phone rings. I answer it. A man with a very thick middle-East accent asks, “Marl Keesler?”
Close enough. “Yes.”
“This is the US Government Assistance Program. You have qualified to receive 2500 dollars.”
Sure I have. “Wow,” I say.
He double-checks my address and spelling of my name, then asks how I’m going to spend the money.
“I dunno. Put it in savings, I guess.”
“You aren’t going to spend it on gambling, are you?”
“Oh no,” I say.
“This is for your children’s education, or home improvement. The US Government does not like gambling.”
“I understand,” I say.
He asks, “So what is the name of your bank?”
“Good by,” I say politely, and hang up the phone.
This just in: L. Brent Bozell III doesn’t like FAMILY GUY.
“Let's revisit the FAMILY GUY show on ‘gay marriage’ that spurred [FAMILY GUY creator] MacFarlane's outburst [about the Parents Television Council, which objected to the show, and 90% of everything else on television]. Part of the plot has one of the show's regular characters urged by a girl to join the Young Republicans, which in this episode goes by the acronym SARS, like the deadly respiratory virus. The girl describes their mission like this: ‘We perpetuate the ideal that Jesus chose America to destroy non-believers and brown people.’
That line is not hilarious satire. That is hate mail. It may be airing on national television instead of being scrawled on a pad and put in an envelope, but it's still hate mail. It smears Christian conservatives not only as violent racists out to destroy ‘brown people’ but attributes to them the kill-the-infidel echoes of a homegrown Christian version of al-Qaeda.”
Well, you know, I don’t like FAMILY GUY either. It’s a witless SIMPSONS ripoff, with stupid production numbers satirizing stuff that went out of the culture fifteen years ago. Are the Young Republicans even around any more? But does Bozell III really believe that McFarlane believes that Christian conservatives are the equivalent of al-Qaeda? I think the truth is he was just stretching for a lame joke.
NYT headline: “Economy Fitful, Americans Start to Pay as They Go.”
Or, in my case, wait until paid before going.
L. Brent Bozell III II
Full discolosure: He is a former president of the Parents Television Council (1995-2006). He also founded it. He is responsible, mainly, for the outcry over Janet Jackson’s mammary display at some Super Bowl or other. A grateful nation salutes him!
"What's the deal with Paula?" said Joe Gudenrath, Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey's spokesman. "I've never really watched the show. She was interesting."
Longtime fan Megan Nanfito of Omaha noticed the same thing. "Paula Abdul was a little bit crazy," Nanfito said.
Nature, back in the news!
AP: “As people spend more time communing with their televisions and computers, the impact is not just on their health, researchers say. Less time spent outdoors means less contact with nature and, eventually, less interest in conservation and parks.”
But much more interest in tap-dancing penguins.
Sean Young, back in the news!
The video is everywhere: Sean Young heckling Julian Schnabel as he accepts an award at the Director’s Guild of America ceremony. She is yelling, “Get on with it!” As I watch him speak, it seems like sensible advice, but she winds up in rehab anyway.
Hooray for science!
AFP " Scientists in New Zealand and Japan have created a 'tear-free' onion using biotechnology to switch off the gene behind the enzyme that makes us cry, one of the leading researchers said Friday."
New techniques in debt collection.
AP “A collection agency tried to collect a $16.96 debt with an letter that addressed its recipient with a four-letter word for excrement. ‘Dear S---,’began the letter attempting to collect from an old record club membership. The word was spelled out in the letter, which arrived in an envelope addressed to ‘S--- Face.’”
The president of Nationwide Collections claims that “Shitface” is the name under which the account was opened. The man formerly known as “Shitface” plans to sue.
A moment in the New Economy
The phone rings. I answer it. A man with a very thick middle-East accent asks, “Marl Keesler?”
Close enough. “Yes.”
“This is the US Government Assistance Program. You have qualified to receive 2500 dollars.”
Sure I have. “Wow,” I say.
He double-checks my address and spelling of my name, then asks how I’m going to spend the money.
“I dunno. Put it in savings, I guess.”
“You aren’t going to spend it on gambling, are you?”
“Oh no,” I say.
“This is for your children’s education, or home improvement. The US Government does not like gambling.”
“I understand,” I say.
He asks, “So what is the name of your bank?”
“Good by,” I say politely, and hang up the phone.
This just in: L. Brent Bozell III doesn’t like FAMILY GUY.
“Let's revisit the FAMILY GUY show on ‘gay marriage’ that spurred [FAMILY GUY creator] MacFarlane's outburst [about the Parents Television Council, which objected to the show, and 90% of everything else on television]. Part of the plot has one of the show's regular characters urged by a girl to join the Young Republicans, which in this episode goes by the acronym SARS, like the deadly respiratory virus. The girl describes their mission like this: ‘We perpetuate the ideal that Jesus chose America to destroy non-believers and brown people.’
That line is not hilarious satire. That is hate mail. It may be airing on national television instead of being scrawled on a pad and put in an envelope, but it's still hate mail. It smears Christian conservatives not only as violent racists out to destroy ‘brown people’ but attributes to them the kill-the-infidel echoes of a homegrown Christian version of al-Qaeda.”
Well, you know, I don’t like FAMILY GUY either. It’s a witless SIMPSONS ripoff, with stupid production numbers satirizing stuff that went out of the culture fifteen years ago. Are the Young Republicans even around any more? But does Bozell III really believe that McFarlane believes that Christian conservatives are the equivalent of al-Qaeda? I think the truth is he was just stretching for a lame joke.
NYT headline: “Economy Fitful, Americans Start to Pay as They Go.”
Or, in my case, wait until paid before going.
L. Brent Bozell III II
Full discolosure: He is a former president of the Parents Television Council (1995-2006). He also founded it. He is responsible, mainly, for the outcry over Janet Jackson’s mammary display at some Super Bowl or other. A grateful nation salutes him!
posted by Merle Kessler at 12:02 PM
1 Comments:
Merle Kessler wrote:
NYT headline: “Economy Fitful, Americans Start to Pay as They Go.”
I'm just disappointed this doesn't relate to an explosion in the number of pay toilets.
Or maybe funeral directors pulling back on payments on credit....
-D.E.
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