Commercial Music

Bibio - Lover's Carvings

If you take a listen to this song, you may recognize this song from the commercial for the Amazon Kindle.

I am not ashamed in the least that I found new music through watching a television commercial (in this case, Hulu.com) and I encourage you to listen to the music more in commercials. There are some amazing finds and you may be missing out if you dismiss something or someone because they have "sold out".

AM & MM

Photo requiring you to break the silence for 1/20 - Roger Ebert's Journal

This Man Was A Senator

(The amazing part happens at the :31 mark.)

I love Rick Santorum. He is the male Sarah Palin. What is not to love about him? His gay marriage will lead to man on dog sex arguments have endeared him to the world, even naming personal care issues after him (Link NSFW), but now, while making a point about abortion, choice, and beginning of life, he says it. It is amazing.

You need to watch.

Via Talking Points Memo

So, you want to be a political scientist?

I am sorry, but this makes me giggle. Really giggle. Like a school child.

My favorite part of this post is this though...

Via the Chronicle of Higher Education

*Best Citation for a YouTube Video EVER*

Late Wednesday Bullet Points

• I am really looking forward to trying these!  Thanks, Heather!
• Would anyone else be interested in doing a Beer & Book Club the first week in February?  I am thinking about meeting at McGeary's and discussing something new and off the beaten track?  Any ideas on the book?
• I missed this until this morning when I was catching up, but Meghan McCain and Rachel Maddow are going to a NRA Convention together.
  
  Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
  
  
• Noticing the outpouring of grief that I saw among my friends for Sargent Shriver has been lovely.  He was a great man and all, but he spawned Maria.
• Does anyone know where I can find the video of Jon Stewart talking about the football game on Sunday?  The clip is great and the full episode is available on thedailyshow.com but I want the part that goes from "Suck it Patriots" to "dick". Any help would be appreciated.

A Tale of Two Senators

When she was a Representative, I did not care for Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and I wasn't alone. Something has happened since she has become a US Senator. She is no longer identifying with the Blue Dogs (and that is a really good thing...think about who the spokesperson for the Blue Dogs is...Heath Shuler. The Heath Shuler! A man whose leadership skills were so valued by the Washington Redskins that he was replaced by Gus Frerotte. Frerotte was memorable for such things as headbutting the wall and giving himself a concussion. Frerotte had better leadership and decision making skills than Shuler and now Shuler speaks for a caucus. See what I am getting at here?) and has worked for a number of issues that are important to New Yorkers as a whole. (Notice, as a whole, as opposed to all New Yorkers, because there are those people who supported Carl Paladino and are still "Mad As Hell" with their baseball bats at the ready.)

In the past couple of weeks, she has been all over the place. Partially due to her work on the DADT repeal, her work on the Zadroga Amendment, and her friendship with Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. She was on The View recently (Monday, 1.17.11) talking about all of these and more.



She was also on The Daily Show recently, and like she was on The View, she was charming, intelligent, vibrant, and Senatorial while retaining a sense of whimsy.

I do like that she is also moving to Albany for a short period of time. Why does this make me happy? It just does. I love the area, and I am very happy to have someone as notable as the Senator living here.

And then we have...

Senator Joseph Lieberman...

As I am sure you are aware, Senator Lieberman has announced that he will not seek re-election and it has been reported it is because he does not "want to leave the Senate feet first" and because he no longer fits into any particular political ideology.

That may be true.

My belief is that the are certain politicians who are able to serve until they are eighty because they have the strength of their beliefs that consistently reinvigorates them, while Senator Lieberman does not have the clarity of conscience to believe anew in his platform.

We have two Senators. One on the way up and the other on the way out, and contrasting them is interesting. As Senator Gillibrand became more liberal, her stock rose, and as Lieberman displayed more of his conservative nature, he became more reviled.

So, what does this mean? (or as JMFJT has often said to me, "Get to the point!")

President Obama has been tacking to the Center, which means he has been moving further to the right, since the election in the hope of winning re-election in 2012.

But that is a move in the wrong direction, and I know this runs contrary to prevailing wisdom, but...prevailing wisdom also said that the War in Iraq was a good idea, because President Obama ran on the power of hope and change and his biggest policy initiative has Bill Frist supporting it. That's not hope and change, that's triangulation, and President Obama is a poor substitute for the master of such a "trick".

I think of a line from The West Wing (written by Sam Seaborn and delivered by President Bartlett):

...but every time we think we have measured our capacity to meet a challenge, we look up and we're reminded that that capacity may well be limitless. This is a time for American heroes. We will do what is hard. We will achieve what is great. This is a time for American heroes and we reach for the stars.

President Obama, please look at the examples set by these two Senators, and embrace the hope, change and excitement of Senator Gillibrand and take to heart the warnings exemplified by Senator Lieberman's shift to the right.

You have time to save your Presidency, and you can let Senator Gillibrand help.

American Idol?

I asked this on Facebook on Sunday:
Basing my life choices on the choices of Patrick Bateman is a bad idea, right?

Most of the feedback was related to the clothing or the business cards but...

I am thinking about going deeper.

I ask you, gentle readers, what do I need to do?

(and should I start a sub-blog called "What Would Patrick Bateman Do?"

More Bullet Points

• I had a conversation yesterday with someone who argued that infidelity/adultery wasn't a big deal.  
• Happy Birthday Buffy!
• Anyone want the see the Post Secret event at SUNYA with me?
• I really like the Virgin Mobile Ovation.
• Oh, bloggers are quitting because they are sad.
• The people of a northern suburb of New York are sad because their football team lost.
• And it is things like this that makes me not take those people seriously.  

And what God Hates, I Hate

Pastor Richard Parsons of Consecration Temple Church of God Christ in Schenectady said the message he gets when he sees the billboards is that homosexuality is OK. "It's directly against God's word and what God hates, I hate," he said.

(Albany Times Union)

Wow.

Just...wow.

Now, I am not going to mention that no where in the Bible does G*d ever say anything about homosexuality. He is silent on it. He mentions loving thy neighbors when He was down here as Jesus, and caring for those cast out, and preaches about Love. Nope, I don't see hate there.

A number of other people weigh in on homosexuality. The authors of Leviticus mention it, and the Apostle Paul mentions it. (Oh, yeah, they don't care for it.)

But the Omniscient Super Pro-Noun never mentions it. Not a single time does The Big G call down and tell the people of His Book that they cannot engage in love with each other.

No, it was created my people like St. Paul (who may have been a closet case) and then propagated by men like Pastor Parsons.

Pastor Parsons, you can hate whomever you want. You are just a man, but...when speaking in the future, don't put words into the Mouth of the Deity.

Hubris will always come back to bite you in the ass.

Love is something strong...

Great Moments in Drunk History

H/T to S&S

Suck is Pats' Fans

My Giants Blue Blood is running Jets' Green!

Much love to my father, brother and son who are all Jets fans.