Book Review: Stephen Colbert Thinks for Me!
Tue Oct 16, 2007 at 10:34:29 AM PDT
Cross-posted at Mushtown Media Corp. and My Left Wing
"I Am America (And So Can You)" by Stephen Colbert, Grand Central Publishing, $26.99
I was a bit concerned about the quality of Stephen Colbert's new book, "I Am America (And So Can You)." After all, The Colbert Report is one of the greatest things that has ever been on television (even if Comedy Central's true sympathies are questionable at best.) It just didn't seem possible that a book, a mere book, could improve on the philosophy of the man who already speaks for me, for us, for America, for that Silent Majority of around 30 percent who know that freedom isn't free.
How the existence of Bill O'Reilly proves the existence of God
Fri Jul 27, 2007 at 10:34:35 AM PDT
(Cross-posted at Mushtown Media Corp. and My Left Wing.)
I saw lil' Bill O'Reilly's essay on faith a few weeks ago. You really have to admire O'Reilly's determination to keep weighing in on the BIG ISSUES despite his lack of integrity, clarity, insight, sincerity, cogency or wit. He never gives up his ambitious goal to look like someone who has something to say.
I think it's cute that he's trying to help. What a brave little soldier! And his temper tantrums are like the yelping of a three-year-old who wants to help Daddy mow the lawn. (But Daddy has to be pragmatic. Just take a look at O'Reilly's weekly column to get an idea what the yard would look like if Junior got his way. What a mess.)
Niall Ferguson: The Historian As Douchebag
Mon Nov 13, 2006 at 04:16:01 PM PDT
(Cross-posted at My Left Wing, Progressive Historians and Mushtown Media Corp.)
I have never read Niall Ferguson, the historian. I have wasted enough of my time, as a Southern historian, reading what the defenders of slavery have to say that I am not really very interested in reading the British version of Time on the Cross about how wonderful the colonies were, and how nice the world would be if France and England had realized that Germany had EVERY RIGHT to help Austria eviscerate the Balkans in 1914. It drains the soul to see what lengths ideologues will go to prove a series of idocies with a lot of hair-splitting and speculation and rather transparent rhetorical tricks. And all they have to say to their critics is, "Sorry to upset the liberal orthodoxy in academia! Everybody is so politically correct these days! Stop the Academic Inquisition!" and they think they don't have to defend their arguments.
The Gorons: Al Gore Scares Sissy Republicans
Sun Jun 18, 2006 at 11:31:39 AM PDT
Cross-posted at My Left Wing.
The Pro-War Protesters Are Totally Lame!
Wed Sep 28, 2005 at 05:14:58 PM PDT
Cross-posted at Daily Kos and Mushtown Media Corp.
Is there anything more pathetic on the current political scene than the pro-war protester?
Consider what it is they are protesting. Consider what they are angry about. Consider what's got their panties in a bunch that moves them to congregate in the dozens to shout obscenities and talking points at their fellow Americans.
MSM ON BLOGS: THEY GET IT WRONG -- AGAIN!
Fri Jul 15, 2005 at 10:05:52 PM PDT
DOG POOP GIRL: IS THE MSM MISREPRESENTING THE ROLE OF THE BLOGS ON PURPOSE?
The Washington Post published an article entitled "Subway Fracas Escalates Into Test Of the Internet's Power to Shame" last week and, with the characteristic arrogant moralizing of the MSM, posited that the story of the Dog Shit Girl (known as the Dog Poop Girl in the WAPO) somehow signaled the dangers of the growing power of blogs. We bloggers should be cautious, lest we abuse our powers, the MSM -- in its infinite wisdom -- seems to say. I saw the story in the Los Angeles Times this morning with an even more arrogant and judgmental headline: "But that's Big Brother's Job."
(more below the fold)
DUCKERFORD B. HAYES: PREHISTORIC LIBERALS
Fri Jul 15, 2005 at 12:15:39 PM PDT
Well, Maryscott likes Duckerford B. Hayes, so I can do it on a semi-regular basis until I run out of lame conservative talking points to mock.
Which could be a while.
DUCKERFORD B. HAYES: CONSERVATIVES DUCKS AREN'T TAKING IT ANYMORE!
Wed Jul 13, 2005 at 01:17:37 PM PDT
After so many tiresome and frustrating years of the dominance of liberal cartoon ducks in the media, a new voice is now howling in the wilderness against the bleeding hearts who are trying to end capitalism and oppress Christianity. Mallard Fillmore is no longer the only right-wing waterfowl brave enough to draw the line in the stand and say, "No more!" to the shrill negativity of the acquatic liberal elite.
Duckerford B. Hayes proudly enters the fray and vows to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with his winged brethren.
Conservative Homeless Man Tells Me to Get a Life
Wed Jun 29, 2005 at 11:33:37 PM PDT
I was going to title this: Does the wingnuttery ever stop? Or: Can these ass-hats get any stupider? But I decided against it because pretty much any diary could have these titles.
No, this is a slice-of-life story, one of those soul-draining experiences that reminds you that people are pretty fucking stupid.
HEIL BUSH! (Graduation protest photos)
Mon Jun 06, 2005 at 12:28:38 PM PDT
Last week, I wrote a
diary about how I protested at my graduation.
Now I have photos!
HEIL BUSH! My graduation protest
Thu Jun 02, 2005 at 12:43:12 PM PDT
I graduated from CSUN today. Well, I walked in the ceremony, even though I am not quite done with my thesis (I'm 100 pages into a master's thesis on the Mississippi press, 1800 to 1860.)
(More below the fold)
THE STRANGE DEATH OF ZACHARY TAYLOR
Sun May 29, 2005 at 10:52:38 AM PDT
The indisputable fact is this: Zachary Taylor, the twelfth president of the United States, died on July 9, 1850. The official version tells us that he died from being exposed to the July sun for too long and then eating cucumbers, cherries and/or iced milk. Some people say he was poisoned. You wouldn't know, from the mainstream sources, that the evidence of arsenic poisoning is pretty strong.
This diary is the latest entry in the Relevant History series, and the story I am about to tell is relevant for two reasons. First, it shows how silly stories can become accepted facts through relentless repetition even though they don't make any sense, a process we have seen successfully practiced by the right-wing propaganda machine over and over. Second, the most likely reason why Taylor was poisoned will be discussed, as well as why it is always dangerous to misunderestimate the treachery of your enemies, especially when you are trying to do the right thing.
(More below the fold)
LTE: Conservative columnist is a wanker
Sat May 28, 2005 at 10:35:06 AM PDT
I don't phrase it quite like that. But I sent the following letter to the Los Angeles Times. David Gelernter wrote a column suggesting that the Bible should be taught in schools because you need it to understand American history.
You know, if the Bible were to be taught only as literature, I wouldn't have a problem with this. But it would be a political football! A horror show, as middle and high school teachers have to deal with angry parents and their bullshit: "How dare you suggest there was a homosexual relationship between David and Jonathan!"
Nuh-uh! Anyway, Gelernter was just full of shit as usual. He's so bad, I start to think that he must be the worst commentator in the Times. Then I remember Max Boot, and Michal Ramirez, and the "Mallard Fillmore" guy, and Gelernter looks pretty good.
(More below the fold)
The Siberian Expedition of 1918 to 1920: The REAL Start of the Cold War
Sun May 22, 2005 at 10:40:51 AM PDT
Conventional Wisdom tells us that the Cold War started in the aftermath of World War II and ended with the fall of the Soviet Union when the first George Bush was president. In this version of the story, World War II changed the complexion of the world and there were only two super-powers left: the United States, which always strived to do the right thing and help to foster freedom for all people everywhere; and the Soviet Union, which was inhabited by freedom-hating, vodka-drinking Communists who had revolted against the freedom-loving czars and just hated the democracies of the West because they hated freedom, and that's all there was to it.
(More below the fold. Much more.)
