Well, another day that got run off the tracks.
Things got jammed up on the homefront and threw everything out-of-schedule, including my writing time, especially with so much going on.
So, we'll be back tomorrow, with a few good things, including our Ignorant Dolt of the Week.
I do want to point out the major, ass-kicking move by President-Elect Obama today.
In his weekly YouTube Chat, he laid out a gigantic, public works program, New Dealesque in scope, something the NYT said would "create the largest public works construction program since the inception of the interstate highway system a half century ago as he seeks to put together a plan to resuscitate the reeling economy."
Dennis, at No More Mister Nice Blog put it this way;Obama name-checked Eisenhower, but somewhere in the afterlife, FDR is smiling. This is a slap in the face to thirty years of Reaganites -- a rejection of the notion that all good things come from the profit motive and the private sector. And it's pitched as a response to the economic crisis, but we know some of it was on Obama's mind all along. (And this country, old and worn down in a lot of places, needs it and will benefit from it.)
Here's the speech transcript; President-elect Barack Obama lays out key parts of Economic Recovery Plan
You can watch it here; Your Weekly Address from the President-Elect: December 6, 2008
This was a "In Your Face", to the do-nothing Congress, and, in particular, to The Bush Grindhouse, as Obama, all but called them out on this.
If he were to sing it, it might be something like this
Les McCann - Compared To What
Go Get'em!
Saturday, December 06, 2008
Compared To What
Is Keith Olbermann Reading The Garlic?
Hmmm ...
We have been, for some time, a fan of Keith Olbermann's 'Countdown' program.
When he started doing his Special Comments, we featured them, in our "Minced Garlic' posts.
Now, these things have happened a few times, hearing some pundit on the tube, or seeing in another's column, something eerily and striking similar to something we put up on The Garlic.
I suppose you can chalk that up to hot news, common, or obvious deductions.
Back on Monday, 24 November, 2008, we posted;
"Breaking ... Mukasey Fainting Due To Deep Introspection; In Middle of Speech, Attorney General Suddenly Realized He Was Part of Bush Administration"Mukasey, just before passing out, started remembering how he defend Vice President Cheney on Executive Privilege, as well as telcom immunity.
"He had particular inner grief that he was vague on waterboarding."
"Backing the President on wiretapping, and not enforcing court subpoenas was the last thing he said he could remember, before passing out."
Okay, there were numerous snarky riffs on the Crony General droppin' like a sack of potatoes, and The Garlic just happened to be one of them
But then, this past Wednesday, December 3, 2008, during Olbermann's "Bushed" segment of the program (You can watch it HERE);Number one, our attorney general is not rational-gate. Mr. Mukasey met with reporters today for the first time since he blacked out while giving a speech defending enhanced interrogation and Gitmo and the whole post-traumatic stress bag of tricks two weeks ago.
Hmmm ...
He told the correspondents that if a military commission were to impose a short sentence on a Gitmo detainee considered to be a dangerous terrorist, it would be suicidal to release the individual even after the individual's sentence had been served. Mr. Mukasey was asked, is that justice? He answered yes.
They still don't know why the attorney general passed out during that speech two weeks ago. Apparently they found nothing medically wrong with him. I don't mean to sound crass but those with psychiatric training would probably suggest that he be examined to rule out the possibility that he collapsed under the weight of all that paranoia, delusions, revenge fantasies and hypocrisy.
"He collapsed under the weight of all that paranoia, delusions, revenge fantasies and hypocrisy"
You don't suppose ... No, I'm sure it was just a case of commonality, the obvious, satire and snark that was just begging for it.
Then again, times are tough ...
Maybe I should contact that Mayor in Turkey, see if he can help, or refer a good lawyer to me.
This Date ... On The Garlic
6 December 2007... On The Garlic
Minced Garlic - New Keith Olbermann Special Comment - Bush: Pathological liar or idiot-in-chief? ...Or, "I Could Be Lying About The NIE Report On My Spare Time"
Editor's Note: There's Light At The End of The Tunnel
6 December 2006... On The Garlic
Breaking News! ISG Offers New Option For Bush Legacy; Baker Group Recommends New Reality Show For Iraq Solution; Hybrid of “Lost Meets Extreme Makeover”; Winner Gets To Replace Maliki And Run Country
6 December 2005... On The Garlic
Cheney Backs DeLay At Fundraiser, Despite Upheld Charges
Top Ten Cloves: Things That Were Different With The White House Christmas Party Yesterday
Friday, December 05, 2008
Top Ten Cloves: Ways NFL Will Tweak Rules In Wake of Plaxico Burress Shooting
News Item: Giants suspend Super Bowl hero Plaxico Burress
10. Everytime announcers say "It's a real duel here today", game stops so they can have a "real duel"
9. NFL.Com soon to offer official team handguns, with your teams' logo on the handle!
8. Draw Plays - Everyone clears out, and it's a shootout between the Quarterback and Middle Linebacker
7. Extra 5-yards tacked onto Crack-Back Blocking penalty, if offending player is carrying a concealed weapon
6. Field goal records broken all day long, as now will be conducted with football-shooting cannon
5. Halftime shows? ... What else, other than Skeet Shooting?
4. Burress's shooting kicks off new trend - Instead of doing end zone dance after scoring touchdowns, players shoot themselves in leg
3. QB's who have a "rifle for an arm" can now carry rifles, holding defense at bay while they complete pass
2. Defensive backs can pistol-whip wide receivers, but only within the first 5-yards from line-of-scrimmage
1. Offenses that run the "Shotgun Offense" can use real, loaded shotguns
Bonus Pistol Plaxico Riffs
Newsday: Cops seek to question Plaxico Burress about shooting
NBC Sports: Police investigating cover-up in Burress case; Teammates Pierce, Bradshaw may be involved in nightclub shooting
New York Times: Police Again Take Issue With N.F.L. in Shooting
Bonus Bonus NFL Riffs
Developing Story! Tancredo: Shut Down Super Bowl; Says Two Black Coaches "Amounts To Segregation"... Appeals To NFL Commissioner To Make Big Game "Color-Blind"; Biden Weighs In, Backs Coaches
Flutie Sends "Cease-and-Desist" Letter To Media Over 'Hail Mary' References Regarding Surge ... Diminutive QB Longtime Copyright Holder; "It Still Feeds My Family"; Says Open To Negotiate On Usage
Top Ten Cloves: Ways To Tell Your Next Door Neighbor May Be Conducting Illegal Dogfights
This Date ... On The Garlic
5 December 2006... On The Garlic
Breaking News! Iraq Study Group Report Likely To Be Ignored; President Putting New Policy Suggestions In “Iraq Jar”; Rarely Pays Attention To It; First Lady “Always Harping” Aides Say; Rumsfeld Memo Completely “By Chance”, Luck Of The Draw
Retro Bolton II ... Our Man At The U.N. Slinks Off Into The Sunset
5 December 2005... On The Garlic
McCain Says Abducted and Grilled By Cheney; Won't Budge On Torture Ban
News In Brief - Rumsfeld Blames Contractor, If Media Plant Stories True, But Defends Outsourcing Program
Top Ten Cloves: Things Overheard During Oprah's Visit To The Letterman Show
Thursday, December 04, 2008
"The Hell With You ... I'll Run Over Another Homeless Person, Too!"
Just when you think he is gone ...
The Man-Who-Likes-To-Out-Covert-Agents, the former half of "Errors and No Facts", the curmudgeon for whom real curmudgeons would (should) protest that is insulting to them, is totally unrepentant.
And that he would do the same thing over again, because, ruining Valerie Plame's career, throwing a gigantic wrench into a covert government program, monitoring and attempting to stop nuclear proliferation, even, possibly, putting Plame, her family, and other covert agents lives in danger, well, that just gets the back of his hand.
And just whose dung-under-the fingernails hand are we talking about.
Robert Novak!
In an interview the other day, with The National Ledger, No Facts had this to say;Q: Let's talk about the Valerie Plame affair, which caused you so much grief. If you had it to do over again, would you reveal who she was?
Here's a guy, priming with so much confidence, so much character and integrity, that he has to qualify "A lot of people love me ..." with an "or like me".
A: If you read my book, you find a certain ambivalence there. Journalistically, I thought it was an important story because it explained why the CIA would send Joe Wilson -- a former Clinton White House aide with no track record in intelligence and no experience in Niger -- on a fact-finding mission to Africa. From a personal point of view, I said in the book I probably should have ignored what I'd been told about Mrs. Wilson.
Now I'm much less ambivalent. I'd go full speed ahead because of the hateful and beastly way in which my left-wing critics in the press and Congress tried to make a political affair out of it and tried to ruin me. My response now is this: The hell with you. They didn't ruin me. I have my faith, my family, and a good life. A lot of people love me -- or like me. So they failed. I would do the same thing over again because I don't think I hurt Valerie Plame whatsoever.
Q: You saw up close what it's like to be the subject of so many news stories. Has this changed the way you view the journalistic profession?
A: I thought the journalistic community was terrible to me -- even members of the Gridiron Club, which is supposed to be a band of brothers and sisters. I thought one of the worst columns written on the Plame affair was by William Safire. He wrote a stupid column saying I should reveal the name of my source. He wanted to get his colleague at The New York Times, Judy Miller, off the hook with the prosecutors. He didn't know, as I knew, that my source, Richard Armitage, had long before identified himself to the FBI and the Justice Department. But my attorneys advised me to keep silent about the whole affair.
Not to mention how far up his ass his head is.
"I would do the same thing over again", due to abject horror directed at him, for being a lackey to a bunch of nitwit cronies, and outing a real, live covert agent, merely for political gamesmanship, retribution against a critic.
To bad they didn't ask him about hitting-and-running that homeless person earlier this year.
He was criticized for that as well, so, by his own beliefs, would he answer "To hell with you ... I would do the same thing over again because I don't think I hurt that homeless person whatsoever..."
Heads up you downtrodden men and woman of the D.C area ...
Bonus No Facts Riffs
Think Progress - Novak: ‘I Don’t Think I Hurt Valerie Plame’ And I Would Out Her Again Because The Left ‘Tried To Ruin Me’
The Raw Story: Tumor-stricken Novak retires from column gig
MediaMatters: Pressure getting to Novak?
Breaking News! White House, Congress To Clear “Outrage Backlog” ... Bush, Congress Plan Retro Rebuke Of Novak, Sun-Times Over Plame Leak; Tracing Funds, Gay Marriage, Flag Amendment, War On Terror Cited For “Outrage Backlog”
Bolton Defends Novak; Laments Not Using Same Tactic, Cussing With Senate Panel
The Clothes Horse Rides Again!
What's a diva supposed to do with $150K in wardrobe?
In the latest installment of the now, long-running RNC production of "The Dresser", it seems that she added another $30,000;
Say it Ain't So, Sarah, Another 30K?The Republican National Committee is scheduled to file a campaign report with the Federal Election Commission Thursday disclosing that the committee spent additional funds to clothe and accessorize vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.
I'm beginning to think she took this gig, just for the freebies ... Load up ... Juice up the wardrobe ...A proverbial "Supermarket Sweep"...
Snip ...
While not providing much in details, Republican officials say that the RNC’s post-election financial report will include information on other “accessories’’ purchased for Palin before the Nov. 4 election.
“The amount to be reported is significantly less than $150,000,’’ one RNC official told National Journal. “The accessories on the report are less than $30,000.’’
It certainly wasn't for her intellect, the substances of her speeches.
Somebody she look into the Chambliss campaign reports ... Mommy Moose regurgitated her McKKKain stump speeches for old Saxby ... I'm sure she must have grabbed some new threads there ...
She'd want to look sharp when standing up for such a repugnant veteran basher.
Though, can you count white bedsheets as "wardrobe"?
Bonus Don't Wink For Me Sarah Palin Riffs
She's Not A Hockey Mom with Lipstick ... She's Clothes Horse!
She's Not A Hockey Mom with Lipstick ... She's A Hockey Jinx!
She's Not A Hockey Mom with Lipstick ... She's Emily Litella!
Legally Alaskan ... Or: Base Hit
The Christmas Ornament That Roared
We already hit on this years' Bush Grindhouse Christmas Ornament rhubarb.
It seems, though, that the Right Wing Freak Show got a little huffy over it.
Kathy, from Comments from Left Field notes;
Mary Katharine Ham administers a scolding to Deborah Lawrence [emphasis mine]:What are these people going to do for a muse when their “terrorist-in-chief” is gone? Even their protest art, fueled by such all-consuming righteous indignation, has proven banal and predictable at every turn, fraught with hackneyed Hitler imagery and the occasional bodily fluid. How very 1990s.
Mary Katharine Ham?
The latest fruitless artistic tantrum comes from Seattle artist Deborah Lawrence, who was asked by her local representative, Jim McDermott and Laura Bush to decorate an ornament for the White House Christmas tree. Each representative commissioned an ornament from a local artist of his choosing.
Spurning the honor bestowed upon her, the good will encouraged by the season, and any manners her mother ever taught her, Lawrence set about creating an impeachment ornament, featuring pictures of McDermott and thanking him for his backing of another fruitless tantrum— the effort to impeach Bush. How festive!
[...]
… The cranky collage artist, apparently unimpressed by the rather rare opportunity of having her elementary arts and crafts admired by foreign dignitaries and heads of state, refused to allow her paste and magazine clippings to work in the service of American hegemony.
The former Townhaller (now sitting in Little Billy Kristol's playpen?) who is completely unaware of Google and Wikipedia?
Oh, I thought it was somebody who actually had something important to say.
Kathy added that "Imagine that. Doesn’t everyone yearn to serve American hegemony? I mean, it’s like refusing an opportunity to eat a double stack of banana pancakes smothered in butter and syrup."
Hmmm ...
I wonder if Ms. Hamm believes if that Obama Waffle Mix is part of the "American Hegemony?
Back to the Christmas Ornaments, we have news this evening that another was accepted;
White House Tree Ornament in Honor of Tim Russert
Start the cutting the squares for the office poll ... There's three more 'Meet The Press' programs before Christmas ...
Which one, perhaps with son Luke in studio, will close out the show with a feature on it?
"Prop 8 - The Musical"
This video is making the rounds, shooting up to over 1.5-million hits.
It's pretty funny ...
"Prop 8 - The Musical" starring Jack Black, John C. Reilly, and many more...A star-studded cast turns out for Marc Shaiman's "Prop 8 - The Musical."
Bonus Riff
What Would Joseph Smith Do?
Aberrations
Good Morning Garlic Fans ...
Apologies for the lack of posting yesterday ... It was one of those days.
The Aunt and a hospital run.
Beginning Tuesday evening, we had the start of come complaining, of aches and pains, that fell into the category of de rigueur, the typical daily routine.
However, it also effected her sleep that night, and into Wednesday morning, the complaining continued, and I soon realized we had an aberration, and aberrations demand action.
A telephone consultation with her doctor yielded a direction to get her to the hospital, and away we went.
Nearly 6.5-hours were spent in the Emergency Ward (and less than 30-minutes of that actually doctor-time) and accompanying that was the soundtrack of my Aunt, asking, demanding, pleading to "Go home", "Let's go home", "Get me outta here", with nary a break.
The results: Cat Scan okay, one of the blood tests showed an inflammation (though not specific, and in elderly, not uncommon), and the prognosis was a "nerve inflammation", causing the pain to travel to another location. Tylenol, and if it persists, or gets worse, follow up with a neurologist.
So far, this morning, after a zombie-like nights' sleep, A-Okay on the homefront.
I had one post written yesterday (though, not edited) and two others started, but not completed, so, we'll be getting those up today, along with anything else that sparks inspiration (or demands attention).
Thanks, as always, for visiting and reading The Garlic!
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
This Date ... On The Garlic
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Meet The Freakshow Defender
Gregory, 38, celebrated his 30th birthday — complete with cake — aboard George W. Bush’s presidential campaign plane, the assignment that solidified his stature as a network rising star.
And to think, Stumblin' Bumblin' John McKKKain only rated donuts.
If it's Sunday, and if it's David Gregory, it's Meet The Freakshow Defender!
David Gregory, the fourth, from the lost episode, of 'My Three Sons', gets the A-Ticket.
I think Bob Cesca hit this one good;David Gregory will be the permanent host of Meet the Press. Expect many more years of false equivalencies and fake balance.
Rumors abounded, and now Mike Allen, another pantheon of objective journalism, is confirming that "Stretch" (that's The Commander Guys affectionate moniker for him) is going to take over Little Timmy Russert's job, being, not making phone calls, not asking needed, uncomfortable questions, unless it's a long winded "Gotcha" softball, with the on-screen quotes.
Errr, excuse me, he's talked about being named host of NBC's dinosaur, Meet The Press.The title of “moderator” — unique in network news — reflects the 61-year history of “Meet” as the premier forum for Washington insiders to talk to the country and each other.
Yeah, you certainly don't want to break tradition of 61-years of a boring, and boorish, white guy anchoring the show
And, heaven forbid, if there's not a network "news" show where Washington insiders can sit and talk, free from actually having to be held accountable for any policies or actions they undertook, rather, let's give them a "premier forum" to regurgitate their self-serving talking points, without any needlesome, penetrating questions.
Yep, Karl Rove's dancing partner will slide right into Little Timmy Russert's chair like it's a custom-fit Isitoner glove.
For instance;David Gregory cherry picks polls to favor McCain
David Gregory Worries About Obama’s Glow
Ignoring McCain's efforts to satisfy conservative base, NBC's Gregory touted McCain's "brand" as "being a maverick and being anti-politics"
Gregory: Bush ‘didn’t jump to invade Iraq’ after 9/11
NBC's David Gregory thinks we just need to "strip away" Ann Coulter's inflammatory rhetoric to listen to her points
Hmmm ... Stretch having a few bad days, or, perhaps, a defining pattern, his "journalistic fingerprint"?
Oh, you want something a little more recent?
From Todd Gitlen's "Meet the Shallows"; Here he was his penetrating question of Sen. John Thune (R, SD) at midnight after Sarah Palin's St. Paul speech: "Senator [John] Thune, was a star born here tonight with Sarah Palin?"
Charter member of the Mommy Moose Fan Club
As with most of Gregory's time on television, the only thing missing is his red, GOP pom poms.
Just what we need, for another decade, or so, assuming, certainly, that 'Meet The Press" remains that "premier forum" for Washington Insiders to talk to each other, for it sure doesn't sound like David Gregory is going to rock that swift boat.
Looks like I'll have an extra free hour come Sunday mornings.
Bonus Stretch Riffs
Andrew Malcolm: Looks like David Gregory gets Tim Russert's chair on 'Meet the Press'
The Heretik: No Doubt
Tina Brown: Washington's Other Transition ... How is it Obama can fill a Cabinet faster than NBC can replace Tim Russert?
Everybody, Give A Big Hand! ... Let's Welcome NBC's David Gregory To The Freak Show!
Developing Story - MSNBC Making Pitches To Become Eulogy Channel
Coal In These Stockings!
Well, it seems that artist Deborah Lawrence has done nearly as much, in just a few months, as the 110th Congress has in the past six-years-plus.
Lawrence was solicited to design a Christmas ornament, for a Bush Grindhouse Christmas tree.
Christmas Colors for the White House: Red, White and Impeach
"I was at first nauseated, then realized it was an opportunity," said Lawrence, 55, who frequently combines politics and satire in her work and saw this as the perfect way "to highlight Jim McDermott because he's a hero of mine."The nine-inch ball is covered with swirly red and white stripes -- and, in tiny glued-on text, salutes the Democratic congressman's support for a resolution to impeach President Bush. (Also showcased: Washington state's 1919 labor strike, its suffrage movement and the violent anti-World Trade Organization riots of 1999.) Lawrence sent it off to D.C. in September and was very surprised it was accepted for the tree -- and that she was invited to this afternoon's White House reception for the artists, which she flew to D.C. to attend.
Ah, if you expect a Frank Capra movie, with Clarence Oddbody showing up, and Sam Wainwright wiring in enough money to bail out the Government, small-artist-makes-it-big, well, dash those thoughts, and start playing the villain music.
The screen just flipped over to Pottersville.
White House Won't Hang Christmas Impeachment Ornament"Oh, dear," said Seattle-based artist Deborah Lawrence, who created the red and white ornament that salutes Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.) and his support for a resolution to impeach the president. "This doesn't really surprise me. But it's disappointing that I won't get to see it on the tree."
Snip ...
Sally McDonough, a spokeswoman for the first lady, confirmed the ornament would not be displayed. "It's inappropriate and it's not being hung," she said. She said that when asked about the issue yesterday, the White House tree decorations were not complete. "We reviewed the ornament along with all the [other] ornaments, and Mrs. Bush deemed it inappropriate for the holiday tree."
Lawrence is still slated to attended a White House reception for the artists this afternoon.
Of such delicious irony, with icicles and tinsel, that Laura Bush would veto a protesting Christmas ornament, knowing the decisions that have emanated out of the same building.
I guess, the First Lady was just going in to mode, you know, where Christmas is such a joyous time, but if people see that one, subversive Christmas ornament, with the word "Impeachment" on it, much like that one bombing a day on television, well, that just discourages everybody.
A Stocking Filled With Coal Riffs
The Raw Story: White House Christmas tree to feature 'impeach Bush' message
Think Progress: White House will hang ‘impeach Bush’ ornament on its Christmas tree
Wonkette: Horribly Offensive White House Christmas Tree Ornament Is Decorated In Small Letters Promoting Mildly Controversial Idea
Twelve Days of Dubya ...The Twelfth Day
TPMCafe Special Feature ... House of Saddam: Behind the Movie
If you are curious, from the trailers being run on HBO, here's a glimpse of the upcoming series, 'House of Saddam', from Sally El Hosaini, who worked on the script.
House of Saddam: Behind the MovieWhen I first heard of the proposed mini-series 'House of Saddam' I was suspicious. Why would the BBC/HBO, UK/America, want to make a drama series about Saddam Hussein? I wondered what the hidden agenda might be.
Snip .. .
After meeting Alex Holmes I soon realised that this drama series would be different. Not a lesson in the history of Iraq, not about condemnation or praise, it was to be about understanding a tightly knit group of people whose lives orbited around their sun, Saddam Hussein. The perspective was going to be from inside the inner circles and family, looking out. It would be an attempt to go behind closed doors and shed light upon the man himself. That really interested me so I spent the next 2 ½ years researching and script editing the 'House of Saddam' mini-series.
Go read House of Saddam: Behind the Movie, it is rather interesting.
(Ed. Note: And, please, someone in The Bush Grindhouse... A staffer, a marine guard, anyone, keep The Commander Guy away from this series ...
He, in his lame-duck, swan-song status, may become confused, and get himself all fired up, and in the waning days, rev up that White House Iraq Group for a final "Shock-and-Awe" exit out-the-door.
Chance are, with First Lady Laura swearing off the television, odds are low this would happen.)
Monday, December 01, 2008
Breaking ... Obama Team Vetting Food Tasters
Sources have told The Garlic this evening, that within minutes after announcing his National Security Team, President-Elect Barack Obama's transition squad began a scheduled vetting of food tasters, that will be employed in the administration.
"This has been in the cards for quite some time," indicated the source, an Obama insider.
"Once they won the primary, and began thinking about the "Team of Rivals" thing, this was put in motion."
It is not known who these potential "Food Tasters" are, how they will work, if they will actually taste the food for the President, or merely test it.
The Obama Team has no concerns, as to the integrity of the White House Chef, or any member of the staff.
However, guidelines are continuing to be worked out.
During Cabinet meetings, in which the President will attend, Cabinet members, and any staff, will have their own, separate table of food and beverages, the President, his own, guarded by Secret Service agents.
The President will drink from a covered, travel-type mug, and any food brought into the meetings must be sealed, and have a Secret Service escort.
Other meetings (outside of the White House), and formal events, in which Cabinet members are in attendance, a similar protocol will be implemented.
Should a Cabinet member visit the President in the Oval Office, that Cabinet member may have a full search conducted, before entering, and they will be instructed to sit, at minimum, ten-feet away from any food items the President may have in his office.
Another recommendation, that our source indicates the President-Elect was balking at, is that he must wear surgical latex gloves when shaking hands with any Cabinet member.
More, as this story develops ...
Bonus Links
CNN: Obama rolls out national security team
Robert Stein: Clintons Front and Center Again
Mary Ann Akers: It Hurts To Be John Kerry Today
Katharine Q. Seelye: Live Blog: Presenting the National Security Team
Frank James: Obama rebukes Bush years with Clinton
Kevin Drum: Press Conference Follies
Boston Comedy ... Funny Grown Here
That's the new Weblog of Nick Zaino, intrepid writer, reporter, and chronicler of all things Stand-up Comedy.
Nick was the long-time beat reporter for The Boston Globe (as well as other publications), covering the enormous comedy scene in, and around, Boston.
Least you forget, Boston (primarily, the old Ding Ho, in Inman Square, Cambridge) launched the careers of people such as Barry Crimmins, Steven Wright, Paula Poundstone, Kevin Meany, Bob "Bobcat" Goldthwait, Lenny Clarke, Dennis Leary, Steve Sweeney, Jimmy Tingle and dozens of dozens more, and continues to be a hotbed of up-and-coming talent, the new and next generation of smart alecks.
Nick, for the past 10-years+ has been working the beat, covering the local clubs, the big headliners that would blow into town, and keeping tabs on who was where. and what was going on, locally, and nationally.
However, recently, as The New York Times continues to water down, and whittle away the once strong quality, dominant Boston Globe, the Globe, much like other newspapers, continues to cut back and cut back (as discussed with a mutual friend the other day, the Globe Arts Section is beginning to look like USA Today, with 50-word articles and lots of pictures!), and ultimately, recently, gave Nick his walking papers.
So, rather than wilt away, Nick is channeling his energy into doing what he has been doing, that being covering the Stand-up comedy scene, now, working for himself.
He's open to taking donations, advertising, sponsorships, or any positive assistance you can provide.
Go over to Boston Comedy ... Funny Grown Here, say hello to Nick, and sign-up for his feed.
It will help you to remember to laugh every day ... 
I Guess, They're Not Using Their Own "Im Feeling Lucky" Bar
You want to know who's running circles around Google News?
Memeorandum.
So say The Guardian, in a article today, throwing some well-deserved kudos at Memeorandum.
Breaking news Memeorandum-style ...Where it competes, Gabe Rivera's news aggregator gets the stories faster than Google NewsIf you want to know what's happening in the world, then Memorandum will tell you – at least in a couple of areas. It's an automated news clipping service, known in the trade as a "news aggregator". It provides headlines and short texts updated every few minutes, with links to the original sites, much like Google News.
We mentioned, referenced and linked Memeorandum here on The Garlic (go down the left sidebar, to their News Box), especially on gigantic, breaking news, frequently.
Memeorandum is based on the idea of "memes" or ideas that spread across the web (along with a pun on memorandum). Someone publishes an interesting story, other people find it, discuss it, and link to it. That's how the web works. Small stories come and go quickly, while big ones generate lots of comment and dominate the page for hours.
Snip ...
Google also follows links and assesses content, but Memeorandum is embarrassingly better than Google News. Google reckons that the more coverage a story gets, the more important it is. Unfortunately, broad coverage takes a long time to develop, so Google News can run hours or even a day behind Memeorandum. This is fine for casual consumers, but if you're a news junkie – or a journalist – it's hopeless.
It is, perhaps, the best, single-source to jump to in the morning, to see what's hot in the news, especially if you want to track the buzz on the blogs.
Check'em out as you can ...
Bonus Riffs
Damozel: Memeorandum Gets a Well-Deserved Compliment from The Guardian
Libby Spencer: Credit where it's due
Joe Gandelman: Take A Peek At Super-Quick Internet News Aggregater memeorandum
Breaking News! Giant Search Engine Downed By GOP and RNC Staffers ...Google Crashes! Besieged With “I’m Feeling Lucky” Searches From White House, Congress; Amazon, D.C. Novelty Stores Hit With Run On Magic 8-Balls
Top Ten Cloves: Other Great Things You'll Get Using Google's New Retooled Search Engine
Life Imitates Art ... Or, Did Burt Lancaster Invent Google Earth?
This Date ... On The Garlic
1 December 2007... On The Garlic
Well I'll Be Darned ... The Etch-A-Sketch Shaking Has Begun (Sort Of)
Editor's Note - Lo Siento, Again ...
1 December 2006... On The Garlic
Minced Garlic: New Keith Olbermann Special Comment - Free speech and the delusion of grandeur
1 December 2005... On The Garlic
White House "Embarrassed"; Bush Victory Strategy Speech Written By PR Agency; Gave President Wrong Folder; Iraqi Newspaper Prints Slams Against Murtha, Kerry, Pelosi
Top Ten Cloves: Reasons Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger Named A Democratic His Chief of Staff
Sunday, November 30, 2008
The Laura Bush Bummer Bombing-of-the Day ... All The Little People
Well ... Well ... Well
It's been a long time.
We haven't visited with our First Lady in over a year.
For awhile, we were pumping out The Laura Bush Bummer Bombing-of-the Day posts, born of the gift of that is Laura, who summed up the plight of the invasion and occupation of Iraq, keying right in on the major issue engulfing everyone;And many parts of Iraq are stable ahh..now. But, of course, what we see on television is the one bombing a day that discourages everybody ...
I suppose, if with the terror attack in Mumbai, Laura could modify that and be bummed by the one hotel bombing a day, but we're getting off-the-track with that.
For, we get news today, of Laura speaking, wistfully, perhaps, looking ahead, to her days outside the confines of the The Bush Grindhouse.
OMG! ... Laura, you're not going to recognize television when you begin resuming watching it (as we talked about in those previous LBBBOTD posts, least she glimpse a news clip with one of those discouraging bombings, she was going cold turkey on the tube).
It's all changed, so much.
Reality shows, Laura, get used to them, they're everywhere, about everything, and none of them the least bit worthwhile.
The really cool shows are on cable now, places like HBO and Showtime.
And, let's hope, for you, they keep going with that 'Dancing with the Stars' pap, that's about your speed, you will probably like that one.
But getting to your comments today, is that what you want out there?
Asked what she will miss, the First Lady responded;"I'll miss all the people that are around us all the time. From the ushers and the butlers who are there for every president and have been there four or five administrations, to our own staff, of course, that we love to laugh with and talk with and solve problems with. And so I'll miss the people the most."
Ouch!
A little Leona Helmsley-ish, don’t you think Laura?
The first people you say you will miss are the ushers and butlers?
No shit, Dick Tracy!
Nice to have a staff running around, and after, you ... If you spit sideways, someone would be there to catch it, before it hits the ground.
Now, you're going to be back, down THERE, with HIM ... ALONE! (well, most of the time; Something tells me y'all aren't going to fork over the bucks to keep a staff of the size you had in the Grindhouse)
And this "Freedom Institute?
You know what that means, don't you Laura?
All the NeoNitWits will still be hanging around, as well as Darth Vader, and his Dragon Lady.
I feel for ya, hon ...
And what about this, from Meet The Press;The first lady spoke on NBC's "Meet the Press" in a taped interview that focused largely on her advocacy for women and girls in Afghanistan. She encouraged Americans not to forget about Afghanistan, particularly as the militant Taliban, which brutally represses women, is fighting to re-establish itself.
Hmmm ...
"Our tendency in the United States is to become isolationist, become protectionist," she said. "I hope people in the United States will look outside of our life here in the United States and do what they can both financially, to be able to support the people of Afghanistan, and then every other way."
Yes, Laura, that old saw.
If you had spoken up, perhaps, when your husband was in his flight-of-fancy, slam-dunking his manhood around, maybe you could have convinced him to stay in Afghanistan, fighting Al Qaeda, and capturing that son of all your Carlyle friends' buddies, there's a good chance Afghanistan would be a bit more stable now, or at least progressing in that direction
Think of all the lost Photo Ops you missed out on, going over there, reading books with young school girls.
Dare I say, you may even, perhaps, could have been watching television again, sooner?
I suppose there are worse things than being married to the person that will do down as the worst President in U.S. History ...
I just can't think of any, right now ... 
