Saturday, January 24, 2009

Dindi

Well, we're not going to wait for the final gongs of the clock for the day.

We're calling it early, and packin' it in.

We've alluded to this month being being an extremely tough one for The Garlic, a number of draining challenges just rolling in, one-after-another ...

That trend continued this past week, though we did manage to squeeze some posting in there.

So, for this evening, in lieu of something witty or pithy, we have just the thing for a cold winters' evening.

Dindi.

The Antonio Carlos Jobim classic, that quickly became a standard, covered by just about everybody, at some point, or another, including the likes of Sinatra, Ella, Perry Como, and on to Jane Monheit, and dozens-and-dozens of others.

Two renditions have always stood out.

Many are locked into the Jon Lucien version, which is very good (hell, just about everything he does is killer).

This writer has always melted at another, though ... Willie Bobo's, from his 1978 recording, 'Hell Of An Act To Follow'

Living in Los Angeles, in the early 80's, and awakening to KKGO, on the morning on September 15th, I noticed that they were playing an extended set of Willie Bobo's music, and realized, that he must have passed away (he did, the same date - Sept. 15, as legendary jazz pianist, Bill Evans, for whom Pat Metheny wrote a wonderful tribute song, 'September Fifteenth', which I now remember it for Willie Bobo, as well).

I believe you will agree that Bobo nails it, and it is so, so cool.

Grab your sweetie, and get down with some slow, slow, slow dancing!

Dindi - Willie Bobo

This Date ... On The Garlic


24 January 2008... On The Garlic


Leave It to Rumsfeld ... There's Not Enough Lying Going On!

"They Don't Like Me! ... They Really Don't Like Me! ...

Top Ten Cloves: Other Things President Bush Wants To Put In The Economic Stimulus Package


24 January 2007... On The Garlic

Garlictorial - We’ll Need That Table


24 January 2006... On The Garlic

Deadline Looms For Axis of Evil Applicants

NBC, Feeling Pressure, Reverses Ax; Will Merge West Wing, Will & Grace

Top Ten Cloves: Other Things That Karl Rove Believes Is "Wrong - deeply and profoundly and consistently wrong"


Friday, January 23, 2009

Top Ten Cloves: Possible Things Obama Administration Can Do With The Gitmo Prisoners

News Item: President Obama Takes First Steps on Gitmo, Considers How to Go About Re-Balancing the Scales (News & Commentary Round-Up)

10. Letting them keep those orange jumpsuits, trash pickers through the entire U.S. Highway System

9. Have them work the Security Gate, of the Purple Section, at the next Obama Inauguration

8. If you can put about 50 of them together, some city must want a new NFL franchise

7. New Fox Program - Terrorist Idol

6. NBC copycat program - Superstars of Terrorism

5. For the ones profoundly tortured, screen Tyrone Powers' 'Nightmare Alley', and pitch the benefits of being a carnival geek

4. Teach'em to sing, form a choir, and give the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus a run for-the-money

3. Let them all go, using the only five words that will keep them straight - Chuck Norris Will Get You!

2. Hmmmm ... Can you say Mariel Boatlift - The Sequel?

1. Train them, to guard President Obama's Blackberry


Bonus "Shut It Down" Riffs

Media Matters: Media advance falsehood that Pentagon has confirmed that 61 former Guantánamo detainees have returned to battlefield

Dana Priest: Bush's 'War' On Terror Comes to a Sudden End

Myca: President Obama Did Something Good Today - 1/21

bmaz: Obama Drafts Order To Close Gitmo; Suspends Habeas Cases In DC Circuit


This Date ... On The Garlic


23 January 2008... On The Garlic


Yes, Another "I'm Shocked To Find Gambling Going On Here" ... Bush Lied - 935 Times!

Keith Olbermann ... Setting The Standard That, Almost Guaranteed, Will Not Be Followed


23 January 2007... On The Garlic


Of Daydreams, Lies, Libby and The State of the Union


23 January 2006... On The Garlic

Editor's Note: Excellent Truthout Perspective - Democrats: Get Up and Walk Out

White House Scores Again, Adds MSNBC Trio To Bushapalooza Tour

Top Ten Cloves: Things That Can Go Wrong For James Carville's New XM Radio Sports Show


Thursday, January 22, 2009

Doc Bloc Death Knock? ... MSNBC Climbs Into the Big Yellow Taxi

Okay, "Sticks nix hick pix" it isn't, but it appears MSNBC is looking to get out of the rerun business

MSNBC Wants to Add a 3rd Prime-Time Show

Building on the momentum of its prime-time hours, MSNBC is developing a 10 p.m. program that would complement its left-leaning evening lineup, the cable news channel’s president said this week.

[Snip]

Unlike most major networks, MSNBC’s original programming ends at 10 each weeknight. The 8 p.m. program “Countdown With Keith Olbermann” is rerun at 10 p.m., where it usually ranks third.

[Snip]

But at 10 p.m., MSNBC replaced live programming with documentaries and repeats in 2006. It moved the reruns of “Countdown” there in March to capitalize on the political year. Reverting to tape at 10 p.m. puts the network at a disadvantage, especially on busy news nights. Meanwhile, CNN and Fox News are battling for first place in the hour. Last year, “Anderson Cooper 360” on CNN outperformed “On the Record with Greta Van Susteren” on Fox News among younger viewers, but the Fox program averaged a higher number of total viewers.




Hmmm ...

We once joked, at the height of the Missing White Woman bonanza, that MSNBC was going to launch a 24/7 Rita Cosby Channel, and, apparently, they are reluctant to plaster a Keith Olbermann Doc Bloc of sorts, endlessly replaying his Countdown program on the channel.

And, now, they want to cash in on their "left-leaning evening lineup" ...

Something seems to come to mind about that;
Dont it always seem to go
That you dont know what youve got
Till its gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
Perhaps this is an opportunity to make amends, for their boneheaded cowardness, for their capitulation to the Right Wing Freak Show, and the Bush Grindhouse, when they dumped Anti-War proponent Phil Donahue from their line-up.
Exit Phil Donahue

Phil Donahue on his 2003 MSNBC firing: "We had to have two conservatives on for every liberal. I was counted as two liberals."

MSNBC Sabotages Donahue

Then again, we haven't seen Rita Cosby pop up anywhere.

From this view, it would be nice if they came up with a second "progressive" program, and stop subjecting us to the Tweety rerun at 7:00PM.

And don't you dare put Morning Joke back in Prime Time!


Bonus MSNBC Riffs

MSNBC's Matthews Uninjured Pulling Head Out Of Judy Miller's Ass ... Hardball Host Fawns Over Former White House Stenographer; Stays Away From Tough Questions

Top Ten Cloves: Things Joe Scarborough Likes To Eat and Wear When Sitting At Computer

Developing Story - MSNBC Making Pitches To Become Eulogy Channel

Rachel Maddow: Hillary Apologist and Obama Basher


Bonus Bonus

Joni Mitchell Big Yellow Taxi



How Did This Crack Through?

Boy, you would have thought, between the Obama Inauguration (and the continuing Right Wing Freak Show flap, over the Oath of Office), President Obama's spectacular first-day-on-the-job, and the bursting news of Caroline Kennedy's "My Sister-My Daughter" Senatorial foray, any other news would be sitting, collecting dust.

Ahhh, but we do have a winner, one of the best headlines seen, since the World Weekly News shut down;

Former French President Chirac hospitalised after mauling by his clinically depressed poodle

Former French president Jacques Chirac was rushed to hospital after being mauled by his own 'clinically depressed' pet dog.

The 76-year-old statesman was savaged by his white Maltese dog - which suffers from frenzied fits and is being treated with anti-depressants.

[Snip]

We were already aware the animal was unpredictable and is actually being treated with pills for depression.

'My husband was bitten quite badly, but he is certain to make a full recovery over the coming weeks.'

The former French First Lady did not reveal where on his body Chirac was bitten.

The pet, named after the Japanese form of wrestling, was a gift to the Chiracs from their grandson Martin.

Hmmm ... One clue might checking the Last Will and Testament, or Living Will, and see if a certain grandson is in line to make a haul.

Or, maybe the help was teaching little Sumo some "tricks".

Then again, there was Chirac, and his popularity.

One commenter to the story wrote that they would "like to send the dog a present".

Another wrote;
How I hate those yappy, snappy looking mutts these French love to drag everywhere they go. I once saw a lady savaged around the ankle by one of those ratty looking terrier things - she walked past a table in a cafe and the thing leapt out from under it's owner's table.
I smell a deliciously comical, cinematic, French Farce coming down the pike, which, just may happen to have a corporate leader, or politician, in the lead, the owner of a snapping, vicious, feisty little chienne

Too bad Jacques Tati isn't still around.


This Date ... On The Garlic


22 January 2008... On The Garlic


Ring A Bell Today For John Edwards ... Let's Give Him Some Wings To Carry On Good Fight With ...

Oh... people will come Hillary ... People will most definitely come ... The Results - The Garlic's Weekly Poll


22 January 2007... On The Garlic


Editor's Note - Battling To Get Back To Form

Will The Jury Be Sequestered? ... The Results - The Garlic's Weekly Poll


Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Before You ... On The DL, Again

Good Evening Garlic Fans

Hope you are all well, and warm, if that be the case where you are ...

Though, I didn't have as busy a day as President Barack Obama, events here on the homefront have been building up, and I will be light posting for the next day, or two.

Included in the travails is that I injured myself shoveling snow this past weekend (Hip/Thigh/Leg).

While I have battled through it for the past two days, today was a day where that was difficult to do, and with the other things going on, time to sit it out for a spell.

So check in, as there is so much going on, I may pop in with something, otherwise, it will likely be Friday, or Saturday, before I resume normal posting.

Tonight's treat ...

I did have a thought, in case you hadn't heard it enough the past few days, of posting "At Last", but I don't want to be that cruel

No, we go with something from ''Sharky's Machine', a 1981 cop caper, directed by, and starring, to burnish his "Es Muy Macho", Burt Reynolds, as well as the oozing sensuality of Rachel Ward (additionally, former LA Rams football star Bernie Casey, and Buffy and Jody's Dad, Brian Keith are in it).

While it's a Grade B movie all the way, it does have one, ass-kicking, motherfucking soundtrack, a Who's Who of Jazz stars of the day.

Here's two of the biggest.

Enjoy!

Before You (Sarah Vaughan & Joe Williams)


This Date ... On The Garlic


21 January 2008... On The Garlic


“Who Let The Dogs Out?” ... Mitt, Did You Check The Roof of The Car?

Top Ten Cloves: Ways Chuck Norris Will Keep Mike Huckabee From Getting Old In The White House, If He's Elected


21 January 2006... On The Garlic

Weekend Special - Sautéed Cloves



Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Everybody Rejoice! ... President Barack Obama!

Well, we made it.

You had to account, and prepare, for, a last-minute coup by The Bush Grindhouse.

It wouldn't be a stretch to think of Keyser Soze (aka VP Cheney), pulling an all-nighter, with his lap dog David Addington, feverishly culling through the Library of Congress, the Federal Archives, or, doing what they did for most of the past 8-years - making up their own laws - to come up with something that would block the new administration and keep themselves in power.

But it went off without a hitch.

Well, almost ...

How to shine in the spotlight there, Mr. Chief Justice.

That remarkable, stunning, transfer-of-power that the media has been salivating all over the place about, for the past few days.

Considering we've done this, now, for the 43rd time, in both peaceful eras, and in the fury of wartime, it is neither remarkable or stunning ... It's der rigeur ... pro forma ...

Been There/Done That ...

If anything, it has become a spectacle, kind of like the run-up to the Super Bowl, only instead of a week, or two, we have to wait four-years for it.

Being that the Obama Team was selling it like crazy, missing, perhaps, was NASCAR-like logos on their suits.

The only cool thing before today, was having Pete Seeger join the other artists, at the "Inauguration Concert", leading a rousing, In-Your-Face, "This Land Is Your Land" on Sunday.



The rest of it has been pap and fodder for the media ... All those hours of airtime to fill (and sell).

In fact, better stated, and with much more bite, a must-read, is Dennis Perin's "O-nauguration"

It's an "Inauguration You Can Believe In".

If Obama being sworn in as President today gets the top billing, let's take a look at what came in a close second.

Ding Dong, The Bush Grindhouse is Dead!

Ding Dong! The Bush Grindhouse is dead.
Which old Bush Grindhouse?
The Wicked Bush Grindhouse!
Ding Dong! The Wicked Grindhouse is dead.
Ding Dong' the merry-oh, sing it high, sing it low.
Let them know
The Wicked Bush Grindhouse is dead!
Sadly, and how sweet it would have been, is if, minutes after taking the Oath of Office, President Obama had his Federal Marshalls arrest the former Court-Appointed President, and his henchman, Cheney.

After all, they used their Legacy Farewell Tour to boast and brag about all the War Crimes they committed.

That, perhaps, will be left to another day - we fervently wish for.

And, speaking of War Crimes, old Darth Vader in a wheelchair? ... Hurt himself moving boxes (plausible, considering they were probably the shreds of all those White House emails, that would be some hefty weight he was toting)?



Looks more to me that they are lining up that old crazy Mafia Don defense.

They'll have him stumbling down Pennsylvania Avenue next week, in his pajamas.

Today, however, is the day to celebrate a new day, bask in the glow of optimistic hope, and have Hillary Clinton's Hillary's Locker Creatures shift allegiance;
"Obama is back! The keeper of the light! All hail Obama! All hail Obama! Obama can you see by the dawn's early light..."
And we salute the new President with song, culled from the out-of-sight, total knock-out Broadway Cast Album, and not the horrendously ill-cast movie, 'The Wiz',

Everybody Rejoice


Everybody Rejoice ( LP Version ) - The Wiz



Congratulations to our 44th President of the United States, Barack H. Obama!

Now, roll up your sleeves, and start digging into the massive pile of shit your predecessor has left you.


Bonus Obama Inauguration Riffs

NYT: Barack Obama’s Inaugural Address

NYT: Inaugural Poem

John B. Judis: Barack Obama's Speech: A Disappointing Hodgepodge

Eve Fairbanks: John, You're Too Hard On Obama's Speech

The Raw Story: 'Change has come': 1st post on WhiteHouse.gov announces

Gregg Levine: Worst. Inauguration. Ever.

Steve Benen: ABOUT THAT OATH....


This Date ... On The Garlic


20 January 2008... On The Garlic


Best-of-Day! ... Crimmins and Rich

Good Article Alert - The letter E is purple



Monday, January 19, 2009

First Day of School...5 years from now

This is pretty damn funny!



First Day of School...5 years from now

And here's a related article to it;

Black cartoonists missing from pages


H/T to my friend, Dee Dee, for this

This Date ... On The Garlic


19 January 2008... On The Garlic


"The morning after always looks grim if you happen to be wearing last night's dress"


19 January 2007... On The Garlic

New Bush Spying Expanding! Nod To FISA May Signal Surge In Wiretaps, Experts Say; Bush Turns To Marx Brothers Policy Once Again; Signs Point To Coordinating Mail Reading and Eavesdropping

Top Ten Cloves: What It Will Take For President Bush To Brief Congress On New Wiretap Plans

Editor's Note


19 January 2006... On The Garlic


Breaking News! Bin Laden Surfaces With New, Wide-Ranging Audio Tape, Triggering Swift Boat Vet Action

Google To Fight DOJ On Record Search Subpoena

Top Ten Cloves: Reasons That Should Give Mitt Romney Pause As To Running For President



Sunday, January 18, 2009

Our Ignorant Dolts of the Week ... Judie Brown and the American Life League!

While The Wasilla Whiz Kid, in her latest installment of "I Wuz Robbed", drew attention, that certainly put her in the room for IDOTW.

And, with The Bush Grindhouse shutting down, we could also have considered, as part of rousing farewell, The Commander Guy, and his Shadow President, Dick Cheney (or Keyser Soze, as we pointed out the other day).

However, much like larger-then-life idiots, such as Bill O"Reilly, Rick Santorum, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, we can, pretty much grandfather them, to the level of Grand Ayatollah of Dolts.

It's just a given.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid made a strong case for grabbing the IDOTW title, over his strategy on dealing with the seating of Senator Roland Burris.

We all know that Reid used to a boxer, so it was a surprising revelation that he also graduated from Clown College, as well.

But no, our Ignorant Dolts of the Week came charging down the pike, in full, rampaging, Flying Monkey fury, certainly to the pleasing smiles from the Queen of the Flying Monkeys, Michelle "Stalkin" Malkin, who had her own irrational tizzy having to do with donuts.

The American Life League, led by Judie Brown gets the IDOTW crown and septer this week, for their comparison of a Krispy Kreme marketing promotion to abortion.



Yeah, I know, pretty, way-the-fuck, out there, not assuming they had their optic nerves banged around by a spoon.

The American Life League, according to Wikipedia, is "One of the largest pro-life organizations in the United States, according to their website, American Life League, or ALL, opposes all forms of abortion, birth control, embryonic stem cell research, and euthanasia. Its current president is Judie Brown and its headquarters are in Stafford, Virginia.[1]

And their mission;

American Life League, which claims to have 300,000 members, aims to persuade Americans and Catholics about its views on abortion, birth control and euthanasia. ALL is involved with issues pertaining to the sanctity of life, with an emphasis on abortion. American Life League describes itself as "pro-life—without exception, without compromise, without apology." ALL's mission is to end all forms of abortion without any exceptions for the life and health of the woman, rape, incest, fetal abnormality, viability, or IVF. According to its president, "Abortion is never necessary to save a mother's life."[2]
SourceWatch also adds that "ALL also opposes health insurance coverage of contraceptive medications"

So, I hear you cry, what the hell does any of this have to do with Krispy Kreme donuts?

Enter, the election, and forthcoming inauguration of Barack Obama



Krispy Kreme Celebrates the Freedom of Choice on Inauguration Day ...Customers Can Enjoy a Free Treat at Participating Stores Nationwide

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Inc. (NYSE: KKD) is honoring American's sense of pride and freedom of choice on Inauguration Day, by offering a free doughnut of choice to every customer on this historic day, Jan. 20. By doing so, participating Krispy Kreme stores nationwide are making an oath to tasty goodies -- just another reminder of how oh-so-sweet "free" can be.
Sound like a pretty good deal, if you like Krispy Kreme donuts.

Now, here is a American League Press Release, written by Katie Walker;
"The next time you stare down a conveyor belt of slow-moving, hot, sugary glazed donuts at your local Krispy Kreme you just might be supporting President-elect Barack Obama's radical support for abortion on demand – including his sweeping promise to sign the Freedom of Choice Act as soon as he steps in the Oval Office, Jan. 20.

[Snip]

Just an unfortunate choice of words? For the sake of our Wednesday morning doughnut runs, we hope so. The unfortunate reality of a post Roe v. Wade America is that "choice" is synonymous with abortion access and celebration of 'freedom of choice' is a tacit endorsement of abortion rights on demand.

Now be honest, when you read the line from Krispy Kreme, about picking up a free donut - of your own free choice - you immediately stopped thinking about the glazed treat, and went straight to being consumed about abortion, right?

Katie Walker, Judie Brown, and the rest of the Flying Monkeys that make up the American Life League, might have actually had their heads outside of their asses, if, say, Krispy Kreme was running abortion clinics in their back rooms, if they announced that a certain percentage of every donut sold went towards the local abortion clinic, or, if they handed out discount coupons for contraceptives in every dozen donut box.

As you could see, it wasn't, it isn't anything remotely in the same universe of any of those actions.

Now, I'm all in on the First Amendment, people can say anything they want ... No Problemo.

However, when you come out with shit like this ... Jesus, your Freedom of Speech Rights are well intact, but you really dilute your message and come off as First Class Whack Jobs!

Emily Douglas, over on The Reality Check points out;
Best comment on the Miami New Times blog: "if they were abortion donuts, i don't think i'd want one. i assume they'd be taking them out of the oven way too early."
Only thing missing in this picture, to make it complete, is to have William Donohue running around, decrying someone is making a Jesus Christ out of Krispy Kreme donuts.

I mean, it is really an enormous stretch, something that would even challenge Elastic Man, to take a marketing promotion, with a common phrase, and build a abortion protest around it.

Since he does have a sense of humor, and the Obama Team certainly wouldn't mind making some more money off the Inauguration, President Obama should, in the middle of his Inaugural Speech, stop, hold up a glazed Krispy Kreme and announce that he has "exercised his Freedom of Choice today"

So, The Garlic, sans any Krispy Kremes, excersises its' Freedom of Choice today, for Judie Brown, Katie Walker and the American Life League, crowning (and no, that isn't anything do with being pro-life, as in a birth, the baby "crowning") them all Ignorant Dolts of the Week.

Bonus Abortion Donuts Riffs

Steve Benen: MUST BE SOMETHING ABOUT DONUTS....

Wonkette: Free Abortion Donuts On Demand!

Amanda Marcotte: Sanctity of Donuts Day

DougJ: Why does Krispy Kreme hate America?


This Date ... On The Garlic


18 January 2008... On The Garlic


NEW BUSH COINS

Hmmm ... I Wonder ... Would She Rather Be In Philadelphia?


18 January 2006... On The Garlic

Robertson May Have, Inadvertently, Caused Hajj Stampede Deaths

Top Ten Cloves: Things About Having A Chocolate City