The Garlic: 07/26/2009

Friday, August 07, 2009

This Date ... On The Garlic

7 August 2007... On The Garlic

Goodbye Bat Boy! ... Rumors True, World Weekly News Shutting Down!

7 August, 2006... On The Garlic

News In Brief - Wikimania Attendees Take Over Event; Wikimania Conference Ends Abruptly In Cacophonous Chaos

Don't Forget To Vote On Karl Rove's and The RNC's October Surprise

Thursday, August 06, 2009

Top Ten Cloves: Things North Korean leader Kim Jong-il Received For Releasing The Two U.S. Journalists

News Item: Bill Clinton gets two US journalists pardoned from North Korea: UPDATED with a Bolton

10. The opportunity to bitch-slap John Bolton

9. Beer Summit at the White House, but with Bush and Cheney, over all that "Axis of Evil" stuff

8. A date with that irritating woman from the Progressive Auto Insurance commercials

7. Promise of a starring role, if ever a sequel is made to Mystic Pizza, as owner of the pizza place

6. A signed, framed reproduction of one of President Barack Obama's birth certificates

5. Years' supply of Sham Wow

4. Since they are a favorite of President Clinton, the rights to Krispy Kreme franchise in North Korea

3. A two-week stay at the House on C Street

2. That if he criticizes Keith Olbermann, Olbermann won't name him to the "Worst Persons" list

1. Nothing - Senator John Ensign's parents already paid him, for the release of the hostages

Bonus Links

Ben Armbruster: Even After North Korea Frees American Journalists, Bolton Insists Clinton Trip Was A Mistake

Joe Sudbay (DC): CNN already asking: Could Clinton's "high-profile presence backfire?"

Melissa McEwan: Welcome Home

TBogg: The Ransom of Red Chief Ass

Joe Sudbay (DC): Could the U.S. send Bush anywhere?

If Only Healthcare Reform Allows Us To Bill Doctors For Waiting Time

Good Evening Garlic Fans

Our apologies for leaving you empty yesterday (Wednesday), as we did have a few posts in the pipeline, that we had intended to get up last evening.

It was the last throes of the oppressive heat and humidity wave, and we were anxiously awaiting the roaring thunderstorms predicted, that was going to rush in cooler, dryer air.

Here in the city, no such storms arrived, however, the cooler, dryer air did, as evening settled in.

Okay, so far, right?

Wrong.

Early evening brought on some trouble on the homefront, and the need to get the Aunt we care for out on, yet another, hospital run, in what turned out to be quite familiar, a reoccurring, and easily treatable problem.

What ended up more cumbersome, was the 5+ hours in the ER, with nearly all but about 10-minutes of that, just sitting around, waiting, waiting, and more waiting.

Maybe we need to get them to add some sort of "Patients Rights" into the Healthcare bills, something that allows said patient, to bill back the Doc's, who, at times, seem oblivious to the fact, that you are there, waiting on them, looking to get answers, and or, action.

Give us that, and I won't mind camping out in the ER, knowing that I, too, would be making some money on the deal.

So, today, we got one, and will be, likely, more of a "catch-up", the next day, or two..

As always, we are most appreciative of your visits to, and reading of, The Garlic.

This Date ... On The Garlic

6 August 2008... On The Garlic

Of Creamy White House Stationary ...

Weekend Special - Sautéed Cloves

6 August 2007... On The Garlic

Romney Aide Instrumental In Exposing Fake Steve Jobs; Stalked Internet Cafes, Wearing Black Turtlenecks, Even Passing Himself Off As The FSJ

6 August 2006... On The Garlic

Weekend Special - Sautéed Cloves

6 August 2005... On The Garlic

Weekend Special - Sautéed Cloves

Wednesday, August 05, 2009

This Date ... On The Garlic

5 August 2008... On The Garlic

New GOP Strategy - Whore Out Your Wife!

5 August 2007... On The Garlic

Garlictorial: The Blank Check Club

5 August 2005... On The Garlic

Scalia: "No Pink Robes Needed Here"; Conservative Justice Reacts To Roberts Disclosure On Gay Rights Case; Justice Roberts Sunday In The Making

Top Ten Cloves: Things Bob Novak Was Thinking About Before Walking Out On CNN Program

Tuesday, August 04, 2009

Happy B'Day Satchmo!

While some, today, will be celebrating the birthday of our current President (to which Greg Mitchell had a good Tweet - "sincerely hope there is NO birthday bash for Obama at Madison Sq Garden tonite with a blonde, busty movie star introducing him."), we here at The Garlic, choose to go with one that's bigger.

On August 4, 1901, a child was born, who would grow to become one of the best, and most celebrated, artist in history of the planet.

Today is the birthday of Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong.

From Wikipedia;

Renowned for his charismatic stage presence and deep, instantly recognizable voice almost as much as for his trumpet-playing, Armstrong's influence extended well beyond jazz, and by the end of his career in the '60s, he was widely regarded as a profound influence on popular music in general: critic Steve Leggett describes Armstrong as "perhaps the most important American musician of the 20th century."[4] Flea once proclaimed that "Louis Armstrong was probably the greatest musician that ever lived...one note implies that if he wanted to he could play ten billion notes, but just one simple note is a beautiful thing." [5]

Rather than prattle on, much better to listen to "Pops".

This one is a favorite;

Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington - Azalea

Azalea (1990 Digital Remaster) - Duke Ellington & Louis Armstrong

You should also hear these two;

Stardust Louis Armstrong

Duke Ellington & Louis Armstrong - C Jam Blues

Links

Redhot Jazz: Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong

Louis Armstrong House Museum

The Louis Armstrong Discography

Good (Belated) Post Alert: The Day Louis Armstrong Made Noise

Walmart To Girl Scouts: "Tough Cookies!"

What's next for Walmart?

Are they going to reproduce famous childrens books, plugging themselves into them?

You know, like "Little Red Riding Hood", with the girl going to Walmart to pick up the flowers suggested by the Big Bad Wolf?

Jack and Jill.

"Jack and Jill go up a hill
To fetch a pail of water.
Jack fell down and broke his crown,
And Jill came tumbling after."

So, in this new story, Jack and Jill trot off to Walmart, to buy a new, non-spill bucket, probably made in China, and unaware of the lead paint.

Why the Walmart outrage today?

This screaming headline that fell into our Inbox;

Mom Accuses Walmart of Going After Girl Scouts ... Says Retailer Rolls Out Private-Label 'Fake' Thin Mints, Tagalongs

Walmart, which has been going after a lot of brands lately with the restage and expansion of its Great Value private label, now appears to be taking on the Girl Scouts.

[snip]

Ms. Harquail was for years the "Cookie Mom" for her daughter's troop, so she said she recognized right away the distinct flavor and texture of Thin Mints and Tagalongs, the Girl Scouts' two most popular varieties, when she sampled them at the recent BlogHer conference in Chicago. Trouble is, they weren't Girl Scout cookies. They were "beta" versions of Great Value products, which the retailer was touting heavily in a substantial presence at the event for mainly mommy bloggers.

And, on her blog, C.V. Harquail adds;

I take these fake cookies, this threat to the Girl Scouts by Wal-mart, quite personally. For several years, I was the Cookie Mom for my daughters’ troop, teaching the girls how to set goals, budget their time and money, and work together to sell cookies. I’ve seen the girls’ excitement when it’s time to sell, and their pride when they get to deliver the cookies. And, I’ve slept in the damp tent on the camping trips that the cookie proceeds paid for. So yeah, this one really hits home.

Wal-mart can sell all the hunting equipment, cheap plastic gizmos and clothes made in sweatshops that it wants to sell. But why must they encroach upon the market of a non-profit? Why do they have to go after the Girl Scouts?

It's probably just the beginning of a huge plot of Walmart's, the ultimate goal of disbanding and destroying the Girl Scouts.

After all, you don’t want to have a group of young, organized girls, who may grow up to want to stay organized, like, say, in a union that would better their workplace environment.

Bonus Walmart Riffs

Wal-Mart Watch

Brave New Films Robert Greenwald - Walmart: The High Cost of Low Cost

Shop Until You Drop ... Dead! ... Or: Black Groundhog Day

Walmart To Appeal $172M California Fine ...Workers Will Have To Continue To Go Without Meals While Case Stays In Courts

With New War Room, Bush Calls On Wal-Mart To Join Coalition Forces ...Retail Giant 'Could Outfit Millions of Troops"; Military Will Limit Benefits and Consider Waiver For Illegal Workers

Stop The Presses!

Well, figuratively, anyway.

Editor & Publisher has a fun "Question of the Day" today;

QUESTION OF THE DAY for Tuesday: What Is Your Favorite 'Newspaper Movie'? Vote Here!

We post today's question in the headline above. Here's your chance to pick, and discuss, the movie about newspapers -- or featuring a reporter or editor or publisher or columnist or what have you -- that you like the best (or love to hate). Here's a how-to-run-a-newspaper clip from Citizen Kane (below) but feel free to name your own from the past hundred years. Maybe you have another ace in the hole? Add your comments below. If you simply want to name your pick without explanation, fine, we will tally the votes and announce the E&P winner.

Lot's of great ones to pick from ...

For our money, this one deserves to be high on the list - Ace In The Hole

Go over to E&P and add in to the list.

This Date ... On The Garlic

4 August 2008... On The Garlic

Six Degrees of John McCain - From Obama's "Energy Policy" To McCain's Media Donuts ...Or; McCain, Republicans Riding On Their Spare Donut

You Wanted More Humor In The Campaign, Right John?

Barack Obama's Giant Schlong!

Top Ten Cloves: Things Brett Favre Can Expect On His Return To The Green Bay Packers

4 August 2007... On The Garlic

The Night of the Jackal ... And A New Garlic Song - The Congress Sleeps Tonight

4 August 2006... On The Garlic

Top Ten Cloves: Reasons Nobody In Bush Administration Or Pentagon Will Say Iraq Is In Civil War

4 August 2005... On The Garlic

'Rock, Paper, Scissors' Gives President His Choice of War Phrasing; Beats back Rumsfield After Downing Cheney and Rice; May Adopt Game To Solve Other Policy Matters

Top Ten Cloves: Potential Unforeseen Problems With Cloning A Dog

Monday, August 03, 2009

Of Palin, Ahmadinejad and LaRouche

Another day (and night) on the sidelines, between a busy day on the homefront, and the continued heat, and more so, heavy-duty humidity ...

It's zappin' my writing mojo ...

So, tonight we point you to the post-of-the-day, honors going to Juan Cole, with a post over on Salon;

Sarah Palin, meet Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ...You two right-wing populists have a surprising amount in common

Is Sarah Palin America's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad? The two differ in many key respects, of course, but it is remarkable how similar they are. There are uncanny parallels in their biographies, their domestic politics and the way they present themselves -- even in their rocky relationships with party elders

Check it out ... It is most entertaining ...

Hmmm ...

Now, we once tied Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Lyndon LaRouche ...

Does that make, extending the degrees-of-separation, Ms. Ya'Bet'cha the female LaRouche?

Oh well ... Here's a tune for them all, from one of our all-time favorite vocalists (and getting mighty peeved that no one has posted his rendition of 'Send In The Clowns', for you can throw out all the others, it's the absolute best treatment of the workhorse tune - Seek it out, for you will be rewarded.)

Bill Henderson - I've Got A Crush On You

Ive Got A Crush On You - Bill Henderson

This Date ... On The Garlic

3 August 2007... On The Garlic

Inner Turmoil Has Bush Blaming Bridge Collapse On Al Qaeda In Iraq; Cheney Points To Iran; White House Torn Apart, Aides Sniping At Each Other; DHS's Chertoff Ad-Libs "Dry Run" Scenario As Middle Ground

3 August 2006... On The Garlic

Top Ten Cloves: Things Senate May Do To Keep Non-Senators Off The Senators-Only Elevator

3 August 2005... On The Garlic

Second Palmeiro Bombshell: Tests Positive For Cialis; Star Slugger Lucrative ED Endorsement Deal With Viagra In Jeopardy

Gore To Appeal Neilsen Ratings On First Broadcast

Top Ten Cloves: Evidence of "Intelligent Design" In President Bush's Life

Sunday, August 02, 2009

Flamenco Sketches

Well, it was Sunday, and another hot, humid day, so we didn't spend a great deal of time at the computer.

Rather then force anything, we found a pretty good tune to close down the weekend with (or, for that matter, anytime you need to chill out).

Back tomorrow, with, hopefully, a few posts.

Meanwhile, enjoy!

Flamenco Sketches-Miles Davis

This Date ... On The Garlic

2 August 2008... On The Garlic

Jesus, It Sounded Like A Violation of the Rico Act!

Bob Herbert Calls Out Stumblin' Bumblin John McCain!

ABC's Jake Tapper Walks Away With The Golden McPenis!

Is John McCain Buggering Little Boys?

Citizen's Arrest ... Brilliant!

2 August 2006... On The Garlic

Top Ten Cloves: Possible Acts Of Atonement For Mel Gibson

2 August 2005... On The Garlic

Annan To Welcome Bolton, But No Share In Profits; U.N. Leader Says Must Be "Approved" To Get Cut of Illegal Gains

Bush Defends Rove: Wants More Leaks; Has "Complete Confidence" and Big Agenda For Top Political Advisor

Top Ten Cloves: Ways To Screw Up On Your First Day As U.N. Ambassador

Saturday, August 01, 2009

The Tsunami To Come

Now, there may be other offers out there, but this is the first I have seen.

Laying on the sofa, veggin' out for a brief respite earlier today, a commercial popped on, pitching Michael Jackson Lithographs.

And the money line from it is this;

"... wearing a white suit, as pure as his heart ..."

Gag me!

And, you can get a "bonus" litho, of Michael shown in his "regal attire"

Guess, they need to cater to the freaks, as well ... Sort of, hit the span of fans ...

If this isn't the first, it surely is a sign of the tsunami of Jackson stuff to come ...

Bonus Jacko

Unconvicted Child Molester Summoned For His Judgement Day

Jacko Bombshell! ... Jackson Offers Embattled West To Be Mayor of Neverland ...Needs Experienced Help; 4-Year Contract, Regardless of Either Trial's Outcome

Send These Two Straight To The Front of The Instant Ignorant Dolt Line ...

Maybe they were just auditioning, for the remake of Dumb and Dumber, or Idiocracy II.

We don't need to spend a great deal of time (or energy) in bestowing Instant Ignorant Dolt titles on these two;

Officers Run Background Check On Obama; Placed On Leave

Two DeKalb County police officers have been placed on paid administrative leave after an investigation revealed they ran a background check on President Barack Obama.

A representative for the DeKalb County CEO’s office identified the officers as Ryan White and C.M. Route.

Officials said Obama’s name was typed into a computer inside a DeKalb County police car on July 20 and ran through the National Crime Information Center.

The secret service was immediately notified and contacted the DeKalb County Police Department.

A representative said both officers have been with the department less than five years.

A representative said one of the officers denied involvement.

An official investigation is being conducted by the DeKalb County Police Department’s Internal Affairs division.

It is unclear why the officers ran a check on the president.

"It is unclear why the officer ran a check on the president" ...

It's, almost, as if the DeKalb County Police representative was calling The Garlic, to point out this dynamic duo.

It such a concise, but fully explanatory, statement, close perhaps, if we actually handed out hardware to our IID's, that this could be the inscription engraved on it.

You're on leave now, so come on by, Ryan and Route, to pick up your Instant Ignorant Dolt gear.

Bonus Links

Steve M: JUST DOING WHAT THE LEADERS OF THE REBEL FORCES WOULD WANT THEM TO DO

Melissa McEwan: Dumbest Cops on the Planet?

Zandar vs. The Stupid: Next, Look Up George Washington