The Garlic

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Morning Joke Sponsor Starbucks Lacerating Its' Customers

“Base eight is just like base ten really, if you're missing two fingers”

Tom Lehrer, from his song, "New Math"

You would expect, after you purchase over-priced coffee, and, additionally, a grinding machine (possibly getting price-gouged as well) from the same people, that you could safely grind your beans, and have bandage-free digits in which to hold your mug (with said company's logo, another big chunk of change you put out) to drink it.

Well, the new Morning Joke sponsor, Starbucks, has a bit of a PR problem today;

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission - Laceration Hazard Prompts Recall by Starbucks of Coffee Grinders; Made by Tsann Kuen

Hazard: The grinder can fail to turn off or can turn on unexpectedly, posing a laceration hazard to consumers.

From the Boston Business Journal;

Starbucks recalling 530,000 coffee grinders

Starbucks Corp. said it’s recalling 530,000 Chinese-made coffee grinders it sold for the past seven years, with some products not turning off or turning on unexpectedly and causing lacerations to some owners who were cleaning the grinders

According to Seattle-based Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the products being recalled include the Starbucks Barista Blade Grinder and Seattle’s Best Coffee Blade Grinder, both sold from March 2002 to March 2009 and made by Tsann Kuen (Zhangzhou) Enterprise Co. Ltd. of China.

Could make watching Morning Joke a bit more interesting, looking, replaying the TIVO, checking to see if there are any nicked, stitched, or bandaged fingers.

Then again, would/will Morning Joke report this news?

Maybe they could, and have Thomas "My Head Is Flat" Friedman come on, and explain how in a global economy, undoubtedly, after showing of a clip of Friedman on Charlie Rose, expounding on the great cup of coffee he had, in some India slum, checking out the next, great wave of coffee grinders that will be ubiquitous, thanks to his books and the flat global economy, and that any of the other coffee grinders he hasn't shilled in his book, or television appearances, can "Suck On This", and wallow in being loser victims in his flat global economy.

Perhaps, as part of the sponsorship, they can have Mr. Gadget as a guest, and actually, live, on camera, grind Starbucks coffee beans, in a recalled Starbucks Coffee Grinder, and, assuming he keeps all his fingers, Morning Joke & Co. can inveigh against government intrusion, hampering good entrepreneurial companies, like ... (drumroll, please) ... Starbucks!

Oh yeah, you gotta juice-the-guy-you-gotta-juice, so, the entire panel will be wearing Starbucks t-shirts.

Bonus Morning Joke Riffs

Morning Joke and Starbucks ... Two Peas In A Non-Union Pod

Hey Morning Joke, Cheetos Are Made By A Successful Union Company!

This Date ... On The Garlic

16 June 2008... On The Garlic

Developing Story - MSNBC Making Pitches To Become Eulogy Channel

You're Kidding ... Bug Shit!

16 June 2007... On The Garlic

Developing Story! Chiquita Case Emerges With Ties To Bush, DOJ, CIA

16 June 2006... On The Garlic

House GOP Bends Rules, Yields Floor Time and Allows Coulter To Cast Iraq Vote; Conservative Doyenne Says Dems, Liberals “Enjoying Soldiers Deaths”; Ties Pelosi To 911 Widows

Top Ten Cloves: Things About The New English Translation of the Mass The Bishops Approved

16 June 2005... On The Garlic

Frist Threatened 'Nuclear Option' Over Lynching Bill; Said No Videotape To Review To Authenticate Measure

Tomlinson Investigated Over CPC Lobbyists; Chairman Continues Push For Congress To Slash All PBS Funding

Top Ten Cloves: Possible Plot Lines Of Proposed Jackson Family Reality TV Show

Monday, June 15, 2009

How High The Moon

Sorry, Garlic Fans, we got jammed up on the homefront today, that left little time to get much writing done (we did get one post finished, only to have news early this evening blow it out of the water, so a rewrite - if possible - is in order, to salvage it).

So, we had a hankering for this tune tonight, and we can use it to give a "Shout Out" to Mir Hosain Mousavi, and all his supporters, that, maybe, maybe, they can steal the election back (or get some serious concession out of it).

How High The Moon - June Christy

How High The Moon (1995 Digital Remaster) - June Christy

(Here's a version of it, with Nat King Cole, June Christy, Mel Torme)

This Date ... On The Garlic

15 June 2008... On The Garlic

We've Gone Well Past The 15-Minutes Thing ...

Happy Father's Day!

15 June 2007... On The Garlic

More Libby, Libby, Libby ... Bill Moyers' Begging His Pardon

Retro Garlic ... James Kilts and the Procter & Gamble - Gillette Merger

15 June 2006... On The Garlic

Breaking News! President Makes Unannounced, Surprise Visit To Redmond Tech Giant; Bolten Continues White House Sweep; Boots Out Microsoft’s Gates and Bush Speechwriter; Cites Need To Keep Week’s Momentum Going; Gates Long Tenure and Possible Economic Slump Prompted Action

Top Ten Cloves: Possible Problems For eBay With Adding Telephone Service For Their Buyers and Sellers

15 June 2005... On The Garlic

Rather Won't Retire So Viacom To Split Company; Veteran Newsman Stays Put, Says Best Work Still Ahead

Levitra Dumps Saatchi & Saatchi

Top Ten Cloves: Alternatives To Guantanamo That Bush Administration Are Considering

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Somebody Check Jim Baker's Passport!

We could, perhaps, use the byline for this, and include "Cleveland, Iran".

It is being reported, from credible sources, that the Iranian Election this weekend makes the Bush Cronies robbery of 2000 (and 2004) look like stealing lunch money.

The Iranian branch of election-fixers haven't even bothered to wink-and-nod ...

Is Mir Hosain Mousavi in the process of becoming the Iranian Al Gore?

Are the Iranian Ayatollahs adios?

Allah O Akbar!

You could, it appears, alter the infamous Apocalypse Now line to "I love the smell of a fixed election ... It smells like revolution!"

It's hard to grab the narrative here, with so much still very fluid, as to the news going on inside, and coming out of, Iran.

So, we're just going to lightly riff here, and point you to a whole, great bevy of posts (and, you can go out to Memeorandum, for a cavalcade more).

Not surprising, Al Giordano has his finger-on-the-pulse, and a great headline - A World at the Edge of Its Seat;

That this video made it out of the country and on to the Internet this morning tells you everything you need to know about the difference between the youth uprising in China's Tienanmen Square twenty years ago this month - quashed with a massacre - and what is possible in Iran. Today, the world is wired from the bottom up: personal video cameras, cell phones, text messages, YouTube and the Internet in all its manifestations. Whatever is happening right now in Iran will not be easily swept under the Persian rug.

Andrew Sullivan points out that "The Revolution Will Be Twittered", and, in another, pointed out by a reader, that "Iran is headed for civil war."

"Tehran Burning", according to Libby Spencer, on the Impolitic, who then points to some great videos over on Michael Totten's blog, who notes that "The BBC says clashes between demonstrators and police in Tehran are the most violent in a decade."

There are also reports that Mousavi has been arrested (or has been placed in "house arrest).

Salon has a post up, from "Anonymous" on what's going down in Iran.

Juan Cole has a great read in "Stealing the Iranian Election" (and another, on Salon), as does Gary Sick, with his "Iran's political coup".

First, Cole;

As the real numbers started coming into the Interior Ministry late on Friday, it became clear that Mousavi was winning. Mousavi's spokesman abroad, filmmaker Mohsen Makhbalbaf, alleges that the ministry even contacted Mousavi's camp and said it would begin preparing the population for this victory.

The ministry must have informed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who has had a feud with Mousavi for over 30 years, who found this outcome unsupportable. And, apparently, he and other top leaders had been so confident of an Ahmadinejad win that they had made no contingency plans for what to do if he looked as though he would lose.

They therefore sent blanket instructions to the Electoral Commission to falsify the vote counts.

Now, Sick;

The current election appears to repudiate both of those rules. The authorities were faced with a credible challenger, Mir Hossein Mousavi, who had the potential to challenge the existing power structure on certain key issues. He ran a surprisingly effective campaign, and his “green wave” began to be seen as more than a wave. In fact, many began calling it a Green Revolution. For a regime that has been terrified about the possibility of a “velvet revolution,” this may have been too much.
On the basis of what we know so far, here is the sequence of events starting on the afternoon of election day, Friday, June 12.
Near closing time of the polls, mobile text messaging was turned off nationwide
Security forces poured out into the streets in large numbers
The Ministry of Interior (election headquarters) was surrounded by concrete barriers and armed men
National television began broadcasting pre-recorded messages calling for everyone to unite behind the winner
The Mousavi campaign was informed officially that they had won the election, which perhaps served to temporarily lull them into complacency
But then the Ministry of Interior announced a landslide victory for Ahmadinejad
Unlike previous elections, there was no breakdown of the vote by province, which would have provided a way of judging its credibility
The voting patterns announced by the government were identical in all parts of the country, an impossibility (also see the comments of Juan Cole at the title link)
Less than 24 hours later, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamene`i publicly announced his congratulations to the winner, apparently confirming that the process was complete and irrevocable, contrary to constitutional requirements
Shortly thereafter, all mobile phones, Facebook, and other social networks were blocked, as well as major foreign news sources
[snip]

In their own paranoia and hunger for power, the leaders of Iran have insulted their own fellow revolutionaries who have come to have second thoughts about absolute rule and the costs of repression, and they may have alienated an entire generation of future Iranian leaders. At the same time, they have provided an invaluable gift to their worst enemies abroad.

Steve Clemons, on The Washington Note, has two great posts up - "Iran: There Will Be Blood" and "Anatomy of Iran's Right Wing Coup", while Ali Frick, at Think Progress points out that the Right Wing Freak Show is blaming Obama, for Ahmadinejad, and the entire fraud election.

Lastly, the Guardian UK has an excellent article - "The Iranian election controversy: what happens now?" - that lays out, succinctly, the happenings, what's going to happen, if that can be predicted at this particular moment.

It would appear, that the Iran its' citizens woke up to today, and the many mornings to come, is going to be vastly different than the Iran that was in place before this heisted election.

As we noted above, to stay on top of this, go to Memeorandum, for the newest reports and posts.

And, you gotta be thinking, that somewhere, wherever they are, James Baker, and, perhaps, Katherine Harris, have bags packed, and placed near the door, possibly expecting a long-distance phone call, saying they are needed, pronto, and to bring the whole team over, the Ayatollah's want the Deluxe Bag Job, now that they have, seemingly, screwed up the basic intro package.

Or, maybe, the Carlyle Group will dispatch him ...

Yes, Allah O Akbar ...

From the rooftops ...

Bonus Cleveland, Iran Heisted Election Links

Steve Hynd: Still Confused About The Iranian Election

Nate Silver: Statistical Report Purporting to Show Rigged Iranian Election Is Flawed

Juan Cole: Class v. Culture Wars in Iranian Elections: Rejecting Charges of a North Tehran Fallacy

Jill: The Iranians are not sitting idly by and watching their election be stolen by right-wing thugs

Digby: Iran

Brad: Memo to the Iranians

Yes, Our Prediction Is In Flames

No, we were not cowering, hiding out, or otherwise avoiding our public, with the lack of posting yesterday (another homefront situation to be dealt with, another hospital run), over our bold, brazen prediction of the Orlando Magic whipping the Los Angeles Lakers in six games

How could we be so stupid, right?

It would be one thing to say it, talk about it with friends, but to post it up on the World Wide Web?

What can we say? ... Perhaps, award ourselves an Ignorant Dolt citation?

You have to admit, heading into the finals, Orlando was looking mighty shiny, dusting off the defending champs, the Boston Celtics, and then, needing only six games to blow away LeGone James and the Cleveland Cadavierliers.

Yet in this NBA Finals series, Orlando has been hampered most by ... Themselves!

You can profess that the Lakers are doing what they need to do, what a good team does, what a championship team does, to win games.

However, I am not quick to fit that particular crown on them.

Essentially, the Lakers have, simply, made less errors than Orlando.

In the past two games (Games 3 and 4), Orlando is up in the neighborhood of 40+ turnovers (including the win in Game 3), and in Game 4, missed 16 free throws (with Dwight Howard missing two, with 11-seconds left, and Orlando with a three-point lead; Had he hit, even, just one of them, it's a two-possession game for the Lakers, and even if they hit a three-pointer, it would come down in the last 5-or-6-seconds, the "foul game", and I would presume Orlando would be inbounding the ball, not to Howard, but either Turkelo or Lewis, the better free throw shooters).

So, just as you could say the Lakers are doing what they should be doing, you can also offer that, but for a missed lay-up, at very end (last second) of Game 2, and the missed Howard free throw, it is Orlando who could, just as easily, be up 3-games-to-1.

As one of the Talking Heads said after the game the other night, how Orlando plays in Game 5 tonight will be an indication if they believe they could still win this series, or if they go out, and just pack it in for the year.

It would be nice for Orlando to show some grit, and, perhaps, extend the series back to LA, for a Game 6, then, if they can keep their game together, bring it to a Game 7.

Anything to avoid the beatification of the rumored-rapist, Kobe Bryant, or their former-hatchet-man-as-a-player coach, Phil Jackson (he can win double, triple the amount of championships as Red Auerbach, and still only be a mere iota of a coach - Red built his championship line-ups, he didn't inherit them).

If that were to happen, put the pressure on the Lakers, who would be on the doorstep of blowing a 3-1 lead, and facing the prospects of losing the championship on their home court (let's not forget, Orlando beat the Celtics in a Game 7, in Boston).

Quite a few stars (both literally and figuratively) have to align for that to happen, however, as the old saying goes, "Never Say Never" ...

For now, we just want to see a good Game 5 tonight.

This Date ... On The Garlic

14 June 2007... On The Garlic

Libby, Libby, Libby ... It's A Scooterpalooza!

14 June 2006... On The Garlic

Developing Story! Bush Use Of Electronic Signal May Have Been Employed To Lull Opponents; White House Being Investigated For Using Mosquito-like Device On Congress, Media; Frequency Employed Allowed Bush Team To Sell War, Avoid Laws and Stymie Prosecutor

Top Ten Cloves: Why Members Of The Congress Voted Themselves A Raise Yesterday

14 June 2005... On The Garlic

Jackson Cleared; Ponders Future; Considers Children's Album and Moving Neverland To Vegas

Schwarzenegger Calls for Special Elections; New Republican Strategy as Cue Taken From Frist To End-Run Rules

"More Losses" Light Flashing For Krispy Kreme

Top Ten Cloves: Other British Memo Comments on Bush Administration Strategies

Saturday, June 13, 2009

This Date ... On The Garlic

13 June 2008... On The Garlic

Little Russ Gone ...

13 June 2007... On The Garlic

Chinese Surname Problem Equals Golden Career Op For Bush - Name Czar

13 June 2006... On The Garlic

Breaking News! Cheney Pushed President Out Of Washington To Avoid Subpoena; President’s Surprise Iraq Visit Not Diplomacy; White House Wanted Distance From Rove; Staff Gets Info Wrong, Thought Bush’s Brain Indicted; Wanted President Out Of Capital, Away From Subpoenas

Top Ten Cloves: Things Overheard At Bush's Camp David War Summit

13 June 2005... On The Garlic

Bush To Merge Two Agenda Items To Get Approval; Private Patriot Acts For Those Who Open Private SS Savings Accounts

Tyson Says Media Twisted His Words

Some G8 Members Concerned About Cancelled Debt

Top Ten Cloves: Surprising Things Dick Cheney Will Say In His Hannity Interview Tonight

Friday, June 12, 2009

Happy B'Day Chick Corea!

Since, we are going to take the night off, we thought, rather than throwing up a goose-egg, as to posting (there are a few, total inane, draining stories bouncing around the World Wide Web, that we just don't want to drag ourselves into this evening) we would give a shout-out, to a local (Chelsea, MA), on his 68th birthday.

Happy B'Day Chick Corea!

Corea, the pianist, keyboard player, and composer, has performed and collaborated with the best-of-the-best, and "is known for his work during the 1970s in the genre of jazz fusion. He participated in the birth of the electric fusion movement as a member of Miles Davis' band in the 1960s, and in the 1970s formed Return to Forever.[1]".

You can visit Chick Corea's website HERE

While he has an incredible body of work, we will go with two of our favorites, from the Return To Forever days...

Enjoy!

Return to Forever- No Mystery

Chick Corea and Return to Forever - Spain

This Date ... On The Garlic

12 June 2008... On The Garlic

Paging Linda Blair ...

12 June 2006... On The Garlic

Breaking News! - Bush Didn’t Want “Another Mission Accomplished” On His Hands; Bush Talked Out Of Having Zarqawi Photo Lay In Capital Rotunda; Sources Say West Wing “Run Ragged” With President’s Efforts To Tone Down Terror Rhetoric

Top Ten Cloves: How Staff Is Dealing With Robert Byrd Now Being Longest-Serving Senator

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Maybe Starbucks Can Sponsor The AMA's Operation Coffee Cup II

After all, they want to "do business with people with like-minded values,", which brought them to sponsor the Morning Joke Show, so it seems that there would be the vibe for them to get behind the AMA, to trot out Operation Coffee Cup II, and rail against the evils of "socialized medicine" once again.

You see, the AMA did that, back in the early 1960's, using a "well known actor", Ronald Reagan;

The operation received support from Ronald Reagan, who in 1961 produced the LP record Ronald Reagan Speaks Out Against Socialized Medicine for the AMA, outlining arguments against what he called "socialized medicine". This record would be played at the coffee meetings.

(You can go HERE, to listen to The Gipper pitch against "socialized medicine".)

As Gomer Pyle would be apt to say, "Surprise, Surprise!"

The American Medical Association is at it again;

Doctors’ Group Opposes Public Insurance Plan

As the health care debate heats up, the American Medical Association is letting Congress know that it will oppose creation of a government-sponsored insurance plan, which President Obama and many other Democrats see as an essential element of legislation to remake the health care system.

[snip]

While committed to the goal of affordable health insurance for all, the association had said in a general statement of principles that health services should be “provided through private markets, as they are currently.” It is now reacting, for the first time, to specific legislative proposals being drafted by Congress.

[snip]

But in comments submitted to the Senate Finance Committee, the American Medical Association said: “The A.M.A. does not believe that creating a public health insurance option for non-disabled individuals under age 65 is the best way to expand health insurance coverage and lower costs. The introduction of a new public plan threatens to restrict patient choice by driving out private insurers, which currently provide coverage for nearly 70 percent of Americans.”

If private insurers are pushed out of the market, the group said, “the corresponding surge in public plan participation would likely lead to an explosion of costs that would need to be absorbed by taxpayers.”

But Wait! ... That was this morning.

This afternoon, the AMA is singing a different tune

AMA Walks Back From Its Opposition To All Public Options

The American Medical Association is walking back from its strong opposition to the public option ...

[snip]

But now, the AMA has issued a statement saying that it is willing to accept a public plan that looks like the private option:

Today’s New York Times story creates a false impression about the AMA’s position on a public plan option in health care reform legislation. The AMA opposes any public plan that forces physicians to participate, expands the fiscally-challenged Medicare program or pays Medicare rates, but the AMA is willing to consider other variations of the public plan that are currently under discussion in Congress. This includes a federally chartered co-op health plan or a level playing field option for all plans. The AMA is working to achieve meaningful health reform this year and is ready to stand behind legislation that includes coverage options that work for patients and physicians.”

No doubt, there's a whole lot more dancing to be done to this tune.

In the meantime, the AMA is probably casting about, for the new "well known actor", to record Operation Coffee Cup II.

Hmmm ... Wilford Brimley has been doing some medical commercials ...

Or, better yet, let Morning Joke and Ms. Mika Joke do it!

That way, they can plug Starbucks at the same time ...

Bonus Healthcare - Socialist or Private - Riffs

Joe Sudbay (DC): Dear AMA, You're saps and a big part of the health care problem for not standing up to the insurance companies who run your lives

Kevin Drum: The AMA Takes a Shocking Stand

Sam Stein: American Medical Association Trying To Torpedo Health Care Reform Again

Bob Cesca: The Health Insurance Mafia Deserves a Good Screwing

Jurassicpork: Here There be Windmills... Maybe

Matthew Yglesias: AMA Opposing Public Option

This Date ... On The Garlic

11 June 2008... On The Garlic

Hmmm ... I Wonder If Cindy Kisses His Balls ...

Retro Garlic: I Phone, You Phone, We All Phone For The G3 Phone ...

11 June 2007... On The Garlic

It's About The Legacy, Stupid! ... The Results - The Garlic Weekly Poll

Top Ten Cloves: Ways CIA Will Cut Back On Using Contractors

11 June 2006... On The Garlic

Weekend Special - Sautéed Cloves 11 June 2006

Results from The Garlic's Weekly Poll June 4 - June 11 2006: “The Marine’s cover-up of the massacre in Haditha is because of ...

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Morning Joke and Starbucks ... Two Peas In A Non-Union Pod

Well, since we left them off last week (Hey Morning Joke, Cheetos Are Made By A Successful Union Company!), after Morning Joke, and his harlequin-sidekick Mika, had some yuks over dissing Unions, the news broke that the Morning Joke Show had entered into a sponsorship with one of the biggest union-deniers across the land, the caffeinated, price-gouging Starbucks.

Like, try the day after;

Why Starbucks Is Sponsoring MSNBC's 'Morning Joe' ... CMO Terry Davenport Says Coffee Chain Sees Opportunity to Promote Ethical Commitments

CHICAGO (AdAge.com) -- This week Starbucks announced a title sponsorship of MSNBC's "Morning Joe," the first such cable-news deal in decades. But the coffee retailer's chief marketer, Terry Davenport, said the news and a morning cup of coffee just go together.

[snip]

The partnership itself appears to be the result of some schmoozing. After ongoing discussions with both General Electric and NBC, Mr. Davenport said "Morning Joe" host Joe Scarborough casually dropped in to a recent meeting Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz was having with network executives.

"He introduced himself to Howard and said he was a big fan," Mr. Davenport said. "It kind of grew from there." Incidentally, "Morning Joe" anchors have been drinking Starbucks on air for several years. Mr. Scarborough has said viewers have been asking if Starbucks was paying for that placement for quite some time.

[snip]

Starbucks is, after all, the darling of many a liberal elite. While MSNBC is generally seen as a moderate, if not liberal, network, Mr. Scarborough is a former congressman with a conservative record. Such an alliance could cut at Starbucks' core. But for some, the partnership did not seem conservative enough. A number of commenters on StarbucksGossip.com asked why Starbucks hadn't considered such a partnership with Fox News.

During an interview on the morning show, Mr. Schultz said, "You want to do business with people with like-minded values." He added that Starbucks' model of "balancing profitability with a social conscience" may have been an added inducement for MSNBC.

Like "like-minded values"?

It would seem, then, perhaps, the Morning Joke Show union-bashing was just a coincidental welcoming gift for their new sponsor.

Spilling the Beans About Starbucks' Union-Busting Tactics

The National Labor Relations Board has repeatedly found Starbucks guilty of illegally terminating, harassing, intimidating, and discriminating against employees attempting to unionize. Late last year, a judge ruled Starbucks had committed over a dozen violations of the National Labor Relations Act at a few New York stores. Starbucks has settled five such labor disputes in the last few years in New York, Minnesota, and Michigan, spending millions on legal fees to avoid exposing their anti-worker ways.

To make matters worse, Starbucks has led the charge on a so-called Employee Free Choice Act "compromise," joining Costco and Whole Foods to form the Committee for Level Playing Field. This Orwellian-sounding group has come up with a "third way" on Employee Free Choice, which would require 70 percent of workers to sign union authorization cards instead of the far more manageable 50 percent initially proposed by this legislation.

[snip]

Like Wal-Mart, Starbucks offers its workers low wages averaging $7.75 an hour, and Starbucks also refuses to guarantee workers set hours. Instead, the company adheres to an Optimal Scheduling policy that requires baristas to make themselves available 70 percent of open store hours just to work full time in any given week. This means low-wage earning baristas often don't have time to take a second job. Moreover, it precludes tens of thousands of Starbucks employees from working the 240 hours per quarter needed to qualify for the company's health insurance.

Brave New Films has a new campaign - Stop Starbucks - and a video to go with it;

What do Starbucks and Wal-Mart have in common?

BNF also posted the hysterical take by Jon Stewart, on the Daily Show, of the Morning Joke-Starbucks lip-lock;

Daily Show: Stewart Slams Starbucks and Morning Joe Synergy

And guess what?

Morning Joke and harlequin-sidekick Mika don't like Jon Stewart, and the Daily Show, making fun of them.

Joe Scarborough On Jon Stewart: A "Very, Very Angry Guy" With A "Napoleonic Complex"

Hmmmm ...

Maybe Morning Joke can get Newsweek to give them some special coverage, get their backs, so to speak ...Again!

Bonus Morning Joke

Cory Doctorow: Starbucks Twitter campaign hijacked by documentary about Starbucks' union-busting

Wayne Barrett - Barrett: Why Don't MSNBCers Question "Morning Joe" About Abortion Doc Killings?

Media Matters: Scarborough declares "if planes go into buildings...blame Dana Priest" for exposing use of waterboarding

Morning Joke Teaches Thousands of Kids To Swear! ... Or: Blame It On The Cheetos, Joe ...

Get A Shovel! ... Olbermann Disses Scarborough, On-Air

This Date ... On The Garlic

10 June 2008... On The Garlic

Change You Can't Really Believe In

10 June 2007... On The Garlic

Of Talking Head Paloozas ... Ahh, Dennis, I'll Take Has-Been Hosts for $500, Please ... And Wait A Minute, Didn't You Read This Before? ...

10 June 2005... On The Garlic

Bush Lobbies For Patriot Act; RSVP's To Terrorists Not In; May Move Sunset Provisions To Clear Skies Act

Aruba Struggles With Investigation But Plans For Future; Talks Started With CBS; Planning CSI Theme Park To Bolster Tourism

Top Ten Cloves: Other Ways Howard Dean Plans On Annoying The Republicans

Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Let's Hope The GM Boycott Goes As Good As His Palin Book

Well, I suppose there could be points awarded, for persistence.

We happened to catch this post, yesterday, from Eric Kleefeld, on TPM;

Right-Wingers To Boycott GM?

"In the effort to reverse this lurch beyond the farthest left fringe of previous Democratic statist urges, individual Americans have a role to play. They have to say no to GM products and services until such time as the denationalization occurs," says Hugh Hewitt. He acknowledges that this is a serious step that could hurt people currently working for GM: "But there isn't any alternative, every dollar spent with GM is a dollar spent against free enterprise. Every car or truck purchased from Government Motors is one not purchased from a private car company that competes fairly against all other car companies."

The Cheeseburger That Sweats (h/t Barry Crimmins), aka The Unelected Shadow Leader of the PartyofNoicans is also rooting for it.

Now, Hugh Hewitt is one of the bigger Flying Monkeys out there, and it was, oh so nice, to show some empathy for the GM workers, even though he's betting on screwing them.

So, it is conceivable, that some of his smaller Flying Monkeys, and the Dittoheads that listen to El Dittohead Grande, have already, if they own one, driven their GM automobiles, or trucks, to the nearest junkyard, and replaced it with a good, ol' American-made, "free enterprise" automobile ...

Errr, well, that would have to be subject of another post

But, wait, Hewitt's track record isn't so great on these kind of things.

Steve Benen, in his "SCHADENFREUDE WATCH: HEWITT EDITION..." explains;

In 2006, a few months before the midterm elections, conservative blogger/talk-show host Hugh Hewitt published a book on the drive for a "permanent Republican majority." Soon after, Democrats won a sweeping, historic victory, and reclaimed the majority in both chambers.

In 2007, a few months before the primaries, Hewitt published a book on Mitt Romney and the prospects of a "Mormon in the White House." Soon after, Romney blew leads in Iowa and New Hampshire, and withdrew from the presidential race after a surprisingly poor showing.

In 2008, Hewitt has a new idea for a book. It's called, "How Sarah Palin Won the Election ... and Saved America." There's a small problem: no one wants to publish it ...

Well, we all know how The Wasilla Whiz Kid made out.

Leon Neyfakh, from the New York Observer, has the 411 on the Hewitt-penned-Palin-book that wasn't;

Was that the plan regardless of who won?

"The book obviously presumed [a McCain-Palin victory]," Mr. Yates said, "but the theory was that her impact on this election will have a lasting effect regardless—that she's not gonna go anywhere, that she's just gonna be a figure in G.O.P. politics going forward."

The title of the book, Mr. Yates said, "went through a couple of different iterations."

At one point it was How Sarah Palin Won the Election. At another point it was How Sarah Palin Won the Election ... and Saved America.

"If they were to lose the election it would have just been How Sarah Palin Saved America," Mr. Yates said. "We were trying to cover our bases depending on what may happen."

Rest easy, GM workers ... You got nothin' to lose sleep over ... Well, at least from a Hugh Hewitt-led boycott.

If we follow form, sales of GM cars will skyrocket.

They Don't Hand Out Those Nobel Prizes For Nothing ...

Maybe Team Obama should be listening (harder, more) to this guy;

Nobel Winner Krugman Sees U.S. Recession Ending Soon (Update1)

The U.S. economy probably will emerge from the recession by September, Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman said.

“I would not be surprised if the official end of the U.S. recession ends up being, in retrospect, dated sometime this summer,” he said in a lecture today at the London School of Economics. “Things seem to be getting worse more slowly. There’s some reason to think that we’re stabilizing.”

U.S. stocks erased an earlier decline after Krugman made his comments. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Stock Index was little changed at 939.14 at 4:07 p.m. in New York after slumping as much as 1.5 percent earlier, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1.36 points to 8,764.49.

Krugman, a Princeton University economist, has warned recently that the U.S. government hasn’t done enough to help the country’s economy recover. Last month, at a conference in Abu Dhabi, he said the fiscal stimulus is “only enough to mitigate the slump, not induce recovery.”

[snip]

Even with a recovery, “almost surely unemployment will keep rising for a long time and there’s a lot of reason to think that the world economy is going to stay depressed for an extended period,” Krugman said.

The unemployment rate jumped to 9.4 percent in May, the highest since 1983, partly reflecting more people joining the labor force to look for work.

[snip]

The Fed’s swollen balance sheet is “a little alarming. In the long run you really don’t want the central banks to be so involved in the business of lending,” Krugman said. “But it’s arguably necessary” even if there are questions about “where does it stop?”

Dig "U.S. stocks erased an earlier decline after Krugman made his comments ..."

Hmmm ... I wonder if Secretary of the Treasury Timothy "What's that, Lassie? (Woof, woof!!) Timmy Geithner's in the well?!!" Geithner is already formulating a plan, to intravenously feed Krugman caffeine, and then have the FCC clear a channel for him to be speaking 24/7, if his comments are going to make Wall Street jump.

Bonus Krugman

Three Cheers For Nobel Prize Winner Paul Krugman!

A Tale of Two Gippers

Another Good One Passes On ... Sam Butera

A good friend hipped me to the news, yesterday, that saxophonist Sam Butera, known for his long association with Louis Prima, passed away over the weekend.

Jazz saxophonist Sam Butera dies ...Musician made mark with Louis Prima in Las Vegas

Another link to Las Vegas’ storied past was cut Wednesday morning with the passing of legendary jazz saxophonist Sam Butera, sideman to another Vegas legend, Louis Prima.

Family friends said Butera died at about 6 a.m. at Sunrise Hospital, where he had been since early January suffering from the effects of Alzheimer's Disease.

Butera, who retired in 2004, would have been 82 in August.

[snip]

The music of Prima and Butera resurfaces from time to time, played in film sound tracks an commercials. A Gap commerical in the '90s, featuring “Jump, Jive and Wail” gave Butera’s career a boost.

“Louis Prima’s true ace in the hole for 21 years was Sam Butera,” Prima’s widow, Gia Maione, said during a telephone call from her home in Florida. “I don’t care what vocalists were with Louis, his true ace in the hole was Sam Butera. Side by side, Louis and Sam kicked Las Vegas’ butt for 21 years.”

[snip]

“I really do not believe over all of these years that Sam Butera got the accolades he deserved as a tenor saxophone player,” Maione, 67, said. “I defy anyone to name someone that played better tenor sax that Sam Butera.

“From the day I got the job with Louis, before every show every night, emanating from the dressing room you would hear Sam running his scales, running his fingering, making sure his mouthpiece and reed were perfect. He was a technician beyond belief with that instrument, let alone the showman that he was. And you put those two side by side, Prima and Butera, that was it.”

She says her husband didn’t get the credit he deserved, either.

“Both of them were such great showmen and they had so much fun that people overlooked the skill because they were having too much fun,” she said.

Yes, incredible fun, indeed.

More Sam Butera Obits

All Things Considered: Famed Jazzman Sam Butera Remembered

All About Jazz: Sam Butera 1950s-'60s Tenor Saxophonist with Louis Prima Dies

JazzTimes: Saxophonist Sam Butera Dies at 81

Nola.Com: Sam Butera, former Louis Prima saxophonist, dies in Las Vegas at age 81

Sam Butera on Wikipedia

The Music

Louis Prima - Just a gigolo

Louis Prima - Oh Marie

Louis Prima - Angelina & Zooma, Zooma

Louis Prima Jump Jive An' Wail

Instant Ignorant Dolt Update - Whelan Apologizes

Well, the slingshots are sheathed, for the time being.

IID Whelan raises the white flag;

My Apologies to Publius

On reflection, I now realize that, completely apart from any debate over our respective rights and completely apart from our competing views on the merits of pseudonymous blogging, I have been uncharitable in my conduct towards the blogger who has used the pseudonym Publius. Earlier this evening, I sent him an e-mail setting forth my apology for my uncharitable conduct. As I stated in that e-mail, I realize that, unfortunately, it is impossible for me to undo my ill-considered disclosure of his identity. For that reason, I recognize that Publius may understandably regard my apology as inadequate.

Publius accepts, and The Anonymous Liberal (and John Cole, at Balloon Juice) concurs ...

Though, it appears that Jules Crittendan is a bit jealous, and wants one of those Instant Ignorant Dolt titles for himself ...