Best TV theme music

For those who think that I'm "all politics, all the time". :)

I have some breadth. :) :)

Note: most of the links are to YouTube, so expect lots of ads.

For the record, I can only discuss/rate the music of TV shows from when I was alive and old enough to form an opinion.  For example, the TV show Mission:Impossible was on when I was alive, but I was too young to realize that the theme music was really good.  So, it gets an Honorable Mention here.

IMO, the best theme music came from the 1970s - The Rockford Files.  The 70s had many TV shows with outstanding theme music, including (but not limited to) Hawaii Five-O, The Jeffersons, Baa Baa Black Sheep/Black Sheep Squadron, Good Times, etc.  I would include WKRP in Cincinnati here, but only if we can ignore the song over the opening credits (it was more than a little lame) and keep the music over the end credits (the best ever song over the end credits).

80s - Hill Street Blues

90s - Renegade.  My nominee for the award for "Best Theme Song for a Bad TV Show".

And with that, we end the Mike Post period.  He created many fantastic theme songs over his long career..

2000s - Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  I know that the show (and music) started in the 90s, but this is my list, so I get to make the rules.  It was also great.

2010s - Rizzoli and Isles.

2020s - too soon to evaluate, but I don't hold out much hope for this decade - MBA types are already running TV shows, and are cutting out theme songs in order to air more ads.

Stephen J. Cannell (1941 - 2010)

From the LA Times, via the Kansas City Star -

Stephen J. Cannell, the prolific television writer and producer who co-created "The Rockford Files" and "The A-Team" and later became a best-selling novelist, has died. He was 69.

Cannell died Thursday evening of complications associated with melanoma at his home in Pasadena, said his family.

Picture from his website, cannell.com.

While in recent years, most of his fame came from his work as a best-selling novelist, most people know him best as the mind behind some of the most popular TV shows of the last 40 years.

Most of his shows weren't critical darlings, but most of the shows were something that most critics are not -

Likeable.

His shows combined strong (but human) characters with solid writing to tell entertaining stories, and telling stories is what good TV (or good books, or good movies, or good plays) is all about.  While most of his creations weren't comedies (with one notable comic-bookish exception where thousands of rounds were fired in almost every episode but it seemed that no one ever was actually hit), most of the shows exhibited a light touch, humanizing the characters.

Of the many shows that he created, my favorite (and one of my favorite TV shows all-time) was The Rockford Files.  The title character, an ex-con/ private investigator Jim Rockford, was played to laconic perfection by James Garner.  It's the first show that I can remember where if the lead character was hit or shot, he was actually injured and not magically healed by the next scene.

Wiseguy, a late 80s creation from Cannell, was the first show where I sat up and thought to myself "I wish I had written that!"  It was one of his darker shows, yet it also illustrated and emphasized the bonds between friends and families and how they can balance and fortify us in the most trying times.

Cannell's greatest impact on pop culture probably came from his shows The A-Team and 21 Jump Street, shows that gave the world Mr. T and Johnny Depp.

Over his career, the shows he created and the stories he told were never "appointment television," but were the sort of entertainment that viewers could rely on to be entertaining without being intellectually taxing or insulting.*

In this age of "reality" television, his deftness with characters and scripts is sorely missed.

My condolences go out to his family, friends, and thousands of fans.


*OK, I still don't understand the appeal of The A-Team.  I just know that it worked at the time, for me and millions of other viewers.

Celebrity sues company over TV ad

I don't normally comment on pop culture happenings, mostly because ultimately they are utterly meaningless to anyone other than those people who are directly involved.

Occasionally though, something so jaw-droppingly inane crops up that even I take notice.

One such item has hit the wires today and it thoroughly merits some ridicule.

From Yahoo! -

Lindsay Lohan is no milkaholic.

And that's likely why the 23-year-old star is suing financial company E-Trade for $100 million for using her name in its latest commercial about a boyfriend-stealing "milkaholic" baby.

Ummm...yeah.

I've seen the spot. Thought is was cute and worth a chuckle. Did *not* think "Why, they're making fun of Lindsay Lohan!" when I saw it.

A few points here -

1. Lindsay/Lindsey ranks between 277 and 380 (depending on spelling) on the list of most popular baby names (according to the Social Security Administration, anyway). As recently as 1999, it ranked in the top 100. It's a popular name.

If the baby's name in the spot had been "Lohan", there might be grounds for a suit.

However, it's wasn't and there isn't.

2. Last time I heard (and since I don't follow this stuff, my info may be a few years out of date), Lindsay Lohan isn't interested in boyfriends. That's her choice to make, but it kind of undercuts her point in the suit. No if the baby girl had been stealing the recurring character's girlfriend, there might be grounds for a suit.

However, she wasn't and there isn't.

3. Could the fact that Lohan's fame is fading fast be behind this lawsuit? A little senseless ranting to let people know she is still around, trying to get a little attention? Well, if it is, it worked.

She's earned a little attention from a mostly obscure blog in Arizona.

Her PR team has certainly earned its pay this week.

OK - anybody want to trade an Archie for a Calvin and Hobbes?

I am not a stamp guy, but I may just get me some of these...

The Postal Service has announced its 2010 Stamp Program, and among the usual "dreck" (Mother Teresa, monarch butterfly, Kate Smith, etc.) is one outright gem - Sunday Funnies.

And the Gem of the gems? Calvin and Hobbes. It ran for a little more than 10 years while the others in the set (Archie, Dennis the Menace, Beetle Bailey, and Garfield) ran (or still run) for 30 years or more. Still, it was the most brilliantly written non-political strip ever, entertaining and inspiring kids and adults alike, even a decade-and-a-half after Bill Watterson stopped penning new entries in the series.

After the set goes on sale in July, anything I have to mail is going to have a comic strip stamp on it.

For months. :)

BTW - In case you couldn't tell, the word "dreck", used earlier in this post, is nothing more than sarcasm used to express my sheer joy over the C&H stamp. Mother Teresa, Kate Smith, Tom Mix, and the rest of the honorees on next year's stamp issues are not "dreck-y" in any way, shape or form. In fact, most of them are extremely worthy of respect and honor for their life's accomplishments.

They just aren't Calvin and Hobbes.

Later...

Enough with the Tiger Woods stuff already

Time for a rant...

Enough already.

I don't care that Tiger Woods was in a car accident and ran over a fire hydrant, other than to be happy that no one was seriously hurt.

I don't care that he has cheated on his wife - that's an issue to be sorted out between him and his wife, and perhaps their marriage counselors/divorce attorneys (whichever direction they choose to move in).

I don't care how many different women he has cheated with - any number above zero is bad news for the relationship.

I don't care that his wife has apparently moved out of their home - she hasn't moved in with me (not that I would have a problem with that - she's seriously hot).

What I *do* care about is that media coverage of this is overwhelming coverage of matters that actually have an impact on most of the country.

I can understand if the tabloid magazines/websites/TV shows that exist for the sole purpose of disseminating celebrity gossip cover this because this crap *is* their reason for existence. If you don't care for celebrity gossip (and I don't), you can avoid these media outlets (and I do).

I can understand if the sports networks/websites/mags cover this because Woods *is* a sports figure. This isn't their normal fare, but since this could reasonably be expected to impact Woods' play in his chosen field of endeavor, it's fair game.

What I can't understand is why the "mainstream" media outlets such as MSNBC and CNN have devoted so much effort and time to covering this. I watch those outlets for hard news, not the latest reports of "celebrities behaving badly."

Enough already.

End rant...

Yup, there were lots of "I's" in this one, but it was a rant, just something that has really been bugging me for a week and that I needed to get off my chest.

Thanks for your patience. Back to politics...

Edward Woodward dies at 79

Most of the readers of this blog probably aren't familiar with the name, but Edward Woodward was the star of one of the most iconic 80s TV shows, The Equalizer.

Woodward was a highly-respected actor in England. Before accepting the role of Robert McCall, a retired and disillusioned Cold War-era spy who helped the helpless in the mean streets of New York as a way of paying penance for some of the sins he committed in the line of duty, he was probably best known in the U.S. for his role in the film Breaker Morant.

The show was gritty, human and had a GREAT opening theme from Police drummer Stewart Copeland.

The Washington Post has a full bio and obit here; the Indianapolis Star has a report on Woodward's passing, as well as the death of another, much younger, icon from the 1980s, Ken Ober. Ober was the host of MTV's first non-music program, Remote Control. Yes, at one point in time, the "M" in "MTV" stood for "Music." Shocking, I know...

Kevin at Exurban League sums it up thusly - "Great show. Fantastic intro. Gonna miss him."

The folks over at EL are usually spectacularly wrong on all issues political, but they've got some pretty good taste in movies, music, and TV. Though they lose serious points for the David Hasselhoff reference. I know it was the Berlin Wall, but Hasselhoff?

Well, it wasn't a bright idea to begin with, so this isn't a surprise

Non-political post ahead...

From AP via the East Valley Tribune -

A summer concert next week featuring Bob Dylan, John Mellencamp and Willie Nelson has been cancelled because of excessive heat in the greater Phoenix area.

Concert promoter Jam Productions said late Friday that the hot weather expected for Tuesday's show at Camelback Ranch in Glendale was a risk "too great for all involved."

Let's see...

Bob Dylan is 68.

John Mellencamp is 57 .

And Willie Nelson is older than Yoda (OK, actually, he's 76. But he looks older than Yoda. :) )

Add in the fact that the average temp in Phoenix in August is 105. (By comparison, Flagstaff's average temp in August is 80.)

So who had the bright idea of an outdoor concert, with older performers and a target audience that is 60+, in *Phoenix* in freakin' *August*?!?!?

Probably someone in the main office of the tour's promoter, Jam Productions.

Jam is based in Chicago.

The interesting part, one that illustrates Jam's ongoing detachment from reality - while the websites of the artists and of Ticketmaster have already been updated to reflect the cancelled show, Jam's own website, you know, the one maintained by the very organization that *announced* the cancellation, still has a link to purchase tickets.

Even as late as last week, I would still hear radio spots hawking tickets to the August 11 show, and whenever I heard one, I would wonder "Who the hell wants to go to an outdoor show in Phoenix in August?"

Apparently, pretty near no one, including the artists.

If they really wanted to do an outdoor show, why not hold it in Flagstaff or even Sedona? Or wait until October or November?

I know it's too late for an April Fool's joke, but that's the only reasonable explanation for this one

Non-political post ahead...

Earlier today, I was shopping at my local Fry's (the supermarket, not the electronics store) when I did a double-take.

I turned a corner to head up an aisle and what did I see?

A stack of 50 pound bags of a new dog food.

Old Yeller Dog Food.

pic from the Pissed Off Gamer blog

Based on this press release, it seems that this is a Fry's exclusive.

I'm not sure who in this fiasco is more clueless - the Disney types who licensed this use of their movie, or the Fry's marketing types who bought into this hook, line, and sinker.

From the press release -

"The movie is a timeless classic that transcends generations, and webelieve this brand will appeal not only to original fans, but to the millionsof Americans who share the same kind of special bond with their beloved dogs,"said Barry Vance, Kroger senior corporate category manager.

"Bringing Disney's Old Yeller brand to a trusted retailer like Kroger wasa natural fit," said Christopher King, category director, Disney ConsumerProducts FMCG. "Disney's Old Yeller dog food is for those dogs that are partof the family."

Ummm...three points.

1. By the end of the movie, Old Yeller was rabid.

2. By the end of the movie, they had to shoot Old Yeller.

3. By the end of the movie, Old Yeller died.

It was a great movie in its day, but it was also heartbreakingly traumatic for most kids who ever saw it.

In addition, "its day" was over 50 years ago (it came out in 1957). Most people who are interested in buying dog food are far too young to have seen the movie.

Of course, that means that most people won't equate "Old Yeller" with "dead dog", but that's a bit of a pyrrhic victory marketing-wise, don't you think? I mean, most of the available market for the product is too young to understand the branding, and most of the ones that do understand the branding will associate negative images and feelings with it.

Magazine covers?!? They're complaining about a magazine cover now??

The McCain/Palin campaign is crying "foul!" over the cover of the new issue of Newsweek. The issue features a story about Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin (hence the cover pic of her).

The photo is an unretouched close up of Alaska's governor that shows some of the "flaws" that anyone in their mid-40s has, and the handlers of the Rep candidates find that objectionable.

Apparently, they believe it's part of a scheme by Newsweek to influence the election. (It's all over Fox News, but I refuse to link to them. Use Google if you don't already have FoxNews.com bookmarked.)

Wonder what they'll have to say about Equire Magazine's endorsement of Barack Obama, the first time in its history that the magazine has endorsed a presidential candidate? And how, on the cover of the issue proclaiming this momentous announcement, instead of a pic of Obama, they have a pic of Halle Berry, the subject of the issue's cover story - "The Sexiest Woman Alive"?

Note: The current cover (right) is a tribute to a classic cover with Bill Clinton from December 2000 (left).

Note2: While I always like an opportunity to poke a little fun at the Reps, this post is mostly just an excuse to put up a pic of Halle Berry. :)

In case you missed it...

...sort of like "Short Attention Span Musing" but covering stuff that happened this past weekend (aka - my workweek :) ) -


...OK, OK, I can appreciate that it's a scandal and all, and that Governor Spitzer (D-NY) should probably resign, but where's the fairness? Senator David Vitter still has his day job, doesn't he?

By now, everyone has heard about Eliot Spitzer of New York's patronage of a high-end prostitution ring, and how he was recorded on an FBI wiretap discussing and arranging an encounter.

Given Governor Spitzer's high profile and the salacious nature of the allegations, this was sure to be big news.

Given the fact that the news broke on a very slow news day (more people dying in places like Pakistan and Iraq? Yawwwnn...), the story was sure to be HUGE news, and justifiably so.

I've got to ask one question, however.

Lost in all of the calls for Spitzer's resignation and threats to impeach him (mostly from the GOP)is the ongoing silence regarding Sen. David Vitter's involvement with a D.C. madam.

U.S. Rep. Peter King weighed in on Spitzer's situation (courtesy the WaPo article linked about -

"He's compromised himself and the entire state," he said. "So there's no way that he can stay on. And I think it's only a matter of time before he resigns, and I would say the sooner the better for him and for the state."

He could have uttered *exactly* the same sentiments regarding Vitter, but he hasn't, and something tells me that in their glee over Spitzer's stepping on his zipper, the rest of the GOP won't either.


...In a sign that November of 2008 may be far worse for Congressional Republicans than November of 2006, Democrat Bill Foster defeated Republican Jim Oberweis in a special election held to fill former Speaker Dennis Hastert's seat. The seat was vacant after Hastert resigned late last year.

The district was solidly Republican - Hastert had held the seat for 21 years and Bush won the district in 2004 with 55% of the vote.

The area had been represented by a Republican since at least 1959.

Today, Foster was sworn it, and the 14th is now represented by a Democrat.

The force of the wave of change flowing over electoral politics that is washing Reps out of office all over the country may be mitigated here in Arizona by John McCain's presence at the top of the November ballot.

However, before AZ Republicans (specifically John Shadegg and downballot legislative candidates) start breathing a little easier, they might want to consider the fact that Democratic and Independent voters have been energized by both Senators Obama and Clinton in a way that hasn't been seen since the 1960s.

It's going to be an interesting fall, both nationally and here in Arizona.


...Is "diarrhea of the mouth" covered under the Congressional health plan?

From AP via Yahoo! News -

An Iowa Republican congressman on Monday defended his prediction that terrorists would celebrate if Democrat Barack Obama were elected president, despite a rebuke from aides to John McCain, the GOP's apparent presidential nominee.

"(Obama will) certainly be viewed as a savior for them," Rep. Steve King told The Associated Press. "That's why you will see them supporting him, encouraging him."

Apparently the Republicans are using "fear and smear" tactics in trying to keep the White House, as well as regain control of Congress.

To be fair to Congressman King, his medical condition is one of the "chronic" variety not the "sudden onset" variety, as illustrated by this post. At this point, it seems likely that he just can't help himself, kind of like an inveterate alcoholic.


In pop culture news...

...What's next? Are they going to elect Joe Montana to the Baseball Hall of Fame?

From CBSNews.com -

Madonna, pop music's quick-change artist, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Monday and paid tribute to people who encouraged her and even critics who panned her for helping drive her career.

I'm not trying to insult Madonna - she's a great entertainer and a talented and skilled businesswoman, but she's as much a "rock-and-roll great" as Joe Montana is a "baseball great."

She's not a rock and roll artist; she doesn't serve as an inspiration for rockers (Looking for inspiration? See "Blues, The.")

When

Just venting... :)


...Always knew that "looks" and "personality" weren't the only reasons that "Mary Ann" would inevitably win the great "Ginger or Mary Ann" debates - "cool" counts, too. :)

From AP -

DRIGGS, Idaho (AP) — Dawn Wells, who played Mary Ann on "Gilligan's Island," is serving six months' unsupervised probation after allegedly being caught with marijuana in her car.

Rumors that the initial plea offer from the prosecution included community service and a three hour tour could not be confirmed. :))

Later!

Even greatness comes to an end

And this Sunday, the best television show of its generation, and perhaps *ever,* comes to an end.

After five seasons, HBO will broadcast the final original episode of "The Wire."

For fans of police procedurals, it doesn't get more realistic than The Wire; for fans of stellar acting and nuanced and riveting writing it doesn't get better than The Wire.

It's not an *easy* show to watch.

It's not the show for people who can't see shades of gray - the "good guys" are nowhere near saintly, and the "bad guys" are nowhere near purely evil. '24' fans need not apply.

It can be harshly stark in its depiction of life in Baltimore (serving as a proxy for modern urban America), and it always requires its audience to be actively and intelligently engaged (fans of 'Deal or No Deal' and 'Don't Forget The Lyrics' would have seizures if they watched The Wire), but it's worth the effort.

If you subscribe to HBO, watch the show.

Better yet, get the DVD box sets and watch the show from the beginning.

They're worth the price.

Trust me. :)


Many epic novels have been made into movies or TV series (to mixed success), but this is the one show that would make a great epic novel.


Blog posts/articles on this topic from ADemLament, David Sirota, and In These Times.

Later!

Supermarket management - defending Scottsdale's (and America's) sensibilities...

Non-political post ahead...

Yesterday, while going thru checkout at my local Fry's, I was asked for ID to verify that I was old enough to purchase an item that I had selected.

Was it cold medicine with pseudoephedrine? Nope, I don't have a cold or the flu (and apparently, I'm one of the few in Arizona who can say that. :) )

Was it cigarettes? Nope, I don't smoke.

Was it booze? Nope, I *do* drink, but do so very infrequently.

No, it wasn't any of those obvious choices.

So what was the item that so threatens the health and welfare of Arizona's children that I had to prove I was of age before the vigilant store management at the local Fry's supermarket would allow me to purchase it?


A freakin' Three Stooges DVD!!


I'm glad they were only concerned with chronological age, because if I had to prove sufficient emotional maturity if would have been more difficult, given that I was purchasing a freakin' Three Stooges DVD!!

:))

Later!

What was Joe Arpaio thinking?

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's never-ending pursuit of media coverage and publicity only serves to undermine his (and his agency's) credibility every day.

From the East Valley Tribune (emphasis mine) -

Sheriff Joe Arpaio joins reality TV

Fox television is considering a comedic reality cop show whose pilot episode starred the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.

The premise of the show, tentatively titled “Smile! You’re Under Arrest,” is to lure fugitives to an unexpected arrest with bogus promises of prizes and riches, according to Scott Grogin, vice president of corporate communications for Fox.

{snip}

Variety reported that everyone who was arrested for the pilot got to keep the prize they were offered.

Bribing criminals now Joe?? Where is that covered in Dick Tracy's Crimestopper Handbook?

Why doesn't he just retire and move to Hollywood? He'll be happy because he'll be in a place with more cameras than people, and we'll be happy because we'll be able to have a true professional in charge of MCSO.

Note: it wouldn't surprise me if the prizes were paid for by Fox, not MCSO. However, whether the money came from Fox or from MCSO, MCSO was part of the scheme to convey the money to known criminals.

Either way, Arpaio comes off looking as if he is more concerned with publicity than with doing his job properly.

Of course, that's not exactly breaking news. :)

Later!

500th post - Short Attention Span Musing

I had planned to do a significant post in commemoration of my 500th post here, full of wry observations and profound witticisms.

However, it's been a long week, so a normal post will have to do. :))


...Now that Rick Renzi has made his departure official, the race for the Republican nomination can officially start.

Sydney Hay, president of the Arizona Mining Association, threw her hat in the ring this week.

According to her AZGOP press release, she will be campaigning on a platform of lower taxes, privatized education and other public services, Republican ethics, and, of course, 'change.'

I have a suggestion for a campaign plank - "CD1 needs a representative who isn't a wholly-owned subsidiary of an out-of-state corporation! In-state corporations need sweetheart no-bid contracts too!"

Among the recipients of her personal campaign contributions, according to the FEC - Sen. Lindsay Graham, Rep. Mike Pence, Rep. Jeff Flake, and herself (she ran in CD1 in 2002.)

...In a development that only reinforced the point made in the first Random Musings post - perhaps the ethnicity of the targeted groups has changed, as well as general language usage, but otherwise, nothing substantial has changed regarding anti-immigrant fervor in the United States.

In Texas, a native-born citizen of Hispanic ancestry was arrested, jailed, and nearly deported because she has the same name as someone who has been deported in the past.

From the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram -

Texan is jailed as illegal immigrant

A native Texan spent the night in the Arlington Jail, missed her children's first day of school and feared being deported after authorities mistook her for an illegal immigrant.

Alicia Rodriguez, an accountant and mother of three, has the same name and date of birth as a woman deported to Mexico three times.

{snip}

Gilfour said police overlooked fingerprints that would have shown Rodriguez was not the illegal immigrant.

Rodriguez said she does not plan to sue, but apologies do not make up for what she was put through.

"I think it's ridiculous. I think it was obvious that I wasn't an illegal immigrant," she said.

Thanks to jobsanger in Texas for the heads-up on this. He summed it up pretty well in his post when he wrote -

This could have easily been avoided if they had just checked her fingerprints against the known prints of the woman they had her confused with. But they didn't -- they already had their minds made up and didn't want to be confused with facts. After all, she was Hispanic.

...Not that I was ever a fan, but Vince Gill's career fade is painful to watch for anybody who likes any kind of music.

Now he's reduced to doing ads where his backing band is the Fruit of the Loom guys! YouTube video here.

What's next? An off-the-Strip gig in a Vegas dive bar? Hell, working as a judge on a reality show has more dignity than jamming with the Fruit of the Loom guys.

...On the other hand, at least *he's* the one destroying his own legacy; Elvis Presley is probably auditioning for the next "Night of the Living Dead" remake, just for the chance to get his hands on whoever from his estate licensed "Viva Las Vegas" to the makers of Viagra.

The spot, with a bunch of guys in an old barn (or something similar) singing "Viva Viagra" is possibly the creepiest use of a catchy tune. Ever.

That's not the worst of it, either - I can't think about the lyrics to Viva Las Vegas without changing "Las Vegas" to "Viagra."

That may make some marketing exec jump for joy, but the song is just ruined.

YouTube video of the spot here.

...While the story of Sen. Larry Craig's (R-ID) attempt to pick up an undercover police officer in a public restroom is tabloid tawdry, and watching the strident gay-basher try to spin his hypocrisy is seriously entertaining (in a 'watching an impending train wreck' sort of way), the real fun has been watching the Republicans turn on one of their own.

However, does anybody think that if he was caught with trying to pick up a woman, that this story would have lasted more than 5 minutes in the media, or generated more than a wink and a nudge from his Republican colleagues?

Anybody?

One bright spot in all this? Soon-to-be-ex-Senator Craig's press conference to deny that he is gay (YouTube video here) has totally trounced the infamous meltdown by Miss Teen USA-South Carolina as the "worst recorded public appearance of the week." (YouTube vid of that here.)

...And in the "I suppose I should be flattered at the attention" Department -

Somebody at the ultra-conservative Goldwater Institute spent two hours at this blog on Friday.

Host Name mx.goldwaterinstitute.org
IP Address 68.110.172.111 [Label IP Address]
Country United States
Region Arizona
City Phoenix
ISP Cox Communications
Returning Visits 0
Visit Length 2 hours 8 mins 48 secs

There's no guarantee that whoever it was spent two entire hours reading this blog, but the visit was definitely more than a drive-by.

...It's time for me to burn my "Yankees Suck" t-shirt.

I wore it at the beginning of a 5 game series between the Sox and Yanks in NYC last August, and the Red Sox were swept.

Then I wore it at the beginning of this week's three game set, also in NYC. The Sox were swept again.

IT'S THE SHIRT'S FAULT!! IT MUST MAKE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE!!

:))

...Time for bed...later!

Short Attention Span Musing - Special Edition*

*"Special Edition" because it's the second one this week, so that means it is twice as special as usual. ;))

...The latest evidence that the Bush Administration's definition of the word "terrorist" has devolved to mean "anybody we don't like" (from USA Today) -

U.S. moves to blacklist Iranian Guard

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Bush administration is moving toward blacklisting Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps as a "terrorist" organization, subjecting at least part of the entity to financial sanctions in a new move against the Islamic republic, a U.S. official said Tuesday.

An unnamed spokesman for the Revolutionary Guard responded with a spirited rebuttal that translators said began "Sticks and stones..."


...The latest evidence that Hollywood needs to create a 'reality' TV show for faded D-list celebrities named "Get a freakin' clue!" (From MSNBC) -

Steven Seagal says FBI probe ruined career

LOS ANGELES - Steven Seagal, whose action movies once were major box-office attractions, believes false allegations by FBI agents ruined his career, the Los Angeles Times reported on Friday.

The FBI investigation *could* have had a negative impact on his career, though I doubt its impact was more significant than that of the fact that he is a talentless hack.


...The latest evidence that there are occasional outbreaks of sanity in Bush's America (also from MSNBC) -

ACLU: Settlement in anti-Bush T-shirt case

Federal government to pay $80,000 to Texas couple arrested at rally

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - A couple arrested at a rally after refusing to cover T-shirts that bore anti-President Bush slogans settled their lawsuit against the federal government for $80,000, the American Civil Liberties Union announced Thursday.

Nicole and Jeffery Rank of Corpus Christi, Texas, were handcuffed and removed from the July 4, 2004, rally at the state Capitol, where Bush gave a speech. A judge dismissed trespassing charges against them, and an order closing the case was filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Charleston.

Of course, our elation at this little island of respect for the Constitution should be tempered by the fact that since 'the federal government' is paying the $80K, that means that while the Bushies committed the crime, *we* are paying the fine.


...The latest evidence that Sen. James "Global Warming Is A Hoax" Inhofe (R-OK) is in dire need of a laxative (aka - he's full of ----) (from the International Herald Tribune) -

Arctic ice shrinks to record low, melting faster than computers predicted

WASHINGTON: Arctic sea ice reached its lowest extent on record Friday, and the melting is continuing, the National Snow and Ice Data Center reported.

"Today is a historic day," said Mark Serreze, a senior research scientist at the center. "This is the least sea ice we've ever seen in the satellite record, and we have another month left to go in the melt season this year."

Maybe Inhofe will believe when Tulsa is oceanfront.


...And finally, in the latest evidence that karma is still alive and kicking...those that deserve it (from Scientific American) -

Deer hunting may put men's hearts at risk

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Deer hunting could be a dangerous endeavor for men with heart disease or risk factors for it, research findings suggest.

In a study of 25 middle-aged male deer hunters, researchers found that the activities inherent to hunting -- like walking over rough terrain, shooting an animal and dragging its carcass -- sent the men's heart rates up significantly.

A spokesowl for PETA was coy when asked if his group had anything to do with funding the study, saying "Whooooo? Us???"

And in unrelated news, Disney announced the release of its latest direct-to-home-video sequel, "Myocardial Infarction: Bambi's Revenge."

Later!

Deploy the National Guard! Call the police! Tell the Minutemen! We need help! Somebody!!

[cue Sweet Polly Purebred singing "Oh where, oh where, has my Underdog gone?" :)) ]

On a regular basis (sometimes it seems to be on a daily basis) the news contains reports of various criminals making the trek to Arizona and seeking a temporary haven here.

The crimes committed by these thoroughly dangerous perpetrators include (but certainly aren't limited to):

Assault
Drug possession
Drunk driving
Rx drug fraud
Gun charges
Sexual harassment
Leaving the scene of an accident
Child molesting

And the latest? Drug trafficking.

I know that as soon as they realize what is going on, the 'law-and-order' wing of the Republican Party will put their collective foot down and demand that the Governor deploy more National Guard troops to the border with Mexico to stem the tide of criminals crossing into our state.

...Except they realize that the criminals in question don't walk across the desert to get here.

Nope, these criminals fly in on private jets or hire chauffeured limos to reach their destination.

...Except they realize that the criminals in question don't have names like Rios, Rodriguez, and Gonzalez.

Nope, instead, these criminals have names like Campbell, Houston, Delaney, Limbaugh, Lawrence, Swayze, and Foley.

And the latest crook, the drug trafficker? He has a name like Ravenel.

Well, surely even though the criminals in question are American, those self-appointed defenders of Arizona's moral fiber like the Minutemen, the Republicans, and others, must be clamoring for the removal or even destruction of the haven that is attracting such a motley crew to our fair state, right?

Except that they realize that these criminals are wealthy, famous, and well-connected; not poor Mexicans looking for work.

The name of this haven for criminals and miscreants of all stripes?

Sierra Tucson, detox center for the famous, famously addicted, and for those who are looking to buy time in their fights against criminal charges (see: Foley, Mark, disgraced former Congressman) and can afford their $30K+ rates for 30 days.

The latest crook to seek a respite from his legal troubles (coke distribution indictment) in the bucolic foothills north of Tucson is Thomas Ravenel, former Treasurer of South Carolina and head of Rudy Giuliani's SC campaign.

...Actually, I don't have a problem when those with addiction or related problems seek treatment, but is a little consistency from the Republicans too much to ask for? I mean, one of the reasons that they give when they advocate kicking out illegal immigrants that are here looking for work is that they're 'criminals' (because they're here illegally).

Wouldn't it be reasonable and fair to call for deporting celebrities, many of whom have done something illegal, who are here looking to dry out? If only to avoid the 'hypocrite' label?

Later....

Short attention span musing - legal edition

The legacy of the Bush administration will live on for a decade or more after he's gone. Just check out the latest decisions from his pro-business (and pro-corruption!), anti-freedom (and anti-integrity!) Supreme Court -

(All from the Washington Post)

First, the Court protected free speech for wealthy corporate bribers...

5-4 Supreme Court Weakens Curbs on Pre-Election TV Ads

Ruling on McCain-Feingold Law Opens Door for Interest Groups in '08

The Supreme Court yesterday substantially weakened restrictions on the kinds of television ads that corporations and unions can finance in the days before an election, providing special interest groups with the opportunity for a far more expansive role in the 2008 elections.

Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. wrote the 5 to 4 decision, saying the McCain-Feingold campaign finance act's prohibition against the use of a candidate's name in such ads in the days before an election was an unconstitutional infringement on the groups' rights to advocate on issues.

{snip}

"This is a big win for big money," League of Women Voters President Mary G. Wilson said in a statement. "Chief Justice Roberts has reopened the door to corruption."

Second up on the hit parade: The court undermed free speech for (relatively) poor students...

Court Backs School On Speech Curbs

A 5-4 Majority Cites Perils of Illegal Drugs In Case of the 'Bong Hits 4 Jesus' Banner

The Supreme Court yesterday gave public schools new authority to regulate what students say, allowing principals to punish speech or demonstrations that may "reasonably be viewed" as promoting illegal drug use.

{snip}

"[T]he court's ham-handed, categorical approach is deaf to the constitutional imperative to permit unfettered debate, even among high-school students, about the wisdom of the war on drugs or of legalizing marijuana for medicinal use," [Justice] Stevens wrote.

Rounding things out with a decision upholding government sponsorship of religious activity by limiting the right of the citizenry to petition (aka - 'sue') to stop said sponsorship...

Justices Quash Suit Over Funds For Faith Groups

The Supreme Court ruled yesterday that federal taxpayers cannot challenge the constitutionality of White House efforts to help religious groups obtain government funding for their social programs, handing a victory to President Bush's faith-based initiatives program.

{snip}

Justice David H. Souter wrote a dissenting opinion joined by Justices John Paul Stevens, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen G. Breyer. Yesterday's decision "closes the door on these taxpayers because the Executive Branch, and not the Legislative Branch, caused their injury," he wrote. "I see no basis for this distinction in either logic or precedent."

Hmmm...let's sum up now - in one day, the Supreme Court brazenly protected wealthy loudmouthed corporate bribers, blithely told opinionated students to go self-copulate (my rhetoric aside, these two decisions do seem somewhat contradictory), and joyfully whittled away at the separation of church and state while widening the gap between citizenry and state.

All in all, a very busy day for the justices.

But they weren't done by a long shot.

They even found time to say that right of homebuilders to make a profit supercedes the Endangered Species Act. (courtesy ScotusBlog)


However, there was one bastion of judicial sanity and common sense on Monday, and the court was even in the District of Columbia.

It just wasn't the United States Supreme Court.


From The Globe and Mail -

Judge loses suit over pants

$54-million claim for misplaced trousers dismissed

WASHINGTON -- A judge in the U.S. capital lost his $54-million (U.S.) lawsuit yesterday against a dry cleaner over a pair of misplaced pants and will have to pay the defendants' trial fees.

Roy L. Pearson, an administrative-law judge in the District of Columbia, claimed a "Satisfaction guaranteed" sign in Custom Cleaners misled consumers who, like him, were dissatisfied with their experience.

The judge hearing the case ruled that Mr. Pearson did not interpret that sign in a reasonable fashion.

*$54 million* for a lost pair of pants isn't 'reasonable?' Gee, ya think??

How is it that the lowly (by comparative prestige level, anyway) District of Columbia Superior Court has a judge that could get it right, but the United States Supreme Court, supposedly made up of the best judicial talent out there, went 0 for 4 when it counted?

Of course, the import of yesterday's decisions will probably be lost in the tumult of the more significant legal news...

From the New York Daily News -

Paris freed!

LOS ANGELES - Free at last! Paris Hilton is out of jail.

...In related news, witnesses reported that the ghost of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was last seen roaming the halls of the Daily News, muttering "I HAVE A DREAM! A dream of catching certain writers and giving them the buttkicking that they deserve..."

:)))

Short attention span musing...

...Is there anyone who truly believes that Paris Hilton's fame and wealth *didn't* impact the LA County Sheriff's decision to let her out of jail early?

Of course, her stay at home may not last long - the judge that originally sentenced her to jail specifically ordered that she NOT be allowed to serve her sentence at home under electronic surveillance. Since that is what the sheriff's department is letting her do, he's called a hearing on the issue for Friday morning.

...She may end up spending only five days in jail for her crime, but if some folks get their way, that 5 more days than Scooter Libby will spend in jail for his crimes.

From News Hounds:

Yesterday (6-6-07) on Special Report, anchor Brit Hume reported on the groundswell of support among Republicans for a Presidential pardon for Scooter Libby. "Scooter Libby had barely left the courthouse yesterday when speculation began about whether President Bush might pardon him," Hume said. "...The subject even came up in last night's Presidential debate."

{snip}

During Tuesday night's debate GOP Presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani said he thought the sentence was "grossly excessive" and felt that what the judge did "argues more in favor of a pardon." Mitt Romney accused Patrick Fitzgerald of abusing "prosecutorial discretion." Sam Brownback indicated he would pardon Libby.

Leave it to the Republican presidential candidates to make Paris Hilton look responsible, remorseful and reasonable.

...In a macabre milestone, the official U.S. death toll in Iraq passed 3500 today.

Wonder if the congresscritters who voted to continue funding the war without a timeline for withdrawal are hanging their heads in shame yet...

...From the "OK, so maybe things at the lege could be worse" department...

From AP, via Yahoo! News -

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Simmering tensions in the Alabama Senate boiled over Thursday when a Republican lawmaker punched a Democratic colleague in the head before they were pulled apart.

Republican Sen. Charles Bishop claimed that Democratic Sen. Lowell Barron called him a "son of a (expletive)."

"I responded to his comment with my right hand," Bishop said. Alabama Public Television tape captured the punch.

{snip}

Members of the Alabama House said the incident makes the entire Legislature look bad.

"It's certainly a black eye on the Legislature and the Senate in particular," Republican Rep. Jay Love said.

Well, it's a black eye on one legislator, anyway. :)

...From the "Well, even if they aren't slugging each other, things are still pretty bad at our lege" department" -

(Courtesy an emailed Farley-gram - sign up at the link) Russell Pearce (R-National Alliance) had a strike-everything amendment to SB1265 that, among other things, would make the fact that someone speaks Spanish as probable cause to believe that they are in the U.S. illegally. It passed on a voice vote in the House Committee of the Whole (COW) and should come up for third read next week. Rep. Farley (and I expect, many other legislators) hopes that the session runs out before this bill can pass the House, go back to the Senate, and then get through a conference committee to iron out the differences.

...In sports news, former D-Back and current Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling took a no-hitter to two out in the ninth inning before it was broken up by Oakland A's OF Shannon Stewart.

I caught part of this game on ESPN this afternoon (they cut into regular programming for the 9th inning), and while I was hoping that he would get the no hitter, one thought kept sneaking into my mind -

He's already an insufferably arrogant jerk; what will he be like if he ever gets a no-no on his resume?

...In other sports news, congrats to the U of A Wildcats softball team on winning the Women's College World Series yesterday in Oklahoma City.

Here's hoping the ASU baseball team can bookend that with a win in the men's College World Series...

Have a great weekend!

Good night on Comedy Central tonight...

With Al Gore on The Daily Show and Raul Grijalva on The Colbert Report.

Grijalva didn't do to badly, though I'm not sure he had any idea of what he was in for with Stephen Colbert.

Does anybody know if Gore's book tour includes a stop in the Phoenix area?

Later!

Art Buchwald (1925 - 2007)

Art Buchwald, a humorist esteemed by readers and other columnists, has passed away at age 81 due to kidney failure.

He spent his last years fighting cancer and chronicling his fight against it; prior to that, he was perhaps America's best-known political commentator. His writing was marked by a sharp yet gentle wit rarely found in commentary today.

Civility, too. His humor could be sharp and perceptive, but was never mean.

Bipartisan, too. Anybody, without regard to political affiliation, was subject to needling.


A Washington Post archive of his columns circa 2004/early 2005 is here.

An obit is here, but it cites "Wikipedia" as a source; as Geo noted so well in November and December, Wikipedia is too easily subject to manipulation to be a credible source of info.

A better obit from The Hollywood Reporter is here.