John Oliver on the Mumbai Tragedy
Tuesday, December 2, 2008 at 09:02AM John Oliver "When you're a bankrupt ideology persuing a bankrupt strategy the only move you've got is the dick one."
Best of 2008: TV
Saturday, November 29, 2008 at 10:34PM Over the next few weeks, I'll tell you my picks for the best "things" of this year. This week: television.
1. Pushing Daisies
Though the premiere season of “Pushing Daisies” hasn’t been topped by any of this year’s episodes, they’ve still been operating on a level that can’t be touched. The quirky comedy cannot be missed. It will be missed, however, when it finishes it run later this year.
2. The Colbert Report
Stephen Colbert brings the truth and leaves the facts. The third year of the show’s existence has seen him go to “Dorito's Spicy Sweet Chiladelphia” to cover the presidential primaries; bringing with him Barack Obama (via satellite), Hillary Clinton (who fixed the set when it “broke”) and John Edwards (when he had credibility).
3. 30 Rock
Attracting big name stars such as Oprah, Jennifer Anniston and the cast of “Night Court,” “30 Rock” is a fun show that combines relevant humor to bashing NBC. A great combination.
4. John Adams
The HBO miniseries starring Paul Giamatti has gotten everyone interested in our nation’s history. And the timing couldn’t have been more perfect. In a year dominated by presidential election talk, the series became decidedly relevant.
5. Politics coverage
2008 is the year of politics: whether viewers liked it or not, it was going to be the subject of just about everything on. “Saturday Night Live” suddenly became popular again, though whether that will continue to grasp viewers remains to be seen.
The Best thing I ever learned in History Class
Tuesday, October 28, 2008 at 12:32PM From Wikipedia article on Guantanamo Bay Naval Base:
The Cuban-American Treaty gave, among other things, the Republic of Cuba ultimate sovereignty over Guantánamo Bay while granting the United States "complete jurisdiction and control" of the area for coaling and naval stations.
A 1934 treaty reaffirming the lease granted Cuba and her trading partners free access through the bay, modified the lease payment from $2,000 in U.S. gold coins per year, to the 1934 equivalent value of $3,086.36 in U.S. dollars, and made the lease permanent unless both governments agreed to break it or the U.S. abandoned the base property. Since the Cuban Revolution, the government under Fidel Castro has cashed only one of the rent checks from the US government. The Cuban government maintains this was only done because of "confusion" in the heady early days of the leftist revolution, while the US government maintains that the cashing constitutes an official validation of the treaty. The remaining uncashed checks made out to "Treasurer General of the Republic" (A position that has ceased to exist after the revolution) are kept in Castro's office stuffed into a desk drawer.
Apple Opposes Prop. 8 in California
Saturday, October 25, 2008 at 11:02AM From Apple's Hot News Page:
Apple is publicly opposing Proposition 8 and making a donation of $100,000 to the No on 8 campaign. Apple was among the first California companies to offer equal rights and benefits to our employees’ same-sex partners, and we strongly believe that a person’s fundamental rights — including the right to marry — should not be affected by their sexual orientation. Apple views this as a civil rights issue, rather than just a political issue, and is therefore speaking out publicly against Proposition 8.
Commentary coming soon.
