This Just In…
Wednesday's Top Stories:
McCain Comes Out of Closet:
Announces Engagement to Bill Ayers
Dow Hits 15,000:
GM Acquires Credit Suisse
Los Angeles Times Expands Editorial Staff:
Paper Adds Afternoon Edition
Osama Bin Laden Makes Dramatic Public Appearance:
Attends Son's Bar Mitzvah Gala
Rush Limbaugh Quits Show:
Talk Jock Donates His Time to Habitat for Humanity
Oxycontin Epidemic Ends:
Millions Suddenly Quit Cheap Addiction
Sarah Palin Named Head of Skeptics Society:
Resigns State House as Alaska Secedes
Dick Cheney Makes $100 Million Grant:
Donates Fortune to Victims of Hell Cold Snap
Iraq Stands Up:
We Stand Down
What stories did u find today?
March 31st, 2009 at 10:27 pm
Marc, it’s still March 31st as you posted this. Doesn’t quite count.
April 1st, 2009 at 5:56 am
Global warming is real!!
April 1st, 2009 at 6:57 am
Real or just April Fools? (Hint, two are false.)
ANOTHER OBAMA NOMINEE FORCED TO PAY BACK TAXES…
Feds to drop charges against former Sen. Stevens; Prosecutorial misconduct…
Obama’s aunt can stay in USA another year…
Obama Orders Chevrolet and Dodge Out Of NASCAR – Car News
Court Rules – Al Franken Wins “Fair and Square”
April 1st, 2009 at 7:54 am
Here’s the story I found today:
http://michael-balter.blogspot.com/2009/04/george-w-bush-surrenders-to.html
This one seems legit, though:
http://michael-balter.blogspot.com/2009/04/india-bound.html
April 1st, 2009 at 8:28 am
I think reality has topped the possible fantasy:
How about the President fires the ceo of General Motors.
Michael Moore’s recent email is a great riff on this:
Friends,
Nothing like it has ever happened. The President of the United States, the elected representative of the people, has just told the head of General Motors — a company that’s spent more years at #1 on the Fortune 500 list than anyone else — “You’re fired!”
I simply can’t believe it. This stunning, unprecedented action has left me speechless for the past two days. I keep saying, “Did Obama really fire the chairman of General Motors? The wealthiest and most powerful corporation of the 20th century? Can he do that? Really? Well, damn! What else can he do?!”
This bold move has sent the heads of corporate America spinning and spewing pea soup. Obama has issued this edict: The government of, by, and for the people is in charge here, not big business. John McCain got it. On the floor of the Senate he asked, “What does this signal send to other corporations and financial institutions about whether the federal government will fire them as well?” Senator Bob Corker said it “should send a chill through all Americans who believe in free enterprise.” The stock market plunged as the masters of the universe asked themselves, “Am I next?” And they whispered to each other, “What are we going to do about this Obama?”
Not much, fellows. He has the massive will of the American people behind him — and he has been granted permission by us to do what he sees fit. If you liked this week’s all-net 3-pointer, stay tuned.
I write this letter to you in memory of the hundreds of thousands of workers over the past 25+ years who have been tossed into the trash heap by General Motors. Many saw their lives ruined for good. They turned to alcohol or drugs, their marriages fell apart, some took their own lives. Most moved on, moved out, moved over, moved away. They ended up working two jobs for half the pay they were getting at GM. And they cursed the CEO of GM for bringing ruin to their lives.
Not one of them ever thought that one day they would witness the CEO receive the same treatment. Of course Chairman Wagoner will not have to sign up for food stamps or be evicted from his home or tell his kids they’ll be going to the community college, not the university. Instead, he will get a $23 million golden parachute. But the slip in his hands is still pink, just like the hundreds of thousands that others received — except his was issued by us, via the Obama-man. Here’s the door, buster. See ya. Don’t wanna be ya.
I began my day today in Washington, D.C. I went to the U.S. Senate and got into their Finance Committee’s hearing on the Wall Street bailout. The overseers wanted to know how the banks spent the money. And many of these banks won’t tell them. They’ve taken trillions and nobody knows where the money went. It certainly didn’t go to create jobs, relieve mortgage holders, or free up loans that people need. It was so shocking to listen to this, I had to leave before it was over. But it gave me an idea for the movie I was shooting.
Later, I stopped by the National Archives to stand in line to see the original copy of our Constitution. I thought about how twenty years ago this month I was just down the street finishing my first film, a personal plea to warn the nation about GM and the deadly economy it ruled. On that March day in 1989 I was broke, having collected the last of my unemployment checks, relying on help from my friends (Bob and Siri would take me out to dinner and always pick up the check, the assistant manager at the movie theater would sneak me in so I could watch an occasional movie, Laurie and Jack bought an old Steenbeck (editing) machine for me, John Richard would slip me an unused plane ticket so I could go home for Christmas, Rod would do anything for me and drive to Flint whenever I needed something for the film). My late mother (she would’ve turned 88 tomorrow if she were still with us) and my GM autoworker dad told me in the kitchen they wanted to help and handed me a check for an astounding thousand dollars. I didn’t know they even had a thousand dollars. I refused it, they insisted I take it — “No!” — and then, in that parental voice, told me I was to cash it so I could finish my movie. I did. And I did.
So on that March day in 1989, as I was driving down Pennsylvania Avenue, my 9-year-old car just died. I coasted over to the curb, put my head down on the steering wheel and started to cry. I had no money to take it in to be repaired, and I certainly had nothing to pay the tow truck driver. So I got out, screwed the license plates off so I wouldn’t be fined, turned my back and just left it there for good. I looked over at the building next to me. It said “National Archives.” What better place to donate my dead car, I thought, as I walked the rest of the way home.
Though it wasn’t easy for me, I still never had to suffer what so many of my friends and neighbors went through, thanks to General Motors and an economic system rigged against them. I wonder what they must have all thought when they woke up this Monday morning to read in the Detroit News or the Detroit Free Press the headlines that Obama had fired the CEO of GM. Oh — wait a minute. They couldn’t read that. There was no Free Press or News. Monday was the day that both papers ended home delivery. It was cancelled (as it will be for four days every week) because the daily newspapers, like General Motors, like Detroit, are broke.
I await the President’s next superhero move.
Yours,
Michael Moore
April 1st, 2009 at 8:40 am
Last page of Lenin’s Diary Found:
“This is all a big fooking mistake”
Eager Red Sox Fans Await New Season:
Commemorate Buckner’s Dazzling Defensive Play to Save ’86 Series
Dolphins Evolve Opposable Thumbs
Scientists Warn Humans are Doomed!
Los Angeles Rapid Transit System Praised
Neighborhood Groups Celebrate Ability to See Beyond Own Backyard
April 1st, 2009 at 8:55 am
Anna – nice little catch with the Moore screed. Although, I’m always a bit nervous when I find myself in agreement with him. One little factual detail that Moore glossed over (not that he’s known for that) is in re Wagoner’s severance pay. Wagoner isn’t eligible to get the $23 million until he’s 60 (he’s 54 now). If GM has to go through a gov’t BK, only $833,000 is guaranteed.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2009-03-30-wagoner-gm-pension_N.htm
April 1st, 2009 at 9:57 am
well ,thats happy news then! You can get yourself on Mm’s email list. His letters are quite good. Last one he was trawling for Wall Street whistle blowers for his new film on the ec meltdown.
i wonder if you saw his Roger and Me. Its the best film he did, i think. really wrenching and prescient. it should be run again.
April 1st, 2009 at 10:07 am
Rob, not sure Lenin would think it all such a mistake…catch what is just over the wire from London:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/apr/01/g20-summit-protests
go back to home page, too and catch the various feeds on the G20
April 1st, 2009 at 10:09 am
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/blog/2009/mar/31/g20-summit-protests
G20 protest on the ground.
Welcome to the barricades.
April 1st, 2009 at 10:19 am
lord, becoming a serial poster. ick.
but this is a hoot. a little reality bite:
http://www.audioboo.fm/boos/2875-comedy-terrorist
April 1st, 2009 at 10:30 am
SAG and AFTRA announced today they have amicably worked together to get a new commercial contract. I’ll believe it tomorrow.
April 1st, 2009 at 10:39 am
Cubs win the Series! Cubs win the Series!
April 1st, 2009 at 11:52 am
Disneyland Iraq Set to Open by Christmas.
April 1st, 2009 at 12:00 pm
That’s a good one, Jim! How about this one?
Dodgers Moving to Baghdad
April 1st, 2009 at 12:01 pm
Oh, and this just in:
Madonna Adopts Entire African Continent, Changes Will.
source: The Daily Bunion
April 1st, 2009 at 12:30 pm
Real or April Fool’s?
Barack Obama’s gift for the Queen: an iPod
Obama Raises Tobacco Tax – Stupid and Poor Hit Hardest
Dick Cheney Placed Moles in Government to Sabotage Obama
April 1st, 2009 at 12:45 pm
I don’t know if this qualifies as “April Fools” but it’s the funniest thing I’ve seen all day:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/01/stephen-colbert-rips-apar_n_181673.html
(The right wing truly has gone batshit insane.)
April 1st, 2009 at 1:49 pm
From Woody’s http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=102589818:
“Any citizen can be convicted if prosecutors are hell-bent on ignoring the Constitution and willing to present false evidence.”
Ain’t that the truth.
“Judge Sullivan has repeatedly delayed sentencing and criticized trial prosecutors for what he has called prosecutorial misconduct. At one point, prosecutors were held in contempt.”
Whose administration did they work for, again?
“Perhaps most important, Justice Department officials say Holder wants to send a message to prosecutors throughout the department that actions he regards as misconduct will not be tolerated.”
And whose administration does Holder work for?
April 1st, 2009 at 2:04 pm
Liked the Colbert rip on that pudge faced prick Beck. He looks like he swallowed a loaf of Wonder Bread.
April 1st, 2009 at 2:04 pm
“ANOTHER OBAMA NOMINEE FORCED TO PAY BACK TAXES…”
Not surprising how Woody inserts blatant lies even into the descriptions of his links — voluntary disclosure and action turns into being forced.
The backtax thing is, like the teleprompter thing, typical of the ethical corruption of the right — take something that applies as much or more to Republicans/the right and pretend that it applies only to Democrats/the left. If we didn’t hear about problems on tax returns of Bush officials, we can be sure that’s because they didn’t reveal them.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:18 am
“voluntary disclosure and action turns into being forced.”
If you either have to ‘volunteer’ or get found out and lose your ass, it ain’t exactly voluntarily volunteering.
In cases like this, I think the operative definition is closer to ‘forced’…..unless you live in a make believe utopia where unselfish politicians do the right thing and report a mistake $7K tax ‘mistake’ they accidentally found at accidentally just at the right time that just accidentally served their on interest.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:33 am
Speaking of tax cheating, on profit made on cheating on rent made off a unit to help the disadvantaged with subsidized rent btw, when is Harry going to kick fat ass professional political crook and all-around scum-bag Charlie Rangle out of the Senate?
Anyone…….I thought not.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:38 am
That would be ‘Nancy’ not ‘Harry’ and the “House’ not the ‘Senate’…….but it really wouldn’t make any difference either way.
April 2nd, 2009 at 7:02 am
JimR
It’s not subsidized rent. It’s price stabilized and there is a difference.
April 2nd, 2009 at 10:43 am
America on its knees:
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/print/200905/imf-advice
The crash has laid bare many unpleasant truths about the United States. One of the most alarming, says a former chief economist of the International Monetary Fund, is that the finance industry has effectively captured our government—a state of affairs that more typically describes emerging markets, and is at the center of many emerging-market crises. If the IMF’s staff could speak freely about the U.S., it would tell us what it tells all countries in this situation: recovery will fail unless we break the financial oligarchy that is blocking essential reform. And if we are to prevent a true depression, we’re running out of time.
by Simon Johnson
The Quiet Coup
April 2nd, 2009 at 10:45 am
…should prove instructive reading whilst having a moment in the backyard outhouse…since the electricity and water are no longer working.
April 2nd, 2009 at 10:55 am
http://baselinescenario.com/2009/03/28/is-the-g20-summit-worth-holding/
Simon Johnson’s blog. good stuff…or rather lucid, informed commentary about some very very very bad stuff.
April 2nd, 2009 at 11:17 am
Today’s Top Story:
Michelle Obama hugs the Queen. And the Queen hugs back:
Change we never thought we would see.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/blog/2009/apr/02/michelle-obama-queen-hug
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:41 pm
Side note. Perhaps, of some interest to those here, IIRC.
Jury Says Professor Was Wrongly Fired
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:49 pm
A couple of days late, but is this real?
April 2nd, 2009 at 8:37 pm
Good eye, err ear, Mr. Listener.
Do recall the thread at this fine cafe regards Mr. Churchill.
Coincided with last DeLillo novel, Falling Man…
I believe the verdict makes you favorably prescient about the matter.
But $1?
April 2nd, 2009 at 10:38 pm
Dirty truth about ‘clean coal’:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/29/AR2008022903390.html
April 3rd, 2009 at 11:39 am
Well here’s some awesome news to end your week with.
Just another reason for me to be a proud Midwesterner. C’mon, California, Iowa’s showing you up! Time to get your act together, folks.
April 3rd, 2009 at 2:08 pm
For you who made fun of Bush for holding the hand of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Abdullah, you can now chime in on Obama making a deep bow to the now Saudi King. At least one gesture means that they are friends. The other one implies that our President considers himself to be subservient to the king. You must be proud.
- – -
On Samuel’s “awesome news”….
Who cares how people vote as long as you can pick your activist judges. Try that in Alabama.
April 3rd, 2009 at 4:41 pm
Rob Grocholski,
Yeah. $1.00 Good thing Churchill said it was for “ther justice” not “the money.” Still. The question is, assuming the decision holds on appeal (as it surely will be), will CU have to reinstate him. Everything I’ve read, assuming the verdict holds on appeal, says, Yes. And, CU really, really, really does not want to do that. So, it’s gonna get interestin’.
April 3rd, 2009 at 7:26 pm
Top Story:
A national NRA annual conference is disrupted by a lone gunman on a rampage. Armed with assault weapons he opened fire with an automatic weapon the spray of bullets killing all on the dais and several people in the front of an audience. The gunman was taken alive. When questioned why he did it he said: My daughter was one of those killed at the Virginia Tech massacre. No one did anything about access to weapons. I needed to make a point. I was willing to die or go to prison so no one else can order a gun off the internet and go an a rampage.
Enough is enough, the man said.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/apr/04/binghamton-new-york-gunman-shooting
April 3rd, 2009 at 7:29 pm
oops. sorry about the syntax. should have edited before hitting submit button. oops
when IS enough going to be enough.
April 3rd, 2009 at 8:35 pm
How an obvious maladjusted character like Churchill ever got hired into an institution of higher learning says alot about just how far wrong-headed liberal values of quota over quality can go.
He is just the tip of an iceberg that’s been putting a quality chill over our evermore expensive , while evermore political, educational institutions for years.
China and India are just eating our quirkiness up…..along with our jobs.
April 3rd, 2009 at 11:11 pm
““voluntary disclosure and action turns into being forced.”
If you either have to ‘volunteer’ or get found out and lose your ass, it ain’t exactly voluntarily volunteering.”
The point was that Woody lied. And being a moral degenerate much like Woody, you change the subject (and lie in turn).
Speaking of moral degenerates like Woody and Jim R, this garbage from Andrew Klavan may well be the stupidest, most dishonest, moral degenerate piece of crap ever published by the L.A. Times:
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-klavan29-2009mar29,0,5456892.story
April 3rd, 2009 at 11:28 pm
C’mon, California, Iowa’s showing you up!
California court rules in favor of gay marriage. Court ruling reversed via initiative process that amends constitution. Court weighs whether initiative measure is valid … ruling forthcoming.
Iowa court rules in favor of gay marriage. Court ruling stands because Iowa has no initiative process for amending constitution.
Now, what role did you, as a proud Midwesterner, did you play in that?
“Who cares how people vote as long as you can pick your activist judges.”
“Activist” judge; one who makes a decision that some vile right wing asshole piece of shit like Woody doesn’t agree with.
April 3rd, 2009 at 11:37 pm
“How an obvious maladjusted character like Churchill ever got hired into an institution of higher learning says alot about just how far wrong-headed liberal values of quota over quality can go.”
Yeah, if institutions of higher learning only hired turds like you, that would prove that they value quality over quota.
April 3rd, 2009 at 11:39 pm
“sorry about the syntax”
Yeah, that’s a major sin compared to merely fabricating a story.
April 3rd, 2009 at 11:44 pm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/blog/2009/apr/02/michelle-obama-queen-hug
The photo caption says “Michelle Obama with her arm around the Queen during a reception at Buckingham Palace” but they left out “and the Queen with her hand on the First Lady’s ass”.
April 4th, 2009 at 6:32 am
Given the First Lady’s height and the size of her posterior, the Queen couldn’t reach anywhere else.
August 29th, 2009 at 3:58 am
Hi, I was trying to find information about heart attack in Google and end up in this informative site.
August 7th, 2010 at 12:39 pm
I don;t believe you’re appropriate, have you truly investigated the facts?
June 7th, 2011 at 1:17 pm
Would it upset you to know Fox News main coresponder Dick Morris wants us to drug test every high school kid. How much will that cost us?