Socialism much?
The Obama campaign didn't like this at all. How dare you tell him what he said? HOPE! CHANGE! YES WE CAN! KUM BA YAH!
2001 Obama: Tragedy That "Redistribution of Wealth" Not Pursued by Supreme Court
Biden Angered By Tough Questions
Barbara West of Orlando's Eyewitness News WFTV-Channel 9 recently interviewed Sen. Joe Biden, asking him to respond to accusations that Sen. Obama's policies are Marxist:
The Obama/Biden campaign was so angered by this interview that they canceled a scheduled interview with Jill Biden, stating "This cancellation is non-negotiable, and further opportunities for your station to interview with this campaign are unlikely, at best for the duration of the remaining days until the election." I applaud Ms. West and WFTV for asking the questions we're all dying to have answered. I love how much her calm demeanor bothered Biden, who was visibly hot under the collar and really wanted to tell her off. It clearly took all his willpower not to explode and start ranting about how high is IQ is or making racist remarks.
The Obama/Biden campaign was so angered by this interview that they canceled a scheduled interview with Jill Biden, stating "This cancellation is non-negotiable, and further opportunities for your station to interview with this campaign are unlikely, at best for the duration of the remaining days until the election." I applaud Ms. West and WFTV for asking the questions we're all dying to have answered. I love how much her calm demeanor bothered Biden, who was visibly hot under the collar and really wanted to tell her off. It clearly took all his willpower not to explode and start ranting about how high is IQ is or making racist remarks.
Chistmas Censorship Came Early This Year!
KUDOS TO GRUCCI: NO CHRISTMAS PARADE, NO FIREWORKS
The internationally known fireworks company, Grucci, has pulled out of an annual Christmas event on Long Island because the town of Patchogue decided to break with its 15-year tradition of holding a Christmas Boat Parade: This year it decided to rename the event the Patchogue Holiday Boat Parade.
Grucci vice president Phil Butler, a vocal critic of the secularization of Christmas, accused the parade’s organizers of “using all the themes of Christmas and plagiarizing all those themes.” Grucci is headquartered on Long Island.
Catholic League president Bill Donohue commended Butler’s decision:
“If more people like Phil Butler stood up to the high priests of political correctness, the dumbing-down of Christmas would cease. Christmas is the only holiday that is singled out by these authoritarians. They do not object to Jewish or Muslim holidays, nor do they object to holidays like Martin Luther King Day. And they relish Kwanzaa celebrations. But when it comes to Christmas, they quickly become censors.
“So Kudos to Grucci. Let this be the first of many counterpunches thrown at the cultural fascists this year.
Can I just say how happy that makes me? It's great to see a pretty major entity, Grucci, taking a stand against the war on Christmas. It really is true that the only holidays people are "offended" by are the Christian ones. Any public display of Christian religiosity makes people uncomfortable, even scared. But other religions are said to deserve the right to display religious symbols in public for their holy days. And that's how it should be. It's our first amendment right. But somehow that idea doesn't apply to Christianity. If it's unfair to exclude other religions, why is it acceptable to exclude Christians at Christmas, throwing snowmen and reindeer their way for the sake of appeasement? All religions should be treated equally. This means (brace yourself for impact) saying "Merry Christmas" when appropriate, publicly displaying Nativity scenes, and saying "Easter". Let's be honest, people. Last year, I remember being frustrated and disgusted by a TV commercial featuring a wife and mother with her family around the Christmas tree talking about "Holiday Eve." Seriously? Is it SO horrible to say "Christmas Eve?" Is there another religion that celebrates some other major holy day specifically on December 24? I don't think so. Even if Dec. 24 falls during Chanukah, it's still Christmas Eve. Also, we don't just have "Winter Break" or "Spring Break" because the Earth is on a tilted axis that creates seasonal change. Stop ignoring the 800 pound gorilla in the room. The real reason for those breaks are Christmas and Easter. It's okay to say it. Nothing bad will happen. Unless you have something against the equal treatment of Christians. If that's the case, then don't get defensive when I call you a bigot. Thank you, Grucci, for standing up against political correctness.
Podcastin' Part 6: Speeding Bulletin and Radio K.A.L.
Each Thursday night, after Smallville has already aired, I look forward to downloading the newest episode of Speeding Bulletin. The first segment of this weekly video podcast is hosted by the Superman Homepage's webmaster Steve Younis. Speeding Bulletin provides viewers with a weekly summary of Superman news from the past 7 days. It's a must-view for any true Superman fan, as it covers news of upcoming comics, TV, movies, and fan events, such as charity events and conventions. If you want to know what's going on in the world of Superman, this is the show to watch. Once Steve has covered all the news, his friend and Superman Homepage contributor Neal Bailey gives a quick rant about some piece of Superman news that has caught his fancy. He is hilarious and his immense knowledge of all things Superman make his segment extremely entertaining. Speeding Bulletin averages 10 minutes in total between the two segments.
Once a month, Steve and Neal team up for an audio podcast called Radio K.A.L. In this show, they pick 3 or 4 recent Superman headlines and discuss them at length, giving their personal opinions and insights on the topics at hand. Other segments include reader e-mails, a monthly contest, and the presentation of a Superman-related song, usually something by a little-known independent band. Radio K.A.L. along with Speeding Bulletin are essential for Superman fans who like to keep up with current goings-on. Both shows receive 5 out of a possible 5 celophane Superman shields and the coveted Frank Ramblings Seal of Approval.
This made my day:
I just saw this on someone's laptop and it totally made my day. Awesome. If I seen it a month ago, I would have SO bought one for myself. "Keep the Change." Classic!Well what else is new, you ask? Let me start by telling you about the awesomeness that was last night's episode of Smallville. On the surface, the story doesn't even sound all that great. At least, I didn't think so. Clark's best friend and confidant Chloe Sullivan and her fiance Jimmy Olsen (yes, that Jimmy Olsen) are kidnapped by a madman after their engagement party and strapped to electric chairs. They are given a polygraph test, and when one of them lies, the other gets a shock. The purpose of the test is to gauge their loyalty to one another. In an effort to save them, Lois and Clark pose as a couple and get themselves kidnapped as well. Sounds mediocre. Well, my friends, it was AMAZING. Especially towards the end. Lois was forced to admit her feelings for Clark, causing some major awkwardness between them. Later, back at the Daily Planet, they found themselves on an elevator together. Lois wanted to avoid the tension by trying to take the stairs, but Clark encouraged her to stay, saying that the elevator is "statistically the safest way to travel." MAJOR GEEK-OUT MOMENT. That's a classic line from the Superman movies, usually used by the Man of Steel when he saves a doomed aircraft. While I really don't like those movies, I still LOVED the brilliant usage of that line. Lois then went on to claim that she had slipped the electrode from the polygraph off her finger and lied, so she didn't really love him. It was a bad lie, and Clark seemed to almost buy it, but there was clearly still some doubt in his mind. Either way, the awkwardness receded and Lois crawled back into her protective shell of the tough, intrepid reporter. It was a great episode that hinted at things to come. The trailer for next week's episode shows that charismatic paramedic Davis Bloome will begin to undergo his slow and gradual transformation from all-around great guy to the evil Doomsday, Superman's nemesis and eventual killer. I can't WAIT!
This week's comics weren't all that great. Trinity #20 was once again awful and had pretty much nothing to do with the characters after whom it is named (Superman, Batman, & Wonder Woman). Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen Special #1 was decent. It told a pretty good story of Jimmy on the trail of a hot mystery that could spell doom for Superman if it isn't solved in time. I haven't had a chance to read DC Universe Decisions #3 or Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds #2 yet. When I do, I'll let you know. Well I'm off to work. I have a 2:00 appointment in the Writing Center.
Obama Voters Interviewed on Howard Stern
My Life, My Shows, My Books
Fridays are all kinds of awesome. Especially today, with a three-day weekend ahead of me. At the moment I'm lunching with my friend Steve. Tom should be coming by soon, if things go as usual.
Smallville last night was great. I'm so happy with Season 8 as a whole thus far. It's reminiscent of Season 3, which was my favorite. The executive producers and co-creators of the show left over the summer, leaving the show in the capable hands of four producers who have been working and writing for the show since Season 2. These guys have revamped the show and brought it back to its core concept: Clark Kent's journey to becoming Superman. And I am loving every minute. By the end of the action-packed season premiere, Clark announced that he would begin working at the DAILY PLANET! This is the ultimate step towards his destiny for us die-hard Superman fans. Plus he happens to be working across a desk from Lois Lane, who has been on the show since Season 4 and began working at the Planet last season. Recently, we've seen Lois begin to exhibit what appear to be latent romantic feelings for Clark, so the iconic relationship is beginning to take root. It's really fun to watch again, especially now that I'm a comics fan. Seeing these epic, iconic events starting to shape up is just too cool. Every episode has at least one "geek-out" moment. If you aren't watching this show already, start. You can watch all of this season's episodes for free on cwtv.com, or if you prefer, you can buy them on iTunes. Either way, at least check it out. You can just jump on from the Season 8 premiere, but I would really recommend starting with the pilot (aptly entitled "Pilot") and working your way through the first seven seasons. It's an incredibly fun, intelligent, well-written, and well-produced show that anyone can enjoy. There's an entire group of people who have never particularly liked Superman, yet love Smallville, so trust me, it's possible.
Wow. This post started out as being about my life in general, and now its about Smallville. I better set this straight by getting back on the soap box and ranting about something else.
Umm...okay, how about this week in comics? Sure, that sounds good. Let's start with Action Comics #870. For all you non-comic people, Action Comics is one of the two flagship Superman titles. Issue #870 saw some major developments in the Man of Steel's world. He saved Metropolis and Kandor (a Kryptonian city), both of which were plucked from their respective home planets, bottled, and added to the evil Brainiac's collection. He defeated Brainiac, then restored Metropolis to its full size and proper location. Without skipping a beat, Big Blue flew north to the Fortress of Solitude and unbottled Kandor there. Just as he gazed upon the restored Kryptonian city in all its shining splendor, he hears his mother's voice crying out from their farm in Smallville, Kansas. It turns out that after Superman left Brianiac, the evil Coluan fired a missile on the Kent Farmhouse. Martha was directly in the missile's path, but Jonathan, in the ultimate act of self-sacrifice, elderly though he is, dove and pushed his wife out of the way, saving her life. Clark arrives just seconds too late to find his mother weeping, holding her beloved husband in her arms. He has suffered from a heart attack.
It was a sad ending to an amazing story. Writer Geoff Johns is my favorite comics writer, and for good reasons. He really understands the characters involved and brings them to life....or kills them, in this case. But hey, we've been told for months that a supporting character would be killed soon, so it really came as no surprise. Still, it was a sad moment.
Trinity sucked this week, as it often does. While most comics are published on a monthly basis, Trinity is a weekly. It is limited to 52 weekly issues, so it will last one year. Right now we're at week 19. So far it's been mediocre at best. It tells the story of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman (the DC Comics Trinity) and their real-time adventures over the course of a year. Sounds like it has real potential. But it's executed terribly. These last two weeks, the stories have had nothing to do with the three aforementioned principle characters. They made a quick appearance at the end of this week's issue, but other than that, we really havent seen them in about 2 weeks. Oh well. I hope it gets better. I only continue to buy it at this point because I want to have the full collection. Sticktoitiveness and all that. So here's hoping it starts to pick up. It started getting good around week 13ish. If they can get it back up to that level of quality, or better, I will be happy and the $3/wk will have been worth it.
Also, I bought two independent comics this week. They're biographies of the two presidential candidates. I read the McCain one last night, and I'll be reading the Obama one tonight I'll review them together later on tonight or this weekend. Right now I'm off to work. Later.
Smallville last night was great. I'm so happy with Season 8 as a whole thus far. It's reminiscent of Season 3, which was my favorite. The executive producers and co-creators of the show left over the summer, leaving the show in the capable hands of four producers who have been working and writing for the show since Season 2. These guys have revamped the show and brought it back to its core concept: Clark Kent's journey to becoming Superman. And I am loving every minute. By the end of the action-packed season premiere, Clark announced that he would begin working at the DAILY PLANET! This is the ultimate step towards his destiny for us die-hard Superman fans. Plus he happens to be working across a desk from Lois Lane, who has been on the show since Season 4 and began working at the Planet last season. Recently, we've seen Lois begin to exhibit what appear to be latent romantic feelings for Clark, so the iconic relationship is beginning to take root. It's really fun to watch again, especially now that I'm a comics fan. Seeing these epic, iconic events starting to shape up is just too cool. Every episode has at least one "geek-out" moment. If you aren't watching this show already, start. You can watch all of this season's episodes for free on cwtv.com, or if you prefer, you can buy them on iTunes. Either way, at least check it out. You can just jump on from the Season 8 premiere, but I would really recommend starting with the pilot (aptly entitled "Pilot") and working your way through the first seven seasons. It's an incredibly fun, intelligent, well-written, and well-produced show that anyone can enjoy. There's an entire group of people who have never particularly liked Superman, yet love Smallville, so trust me, it's possible.
Wow. This post started out as being about my life in general, and now its about Smallville. I better set this straight by getting back on the soap box and ranting about something else.
Umm...okay, how about this week in comics? Sure, that sounds good. Let's start with Action Comics #870. For all you non-comic people, Action Comics is one of the two flagship Superman titles. Issue #870 saw some major developments in the Man of Steel's world. He saved Metropolis and Kandor (a Kryptonian city), both of which were plucked from their respective home planets, bottled, and added to the evil Brainiac's collection. He defeated Brainiac, then restored Metropolis to its full size and proper location. Without skipping a beat, Big Blue flew north to the Fortress of Solitude and unbottled Kandor there. Just as he gazed upon the restored Kryptonian city in all its shining splendor, he hears his mother's voice crying out from their farm in Smallville, Kansas. It turns out that after Superman left Brianiac, the evil Coluan fired a missile on the Kent Farmhouse. Martha was directly in the missile's path, but Jonathan, in the ultimate act of self-sacrifice, elderly though he is, dove and pushed his wife out of the way, saving her life. Clark arrives just seconds too late to find his mother weeping, holding her beloved husband in her arms. He has suffered from a heart attack.
It was a sad ending to an amazing story. Writer Geoff Johns is my favorite comics writer, and for good reasons. He really understands the characters involved and brings them to life....or kills them, in this case. But hey, we've been told for months that a supporting character would be killed soon, so it really came as no surprise. Still, it was a sad moment.
Trinity sucked this week, as it often does. While most comics are published on a monthly basis, Trinity is a weekly. It is limited to 52 weekly issues, so it will last one year. Right now we're at week 19. So far it's been mediocre at best. It tells the story of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman (the DC Comics Trinity) and their real-time adventures over the course of a year. Sounds like it has real potential. But it's executed terribly. These last two weeks, the stories have had nothing to do with the three aforementioned principle characters. They made a quick appearance at the end of this week's issue, but other than that, we really havent seen them in about 2 weeks. Oh well. I hope it gets better. I only continue to buy it at this point because I want to have the full collection. Sticktoitiveness and all that. So here's hoping it starts to pick up. It started getting good around week 13ish. If they can get it back up to that level of quality, or better, I will be happy and the $3/wk will have been worth it.
Also, I bought two independent comics this week. They're biographies of the two presidential candidates. I read the McCain one last night, and I'll be reading the Obama one tonight I'll review them together later on tonight or this weekend. Right now I'm off to work. Later.