One can only hope. The effective end of “America’s Most Wanted” (Fox reduced it from once a week to once every three months last week) is the jumping off point for a David Carr take-down of Nancy Grace. Carr says that on her show “the presumption of innocence has found a willful and angry enemy.” Grace, a Georgia native and former Atlanta prosecutor, has been reprimanded more than once, was...

(Editor’s Note: This is part of an ongoing series to preserve on the Internet the “lost” poetry of Nunihal Singh Layal, the “Tradesman Poet,” who I met in New Delhi in 1974. Some poems contain his original introductions. I have a self-published book of his that is disintegrating and falling apart and over the next year or two I will run and preserve all of his poetry here. Joe Gandelman) Events of...

A report out this week made quite a splash by claiming that Netflix, YouTube and other online video sites create nerly 46 percent of all Internet downloads during peak hours. See, for example, here, here, here and here. But Kevin Fogarty at CoreIT says not so fast. Netflix isn’t swamping the Internet; ISPs are overstating their congestion problems: Netflix doesn’t swamp the ISPs’ backbones...

This song is fitting for all political aspirants. Remember these lyrics (and the energy of this choral group):

Seven-year-old Matteo Lopez of South San Francisco CA walked away with the top prize in the GoogleDoodle contest. His vision of “Space Life” led the 107,000 entries. His goal: [To] become an astronaut and explore space life. I want to wear a space suit, fly in space, walk on the moon and make friends with aliens in other planets. Google Doodle : Space Life : Matteo Lopez As the contest winner,...

With all of the news on the political, international and other fronts, late comedians are having a field day. Here’s a cross section of late night comedian topical jokes: “Arnold Schwarzenegger admitted that he fathered a child with a member of his household staff. The woman’s husband became suspicious when he realized she was the first maid to make $1 million a year.” -Jay Leno “Arnold...

Another great moment in political comedy by Stephen Colbert. But this time he didn’t have to write a thing: he had actor John Lithgow simply read a flowery, somewhat bizarre press release by Newt Gingrich’s spokesman in full: The Colbert ReportTags: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

The news is not really shocking. Former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has put his film career on hold following news that he cheated on his wife Maria Shriver, had a child by another woman and that this occurred during the time when he presented himself to California voters. The movie career was going to be his next stop as a failed governor. I predict that his renewed movie career will not be as good...

(Editor’s Note: This is part of an ongoing series to preserve on the Internet the “lost” poetry of Nunihal Singh Layal, the “Tradesman Poet,” who I met in New Delhi in 1974. Some poems contain his original introductions. I have a self-published book of his that is disintegrating and falling apart and over the next year or two I will run and preserve all of his poetry here. Joe Gandelman) Guru Nanak by...

The Los Angeles Times recently reported that former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and his wife, Maria Shriver, separated after she learned he had fathered a child more than a decade ago … with a longtime member of their household staff. Mr. Schwarzenegger publicly apologized for this prior indiscretion and Ms. Shriver has yet to issue any public statement. Needless to say, other Guvernator mistresses...

Two presidential campaigns crash in one day. The Donald folds a flirtation with the 2012 Republican nomination after weeks of pasting his name over the news, as always leaving onlookers wondering what it was all about beyond enhancing the brand. In a nearby posh Manhattan hotel, a contender for next year’s French presidency flames out in more traditional fashion, with a bedroom scandal out of classic farce...

When I was young I used to read a series of books called “The People’s Alamanac” and “The Book Of Lists”. Each book offered hundreds, if not thousands of interesting factoids. These books came to mind when I was perusing the shelves at my local library and made a great discovery. Have you ever had a moment where you wondered about the things that are part of our everyday lives ? Why...

With all the recent depressing and relatively boring news on both the international and domestic fronts, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Director “the great seducer” Dominique Strauss-Kahn (DSK) was arrested this weekend and continues to be held by New York City Police on various sexual charges arising out of an encounter gone bad in a $3,000-a-night hotel suite. The world’s shallow 24/7 info-entertainment...

By Mark Soifer In a quieter time, before World War II, we would chase the ice truck down Kerlin Street on steamy August afternoons. When the truck stopped for a delivery, the driver would let us grab the small pieces of ice that littered the soaked floor boards of his well- worn vehicle. That ice belonged to us. There was never a question about it. It was the Diamond Ice and Coal Company’s contribution to...

I once heard about a Texas reverend who asked his mega church congregation to participate in a seven day sex challenge. All married members of his church were admonished to have sex with their marriage partner for seven consecutive days. The pastor kicked off this copulation crusade by bringing a bed on stage and preaching a message on the virtues of married sex. The pastor’s discourse on . . . conjugal...

It now appears that Charlie Sheen will have no “DUH! Winning!” when it comes to the final fate of his ex-sitcom “Two and a Half Men.” The reason: producer Chuck Lorre has gotten one of the most popular media figures to replace Sheen, according to the Hollywood reporter. Ashton Kutcher should breathe new life into the series and cause a massive initial tune in. And, given Kutcher’s...

I feel compelled to write a full throated defence for an individual who I feel changed my life. As a black youth in my mid-teens, I was blindly attracted by images of successful, charismatic and rich black men on my television set. Rappers such as the Notorious BIG, Nas, Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg and Dr Dre had me transfixed with their way of words. They could go from celebrating the good life which I and the majority...

There’s a NDF (what I call the “No Duh Factor”) now in Donald Trump announcing that he isn’t going to run for President. But it is a bit of a surprise to now get virtual confirmation that he is — here it goes, I will finally say it, I avoid using this word in political posts since it is overused by partisans — a liar. It turns out that despite his suggestions not only will...

Donald Trump has imploded in the polls (and his TV show isn’t doing too good, either). Here is a special song to Donald Trump from Republican voters. It’s even subtitled for the part of the world where the line of clothing carrying his name is made.

Yes, it’s one for the records: Donald Trump had an unprecedented political rise — and now he is experiencing an unprecedented political collapse: Donald Trump has had one of the quickest rises and falls in the history of Presidential politics. Last month we found him leading the Republican field with 26%. In the space of just four weeks he’s dropped all the way down to 8%, putting him in a...

Another home run by Saturday Night Live:

Listen to the lyrics. All of us who are blessed with mothers who are still here, and those who still carry their departed mothers in their hearts, will appreciate the lyric of this old song. Listen to the words: FOOTNOTE: My mother Helen Gandelman is 89 and has had a very tough year but we were all blessed because she rebounded, almost miraculously so. This morning I called my sister who is visiting her. My...

Osama bin Laden reads his last will and testament…on Saturday Night Live, that is:

There have been some great spoofs of Obama in the past and this impersonator, Alphacat has been responsible for a good chunk of them. This new video has to be one of his best yet – an alternative to the speech he gave announcing the death of Usama. Enjoy.

As expected, late night comedians have had a field day with the killing of Osama bin Laden, using it as a jumping off point for other political zingers. They’ve been generating a ton of jokes. Here’s a cross section of them: “The news of bin Laden’s death interrupted this week’s episode of ‘Celebrity Apprentice.’ Which begs the question, how do we kill bin Laden again...