Review by Doug Gibson (This review is cross posted at Plan9Crunch blog) Harry Langdon Jr., whose father, film comedian Harry Langdon will be dead 73 years this December, recalls as a very young child visiting the set of "Zenobia," (1939) in which his dad starred with Oliver Hardy. As Langdon Jr. recounts, he was given a handful of double-headed nails by a stage worker. … [Read more...] about The Harry Langdon Scrapbook captures the feel of vintage comedy
AP story featuring James Clapper leaves much to be desired
There's plenty of fodder for teeth gnashing in DC, but what set mine on edge today was how the Associated Press reported on a list of possible FBI directors. James R. Clapper Jr. has served director of various national intelligence agencies under Presidents George H.W. Bush (1991-1995), George Bush (2001-2006) and Barack Obama (2007-2017). He spoke on CNN's “State of the … [Read more...] about AP story featuring James Clapper leaves much to be desired
Taking a Mile-High Clubbing
Air passengers have had a Howard Beale moment recently. United Airlines caused a properly seated passenger from a properly ticketed and paid-for seat to be dragged off a Chicago-to-Louisville flight to make room for an airline employee needing to get back home. The passenger was unmoved by United's offer of rich credits. The passenger had someplace to be and … [Read more...] about Taking a Mile-High Clubbing
GOP Reduced to Trolling
Former conservative talk radio host Charley Sykes describes the descent of the Right into trolling in The New York Times. For many in the conservative movement, this sort of anti-anti-Trumpism is the solution to the painful conundrum posed by the Trump presidency. With a vast majority of conservative voters and listeners solidly behind Mr. Trump, conservative critics of the … [Read more...] about GOP Reduced to Trolling
Best Description of Trump
David Roberts nails it on vox.com. Why did Donald Trump fire FBI Director James Comey so abruptly, in such humiliating fashion, with no plan to communicate the reasoning behind the move and no list of replacements ready? It is the question that launched a thousand think pieces. Even Trump surrogates were not prepared to answer it. Sean Spicer literally hid in the bushes … [Read more...] about Best Description of Trump
Liberals in 2017
By David Anderson First my bona-fides: I am a genuine, almost cartoon cliché liberal living here in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan. As an immigrant and contributor to various center-left publications, last year I wrote many articles to inform my secular progressive readers how to vote when often they thought they couldn’t: ex-felons, overseas Americans, postal, or … [Read more...] about Liberals in 2017
Why Walt Disney World is Better than Disneyland
to this article, I would like to offer the following rebuttal. Here are thirty-three reasons why Walt Disney World is better than Disneyland. 1) Walt Disney World is more like a "world." In Disneyland you can see a lot of the outside world, especially on the monorail. I believe Walt Disney himself admitted this was a problem. In Walt Disney World, even the highway signs … [Read more...] about Why Walt Disney World is Better than Disneyland
Which House GOP Lawmakers Might Be Haunted By ACA Vote Come Election Time
Last week, the Cook Political Report downgraded the re-election prospects of 20 Republican House members. While the moves were based on the Congressperson's electoral situation as a whole, it was primarily a reaction to their votes backing repeal of the Affordable Care Act. In his column, House editor Dave Wasserman noted how, "Not only did dozens of Republicans in marginal … [Read more...] about Which House GOP Lawmakers Might Be Haunted By ACA Vote Come Election Time
When will Republicans awaken from their deep slumber and condemn Donald Trump?
James Comey better hope that there are no "tapes" of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 12, 2017 When I read that tweet, my first reaction was: What in the hell is Donald Trump talking about? Instead of answering any of the numerous questions swirling around Comey… … [Read more...] about When will Republicans awaken from their deep slumber and condemn Donald Trump?
Cartoon: The Russia Thing
Are We Monsters?
By Neal Gabler Warner Brothers and Universal have both been dusting off an inventory of classic monsters — King Kong, Godzilla, The Mummy, The Wolf Man, etc. — which prompted New York Times film critics Manohla Dargis and A.O. Scott to speculate whether this was a reaction to a contemporary America, where monstrousness now seems to run rampant. When you add a film like the … [Read more...] about Are We Monsters?
Trump is wobbling along the precipice
by Michael Gerson Washington Post Writers Group columnist WASHINGTON -- This was always the main question: Would Donald Trump move beyond mere Twitter abuse and move against institutions that limit his power? By any reasonable standard, we now have an answer. Trump's official rationale for firing FBI Director James Comey -- that the president was suddenly … [Read more...] about Trump is wobbling along the precipice
A Tale of Two Democrat Politicians
Former congresswoman Corrine Brown is using a page from Hillary Clinton's playbook. From CBS News: "After a historic, nearly 25-year career representing Florida in Congress, former U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown was found guilty on Thursday of taking money from a charity that was purported to be giving scholarships to poor students. . . . Brown testified in her own defense, … [Read more...] about A Tale of Two Democrat Politicians
Is It The End Of The Beginning Of Trump’s Presidency Or Beginning Of The End?
Hey, who's that guy hiding behind a hedge on the White House grounds? Why it's press secretary Sean Spicer, who became so flummoxed over the "unexpected" blowback from the summary execution of FBI Director James Comey that he hid from reporters the other night rather than answer their questions, eventually shouted a statement to them, locked himself in his office for … [Read more...] about Is It The End Of The Beginning Of Trump’s Presidency Or Beginning Of The End?
Hacking the 2018 Congressional Midterm Elections
It’s not like the White House has nothing better to do than chase down dubious claims of voter fraud. There are missiles in Korea, independent thinkers in the Senate, resolute law enforcement officers in the FBI and dedicated career officers in the top level of National Security, determined not to let Trump create Armageddon. And despite all of these perils, or because of them, … [Read more...] about Hacking the 2018 Congressional Midterm Elections
The Nation Is More Than ‘Mildly Nauseous’
He ain't heavy, he is acting in accordance with his competence Ruth Marcus, reflecting on FBI Director James B. Comey’s remarks that he felt “mildly nauseous’’ at the thought that his decisions about Hillary Clinton’s email investigation might have affected the outcome of the 2016 presidential election, writes at the Washington Post: The news that President Trump … [Read more...] about The Nation Is More Than ‘Mildly Nauseous’
Trump’s attacks on fired FBI Director Comey Meet Resistance
By Patricia Zengerle and Arshad Mohammed WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Thursday ran into resistance for calling ousted FBI chief James Comey a "showboat," an attack that was swiftly contradicted by top U.S. senators and the acting FBI leader, who pledged that an investigation into possible Trump campaign ties to Russia would proceed with vigor. In his … [Read more...] about Trump’s attacks on fired FBI Director Comey Meet Resistance
Mildly Nauseous, Comey Dies of Complications
President Trump summarily dumped James Comey, the FBI director whose July admonishment of Hillary Clinton and October surprise may have affected the outcome of the 2016 election in Trump’s favor. These were the reasons Trump gave yesterday when he dispatched Comey by public letter, shocking and humiliating Comey while he spoke with a group of Los Angeles agents. That’s no way … [Read more...] about Mildly Nauseous, Comey Dies of Complications
Hacking the 2020 Census
The Trump administration, running the executive branch like a three-card monte game, is trying to pull another fast one. Its next step in replacing majority-ruled government with a permanent, authoritarian plutocracy was unveiled yesterday. As we all chuffed over firing of FBI director James Comey, we were distracted from the resignation of John Thompson, Director of the Bureau … [Read more...] about Hacking the 2020 Census
The Wheels Come Off The Clown Car
The story yesterday was that the Deputy Attorney General had recommended to the Attorney General that James Comey -- Director of the FBI -- should be fired. This was then taken to Resident Turnip, who approved their recommendation. That story has become utterly inoperable in the last twenty-four hours. Anyone who is NOT a Republican has reason for alarm. (Anyone who IS a … [Read more...] about The Wheels Come Off The Clown Car