Author: NewMexiKen

Forever clueless

Wolf Blitzer on CNN, Sunday: “You’re looking at live pictures of the Pepsi Center here in Denver, Colorado. Normally, the Denver Nuggets would be playing basketball here. Not this week. The Democrats — they have their convention inside. We’re inside.” [Note to Wolf: the NBA season begins October 28.]

Found at Altercation, where it is pointed out that the NHL Colorado Avalanche also plays in the Pepsi Center, but no one has mentioned them. The Avalanche has been the far more successful franchise (two Stanley Cups since 1995).

Two best lines from The Daily Howler

We love it when Dems know enough to mention people who work on “the day shift” and “the night shift”—and “military families, who say grace each night with an empty seat at the table.” (On Saturday, Biden specifically cited the “cops” and the “firefighters.”) We love it when Dems know enough to say: We know what real people really do.

But let’s get back to those families. Forget Obama’s Kenyan father; even on his mother’s side, his personal story is very unusual in the American presidential context. No one has ever run for president talking about a decent, lovely, sweet-natured mother who spent years doing doctoral work in anthropology in Indonesian villages. Many American voters have never known anyone remotely like that ….

The Daily Howler

Amendment XIX

“The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.”

It’s only been 88 years (August 26, 1920).

Best redux line of the day

The truth is that there’s no difference in principle between saying that every American child is entitled to an education and saying that every American child is entitled to adequate health care. It’s just a matter of historical accident that we think of access to free K-12 education as a basic right, but consider having the government pay children’s medical bills “welfare,“ with all the negative connotations that go with that term.

Paul Krugman, first posted here one year ago today.

Of course, Krugman overlooks the fact that many on the right would eliminate public schools as well.

New McCain Ad Attacks Obama Kids

In what might be his most controversial attack ad in a campaign dominated by them, presumptive G.O.P. presidential nominee John McCain today launched a new TV spot attacking Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill)’s two children.

. . .

In the ad, which is being broadcast in key swing states, an announcer intones, “They’re the cutest children in the world – but are they ready to lead?”

. . .

The commercial goes on to blast the Obama children for “smiling and giggling but refusing to state their position on offshore oil drilling.”

While some critics questioned how well the ad would play in living rooms across America, Sen. McCain defended it, telling reporters, “It played very well in all of my living rooms.”

Andy Borowitz

The other Walt

… was born on this date in 1913 — that’s Walt Kelly, creator of Pogo. The tribute to Kelly at The International Museum of Cartoon Art Hall of Fame, now The National Cartoon Museum, reads:

Like a number of other successful newspaper cartoonists of his day, Walt Kelly learned his craft as an animator at the Walt Disney Studios between 1935 and 1941, and the Disney style was always evident in his work. After a brief stint as a comic book artist and an editorial cartoonist, Kelly launched his masterpiece, Pogo, in 1949. The strip featured a colorful cast of furry and not-so-furry creatures who inhabited the Okefenokee Swamp, including Pogo, Albert, Howland Owl, P.T. Bridgeport, Beauregard and Churchy la Femme. Out of the mouths of these innocent animals came everything from profound musings on the human condition to downright nonsense. The superb artistry, satirical humor and playful language of Pogo enchanted millions of readers and even now, years after his death in 1973, Kelly still has a loyal following.

According to the web site I Go Pogo:

Walt Kelly first used the quote “We Have Met The Enemy and He Is Us” on a poster for Earth Day in 1970. … In 1971, he did a two panel version with Pogo and Porky in a trash filled swamp.

Pogo.jpg

Double O 78

Sean Connery is 78 today.

Van Johnson is 92 and “Let’s Make A Deal” Monty Hall is 87.

Regis is 77.

Tom Skerritt, “Viper” in Top Gun, is 75.

Baseball hall-of-famer Rollie Fingers is 62.

Rollie Fingers’ 17-year career epitomized the emergence of the modern-day relief ace. After watching him post inconsistent results as a starter, the A’s moved Fingers to the bullpen. He excelled quickly and frequently in his new role. Relying on a sharp slider, Fingers went on to notch 341 career saves. Known for his handlebar mustache, Fingers became a familiar site during the post-season, appearing in 16 World Series games. He won both the American League MVP and Cy Young Award with the Brewers in 1981.

National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

Academy Award nominee for supporting actress in Fatal Attraction Anne Archer is 61 today.

Gene Simmons is 59.

The more talented Elvis, Elvis Costello, is 54 today.

Born Declan Patrick McManus, Costello had the audacity to adopt “Elvis” as a stage name (at manager Riviera’s suggestion) and the talent to live up to such a seemingly scandalous appropriation. Greil Marcus profiled him in 1982: “He combined the brains of Randy Newman and the implacability of Bob Dylan, the everyman pathos of Buddy Holly and the uniqueness of John Lennon.”

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Director Tim Burton is 50.

Hannah Montana’s dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, is 47.

Rachel Ray is 40.

Claudia Schiffer is 38.

Leonard Bernstein, “one of the most prodigally talented and successful musicians in American history,” was born on August 25th in 1918. The quotation is from his obituary in The New York Times.

When you care enough to send the very best

From Pharyngula:

It seems that Hallmark Greeting Cards are peddling a line of gay-friendly cards, which irks poor little Donald Wildmon something fierce. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because they’re cute, stylish, and witty, but at the same time he’s afraid to mail a coming-out card to his Mom?

Anyway, Wildmon is asking his flock to send negative letters to Hallmark. How about taking a moment to send the very best to thank Hallmark for being non-discriminatory? Use the AFA’s form, or email directly to Donald J. Hall.

You gotta go read and see what he suggests as your Bonus action! It’s perfect.

Washington burns

The invading British burned the public buildings of Washington on this date in 1814.

On August 24, 1814, as the War of 1812 raged on, invading British troops marched into Washington and set fire to the U.S. Capitol, the President’s Mansion, and other local landmarks. The ensuring fire reduced all but one of the capital city’s major public buildings to smoking rubble, and only a torrential rainstorm saved the Capitol from complete destruction. The blaze particularly devastated the Capitol’s Senate wing, the oldest part of the building, which was honeycombed with vulnerable wooden floors and housed the valuable but combustible collection of books and manuscripts of the Library of Congress, then located in the Capitol building. Heat from the intense fire reduced the Senate chamber’s marble columns to lime, leaving the room, in one description, “a most magnificent ruin.”

Source: U.S. Senate Art & History

After 26 hours in Washington, the British moved toward Baltimore, where they met with resistance and the Star-spangled banner still waved.

Now that the Olympics are over

. . . you might be looking for some good movies to watch. Until a few years ago, NewMexiKen was unaware there had been a 1997 remake of the 1957 classic 12 Angry Men, a movie which tells the story of jury deliberations in a murder trial. The original is superb. Directed by Sidney Lumet (Network, Serpico, The Pawnbroker) and starring Henry Fonda as the protagonist, it is well written, exceptionally well acted, and a film worth seeing again and again.

Reginald Rose’s screenplay remains remarkably intact 40 years later in the 1997 version. Produced for the cable network Showtime, the film was directed by William Friedkin (The Exorcist, The French Connection) and stars Academy Award winners Jack Lemmon and George C. Scott. It is a surprisingly fine film in its own right, made even more compelling by comparisons with its predecessor.

 

1957

1997
Juror #1 Martin Balsam Courtney Vance
Juror #2 John Fiedler Ossie Davis
Juror #3 Lee J. Cobb George C. Scott
Juror #4 E.G. Marshall Armin Mueller-Stahl
Juror #5 Jack Klugman Dorian Harewood
Juror #6 Edward Binns James Gandolfini
Juror #7 Jack Warden Tony Danza
Juror #8 Henry Fonda Jack Lemmon
Juror #9 Joseph Sweeney Hume Cronyn
Juror #10 Ed Begley, Sr. Mykelti Williamson
Juror #11 George Voskovec Edward James Olmos
Juror #12 Robert Webber William L. Petersen

Live, Local, Meaningless

First posted here two years ago, but more true every day.

Some 40 years ago in Tucson NewMexiKen lived across the street from a small supermarket. At the rear of the store they parked a large, flatbed trailer with a wire cage on it. As they stocked the store’s shelves they’d toss the empty cardboard boxes into the cage. Once-in-awhile someone would come by, drop off a new trailer and haul the full one away.

One afternoon around three the boxes caught fire. It was a pretty spectacular bonfire for about five minutes and during that brief time a local news guy happened by (he must have had a scanner to hear the fire call). He took a few seconds of film. We laughed, but sure enough that night on the news there was film of cardboard boxes in flame. If I remember right, it was the lead story.

It wouldn’t happen that way anymore. Oh, TV news would still cover a cardboard box fire, but here’s what we’d see.

A news crew would show up, more than likely after the fire was out. They’d videotape a few seconds of fire engine lights flashing, a firehose leaking, and a soggy, charred mess of cardboard. They’d interview a guy in a tank top, who’d say it was the biggest box fire he’d ever seen.

Then, at 10PM, they wouldn’t just use the video like Channel 13 in Tucson did all those years ago. No, they’d send a reporter and van out to the now deserted store, hours after the fire. The reporter would stand in front of a now even soggier mess and introduce the seven hour old video.

Live, local, late breaking.

If you don’t believe me, I just saw a live shot of an empty trash container tipped over by flooding earlier today.

Maryland My Maryland

“Katie Hoff, with her three swimming medals, and Michael Phelps, with his eight golds, call the same Baltimore suburb home,” pointed out Bob Molinaro of the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot. “If Towson, Md., were a country, it would rank among the top 20 medal winners.”

Sideline Chatter

August 23rd is the birthday

… of Barbara Eden. “Jeannie” is 74.

… of Linda Thompson. The folk/rock musician, who with then husband Richard made one of the great rock albums — Shoot Out the Lights, is 61 today. She was voted best female singer of 1982 in Rolling Stone.

… of Shelley Long. The star of Cheers and numerous films is 59. Long received six Emmy nominations for her portrayal of Diane Chambers, winning once.

… of Kobe Bryant. He’s 30.

Gene Kelly, the wonderful singer/dancer/actor, was born on this date in 1912. Kelly is most famous for Singin’ in the Rain but received his sole Oscar nomination for best actor for Anchors Aweigh. He died in 1996.