jakobnicholas

It's just odd and wierd that someone who's told countless jokes about Bill Clinton or John Edwards or Mark Sanford, etc...admits to doing things that aren't that dissimilar.

Of course, Letterman only just recently got married, so maybe technically he never actually cheated on his wife (it's unknown when all his sexcapades took place).

And it was VERY odd how Letterman was seemingly try to get a laugh or two from the audience as he was admitting to doing things that I can imagine his current wife not finding too funny.

I don't really have a take on this. Of course, having it in the U.S. would be great.

A Chicago Tribune writer wrote a cynical article about it relating to Obama and his ties with Daley. I'm not up on Chicago politics, so not sure if the guy's making good points or not. No doubt would it be great for downtown Chicago.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-kass-30-sep30,0,456539.column

Ed O'Neill is greatness on that show. I also liked The Middle, but I love Neil Flynn. However, I don't know that that show will ever be required viewing for me. We'll see where it goes from here. I didn't even bother with Hank.

O'Niel will never top Al Bundy, but that's a near-impossibility. But this role seems perfect for him.

I doubt I'll watch The Middle every week either. Though that quirky kid character kinda makes me want to watch it again.

DON'T bother with Hank.

i streamed it once and was blown away. something about the last 2 albums has been a little too "clean" and borderline "cutesy."

I streamed it twice and was impressed.

I may be in the minority, but I liked their attempt at being "clean" on the last few records. Those records are soothing and yet interesting, for the most part. But they were DEFINITELY due to go crazy on an album, and from what I heard, it sounds daring and wild and sometimes-whacked. Maybe that means a couple mis-steps, but I'd rather listen to unsure experiments than already-tried formula.

Wayne talked about him and Steven Drozd going into a room and just jamming crazy jams and then making songs out of the ones they liked. Wayne said he was wanting to make an album totally different than the last few. I know at least one other band I wish would do the same (ahem...Wilco....ahem...).

It was mentioned earlier, but I too like the occassional sweetness in Modern Family. The part involving Ed O'Niel's character, the son, and Disneyland was done VERY well.

I also saw Patricia Heaton's new show (The Middle), and liked it. She's a very good comic actor. The show is little quirky and in that way reminds me a tad of Malcom in the Middle, but not as chaotic. Her youngest child character is great.

The new Kelsey Grammar show did nothing for me.

Kind of off-topic, but are laugh-tracks pretty much gone forever, outside of Disney or Nickelodean kid shows? I guess that's a good thing....though when I watch Seinfeld or Frasier re-runs I'm never bothered by them. They only annoy me on shows that have cheesy jokes, like Full House.

Yes. I saw it.

I was very pleasantly surprised. I liked it a lot. Very funny.

Comparisons to The Office aren't far off. It's got the documentary-style feel and it's got a similar type of humor. The cool Dad character is GREAT. The gay couple was funny. Good to see Ed O'Neil again.

The New Yorker recently published a profile on Savage – one in which he participated. He didn’t actually come out and say it, but he inferred that he, himself, doesn’t actually believe everything that comes out of his mouth. Which, taken at face value, isn’t such a bad thing, well, not, that is, until you start to think through the implications of what he saying. Which is, he thinks so little of his listeners, that he willingly lies to them, misrepresents facts, basically has so little respect for them, that he has no qualms about filling their heads full of make believe bullshit – I invite you to think about that for a moment. As previously stated, most of Savage’s material is as thought provoking as a skinhead or KKK rally – how refreshing.

 

Letterman is a late night talk host, now, feel free to correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t ever recall a time in which he represented himself as anything but that, a late night talk show host. As for Stewart, are you suggesting that he is the left’s answer to Savage? For your sake, I sure as hell hope not. The truth is, the left doesn’t have a Michael Savage equivalent, well, at least not a syndicated equivalent.

 

You may in fact be a “news junkie” but you’re filling your head with “junk news.”

I say bullshit to your claim that Savage doesn't believe anything coming out of his mouth. He may exaggerate and push buttons like ALL people in the media do, but that's it.

Thanks for the invitation to think about your statement. OK....I'm thinking about it......hmm.....interesting.....OK.....I'm done. I still find Savage a very entertaining host.

Letterman used to be a late night talk show host who was goofy and silly and funny and genius. Now he's a Jon Stewart wannabe, and he fails miserably anytime he tries.

Yeah, Stewart IS kind of like a left version of Savage.

And because I don't consider myself a very knowledgable political thinker....hell, I don't consider myself a political thinker period....if getting information from Savage and Leno and Letterman and Stewart and O' Reilly is filling my head with junk, so be it. Is it any worse than constantly quoting some guy named Anderw Sullivan. Who gives a shit what HE thinks? Should we?

http://mediamatters.org/research/200405140003

 

So thought provoking and insightful--I wonder why anyone would call that hate-mongering.

I think of Savage as an entertainer, and he entertains me. I don't take him seriously. Don Imus as well....who by the way, will be on a Fox Business Network near you soon.

Jacob -

 

As a self-described Christian, I am genuinely surprised that you find the hate-filled rhetoric of Michael Savage entertaining – honest to Christ. But then, it should come as no surprise, as a great many so-called Christians enjoy his unique brand of entertaining hate-speech.

"Hate-mongering" is your term. I find him refreshing. He just spews whatever he's thinking. I have an uncle who just lets things fly politically. And some of it is shocking or mean, perhaps. But it's interesting and provokes thought.

I don't think the average person is a dumbshit. Most people can sort through BS and exaggerations. Listening to Jon Stewart or David Lettermen's left-leaning sarcasm and Michael Savage's right-leaning "hate-mongering" could make most people get a good idea of what actually is going on.

No matter who is President and which party controls Congress, both sides should always be angry when hate-mongering blowhards of any persuasion are filling the airwaves with exaggeration and lies. Period.

Perhaps. But that's part of the deal when we live in a country with free speech.

Some think Obama will try to find a way to limit or curtail "hate-mongering" radio. That's a scary thought, no? Who gets to decide what is "fear-mongering" and what is not? I don't recall Kieth Olbermann and others exactly being pie in the sky when Bush was President.

On the aggregate, the media is neither liberal nor conservative. And since when have David Letterman, Jay Leno, Oprah, and the cast of the View been considered part of the media establishment? Since you’re casting so wide a net, why don’t we throw Big Bird, Sylvester Stallone, Ralph Macchio, and because you’re a big Pixar fan, let's throw Buzz Lightyear in there as well. When I reference the media, I have print and television journalism in mind – not celebrities and late night TV hosts, though your definition may differ.

 

Where, I wonder, was the liberal media during Bush’s term in office? If, as you say, we add it up, surely we will find that the liberal media went out of its way to criticize Bush at ever turn, right? Why, then, is the complete opposite true? If the media displays a bias, it is a corporate one. NPR, often cited as the snake’s nest of liberal media bias, is, in fact, one of the most balanced news outlets available. Of course, if you listen to the bullshit from the right, you would think they start their day by burning a republican, and then engaging in gay sex while laughing at the charred remains. But the fact is, they go OUT OF THEIR WAY to provide balanced reporting – despite what you may believe.

 

Michael Savage, if we are to take what he says as face value, is about as valuable a commentator as the leader of your local skinhead organization – and about as entertaining. You’re right, in that it is much easier to be entertaining when you say to hell with silly things like, you know, facts, or at least some semblance thereof, and just scatter bullshit in every direction, with no regard for anything even remotely resembling reality.

 

If Beck serves a purpose, it is a negative one, as illustrated by the recent, Million Moron March on Washington. Why is it that his fans are consistently misinformed with regards to just about any topic you care to question them about? Beck is arguably the worst of the lot, well, if we put aside Savage, an outright racist, that the conservative movement has christened him their new champion, is further proof of its slide into madness and irrelevancy.

Do your realize how insane it is that people like you get their panties in a wad over what Beck and Limbaugh do or say?

Obama is the President, dude. And guess what?...he should be able to pass whatever the fuck he wants to, 'cause he has like-minded members dominating the House AND Senate.

So a few hate-mongering blowhards are filling the airwaves with exaggeration and/or lies and it's getting in the way of Obama wanting to good things for America? Somebody cue the sympathy music.

Liberal Media Bias, on the other hand, is a cynical fabrication, a tool with which to deflect all criticism, a handy way in which to intimidate and dismiss everyone and anyone who doesn’t agree with whatever it is the right is schilling. I work with people of all color, from all over the country, and a day in which someone claims they’ve been treated unfairly as a result of their race is a rare one, however, turn on the radio, listen to a conservative politician, and within five minutes, there’s a really good fucking chance that you’ll hear all sorts of whining about liberal media bias, or liberal elite bias – it would be funny if it wasn’t so fucking pathetic. And, as is the case with most bullies, they cry foul whenever someone hits back – in fact, their entire mission statement could be summed up in one sentence – “But he hit me back first”

 

So, in conclusion, (to borrow a line from Tool)fuck Rush Limbaugh and fuck all his clones, fuck all his dysfunctional insecure dittoheads - they represent the whiniest political “minority” in this countries history. The entire movement is rank with the cries of victimhood - it's the only card they have left to play.

C'mon. You're hard to take seriuosly after saying that.

I don't care what you want to call it. Maybe "Liberal Media Bias" isn't the right term. But it's a fact that a HUGE majority of newspaper and TV news reporters are Democratic supporters. Add to that Oprah, The View, David Letterman, Jon Stewart, SNL, Jay Leno (he hides it better), and all the celebrities (including many musicians who I love) who voice their very left-leaning beliefs any chance they can get. Added up, it's UNDENIABLE that the media projects a liking for Democrats or left-leaning thought. For a media junkie like myself, it's impossible to not get the perception that Reagan ruined America, Bush and Cheney were idiots, Palin is a moron, and Obama is the best President of all time.

Limbaugh, Beck, Savage and O'Reilly may be "right-wing, fear-mongering whackos", but they serve a purpose. I can soak up the left-leaning media as well as right-leaning media, and form my own opinion.

And I think that's what many independents and right-leaning people do. And because the general media leans left, millions check out Conservative pundits for balance. And as a bonus, they're usually more entertaining and interesting (Michael Savage kicks the crap out of any political talk show).

I could list many, but here's 10 I'm glad are in my cd collection:

The Sadies - "Tremendous Efforts" (A great American-sounding cd)

OP8 (Lisa Germano, Howe Gelb, Joey Burns, John Convertino) - "Slush" (This would be a great start to delving into solo works by Lisa Germano and Burns/Convertino....i.e. Calexico)

Split Lip Rayfield - "In the Mud" (This is a rock/punk band from Lawrence that plays acoustic instruments in an almost bluegrass fashion. This is arguably their best...."Never Make it Home a very close 2nd.)

Richard Buckner - "Devotion and Doubt" (One of many great discs he's made. This one is more acoustic and dark. "Impasse" is another of his...it's more pop-sounding.)

Honeydogs - "Seen a Ghost" (A very easy-to-digest "alt-country" and/or pop record.)

Freedy Johnston - "This Perfect World" (a solid album...a couple songs were in the movie 'Kingpin')

Mercury Rev - "Deserter's Songs" (an all-time classic cd)

Okkervil River - "Don't Fall in Love With Everything You See" (another band with many good albums...this is more "alt-countryish" than thier more recent pop/rock-sounding discs)

Victoria Williams - "Loose" (One of my all-time favorite discs. She gets help from many on the disc, including Dave Pirner, the Jayhawks and Peter Buck)

Vic Chesnutt - "West of Rome" (His voice is an acquired taste, but this is first record, and maybe his best.)

Especially about such a hot topic for which there are inarguably hundreds of misunderstandings on either side of the debate, you cannot really argue that speaking directly to the people isn't an effective way of bolstering your own vision - which, let's face it, is what presidents do.

This is what confuses me.

I listed earlier:

- Polls claim that 80+ percent of Americans are OK with their health care plan.

- The House, dominated by Democrats, still may not have enough votes to pass Obama's plan. It's sounds to be very much in debate.

- The Senate, despite 59 Democrats, possibly couldn't even muster 50 votes in favor of Obama's plan without some changes to the plan.

- Many Americans...Liberal, Independent or Conservative...are VERY concerned at the HUGE pricetag of the plan and how we'll pay for it down the road.

- Harry Reid is threatening a reconciliation (a way a bill can be passed with only 51 Senate votes) should they be unable to get 60 votes.

Every point above very clearly suggests Obama's new health care plan is either not wanted, not worthy, or needs to be changed dramatically. Yet, I constantly hear that people are "misunderstanding" the bill. I can't imagine the House and Senate members are misunderstanding the bill. Is it not a red flag that, despite Obama having Democrats control Congress, he still almost certainly would not pass his bill right now?

I don't know if "misunderstand" is the proper word. Maybe "scared" would be better. The numbers being tossed around to pay for this...at a time where our economy is shaky and people are out of work...are GIGANTIC. Many Americans understandably are thinking, "how the hell can we pay for all this?!".

And to get back to the title of this thread. All of the next 3 tidbits would make me happy to be Independent:

- Fox News, a Conservative-slanted network for sure, broke a very worthy story about Acorn. 2 young journalists posed as a pimp and prostitute and exposed many workers of ACORN. Charles Gibson claims to not know a thing about it ("I'll leave stories like for the cables"). Jon Stewart criticized the mainstream media (mostly left-leaning) about this story last night:

"ACORN appears to be a corrupt organization that aids and abets criminals and gets millions of dollars in taxpayer money." That was Jon Stewart on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show," who in a six-minute segment not only covered the story of ACORN representatives giving business advice to folks trying to set up a child-prostitution ring, but also lambasted the media for getting scooped so embarrassingly by "two kids from the cast of ‘High School Musical III.'"

- Jimmy Carter with this quote:

"I think an overwhelming portion of the intensely demonstrated animosity toward President Barack Obama is based on the fact that he is a black man, that he's African-American," Carter told "NBC Nightly News." "I live in the South, and I've seen the South come a long way, and I've seen the rest of the country that shares the South's attitude toward minority groups at that time, particularly African-Americans."

That is SO irresponsible of ANYBODY to bring out the race card, especially a former President. If we disgree with Obama we're racist? Ridiculous.

- Michael Moore was on Leno last night promoting his new film that takes a look at Capitalism. Of course, Moore thinks Capitalism has gotten way out of control. And he might be right. Should be an interesting film. He supposedly rips into Democrats AND Republicans.

Fun reading this thread.

Ikol....I love reading your opinions on the abortion/health care debate.

Though I am a practicing Catholic and don't believe abortion is right, spending tax dollars to fund abortions isn't wrong because I find it sinful. Rather, I think it's wrong to kill a living human being....and a fetus, for me, qualifies as one.

I'm actually stunned that some don't think a woman (and the male who impregnated her) should pay for one. As a male, if I get drunk one night and get it on with a hot female who happens to give me a STD, should I expect tax-payers to pay for my treatment? Hell fucking no!

Our health care system definitely needs some fixing, and hopefully both sides can figure something out, but the abortion part of it shouldn't even be questioned...it seems so obvious to me.

And I don't get this:

- Polls claim that 80+ percent of Americans are OK with their health care plan.

- The House, dominated by Democrats, still may not have enough votes to pass Obama's plan. It's sounds to be very much in debate.

- The Senate, despite 59 Democrats, possibly couldn't even muster 50 votes in favor of Obama's plan without some changes to the plan.

- Many Americans...Liberal, Independent or Conservative...are VERY concerned at the HUGE pricetag of the plan and how we'll pay for it down the road.

- Obama is gonna spend this weekend on Meet the Press, This Week, Face the Nation, State of the Union, Unvision and then will shill on freakin' David Lettermen. (Of course, no Fox interviews...say what you want about the network, it signals major insecurity by Obama.)

- And now Harry Reid is threatening a reconciliation (a way a bill can be passed with only 51 Senate votes) should they be unable to get 60 votes.

WOW! How does this NOT make Americans think the President is trying to shove something that smells and tastes like dog shit down our throats?!!

"Bésame Mucho"

That's a great choice, and truly could be considered an obscure Beatles song. That made me remember That Means A Lot, issued on the Anthology 2 cd. Obviously, the Beatles didn't think it was good enough to make an album, but I like the simple tune.

I'll also add Blue Jay Way.

(Does an obscure Beatles song even exist? Maybe not...but some are definitely buried a bit.)

I'll pick:

Things We Said Today. Lyrically I wouldn't say it's just a sweet love song...it has some depth and is a bit melancholy. And it's got a really nice flow musically and makes some cool chord changes. It breezes by in under 2 1/2 minutes without a flaw. My favorite part happens during these lines....

Me, I'm just the lucky kind.

Love to hear you say that love is luck.

And, though we may be blind,

Love is here to stay. And that's enough

To make you mine, girl,

I especially like the transition from "enough" to "To". It's one of the many instances where the Beatles write a great song and, with some creative nuances, make it pure genius.

Wilco's music consistently holds up through the years. I was listening to A Ghost is Born yesterday and it hit me that this STILL sounds fresh and innovative. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot still awes me with its mix of tunefulness and innovation. Summerteeth is still the most tuneful and beautiful sounding document of two talented musicians leading a bed on and over the edge. Egos melting down in the key of E.

 

Sky Blue Sky may be perceived as a sorbet of sorts: cleasing the musical palate after three challenging and difficult records. But it is so much more complicated than that.

 

We seem to want to minimize the worth of the band is presenting. Every album can't be the greatest ground breaking aural experience ever created. Wilco has released at least three albums that are in that class. Wilco (TA) is a record that most bands working would love to have recorded.

 

I love the jarring segue from Bull Black Nova to You and I. I love the sly tribute to George Harrison. I love the lyrical acoustic guitar intro to I'll Fight. And they have the best song featuring self reference that is not ironic ever.

 

Can't we just enjoy this ride? Sooner or later, Jeff will tire of the road. Sooner or later, making records won't be important to Jeff any more.

I agree with everything above (I took out the part about it being the "perfect addition" and "I love this record".)

In a nutshell for me, W(TA) is a worthy effort, but the attention to detail or the added care to most songs are missing. I don't how else to explain it. You Never Know, You and I, Sonny Feeling, I'll Fight and Everlasting Everything sound unfinished and/or interesting.

But yeah, we can't expect every album to be solid gold.

As a fan, I'd much rather team get the breaks than to actually be good.

The Packers didn't really deserve to win. They intercepted 4 passes, but most of them I can't really give the Packers credit for. The 4th down snap to the running back was a HUGE break for the Packers. Saying all this, the Bears didn't deserve to win either with all their stupid decisions. Why were they passing so much?

How about the Broncos? Winning on a desparation heave that's tipped from on receiver to another. Wow!

The crappy Chiefs were tied with a great Baltimore team 24-24....ON THE ROAD...with just 3 minutes left.

In which John Stewart, a COMEDIAN, eviscerates Bill Kristol, editor of The Weekly Standard, and all around fuckhead, in just about every way imaginable, with a special nod to health care.

 

With video:

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/28/bill-kristol-admits-publi_n_246145.html

I'm not a huge Jon Stewart fan, but I think instances like this show his strength and prove why he's important. HIs interviews with Conservatives are actually far more interesting and thought-provoking than when he interviews those who think like him.

It's rare, but Stewart sometimes finds himself losing a gotcha game. Wasn't it earlier this year that Stewart got caught in a "gotcha" moment? A Conservative who supported waterboarding terrorists got Stewart to admit that Harry Truman was a war criminal. Stewart later took the comment back, but it rang pretty hollow.

Don't Give Up On Us - David Soul

Goin Out Of My Head - Little Anthony

Have You Ever Been Mellow - Olivia Newton John

Let's Pretend - The Raspberries

Kiss You All Over - Exile

Bad Blood - Neil Sedaka

The First Cut is the Deepest - Rod Stewart

Wildfire - Michael Murphy

All By Myself - Eric Carmen

It's My Life - No Doubt

(OK....I better stop....this is embarrassing....)

Autumn defence?

Crowbar.

Loose Fur?

Protective gloves.

(That's a compliment. That would include any shrub, leaves, yard-work as well as garage, basement, car and bathroom work.)

Golden Smog discs are boots....of course, an even bigger compliment.

Impossible so I'm going to cheat and say RIGHT NOW it's probably "We can work it out". I just watched the anthology DVD where they are doing that song and by the end Paul is laughing so hard at John's clowing around he can hardly stand up. Dear Prudence has to be up there, Day in the Life, here there, and everywhere. It's impossible.

Those are 3 songs that quickly come to mind for me. Also...Ticket to Ride, Everybody's Got Something To Hide, You Never Give Me Your Money...(yeah, it's impossible).

She's Leaving Home should make the top 50.

So what's A.M. then, sandpaper?

A.M. is the level.

Sky Blue Sky is the awl.

The Mermaid Avenue discs are nails & screws.