TO MY GREAT CHAGRIN: The eagerly-awaited (in my house, at least) world premiere of the documentary To My Great Chagrin: The Unbelievable Story of Brother Theodore comes to MOMA this Wednesday, February 13th (also playing on March 1st). He was a complex, brilliant and vastly underrated performance artist and you can view some of his pitch-perfect and hysterical ravings in a video compilation we posted here back in September.
FUERZABRUTA: Friday I took my lovely wife Chris to see Fuerzabruta, the new spectacle from the creators of De La Guarda, for her birthday at the Daryl Roth Theatre and was totally blown away by it. I enjoyed De La Guarda, but thought it was a little over-hyped and found myself wishing it would come to an end about 45-minutes into it. Fuerzabruta, on the other hand, I never wanted to end, noticing at several points during the performance that my face was smeared with a thoroughly ridiculous shit-eating grin that only a child can accommodate without feeling like a complete tool. As an added bonus, I was selected by one of the Fuerzabruta “dancers” to join her on a metal platform and dance in front of hundreds of people before having an oversized, exploding paper cinderblock dropped on our heads. According to Chris the crowd was cheering me on (I inserted several of my death-defying robot maneuvers into my routine) and afterwards the dancer came over and gave me a big thumbs up when she found me back in the crowd. If you’re a New Yorker, I highly recommend checking this show out. If the $72 price tag is too steep for you, they sell $25 rush tix at the box office two hours before each performance.
Late on Sept. 6, 2005, a private plane carrying the Canadian mining financier Frank Giustra touched down in Almaty, a ruggedly picturesque city in southeast Kazakhstan. Several hundred miles to the west a fortune awaited: highly coveted deposits of uranium that could fuel nuclear reactors around the world. And Mr. Giustra was in hot pursuit of an exclusive deal to tap them.
Unlike more established competitors, Mr. Giustra was a newcomer to uranium mining in Kazakhstan, a former Soviet republic. But what his fledgling company lacked in experience, it made up for in connections. Accompanying Mr. Giustra on his luxuriously appointed MD-87 jet that day was a former president of the United States, Bill Clinton.
Upon landing on the first stop of a three-country philanthropic tour, the two men were whisked off to share a sumptuous midnight banquet with Kazakhstan’s president, Nursultan A. Nazarbayev, whose 19-year stranglehold on the country has all but quashed political dissent.
Mr. Nazarbayev walked away from the table with a propaganda coup, after Mr. Clinton expressed enthusiastic support for the Kazakh leader’s bid to head an international organization that monitors elections and supports democracy. Mr. Clinton’s public declaration undercut both American foreign policy and sharp criticism of Kazakhstan’s poor human rights record by, among others, Mr. Clinton’s wife, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York.
Within two days, corporate records show that Mr. Giustra also came up a winner when his company signed preliminary agreements giving it the right to buy into three uranium projects controlled by Kazakhstan’s state-owned uranium agency, Kazatomprom.
The monster deal stunned the mining industry, turning an unknown shell company into one of the world’s largest uranium producers in a transaction ultimately worth tens of millions of dollars to Mr. Giustra, analysts said.
Just months after the Kazakh pact was finalized, Mr. Clinton’s charitable foundation received its own windfall: a $31.3 million donation from Mr. Giustra that had remained a secret until he acknowledged it last month. The gift, combined with Mr. Giustra’s more recent and public pledge to give the William J. Clinton Foundation an additional $100 million, secured Mr. Giustra a place in Mr. Clinton’s inner circle, an exclusive club of wealthy entrepreneurs in which friendship with the former president has its privileges.
(Password-free link to the NY Times article here.)
I wasn’t going to watch the debate tonight because a) I already know who I’m voting for and b) I’m a total loser and the season premiere of Lost is on, but I may DVR it just to see if Anderson Cooper brings this up. Of course, after he hits on super important stuff like “The Snub.”
p.s. This will be my one and only post during the primary cycle highlighting potential shady $$$ dealings by the Clintons. Consider it a friendly reminder to the Hillshills that Obama’s “boneheaded” (his description) interactions with Rezco is relatively small potatoes compared to what reporters might find in the Billary bin. You may want to reconsider your Freeper-like dancing-in-your-own-feces routine when it comes to digging through Obama’s underpants drawer. Instant karma’s going to get you.
Notice how [Hillary Clinton] appeals to Edwards’ supporters, not to Edwards himself. Edwards will endorse Obama—soon—and probably in exchange for the AG spot should Obama win the presidency. The only question is, will it matter.
I believe Betty’s right about the endorsement and I agree that Obama will probably offer him a plum role in his admin (if he hasn’t already), but I think telling Edwards he’ll empower him to be the most influential and important Secretary of Labor ever might be the best angle for both of them. I mean that with all sincerity. Edwards could turn that mostly ceremonial and lackluster position into something monumental. It seems like a logical fit to me.
You’ll realize political lamesmanship has reached a level of stupidity (and inexplicable desperation) that is mind-boggling after you check out the rabid anti-Obama Hillshills, including the normally thoughtful Tom Watson, analyzing (and reanalyzing) Barack’s alleged “snub” of Hillary before the State of the Union address. This guy sums up how I feel about this slap-fight-at-recess immaturity in a pretty funny way:
I thought the grownups were going to be in charge again. Now excuse me while I get back to drawing the REO Speedwagon logo on my notebook before homeroom is over…
Taylor Marsh hugs herself after performing her kickass version of
“Love Is A Battlefield” at a Hillary Clinton karaoke benefit.
Good cripes, I’ve never paid much attention to C-list talk radio host* Taylor “Mushroom Top” Marsh, but if you want to witness full-blown Obama Derangement Syndrome, you’ve really got to check out her site. Rather than focus on why her gal Hillary deserves your vote, she chooses instead to dig deep into the scum bucket for anti-Obama oppo dreck and limits her praise for the Clintons to adoringly drooling about how skillfully they’re taking Obama “off his game.” I’ve never witnessed relentless, wild-eyed attacks on a Democratic candidate like this from a liberal/progressive/whatever blog before. If anyone can point me to a pro-Obama blog that’s unleashing anti-Hillary rants that are even remotely as unseemly or unrelenting, I’m all eyes. Until then, Mushy wins my award for Demohack of ‘08.
* Is there any evidence that Mushy is or has been a “radio show talk host” as her bio states? I can’t find any evidence of it. Or is she just a podcaster? There’s a difference, radio hosts can be heard on radios. Podcasters can’t. She allegedly “launched her radio show in Las Vegas” in 2002, but did she launch it on, ya know, a radio station? Was it syndicated and picked up by anyone? If not, sorry, she’s not a “radio show talk host,” she’s just a podcaster. And after listening to a some of Mushy’s recent podcasts, that’s a very good thing.
I’m really rooting for Michelle Obama to kick Bill’s intrusive ass—rhetorically speaking, of course.
Of course.
UPDATE (4/9/08): Due to some not-so-subtle legal threats Taylor directed at blogger John Brown, I’ve replaced her image with a more appropriate one. Sorry the Pat Benetar joke falls flat, but you can still find the original image on her bio page (linked above).
The Associated (With Terrorists) Press filed this story re: today’s event, and included 4 photos. 3 were of the Ron Paulians, 1 was of Rudy (with signs behind him) and 1 was of a DOG. The reporting on this is a scandal. Not 1 pic from inside the place—- PACKED TO THE GILLS with supporters.
The story she’s referring to is this one. As it turns out, the “Associated (With Terrorists) Press” did take a few photos inside of the restaurant. Want to see what “PACKED TO THE GILLS” looks like?
This is what it looks like:
That’s Molly and Matilda Gills on the left, waiting for their check.
My internet connection is just barely functioning, so let me direct you to one of the best new voices in the poliblogosneer, Betty Cracker. She’s got quite a delectable edge on her and is very deserving of a large readership. Check out her whole blog, but first stop in to read her astute take on the Obama-Reagan flap (“The ‘R’ Word”—scroll down), which is the best I’ve yet to read.
Here’s a doozy from our new go-to gal for TEH KR@ZEES!!?!, Dr. Sanitary:
Don’t tie the next President’s hands, because, you know, there’s a good chance (s)he’s gonna be Democrat. At least that’s the NY Times thinks. I wonder why they don’t seem to believe its [sic] a good idea—when they and the Democrats have been doing exactly that for the last 7 years?
Exactly what country has she been living in for the past seven years? I am speechless. I am without speech.
I’m suffering from blogger’s blog and can’t find anything current I’m interested in to blog about. The primary season has already taken its toll on me and we’re only three states into it (four if you count Wyoming, but let’s not). Every word uttered by the candidates or their subordinates is getting over-parsed by the media and the blogosneer is echo-chambering all of it to death. Today I decided to catch up on the woefully unheralded Sundance documentary series Nimrod Nation instead of hunting and pecking and sighing through Google News to find something worthy of you fine folks. It was a wise choice.
I’ll be back tomorrow with all sorts of shrillity for your enjoyment, but until then please enjoy the vocal stylings of Bill O’Loofah:
BONUS DISCUSSION POINT: Should I go see Cloverfield this weekend at the bargain matinée since my wife is away and she’d rather be dragged through Fred Thompson’s unwashed ass crack than watch it or should I just assume it’s a festering load of MTVapidness and spend my time finally seeing if the freeze-dried hard drive voodoo works?
While watching the endless pundit blather on TV tonight after the Republican Michigan Primary and Democratic Nevada Debate and reading the various opinion meisters commentaries online, I had one of those rare zen moments of simplicity. It all comes down to a simple question:
Who would you like to be in the White House if Pakistan fell to al Qaeda and the Islamists gained control of its nuclear arsenal?
Answer that question and you will know your candidate. All the rest, as they say, is commentary.
Maybe I’ve been missing something, but hasn’t Roger’s whole political viewpoint been limited to variances of this “rare” zen moment of simplicity since 9/11? I’m not quite sure why he felt the need to share.
SOMEWHAT RELATED: Another one-issue blogger (TEH TERRAH!!!) proves why she should stick to one issue:
What has the Republican Party come to? With all the socialism-lite being bandied about here in Michigan; all the empty promises glibly being made—how are these guys any different from the feckless Democrats who got us into this economic mess to begin with?
DON’T MAKE ME KILL THIS KITTEN: TS from Instaputz, who has been a good friend of Rumproast, is entering sponsoring a team entered in a local Scrabble tournament to benefit Dave Eggers’ wonderful 826NYC nonprofit org. I donated some scratch to the organization last year and now I’m doing it again to back up my pal TS. It’s a great cause, so if you have enjoyed Rumproast (and/or Instaputz), why don’t you do me a favor and throw some cash 826NYC’s way via TS.
JAMES BROWN—LIVE IN ZAIRE: I break out in a hot sweat just thinking about this boot. Recorded in ‘74 prior to the Ali vs. Foreman “Rumble in the Jungle,” Live in Zaire sounds amazing and captures the spirit of the moment like few other live recordings do. If you’ve got an ass, you need this.
THINGS DO LOOK AWFUL COLD: Digby takes a quick gander at the political leanings of the 18-25 year-old group in a resent Pew study and it’s good news for the Democrats.
FLY OCEANIC AIR: ABC’s new online viral campaign to promote the 4th season of Lost is, well, pretty damn impressive. If you’re a fan of the show (I’m a late-bloomer) and haven’t booked your flight yet, get on board.
From Roger L. Magoo, CEO of the laughably ill-conceived Pajamas Media, we get this gem:
Maybe I missed something, but the “Change” poster behind Barack Obama seems to have, well, changed. (There’s that word again.) The words “We Can Believe In” have been added to the bottom, for the first time acknowledging, pace Orwell, that not all changes are equal (although some changes are more equal than others). Nazi Germany, for an example, was a change. So was Stalinism (although less of change from Leninism). In the I-Ching it is written: “Change/Opportunity.” Were they referring to car salesman… for whom change is indeed a big opportunity. So far Obama is doing a brilliant job of being vague about what “change” he is referring to. “We Can Believe In” is a masterpiece of obfuscation. He has some good writers.
Never mind the odious, cheap and wrong-headed comparisons to Nazi Germany and Stalinism or the inevitable “huzzahs?!” produced by that bizarre car salesman [sic] reference, let’s examine the premise that Obama’s “Change We Can Believe In” slogan has been added recently. You’d think one of new media’s champions, the same doddering old tool who constantly snipes at the MSM for getting their facts wrong, would bother to check if he’d “missed something” before clicking the “submit” button.
Well, you’d be wrong.
The Obama campaign has been using the phrase “Change We Can Believe In” since at least September 19th, 2007 (watch the end of the ad). And if that’s not enough, let’s look back to Durham, NC on November 2nd, 2007:
As the senator spoke, many in the crowd waved signs that read “Change We Can Believe In.”
I see looking around at the comments sections of liberal blogs that many progressive nutrooters (hey, sometimes it works) have decided that Barack Obama is now worthy of their thickheaded spittle-flecked scorn. He’s Republican-lite or, worse yet, the black Lieberman, because, well, gosh diggity dog, he isn’t angry enough and he has the gall to suggest that Americans want to be united and he’s telling voters that he can help them achieve that goal (how fucked up! it’s like he’s running for office or something!). He’s also got a massive personality-cult-driven God complex. Oh, and he didn’t support the tremendously bland Ned Lamont enough, even though he did, and I guess Lamont didn’t get the “Obama sucks” memo because he’s donated the max amount of money ($2300) to Barack and hasn’t contributed a dime to John Edwards, the anointed Saint of ‘08 for this angry set of mostly ex-Deaniac ding dongs.
And speaking of Edwards, I like the guy and I’m still torn between voting for him or Obama in the NY primary (if Edwards is still around—Joe Trippi works for him), but why have the nutrooters latched onto Edwards as their preferred progressive choice? He’s still opposed to gay marriage and he can apologize for it all he wants, but he voted for the Iraq war. If the leftwing dunderheads tearing down Obama had anything resembling cajones, they’d be supporting the only real 100% progressive candidate in the primaries ... Dennis Kucinich. But they’re just as image conscious, triangulating and full of shit as they’re accusing Barack of being. Which is why they should STFU and stop with the negative and inaccurate self-destructive spin.
YIKES: Here’s an example of the anti-Obama lunacy I outlined above. Notice how many times she refers to Obama as a “piece of shit.” Charming. (link found in comments here)
And as a commenter notes, this would get more attention if it had involved a noose on a doorknob even though in this case, according to the reports, we have an actual physical assault and beating.
Francisco Nava ‘09 has admitted to fabricating an alleged assault on him that he said occurred Friday evening and to sending threatening emails to himself, other members of the Anscombe Society and prominent conservative politics professor Robert George, Princeton Township Police said today.
“He fabricated the story,” Det. Sgt. Ernie Silagyi said.
Nava was released to Public Safety and charges “have not been filed pending further investigation,” according to a statement from Township Police.
WE WILL, WE WILL MOCK YOU:
Atlas Shrugs: “Princeton Hate Crime: If it were a Black or Muslim Student .... the media would be beating us over the head with this story. Even the hoaxes get full media attention. Not this and it’s a horror.”
Brandon McGinley, The Daily Princetonian: “Whoever is responsible seems to have gotten the message that it is open season on people who defend morally traditional views on our campus. It’s time for the administration to send them a new message: the season is closed.”
Vocal Minority: “My guess is that nothing will happen to these perpetrators if they’re caught, owing to the religion and political views of the victim. Liberals claim to reject intolerance and violence; that statement is only half-right. It all depends on who the victim is. If the victim belongs to a group the left deems ‘protected,’ e.g., a religious, racial, or ethnic minority, then they will defend them to the ends of the earth.”
MarkTalk: “Compassionate Liberals beat conservative student to a bloody pulp, following death threats for his conservative political views or because he is a Hispanic Mormon, hard to tell with the mentally, culturally and socially retarded Moon Bats of the Left.”
The Strata-Sphere: “Left with know [sic] political recourse (no one is buying the paranoid delusions) these people have one recourse: take matters into their own hands. Do not be surprised if we see a spate of violence break out as we near the elections and there is no radical lefty among the top contenders. I think the top is coming off the restless and angry left.”
IN ADDITION: Eugene Volokh, who is supposedly an intellectual or something, opines: “And you further undermine others on the Right, some of whom might face real threats or attacks in the future but who will have a harder time being believed because of you. Lovely.” Yeah, because as we all know, the righties are the most put-upon minorities in America. As a Volokh commenter so succinctly put it: “Don’t we on the right EVER get our own Tawana Brawley?”
