'Best of TBH Politoons'
Thanks, again, Tim!
Week 6
'Survivor: Vanuatu'
Sorry - no update available.
Denver Dude
New Tune
'Who Rules The World?'
A new anti-bush tune from Canada that may interest you Marty. The tune's a free mp3 you can take
and add to your site, or just link to. The song's called "
Who Rules The World?" and features some subversive snippets of Dubbya oratory.
It's also got some good country licks on it!
Recommended Reading
Lorie Van Auken
The Buzzflash Interview with 9-11 Widow Lorie Van Auken: Trusting in
Kerry To Make America Safer, Realign Priorities
An Excerpt:
As I was watching the events on television, watching my husband being
burned alive in a building, I would have thought the president would
have gotten up and told children: "Please excuse me, but I have
something important to attend to." I would hope that we'd have
somebody in office that would act like the commander in chief if, God
forbid, we're ever under attack again.
Reader Suggestion
Robert Ebert
An Excerpt:
The child is the father of the man. --Wordsworth
Renee LeBlanc was a beautiful little girl; she was a professional model before she was 12. Then Renee was injured in a fall from the family garage and descended into depression. Her parents agreed to shock therapy; in two years she had more than 200 treatments, which her son blames for her mental illness, and for the pain that coiled through his family.
"Tarnation" is the record of that pain, and a journal about the way her son, Jonathan Caouette, dealt with it -- first as a kid, now as the director of this film, made in his early 30s. It is a remarkable film, immediate, urgent, angry, poetic and stubbornly hopeful. It has been constructed from the materials of a lifetime: Old home movies, answering machine tapes, letters and telegrams, photographs, clippings, new video footage, recent interviews and printed titles that summarize and explain Jonathan's life. "These fragments I have shored against my ruins," T.S. Eliot wrote in "The Waste Land," and Caouette does the same thing.
Fun Link
Satire
Reader Suggested Reading
More Michael Moore
"Why do people like George W. Bush?"
Sporting a red UNM Lobos baseball hat and his trademark baggy jeans
and sneakers, Moore, fatigued from a lingering case of bronchitis,
made the most of the moment. "For the same reason they like Ferris
Bueller," he said, referring to the 1986 film staring Matthew
Broderick. "He never did his work in school and never got caught.
(Bush) never worked a day in his life and then they made him
president. Who wouldn't want that? That is so Ferris Bueller."
Reader Link
'Blue Planet Challenge'
Marty
Western PA dark and dreary today. Haven't had Indian Summer yet, so have that to look forward to!
Here's a great Science and Nature site by the BBC.
from Mark
Another Bumpersticker
Reader Suggestions
More Bumper Stickers
Like Every Election, I'm Voting -- But This Time It's Personal!
I'm Mad As Hell, And I'm Not Going To Take It Anymore -- So I'm Voting
I Fear A Secret Government, So I'm Voting
I Fear A Draft, So I'm Voting
I Fear A President Who Wants To Make This A $6-An-Hour Country, So I'm Voting
I Fear A President That I'm Afraid Of, So I'm Voting
I Fear More Of The Same -- And Worse -- So I'm Voting
I Fear A Government That Borrows A Billion Dollars A Day, So I'm Voting
I Fear A Media That Ignore The 23 American Soldiers Killed In Iraq
In The Week Ending Oct. 17
Thanks, Bruce!
Reader Suggestions
TV Stuff
Marty,
A TiVo scraping of satellite has turned up a showing of Killer's Kiss
(Kubrick's early film) on Friday, 29 Oct, on 315 (Directtv), the TRIO
channel.
TRIO (I seem to recall you now get this channel too) has LOTS of
commercials, so this isn't a perfect screening, but it is a rare
showing in any form.
Also, the scare season is a big deal this year, with TCM showing all
three major Dr. Jeckyll's (this Sunday), and Harold and Maude on IFC
during next week.
On Halloween itself, Bio is showing the two-hour Holmes' Baskerville
Hound, which conflicts with Suspiria, Deep Red, Inferno, Baron Blood,
Black Sunday, Twitch of the Death Nerve, which conflict with TCM's
Halloween night showing of The Haunting, Dorian Gray, and Sundance's
showing of the recent Dracula: Pages from a Virgin's Diary.
A rare chance to see some Italian horror films, topped off, perhaps,
in the 8AM, 01 Nov showing of Mister Ed, with Mae West, on TV Land
(DTV 301).
Even with TiVo's dual tuners, it's a nightmare schedule for Halloween.
One aside: 'Johnny English,' currently running on Cinemax, is another
chance for John Malkovitch to show how superior he is (and we
aren't): flawless French pours from his (way too smart) mouth like
wine.
Paul
Thanks, Paul!
The Wall Street Poet
A Passionate Congressman
Reader Suggestion
Representative Tim Ryan
Purple Gene Reviews
'A Tail of Two Bunnies'
Lifetime Networks made for TV movie "A Tail of Two Bunnies" (2000):
PIECE OF SHIT! I have no idea what came over me to even sit down and pick up my remote and press my thumb down on the information button for this HIDEOUS, GLIB, GAWD-AWFUL FUCKING HORRIBLY BORING made for LifeTime Television Network monstrosity! It's my own fault...I know I shouldn't ever watch daytime anything, and certainly daytime anything on the Lifetime Network.....New Low for me...I might have to go to confession....worse than Jerry Springer (I watched it 1 time)....worse than Ricky Lake....worse than Texas Justice...I'm going to HELL for this one....
OK so here's what happened. I saw the title "A TAIL of Two Bunnies" and I figured this would be a movie about "Animal Husbandry" or a "Kiddie Story" or something cute (I'M Lying)....but lifetime channel so...PLAYBOY BUNNIES!!!! But with no ASS! No TITTIES! No NASTINESS at all.....but maybe something FUNNY?
After watching the credits (Directed by Randall Miller) I realize this is an attempt at a PERIOD PIECE (1961) Starring Julie Condra and Marina Black as Holly and Ruby - two Sexy disatisfied seamstresses who get fired from their Chicago Millinary jobs and decide to become PLAYBOY BUNNIES and move to LA to get their little TAILS (Really bad 60s schlock music)....(Why am I even writing about this crap!)......Cameo roles for
Marilu Henner as Miranda - the Playboy interviewer and
Rhea Perlman.....I can't go on........Fuck it....over!
Avoid this PIECE OF SHIT at all costs. Don't watch daytime television...especially the LifeTime Network....meditate, masturbate or go to a real movie theater ...but stay away from this kind of ENNUI! (Fucking make phone calls for Kerry!)
Purple Gene can't give "A Tail of Two Bunnies" anything but a warning...BEWARE!
Purple Gene
Thanks, Purple Gene!
Selected Readings
from that Mad Cat, JD
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Mostly sunny & brisk.
Night before last, just a little before 3am, a car alarm went off out front. 40 seconds of beeping, buzzing & braying, followed by 6 seconds of silence, for over an hour.
Then last night, once again, just a little before 3am, Momma cat decided to let us know how unhappy she is about the kittens being gone, and we had a small production of cat shit theater on the rug in the bathroom.
Sure would appreciate an uneventful night.
Man With An Opinion
John Le Carre
British spy novelist John Le Carre branded US resident George W. Bush as America's most "universally hated" leader and urged voters to kick him out of office next month.
The author of global best sellers such as "The Spy Who Came In From the Cold" and "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" launched the stinging attack on the US leader and his war in Iraq in an editorial in the Los Angeles Times.
"Probably no American president in history has been so universally hated abroad as Bush: for his bullying unilateralism, his dismissal of international treaties, his reckless indifference to the aspirations of other nations and cultures," Le Carre wrote in the online article.
He also accused Bush of having "contempt for institutions of world government, and above all for misusing the cause of anti-terrorism in order to unleash an illegal war -- and now anarchy -- upon Iraq.
In the piece that appeared less than two weeks before the closely-contested November 2 presidential election, the author urged Americans to come in from the cold by kicking out Bush.
"Give us back the America we loved, and your friends will be waiting for you," he said.
John Le Carre
Update
Freshman Series
On the heels of the announced full season pick-ups for ABC's Desperate
Housewives and Lost, and NBC's Medical Investigation, what follows is the
current status of all new primetime network series:
ABC
-The Benefactor: Canceled
-Boston Legal: Likely to be renewed for the remainder of the season.
-Complete Savages: The cancellation clock is ticking.
-Desperate Housewives: Full season order.
-life as we know it: Unlikely to survive past midseason.
-Lost: Full season order.
-Rodney: 50/50 chance at a full season order.
-Wife Swap: Good shot for full season order.
CBS
-Center of the Universe: Has not premiered yet.
-Clubhouse: Moving from Tues. 8 p.m. to Sat. 8 p.m. in November.
-CSI: NY: Bona fide hit, shoo-in for renewal.
-dr. vegas: The axe is expected to swing by midseason.
-Listen Up: Likely to be replaced by Yes, Dear in midseason.
NBC
-Father of the Pride: The cancellation clock is ticking.
-Hawaii: Heading to hiatus.
-Joey: Full season order.
-LAX: Moving from Mon. 10 p.m. to Wed. 8 p.m. next week.
-Medical Investigation: Full season order.
Fox
-The Casino: Canceled.
-The Jury: Canceled.
-Method & Red: On hiatus.
-North Shore: Heading to Thursday 9 p.m.
-Quintuplets: Returning Wed. Nov. 10 at 8:30 p.m.
UPN
-Kevin Hill: Shoo-in for a full season order.
-Second Time Around: 50/50 on more episodes.
-Veronica Mars: More episodes expected to be ordered.
WB
-Blue Collar TV: Full season order.
-Commando Nanny: Canceled prior to ever getting on the air.
-Drew Carey's Green Screen: 50/50 shot at more episodes.
-Jack & Bobby: Full season order, flipping time periods with The Mountain.
-The Mountain: Four more scripts ordered, flipping time periods with Jack & Bobby.
-Studio 7: Canceled.
Freshman Series
Endorses Kerry
Dana Reeve
The grieving widow of Superman star Christopher Reeve emerged from mourning to deliver an emotional and politically potent endorsement to Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry.
Dana Reeve held a theater in Columbus, Ohio spellbound, as she remembered her husband who died less than two weeks ago, and backed Kerry's plan to lift what he says is resident George W. Bush's "ban" on embryonic stem-cell research.
"Eleven days ago Chris died and when he died a light went out in my life," said Dana Reeve, as Kerry looked on before a speech.
"My inclination would be, frankly, to remain private for a good long while, but I came here today in support of John Kerry because this is so important.
Dana Reeve
Signs Up for FX's 'Shield'
Glenn Close
Glenn Close will join the FX police drama "The Shield" as a series regular for its upcoming fourth season.
The Emmy-winning actress ("Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story") will appear in all 13 episodes, which go into production in January. The new season of "Shield" will premiere later in the first quarter next year.
Close will play a new captain at the Farmington precinct where she will oversee Detective Vic Mackey, played by Emmy-winning actor Michael Chiklis.
Glenn Close
Fear and Loathing, Campaign 2004
Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
KERRY WINS GONZO ENDORSMENT; DR. THOMPSON JOINS DEMOCRAT IN CALLING BUSH "THE SYPHILLIS PRESIDENT"
"Four more years of George Bush will be like four more years of syphilis," the famed author said yesterday at a hastily called press conference near his home in Woody Creek, Colorado. "Only a fool or a sucker would vote for a dangerous loser like Bush," Dr. Thompson warned. "He hates everything we stand for, and he knows we will vote against him in November."
Thompson, long known for the eerie accuracy of his political instincts, went on to denounce Ralph Nader as "a worthless Judas Goat with no moral compass."
"I endorsed John Kerry a long time ago," he said, "and I will do everything in my power, short of roaming the streets with a meat hammer, to help him be the next President of the United States."
Bush is a natural-born loser with a filthy-rich daddy who pimped his son out to rich oil-mongers. He hates music, football and sex, in no particular order, and he is no fun at all.
For a lot more, Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
Wins Visionary Award
Todd Solondz
Filmmaker Todd Solondz, whose movies examine the quirky and often tempestuous relationships shared by families, will receive the Stockholm International Film Festival's first Visionary Award.
It's the first time that the festival has awarded the prize.
The New Jersey native's latest movie, "Palindromes," will have its northern European premiere at the 15th Stockholm International Film Festival, which takes place Nov. 18-28. The festival also runs screenings and minifestivals year-round.
Todd Solondz
Records 'Gilligan' Remake
Bowling for Soup
Grammy-nominated Bowling for Soup has recorded a remake of the "Gilligan's Island" theme song for TBS' new reality series, "The Real Gilligan's Island," set to premiere on Nov. 30.
The show is based on the '60s comedy that starred Bob Denver. Castaways include a real-life skipper, first mate, millionaire couple, movie star, professor and farm girl, who will work together to try to get off the island.
Bowling for Soup
Settle with FCC Over Kids' Ads
Viacom & Disney
Cable TV channels owned by Viacom Inc. and Disney Corp. have agreed to settle allegations they violated federal advertising restrictions for children's programming, U.S. regulators said on Thursday.
Viacom's Nickelodeon Channel will pay $1 million and the Disney's ABC Family Channel will turn over $500,000 to resolve "potential violations" found during Federal Communications Commission audits conducted in the last quarter of 2003.
The FCC raised concerns that Nickelodeon had exceeded limits on the duration of advertising during children's programs and ran advertisements that were tied to characters or products in the same programs. The agency said Disney may have violated the tying rule.
Viacom & Disney
Seeks to Silence N.Y. Radio Host
John A. 'Junior' Gotti
Lawyers for John A. "Junior" Gotti want a radio host to stop trashing him on a drive-time morning show.
The host, Curtis Sliwa, once was the target of a failed hit allegedly arranged by the son of late mob boss John Gotti. On Wednesday, defense attorneys told a federal judge that Sliwa's on-air rants against their client could poison a jury in his racketeering case.
Each day, Sliwa "denigrates Mr. Gotti," attorney Jeffrey Lichtman said at a pretrial hearing in Manhattan. "He discusses the facts of the case in a highly inflammatory way."
U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin said she would wait for a formal motion before ruling on a possible gag order against Sliwa, a witness in the case.
John A. 'Junior' Gotti
Trial Unfolds, Ovitz Called 'Psychopath'
Disney
Shareholders suing Walt Disney Co.'s board of directors on Thursday portrayed Michael Ovitz as a dishonest and erratic executive who should have been fired instead of walking away from his job with $140 million in severance pay.
Shareholders are demanding that the severance package plus interest -- a sum that could total about $200 million -- be returned to the company, claiming in their 1997 lawsuit that the board was asleep at the wheel when the deal was approved.
On the second day of the much-anticipated trial in Delaware's Court of Chancery, lawyers for the shareholders introduced depositions and company memos showing Disney Chief Executive Michael Eisner harbored concerns about Ovitz's integrity from the moment he brought the Hollywood power broker on board as president in 1995.
In one memo, Eisner wrote: "He is a psychopath. Doesn't know right from wrong. Cannot tell the truth."
For more details, Disney
Wisconsin Teenager Diagnosed
Rabies
A teenager has been diagnosed as having a rare case of human rabies, only the second case in Wisconsin in nearly 50 years, health officials said Wednesday.
Only three people in the world are known to have survived after the onset of rabies symptoms, said Jim Kazmierczak, Wisconsin's state public health veterinarian. Nearly all patients die within a few weeks of developing symptoms.
Kazmierczak said the Fond du Lac County teen was bitten by a bat in September but did not seek treatment. Rabies can be prevented with a vaccine after initial exposure, but health officials can do little for victims once symptoms set in.
Rabies
New PM Directly Behind Attack
Aung San Suu Kyi
The new prime minister of military-ruled Myanmar was directly behind an attack on opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her convoy last year, the United States charged amid calls for UN Security Council action against the Southeast Asian nation.
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said on Wednesday that Washington had a credible report that Lieutenant General Soe Win, an ally of hardline junta chief Than Shwe, was "directly involved in the decision to carry out the brutal attack on Aung San Suu Kyi and her convoy on May 30, 2003."
Last year's attack by a pro-junta mob on Aung San Suu Kyi and other leaders and members of her National League for Democracy party heralded the Nobel peace laureate's latest period of house arrest.
Aung San Suu Kyi
Newspaper Endorsements
Daily Tally
In a fairly quiet day on the newspaper endorsement front, Sen. John Kerry picked up the biggest prize, gaining the support of The Virginian-Pilot in the military-heavy city of Norfolk. Once thought to be safe for resident Bush, Virginia is now back in play by some estimates.
In E&P's exclusive daily tally of endorsements, the Democrat also picked up two other papers in swing states: the Statesman Journal in Salem, Ore., and the Concord (N.H.) Monitor. Kerry now leads the president 58-44 in E&P's accounting.
Kerry maintains about a 4 million reader lead in terms of circulation of newspapers endorsing him.
JOHN KERRY
58 newspapers total
9,504,464 daily circulation
GEORGE W. BUSH
45 newspapers total
5,539,304 daily circulation
For the complete list of newspapers, by state, Daily Tally
Basic Cable Networks
Ratings
Rankings for the top 15 programs on basic cable networks as compiled by Nielsen Media Research for the week of Oct. 11-17. Each ratings point represents 1,096,000 households. Day and start time (EDT) are in parentheses.
1. NFL Football: Minnesota vs. New Orleans (Sunday, 8:28 p.m.), ESPN, 5.1, 5.54 million homes.
2. "Presidential Debate" (Wednesday, 9:01 p.m.), Fox News Channel, 4.1, 4.46 million homes.
3. "Debate Analysis" (Wednesday, 10:31 p.m.), Fox News Channel, 3.8, 4.18 million homes.
4. "SpongeBob SquarePants" (Monday, 8 p.m.), Nickelodeon, 3.2, 3.46 million homes.
5. "SpongeBob SquarePants" (Sunday, 9:30 a.m.), Nickelodoen, 3.0, 3.23 million homes.
6. "Fairly Odd Parents" (Sunday, 10 a.m.), Nickelodeon, 2.8, 3.08 million homes.
7. "WWE Raw" (Monday, 9 p.m.), Spike, 2.8, 3.04 million homes.
8. "SpongeBob SquarePants" (Monday, 8:30 p.m.), 2.7, 2.97 million homes.
9. "WWE Raw Zone" (Monday, 10 p.m.), Spike, 2.7, 2.97 million homes.
10. "SpongeBob SquarePants" (Monday, 7:30 p.m.), Nickelodeon, 2.7, 2.91 million homes.
11. "SpongeBob SquarePants" (Saturday, 9:30 a.m.), Nickelodeon, 2.6, 2.89 million homes.
12. "Fairly Odd Parents" (Saturday, 10 a.m.), Nickelodeon, 2.6, 2.86 million homes.
13. "SpongeBob SquarePants" (Saturday, 9 a.m.), Nickelodeon, 2.6, 2.83 million homes.
14. "NFL Prime Time" (Sunday, 7:30 p.m.), ESPN, 2.6, 2.82 million homes.
15. "Fairly Odd Parents" (Saturday, 10:30 a.m.), Nickelodeon, 2.6, 2.81 million homes.
Ratings
