Shove It, Ralph

Ralph "I ruined everything in 2000" Nader announced today that he has formed an exploratory committee to consider another run for the presidency. Nader,74, says he will jump into the race if he can raise $10 million. Nader did not have kind words for current frontrunners Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama:

"They've completely ignored the presidential pattern of illegality and accountability, they've ignored the out of control waste-fruad military expenditures, they hardly ever mention the diversion of hundreds of billions of dollars to corporate subsidies, handouts, and giveaways, and they don't talk about a living wage."

Shove it, Ralph. If you hadn't been full of yourself in 2000 and taken away 100,000 votes from Al Gore in Florida, maybe the world wouldn't be as messed up today as it is. Or maybe you just thrive off of chaos because it sells more books and gets your name in the newspapers...

We'll Miss You, Tina

Sad news out of Red Sox nation today. Tina Cervasio, NESN's field reporter, announced that she will be leaving the station in March. Her decision was motivated by her desire to spend more time with her family. Cervasio said today:

At this time in my career, I have chosen to pursue other opportunities that would afford me the chance to be closer to my family. I want to thank everyone that I have worked with, both at NESN and the Red Sox. It was an extraordinary experience that I will never forget and will look back upon with great pride. I would also like to thank my colleagues in the Boston media who made the rigors of covering sports in New England a joy.

We'll miss you Tina - thanks for all the good work. So who's gonna round of the triple threat with Don and Rem Dawg?

Fired Up and Nowhere to Go

Doors at 10:30 am. Show up at 10? Nope. E-ticket RSVP in hand, I spent 2 hours standing (and freezing) on Massachusetts Avenue outside the gates of American University hoping get in to the 6,000 capacity Bender Arena to attend Senator Barack Obama’s rally with Senator Ted Kennedy. We inched closer and closer, but still no dice. Shut out.

So while it was frustrating not to get in, it was inspiring to see such a huge turnout. I just hope all the interest translates into votes. Bender Arena has seen its fair share of rock stars pass through its doors over the years – Obama’s name can now be added to that list.

Show Me the Creativity

Apparently, there is a shortage of photo journalists in the Middle East (or maybe newspaper editors in New York and DC). Both the Washington Post and the New York Times ran the same exact photo on their frontpages this morning. Don't get me wrong. It is a great shot of Palestinians crossing over the border into Egypt after knocking down a barrier. Still, the same photo on the frontpages of two of our country's most prestigious newspapers? How about a different angle? An aerial shot? Give me something unique (especially at a buck a pop for the NYT). Even that rag the Washington Times had a different view.

So maybe those conservatives are right about a liberal bias in the media. It's a bias for an Associated Press photographer named Kevin Frayer.

Coming to a Party Near You

The latest (and perhaps only) news out of Australia: The BBC has reported that 16 year old Corey Delaney aka "the Aussie party kid" has decided to shelve his dreams of becoming a carpenter and has become a party planner instead. "Working on a building site was pretty hard. Now I've got a manager, life's good," said Patterson.

Attaboy, Corey. Good to see you are setting the goals high. I can't wait for the Evite.

Dumbpont Circle?

Warning: The Massachusetts Avenue extension immediately off of Dupont Circle appears to be a hotspot for dumbass drivers. Yesterday, the guy stopped in the crosswalk when the light turned red. He proceeded to yell and flip off the pedestrians (especially me for some reason) who went in front of his car even though they had the light to walk. Tonight I had to stare down a Ford F150 whose driver decided to stop one foot in front of me while I was crossing the street. Coincidence? No. Washington, DC appears to have a magnetic force to lure all the worst drivers in the country (and the world - think of all those diplomats) and set them loose in the streets of the capital.

I'll stick to the Metro.

Australia Likes to Party

Well it's only January 21, but I think the "Best Video Clip of 2008" has already been found. I know we've got 11 months to go, but how do you top this? An instant celebrity is made in Australia after a kid throws a massive party, wrecks the neighborhood, refuses to apologize, and won't take off his sunglasses.



And why not party? Floating down there in the Pacific Ocean with kangaroos, the Great Barrier Reef, cricket, and Castlemaine XXXX beer, Australia has plenty of reasons to celebrate.

Also, is it just me or does the father look strangely like Senator Webb? It's probably just me...(Thanks to Matt G. for the link)

Rolling Stone Tells It Like It Is

We finally started getting Rolling Stone delivered here at the apartment. It's nice to read it somewhere outside of the dentist or doctor's office where I'm scrabling to finish an article before they call my name to inject something into my body. This month, Matt Taibbi has a fantastic piece on the 2008 election entitled "Merchants of Trivia" which describes the current election cycle as it is. Being Rolling Stone, Taibbi doesn't has the same restrictions as writers in publications such as Time, Newsweek, or the Economist. In other words, he can use phrases like "Wall Street whore", "ass-whipping," and "bag of sh*t."

So read the article - it's better than any synopsis I could possibly write. Taibbi says some things that deep down I've been feeling throughout the entire process but couldn't actually articulate. One exception - I don't really want all the candidates to "die in a fire somehow." That's a bit extreme...right?

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/17977692/merchants_of_trivia

Keep the Fire Burning

Thanks, Texas.

Now I'm not one of those East Coast liberals who always hates on Texas for being big, loud, and just there. I like Westerns, enjoy wide open spaces, and remember the Alamo (daily). But come on. According to the Associated Press, Texas emits more carbon dioxide than any other state in the US. To push the stats further: If Texas was its own sovereign nation (which some actually think it is), it would be ranked seventh in the world for emissions. Ouch.

The AP interviewed a Debbie Howden from Austin who - get this - owns 2 pickups and 3 SUVs. For a family of six. She says that her high bills for gas money are a "necessary evil." Sorry, Debbie, but paying for social security is a "necessary evil." I think we should send her off to the Maldives or Bangladesh and see how Debbie does global warming. Stay tuned for the video.

Summertime

It was freezing outside today in DC. And snowy. And rainy. So warm up with Fresh Prince and DJ Jazzy Jeff..."and if it ain't broke then don't try to fix it."

Drunk History

This one's been making the rounds on the web lately. If you haven't seen it yet, get your pen and pad ready. Topic: The Alexander Hamilton / Aaron Burr feud. Brought to you by Michael Cera. And a bottle of scotch.



And of course, who could forget that milk commercial from 1995?

Your Grandmom's Hearthrob

So I recently finished reading The Great Black Way: L.A. in the 1940s and the Lost African-American Renaissance by RJ Smith (check it out here). It is an absolutely fascinating account about life in the black community in Los Angeles during the war years. (You probably picked that up from the title). It's a great portrait of the quest for civil rights, the literary and music scene, and the experience of everyday life in the city during that time.

Anyhow, there's a great vignette about this character Korla Pandit. An African-American born as John Redd in Colombia, Missouri, he changed his name and transformed his identity into a mysterious Indian named "Korla Pandit." The makeover was part showbiz, part practical. At the time, African-Americans had difficulty breaking into mainstream entertainment, so he took advantage of his light skin to create a new persona. Long story short, Pandit was hooked up with a musical TV show in the L.A. area in the 1950s. He never spoke, just played the organ and stared at the camera. According to Smith:

His television show, Korla Pandit's Adventures in Music, was the first all-music program on television, and Korla was one of the first stars of the medium. He played organ live five days a week, performing some 900 shows, which makes him one of the most prolific television stars in history.

Smith continues:

Born at a time when a black man in the South could get whipped for making eye contact with a white woman, Korla Pandit made dreamy eyes at thousands upon thousands of aproned white homemakers, stole into their dens as they warmed their fondue pots.

Definitely one of those long forgotten stories of the struggle for equality and justice in this nation. So check out this clip. This guy was making eyes at your grandmom.

Give the Supermodels a Chance

A few of the recent posts have seen athletes, porn stars, and pimps comment on politics and current events. So where are the supermodels you ask? We got 'em right here. Two stories from this past week -

Exhibit A: Naomi Campbell, super-model extraordinaire with a heart of gold, recently interviewed Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Some genius decided to give her a column in the British edition of GQ. According to Campbell, "I didn't want to judge, or to probe him for his political views, even though he gave them freely. I simply went to interview Hugo the man." Such journalistic integrity. Maybe she'll ship off to North Korea next and meet with Kim Jong Il. He might need some platform shoes for that encounter.

Exhibit B: Sarko is told to leave his babe at home. According to an AP story on Wednesday, "A senior Saudi official urged French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Monday to respect Saudi Arabia's conservative Islamic culture by visiting the country Sunday without his girlfriend, former supermodel Carla Bruni...Under the strict interpretation of Islamic law enforced in Saudi Arabia, unmarried or unrelated couples are not permitted to be alone together." Sarko recently said at a press conference that he strongly intends to marry Bruni. Maybe he wants to tie the knot soon so he can bring her next time. Stay tuned.

Barack O'bama

During my past year living in Ireland, I joined the US Expatriates for Obama group. And by "joining," I mean I subscribed to their e-mail list. After returning to the US this summer, I officially lost my "expatriate" status but still receive their e-mails. Recently, I was sent this video from Irish TV about their trip to the birthplace of Obama's grandfather in Moneygall. Good to see there is so much enthusiasm and interest on the other side of the pond. Wish we could register some of those Irish folks to vote.

Tehran Vice

So here's the video released by the US of the encounter between Iranian boats and the Navy warships. Check out those speedboats. Looks like something out of Miami Vice. And who knows? Maybe it is. The Iranian government has claimed that the video and the the accompanying audio don't tell the whole story. Time will tell on this one, but throw in some cheesy '80s beats and you've got Crockett and Tubbs coming at ya.

Tasty

I had lunch on Wednesday at the Brookings Institution cafeteria. Simply put, the shepherd's pie was phenomenal. And I've had a lot of shepherd's pie over the years. Not only can this place put out some of the most influential commentary and strategy on foreign and domestic policy, they can cook up a mean dish of meat, veggies, and potatoes. Very impressive.

Curt's 30 Seconds

I spent this past New Year's holiday up in Boston. It's becoming a very nice annual tradition. Anyhow, flipping through the channels on TV I got to experience the flood of political commercials aimed at the folks in New Hampshire. It was only a matter of time until I saw Curt Schilling's smiling face staring at me:



Backbone of steel. That's pretty descriptive. However, at age 71 McCain might be in need of a hip of steel if he makes it through to the White House. Still, no disrespect to the good Senator. If he truly is a tougher competitor than some Schilling saw on the mound, that's pretty impressive. I wonder what Jason Giambi thinks of that? Oh yeah, he's too busy talking to George Mitchell and avoiding eye-contact with Roger Clemens.

Come On, Wolf

So tomorrow night's the New Hampshire primaries. Got the beer and chips all ready. But I also might need some earplugs if I tune into CNN for the coverage. Don't get me wrong, CNN is my channel of choice for politics, but if I have to hear Wolf Blitzer refer to his analysts as "the best political team on television" one more time I'm going to lose it. Congrats, you won an Emmy Award. But does it have to get shoved down our throats after every commercial break? Come on, Wolf. Is there a quota Ted Turner sent in a memo? Let's stick to the politics and get rid of the self-congratulating.

Rant over.

Case of the Mondays?

So it's still Sunday night, but I'm sure if you are like me you feel the burdens of Monday fast approaching. Pessimistic, I know. But here's a great video to cheer you up. I just saw it recently, but apparently it's been out for while since over a million people already viewed it on YouTube. Hopefully you haven't yet, so enjoy:

(Volume needs to be up pretty high to hear the commentary)



I was in St. Kitts a couple of years ago and thankfully no monkeys stole my drink. Which is a good thing, because I would have punched it in the face.

Huckabee or Clinton: Who Rocks More?

Everytime I turn on the news, there's new footage of Mike Huckabee jamming on his bass. There he is with a high school jazz band. There he is with Kevin Eubanks on the Tonight Show. Then come the inevitable comparisons with Bill Clinton's sax playing during his run in 1992. So let's settle it once and for all.

Who rocks more? Bill or Huck?

I couldn't find the famous Arsenio Hall clip on the web, but here's Bill at a jazz festival in Washington, DC. Skip to 1:25 for the solo.



Here's Huckabee (after he crossed picket lines) on the Tonight Show last week.



It's close. They both have their pros and cons (much like their political positions). Perhaps the two of them forming a garage band in Southeast DC might be what this country needs at this time. Plus, it would keep both of them out of the White House in any capacity.

The Politics of Porn

This story is actually months old, but it is oh so relevant in the days leading up to the primaries. Actually, it probably has zero-relevance to anything, but I felt it's a nice tie-in to the Ron Paul story from a few weeks back.

In a May interview with PR.com (whoever they are), porn-star Jenna Jameson endorsed Senator Clinton for the presidency:

"I love Hillary. I think that in some ways she's pretty conservative for a Democrat, but I would love to have a woman in office. I think that it would be a step in the right direction for our country, and there would be less focus on war and more focus on bettering society."

Well-spoken, Jenna. Maybe we'll see her run for office one day. Perhaps in another California recall vote? Remember Mary Carey's candidacy for Governor in 2003? I think part of her platform was tax-deductible lap-dances. Who needs charities when you have Scores to get your tax refund?

Well, with the Nevada caucus coming up on January 19, there could be some interesting promises coming from the candidates...

Iowa? Been There, Done That.

Goal #1: Win Iowa.

Check. Bring on New Hampshire...

(On another note, did anyone notice the difference between Hillary and Huckabee's entourage at the post-caucus speeches? Hillary had Bill, Wesley Clark, Madeleine Albright, and Chelsea on the podium behind her. Huckabee had - oh yes - Chuck Norris at his back. I guess Huckabee's crew would win in a bar brawl, but in terms of establishing a cabinet, I think it's a no-brainer. But still, let's hope Barack is at the helm come 2009)

Tune in for more updates this weekend from the Outsider.