Irrelevant Crap: The Best And Worst Of 2013

by Doctor RJ @ Daily Kos…..

I love lists. There’s something so human about trying to file, index, and number things. There’s an absurdity to it, but that’s half the fun. They’re either good lists that are interesting, or they’re terrible lists which provoke argument over what people feel are either an unwarranted inclusion or errant omission. So win-win. So let’s throw these topics on the table for discussion:

• Best and Worst Films in 2013?
• Best and Worst Television Shows in 2013?
• Best and Worst in Music for 2013?

Looking back at pop-culture in 2013, it’s a hard year to categorize for having a prevailing trend that was significant across all genres. While there was a good amount of twerking, selfies, and hashtagging going on, some long-term trends in the various mediums continued. For example, in the music industry, the shift from retail sales to online digital downloads continued. However, overall sales of tracks and albums have been trending down, with some speculation that online streaming from music services like Pandora andSpotify may be responsible. Similar long-term shifts and trends can also be seen in other entertainment industries. Last week Daily Kos’ very own Susan Gardner (aka SusanG) recommended to me the book Viewing America: Twenty First-Century Television Drama by Christopher Bigsby, where one of the main themes is the shift of talent towards television as the entertainment medium to discuss serious issues through art. TV was once viewed as a “wasteland” where film actors, screenwriters, and directors would be taking a step down in their career to do a TV show. In fact, a lot of TV actors wanted to escape their television jobs to do “serious” work in movies. Fast forward to the present, and television is now seen as the place where stories can be given enough time to develop thoughtful analysis of characters, themes, and exhibit commentary on various societal and political issues. And the trend in movies since the 1980s is towards blockbusters that are largely either action films and/or family movies. Of the top 10 grossing films for 2013, 8 were either sequels or prequels, 6 could be categorized as action movies, and all of the top 5 were either animated, based on comic-book characters, or specifically intended for young adults/children. Follow beneath the fold for more …. Continue Reading

Looking back at 2013…..Daily Kos

by Doctor RJ @ Daily Kos…..

I love lists. There’s something so human about trying to file, index, and number things. There’s an absurdity to it, but that’s half the fun. They’re either good lists that are interesting, or they’re terrible lists which provoke argument over what people feel are either an unwarranted inclusion or errant omission. So win-win.

So let’s throw these topics on the table for discussion:

• Best and Worst Films in 2013?
• Best and Worst Television Shows in 2013?
• Best and Worst in Music for 2013?

Looking back at pop-culture in 2013, it’s a hard year to categorize for having a prevailing trend that was significant across all genres. While there was a good amount of twerking, selfies, and hashtagging going on, some long-term trends in the various mediums continued. For example, in the music industry, the shift from retail sales to online digital downloads continued. However, overall sales of tracks and albums have been trending down, with some speculation that online streaming from music services like Pandora andSpotify may be responsible.

Similar long-term shifts and trends can also be seen in other entertainment industries. Last week Daily Kos’ very own Susan Gardner (aka SusanG) recommended to me the book Viewing America: Twenty First-Century Television Drama by Christopher Bigsby, where one of the main themes is the shift of talent towards television as the entertainment medium to discuss serious issues through art. TV was once viewed as a “wasteland” where film actors, screenwriters, and directors would be taking a step down in their career to do a TV show. In fact, a lot of TV actors wanted to escape their television jobs to do “serious” work in movies. Fast forward to the present, and television is now seen as the place where stories can be given enough time to develop thoughtful analysis of characters, themes, and exhibit commentary on various societal and political issues. And the trend in movies since the 1980s is towards blockbusters that are largely either action films and/or family movies. Of the top 10 grossing films for 2013, 8 were either sequels or prequels, 6 could be categorized as action movies, and all of the top 5 were either animated, based on comic-book characters, or specifically intended for young adults/children.

Follow beneath the fold for more ….

Continue Reading

Political Roundup for July 27, 2012….Red Racing Horses

by: Ryan_in_SEPA Fri Jul 27, 2012 at 08:00:00 AM EDT

President Attack Ads: Despite spending $100 million on attack ads, the presidential campaigns and allies have little to show for their spending spree.  Public opinion polls have shown little to no movement over the last few months despite the ad onslaught. Electoral College Tie:  CNN has two good articles on the possibility of a tied Electoral College and how it is quite possible. CNN also provides 8 possible ways for the Electoral College involving some very plausible combinations of states.  Click here to view the maps. You Didn’t Build That: Four words (well technically five depending how you count) are hurting President Obama’s campaign as they have become a favorite attack of Republicans and the Romney campaign.  Here is a breakdown of how it is hurting Obama. Rubio-Giuliani: Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani has came out in favor of nominating Senator Marco Rubio for Vice-President.  Giuliani believes Rubio would be the strongest fit for Romney and for the GOP’s future. Gun Control: President Obama has opened up on the gun control issue and Democrats are taking cover.  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid refused to enter the political minefield brought up by the President as he refused to discuss any attempts to bring forward gun control legislation next year and said the Senate already has a full schedule this year. African-American Turnout: Democrats are worried about African-American turnout in Pennsylvania.  Specifically they fear high unemployment and the new voter ID law will cause African-American turnout to be lower than in 2008. I tend to disagree with this analysis.  African-Americans turned out in 2010 in Pennsylvania at near 2008 numbers. Pentagon Cuts: Four days before the presidental election, tens of thousands of Defense Department civilian employees will receive layoff notices if the fiscal cliff is not addressed.  This is electorally significant as a disproportionate number of the notices will be sent to Florida and Virginia residents. More….

Rush cries ‘voter suppression’ – creative little shit, isn’t he…Whatever Works….

 

 by Moe @ WhateverWorks

In what may be the most breathtaking turn-it-on-its -head moment in political rhetoric, Rush Limbaugh on Wednesday claimed that the Obama campaign and all Democrats and all the pollsters and all the media are conspiring to suppress the Republican vote.

Here’s how it works. Diabolical pollsters ask questions in a dishonest fashion designed to show Obama leading. The media publish and pushes that narrative. The campaign seizes upon this (of course they’re actually behind it but that’s hidden behind an impenetrable veil of secrecy financed by George Soros and Warren Buffet) and it gloats. All of this combines to discourage Romney voters who are made to think there’s just no point in voting since Obama is sure to win.

Presto! Voter suppression.

He’s a marvel he is.

 

Tommy Thompson has an Obamacare shadow problem with the Tea Party types….

My friend Daniel here is high on Wisconsin Republican  (former Governor and HHS Secrtary), Tommy Thompson …

Thompson has a GOP Primary contest coming up on August 14…

And Tea Party people are after him for being a bit ‘moderate on Healthcare in the past’….

Ouch!

fox6now.com

“While Tommy Thompson has always been at the forefront of health care reform, he has been an aggressive, consistent and outspoken opponent of Obamacare as it harms both the quality of care while introducing 21 new taxes further burdening businesses struggling to make ends meet in an economy driven to a low point by President Obama,” Nemoir said in a statement. “Any effort to say otherwise would be a gross misrepresentation of his position.”

A Marquette Law School poll earlier this month showed the race was tightening ahead of the Aug. 14 primary, with wealthy businessman Eric Hovde closing in on Thompson, and Neumann and state Assembly Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald well behind. Thompson still had a double-digit lead over his opponents and was the only Republican candidate ahead of Rep. Tammy Baldwin, the Democrat running for the seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Herb Kohl.

The race has enormous implications nationally. A GOP victory in the state would give Republicans a major shot at regaining control of the Senate, which currently stands at 53-47 in favor of the Democrats.

Thompson’s tea party opponents believe that his health care stances give them an opening with GOP primary voters who detest the law. While Thompson has laid out an ambitious plan to replace the health care law, some comments he made before he became a Senate candidate are coming back to haunt him.

In 2006, he hailed the individual mandate included in the Massachusetts health care law. In 2009, he called a Democratic bill approved by the Senate Finance Committee an “important” step to expand coverage and provide “affordable, high-quality health care for all.” Eager to hear praise from a prominent Republican, Obama touted Thompson’s remarks.

More…

NY Governor Andrew Cuomo starts his march at 2016…..

His poll ratings are in stratosphere *…..

He has more money in the political bank than the majority of the countries Governor’s combined….

And just before the Democratic Convention he’s holding a get together for policy Democrats…..

Anderew Cuomo IS running for President in 2016 folks….

That is if Hillary Clinton DOES NOT run…..

Cuomo Plans Policy Summit

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) “has studiously avoided talk of a 2016 White House run, but he has positioned himself on two fronts, amassing the nation’s largest gubernatorial war chest and organizing a series of August policy summits with Democratic leaders and academics,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“Mr. Cuomo has raised nearly $1 million a month since he took office in January 2011 and has about $19.3 million to spend –more than 40 other governors combined… Meanwhile, just two weeks before his party gathers on Sept. 3 for the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., Mr. Cuomo is hosting a summit of his own, inviting Clinton administration veterans and others to Manhattan for a policy forum.”

Politicalwire…

*A new Quinnipiac poll finds New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) with a staggering 73% to 16% approval rating, an all-time high.

Perhaps even more striking, Cuomo holds a 69% to 19% approval rate among Republicans.

photo….articles.nydailynews.com

Chick Fil A…..Corey….

mashable.com

The big pressing issue that is on everyone’s mind today is Chick Fil A. That is basically all that is being discussed.

Do government entities, such as politicians in Boston and Chicago have been suggesting this week, have the right to stop a business from operating, simply because they do not like a personal opinion held by the business owner? In this case, it is regarding the owner of Chick Fil A’s religious views opposing same sex marriage.

This is not at all a discrimination issue involving who the restaurant serves or hires but simply because the guy who founded the chain opposes gay marriage?

Whatever your view on the marriage issue, what these groups, and liberal politicians in Boston and Chicago have been saying this week should be quite abhorrent to anyone who claims to believe in tolerance and civil liberties.

Chick-fil-A, the fast-food chain known for putting faith ahead of profits by closing on Sundays, is standing firm in its opposition to gay marriage after touching off a furor earlier this month.

Gay rights groups have called for a boycott, the Jim Henson Co. pulled its Muppet toys from kids’ meals, and politicians in Boston and Chicago told the chain it is not welcome there.

Across the Bible Belt, where most of the 1,600 restaurants are situated, Christian conservatives have thrown their support behind the Atlanta-based company, promising to buy chicken sandwiches and waffle fries next week on “Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day.”

The latest skirmish in the nation’s culture wars began when Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy told the Baptist Press that the company was “guilty as charged” for backing “the biblical definition of a family.” In a later radio interview, he ratcheted up the rhetoric: “I think we are inviting God’s judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at him and say, ‘We know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage.'”

That fired up gay rights advocates, including a group that waged a campaign against the company in recent years by publicizing $3 million in contributions that the Cathy family foundation has made to conservative organizations such as the Family Research Council….

More….

 

Politics can be a Contact Thing……(Cartoon)

from Daily Kos……

Political Roundup for July 26, 2012…Red Racing Horses

by: Ryan_in_SEPA

President Romney/Bush/Rubio: Jeb Bush has urged Mitt Romney to select Florida US Senator Marco Rubio to be his vice presidential choice.  Bush has been making the push in public and private as of late, but ruled out himself being a candidate for vice president.  He recently admitted he should have ran for president this cycle. More Romney/Rubio: In light of the Aurora shooting, the Romney campaign has cancelled the campaign visit featuring Marco Rubio.  While the Colorado visit has been cancelled, Rubio intends to still appear at a Las Vegas event. Christie: New Jersey Governor Chris Christie says he would be interested in running in 2016 if Mitt Romney does not win in 2012 or elects to not serve a second term.  Christie has been courted for vice president, but interest has waned as of late apparently over a personality difference with Romney.  Who would have suspected. O’Malley: Speaking of 2016, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley has set up a federal PAC.  The Democratic Governor of Maryland is viewed as a favorite of progressive members of the party who are looking for a candidate to run in 2016. Obama/Leaks: The Obama campaign seems to be on the defensive and changing its story regarding the leaking of classified information.  Senior campaign advisor David Axelrod said on Morning Joe that President Obama did not leak the information or authorized its leak.  This is a change in the White House’s previous stance that nothing was leaked from the White House. Portman: Ohio US Senator Rob Portman is considered to be near the top of Mitt Romney’s short list for vice president, but even if he is not selected, he will be a valuable asset in the Senate.  Portman has a strong relationship with several moderate Democrats and could be a key ally for Romney in any budget deal. North Carolina:  Is North Carolina trending right again or is still a competitive battleground? The Romney campaign is treating it as a Republican leaning state while the Obama campaign seems to still think its in play.  While I think Romney wins North Carolina, I am not sure it is completely in the bag. Polling: The Hill provides an interesting analysis on the obscene nature of the amount of polling the Obama campaign is performing especially during June. Enthusiasm: Republican voters have opened a significant enthusiasm gap over their Democratic counterparts.  Democratic Enthusiasm is lower than in 2004 and 2008 while Republican Enthusiasm is in line with 2004 and substantially higher than 2008. More….

Welcome to Plan B for the Politicaldog101…..

For those of you who follow the Dog…..

I’ve had to switch to plan B…..

The Hosted website has been down for 25 or so hours….

The site has grown by leaps and bounds…

And my effort to stuff as much info into the site has caused a problem…

The Home page has gotten slow to load…

Timing out the server I use from my host hostgator….

My webmaster seems to be busy….

so I’m wait for her to fix the issue so host gator will put the site back up….

I apologize to everyone for the problems…

And it seems it was NOT your url….

But MY host that caused the problems with the site….

We’ll use this as our Open thread…..

Again…

When  ever my webmaster should be able get this taken care of ….

I’ll switch back over …

jamesb…..

The Dog….