I have been contemplating several ideas for today’s “Open Thread”. My thoughts started with the re-writing of the history of our nation. Should I focus on Sarah Palin’s poor knowledge of the birth of our nation when she claimed that Paul Revere rode a horse, while ringing bells and firing a musket and telling the British that they couldn’t take our guns from us? Or is Michele Bachmann’s revisionist history more interesting when she insisted that nine year old John Quincy Adam was a “Founding Father” and that Lexington and Concord were located in New Hampshire? Instead, I decided to focus on our national anthem.
Why does the United States have a boring war song as its national anthem? First of all, most people can’t reach all the notes when singing the song. Secondly, the melody is depressing. And thirdly, it is uninspiring and unexciting and it doesn’t evoke patriotism or the love of one’s nation. Here are some other choices. Just look at the excitement and joy in the crowd.
My personal favorite is Stars and Stripes Forever. Here’s a link to the lyrics. And a link to information about John Phillip Sousa. I have a little personal connection to the “March King”.
This is our Open Thread. Do you have a favorite patriotic song or other ideas? Here is a chance to Speak Up! And if you have the time, be sure to scroll down the page or the side bar and look for other new and exciting posts. One more thing… the teabaggers and the Republicans do NOT own the flag. It is our flag, too. So they can go…
TheZoo 
I remember my first patriotic song that I loved when I was a lil’ lass. I am not suggesting it for inclusion amongst others to be considered as a potential national anthem; I just like the song.
“America, the Beautiful” and the images of “purple mountain’s majesty” and “brotherhood from sea to shining sea” have been in inspirational to me for years ~ not sure about the alabaster and other parts of the song, but you get the idea …
Be safe today … and appreciate life ~ peace
You beat me to it. That was the one I would have mentioned.
I think Ray Charles’ version of “America the Beautiful” should be named the definitive version of our national anthem. I don’t recall ever hearing it performed better.
Absolutely.
“You know…my God…he done shed his grace on thee…”
I have always loved the way he sang that. 🙂
Thanks for finding it and posting it, frugal. Enjoy the holiday.
Same to you and Jane, Wayne. And to all who like to hang out here as well. Enjoy and stay well.
For some very odd reason, when my siblings and I were young, we had a 45rpm of Hayley Mills (Pollyanna) singing ‘America the Beautiful.’
Then again, we also had a 45rpm of the song “Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport.”
Cats, what is your personal connection to the March King?
It has to do with the many places where he performed.
If Michelle Bachmann and Sarah Palin could rename Independence Day, they’d call it __________ day.
White Sale at Neiman Marcus Day
“the Fourth of July” day
“Will Smith Day”
Love it!!
“Second Amendment Day”
“Battle of Gettysburg Day”
“Pearl Harbor Day”
“Whacking Day”
Okay, I’ll let somebody else play for a while. 🙂
You were on quite the roll there. 🙂
If Michelle Bachmann and Sarah Palin could rename Independence Day, they’d call it __________ day.
Palin:
Freedoms and fireworks and celebrating our freedoms with our families and our precious liberties Under God to bear arms to protect our freedoms and picnics in the park day. With fireworks, also.
Too.
Bachman:
Constitution Day.
Reel America
Paul Revere day
This is the only thing I can come up with, sorry…
If John McCain could rename independence day, he’d call it “in depends all day”.
Don’t be sorry, that was actually good. 😆
Today, we celebrate the day we told Great Britain exactly why we declared independence two days before on 7/2/1776.
Doh, I was adding some posts about new national anthems to yesterday’s thread by mistake.
Fanfare for the Common Man (no lyrics, but maybe that’s okay)
Simple Gifts – I posted one from Appalachian Spring, with Ansel Adams photography…
And here’s a very nice version by Yo Yo Ma and Allison Krauss:
zxbe
This is just lovely!
I like this version, too …
Heading out for a morning hike with pup … have a great day all 🙂
You too!
In doing some googling I found an op-ed by Michael Kinsley from a couple of years ago on this subject.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/11/AR2009061103039.html
I don’t “google” anymore. Since a family member works for Microsoft, I use Bing. Need to keep the person employed 🙂
“By contrast, “home of the brave” is empty bravado. There is nothing in the American myth (let alone reality) to suggest that we are braver than anyone else.”
This bravado is a favorite of the teabaggers.
Hope I don’t offend anyone here with this comment. I was listening to Terry Gross from Fresh Air interview the author of the new book, “1861”. They were discussing the civil war and how some parts of the nation continue to fight this war. The thought occurred to me, “Of course, the war continues.” I believe the civil war re-enactments help to keep this war alive. As a nation, we need to move on and move forward and stop trying to relive or redo the past.
“I believe the civil war re-enactments help to keep this war alive.”
Of course they do. When’s the last time you saw a WWII, Korean, or Vietnam War reenactment?
Maybe this’ll learn ’em
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/07/03/5-civil-war-reenactors-struck-by-lightning/
Looks like god wants them to stop this nonsense, too.
Nice.
“Later, additional tweets appeared falsely claiming that President Barack Obama was killed.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/04/fox-news-twitter-hacked_n_889590.html
If you’re going to hack into an alleged news organization’s Twitter feed, as least tweet something people want to hear, like “Halle Berry Prefers Unknown White Guys From New York.”
“Hacked” like Anthony Weiner was “hacked?”
Keith Olbermann just noticed this (and I saved the page in case they finally change it), that the tweets are still up eight hours later. Keith’s show is on live tonight.
Because that’s what they DO. They fan the flames in the hearts of the truly dangerous, because they’re trying to get our first black president killed.
Yep, here they are: http://twitter.com/#!/foxnewspolitics
They are trying to stir up the unbalanced, and get Obama shot.
From the Fux statement:
But we’re going to leave them up as long as possible to get the maximum effect. Later today, we will announce that an intern made an unfortunate error in leaving up such distressing tweets.
🙄
That is a mean and nasty thing to do. Whoever is doing this is one ugly person that is filled with self-hatred.
It’s a safe bet that whomever is doing this is already being investigated by the Secret Service.
FBI.
Homeland Security.
and
John Stewart.
This guy just sang this song on KPOJ’s Morning Show. I don’t know if it’s a live show or taped, but it was funny.
“Vote Republican” by Roy Zimmerman
That is pretty funny — HoR.
It’s an oldie but a goodie, HoR.
I’ve seen this on Facebook. It’s really funny and we should post this as our theme song during the election season 🙂
Hail, Hail America
Hail, hail America,
Land of such greed,
Owned by corporations,
The bankers and Wall Street….
Unemployment in the millions,
Our jobs shipped overseas,
Wage war on the middle class,
The homeless fill the streets….
Represent the lobbyists,
Bailing out the banks,
Throw money at the war machine,
To wage war instead of peace….
Hail, hail America,
Land of the deceived,
Send our troops to foreign lands,
To die for corporate greed….
Tax cuts for the wealthy,
Austerity for the rest,
Pushed to the brink of poverty,
They cry out in protest….
Citizens united,
Death to democracy,
The black robes have decided,
The fascists smile with glee….
Hail, hail America….
Hail, hail America….
Hail, hail America….
Hail, hail America….
Is this your creation? If so, can I repost it with credits to you as a thread at The Zoo?
Yeah, it’s lyrics to an original song that I never have added music to.
Done!
If you have to define for your viewers the words your host is using, perhaps you’re playing to the wrong audience.
http://www.rawstory.com/rawreplay/2011/07/this-week-gives-viewers-a-vocabulary-lesson/
She was just trying to show up George Will, cut her some slack! 😀
Michael Eric Dyson used the following words: lacunas, elided, marginalia, Hagelian, and apotheosis in his first chance to speak on the program, long before Amanpour uses the word ‘perspicacious’.
Michael Eric Dyson also said it was because of the constitution that he was able to be on the program and be an equal to George Will….I bet in the back of his mind George thought “You are no equal to me you uppity ni**er.”
My first impression that that’s exactly what Dyson was aiming for — to make George Will feel as though his shorts were too tight. The discomfort of it all.
Cats r Flyfishn says: “I believe the civil war re-enactments help to keep this war alive.”
—————————————————————————————————————
Makes you wonder if some of those re-enactment confederate soldiers sit around a camp fire and think “Well if Lee would have done this or Jackson would have done this, we would have beaten those damn Yankees…”
You can just call me “Cats”. Everyone else does 🙂
God bless the banksters and credit card companies, they are so dedicated and work so hard trying to collect their money. My roommate just received a call from Chase…on the Fourth of July…..of course she didn’t answer.
The Star Spangled Banner – Jimi Hendrix
This is the best.
Found this at Motivated in Ohio’s place:
The video is Hugh Laurie, but you can’t tell that without clicking on it, since the clip didn’t display like I expected.
Here’s a set of lyrics that can be sung to the tune of the National Anthem. Warning – they were considered too bawdy for women to be allowed to sing this song:
The ANACREONTIC SONG
as Sung at the Crown and Anchor Tavern in the Strand
the Words by
RALPH TOMLINSON ESQ R, late President of that SOCIETY.
————————Price 6d.————————
LONDON
Printed by Longman and Broderip. N o26, Cheapside and N o13, Hay Market
1
To ANACREON in Heav’n, where he sat in full Glee,
A few Sons of Harmony sent a Petition,
That He their Inspirer and Patron wou’d be;
When this Answer arriv’d from the JOLLY OLD GRECIAN
“Voice, Fiddle, and Flute,
“No longer be mute,
“I’ll lend you my Name and inspire you to boot,
“And, besides, I’ll instruct you like me, to intwine
“The Myrtle of VENUS with BACCHUS’s Vine.
2
The news through OLYMPUS immediately flew;
When OLD THUNDER pretended to give himself Airs_
If these Mortals are suffer’d their Scheme to pursue,
The Devil a Goddess will stay above Stairs.
“Hark! already they cry,
“In Transports of Joy
“Away to the Sons of ANACREON we’ll fly,
“And there, with good Fellows, we’ll learn to intwine
“The Myrtle of VENUS with BACCHUS’S Vine.
3
“The YELLOW-HAIR’D GOD and his nine fusty Maids
“From HELICON’S Banks will incontinent flee,
“IDALIA will boast but of tenantless Shades,
“And the bi-forked Hill a mere Desart will be
“My Thunder, no fear on’t,
“Shall soon do it’s Errand,
“And, dam’me! I’ll swinge the Ringleaders I warrant,
“I’ll trim the young Dogs, for thus daring to twine
“The Myrtle of VENUS with BACCHUS’S Vine.
4
APOLLO rose up; and said, “Pr’ythee ne’er quarrel,
“Good King of the Gods with my Vot’ries below:
“Your Thunder is useless_then, shewing his Laurel,
Cry’d. “Sic evitabile fulmen, you know!
“Then over each Head
“My Laurels I’ll spread
“So my Sons from your Crackers no Mischief shall dread,
“Whilst snug in their Club-Room, they Jovially twine
“The Myrtle of VENUS with BACCHUS’S Vine.
5
Next MOMUS got up, with his risible Phiz,
And swore with APOLLO he’d cheerfull join_
“The full Tide of Harmony still shall be his,
“But the Song, and the Catch, & the Laugh shall bemine
“Then, JOVE, be not jealous
Of these honest Fellows,
Cry’d JOVE, “We relent, since the Truth you now tell us;
“And swear, by OLD STYX, that they long shall entwine
“The Myrtle of VENUS with BACCHUS’S Vine.
6
Ye Sons of ANACREON, then, join Hand in Hand;
Preserve Unanimity, Friendship, and Love!
‘Tis your’s to support what’s so happily plann’d;
You’ve the Sanction of Gods, and the FIAT of JOVE.
While thus we agree
Our Toast let it be.
May our Club flourish happy, united and free!
And long may the Sons of ANACREON intwine
The Myrtle of VENUS with BACCHUS’S Vine.
Actually it’s our National Anthem that’s sung to the tune of this song, for some never-fully-explained reason. Maybe if Scott Joplin, Stephen Foster, Irving Berlin, or Steve Allen had come along sooner, we might have gotten a different tune.
I would have liked to hear what Steve Allen could have come up with. He was good at catchy tunes.
To Anacreon in Heaven was a popular drinking song of the day. Seems fitting that its tune became our National Anthem, doesn’t it?
Woo!! Racy!
**fanning face**
It’s all that intwining of Venus’ ‘mantel’ with Baccus’s ‘vine’. Venus being the female Goddess of Love and Baccus the God of Partying!
Stop it! You’re making me blush!
Found this on facebook:
Absolutely perfect, Al.
Franken is just about the only US Senator I have real respect for.
What about Bernie Sanders?
Hence the “just about”. I’m also OK with my two senators, but lately Franken has been hitting the nail on the head on a number of issues. And, no offense to Bernie, but Al Franken has a real way with words.
“The Preamble of the Constitution of the United States included a wide variety of charges against the King of England.” What the….?
The Preamble of the Constitution of the United States:
I do believe the 1 million pissed-off women have confused the Constitution with the Declaration of Independence. Sadly, that detracts from their message.
Clearly they’ve never actually read the constitution.
Oh crap, I missed that. 😳
I’m all for what they are trying to do, and they are right. Women across this country are not being treated equally under the law, and their rights are being assaulted. I just wish they did their homework (this was from some college people? the “.edu” website usually means some institute of higher learning) and quoted the correct documents. It would have given their argument so much more strength. As it is, it makes them look, well, uneducated, for lack of a better word.
Can I still take the day off from work if my office is closed and I’m not allowed to work?
One Million Pissed Off Women
Where did you find that posted Ebb?
I have to give them credit for stepping up quickly and admitting the mistake, and putting it to rest.
(Had this been a Teabagger video, they’d be in the midst of changing Wikipedia’s page o the constitution to make it reflect what had been said.)
FaceBook, zxbe.
Search:
One Million Pissed Off Women
I’m not sure whether this has been on The Zoo already, but the irony is too much to resist.
We’ve been rolling ours eyes over that particular irony since yesterday. 🙂
There is a no helmet law in PA. The only blessing is that these dumbf**ks will kill themselves thereby reducing the number of stupids in PA.
I’ve found out that if you post stuff for sale on Craigslist, you get all kinds of stupid-assed crap emails and phone numbers.
Ugh.
I always include this comment…. cash on the barrel head only. Don’t bother with any other offers. Also, I never post my address or phone number.
I just got two inquiries that might be serious, but it’s hard to tell. The ad only had my email addy and CASH ONLY.
I responded, but told them if they’re not serious about looking at the stuff, they shouldn’t respond to my email. I’m going to get my great big kid over here if anyone comes to see things.
Freaks make things difficult for the normal people…
I always take the option to have them anonymize the email address. No phone numbers, no real email, certainly no addresses.
Wasn’t there an incident in California where someone advertised a house full of furniture for sale — and owned neither the house or the furniture?
I didn’t understand how that works, so I put my school email on there. Live and learn…
I have two people coming to look at the oak filing cabinet this afternoon — when Zoo Jr will be here. He’s a teddy bear, but looks rather large and menacing. 😀
I’ve sold many things on Craigslist and so far, I haven’t had any real problems. I also purchase items from Craigslist. Too bad I don’t live closer because I could use an oak filing cabinet.
It’s a nice one. I’m sorry you’re too far away!
Interesting practical joke. 😯
“America” by Allen Ginsberg:
America I’ve given you all and now I’m nothing.
America two dollars and twentyseven cents January 17, 1956.
I can’t stand my own mind.
America when will we end the human war?
Go fuck yourself with your atom bomb.
I don’t feel good don’t bother me.
I won’t write my poem till I’m in my right mind.
America when will you be angelic?
When will you take off your clothes?
When will you look at yourself through the grave?
When will you be worthy of your million Trotskyites?
America why are your libraries full of tears?
America when will you send your eggs to India?
I’m sick of your insane demands.
When can I go into the supermarket and buy what I need with my good looks?
America after all it is you and I who are perfect not the next world.
Your machinery is too much for me.
You made me want to be a saint.
There must be some other way to settle this argument.
Burroughs is in Tangiers I don’t think he’ll come back it’s sinister.
Are you being sinister or is this some form of practical joke?
I’m trying to come to the point.
I refuse to give up my obsession.
America stop pushing I know what I’m doing.
The entire poem: http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/179383
Speaking of Fox, I was checking out some of their “news” and I can no longer see comments on posts. They used to have Disqus, but not have their own registration system. So I registered. (I feel unclean.) And still can not see comments there.
Can anyone else seem comments? I’m wondering if they’ve disabled them in light of this other mess on their hands.
Disregard, they seem to be showing up again. Not sure where the hiccup occurred.
Btw, HBO is running a marathon all day of the John Adams mega-series.
Produced by the Hollywood Leftists that Michael Moriarity decried as so unpatriotic.
Happy 4th and thanks for the great music. I’ll be spending the holidays canning.
Re: fox’s tweets….there is no excuse for not taking them down immediately, and whoever wrote them is one sick f___.
Re: civil war reenactors…I know a few who go around to schools and describe life back then, the rest of them just want to camp out and shoot guns all weekend. My husband was talking into trying it, he lasted less than a month before declaring it supremely silly. He did, however, look really hot in the cavalry boots. I doubt Guatemala, or any other nation, celebrates their civil wars in this fashion.
People used to have much more interesting drinking songs than we have today.
And to think, here they were, having the time of their lives…
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/07/04/mumbai-police-fine-31-for-dirty-dancing-report/
Seriously, this Mahesh Patil guy needs to get laid. WAY too much repression going on there.
Just a random, unconnected thought here…
If most people agree that the Second Amendment does not protect your right to own a nuclear weapon, or your right to make homemade bombs, then why can’t they accept that there are limits to your Second Amendment freedoms? Then we can have a real discussion on gun control.
Good point, Wayne. The problem is these people are NOT capable of thinking. They only respond to talking points and bullshit.
What? You mean I can’t buy an Abrams M1 tank to drive around the City streets for my protection??? What is this Russia???? 😉
It’s my right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dang right! And what am I suppose to do with all of this uranium?????
Ohhhhh, I have a wonderful hearty recipe for Mom’s Uranium Stew. Keeps you warm on Neptune!!
“Most people” does not include serious gun rights freaks. They won’t acknowledge your starting point, Wayne. “Fuck yeah, I can own bombs! It’s in the Constitution!”
This was and still is America.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/07/04/991234/-Indians-101:-The-Puget-Sound-War-?via=siderec
Just in case you thought some of those stories you were taught as a kid were true…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/top-5-myths-about-july-4/2011/07/03/AGe6YmwH_blog.html?hpid=z3
I’d never heard the blonde-haired, blue-eyed child ringing the Liberty bell bullshit before. Sounds like something Aryan Nations made up.
Re Betsy Ross, 5 pointed stars are easier to cut and sew than 6 point stars? Give me a break!!
“Re Betsy Ross, 5 pointed stars are easier to cut and sew than 6 point stars? Give me a break!!”
Betsy knew it was supposed to be a Christian nation so she eschewed the Jewish star.
Kinda goes along with the kid ringing the Liberty Bell…
As I predicted….I get a call around 10:30 am, it’s my nephew, he and his girlfriend “Trouble” went camping with her sister and her sisters boyfriend last night.
Apparently “Trouble” loves to be an alcoholic and a drama queen and your all around b*tch. I guess she slapped my nephew in the face last night for not paying enough attention to her, threw his clothes, his cooler and his dad’s lantern in the lake and then left my nephew and her own sister abandoned at the camp site as she left with her sisters boyfriend…..Guess who got to make the 45 minute drive to him and “hopefully” his ex-girlfriends sister, up? He is so mowing the lawn for me on Wednesday.
Now all he has to do is convince himself that “Trouble” isn’t worth the trouble — and bar the damn door.
I’ve told him him and I’ve told him and I’ve told him a thousand times before, life is hard enough, he doesn’t need the added drama and/or grief. I also told him, I’ve been down that road in the past and would rather be bored and lonely then have an alcoholic, psycho, drama queen for a girlfriend. He says he done with her….but I’ve heard that before. She’ll call him when he gets paid and…….
They have the learn for themselves — usually the hard way.
One day he’ll come to you and say, “That girl was never anything but trouble,” and you’ll restrain yourself from saying, “I told you so.”
Maybe. Of maybe will be the first of many. Developing a taste for crazy people who provide lots of drama isn’t uncommon. Someone once told me that crazy women were the most fun in bed.
Yeah, but sooner or later, you’ve gotta get out of that bed. 😀
If I were your nephew, I wouldn’t go looking for Trouble.
Nice job, BMM.
Hey….there will be no self back patting at “The Zoo”…. 😉
Zooey cleaned up my gaffe. I was being self-sarcastic.
Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) gives up drinking — at age 21. 😀
A friend posted this on Facebook…
“There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old’s life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs.” – Dr. Paul Krugman
I was just watching a little of “The Lord of the Rings” earlier this morning. Funny how Strider or Aragorn tells the Hobbits about the Wring wraiths as being driven by power and greed…..Is it any wonder the religious right attack the book as being evil and Satanic, when in reality it teaches children about the perils of greed, evil and power and points out good verses evil.
Yes, the reichtious would hate this story.
Off to a barbeque………later gators! You all have a safe and happy “Blow shit up” day today! 🙂
Have fun, IP!
They were already celebrating at the gun club this morning. It’s quiet now. Guess it’s picnic time and the guns are put away until after they get really drunk.
Chavez homecoming is another turn by master showman
President Hugo Chavez’s surprise return to Venezuela from a rumor-plagued convalescence in Cuba after a cancer operation is the latest theatrical twist of a consummate showman with a career of dramatic comebacks.
Americans blow things up to bond. The alternative:
The anthem is difficult, but not impossible, to do well:
Sounds like most singers can get to the high notes but have some difficulty with the lower notes. It is a stupid song and perhaps fitting for a nation that used genocide to remove the indigenous people so that it could steal the natural resources.
I’m going to say this here because I’m seriously needing to say it “out loud”, yet am obliged by circumstances to maintain civil relations with my family:
/rant
Me, too.
I’m off the computer for now. Enjoy the day.
Friends are sounding boards!
Glad you were able to share with us – sometimes we must maintain civility with relatives.
/agree
I’m with you.
During Gulf War I. I still remember the goose bumps I got and it’s still the most dramatic national anthem I’ve seen in my lifetime:
“I can eat 72 hot dogs.”
Joey Chestnut, a competitive eater, reveals his pre-contest routine:
“The most important contest for me is Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest. For months, that’s the only thing I’m willing to think about. The first thing I see when I get up in the morning is what I have written on my mirror: Winning is the only option. I have some superstitions. I don’t sleep more than four hours a night before a contest because I feel like my stomach shrinks. I’ve never been able to confirm it with a doctor, but I believe it. Before a lot of contests, I’m not the nicest person; I’ll tell the other competitors that I already called my mom and told her I won. When I bring my little brother to a contest, I never lose. I lose contests every year when I get lazy. But on my best day, I can’t be beaten. It’s up to me. It’s an awesome feeling knowing no matter how hard they try, the other competitors are going to barf.”
http://tinyurl.com/3gqupgt
One more thing before I leave… when I was a child, we would buy these little strips of paper that had a drop of gun powder on it called “Caps”. We would take a stone and scrap the stone across the caps just to hear the tiny explosion. Then we would giggle. The caps were originally designed to be placed in a metal toy cap gun. Since we didn’t own the guns, we opted for the stones instead. Happy 4th. I’m off to read for a bit and then practice my guitar or dulcimer or just bang on the drum.
Used to love those.
I used to make a really big “bang” by whacking a whole roll with a hammer.
I used to do that, too. The ringing in my ears would last for quite a while. I couldn’t hear my father yelling at me. 🙂
You mean the ringing in your ears went away?
Wish mine would.
I’ve aways been unhappy that our anthem is a song of battle and war, recycled from the British.
I much prefer America the Beautiful — by any good singer — and it would be an anthem that everybody could sing without difficulty.
I agree. Perhaps we should start a movement.
Warning – for those with delicate sensibilities: the F word is spelled out and shouted, loudly, several times…
What the fuck are you talking about, Ebb? 😉
They spell out “free market” and shout it loudly??? Ohs, noes!
Yes, what’s that spell. You can see violence on TV and you can hear hate speech on TV but you can’t say the word fuck.
I love what George Carlin once said:
“I’d rather have my child see a film of two people fucking each other than of two people trying to kill one another.”
I wish everyone felt the same way. What is so awful about sex? Too many prudish people act like it had nothing to do with them being here.
I feel the same way, Wayne.
Blood and gore — OK!!
Two people kissing and fondling (not even close to sex — OMG!!! NO WAY!
Morons.
Remember the Janet Jackson boob flash?
We were watching the Super Bowl commercials that year — between bits of some game — and I looked up just in time to see the flash. One of the men just started laughing, and my only comment way, “Well, that’s embarrassing.” I thought nothing more about it! Next thing ya know, the people in this country are going nuts — over a boob they didn’t even really see. 🙄
Unfortunately, all I remember is the hoopla surrounding it. I do remember my boss telling me that it was the most replayed two seconds in TiVo history. To which I immediately answered, “You mean they keep track of stuff like that???” He smiled and said, “Exactly.”
Hi, gang.
It seems that my community organizing is paying off. I’m beginning to think that it’s not the power, the money, and the self importance the drives politicians. It’s the food.
I had to walk over to the office to drop a bill in the mailbox and was invited to three barbeques by the time I got back. So? I’ve been eating since 11:00 AM and, if I pace myself, I will probably be eating at 11:00 PM. While it’s not terribly humid the sun is still pretty hot and I think a quick shower and nap are in order before the main courses are served this evening. I hope that everyone is having a safe and happy Independence Day.
From Philadephia’s own… The American Dream
I love starting shit with right-wingers. I posted this comment on Breitbart’s blog by a guy who thinks Obama is totally anti-Jewish.
Let’s see how many people there accuse me of being an anti-Semite based on this one statement that says nothing about Jewish people. (Or other Semites in the region.)
Oh Wayne, you’re such a libtarded troll. 😆
Well, if by “libtarded troll” you mean “incredibly handsome and funny,” then, keep talking. 🙂
Well of course, I assumed you’d know that. 😉
NOM’s Brian Brown weeping in the galley after the same sex marriage vote in New York.
His marriage ruined. I hope the gays are happy now!
*snort*
To this day, I have yet to hear a single argument against allowing same-sex couples to marry that has any merit whatsoever. I have heard that religious groups would be “forced” to perform gay weddings against their religious beliefs and will. Not true. If a Catholic priest is allowed to tell a straight couple of divorced people, “I can’t perform your wedding here because in the eyes of the Church, you two are still married to other people,” then the entire religious-hostage argument falls apart. And all the other crap about it leading to polygamy, bestiality, and pedophilia are, of course, simply a product of the sick person’s imagination and ignorance (two things which should never go together – imagination and ignorance).
I love how perplexed people look when the old “The just how things have always been done” argument falls totally flat.
I mean, come on…
Those same people are often the ones who drape themselves in the flag.
You should remind them that had we followed that advice we would have never revolted against England. There would be no America. The founding fathers could have just given into the unfair taxes, and said “well that’s the way it’s always been done.”
Exactly, zxbe. I just start listing all the things we used to think were such great ideas — like no voting rights for women, slavery, etc.
They just start “but but but-ing” and I ask them if those things actually were good ideas. Such ignorant fucks.
While I was out and about, I saw a fair number of people with the US Flag on display at their homes. Being the 4th and all. At one home, they had the US Flag, and under it they had the Teabagger flag.
Now of course, this person probably totes a gun, and thinks of themselves as a fine Amerikun. If that’s the case, why do they dishonor old Glory with a political party flag? Isn’t the US Flag enough for them?
Apparently not.
They think it makes them more patriotic than everyone else.
Like they know something we don’t. Except they don’t.
Wait a minute here, Wayne. If you have enough money you can get a marriage annulled. Since the Catholic Church loves money and shiny gold objects, there may be a price that gays can pay to get a Catholic marriage.
Happy Independence Day everyone!
When I got to that song on my album parody, I came up with this:
They’re Free
George:
They’re free. They’re free.
And freedom tastes like hegemony.
They’re free. They’re free.
And I’m waiting for them to honor me.
When I told you what it took
To catch and kill Saddam,
You laughed and said, “Why, was he that bad?”
But you’ve been told many times before.
Saddam was pointed to the door.
No one had the guts to go to Bahgdad!
They’re free. They’re free.
And freedom tastes like hegemony.
They’re free. They’re free.
And I’m waiting for them to honor me.
bloggers:
Why would they do that?
Why would they do that?
Happy day! Raven is back!
Thanks Zooey!
Just for the day, chillin’ (snort, it’s about 98 and no AC) at the crib…
Great parody Wayne!
Get thee to AC, ya silly thing.
I might overheat on the way, think I’ll just wait for sundown.
We’re starting to get a few afternoon and evening thundershowers, enough to cement the dust to the windshield…
That’s true. Might as well stay put at this point, and let the fan blow over you.
Thunderstorms are the best at the end of a super hot day — as long as they have enough rain to tamp down the fires started by lightening strikes.
Thanks. Poor water on parts of yourself and let it evaporate. As my Earth Science teacher drilled into us, “Evaporation is a cooling process.” Sounds like it should work. 🙂
Happy ID to you too. Glad to see you back.
Welcome back, Raven.
Programming note: New edition of Countdown w/Keith Olbermann tonight on Current TV. Among the guests, David Shuster. Among the topics, all the nasty things the NJ Senate Democratic Leader had to say about Gov Christie (including calling him a “prick”.)
And, no, I am not getting paid to say that. 😉
Keith sure beats Lockup.
I figured out why MSNBC runs those prison shows on weekends. In the 25-54 demographic, they do almost as well as Fox, and in primetime on Sunday, they lead Fox. Here’s last Saturday and Sunday ratings that shows how close they are. To field real news shows, they would probably have to spend a lot more money. I guess we are stuck with them for now.
Is there a way that I can watch Keith’s new show without having TV, that is, on the computer? We ditched the DISH and now I watch Rachel via podcast.
I find some of his segments here: http://current.com/shows/countdown/
Maybe you can eventually see all of them, one segment at a time.
Cats,
Current TV is live at http://ready-tv.com/?p=109
It’s on again at 10pm central, 11pm eastern, if that’s not too late for you.
Thanks, House.
You can also get MSNBC at http://msnbclive.eu/
The house sale went well, it’s a done deal. I made enough to pay off my credit card and buy a 12 pack.
I was just wondering about that, Raven. I’m glad it sold, and paying off the credit card is at least something!
I just sold my place on Friday, thank goodness. Cash sale, it closes on the 18th.
Congratulations Zooey! I’m grateful mine sold, it was on the market just under a year, there are places ’round here that have been on the market for 5 to 6 years.
The new owner is pretty cool, last time I visited the place was strewn with mountain bikes and rock climbing gear…
I’m way lucky, Raven. My condo is the only one that has sold in this market. Two of them have been on the market over a year.
Unfortunately, mine will be inhabited by a spoiled rich boy from Boise, and will likely soon be strewn with beer cans and vomit.
I don’t think I’ll come back to see…
Not the new carpet!
That’s why I don’t want to know. 😦
Yeah! Congratulations to both of you. My husband and I were just discussing putting our house up for sale sometime this winter as a “Sale by Owner” just for the hell of it. We were also going to post it on Craigslist in the New York and Philadelphia area. We know several people that have homes in both NYC or Philly and then their weekend homes in the country so we figure that perhaps some city dweller may be interested in our beautiful country home.
The twelve pack is important!
Indeed it was.
Wayne, if you’re still out there I want you to know that for the rest of my life I will hear the national anthem with your words:
” and the rockets unmanned,
Land in places unplanned.”
Damn you evil songster!
Thank you. Actually it was “Sometimes hit where unplanned…”
But I appreciate the compliment/curse. 😛
Exactly. And it’s that same mentality as those who insist upon displaying the confederate flag.
They’re all starting to sound more like traitors than patriots to me.
Bingo!
Zooey, I have responded below to your request for a bio…
You’re a poet and don’t know it.
I can include that… 😉
Since I didn’t blow up the pressure cooker in my kitchen, I think I’ll go blow up stuff out in the yard now that it’s quit raining.
A Herman Cain supporter. At some point, you’d like for Cain to be embarrassed by people like this. Then again, if he was, he wouldn’t be the opportunist he is.
http://yfrog.com/h2mknyzj
Hermie did have four of his staff quit on him yesterday.
Campaign, or at the pizza parlor?
Yep, teabaggers.
Here’s another version of the Simon and Garfunkle tune:
Okay, I’m giving myself a treat tonight. I’m watching Moonstruck.
I know y’all are jealous!
Have they remade that?
Why remake perfection? 😯
So, is that because of Nick Cage?
Oh hell, no. Although it’s his best role.
I just really love the movie!
Potty break over, back to it. 🙂
This song was mentioned but not shared.
Sounds like the fireworks are over. That noise brings back a strange memory for me. When we were kids back in the 60s, the Army used to have live-fire exercises on Redstone Arsenal to train soldiers for Vietnam. You could hear it all over the valley. I guess training in the heat and humidity helped to prepare them for the jungle somewhat.
Last verse from “This Land Is Your Land”
In the squares of the city – In the shadow of the steeple
Near the relief office – I see my people
And some are grumblin’ and some are wonderin’
If this land’s still made for you and me.
Not quite what people think about when they hear this song or have ever thought what the song was really about. The line “This land is your land, this land is my land”, immediately makes people think it’s just some classic patriotic, America and apple pie folk song. That’s what I used to think when I was younger..
BLOW SHIT UP DAY HUMOR:
Three co-workers head to the bar on a Friday after a long, chaotic week of work. At the bar they get trashed and close the bar down before going their separate ways for the week end.
The following Monday morning they get together outside for a smoke on their fifteen minute break.
The first guy says: Damn, I got so drunk on Friday, I should have called a cab, I ended up getting a DUI after crashing my car into a guard rail, totaling the passenger side of my car, I’m probably looking at 90 days in jail.
The second guy says: Shit, that ain’t nothing…I was so drunk, I ended up pulling over in the Super Mart parking lot and fell asleep in the car until 8:30 Saturday morning, now my wife, thinking I’m having an affair, left me..
The first guy says: That sucks dude…
The third guys says: I’ve got you both beat.
The first guy says: Why what happened to you?
The third guy says: I was so drunk, when I got home I blew chunks.
The second guys says: You blew chunks, that’s it? And you think this compares to what happened to us?
The first guy says: Yeah you dumb ass, how does vomiting compare with losing my wife?
The third guy says: You guys don’t seem to understand….Chunks is my dog.
😉
OMG 😆
Poor Chunks!
Some day, in the future, we will discover extraterrestrial beings from other planets far away, it is then when it is learned that these other planets used Earth as a dumping ground for their insane much like how England used to ship their insane and their criminals to Australia and Tasmania. It is then when we learn that Michelle Bachmann, Newt Gingrich and many other republicans are aliens….insane ones.
are = were
Heh…illegal aliens…
Well, my dog hasn’t peed in over 15 hours.
She refuses to go outside, where all the scary banging noises are, so she’ll likely be sick by morning.
Joy.
That must be painful for the sweet canine.
I’m with her about all the damn scary noises. My cat doesn’t seem to mind at all – just pins his ears back for the initial pop/bang then just relaxes wondering what causes the old lady to cringe at the noises. (I worry about things catching on fire, not necessarily the damn noise).
Poor dog – do hope she’ll be able to eventually relax and exit the door.