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Are We Better Off Than We Were Four Years Ago?

Mick Zano

Umm, let me think (cue squiggly flashback sequence): I had just lost everything in the stock market, I was doctor shopping for benzodiazepines, and after I drank myself to sleep each night with a bucket of vodka, I prayed to the God Yig that Bush wouldn’t start a land war in Iran. Umm, yeah, I’m thinking a tad better. Now I’m in therapy instead of abusing valium and I’m almost completely off the vodka…er, well, I do occasionally chug hand sanitizer when my sponsor isn’t looking.

Okay, most of that is bullshit, but you get the idea. More importantly, are we better off than we were four beers ago? I think I am. A few more and I might even start understanding the GOP platform. If Romney loses, Fox News is in real trouble. But will a second term be enough to burst their bubble? Damian Thompson over in England recently asked, “Remind me again, how did the GOP end up with this idiot as their candidate?” Well, there in hangs a post. I started talking about this phenomenon a long time ago in a Discord article far, far away. It’s a story that involves a broken party, one almost completely devoid of what the rest of us would call rationality.

“Romney was the best they had. The very best. Let that sink in for a bit.”

—Kevin Drum

Not everything is takers vs. makers or Tea Party vs. Occupy, or Twilight vs. Star Trek….umm, well, that last one’s true. But there is such a thing as compromise, such a thing as overlap, such a thing as a Venn diagram (although Romney has not mastered this yet). Most of life involves ratios and grey areas and complex situations like the Middle East, or Robert Ludlum novels, or surprise parole officer visits. Our Commander-In-Chief will need more choices in his or her arsenal than bomb or don’t bomb. Can you say Stuxnet? Cheney couldn’t. His friends were military contractors, not computer programmers.

Hopefully Romney will be toast after the debates…and he will remain toast, Matt Drudge, no matter how many BS headlines your site links to. The GOP has been attempting to create a post-truth world, but groups are finally fighting back. For instance, the Union of Concerned Scientists, kind of like the Justice League with lab coats, published a study showing 93% of the information on Fox News regarding Climate Change is crap. But, in Fox’s defense, I think it’s only about 90% crap for their other topics. I want to take back the truth, so adults can discuss issues again—not hurl ideological drivel at one another. The choice between a slow recovery under Obama, or an utter collapse under Romney, is yours.

If Romney wins, the Right will continue their Rovian version of reality, minus any ideas, any understanding of history, or any coherent thoughts whatsoever. Don’t we have enough of that on the Discord? But, if Obama is re-elected, two cool things are going to happen:

1.) Someone with a clue will remain in the White House (as opposed to Botman and Robem’. Holy 47%, Botman!…to the bat shit poll!)

2.) A new Conservative cable news station will emerge, hopefully based on some semblance of facts and journalistic integrity.

Of course, Dems need to hold onto the Senate and the Presidency. If that happens, another less evil Rupert Murdoch might seize this opportunity to create a viable conservative media alternative. Could there finally be a Right at the end of the tunnel?

Fox News isn’t going away any time soon, but if a Conservative reform movement occurs it has huge implications for ‘Merica. We might even be able to retrieve that A. After Ted Koppel dissed Fox News in a recent interview, Bill O’Reilly defended his record by saying he still thinks he’s doing something “noble”. Really? Noble? We are more divided and polarized as a group than any other time since 1879! Fox News is about the most culpable player in this disturbing trend. A very noble accomplishment, Bill’O, but dividing us is also radical Islam’s plan. So they must be noble too, Allah Akbar (no relation to Admiral Ackbar).

The GOP still has a clear advantage because the evil geniuses of the world are funding the shit out of each race and spin every story like Lindsay Lohan performing Ice Capades. If Romney becomes President, which is increasingly less likely, all bets are off. The more this man talks, the more obvious it becomes just how dangerously incompetent he is. He’s the candidate Karl Rove built, so how could he be otherwise?

I reached my own conclusions about Romney. I remember him trying to be the GOP’s choice in 2008. I figured, even then, he would be next. He’s possibly the only Republican who showed not the beginning of an inkling of any insight whatsoever regarding the debacle that was the Bush Administration. John McCain came out against torture, Ron Paul was against Republican spending and imperialism, even Mike evangelical Huckabee openly criticized the Bush Administration. “This administration’s bunker mentality has been counterproductive both at home and abroad.”

Romney never saw any fault in arguably the worst administration in history, which is stunning. How will his administration differ from Bush’s? Inquiring minds want to know…

“One day, a Republican presidential candidate will exorcise Bush’s ghost. But most likely, he or she will do so by bluntly telling Americans where Bush’s presidency went wrong, and how their presidency will be different. Until that happens, George W. Bush will be present at every Republican and Democratic convention for years to come, whether anyone invites him or not.”

Peter Beinart

“The American people remember George W. Bush. And they’re not as stupid as Rush Limbaugh tries to be.”

Andrew Sullivan

Romney’s lack of insight, even by typical Republican standards, is astounding. Outside of the business world, he doesn’t know Mitt. Hasn’t anyone briefed him on foreign affairs? He sounds like Palin tweeting drunk. With each address, each convention, each statement, each news cycle, he will continue to lose more and more support of our Independents. The New York Times recently covered this story Amid Discord, Romney Aims to Sharpen Message.

What message? There is no message beyond hate, fear, and paranoia. And when did Romney appear on the Discord? How do you keep spinning this record of yours? Sorry, but it has more dings and scratches than Michael J. Fox’s album collection. Sorry…scratch that.

And I for one do not believe this straw-man argument, this “If we could just find the right person to champion our views, every little thing would be all right.” Bullshit. There is no core to Republicana, the heart of this group—which should be the heart of American values—is way too sick, paranoid, and misinformed. What policy in the last ten years can they be proud of? And there’s every indication they’re becoming even more radicalized and even less insightful. If this Mr. Smith railed equally against the Sean Hannitys and the Rachel Maddows of the world, he or she might gain some credibility.

This delusion the Right has good ideas, but ‘there just isn’t anyone who can articulate our position’ premise is nonsense. Let’s look at their golden boy, Chris Christie. Did he show any insight during his speech at the convention? Besides backing Simpson-Bowles a year or two after I did, the answer is a resounding NO.

“Over the last 30 years, the best part of conservatism trickled down Reagan’s economy.”

—Mick Zano

I think I’ve gotten a few things right over the years, but folks like William Krystol (Weekly Standard) and Dick Morris (Fox News)…umm, not so much. I could actually just wait to hear what they think is going to happen and then guess the exact opposite. Let us all pray those two are predicting a Romney landslide, that way I won’t even have to bother voting. I don’t have an I.D. anyway. I think I left it at Maloney’s. Oh, and on that note:

Dear Mr. Obama,

I will vote for you this November if you help me smooth things over with a certain Irish pub owner, so I can get my license back. With your skills, this should be nothing compared to that Israel/Palestine thing.

Sincerely,

Mick Zano

P.S. The bouncer was a serious asshole that night. No shit, sir.

Romney’s last 47% gaffe showed more of that All-or-Fox thinking. The base of the party was glad he called nearly half the country victims. Meanwhile, the Right’s candidates—these Foxchurian Candidates—spend like drunken sailors in the guise of fiscal conservatism and have a misguided romanticism that harkens back to the good old days, aka, the dark ages. Did you know in the U.S., circa the 1800s, a local tycoon had the local authorities load a bunch of disgruntled mine workers onto a train and dropped them off in the middle of the desert? Yeah, I can’t wait to get back to those, dah, dah, dah, dumm, glory days. Yeah, I’m ready to join Hannity’s your-papers-please America. And welcome to the seven day work week. Oh, you want safer working conditions? Get on the train, bitches.

Until the Republican Party distances itself from the Rush Limbaughs, Sean Hannitys, and the Matt Drudges of the world, they don’t have a prayer of contributing anything meaningful to the conversation. I’m not saying they’re not still popular, but so is Snooki. The Foxeteers can make the argument the liberal media has a biased view, which certainly has some validity, but Foxisms are easier to spot than Snooki at the Macy’s Day Parade. They do have a float for her now, right?

Clearly a second Obama term will be no picnic. Unemployment will remain high for years to come. It’s the new norm and I can’t even totally blame Bush on that one. Oh, and the world is fiscally falling apart faster than The Bolt on Red Bull. I predicted a double dip recession and it is still a real possibility under Obama, but it’s a guarantea-party under Romney. Keep in mind, we are recovering faster, employment wise, than just about any other country after the 2008 collapse.

Some on the Left thought we’d have a quick turnaround with Obama in office. If you recall, I didn’t. You heard what Bill Clinton said, “Not me, not any of my predecessors could have turned this economy around this quickly.” Republican hypocrisy and greed has left us irreparably damaged. I still have a fair amount of faith in our President. If anyone can restore things—or at least maintain this new slightly sucky norm of relatively high unemployment and stagnant economic growth—it’s him. Romney represents another unnecessary war and an inevitable double-dip recession that will leave us forever changed as a country. Mark my words, those who ignore my political insights do so at their own Purell!

Sorry, I’m having those hand sanitizer urges again. I should call my sponsor. Naaah. Besides it’s time for some Hannity-sanitizer. Wait!! I can’t end my article on a joke that bad! Mr. Winslow, just let me—

New London Connecticut Mistakenly Prepares for Olympics

New London Connecticut Mistakenly Prepares for Olympics

New London, CT—Mayor Daryl Finizio admitted to a grievous error not seen since Sanjaya’s American Idol championship denial in 2007. I still believe Sanjaya! The town of New London Connecticut accidentally spent 37-million on preparations for the 2012 Summer Olympics. The mistake originated from a single piece of mis-delivered mail. The International Olympic Committee’s letter was sent to the Mayor of New London’s office, instead of its intended recipients in England.

The Post Master General, Biff Lavin, claims, “The letter weighed several ounces over the 42¢ postage limit and may have had the wrong zip code. Either of these factors might have contributed to the delivery error.”

The ill-timed letter discussing the final preparation for the Olympics sent the Mayor of New London into a frenzy of unnecessary preparation. He is now trying to put the best possible spin on events. “The marathon course will make a great skateboard park, or a barcrawl route…or something. The massive mountain created for the mountain biking event could be converted into a smaller mountain…for the purpose of… Look, this state is flatter than Mitt Romney’s emotional range. We need the elevation. If Connecticut smoked all the pot in Mexico, it still wouldn’t get any higher. It makes Kansas look like the friggin’ Swiss Alps,” said Finizio.

The mayor is not commenting on why his city built a 7-million dollar luge track for what is obviously the Summer Olympics, or why he chose the same designer from the deadly debacle in Vancouver in 2010.

“Mistakes were made,” said Finizio. “It’s like the deficit, why are we still counting? You try preparing for the Olympics in two weeks on my MF-ing budget, bitches!”

Krauthammer V Zano: The Hawk-Spank Redemption

Krauthammer V Zano: The Hawk-Spank Redemption
Mick Zano

This is a rebuttal of some recent discussion by Fox News’s, Dr. Charles Krautwanker (that’s not name calling! There is considerable evidence he wanks his kraut, or is hammered when he…). Anyway, this is a snopes.com version of Dr. Lautyammer’s recent speech (that’s a typo, honest). So in all fairness to Dr. K, the snopeputians may have augmented his rhetoric (aka, they may have added some pink slime filler to the usual USDA prime choice Foxaganda).

Here’s Krauthammer’s main points, my comments marked with a bold and beautiful MZ:

Points 1 and 2 praise President Obama’s political prowess, so we are in agreement.

Krauthammer’s 3rd point: Obama has a ruthless quest for power. He did not come to Washington to make something out of himself but rather to change everything, including dismantling capitalism. He can’t be straight forward on his ambitions, as the public would not go along. He has a heavy hand and wants to level the playing field with income redistribution and punishment to the achievers of society. He would like to model the USA to Great Britain or Canada.

MZ: Ummm, he ran on change, Dr. Truthlittle (…and legend says, children, Dr. Truthlittle could speak to the Garanimals). You’re saying he’s a politician on a “ruthless quest for power.” What a stretch there, Captain Obvious. He’s actually the first worldcentric minded prez. I’ve covered this phenomenon here. So ruthless may prove a poor choice of words, though eerily accurate for the first 43 of his ethnocentric predecessors. Dude…you were, like, sooo close.

As for dismantling capitalism, unfortunately, an overhaul is in order. Isn’t it funny the Right thinks our system is still in pristine condition? Yeah, like the East River pristine. It’s glacier fed, really…well, 10,000 years ago. Capitalism has unfortunately morphed into something called Super Capitalism, which is based on the needs of the sociopathic few. By the way, this happened while you were busy defending every aspect of it, Mr. Groutlicker. Obama has at least identified how when one player suddenly owns all the property, hotels, and houses it’s Maddoffopoly! The free market works sometimes, but to think it works all the time is more of that all-or-none thinking. There are things the private sector does better (hat tip Tea Party) but too often they’re greedy and sociopathic (hat tip Occupy). I really shouldn’t call it all-or-none thinking anymore as that implies thinking is involved, so let’s call it all-or-none regurgitating. Reverse politistalsis? Bullemia? Sorry. I’m still trying to make up for that Gospelrexia Versevosa joke in my last spirituality feature.

Krauthammer’s 4th point: His three main goals are to control ENERGY, PUBLIC EDUCATION and NATIONAL HEALTHCARE by the Federal government. He doesn’t care about the auto or financial services industries but got them as an early bonus. The cap and trade will add costs to everything and stifle growth. Paying for FREE college education is his goal. Most scary is his healthcare program because if you make it FREE and add 46,000,000 people to a Medicare-type single-payer system, the costs will go through the roof. The only way to control costs is with massive RATIONING of services, like in Canada .. God forbid!

MZ: Obama doesn’t care much for the auto industry? Yet he saved it just for chevys and giggles. Did you forget that part again? Damn facts. As for proof of Obama’s overt dismantling of capitalism…well, there isn’t any. And if there is, it’s sooo buried in lies you’d have better luck finding Al Capone’s vault in Snooki’s ass! Oh, I’m being told they just discovered Al Capone’s vault in Snooki’s ass. Bad example.

Why don’t you and your ilk learn how to report on stuff and gain some credibility and then maybe one of your “scandals” will stick. Naaah, keep lying. It will get Obama re-elected, which is better than the alternative. Oh, and those three systems you mentioned are broken…reaaally broken…Greece economy broken (GEB).

FACT ALERT (Fox News viewers read at your own peril):

National Healthcare:

The increase in Medicare recipients is the only meat to this entire clusterfuck to facts. I will benefit from this eventuality circa 2014, but it smells like enabling to me and I’m not sure how we can fund the increase in enrollments or even if they’re medically necessary. On that note, I have approved the collective Republican lobotomy. Sorry, I’m being told the procedure is redundant.

But, hey, a point! This almost never happens. He is an intellect…well, comparatively. But would a Foxeteer ever disagree with something that would cost them money? Why didn’t Foxeteers back Ron Paul before it was fab? Oh, you want answers…they don’t have any.

You know who would vote against their wallets on the Right? Not f-ing one of them and that’s why they’re invariably dangerous. Yeah, I want to join that party…oh wait, they don’t get invited to any. Fiscal conservatives, my ass. 

Energy:

I back Obama’s attempt at sustainable energy. China over funded their own solar plants and killed the Solyndra thing. We can’t give up on these sustainable plans or plants. Your scandal is one of my solyutions. As for Crap and Turd, I would have preferred a gas tax to level the playing field. But whatever it takes. Sooo you haven’t even identified that something needs to be done? Of course not. That would require forethought. The Left has thus far botched the approach to green energies while the Right hasn’t even identified the problem. Thus I give you dumb and dumber. They are special, aren’t they? We either move to what scientists are suggesting or at some point a full collapse is imminent. The choice is clear. And sorry, sustainable energy does not translate into drill baby drill, but, hey, I do like the beached dolphin slalom as much as the next guy. Thanks BP! Sand sushi anyone?  

What we need are new alternative cleaner energies, like Dilithium crystals. Haven’t heard of them? Don’t worry. There’s plenty on Gingrich’s moon base.

Education:

As for education, another fail. For proof, look in the mirror. I’m kidding, there are smart people out there, and they tend to get their news from comedians these days. I think education needs a major transformation, into something meaningful.

I would like to hear Obama’s education proposal. I would like to hear them…as opposed to the Conservative approach, which is defund, defund, defund. Brought to you by the Uneducated for Education!

Back to capitalism for a minute. In its current form, it sucks—your pride and joy is an epic fucking fail. Hey, it worked for a while…like Fukushima. But, as I’ve said all along, I am for repairing it, not dismantling it. You know what’s killing businesses? Trying and failing to insure their own employees, that’s what. If you kill Obamacare and fail to fix our insurance problem, we’re in big trouble. This awful scenario is likely to play out in the future.

Our system rewards sociopaths who refuse to insure their employees. Speaking of which, sociopaths must be identified and weeded out, not endlessly promoted by some greedy faceless board of directors. My take on this phenomenon here. My last two bosses complained about insurance killing them, not whatever the fuck the Right is talking about. Example, Wal-Mart insures 44% of its force, compared to Costco at 96%. And Costco will suffer for its humanity. The one percent rides again! But I do love the one percent’s kitchen store (Hannibal Lechters? It’s better than Buffalo Bill’s Wild Gumbs. OK, I’m going to stop….Silence of the Libs?).

Oh, and Mr. Burns probably doesn’t even insure his flying monkeys…and most of them, as Python tells us, don’t so much fly as plummet. Pining for the fjords?! Where is PETA on this real animal rights menace?

I know you love Wal-Mart, Cranko, so you better get that blue vest ready; you’re going to need it. Insurance sold separately. But don’t worry, who needs insurance when nearly half their jobs pay over minimum wage. What you call good business has been identified by behavioral health professionals as sociopathic. That isn’t good (hint: it’s the opposite of good). We need to start rewarding good behavior in this country. I have an idea, let’s keep the Mexicans and deport the Republicans.

Krauthammer’s 5th point: He [Obama] has surrounded himself with mostly far-left academic types. No one around him has ever even run a candy store. But they are going to try and run the auto, financial, banking and other industries. This obviously can’t work in the long run. Obama is not a socialist; rather he’s a far-left secular progressive bent on nothing short of revolution. He ran as a moderate but will govern from the hard left. Again, watch what he DOES, not what he says.

MZ: Unfortunately, these days the far left translates as slightly left of Reagan. The spectrum has shifted, but not in the way you think. And Mr. Obama’s handling of the candy store has been worlds better than your guy. W made Burton’s Willy Wonka seem stable. Everlasting GOPstoppers?

Oompa loompa doopa dee doo
I have another message for you
Spending and torture isn’t a game
Why must you vote for more of the same.

Do you think Bush and Nixon surrounded themselves with progressives? Usually the best man loses in our general elections. That’s nothing new. Remember Apple V. IBM, Beta V. VHS or Kerry V. Bush? So, don’t worry, there’s hope for Mr. Etch-a-Sketch. Where is the evidence of this revolution?

Krauthammer’s 6th point: Obama doesn’t really see himself as President of the United States but more as a ruler over the world. He sees himself above it all, trying to orchestrate & coordinate various countries and their agendas. He sees moral equivalency in all cultures. His apology tour in Germany and England was a prime example of how he sees America as an imperialist nation that has been arrogant, rather than a great noble nation that has at times made errors. This is the first President, ever , who has chastised our allies and appeased our enemies!

MZ: Actually, he prefers Master of the Universe. Luckily, his handlers refused to go with his first slogan idea: BY THE POWER OF GREY SKULL!!! Dude, he’s worldcentric. Obama has reached an impressive level of human consciousness. Hooray for progress! This is going to seem new and scary for many, but I assure you it’s much less scary than global collapses, torture, and secret police. We have reaped some benefits through his competent foreign policy. It looks like some progress on the checks and balances of the expanded executive branch is occurring under Obama (according to Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Time Weiner in his book FBI). He believes we’re swinging back to Constitutional sanity. Hey, why isn’t he booked on Hannity? Hmmmm.

I do agree it’s time to stop apologizing. Hey, just in time for the next guy we’ll need to start apologizing for! Cool. Why don’t you take your own advice Mr. Krapjammer and watch what Obama does not what he says?

“We are truly and deeply sorry for the inconvenience, Mr. Bin Laden.”

Krauthammer’s 7th point: He is now handing out goodies. He hopes that the bill (and pain) will not come due until after he is re-elected in 2012. He would like to blame all problems on Bush, from the past, and hopefully his successor in the future. He has a huge ego and Dr. Krauthammer believes he is a narcissist.

MZ: He may well be a narcissist. I’m not sure on this one, in which case he’s not truly worldcentric, but just posing as such. This one is a jump ball. Jesus, that’s two possible points in one lecture?! That’s equal to six months of Fox News viewing. But thus far the only evidence for Obama’s narcissism is the typical ‘I want to be president’ brand, not unlike Gingrich, Santorum, Romney, or anyone else who’s sought office for the last two centuries. As for blaming it on Bush, let’s do that pesky math again: five of the top six policies that cost us all of our treasure in the last decade are Bush’s. So, I guess to be fair, he’s only 5/6 of our policy problem. But, hey, that 1/6 is Obama’s attempt to avoid a depression. Socialist!

Krauthammer’s 8th point: Republicans are in the wilderness for a while but will emerge strong. Republicans are pining for another Reagan but there will never be another like him. Krauthammer believes Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty & Bobby Jindahl (except for his terrible speech in February) are the future of the party. Newt Gingrich is brilliant but has baggage. Sarah Palin is sincere and intelligent but needs to really be seriously boning up on facts and info if she is to be a serious candidate in the future. We need to return to the party of lower taxes, smaller government, personal responsibility, strong national defense and State’s Rights.

MZ: Deep in the wilderness? Dude, if they go any further into Mirkwood, I don’t think all the ents in entville could find them. Of course, I don’t think they’d even help you look. Another Reagan will not surface from this radical swamp. He would immediately be labeled a moderate and shunned by your batshit base. Reagan wasn’t really good for the economy. You’re just glossing up a turd. He raised taxes more than I would have liked and ran up the deficit way too much (not to mention secretly arming our soon to be enemies), so maybe he was too left of Obama? Foxeteers have moved so far to the Right, Cheney is starting to look like a Care Bear (the one with the rainbow coming out of his ass). The rest of us have only moved somewhat left out of pure disgust. In fact, I have moved further left after each and every news cycle as I recoil from this sickly Foxeteerian philosophy. Sigh-ilism? Wait, I got it, Transcend Mentalism? I’m going to work on that one.

As for your comment “Sarah Palin is sincere and intelligent”… Sir, please hand in your intellectual badge; it’s been revoked. She makes the angry petty cheerleaders I knew in the 7th grade seem like…er, the Governor of Alaska.

Krauthammer’s 9th point: The current level of spending is irresponsible and outrageous. We are spending trillions of dollars we don’t have. This could lead to hyperinflation, depression or worse. No country has ever spent themselves into prosperity. The media is giving Obama, Reid and Pelosi a pass because they love their agenda. But eventually the bill will come due and people will realize the huge bailouts didn’t work, nor will the stimulus package. These were trillion-dollar payoffs to Obama’s allies, unions and the Congress to placate the left, so he can get support for #4 above.

MZ: It’s true. We need to undo all of Bush’s policies, right now. I can’t think of any that will prove sustainable. Obama has ended the war in Iraq (one down) and hopefully he will end the war in Afghanistan soon (a 2nd coming soon). He cannot end the Bush tax cuts, no Child Left Behind, or the unfunded Medicare D drug supplemental program (not with a developmentally disabled Congress and Grover named-after-a-Muppet Norquist). The Dems would need both houses and the presidency to overturn the Bush laws. I generally prefer a split government, but if the center of gravity for the right remains where it is, as Horace Greely once said, GO LEFT, YOUNG MAN! I still want a viable third choice more than anything, but like that’s going to happen as both sides grow more radical.

Krauthammer’s 10th point: election was over in mid-September when Lehman brothers failed, fear and panic swept in, we had an unpopular President, and the war was grinding on indefinitely without a clear outcome. The people are in pain and the mantra of change caused people to act emotionally. Any Dem would have won this election; it was surprising it was as close as it was.

MZ: I agree. Meanwhile, I predicted we would not see another two term president for a long time as we swing wildly back and forth between R and D (and that’s not Research or Development) as our economy quakes. Or, as Fox News calls it, “the foundations of the economy are sound.” The Republicans should win in 2012, but they may prove way too incompetent for most independents. But I’m not holding my breath. Actually I am; they gutted a lot of EPA regs in my town. Cough.

Krauthammer’s 11th point: In 2012, if the unemployment rate is over 10%, Republicans will be swept back into power. If it’s under 8%, the Dems continue to roll. If it’s between 8-10%, it will be a dogfight. It will all be about the economy. I hope this gets you really thinking about what’s happening in Washington and Congress. There is a left-wing revolution going on, according to Krauthammer, and he encourages us to keep the faith and join the loyal resistance. The work will be hard but we’re right on most issues and can reclaim our country before it’s far too late.

MZ: I am happily a member of the loyal opposition. There really are differences between how D and R approach fixing our country. But what’s most appalling to me is how little the Right understands about how we got here. Pre our collapse, every graph known to man showed the Dems as the better budget balancers, yet the Right is running on fiscal conservatism? Still? In 2012? Their attempt at a third party, the Tea Party, is rightly a laughingstock. They have become the lackeys to the Hannitys of the world, so good riddance. There’s very little of the Conservative vision worth fighting for at this point. If this is the best you have, if this is your “intellectual” champion…umm, you just got beat by a comic spoof news blogger. You know, the usual.

Okay I didn’t ace the whole ‘no name calling thing.’ Let’s call it a work in progress.

Geographical Answers to Global Problems

Geographical Answers to Global Problems
The Crank

Okay, here goes. You want world peace? Well, I think I may have some answers. I want you to look at the globe, not as a mixture of political boundaries, but a world of people sharing a pastime, or addiction, or religion. Frankly, all of this melting pot stuff is a waste of perfectly good marijuana.

First, let’s take North America. Everything from the Arctic south to Wyoming, the Dakotas, Minnesota, and Idaho will be renamed Hockey, with its Capital designated as Center Iceslip. Let’s put it near where southern Saskatchewan is now, which maybe we could rename Zambonia.

The west coast from Oregon to Mid-California to be renamed Moonbeam, with its Capital being the city of I’mOKyerOK, located near and abouts where California wine country is now. They’re going to need to drink that wine as they go broke.

Colorado would become Little Moonbeam. They have lots of beer, so they should be OK for a time as well.

Meanwhile, Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas to be renamed Dry Heat, with its new Capital city of Fartas de Cervesas Y Burrito. Let’s build it in the desert somewhere west of Phoenix. The more open the space the better.

Nevada and Utah would be called Mormon with its Capital of Sixwives constructed somewhere near Provo.

All the central states would become Farmville with its Capital John Deer City.

Louisiana should be sacrificed back to Lake Pontchartrain and the Gulf. We should probably set up a memorial of a floating Superdome covered in shit with a sign saying, “We will rebuild at some point, promise.”

Mississippi would become Refineri with its Capital of Swetty.

The Great Lakes states would become Nojobshere with its new capital Onthedole.

Now the east coast, from New England down to D.C., would become Joisey, with its Capital of Whatsadatsmell? I think it’s fitting that Joisey should be the first and only city in the world to end in a question mark. Let’s put their capital in the heart of the Meadowlands. This way the foundation of this new metropolis will be truly built upon the people…at least the people the mob whacked.

D.C. south to the border with Florida and west to the Mississippi would become Jesus Christ, with its Capital of Nascarville in central Kentucky.

Central Florida would become New Israel, with its Capital of Bluehair near Orlando.

Southern Florida would become New Rico. No Capital, no one cares. Maybe we should go with Noonecares if anyone mentions it.

Why do the Israelis have to live completely surrounded by people who want them all dead? We need to give them Mexico. First, the Israeli Armed forces will make short work of the drug lords. After 40-years of Islam, those cartels would be like a video game to them. The kind you play all night until you beat. Then, think of what the Jews would do with two long beautiful coastlines! Can you say world’s largest resort? I knew ya could. Being surrounded by enemies and still being one of the world’s most successful economies, think of what they would do without all that pressure and defense spending? Its Capital would be Tel-Amex.

Central and South America would become Brazintina, for those two countries run everything there now anyway. The Capital of Univision would be located in the rainforests of central Brazil…a true “green city”.

The current countries of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark would be called Coldfish, with its new Capital of Stiffnipple located in an ice cave somewhere in Sweden.

England, Ireland, and Scotland would become Crappweather, with its Capital of Crappfood located in Northern Indigestion.

The Netherlands and Belgium would become Potnbeer, with its capital of Shitfaced.

Austria, Germany and France would be the country of Incharge, as—let’s face it—they are.

Italy, Sardinia, Sicily and Greece would become Buuurp, with its capital of Depilatory.

Russia would become Putin, with its capital of Putin located in central Putingrad. The countries that used to make up the Eastern bloc will be designated as Not Putin, with their collective capital named Keilbasa Farts, near an around where Sarajevo is now.

All of Africa would become Country of the Month, with its Capital moving monthly to wherever that one tribal group is currently holding power. South Africa, being the exception, would become Don’tSailHere.

India would become Helpdesk, Pakistan would become 7-11, China and Southeast Asia would all be WedocheapMart.

The Mideast would all be Sandistan.

And let’s give Indonesia to Japan (Japanesia?). They could use the space and will likely run it better. They might even build some great resorts there as well…in between giant waves.

Which only leaves Australia. Best leave it be…as the world goes broke no one will be able to fly there anyway.

Merkel Agrees to EU Bailouts Only if Greece Submits to a Drug Test

Merkel Agrees to EU Bailouts Only if Greece Submits to a Drug Test

Berlin, DE—The Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, has decided to pull out her oversized purse one more time to save Europe.  However, she did warn European leaders today there will be stipulations.  First, she is insisting the country of Greece undergo a drug test within 24 hours.  If any illicit substances show up in the country’s system, she will not help until it “seeks professional help.”

Merkel is also insisting Portugal “pull in their nets and open a proper factory already.”

Merkel reminded Portugal that it’s 2011, not 1011.  She then encouraged the country to “Febreze itself immediately and put on a tie.”

Merkel also reports a growing resentment toward the Brits. “Even if they were to join the EU tomorrow, I wouldn’t lift a finger to help them.  Not until England successfully completes an anger management program, facilitated by a licensed professional.”

She then called them schwankers and made an obscene gesture known only to German Chancellors.   

The Economy: $ome Ea$y $olution$ that Can’t Po$$ibly Work

Mick Zano

I hate economics.  If we weren’t about to go tits up, I would much rather be posting something about Why I Hate Light Beer, which I do by the way, but here we are…  The Republicans’ answers for our economic woes are not going to happen, or won’t work anyway.  I don’t know what they’re smoking, but it’s certainly better than the shit the Ghetto Shaman scores me.

I know, I know, it’s painful when reality intrudes on ideology.  I should issue a warning before my posts.  I love Bill Maher’s line last week, when he warned Fox viewers to turn down the sound until the flashing FACTS sign stops blinking at the bottom of their televisions. On that note, here are some FACTS:

“The Republicans have spent the past 30 years creating deficits and the Democrats have spent the past 30 years closing them. The unimportance of deficits became an article of faith during the second Bush Administration: “Reagan proved that deficits don’t matter,” Dick Cheney famously said. It has been rather hilarious for those of us with even a minimal grasp of recent history to watch these folks pull fierce 180-degree turns on the issue–and it is even more hilarious to watch them accuse Obama of hyper-partisanship after the dump-truck full of garbage they visited upon his head these past few years,”

–Joe Klein

Meanwhile, Jon Stewart—yes, we must resort to comedians for our truth these days—recently showed how expiring the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy had about the same impact on the deficit as Paul Ryan’s plan.  Instead of asking for Bill Gates to fork over an extra percent for Bush’s fiscal fornication, they want to gut critical care and invade Syria.  They are using this crisis, a crisis they predominately caused, to push an agenda even Scrooge would not approve of (the Scrooge from the beginning of the movie, not at the end, wise ass).  And where do they think these people will go? Is the problem solved?  No, they will make a mess, clog our hospitals and jails and cost us more, not less, money. 

Even though my paycheck is primarily funded by Medicaid, I’m OK with responsible cuts across the board.  At the end of the day it’s about priorities and the right doesn’t have any—except preserving their own greedy hides, of course.  By the way, my behavioral health company is down about 26% over the last 3 years.  Defense cuts?  Hmmm. I’m going to guess somewhere around 0% thus far.  On a related note, Ron Paul had an integral moment recently:

“Instead of the left agreeing to cut social spending and the right agreeing to cut military spending, the right agrees to more welfare and the left agrees to more warfare. In spite of all the rhetoric, we will go deeper in debt, the Fed will print more money, and the value of the dollar will continue to plummet.” 

–Ron Paul (http://www.infowars.com/the-nanny-state-cant-last)

This is why I quoted him a lot back in 2003, when “fiscal conservatives” were marginalizing him.

Here’s the main Republican fail (I know, on any given subject, it’s hard to limit it to just one, but here it goes): on the brink of a depression, borrowing money from China to give another gazillion dollar tax break to the next yet-to-be-jailed Bernie Madoffs of the world is not likely to get you a job cleaning out one of their pools anytime soon.  AKA, don’t invest in the pool skimmer just yet, Cleetus.  I’m only saying this because jobs have never been created during a period when taxes remained this low for the super rich, ever. 

But this time’s going to be different! 

Yeah, 1939 different…

We don’t have just a spending issue, we also have a revenue issue and a huge frigging debt that can’t be ignored or made up for by closing ACORN.  Anyone credible knows we need some type of percentage of tax hikes and spending cuts.  AKA, next to no one on the right is credible.

Remember I said to watch England

England diced things up thusly, 80/20 (80% via spending cuts, 20% by tax hikes—all over the long haul). Well, it’s not working out too well, is it?  Their recovery is much slower than expected …following the Tories’ (Republicans) “cut everything to shit plan” hasn’t worked.  And, let’s face it, those Republicans are much smarter than their U.S. counterparts (not much of a trick, really).

England is faltering right on cue so Fox assumes, “80% spending cuts just isn’t enough!” or “They weren’t serious enough about spedning cuts!” or some other nonsense.  Oh, and how many times have you heard these “fiscal conservatives” say everything should be on the table?  I have called for some 60/40 type thing that would raise taxes for the rich and would cut things equitably and responsibly across the board.  AKA, you don’t just say everything’s on the table as you drop the toaster into Medicare’s bathtub.  Saving Ryan’s privates? 

Getting the right’s delusional worldview to match history must be a constant struggle, but what amazes me is their rhetoric doesn’t even match their own policies. I know this much, we have next to no chance of avoiding the next dip, but the Republican plan will always be the darker choice; it will always hasten our demise.  More money for the C. Montgomery Burnses of the world and soup lines for everyone else.  You know, socialism.  And the only reason I’m saying Trickle Down Voodoo Reagonomics (TDVR) doesn’t work is because, thus far it never has.  Soooo, over the years my own predictions have been much more accurate and my own policies (like supporting Ron Paul to some degree) have been much more fiscally conservative, so I ask the Foxeteers again, what is your point?  on anything? 

Maybe you’re thinking you’re waaaaaaaaaaaaay overdue to be right about something.  Great plan….or Great Depression.  What about the hard line approach taken way back in 1940?  The spending cuts and belt tightening in the years following the market crash plunged our country into a prolonged four-year depression.  What about that history stuff?

When you read some of this, do you just keep thinking about baseball?  How does your collective mind shift back to some Fox News talking point?  Is it subliminal messages?  Is it some form of Greta Van Semaphore?  Bill Hemmerer pigeons?  Shep signals?  I’m being told to stop…

The right has done nothing except attack liberal radio, homeless Veteran’s benefits, planned parenthood, and a host of other non-profit community organizations that amount to .0000001 of the problem (hint: that’s a small number, much like your viable nominees). And the punch line is, you still think that makes sense! Actually, I don’t think those organizations are even part of problem. YOU, and your voting records are part of the problem.  Oh, and if you pile all of your Obama “scandals” end to end, they would reach all the way to Danny Devito’s shin.  I remember covering real scandals during the Bush years.  I still remember them, in fact, I’m still living them.  And what the right is actually right about these days is so buried in bullshit, we may never find it, and that’s the real tragedy.  

“Even though we have historically low income tax rates for high-earning individuals, even though revenues have collapsed in the recession, even though we have empirically discovered that big tax cuts have not generated more economic growth, the GOP still insists on reforming taxes not to raise revenue but to reduce it. This is where the whole thing gets surreal. The very Laffer untruth that sank America into debt in the early 1990s is one still being peddled against all the relevant evidence to guide us through the next few decades. In my view, if we maintain that ideological fantasy, the US will become a banana republic in short order.”

Andrew Sullivan

Andrew Sullivan is wrong…we are already there.  When they write the epitaph for America, and someone takes us point for point where we went wrong, it will predominantly be a list of Fox News talking points.  Sadly, that will never be a Fox News talking point.

Ask The Ghetto Shaman

Ask The Ghetto Shaman

Dear Ghetto Shaman,

Do you have any advice for the newlyweds, William and Kate?

Sincerely,

Charles & Camilla

Dear royal peeps,

I’m really beginning to question the authenticity of some of these emails…like the last one, Vern from Vernon?  BWTF?  That’s, of course, a shamanic phrase meaning Bustie White Titty Fuckers, which is Persian for…fine, I’ll bite. 

You should have eloped!  Sure you got some tourism benefits, but jolly old England aint so f-ing jolly anymore.   Save your cash, start pinching some pounds.   Wait, that didn’t work. 

The Ghetto Shaman

P.S. Oh, and tell Kate about my next Rieki Robotripping Retreat. Don’t worry, she’ll get the royal treatment.  

A 2010 Zano-Style Rebuttal

Mick Zano

My New Year’s resolution is no more stories about Fox News.  Oh, oh, wait, but there’s one more thing… The Crank’s view, as always, suspiciously resembles Fox’s and can be summed up thusly: socialism = bad, cutting spending = good.  Very helpful—well, not really—not when this all-or-Fox thinking threatens to block any meaningful fiscal reform.  Here’s what we should be taking away from this year in politics: some Advil.

The Economy: In an earlier post I said to watch England.  Never trust a country that claims they are really into beer and then has all their pubs close by eleven.  They are trying to make up their deficit through 80% spending cuts and 20% tax hikes (a harsh recipe).  They are, of course, tearing themselves apart, right on cue (mostly due to the early pub hours).

If you recall, I recommended something around 60/40—AKA, long range progress toward deficit reduction without as many deaths as Republicans are opting for.  Originally, I thought conservatives were opting to reduce the deficit through 100% spending cuts, but that’s actually wrong.  They strive to be even less realistic about shit.  It’s their way. Since we’re borrowing money from China to help people like Richard Branson buy another spaceship, we’re actually looking at more like 105% spending cuts and no tax hikes.  Hey, let’s start nation building in Yemen, extend the Bush tax cuts indefinitely for all, and then vote against raising the debt ceiling!  …welcome to the 112th congress.

Sooo, when are you people getting back on your meds?

Long term we can all agree cutting spending is a good thing, and everything should be fair game, but if they start that 105% cutting shit tomorrow we’d be plunged into a depression.  Every economist outside of the neococoon understands this.  I’m not going to go over why returning to ‘90s level tax cuts for the super rich is necessary in the face of a 14 trillion dollar deficit, but the majority of Americans understand this, and the rest watch Fox. 

If you come to Washington on a “just cuts” or a “just tax hikes” platform, you’re perpetuating the stupid.  There certainly are libs on the left who haven’t gotten the “we’re broke” message and need to go, but Obama’s Debt Commission put together a deficit proposal that contained both difficult spending cuts as well as some necessary tax hikes…er, like the Mick “I-don’t-know-shit-about-economics” Zano model.  And, since I really don’t know shit, the need for me to comment on this subject remains astounding. 

Circa 2006 I stopped using my credit card and paid only cash for my booze and hookers.  Did my balance disappear?  Did my rash disappear?  No, I needed to increase my payments to Visa and decrease the spending.  And Obamacare better kick-in soon before this rash gets any worse.  Meanwhile, Republicans have about a 1% plan to actually cut spending.  Ahh, where’s the other 104% coming from…Narnia?  Speaking of witch, we should probably pull our troops out of there as well. 

Just saying that spending = bad is less than helpful.  Sorry, but we’re not dismantling all of our institutions tomorrow. Not hap’nen.  Of course, thanks to your due diligence, they may well fall apart of their own accord.  Fiscal conservatives will likely block any plausible course corrections until it’s too late, proving the old adage a penny saved is a country burned

Socialism: Huh?  What are you people smoking?  If the difference between the haves and the have-nots is reaching record proportions in recent years, Obama must be a pretty lousy socialist. Does socialism mean a shift in wealth toward the rich?  Oh, I had no idea you changed the meaning of socialism…I get it.  Sorry, but Obama will go down in history as a pragmatist.  He could have nationalized our failing banks but chose not to. I think when the Fed begs you to nationalize all of our banks and you refuse, that’s an epic fail for socialism. Obama loaned cash to the auto industry and it worked far better than most imagined and, sorry, but trying to insure more Americans does not make him Karl Marx.

The Tea Party: If all your movement can muster is to rebrand our country’s biggest crooks in the name of freedom, ahhh, good luck with that.  You needed to be a new emerging third party choice for America—a group truly distanced from both parties.  AKA, you have failed …already.  Do I think you will have a huge impact, yes, but will it be positive?  I’m going to go out on a limb here…No.

Republicans: They have a two step plan 1.) cause the great recession, and 2.) sabotage the recovery.  Great plan.  Very patriotic.  What annoys me the most about these “patriots” is the fact they continually focus on short-term economic gains, nothing more.  That would be OK, I suppose—or not without some merit at this particular juncture in history—if they didn’t happen to suck at it.  Foxeteers are like people who spend their whole life studying the mating ritual of the lemur and still don’t know dick about lemurs, or their dicking-about behaviors.  In reality (sorry Cranky), Libs have a variety of views, a variety of positions, and a variety of ideas: some good, some bad, some ugly.  They rarely agree on anything.  On the other side, Fox is all one unanimous very bad idea—which is no coincidence, as we will soon see.

Oxymoron Watch: Hey, but watching Fox finally paid off for me this week!  The O’Reilly Factor staff voted on their smartest comments of the year.  I watched this segment in a similar manner to the closing sequence of Blazing Saddles, rolling around the living room carpet and slamming my hands on the floor.  First out of the gate, for these ‘Fox precious moments’, they offered several mosque debate quotes…I repeat, several mosque debate quotes.   Ahhh, that was fiction.  They pumped the energy into this non-story to resonate with the asses. Then they praised themselves on their coverage cleverness as if this was somehow the cherry on their journalistic shit sundae.  It was so nihilistic that Camus probably isn’t bothering to roll over in his grave.  Next up was a Palin quote, which admittedly was a string of words that formed what one might describe—in certain remedial English classes—as a complete sentence (sometimes on cable news that’s enough).  Then, not to be outdone, Brit Hume batted cleanup.  The best quote from The O’Reilly Factor staff for 2010 was Mr. Hume rambling on about how amazed he is that other news networks aren’t emulating their powerful station’s successful formula. 

Fox News: First off, Mr. Hume, one cable news network is following your lead; it’s called MSNBC.  They pulled one from your playbook, which is precisely why they have sunk to new lows.  Second, most of your station’s “success” can be attributed to a combination of our failing educational system and cognitive-age-decline. Third, ahhh…how do I put this delicately…you’re an embarrassment, sir.  You and your ilk are the story within the story of our time.

Neococoon Watch: Here’s a recent study out of the University of Maryland on propaganda in the media. I originally found this on the dailydish.com.  The PDF file is a good read.  It’s not news…well, not to me. Fox, of course, ranked number one on the misinformation scale (by a mile).  They are responsible for a long list of falsehoods that their viewers now hold as gospel.  For a review of these, see any Crank feature.  And, no surprise, MSNBC has moved to a distant second.

“But what’s interesting in the study is how it shows that Fox News, more than any other source, distorted the truth and created a false reality, for all its viewers, Democrats and Republicans—Let’s be clear about this. One alleged news network fed its audience a diet of lies, while contributing financially to the party that benefited from those lies.”

—Andrew Sullivan

Or, as they like to call it, fair, balanced, and unafraid.  Andrew is now where I was a couple of years ago and the Foxeteers are right where we left them: misinformed and marching toward the nearest cliff.  But fear not fair reader, some of the millions of lemmings will be saved by using their copy of the Constitution as a crude parachute. 

Fox’s supreme use of propaganda would be almost funny, if it hadn’t gotten Bush re-elected.  We all know how that turned out…actually, about half of you don’t.  But at least the studies are finally catching up with the Zanos.  And the Cranks…well, they are the study.  

And for yet another Nostradamian style prediction:

To their credit, the Cranks and the Pernicks of the world know way more about economics than I do. The Crank can rattle off any number of potentially savvy economic moves, many of which I even agree with (no, really, I do).  But will the people they help elect implement any of them?  That’s the big joke…on them.  Somehow with all this “knowledge” they invariably mistake the forest for the sleaze.  

Bottom line, will the Crank or Pernick agree with the above graph?  Hell no!  Is it pretty much how things will play out?  Hell yes!  Megatrends are lost in the details, because those details were, for the most part, placed in their brains by crooks and schnooks.  While we collapsed under Bush, these savvy Fox business types were saying, “All is well, there’s nothing to see here” and, as we stabilized under Obama, they all whined, “The sky is falling!”  When the Republicans return to power, they will initially return to their “All is well” stance.  Then they’ll switch to “We were too late to change Obama’s policies.”  Ahhh, the fact remains: you broke it, he stabilized it (albeit barely), and now you will finish us off in 2012.  Hey, maybe the Mayans were trying to warn us about Mitch McConnell.  I believe Quetzalcoatl translates roughly to “obstructionist asshole” in Mayan.

You know what has negatively impacted businesses more than anything the libs have done?  Perpetuating this lie that everything is worse under Obama.  We are amidst a fragile recovery, and you are purposefully adding to the uncertainty of our business community?  Were business owners really comfortable under Bush with their increasing inability to insure their own employees?  with the unsustainability of the Bush tax cuts from any graph or pie chart known to mankind? with a country waging numerous wars, at least one unnecessarily, totally on our collective credit cards?  Really?  Business leaders are that dumb?  Well, maybe.

Sure, cutting spending = good, but cutting it before you have any viable plan to do so is another Fox precious moment.   Shifting all of the wealth of the country to about a dozen or so moguls while calling it socialism is another neat stunt, but, in the Republican’s defense, Branson’s new spaceship is pretty awesome.  Hey, those super rich are supposed to give us jobs, right?  Can I work on your spaceship, Mr. Branson?  I’ve watched every Star Trek episode and I know how to curse in Klingon.  Oh, and I can also wear my pajamas for weeks at a time (a prerequisite for anyone serious about space travel).  And, for your information Mr. Crank, my parents did tell me when they were moving out.  They just forbid me to move back upstairs or touch their stuff.  I am actually defiantly writing this from my father’s study as we speak, because I’m a bit of a rebel at hea—oh shit, the beer made a ring stain in the wood.

Solutions: The Crank says I’m not solution oriented, yet I recommended a ratio of tax hikes and spending cuts similar to Obama’s deficit commission (which was blocked by the ideologues on both sides).  If you were really serious about cutting something, wouldn’t following the commission’s recommendations have been a better compromise than the recent spend fest?  The only thing the right is serious about is fucking things up, their singular strength.

And, I’ve always said a gas tax would level the playing field and move the country toward a responsible energy policy.  Do I want to walk to work?  Hell no.  Is it better than what’s coming economically and possibly ecosystemly?  Hell yes.  Fox believes all our healing juice will spring forth from capitalism.  Sorry, in this case, capitalism needs a nudge and Wall Street needs a leash.  Also, I have been touting the importance of a more integral based media to end the talking heads currently derailing the truth.  I was on the vanguard of those attacking the media.   Now, lo and behold, people are talking about it and studies are supporting it.

But, most importantly, it has been said that a sane world starts with sane citizens.  I actually have been pretty clear on a solution, although it’s not a solution that will resonate with most Americans:  meditate.  Take on the self-experiential-experiment (SEE) of the contemplatives.  Work on yourself and things will fall into place for you, regardless of your bank account.  Study after study shows your economic wealth has no correlation with your happiness.  I realize that this is sacrilege to the vultures over at Fox, but only a truly sick group of people can follow some of the twisted logic of our country’s policies.  Our current path is a form of collective suicide, perpetuated by the left and right (er,…mostly the right).  And again, to be clear, I’m not hoping for our financial institutions and political structures to collapse, it’s going to happen regardless, but it doesn’t have to be the end of America.  I told you you would need that Advil. 

Why I Still Hate Phil Collins and Other Musical Observations

Mick Zano

Hate is a strong word, but in this case it works.  Phil Collins almost single-bandedly ruined the early eighties for me—well, him and what’s her face.  Living on Long Island then, there was a time in my life I could get all these wonderful rock stations like WPLJ, WRCN, and WBAB.  But, in the 80s, at any given time ALL of them could be playing a Phil Collins song.  And, on a really bad day, it could be the same Phil Collins song!

I heard One More Night the other night and, all these years later, I still thought what was the fascination?  To put things into context, back in the 80s those invisible airwaves were crackling with life. There was Floyd, Zeppelin, The Who, even the Beatles weren’t that old then.   So what in the rock god’s name were people thinking when they decided to give real rock a miss and slip in endless Genesis and Phil Collins tracks?  It was like that Sesame Street bit, which one of these is not like the other?  For example, you could hear Black Sabbath’s Iron Man, Jimmi Hendrix’s Voodoo Child, and then, without commercial interruption they’d segue into Su ‘fucking’ sudio by Phil Collins.  And, they would still call it a Rock Block.  How did this happen?  I want answers.  I thought Bennie and the Jets was an anomaly until Phil and Co. came along.

I Think I Missed Again?  Yeah, actually ya did, Phil-O.  That could be your musical biography.  Sussudio??? Really, people?  Su-su-sudio, ohh ohh.  This was one of those lovely tunes that could be on all three “rock” stations at the same time—incessantly played for weeks at a time.  Even the metal heads sometimes said, what the hell, it’s Phil.  We’re going to shift away from the long haired head banging sounds of the Skull Fuckers and instead play a little bald guy from England for our next “rock” block.   It was like Keith Moon, John Bonham, and that drummer from Spinal Tap died and cursed all future drummers and the rest of mankind on their way out.  

This pretty much sums up my 80s experience:

Did I miss again?
I think I missed again uh huh
Ohh I missed again uhh huh oh uhh uhhh
I think I missed again uh huh oh uh oh ohhh.
Ohh I missed again uhh huh
I think I missed again uh huh oh uh oh ohhh.
Ohh I missed again uhh huh uhh
I think I missed again uh huh oh uh oh ohhh

Wow, I can see why he’s so popular.  Now listen to that 27,000 more time and you’ll begin to grasp the scope of what happened to me in the 80s.  And things were going so well…with what’s her name. Yes, I didn’t like the song Sussudio, but, yes, I can sing the song verbatim (hint: this is why I need to vent).

In the mid 80s, against all odds, Phil Collins’ music style got even worse with the release of Against All Odds.  He was toying with me at that point. It was like he was saying, “You didn’t think it could get any worse than You Can’t Hurry Love, did you Zano?  You fool!  Well, I was just screwing with you…that’s nothing.  I have an arsenal of even shittier songs that people are going to play twice as often.  Mwahaahhhah!”

Take a Look at Me Now

Dude, do I have too?  I just ate.  Oh, and Mr. Phillospher King, for your information, YOU CAN HURRY LOVE!  Making it last is the trick, Einstein.  I have to admit I thought In the Air Tonight was a great song, until I found out it was about farts.

The only good news was this…you know the song I Don’t Care Anymore?  After hearing it for the four millionth time, I really didn’t care anymore…no more, no more…no more, no more…

He finally got his comeuppance, or downgradance.  Today, he’s the only person almost never played on classic rock stations.  Think about it, you can hear Genesis, you can hear Peter Gabriel, but where’s Phil? Just about everyone else played back then is still in the club—to varying degrees, of course—but Collins was finally banished to the soft rock lands, the Manillow moors, the Kenny G glades.  Justice served!  But at what cost?  …besides what’s her face. 

I am not surprised people finally realized he was grossly miscategorized.  Every young DJ was probably thinking, “Dude, what the hell is this shit?” and then they rightfully placed the CD in the section marked easy listening.   What collective spell were we under back then?  And what can we do to ensure this never happens again?

The only thing I can equate the Phil Collins phenomenon to is Sarah Palin today.  She’s huge! And Phil Collins was equally and inexplicably as huge in the 80s.  Is there some correlation?  We at the Discord have people working on this problem night-and-day to solve this Riddle of the Stinx.

Hey  wait!  She’s an Easy Lover.  No, it’s gotta be more  than that.   Hmmmm.   When I figure it out, and I will, you’ll get the scoop first, right here on the Daily Discord.

Pope Delivers Henry VIII’s Annulment: Queen Anne Boleyn Resurrected in Wembley Stadium Revival

Pope Delivers Henry VIII’s Annulment: Queen Anne Boleyn Resurrected in Wembley Stadium Revival

London, ENG—Pope Benedict XVI’s state visit to the UK began with the delivery of King Henry VIII’s annulment from Catherine of Aragon in a ceremony on the Gatwick Airport tarmac.  As a former Hitler Youth come in the back door, there was no Heathrow for him.  Citing the loss of the Church of England, rise of Lutheranism, bloodshed, butchery, gay bishops and the entire reign of Mary Tudor, the Vatican determined that granting the annulment was a better idea than not.  Steven Hawking navigated any space-time issues confronting the Vicar of Christ’s plan, meanwhile Dr. Who (all of them) were pissed they were never consulted on the matter (or the anti-matter). The price of tea futures spiked as the colonization and pillage of India could well be annulled as a necessary side effect.

Second up on the day’s itinerary, Anne Boleyn, convicted in legal proceedings that would embarrass even a Texan, was resurrected by the Pontiff.  The event occurred between the beatification of John Henry Cardinal Newman and the Pope’s arrest and transfer to The Hague.  The Pope is currently facing charges for crimes against humanity, including the serial rape of thousands of children, as well as one episode of urinating in public. The pope, using a decidedly pagan defense, is claiming “nature called.” As for the other charges, the Pope stated he is only continuing Bush’s No Child’s Behind Left policy.  The joke resulted in a class action lawsuit from Christopher Hitchens, who claims the joke was originally his.