"G-d Don't Like Jews"

by: Mets102

Tue Nov 29, 2011 at 21:39:16 PM EST

On Fixing The World, Or, Help George Carlin Stick It To God

by: fake consultant

Thu Sep 15, 2011 at 10:29:14 AM EDT

It's got everything you need for serious irony: an irascible comedian who mocked religion at every opportunity, a city that loved him, and the rich coincidence of his having been born at the crossroads of New York City's communities of religious education.

And that's why, today, we'll be talking about the effort to name the street right next to Manhattan's Seminary Row...Carlin Street.

(And before we go further, a language warning: we'll be quoting George Carlin liberally, and that means there may be present today certain of the seven words with which he created one of his best known routines. You are now officially warned.)

On Being Bumped, Or, Let's Have Another Roundup

by: fake consultant

Mon Jul 04, 2011 at 13:16:19 PM EDT

But that's OK, because the world's been busy doing a lot of other things - and while many of them get media coverage, some don't get a lot of notice at all.

And of course, there are also those stories that look one way at first glance...but look a lot different when you dig a bit deeper.

We'll hit a few of those today, have a bit of fun doing it, and get ready for what promises to be another busy week of strategically not doing things in Washington.

To make things even better, some of the stories will be real, and some won't.

We'll see if you can tell the difference.

Campaign Manifesto #1: In A World Of Phonies, It's Time For A Fake Candidate

by: fake consultant

Fri Feb 18, 2011 at 09:08:12 AM EST

We have a wavering President, far too many feckless Democrats, and Republicans that have decided to dive headfirst into total "insane mode" in a full-blown effort to destroy this country just as fast as possible.

To give but one example, in my own District, WA-08, we are represented by the absolutely useless Republican Dave Reichert, whose best-known legislative achievement is that he has virtually no record of any legislative achievement whatever.

Now we've had a very interesting relationship, you and I, over these past few years; in my efforts to "bring you the story" I've been a fake political consultant, a fake lobbyist, even a fake historian...and now, I think it's time to try to bring our relationship to a new level.

And that's why, America, I'm announcing my fake candidacy for Congress.

On Making It Work, Or, An Open Letter To Network TV

by: fake consultant

Sun Jan 03, 2010 at 20:33:56 PM EST

This has become necessary, according to the networks, partly because the market has become so fragmented...which, naturally, is cable's fault-and presumably the fault of the disloyal viewer, as well.

Another reason driving the change is related to the desire of the networks to have a source of revenue that's more reliable in times of economic downturn, when advertisers often try to husband scarce resources by cutting back on all their expenses, particularly advertising dollars.

Will this new change in the business model reverse the fortunes of the networks?
Is it possible that the networks are simply poor business managers?

And what about...Krystal Carey?

Tune in for the rest of the story-and we'll find out.

On Respect, Or, How To Avoid Mispronounciation

by: fake consultant

Sun Jul 26, 2009 at 01:23:52 AM EDT

To which gender do you belong?

It's a simple question, or so common sense would tell us-either you're male, or you're female.

As it turns out, things aren't quite so simple, and in today's conversation we'll consider this issue in a larger way. By the time we're done, not only will we learn a thing or two about sex and gender and sexuality, we'll also learn how to offer a community of people a level of respect that they often find difficult to obtain.

On A May-December Romance, Part Two, Or, Las Vegas, Integrated

by: fake consultant

Tue May 12, 2009 at 16:14:06 PM EDT

The mention of that name, in the right circles, brings back a flood of associations.

Among them: a famous cabaret in Gay Paree, a Nicole Kidman movie rich in costume and set design and...well, a movie, anyway; or, if you really know your films, perhaps the association is with the 1952 John Huston "biography" film of the same name.

The one association that might not quickly come to mind, even though it should: ground zero in a battle that led to the desegregation of Las Vegas.

Today's story will fill in the blanks that you might have regarding that association-and by the time we're done, we'll have covered, just as we promised last time, the 55-year history of a place that began in 1955, lasted for not quite six months, and ended just last week...maybe.

It's another one of those American history stories you never heard before, and it's well worth the telling...so let's get right to it.

On Assessing Risk, Or, Swine Flu: Is It Time To Panic?

by: fake consultant

Thu Apr 30, 2009 at 07:28:35 AM EDT

The conversation about the politics of the thing is already well underway, engulfing those who sought to remove funding for infectious disease control out of the "stimulus" bill.

We are lacking, however, an examination of the science of the thing, and that's the point of today's conversation.

How dangerous is this infection?
Why is it killing people in Mexico but not here?
Exactly what is a pandemic?
Do those facemasks really serve any purpose?
And what about closing the border?

They're all good questions; and they are all questions we'll try to answer today.

Inversion

by: simonstl

Sun Mar 04, 2007 at 20:36:39 PM EST

This is way abstract, but after reading "Three Men in a Room", talking with my legislator, and thinking about what I've seen in New York State politics since I was a wee lad (Hugh Carey is the first governor I remember), it seems like it works.

We normally describe political power as flowing up from the voters. As uninvolved as voters may be, and as corrupt as politicians may be, voters provide a key check on the power of politicians.

The New York State Legislature operates on a reverse principle. The check on the power of nearly all politicians comes from the leadership. If you want to get anything done, you have to listen to the leadership. If voters elect someone who won't (wrong party or otherwise disinclined), the voters can be punished by a denial of support for their legislator's projects.