Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Truest statement of the week

"You step on a doormat, you don't elect it to the White House"

-- Marcia, SICKOFITRADLZ.

A note to our readers

A Monday.
 

Yeah, we're getting used to it too.


First, we thank all who participated this edition which includes Dallas and the following:





The Third Estate Sunday Review's Jim, Dona, Ty, Jess and Ava,
Rebecca of Sex and Politics and Screeds and Attitude,
Betty of Thomas Friedman Is a Great Man,
C.I. of The Common Ills and The Third Estate Sunday Review,
Kat of Kat's Korner (of The Common Ills),
Mike of Mikey Likes It!,
Elaine of Like Maria Said Paz),
Cedric of Cedric's Big Mix,
Ruth of Ruth's Report,
Wally of The Daily Jot,
Trina of Trina's Kitchen,
Marcia of SICKOFITRDLZ,
Stan of Oh Boy It Never Ends,
Isaiah of The World Today Just Nuts,
and Ann of Ann's Mega Dub.



And what did we come up with:





Peace.




-- Jim, Dona, Ty, Jess, Ava and C.I.














Editorial: The truth escapes the press (again)

The laughable media narrative of 'liberated' Falluja is both inaccurate and ahistorical.


Remember this, for example:



 Iraq must be a lot safer with Nouri's forcces attacking the people in Falluja.























  • It's from a May editorial we did entitled "Editorial: The silence cracks " . . .


    A may 2014 editorial.


    See the coverage last week was filled with horrifics carried out by the Islamic State.

    What the Shi'ite forces were doing?

    Barely a murmur.


    This despite the long, long history of persecution of the Sunnis.


    From that May 2014 editorial:



    Yeah, everyone must be sleeping easy now that the 'dangerous' child was taken care of.

    Nouri's been killing Iraqi civilians every day and getting away with it for months now.

    The US government is giving him even more weapons this despite the fact that he's using them on the Iraqi people.

    Thursday,  NINA reported his shelling of residential areas of Falluja left 13 civilians dead ("including a woman, three children")  and twenty-one more were injured.

    That same day, the silence in the US was finally broken.


    Janine di Giovanni (Newsweek) reported:






    “First it was hospitals, then densely populated civilian areas,” says Erin Evers from Human Rights Watch (HRW) in Baghdad. “Now it’s neighborhoods where people are just trying to live.”
    The tragedy in Fallujah was barely noticed in the run-up to the Iraqi parliamentary elections, which took place on April 30, the first national elections since U.S. troops pulled out of the country in 2011. No one much paid attention because violence has become a trademark in this campaign.
    Since January, when the Shia-backed government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki began a campaign of retaliation against the Sunni-backed Islamic State of Iraq and al-Shām, it is estimated that 4,000 have been killed, or roughly 1,000 a month. Researchers on the ground say 20 to 30 percent of the dead are children. Meanwhile, government forces have killed 348, according to Iraq Body Count.


    Will others follow suit?

    Already AP kind of has.  Kind of.

    But some western outlet will.

    Especially now that Al Jazeera's reporting:

    Shelling by the Iraqi army in the city of Fallujah has killed more civilians, hospital sources and witnesses have said, amid allegations that government forces were using barrel bombs in an attempt to drive out anti-government fighters from the area,
    The use of barrel bombs in civilian areas is banned under international conventions given their indiscriminate nature.

    But Mohammed al-Jumaili, a local journalist, told Al Jazeera that the army has dropped many barrel bombs "targeting mosques, houses and markets" in Fallujah.



    And questions will arise.

    Such as why did the US government refuse to call out this slaughter?



    This persecution -- which is ongoing -- and which is well documented didn't fit last week's media narrative.


    Hard to be rah-rah and honest at the same time.


    No surprise, forced to choose, the press chose to ditch honesty -- as easily as they discard a dirty undergarment.


    If we're supposed to understand what is going on, we need the facts.

    The press is very good at acting as an attorney for the US government.


    But in carrying out that role, it's become increasingly unable to tell the truth -- full or partial.




    TV: Chelsea lately?

    "I just think he's so great. I hate the girl.  The girl I hear was just killed. Thank God. it's supposed to be his daughter.  She's terrible."

    No, TV criticism isn't for everyone.

    And Martha Stewart is among those not up to it.

    abtv

    She's sharing her thoughts on NBC's THE BLACKLIST in what we're quoting, sharing with Chelsea Handler, and she's speaking of the actress who plays Elizabeth (Megan Boone) and apparently unaware that (a) killing Liz off resulted in massive protests from fans and (b) the 'death' was a plot twist (to allow downtime for Boone to give birth) and that Liz was back on the show.

    An unpopular opinion?

    A critic can stake that out (though maybe not if you depend upon people to buy your wares at Home Depot).

    But weighing in on a 'death' that had been rumored for months to be fake and that was known as fake after the May 19th season finale of THE BLACKLIST?


    Not really testifying to an ability to watch TV.

    BREAKING BAD?  She dismissed the show as one she didn't watch because the people were too ugly.


    ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK was another show she didn't watch.

    "Too close to home?" Chelsea asked, referencing Martha's 2004 conviction for insider trading and the imprisonment that followed.

    "Too close to home?"

    It's why Chelsea Handler makes such a great talk show host.

    It's a funny comment and punctures the hot air many celebrities can have.

    It raises an issue that needs to be commented on.

    A day after watching over a dozen episodes of CHELSEA, Handler's new NETFLIX talk show, we happened to catch a failure -- another interviewer who refused to ask the question, to puncture the self-satisfied celebrity.

    It was Sunday, CBS, 60 MINUTES.

    There was Anderson Cooper interviewing professional frat boy JT Holmes.

    Holmes, for those who missed it, 'needs' to go to Eiger in the Swiss Alps -- via helicopter -- to risk his life in what is not amazing and is not a sport.

    More to the point, why does he need to be on Eiger?

    Why is it necessary so ski (and parachute) on Eiger just because no one has?

    Are we not to be allowed any spot  on the earth that is not plundered by human kind in its search for amusement?

    And how long do we need to pretend that near death experiences qualify as sports?

    Cooper should have asked those questions.

    He also should have asked the cost of a 'sport' that requires a helicopter fly you up to a mountain, that several people use tools to create 'slopes' for you to ski down on the untouched mountain and how much it costs for the helicopter to pick you up after you jump off the cliff on your skis and hopefully land alive 2,000 or so feet below.

    He should have asked what the carbon foot print for this 'sport' was.

    He asked none of those questions.

    Chelsea usually asks the needed questions.

    And has done so with Florence Henderson and many others.

    With Anna Farris, we honestly would have asked why she was obsessed with Goldie Hawn?

    Farris' outfit and especially her hair harkened back to Goldie's look in the early 70s (see especially her as Jill in the classic film SHAMPOO).

    With Gavin Newsom?

    We would have suggested he cut his hair.

    Strongly.

    What's with our emphasis on hair?

    Chelsea put the emphasis there -- with her focus on Donald Trump's hair.

    And Donald's hair or 'hair' has never been realistic but in the 80s, as clips she aired  demonstrated, it wasn't the nightmare it is now.

    Gavin's hair is crossing over into nightmare territory -- and that includes the wisps on the side that really don't qualify as sideburns.

    Gavin, we love you, but someone needs to stage a hair intervention while you're still Lt. Governor of California and before you seek a higher office.

    Trump.

    That's the problem with Chelsea's show.

    The only real problem.

    When she's doing something  like a highlight reel of him bragging on himself -- how rich he is and how supposedly smart he is -- that's fine.

    We laughed.

    But when she feels the need to talk Donald with guests?

    We can only watch Chunk (Chelsea's dog) lick his paw and walk around for so long while we try to tune out those banal discussions.

    We're not voting for Donald Trump.

    (Nor are we voting for Hillary.)

    And we really don't need to hear, every damn episode, what some hack -- Will Arnett, that especially means your sexist and tired ass -- thinks.

    We really don't need to hear about 'emergency back up plans' to leave the United States should Donald Trump become president.

    It's not funny.

    And doesn't go to a belief in democracy or any pride in America.

    (So why the hell did Arnett go from Canadian citizen to American?)

    To be very clear, Chelsea had a bit with young girls in Mexico where they took turns hitting a pinata of Donald Trump.

    That didn't bother us.

    But a bunch of gas bagging over Donald Trump?

    We don't need it, we don't want it, it doesn't make for good TV.

    Find another topic, please.

    Chelsea insists she has a soapbox and it's her job to use it.

    Actually, it's not.

    Her job is to bring in 'streamers' for NETFLIX.

    She can do that by discussing issues and we certainly enjoyed the gun discussion with her, Wiz Khalifa and Gavin Newsom.

    And Gavin's point about regulating ammunition is a new point that needs discussing.

    We enjoyed it.

    We'd love any issues discussion.

    (We were less involved in the gun discussion she had with Ellen Page, Florence Henderson and Chelsea's third grade teacher.  If she really wants to have a discussion, she might need to offer up a panel that includes more than 'yes men' who agree with everything.)

    But, like most Americans, we're not enthused over Donald or Hillary Clinton and we'd honestly rather have something of substance to discuss.


    And humor being included is even better.



    BET television at all times -- that was Martha Stewart's lament to Chelsea about being behind bars.



    Martha Stewart:  Only one TV available and you had to sit in a room on hard chairs and you had to look up like this at the TV.

    Chelsea Handler: OMG, what a nightmare.



    It's in moments like those that Chelsea especially delivers.

    She's currently the best thing in the talk format -- and that's no small feat.







    Transparent?



    dmn


    For decades, the US government has kept records relating to the assassination of JFK sealed.

    The last of these records are supposed to be released next year.


    Last week, the State Department announced it may take 75 years for all of Hillary Clinton's e-mails during her four years as Secretary of State to be produced.


    As Wally and Cedric pointed out ("THIS JUST IN! YOU'LL HAVE MORE LUCK FINDING OUT WHO SHOT JFK!" and "75 years?"), that means it will take 21 years more for the State Department to produce Cranky Clinton's e-mails.



    Think about it.





    Jiminy Glick interviews Drake

    MAYA & MARTY is NBC's summer variety show airing live on Tuesdays.  The show features Martin Short's beloved character Jiminy Glick.

    So far, Jiminy's interviewed Larry David, Kevin Hart and (below) Drake.












    Again, MAYA & MARTY airs Tuesday nights on NBC (live), the show is hosted by Maya Rudolph and Martin Short.












    The return of SECRETS & LIES

    Where did ABC's SECRETS & LIES go?

    It's a topic that comes up repeatedly in e-mails.

    After season one completed in the spring of 2015, the show was given a season two renewal and was supposed to return this year as a mid-season replacement.

    But that did not happen.

    However, now ABC has announced the show will return this fall:





    It's official! "Secrets and Lies" season 2 is premiereing SUNDAYS 9|8c this fall on ABC. In season 2, Kate Warner fell to her death from a 12-story building, but this was no accident, all evidence points to this being a homicide. Detective Andrea Cornell is brought in to root out the real killer. Her prime suspect is Kate's husband, Eric Warner. Join Detective Cornell as she digs up secrets, exposes lies, and brings to light the truth of this tragic and senseless death.  
    Andrea Cornell (Juliette Lewis)
    Detective Cornell is the top Homicide Detective for the Charlotte Mecklenberg County Police Department. Her commitment to justice is unparalleled, so it's no wonder she has the highest close rate in her department. When 5-year-old Tom Murphy is murdered, Cornell embarks upon an unrelenting pursuit of the offender, who she believes, from early on, is Ben. Her unwavering dedication to her job makes her the most formidable opponent - or a highly valuable ally.
    Eric Warner (Michael Ealy)
    ERIC WARNER is at the top of his game. Smart, well-educated and hard working - he's the heir apparent to his father John's private equity firm, Sherwood Equity Group, "SEG", in Charlotte, NC. Newly married to "the one" and walking on air, he's attending a party to honor dad passing over the reins when suddenly tragedy strikes. Eric finds his wife Kate dead, and life, as he knows it, is over.
    John Warner (Terry O'Quinn)
    Father to Eric, Amanda, and Patrick, John Warner is a loving parent and respected businessman. As founder and CEO of private equity firm Sherwood Equity Group, he uses old-fashioned values to save failing businesses and rebuild them to their fullest potential and profit. After a tragedy involving his wife two decades prior, John was forced to raise all three kids on his own, while maintaining a multi-million dollar company. Even though he claims to have tried his best, strained relationships and unanswered questions remain regarding the family's past.
    Amanda Warner (Mekia Cox)
    A successful attorney for the Public Defender's office, Amanda Warner is fiercely protective of her family. Being the middle sibling to Eric and Patrick, as well as daughter to John, she has her hands full being the only woman in a family of complicated men. Amanda was the one who introduced her brother to Kate, and feels especially broken after her untimely death. With such close ties to the victim, and a career that has shaped her into a hard nosed, no nonsense lawyer, Amanda proves to be a worthy adversary of Detective Cornell's aggressive tactics when Cornell singles out Eric Warner as the prime suspect in Kate's death.
    Patrick Warner (Charlie Barnett)
    The baby of the Warner family, Patrick feels as though he has had to fight for his father's love and attention. The spotlight has always been on his older brother, Eric, heir apparent to their father's company, and his older sister, Amanda, a super star defense attorney. While Patrick has the best intentions, he's a functioning alcoholic who is embittered by always being underestimated.
    Danny Voss (Kenny Johnson)
    A suspicious character who lurks at the crime scene and pops up repeatedly, Danny seems to pose an ominous threat to the Warner family. His intentions are made clear as Kate Warner's death is investigated.
    Kate Warner (Jordana Brewster)
    KATE WARNER, kind, smart and beautiful, is an accomplished attorney who runs the compliance department at SEG. Kate's introduction to the Warner family came when she met Eric's sister, Amanda, in law school. Years later, she started working at SEG with Eric, his father John, and his brother Patrick. While Eric wasn't looking for love - Kate was unlike anyone he'd ever met. A no-frills woman with her priorities straight, Kate quickly slipped in under his radar with charm, spice and intelligence and six months ago, he married her. On top of the world, they attend a firm party celebrating Eric taking over the reins until... Kate meets her untimely demise.

    Rejecting the lesser of two evils (Michael Matteo Rossi)



    Jill Stein is seeking the Green Party's presidential nomination.

    Filmmaker shares his thoughts on why he's rejecting the lesser of two evils for the greater good.
    Filmaker Michael Matteo Rossi Endorses Jill Stein
    The revolution must continue. Join us: http://www.jill2016.com/volunteer

























    Jill Stein Tweets

    Jill Stein is seeking the Green Party's 2016 presidential nomination:



    1.  Pinned Tweet
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    12. Jill Stein insists it’s her year to get noticed—and she may make it onto 47 state ballots
    13. Every contribution you make is currently doubled through federal election matching funds:
    14. There is no shortcut through the Democratic Party to building a mass party of the left. -
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    17. Yes, I'm saying it again: Revolution cannot happen inside of a counter-revolutionary party. A party can't be both revolutionary & corporate.
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