The Hollywood Liberal

Ice Cream Cone Mistaken for Klansman
The owners of Ice Cream Family Corner and Sandwiches in Ocala, Fl., said business is suffering because drivers have mistaken their human ice cream mascot — a vanilla headed man with sprinkles in a waffle cone — for a white-hooded Ku Klux Klan member. One woman reportedly “was so frightened by the white dollop patrolling the street corner that she called her husband crying and refused to drive through the intersection.”

There’s more of us non-rich people all the time
And not all of us can have 19 children or have the stomach to force one of them into pageants so we can get on Toddlers & Tiaras; and the competition is getting fiercer for those slots.

And not all of us can have 19 children or have the stomach to force one of them into pageants so we can get on Toddlers & Tiaras; and the competition is getting fiercer for those slots:

According to the United Nations Population Fund counters, Halloween will be the approximate date when the 7 billionth human will be born on to our planet

That’s only about 6.5 billion more than when this nation declared Independence and five billion more than were around at the time World War II broke out. I’m sure this is really good for natural resource use and global climate change.

Thank goodness there are so many new proles to support the only people that matter … the really wealthy.

I’m sure as time goes by, nothing bad will ever come of this fact. So why raise the super-rich’s taxes?  All those gated-communities will come with an adequate amount of wall space for lining up against.*

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*ooh, class warfare

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Late, Late Night FDL: Born This Way
Lady Gaga – Born This Way

Lady Gaga – Born This Way

Mahalo Nui Loa, Lady Gaga…! And RIP Jamey Rodemeyer…

What’s on your mind tonite…?

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‘Moneyball’ Isn’t a Home Run
“Moneyball” is a good story and people who have little interest in baseball don’t need to fear it. On the other hand, it has its largely overlooked problems.

“Moneyball” is a good story and people who have little interest in baseball don’t need to fear it. On the other hand, it has its largely overlooked problems.

Related Entries

• September 27, 2011 Fidel Castro Surfaces to Criticize Obama
• September 26, 2011 Nothing but Dogs in This Hunt

Google’s Many Changes
With the simple dictum “don’t be evil” as its motto, the Internet software giant Google—which ranked as the third-highest lobbying spender in the tech industry in 2010—wages an aggressive image and relations campaign with an international public, and its strategy is evolving. The Huffington Post’s Ryan Grim, Zach Carter and Paul Blumenthal give us an extensive update on the part Google plays alongside governments and other corporations in the “war for the Web,” from becoming a financier of the Republican Party to its many roles in the worldwide struggle over intellectual property. —ARK The Huffington Post: You can’t swing a dead cat video in Washington lately without hitting a lobbyist, consultant, attorney or adviser on retainer to Google or one of its tech rivals. Google, whose top executives have long been a bottomless cup of campaign coffee for Democrats, is finally entering its bipartisan phase, theatrically hiring Republican operatives and broadcasting the news through insider Washington publications, pumping air into a K Street tech bubble. The shift in political strategy comes as Google faces a serious antitrust threat, punctuated by a high-profile hearing on the company held Wednesday afternoon in the Senate. But Google’s investment in the infrastructure of the conservative movement goes much deeper than what’s been reported this summer. The company known for its progressive politics is now giving money to the Heritage Foundation, the American Enterprise Institute, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, the Republican Governors Association, the GOP firm The David All Group, Crossroads Strategies, the Republican Attorneys General Association and the Republican State Leadership Committee, among others. On Thursday, Google and Fox News cosponsored a Republican presidential debate. Read more

With the simple dictum “don’t be evil” as its motto, the Internet software giant Google—which ranked as the third-highest lobbying spender in the tech industry in 2010—wages an aggressive image and relations campaign with an international public, and its strategy is evolving.

The Huffington Post’s Ryan Grim, Zach Carter and Paul Blumenthal give us an extensive update on the part Google plays alongside governments and other corporations in the “war for the Web,” from becoming a financier of the Republican Party to its many roles in the worldwide struggle over intellectual property. —ARK

The Huffington Post:

You can’t swing a dead cat video in Washington lately without hitting a lobbyist, consultant, attorney or adviser on retainer to Google or one of its tech rivals. Google, whose top executives have long been a bottomless cup of campaign coffee for Democrats, is finally entering its bipartisan phase, theatrically hiring Republican operatives and broadcasting the news through insider Washington publications, pumping air into a K Street tech bubble.

The shift in political strategy comes as Google faces a serious antitrust threat, punctuated by a high-profile hearing on the company held Wednesday afternoon in the Senate. But Google’s investment in the infrastructure of the conservative movement goes much deeper than what’s been reported this summer.

The company known for its progressive politics is now giving money to the Heritage Foundation, the American Enterprise Institute, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, the Republican Governors Association, the GOP firm The David All Group, Crossroads Strategies, the Republican Attorneys General Association and the Republican State Leadership Committee, among others. On Thursday, Google and Fox News cosponsored a Republican presidential debate.

Read more

Related Entries

• September 27, 2011 Fidel Castro Surfaces to Criticize Obama
• September 26, 2011 Nothing but Dogs in This Hunt

Arianna Huffington: Will Rick Perry’s Extreme Views Make Him Unelectable? What History Shows
Back in the middle of August, just after Rick Perry tossed his cowboy hat into the ring, anonymous White House and Obama campaign aides were quoted saying that they welcomed the Texas governor into the race because they assumed that, given his radical positions, he would be easier to beat. After all, the man does have more than his share of extreme positions. But history shows that in times of fear and uncertainty, people don’t always vote on the logical consequences a candidate’s positions would have on policy — and on their lives. It’s not about the left or the right or the center. And it’s not about being smart or being reasonable. It’s less about the brain and more about the lizard brain. President Obama is likely to keep on winning the “Who Is The Most Reasonable Person In The Room?” contest. But that’s not the same thing as winning the election.

Peter Smirniotopoulos: Has the President Turned the Corner?
When the Wednesday morning of Nov. 7, 2012 begins, we may look back on the week of Sept. 19, 2011 as a turning point in the presidency of Barack Obama and his candidacy for re-election.

Jeffrey Shaffer: Get Ready for the Poverty Deniers
There is indeed an attitude problem in this country. It’s the kind of attitude that encourages sweeping, simplistic generalities like, “Anybody living in the USA is not poor.”

Sarah Palin Reportedly Threatens To Sue Book Publisher
ABC News reports that Sarah Palin is considering suing Random House, the book publisher that released The Rogue, a highly critical book about her life…

Sean Penn, Hero? Worked To Free American Prisoners In Iran
Josh Fattal and Shane Bauer, American hikers imprisoned in Iran under suspicion of espionage, were freed last week after over two years as hostages. In…

Fox’s Johnson Proves Obama’s Point: Fox Peddles “Inadequate Information”

Fox’s Peter Johnson Jr. distorted recent comments by President Obama, falsely claiming that “[i]n effect, the president is saying that the American people are a stupid, dissatisfied electorate who are poisoned and brainwashed by Fox News.” But Obama said that supporters should “push back” on Fox’s “inadequate information” — a statement that is justified by Fox’s regular distortions.

Fox’s Johnson: Obama Said People Were Being “Brainwashed” By Fox

Johnson: “In Effect, The President Is Saying That The American People Are” Being “Brainwashed By Fox News.” On the September 26 edition of Fox News’ Fox & Friends, Johnson claimed, “In effect, the president is saying that the American people are a stupid, dissatisfied electorate who are poisoned and brainwashed by Fox News.” From Fox & Friends:

BRIAN KILMEADE (co-host): The president attacks the GOP and lashes out at Republicans — so is the president spending more time on job creation or his re-election? Let’s ask that to Fox News’s own legal analyst, Peter Johnson Jr., with his take.

JOHNSON: Good morning. In effect, the president is saying that the American people are a stupid, dissatisfied electorate who are poisoned and brainwashed by Fox News and The Wall Street Journal. Are you? So that’s what he’s basically saying. And so, he’s saying to these certain red meat audiences that I’m really disgusted by the reaction to the Republican electorate to the debate, I’m disgusted by their policies. [White House adviser] David Plouffe is talking about the tea party taking the Republican Party hostage. And so we’re hearing a lot in terms of attack mode and negative comments about the American people themselves. But very little about how he’s going to form consensus on job creation. [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 9/26/11]

In Fact, Obama Told Supporters To “Push Back” On Fox’s “Inadequate Information”

Obama: Supporters Should “Push Back” On “Inadequate Information” Advanced By Fox. In comments during a September 25 fundraiser — to which Johnson presumably referred — Obama told supporters to “push back” on the “inadequate information” being promoted by right-wing media outlets such as Fox News. From the White House:

OBAMA: And this is a choice about the fundamental direction of our country — 2008 was an important election; 2012 is a more important election. (Applause.) Now, in order for us to be successful in this 2012 election, I’m going to need all of you.

AUDIENCE MEMBER: You got it!

OBAMA: I’m going to need you to be out there talking to your friends, talking to your neighbors, talking to your co-workers. And I’m going to need you to be advocates for what we believe in. It’s not enough just to support me. I need you to go out there, and if other folks have been reading the Wall Street Journal editorial page or watching FOX News, and they’re full of inadequate information — (laughter) — I need you to push back. I need you to push back.  [White House, 9/25/11]

Obama Is Right: Fox News Regularly Pushes “Inadequate” Or False Information

Fox Has Repeatedly Pushed False And Misleading Information On Obama’s Economic Policies And Record. Fox regularly promotes the claim that the stimulus failed and that the Obama administration is primarily to blame for the nation’s debt and economic problems. [Media Matters, 6/17/11]

For the truth about Obama’s economic record, click here.

Fox Regularly Misleads On Health Care Reform, Including Pushing “Death Panel” Myth. During and after the health care reform debate, Fox News regularly promoted false and misleading attacks on Democrats’ health care reform law, including promoting the myth that the bill will introduce “death panels.” [Media Matters, 3/23/11]

For the truth about the health care reform law, click here.

Fox Repeatedly Hosted “Birthers” And Otherwise Cast Doubt On Obama’s Birth Certificate. Fox News regularly hosted so-called “birthers” to cast doubt on Obama’s nationality. Fox figures also promoted the claim that Obama had not produced a valid birth certificate. [Media Matters, 4/20/11]

For the truth about Obama’s birth certificate and nationality, click here.

Fox Has Pushed The False Claim That Social Security Is A “Ponzi Scheme.” Fox has continually promoted the false comparison between Social Security and Ponzi schemes. [Media Matters, 9/14/11]

For the truth about Social Security, click here.

Fox Promotes False, Misleading, And Slanted Coverage Of Immigration and Immigration Reform. Fox News has regularly promoted misleading information on immigration and immigration reform and has distorted Obama’s record on border security. [Media Matters, 6/22/11]

For the truth about Obama’s record on immigration and border security, click here.

Fox Regularly Attempts To Cast Doubt On Scientific Consensus Behind Climate Change. Fox News has regularly attempted to cast doubt on the scientific consensus behind climate change. [Media Matters, 6/21/11]

For the truth about climate change, click here.

Polls Have Shown That Fox Viewers Are Consistently Misinformed

Stanford University Poll: “Frequent Viewers Of Fox News Are Less Likely To Accept Scientists’ Views Of Global Warming.” A December 2010 report conducted by Stanford University and supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation “explores whether the flow of doubt-arousing messaging might have persuaded Americans who watch Fox News to reject the views espoused by many mainstream natural scientists on the issue.” The outcome of the study was that “exposure to skeptical views about global warming can be effective at changing the opinions of viewers.” The report was titled, “Frequent Viewers of Fox News Are Less Likely to Accept Scientists’ Views of Global Warming.” [Stanford University Research Study, December 2010]

Fox Viewers Are More Likely To Be Misinformed On Health Care Reform. A Kaiser Family Foundation poll conducted in February regarding the public’s understanding of the health care reform law found: “There were also differences by where people get their information with higher shares of those who report CNN (35 percent) or MSNBC (39 percent) as their primary news source getting 7 or more right [questions on a quiz about the health care law created by Kaiser], compared to those that report mainly watching FOX News (25 percent). Again, these differences may be related to whether or not people more generally favor or oppose the law.” [Kaiser Family Foundation, “Assessing Americans’ Familiarity With The Health Care Law,”  February 2011]

For more research showing how Fox has misinformed its viewers, click here.

Walker Spokesman Given Immunity In Investigation — Has No Comment
New moves in the bizarre “John Doe” case involving former Gov. Walker aides up in Wisconsin.

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Tea Party Christian Patriot Gazette Ads for Sept. 2011

Supreme Court Could Hear Health Care During Election
Bloomberg reports that the Department of Justice has announced that it will “forgo further review at the federal appeals court” that ruled the health care reform law unconstitutional, instead seeking an appeal before the Supreme Court.

“A Supreme Court ruling striking down parts of the law would transform the campaign, forcing the candidates to refashion their messages… A decision would probably come in late June, at the end of the court’s nine-month term.”

James Hohmann: “It is a contrast both sides will welcome. A decision by the Supreme Court to uphold the constitutionality of an individual mandate before the fall campaign would undercut a central conservative criticism of the landmark legislation and give Obama freedom to tout his law’s benefits without the cloud of an impending legal challenge. If the court ruled the mandate unconstitutional, it would unravel Obama’s signature domestic achievement and remind voters of the White House’s overreach in the first two years.”

Paul Sees “Explosion” of Interest
Ron Paul told Jon Stewart that he sees a coming surge of interest in his presidential campaign.

Said Paul: “I think that once you get to 10%, you have the number. We’re 10%, 14%, 15%, so I think we very well could be, and most likely are on the verge of an explosion of interest in this country.”

What’s With Fall TV’s Vagina Obsession?
For now, "vagina" is still the Voldemort of prime time, a word that has been unspoken for so long that it has a mystical, fearsome ability to shock.

How Unaccountable Private Contractors Pocket Your Tax Dollars Militarizing the Texas Border
Heavy on outsourcing and lacking documented success, the "Texas model"of border security’s features are not original, but borrowed directly from the DHS or the military.

Officer Who Pepper-Sprayed Wall Street Protesters is Named in Civil Liberties Lawsuit from 2004 RNC Protests
Officer Anthony Bologna stands accused of false arrest and civil rights violations in a claim brought by a protester arrested in New York in 2004.

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Great Orations vs. Great Obfuscations
I often enjoy and benefit from Maureen Dowd’s columns, but today she’s fallen off the wagon of arch and noble punditry into the smallish world-view, or Beltanschauung, of the Washington Beltway’s sophisticated chattering classes. These worthy purveyors of Capitol-corridor realism…