The Hollywood Liberal

Illinois Requires ID to Buy Drano
A new Illinois law requires purchasers of drain cleaners and other caustic and noxious products to provide photo ID and sign a purchase log. Customers are “not very happy about it at all,” said Don Schroeder, who owns a True Value Hardware store in Lombard, Ill. “One of the customers actually threatened the (cashier) and threatened to throw the acid on her.” State Rep. Jack Franks (D-Woodstock) authored the law after two Chicago women were attacked and badly burned by drain cleaner.

Late, Late Night FDL: Hell on Heels
Pistol Annies – Hell On Heels

Pistol Annies – Hell On Heels

What’s on your mind tonite…?

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All part of the plan
Even in a profession famous for its insincerity Romney stands as a gigantic fake. Nobody believes a word he says, especially Mitt Romney.

Another series of days another series of bizarre and patently insincere statements from Mitt Romney.

“I know what it’s like to worry whether you’re gonna get fired,” he told about 600 people in an Opera House here. “There were a couple of times I wondered whether I was going to get a pink slip.”

Yeah, uh-huh. Or this:

The super PAC supporting Mitt Romney blanketed Iowa with millions of dollars in negative campaign ads aimed at Newt Gingrich…But don’t ask Romney about ‘em: said he’s never seen the ads — right before he said he’s seen one and described its content.

Or this:

Early in the debate, Rick Santorum pressed Romney on why he hadn’t run for re-election in 2006, when his first term as Governor expired. Romney suggested it was because politics isn’t his calling…This is, as Newt Gingrich pointed out, ridiculous. Romney left the governor’s office for a presidential campaign that hasn’t stopped since.

Even in a profession famous for its insincerity Romney stands as a gigantic fake. Nobody believes a word he says, especially Mitt Romney.

And in a year where the Right-wing and its wide-ranging need for paranoid screeching dominates the GOP process, being the biggest fake in politics actually is an advantage.

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Hawk in a Clown-Car Field
Before there was the tea party to define the phrase “far-right fringe,” there was Rick Santorum.

By Eugene Robinson

Before there was the tea party to define the phrase “far-right fringe,” there was Rick Santorum.

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Mitt Romney’s Inexplicable Debate Fibs
CONCORD, New Hampshire — Mitt Romney’s generally strong debate performance was marred by two small and inexplicable shadings of fact — moments that left reporters,…

Iran Sentences American To Death For Spying
TEHRAN, Jan 9 (Reuters) – Iran’s Revolutionary Court sentenced an Iranian-U.S. man to death for spying for the CIA, the semi-official Fars news agency reported…

Strong Earthquake Rattles Solomon Islands
SINGAPORE, Jan 9 (Reuters) – A 6.6 magnitude earthquake was recorded 220 miles east of Kira Kira in the Solomon Islands in the Pacific Ocean…

Obama Administration Pushes Back On Liberal Criticism Over NDAA’s ‘Indefinite Detention’
The Obama administration thinks many in the liberal blogosphere are mistaken in their belief that the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) signed by the president on New Year’s Eve authorizes the indefinite detention of citizens captured on U.S. soil.

Olbermann’s Future At Current TV Unclear
Since Current TV hired Keith Olbermann last February, the lesser-known cable network has been building primetime programming centered around the progressive heartthrob. But according to recent reports, the relationship is starting to fray. First, Current claimed Olbermann declined their offer…

The GOP Reprobates Debate

Romney Leads in Florida Too
A new Quinnipiac poll in Florida finds Mitt Romney leading the GOP presidential race with 36%, followed by Newt Gingrich at 24%, Rick Santorum at 16%, Ron Paul at 10%, Rick Perry at 5% and Jon Huntsman at 2%.

Said pollster Peter Brown: “With more than half of voters saying they might change their minds and more than 50 percent of them backing candidates perceived as more conservative, Romney could be vulnerable if those voters settle on one candidate.”

More Independents Than Ever Before
Gallup finds that a record-high 40% of Americans identified as political independents in 2011, while 31% said they were Democrats and 27% said they were Republicans.

How Quickly Can Romney Wrap it Up?
Politico: “It’s hard to find anyone in the campaigns or the media who think Romney won’t win the nomination — if not this month, soon. A big reason is the scenarios for unexpected change seem so far-fetched… Romney is protected against these scenarios in part because of lessons he learned from the Bush and Obama campaigns: a rigid headquarters structure, a disciplined message and dogged preparation for months of primaries.”

Wisconsin Democrats Play Expectations Game
The Hotline: “The expectations game is in full swing in Wisconsin. Democrats announced this week that they wouldn’t provide any more updates on the number of signatures collected for the recall drive against GOP Gov. Scott Walker before the Jan. 17 deadline. But don’t assume the silence means recall organizers fear they might fall short in their efforts. Insiders from both sides of the aisle in Madison are confident Walker will face a recall election. By not giving away their current count, Democrats can preserve the wow factor for the unveiling of their ultimate total — and prevent opponents from leaking outlandish figures in an attempt to set impossible expectations.”

24 States Enacted 92 Abortion Restrictions In 2011
Lawmakers across the nation pursued a record number of reproductive health and rights-related provisions in 2011. Here’s a rundown of the worst.

Meet the Man Behind "Citizens United": What Does the Ultra-Conservative Lawyer Have Planned Next?
James Bopp is already well into the next phase of his crusade to topple as many of the limits on the role of money in politics as can be done in one man’s lifetime.

Why Is Public Education Being Outsourced to Online Charter Schools?
Virtual charter schools are educating kids on computer screens, instead of in classrooms.

Where’s my friend?
My friend is Walid Abu Rass. He is the Finance and Administration Manager for the Health Work Committees (HWC, at www.hwc-pal.org), one of the largest community health service providers in the occupied Palestinian territory. HWC serves over 500,000 patients/beneficiaries per…

Republican Foreign Policy Mad Libs
It’s the holiday season, a serviceable pretext time for good clean nonsense. Last year I offered my misheard lyrics video for the epic Clash song “Safe European Home” (fairly suitable for work, but funny mainly for Clash fans). Today’s frivolous…

Fox Moves Into Digital Programming, Countering YouTube?s Channel Realignment
Fox just let us know that Nick Weidenfeld, who produced The Boondocks and Children’s Hospital, will start a programming block to compete with Adult Swim, airing from 11 to 12:30 starting in January 2013, and a program to produce 50 pieces of digital programming a year that could move to network if they’re successful enough. […]

Fox just let us know that Nick Weidenfeld, who produced The Boondocks and Children’s Hospital, will start a programming block to compete with Adult Swim, airing from 11 to 12:30 starting in January 2013, and a program to produce 50 pieces of digital programming a year that could move to network if they’re successful enough. It’s a fascinating move and one that recognizes a new reality where companies like Netflix are serious competitors if they’re treated like networks.

Kevin Reilly, Fox’s entertainment president framed the decision as a response to tech companies like YouTube starting to get into the creative content market. “This is the first time a major broadcast company has an opportunity to seed something in the digital realm. Something that starts in digital could be the next big prime time hit,” he told us. “Some of it is technological. You’re starting to enter the realm of internet-connected television…and you’re seeing those entities beginning to see the value of content. We have an expertise, and a history, and a proficiency, and a prime-time audience base.”

He said that animation was a logical place to start both because it could be done less expensively, and because of the nature of the fans. ” Animation is a very particular audience, it’s a distinct and passionate audience,” he said. “They’re willing to consume things in the digital realm.” This all strikes me as a smart bit of outreach to viewers the network has identified as early adopters. And it’ll also likely mean that Fox will have to make sure its online streaming platforms are in good shape and can handle significant capacity—it’s a way of building a new business that creates benefits for the old audience.