31 New Year's Resolutions

1. Quit smoking for realz.

2. Write on this blog at least twice a week.

3. Write that book I have a great idea for.

4. Get out of the house more even though it scares the bejesus out of me.

5. Do yoga every day.

6. Get my bike serviced and ride on the weekends.

7. Lose 10 pounds.

8. Pay off at least one credit card.

9. Volunteer somewhere.

10. Quit being so sensitive.

11. Quit being so insensitive.

12. Comment at TNC more.

13. Write more quickly.

14. Think more critically.

15. Don't lose the mornings to the internet.

16. Don't lose the weekends to the internet.

17. Don't be afraid of making new friends.

18. Quit waiting for the other shoe to drop.

19. Visit Ray more.

20. Write Ray more.

21. Find a church.

22. Be nicer to my bosses.

23. Stay abreast of my finances.

24. Give myself a weekly facial, manicure and pedicure.

25. Learn how to wax myself.

26. Cook weekly and take my lunch to work.

27. Really practice on my guitar.

28. Stop being a misanthrope.

29. Throw away all the accumulated junk around my house.

30. Visit my mom at least 3 times a year...during the warmer months.

31. Live on cash only.

Brain Food

Watch this several times and I swear you'll be smarter. If you disagree with the President's position on health care premiums, it will still give you food for thought.

Chickenshit on a Pump Handle

Did I hear someone heckle the President of the United States? It was more than enough to see the entrenched Republican Rich Pimps sitting their wife-cheating hypocritical self-serving fear-mongering asses down on anything the President pointed out would help the Un-Rich, but then to have a member of those hallowed halls from the Republican side of the aisle disdainfully call out opposition? I don't even need to go back and see if Bush/Clinton/Bush/Reagan/Carter/Ford/Nixon/Johnson/Kennedy/Eisenhower (my lifetime) had to face that. It wouldn't be right for any of those men and it isn't right now.

It's as useless and insulting as chickenshit on a pump handle.

UPDATE: It was Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) who yelled out to the President "You lie." He called the President a liar in the Congressional Hall on national television (except for Fox). He has since apologized but... He called the President a LIAR.

UPDATE II: Reaction to outburst. Nancy's hairy eyeball is priceless.

Happy and Safe 4th of July

Come near dark, my neighborhood is going to be raucous with the sound of illegal fireworks. I'm going to a friend's for pot-luck BBQ. Everyone be safe.

Anyway, this is far and away my favorite rendition of the Star Spangled Banner. Kelly leads it off, Michelle holds her part, and Beyonce's mom didn't dress her. Oh, and goosebumps at the arrangement. The Supremes song-sigh near the end is so old-school.

Happy 4th!

All Your Answers Are Belonging To Me

The best part of this video...the very best...is the blow-dry journalist asking Pres. Obama if he was influenced at all in his response in this press conference by John McCain and Lindsey Graham whining that Obama was weak.

This is a great compendium of how a public official is supposed to behave. They try to flat-foot him but he's just not having it. And watch the journalist who is annoyed by getting called on his foolishness. Obama gracefully calls it bullshit, yet answers his question nonetheless.

This Is How It's Done

Shirley Bassey is 68 and still showing how it's done.

History Repeating
by RavenTV

H/T Crooks & Liars Late Night Music Club

Truer Words? Never Spoken

The dependably astute young Adam Serwer neatly points out the obvious about the meme du jour that Obama is tackling too much.

A word to the wise for those who think this line of argument will actually succeed at curbing Obama's ambitions: A black man who just got elected president of the United States is not going to be daunted by a bunch of talking heads telling him what he will or will not be able to do.

Does anyone actually think that President Obama would abbreviate his aspirations because beltway pundits think he should?  And as far as journalists go, they have become sheep, harmoniously bleating the new idea.  They are lazy and static and uninterested in real stories.