And Speaking of F'ing Things Up

The New York Times "Refreshing" Online Redesign:



I'm sorry but I like my online version of The NY Times to look like my old-fashioned paper version of The NY Times. I don't think that's too much to ask for.

Because All Good Ideas Usually Get F'd Up

It's bad enough that you have to sit through terrible Coke commercials at movie theaters. Now it looks like XM Radio, the "100% commercial free" satellite radio service that charges customers $9.95/month, "is planning on putting commercials on a handful of its music channels." This is a result of XM's deal with the devil Clear Channel.

At least when I have commercials, you have the option to ignore them. Like this one:

(But you should watch it. It's The Rolling Stones shilling for Rice Krispies. Seriously. Click the button now.)

SON of TRANSISTOR WIDOW (No. 003)

"City Water Tunnel 3", Krup (2006)

Yesterday's Funnies, Today!

(Click for more)

Another Name For It Would Be "Karma"

Jesse Helms, a.k.a. "Senator No", has dementia.

Apparently, We've Got Ourselves a Ballclub

Last year, a couple of weeks into the season, I wrote:

"I'll probably jinx them, but I have to say that, after a ridiculously sad 0-5 start, "my" Mets are looking pretty good."

The Mets went on to a less than stellar 83-79 season (landing in 4th place). So, this year I'm going to play it safe and say that, because of some smart off-season moves, the Mets have a better than average chance of winning some games. Good luck guys.

Now everybody sing!

MEET THE METS,
MEET THE METS,
Step right up and greet the Mets!
Bring your kiddies,
bring your wife;
Guaranteed to have the time of your life
because the Mets are really sockin’ the ball; knocking those home runs over the wall!
East side,
West side,
everybody’d coming down
to meet the M-E-T-S Mets of New York town!

Oh, the butcher and the baker and the people on the streets,
where did they go? To MEET THE METS!
Oh, they’re hollerin’ and cheerin’ and they’re jumpin’ in their seats,
where did they go? To MEET THE METS!
All the fans are tru to the orange and blue,
so hurry up and come on down -
‘cause we’ve got ourselves a ball club,
The Mets of New York town!
Give ‘em a yell!
Give ‘em a hand!
And let ‘em know your rootin’ in the stand!

Ooh, and look what just came out (makes a great gift):

PRESIDENT BUSH IS DEAD

...to me.

Happy April Fool's Day.

...And Speaking of April Fools

Check out this GOP online ad. It's practically a gift to Democrats:



(Click to watch)

firedoglake thinks it's a bluff and that they'd never put it on the air. But, the RNC does appear to be losing control. Should be an interesting November...


(Video from Crooks and Liars)

The War President's Calendar

(Click either pic to watch)


(Video "borrowed" from Crooks and Liars)

Orrin Hatch HATES America

From Salon:

Wisconsin Sen. Russ Feingold opened the (Judiciary Committee's presidential censure hearings) by claiming that the president's legal theory justifying the wiretaps could lead to an ever-greater executive power grab. "Under this theory, we no longer have a constitutional system consisting of three coequal branches of government," he said. "We have a monarchy."


A few minutes later, Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch shot back: "Quit trying to score political points."

"Yes, I know we have made tactical errors, thousands of them."

- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (pictured with British counterpart Jack Straw), answering a question "over whether lessons had been learned since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003."

Somebody needs to wipe those smiles off their faces...

I Knew I Should Have Had Kids...

(Click the pic to buy these adorable mittens for your not-quite-ready-for-tattoos-toddlers)


(Link courtesy of boingboing)

And You Thought I Was Crude

From the Boston Herald:

Amid a growing national controversy about the gesture U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia made Sunday at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, the freelance photographer who captured the moment has come forward with the picture.

“It’s inaccurate and deceptive of him to say there was no vulgarity in the moment,” said Peter Smith, the Boston University assistant photojournalism professor who made the shot.

Despite Scalia’s insistence that the Sicilian gesture was not offensive and had been incorrectly characterized by the Herald as obscene, the photographer said the newspaper “got the story right.”

Smith said the jurist “immediately knew he’d made a mistake, and said, ‘You’re not going to print that, are you?’ ”

Scalia’s office yesterday referred questions regarding the flap to Supreme Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg, who said a letter Scalia sent Tuesday to the Herald defending his gesture at the cathedral “speaks for itself.”

“He has no further comment,” Arberg said.

Smith was working as a freelance photographer for the Boston archdiocese’s weekly newspaper at a special Mass for lawyers Sunday when a Herald reporter asked the justice how he responds to critics who might question his impartiality as a judge given his public worship.

“The judge paused for a second, then looked directly into my lens and said, ‘To my critics, I say, ‘Vaffanculo,’ ” punctuating the comment by flicking his right hand out from under his chin, Smith said.

The Italian phrase means “(expletive) you.”

Well, that's actually the nice translation. Go ahead. Google "Vaffanculo" and then go take a shower.

"No, YOU Get Governing"

Does the Preznit ever listen to the crap that comes out of his mouth? And, if so, does he appreciate the irony (or does he not have a clue about the meaning of the word)?

"I want the Iraqi people to hear I've got great confidence in their capacity to self-govern...I also want the Iraqi people to hear — it's about time you get a unity government going.

"In other words, Americans understand you're newcomers to the political arena. But pretty soon it's time to shut her down and get governing."

THE TRANSISTOR WIDOW (No. 013)

Untitled, Will McRobb (2006)

What's Next? A Same-Sex Partnership Law?

(Oh, right.)

Vermont, you are one rockin' state:

Leading Democrats in Vermont plan to decide in April whether to urge state lawmakers to petition for President Bush's impeachment using a little-known provision in the rules of the U.S. House.

Democratic committees in at least half of the state's 14 counties have passed resolutions calling for impeachment, citing a rule in "Jefferson's Manual," a book of parliamentary guidelines written by Thomas Jefferson that supplements U.S. House rules...

The resolutions accuse the Bush administration of lying about the case for war in Iraq and illegally engaging in electronic surveillance of Americans.

They rely on "Jefferson's Manual," which says impeachment proceedings can begin "by charges transmitted from the legislature of a state."

And for those of you who want to join the impeachment buzz, check out this (non-work-friendly) site and get your very own pins:

By the way, were you offended by a certain word at that non-work-friendly site? If so, then you are part of the 66% of people who are "bothered" by profanity (well, at least according to a silly, little poll). In which case, you are REALLY going to hate this (seriously, don't click the link, even though I know you're dying to).

"Well, the girls do have their priorities."

Rep. William Lacy Clay Jr. (in a speech at a St. Louis Community College):

"I have a question for President Bush. If you really believe that the war that you started in Iraq is a fight to defeat terrorism and to defend our freedoms, why haven't your girls enlisted?"

Believe it or not, the speech got better:

"President Bush took this country to war by choice, not because we had to fight but because he wanted a fight."

(snip)

Clay said that during World War II, President Franklin Roosevelt's sons enlisted and added: "That is a perfect example of the difference between a truly courageous wartime president and an incompetent chickenhawk who prefers to risk the lives of other American's children."

"They're Making iPods"

- My wife, sort of explaining why her laptop was on top of mine

In Loving Memory of Wyclef McTavish Krupnick

My brother's family's little dog passed away last week. Says my niece:

"He was one of the best dogs I've ever known, full of spunk and love, and we are so sad to have lost him after five short but wonderful years."

R.I.P. Tavy.

Around the Internets

Another busy day of work today. Therefore, may I suggest:



Reporter Lara Logan's rebuttal of the Republican Talking Point which charges that the media only reports the bad news in Iraq



Jonathan Schwarz on Tony & George's Excellent March to War Adventure



Max Blumenthal on the Anti-Immigration Bill demonstration

and



My personal favorite: A guest post by Attaturk's dog.

(Click the pics for links)


Enjoy,

Krup