Podcast

The Professional Left with Driftglass and Blue Gal

Episode 479

• Governing Magazine
• Story-telling
• Celebrity Blogger Feud

Do the merch

And BTW - looks like even Bill Maher is catching up with Driftglass and Blue Gal:

Today's Tweet

Also Today's Grammar Nazi Award (and a bit of a stealthy burn too).

I realize this is a minor point in the grand scheme of things, but dear grammar gods people, it's "dick pics" not "dick picks." We're talking PICtures, not a smorgasbord. #BezosBlackmail

— Shelly King (@shelbelle94) February 8, 2019

Take Me Back

...to the good ol' days when we had to think a little in order to make shit up - the good shit anyway. I would trade it all for the chance to send Cult45 back to the comic books.

Cuz speaking of shit we can just make up -

When Lex Luthor became president, he announced a policy of moving the government away from the use of fossil fuels, and then severed all ties between the government and his own companies.

Donald Trump lacks the foresight and the integrity of a fucking comic book villain.

Oh Those Crazy Rich Guys

Let's just agree that sometimes, the whole Reign Of Terror thing seems like a pretty good idea.

But at least I can say Jeff Bezos seems to be taking his stewardship responsibilities seriously.

That doesn't make him the good guy in the overall drama of How These Rich Pricks Ate My Democracy, but it scores him a few points. I'm just not going to praise him for being less than a complete asshole. The guy works hard, and he's done some good things, but when just a few people win dominance over too much of our economy, it always ends up up being very bad for everybody.

Here's the take on Jeff Bezos vs David Pecker via The Medium:

Something unusual happened to me yesterday. Actually, for me it wasn’t just unusual — it was a first. I was made an offer I couldn’t refuse. Or at least that’s what the top people at the National Enquirer thought. I’m glad they thought that, because it emboldened them to put it all in writing. Rather than capitulate to extortion and blackmail, I’ve decided to publish exactly what they sent me, despite the personal cost and embarrassment they threaten.

AMI, the owner of the National Enquirer, led by David Pecker, recently entered into an immunity deal with the Department of Justice related to their role in the so-called “Catch and Kill” process on behalf of President Trump and his election campaign. Mr. Pecker and his company have also been investigated for various actions they’ve taken on behalf of the Saudi Government.

- and -

Here’s a piece of context: My ownership of the Washington Post is a complexifier for me. It’s unavoidable that certain powerful people who experience Washington Post news coverage will wrongly conclude I am their enemy.

President Trump is one of those people, obvious by his many tweets. Also, The Post’s essential and unrelenting coverage of the murder of its columnist Jamal Khashoggi is undoubtedly unpopular in certain circles.

(Even though The Post is a complexifier for me, I do not at all regret my investment. The Post is a critical institution with a critical mission. My stewardship of The Post and my support of its mission, which will remain unswerving, is something I will be most proud of when I’m 90 and reviewing my life, if I’m lucky enough to live that long, regardless of any complexities it creates for me.)

I think the main point that comes of this is that we'll be able to concentrate a lot of fire on the truly shitty practice of Politically Weaponizing The Press. 

We need to get back to understanding how damaging Yellow Journalism is, and I find it hard to believe I'm the only one who seems to remember learning about this shit back in high school.

Lost Another One

Frank Robinson, baseballer, badass, decent human being. 

Thomas Boswell, WaPo:

For several days, the death of Frank Robinson had been expected. Editors called reporters to prepare appreciations. But Frank, no respecter of deadlines or demise, didn’t depart on schedule. Some of us who covered him for years enjoyed the thought of Death trying to cope with Frank.

Robinson was the proudest, orneriest, most competitive man in baseball from his arrival in 1956 — as a rookie who hit 38 homers at age 20 — until 2006, when, in his 16th year as a manager, his old fierce eyes still made his Nats players seem tame.

“You know you can’t beat me,” the Grim Reaper says. Frank, silent, just glares and digs in. Robinson didn’t just crowd the plate; he crowded life.

On Thursday, Robinson died at 83. Many will recall his Triple Crown season leading the Baltimore Orioles to a World Series title in 1966. Others will find the most lasting value in his dignified barrier-breaking work as the first African American manager in 1975 with Cleveland and then as manager of the year back with the Orioles in 1989.

- and -

“I’ve always enjoyed working with young people, reaching them and talking baseball. It’s a pleasure to watch someone get better and better until he’s a bona fide big leaguer,” he said. “All a teacher wants is for them to listen and try.”

- and -

For me, (Bill) Russell and Frank Robinson were the next step after Jackie Robinson. Because he had laid the groundwork, they didn’t have to turn the other cheek. They could be their entire selves — or close to it. Remembering what social progress looked like then is a reminder of why it’s worth battling to keep and extend now.

Frank Robinson always had the severe comportment, the hard eye for enemies, the basic sense of right and wrong of a pioneer. He walked into a room, and others stood up straighter, heads higher. Now, we bow our heads in respect.

Wikipedia:

Frank Robinson (August 31, 1935 – February 7, 2019) was an American outfielder and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played for five teams from 1956 to 1976, and became the only player to be named the Most Valuable Player of both the National League and American League. He was named the NL MVP with the Cincinnati Reds in 1961 after leading the team to the pennant with a .323 batting average, and won the AL MVP in 1966 in his first season with the Baltimore Orioles after winning the Triple Crown. Robinson helped lead the Orioles to World Series titles in 1966 and 1970. A 14-time All-Star, Robinson's 586 career home runs ranked fourth in major league history at the time of his retirement, and he ranked sixth in total bases (5,373) and tenth in runs scored (1,829). Robinson was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1982.

In 1975, Robinson became the first black manager in major league history. He managed the Cleveland Indians during the last two years of his playing career, compiling a 186–189 record. He went on to manage the San Francisco Giants, the Baltimore Orioles, and the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals. For most of the last two decades of his life, Robinson served in various executive positions for Major League Baseball, concluding as honorary President of the American League.

Today's Pix

click

Today's Tweet

Whose turn was it to watch these fuckin' idiots?

This is what GOPers are passing around FB this morning. Someday imagery like this will end up in a Museum of Cults, alongside Jim Jones' Flavor-Aid, Scientology's e-meter, and shirtless Mussolini. pic.twitter.com/UunaRfbUmy

— Steve Silberman (@stevesilberman) February 6, 2019

SOTU

Ironically, the State Of The Union target audience is The Confederacy.

-- Rocky Mountain Mike

When it was announced that Rick Perry was the Designated Survivor this year:

Like millions of other atheists, I experienced a Temporary Situational Conversion and offered up a little prayer.

We truly need leadership to unify the nation at this time. After two years of division and demagoguery, President Trump has spoken some words about unity. Unfortunately, what the TelePrompTer giveth, the President’s daily actions and hourly tweets quickly taketh away. #SOTU

— Sen. Patrick Leahy (@SenatorLeahy) February 6, 2019

Don’t worry, we saw your sign! pic.twitter.com/MKX5gSpvA1

— W. E. B. Dem Bois (@WEB_DemBois) February 6, 2019

WaPo:

President Trump’s State of the Union speech once again was chock-full of stretched facts and dubious figures. Many of these claims have been fact-checked repeatedly, yet the president persists in using them. Here, in the order in which he made them, are nearly 30 statements by the president.

Daniel Dale, Toronto Star:

“We must reject the politics of revenge, resistance and retribution and embrace the boundless potential of co-operation, compromise and the common good,” Trump, who has repeatedly spoken of his fondness for punching back at enemies, told a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night.

“Together, we can break decades of political stalemate. We can bridge old divisions, heal old wounds, build new coalitions, forge new solutions, and unlock the extraordinary promise of America’s future,” he said. “The decision is ours to make.”

Trump’s kumbaya pitch was sure to be greeted with widespread skepticism. He has followed previous moves toward high-minded statesmanship by reverting immediately to his usual bellicosity.

Today's Tweet

It just strikes me as a little odd that someone would've seen Rocky & Bullwinkle as an instructional video.

Would you jump?

I definitely would! I live for thrills!
pic.twitter.com/v6EpE57gJR

— Molly (@MsMollyRachael) February 3, 2019

Hey - We Got Rules, Ya Know

I before E except after C, unless your weird neighbor, Keith, buys eight counterfeit beige sleighs from a feisty over-caffeinated foreign weightlifter.

Everybody got it now?