I really like Dave's idea of posting things that Ace wouldn't link to. He once told me that he was really looking for thoughtful analysis on current events. Hel-LO? Who did he think he was talking to?

So here's Alan Colmes, doing what he does best - trying to put lipstick on an assortment of pigs simply because he's "the liberal":

Alan Colmes
What I'm trying to say is that your goal is really just to protect the rights of people whose opinions, even those that might be considered to be 'unpopular' and maybe even unpleasant, are nevertheless protected by the first amendment, right?

Trey Jackson, Aryan Warriors
Are you on dope, man? Speak English!

Alan Colmes
Don't you just want to make sure that everyone has the right to protest peacefully?

Trey Jackson
Naw, man, I just don't like colored people.

Alan Colmes
Well, I'm sure many people, while defending your right to say that would, uh...I mean, your group must stand for something else, right?

Trey Jackson
Yeah, we don't like joos, neither. You ain't joowish, are ya?

Later...

Alan Colmes
Mr. Smith, thanks for being here [takes a drink of water, tugs at his collar]. Now, let me just start by saying that nobody wants to see children molested, but this issue is really about...

"Mr. Smith", NAMBLA
Exactly, Alan, having sex with young boys is not molestation. I'm glad that we can at least agree on that point...

Alan Colmes
That's not what I said! Sorry, didn't mean to yell [mopping his brow with a handkerchief]. I want to very clear on that...

More here.

[Posted by John from WuzzaDem, who is not a member of the Sean Hannity fan club either, so don't bother going there]

Posted by: Ace at 01:15 PM | Comments (1)
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Since Ace left us all in charge, now would be the ideal time to post all the links we've sent him in the past, but he never posted.

I swear, I send Ace something interesting at least three, maybe five times a week. And I'm sure you, his readers, do so as well. Alas, he doesn't always find what I send him all that worthwhile.

Not even after he steals my idea and posts about it later. What a big jerk-head.

Anyway, here's one link that I sent him a lonnng time ago. Instead of waiting for him to eventually "discover" it, I'm going to offer it to you now:

The humor of Spamusement.

BRILLIANT stuff-- the cartoonist takes the titles of spam emails, and then draws a little comic based on those titles. Hilarious, as all the cool kids say these days.

Of course, it's entirely possible that many of you have seen this site already. Hey, so did I-- it was Ace who never bothered to link it. Now the rest of you can see what joy Ace was denying you all these months.

Remember, Dave at Garfield Ridge brings you joy.

Posted by: Ace at 12:55 PM | Comments (4)
Post contains 196 words, total size 1 kb.

I would have posted earlier, but my weekends generally involve a few very important tasks: mowing the lawn, catching a ball game, shredding documents, etc.

I also see movies, lots of movies. I usually get by with going to the theater once a week, often more.

Unfortunately, my tolerance for crappy movies continues to decline. Whereas I once found myself enjoying nearly every movie I see (there's beauty in everything, except the cinematic works of Pauly Shore), I now find myself avoiding films that ooze crapitude. This obviously hurts my "water cooler quotient"-- if I don't go see something like Mr. and Mrs. Smith, whatever will I talk about come Monday?

So, my dilemma is thus: as I get older I'm getting pickier when it comes to Hollywood blockbusters, yet I really don't enjoy pretentious arthouse films, either.

Some I enjoy quite a bit-- among my favorite films of last year were Sideways, Hotel Rwanda, A Very Long Engagement, and Touching The Void-- but for the most part, I can't stand artsy-fartsy films. Not even if Eva Green gets naked.

C'mon, that's why I have INTERNET-- so I can download photos instead of seeing the movie. Efficiency, baby.

I feel that that to be good, drama has to have some purpose to it, a narrative thrust other than "Our lives are depressing, our families have secrets, watch me smoke Gauloises." I'd rather slit my wrists and bleed out into my popcorn than watch a piece of self-indulgent garbage from the likes of Lars von Trier. In the end, I need to be entertained.

Anyway, long story longer-- instead of seeing the latest Hollywood-produced dreck this weekend, I went and watched the British gangster movie Layer Cake.

If you're a fan of British gangster films like Get Carter or Sexy Beast, or even American mob films like Goodfellas, this is a great film for you. I highly recommend it.

So, this gets me to thinking-- what films off the beaten path do *you* all enjoy? If you're like me and enjoy action, thrills, and meaty drama, but can't help but be disappointed in the Michael Bay/Brett Ratner world we live in today, where every film is mere "product" destined for DVD piracy on the streets of Shanghai, well. . . what movies would you recommend?

Posted by: Ace at 12:38 PM | Comments (20)
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From Are You Cconservative?:

Are you now trying to say that the Republican
party is no different than the Ku Klux Klan?

Hey, if the hoods fits...

You can't be serious. Do you hear yourself?
I mean, what are you thinkin' when you say things like that?

With all due respect, Dr. Phil, you
don't know squat about politics.

More here.

Posted by: Ace at 12:11 PM | Add Comment
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From AP:

Tom Cruise says girlfriend Katie Holmes "digs" the Church of Scientology. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Cruise says the 26-year-old "Batman Begins" actress is curious about Scientology, founded by L. Ron Hubbard.

He also confirmed there was a Scientology massage tent on the set of his upcoming film, "War of the Worlds."

"I also had a cappuccino tent on that set. And I made sure the crews were fed well, too. And if someone wanted an assist from a (Scientology) volunteer, it was there for them," he says. "People are curious about it - they're always asking me about it, they want to know what Scientology is."

I've heard the comparisons of Scientology to "cults," complete with lurid tales of kidnapping and brainwashing, but I'm sure a lot of this is part exaggeration, and part sensationalism.

I wanted to find out what kind of impression the crew members on the set of Cruise's film got when they spoke to these Scientology "volunteers." I managed to find one who would talk to me. Of course, he insisted on anonymity, so his name has been changed. I spoke with "Glen" in his home yesterday.

John
So what was it like working with Tom Cruise?

Glen
It was great. He's a very cool guy. No airs, he treats everybody the same. Definitely not your typical "big star," if you know what I mean.

John
Now, I understand you spoke to one of the Scientology volunteers who was on the set. How did they explain the basic philosophy behind the religion? Glen? Are you OK?

Glen
Yes. I am fine.

John
You just look a little...dazed, and your eyes are all glassy.

Glen
Scientology has changed my life. I have never been more happy or aware of myself and my surroundings. Here is a pamphlet. It will change your life. more...

Posted by: Ace at 11:40 AM | Comments (9)
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The Therapist

First of all, and in case you didn't realize this. Matt Drudge has apparently adopted the journalistic credo of keeping the same headlines on his page for a week before changing two of them to reflect current events.

This is not the hallmark of a man on his way up. It's the watermark of a guy who is either spread too thin, or assuming he's got the cat in the bag permanently.

Anyway, this thing about the Jackson prosecution's "celebratory" outing seems dubious--really it has all the telltale signs of journalistic tattling. And I say this despite the fact that FOX is the one with at least the early reports of this.

No matter what you may think about Michael Jackson or his penchant for kids, it is glaringly obvious that the press has done everything in its power to engage in vigorous cheerleading for this man. So in that context, one has to wonder whether or not a story about Tom Sneddon's celebratory night on the town is a bit of ordinance the media hopes will hemorrhage into the jury pool--and thus tick somebody off.
more...

Posted by: Ace at 05:49 AM | Comments (7)
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TxeToPF7QQJ:www.uweb.ucsb.edu/~emoloney/images/dancing_baby.gif">

Dancing babies on the Internet.

The site has these disturbing images of a baby "dancing" (really sorta shuffling back and forth) to music.

.

.

.

Of course, this isn't actually a real post. It's a test of Dave @ Garfield Ridge's response time. I'm thinking Dave barely finished the first sentence before he dove head-first into the comment box to tell me how old this link is.

If this had been a real post, I would have teased it here and placed the juicy red meat of the story on another site (warning: cheap, gratuitous, whoreish link coming).

[It's Saturday morning and I'm bored so pardon this knucklehead post. No offense meant. I like Dave. Not in a gay way, of course. More like a viking.]

Posted by: Ace at 05:25 AM | Comments (4)
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A public high school in Philadelphia is requiring its students to take a year of African and African American studies.

At the nearly all-black Strawberry Mansion High School, the class chose a top student to have a $360 genetic test designed to help black Americans trace their roots back to Africa. James Sullivan, a senior, learned that his maternal family descends from the Ibo tribe in Nigeria, and that his ancestors came to the United States as slaves.

Continue reading

Posted by: Ace at 08:52 PM | Comments (8)
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OK, this is an old post, but...well, it's an old post. Click on Clippy for more.

[Posted by John from WuzzaDem]

Posted by: Ace at 08:41 PM | Comments (1)
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It looks like the budget for public television and radio will be cut in half.

The House Appropriations panel on Thursday approved a spending bill that would cut the budget for public television and radio nearly in half and eliminate a $23 million federal program that has provided some money for producing children's shows that include "Sesame Street," "Clifford the Big Red Dog," "Between the Lions" and "Dragon Tales."

By a voice vote, the House Appropriations subcommittee adopted a measure that would reduce the financing of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the organization that directs taxpayer dollars to public television and radio, to $300 million from $400 million. The subcommittee also eliminated $39 million that stations say they need to convert to digital programming and $50 million for upgrading aging satellite technology that is the backbone of the PBS network.

The Democrats, as you have probably surmised by now, are not happy campers. They are crying "censorship" and lamenting that poor people will lose their "right" to public television.

Now call me ignorant, but can someone please explain to me why public television is a "right?"

Continue reading...

Posted by: Ace at 07:46 PM | Comments (4)
Post contains 210 words, total size 2 kb.