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The Lighter Side of...
Author: BobR    Date: 10/10/2008 12:28:57

There's been a lot of heavy news these last few days... Wall Street is imploding, McCain rallies are turning into lynch mobs, the government is listening in on phone sex... Since it's Friday, we thought perhaps it would be nice to take a look at the lighter side of the news...

First Up: In a maverick effort to show what a maverick he is, John "Maverick" McCain has gone all mavericky and mavericked his maverickness. What mavericktude! However, this has pissed off the original Maverick family. Yes, there really is a maverick family, and the adjective actually originated because of one of the family's forefathers. One of the current family members said: "I'm Fontaine Maverick, and John McCain, you sir are no Maverick":
John McCain I know a Maverick, and you, sir, are no Maverick. Truly. I now know Fontaine Maverick, great-great-grand daughter of Samuel Augustus Maverick (1803-1870), and it was he and his sons for which the word was coined. And as she told me in my interview with her Monday night, October 6, 2008 on KGO AM 810, "I'm Fontaine Maverick, and John McCain, you sir are no Maverick."

Samuel Maverick was a Texas cattleman, land baron and politician, so influential that he was one of the signers of the Texas Declaration of Independence. Fiercely independent and equally liberal. Sam became well known for what he didn't do, however. It seems, according to Fontaine, that he had taken some cattle in lieu of a debt he was owed. He let them roam on an island off of Texas, and for whatever reason, didn't brand them. So, any unbranded cattle became known as Maverick's. Now, this more than likely wasn't an act of revolt. No one knows for sure, but Maverick really wasn't much of a cattleman. He was also shrewd, later on in life if cattle weren't branded, he would often claim them.

Sam was also very spirited and free minded. It was because of this that in 1867 the term Maverick was first cited as being used to describe someone with an independent streak, someone not branded.

Ouch. This is on top of all the musical artists telling McCain not to use their music. I guess he IS getting more and more like Bush - everyone is really ready for him to just go away.

Next: McCain has said that he knows how to get Bin Laden, and would capture him once he came into office. That leads to the inevitable question: Why wait? Why not tell Bush now, so Bush can go get him now. Apparently, one intrepid reporter asked the White House if McCain had passed that info along to them:
In last Tuesday's presidential debate, John McCain said that that he will "get Osama bin Laden, my friends." He's been promising that for over a year, but it was only a couple of months ago that someone finally pressed him to describe what he would do differently than President Bush. McCain replied: "I know how to improve our capabilities so that we will capture Osama bin Laden."

That made me wonder whether McCain has shared this critically important knowledge with the President, so today I went to the White House and asked. Here is my conversation with Press Secretary Dana Perino:

Q John McCain said recently that he knows how to get Osama bin Laden. And a couple of months ago he said that he knows how to improve our capabilities so that we would capture bin Laden. Has Senator McCain shared his knowledge with the president?

MS. PERINO: Maybe you haven't been here. I've been very astute at not getting involved in the 2008 election, and I'm not going to start now.

Q It has nothing to do with the elections.

MS. PERINO: Yeah, it does. It has everything to do with the election. That's exactly why you're asking the question. And I'm not going to answer it.

He goes on to summarize what he thinks the answers mean. It's interesting, though, that the White House thinks that McCain stating he knows how to capture bin Laden is related to the campaign and not national security. That would seem to be a clear statement that McCain is full of bullshit. Perhaps it's maverick bullshit.

If McCain is Maverick-lite, the other half of the ticket needs a moniker too. How about Betty, as in "Betty Boop"? That's who CNN is comparing her to with all that blinkin' winking:



Still - we're sure all that winking appeals to Republican base. You know - they're the ones that think we should Give War a Chance, and want to turn America into a theocracy. They also seem to think Armageddon and the Second Coming are just around the corner. Of course, they're wrong. It's already happened. Jesus has come back.... as... a shark?

Yes, apparently there has been a shark virgin birth:
In a study reported Friday in the Journal of Fish Biology, scientists said DNA testing proved that a pup carried by a female Atlantic blacktip shark in the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center contained no genetic material from a male.

The first documented case of asexual reproduction, or parthenogenesis, among sharks involved a pup born to a hammerhead at an Omaha, Neb., zoo.

"This first case was no fluke," [no pun intended ] Demian Chapman, a shark scientist and lead author of the second study, said in a statement. "It is quite possible that this is something female sharks of many species can do on occasion."

Okay, so maybe not. But perhaps the story of the fishes and the loaves is really just a play on the birds and the bees and the sharks represent... um... okay, I got nuthin.

That's not completely true. I have a smile, and that's a good thing to have on a Friday morning.

 

202 comments (Latest Comment: 10/11/2008 12:53:26 by BobR)
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Comment by Grumpymann on 10/10/2008 12:45:01
Hey.

Comment by Scoopster on 10/10/2008 12:57:41
Goooooood mornin' Grumpy! :banana:



Keeping with the lighter side of the news.. blame this guy!

Comment by TriSec on 10/10/2008 12:57:46
Morning, folks!



So, do I watch the markets and chew my fingers down to a nub, or do I listen to Momma and be all frivolous and junk?



Let's do an Unfiltered Friday Party Machine!



Everyone pick 3 songs, they should have something in common, a theme, feeling, mood, etc. Save it for the 11:00 hour and tell us about them.



Some new drink recipes might be good, too.



They say two thousand zero zero, party over, whoops out of time!

So tonight we're gonna party like it's 1999! (Clinton's penultimate year, I'd sure like to party like that again...)

Comment by Scoopster on 10/10/2008 13:00:21
Anyone else noticing a bottleneck on their internets this morning? Seems like everything I load aside from my email and my radio stream is slow as heck..

Comment by clintster on 10/10/2008 13:22:35
Guy-Guy-Guy LaFleur

Bark Park, Bark Park.



One of my favorite drops.

Comment by BobR on 10/10/2008 13:24:36
Quote by clintster:

Guy-Guy-Guy LaFleur

Bark Park, Bark Park.



One of my favorite drops.


oooh.... I am of the opposite opinion. I have to turn it off.

Comment by Grumpymann on 10/10/2008 13:29:03
Quote by TriSec:

Morning, folks!



So, do I watch the markets and chew my fingers down to a nub, or do I listen to Momma and be all frivolous and junk?



Let's do an Unfiltered Friday Party Machine!



Everyone pick 3 songs, they should have something in common, a theme, feeling, mood, etc. Save it for the 11:00 hour and tell us about them.



Some new drink recipes might be good, too.



They say two thousand zero zero, party over, whoops out of time!

So tonight we're gonna party like it's 1999! (Clinton's penultimate year, I'd sure like to party like that again...)
"Escape from the planet of the ant men."

"And when the rain begins to fall"

"Do what you do"



Hint: Pia Zadora.







Comment by Grumpymann on 10/10/2008 13:29:46
Quote by Scoopster:

Goooooood mornin' Grumpy! :banana:



Keeping with the lighter side of the news.. blame this guy!


That was GREAT!

Comment by TriSec on 10/10/2008 13:29:58
Ok, I'm watching.



Dow is off 400 points in pre-market trading. Looking at busting through 8,000 within a few minutes of the bell at this rate.





Comment by Scoopster on 10/10/2008 13:30:04
Friggin brilliant.





Comment by m-hadley on 10/10/2008 13:30:30
Happee Fridee Everybodee :coffee:

I am really glad that today is Friday - I saw Bill Maher's film Religuous on Wednesday and last night I went to hear a lecture given by a Tibetan Buddhist monk and I am dying to blog about my week in religion... Hope every body is doing well :hug:



!Viva Obamanos!



Cheers,

mfaye

:gobama:

Comment by TriSec on 10/10/2008 13:30:53
Wow...



http://chart.bigcharts.com/custom/cnnmoney2/profile-chart.img?pg=qu&symb=INDU&sid=1000001643&time=ytd&uf=8192&type=256&ClientID=44711&mocktick=1&symbtype=0&country=US&rtsid=1000001643&style=2108&size=1&rand=317


Comment by Scoopster on 10/10/2008 13:37:29


Comment by Shane-O on 10/10/2008 13:40:44
Jim Ward - Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon:



Jim Ward was in Spiderman with Tobey Maguire;

Tobey Maguire was in Pleasantville with William H. Macy; and

William H. Macy was in Murder In The First with Kevin Bacon.

Comment by Raine on 10/10/2008 13:41:17
Good morning.

Comment by Grumpymann on 10/10/2008 13:42:25
Quote by Shane-O:

Jim Ward - Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon:



Jim Ward was in Spiderman with Tobey Maguire;

Tobey Maguire was in Pleasantville with William H. Macy; and

William H. Macy was in Murder In The First with Kevin Bacon.


I touch my butt at night.

Kevin Bacon has a but

Coinkidink?

Comment by velveeta jones on 10/10/2008 13:43:27
Morning......... I hope Steph can cheer me up...............

Comment by Raine on 10/10/2008 13:43:49
Quote by Grumpymann:

Quote by TriSec:

Morning, folks!



So, do I watch the markets and chew my fingers down to a nub, or do I listen to Momma and be all frivolous and junk?



Let's do an Unfiltered Friday Party Machine!



Everyone pick 3 songs, they should have something in common, a theme, feeling, mood, etc. Save it for the 11:00 hour and tell us about them.



Some new drink recipes might be good, too.



They say two thousand zero zero, party over, whoops out of time!

So tonight we're gonna party like it's 1999! (Clinton's penultimate year, I'd sure like to party like that again...)
"Escape from the planet of the ant men."

"And when the rain begins to fall"

"Do what you do"



Hint: Pia Zadora.





I lahk this isea.



Gott a come up with songs...



Comment by velveeta jones on 10/10/2008 13:44:53
Quote by Grumpymann:

Quote by Shane-O:

Jim Ward - Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon:



Jim Ward was in Spiderman with Tobey Maguire;

Tobey Maguire was in Pleasantville with William H. Macy; and

William H. Macy was in Murder In The First with Kevin Bacon.


I touch my butt at night.

Kevin Bacon has a but

Coinkidink?


:rofl:

Oh Grumpy......!!!!! :rofl:



Comment by Raine on 10/10/2008 13:47:41
I have been BarikRolled

Comment by clintster on 10/10/2008 13:48:08
I was an extra on the remake of "That Darn Cat" with Christina Ricci.

Christina starred in "New York, I Love You" with... Kevin Bacon



One degree. :)

Comment by Scoopster on 10/10/2008 13:50:36
I once picked up Alice Cooper when I was a cab driver in New Haven.

Alice Cooper had a cameo in the movie Wayne's World starring Mike Myers.

Mike Myers was a regular on SNL, and during his time Kevin Bacon was a guest host.



:metal:

Comment by Shane-O on 10/10/2008 13:51:41
Quote by clintster:

I was an extra on the remake of "That Darn Cat" with Christina Ricci.

Christina starred in "New York, I Love You" with... Kevin Bacon



One degree. :)


:clap:



Comment by TriSec on 10/10/2008 13:53:37
Hey now, I was in the crowd scene of "Field of Dreams" with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon...



I'm no good at this Kevin Bacon stuff, though.





Comment by Grumpymann on 10/10/2008 13:57:23
Quote by clintster:

I was an extra on the remake of "That Darn Cat" with Christina Ricci.

Christina starred in "New York, I Love You" with... Kevin Bacon



One degree. :)


I want to kiss her!

.... Christina Ricci.....

Not Kevin Bacon



Although



I have a thing for the soundtrack to footloose.





You will have to forgive me I'm having an 80's FlashBack day.

Comment by Scoopster on 10/10/2008 13:57:28
Quote by TriSec:

Hey now, I was in the crowd scene of "Field of Dreams" with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon...



I'm no good at this Kevin Bacon stuff, though.


Oh cmon it's easy!



Matt Damon was in the Oceans 11/12/13 with Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt was in Sleepers with Kevin Bacon

Comment by Shane-O on 10/10/2008 13:58:03
On energy exports from Alaska - I researched that a while back.



Oil exports at one point were forbidden. Currently they are not. However, Alaska chooses to not export it's oil currently.



Alaska does export large amounts of other energy - mainly, natural gas.

Comment by Scoopster on 10/10/2008 13:58:59
Comment by Raine on 10/10/2008 13:59:06
I think we need a little of this, right now...







Comment by Raine on 10/10/2008 14:00:56
*Ush has decided that he is going to react to the markets at 10:25.

Comment by Raine on 10/10/2008 14:01:36
Iceland has declared Bunkruptcy.

Comment by Scoopster on 10/10/2008 14:01:57
Quote by Raine:

I think we need a little of this, right now...



Tits or gtfo?

Comment by Grumpymann on 10/10/2008 14:04:26
Oh I have another one.

"Michael Penn"

"Magnolia"

'No Contract"

Comment by BobR on 10/10/2008 14:05:13
From a coworker:



LIQUID ASSETS



If you had purchased $1,000 of shares in Delta Airlines one year ago, you would have $49.00 today.



If you had purchased $1,000 of shares in AIG one year ago, you would have $33.00 today.



If you had purchased $1,000 of shares in Lehman Brothers one year ago, you would have $0.00 today.



But, if you had purchased $1,000 worth of beer one year ago, drank all the beer, then turned in the aluminum cans for recycling refund, you would have received $214.00.



Based on the above, the best current investment plan is to drink heavily & recycle. It is called the 401-Keg.



A recent study found that the average American walks about 900 miles a year.



Another study found that Americans drink, on average, 22 gallons of alcohol a year.



That means that, on average, Americans get about 41 miles to the gallon!



Makes you proud to be an American!



Comment by Scoopster on 10/10/2008 14:05:48
Dow Down 700 at the bell.. now rebounded and only down about 150.



Article on Yahoo saying it was down 11% (about 1k points) at one point.. wtf?!

Comment by velveeta jones on 10/10/2008 14:05:56
6 degrees? Really. Okay off the top of my head:

I did a one woman show with Kathleen Turner.

who starred in The War of the Roses with Michael Douglas who starred in The Game which also starred Sean Penn who starred with Kevin Bacon in Mystic River.



I'm sure I have more, but I haven't had enough coffee........



Comment by Raine on 10/10/2008 14:08:08
Kevin Bacon... My friend Dated him when she was in High School. She didn't like the way he kissed. I had a boyfriend who kissed bad... So, I -- oh wait... I confused that! :P

Comment by clintster on 10/10/2008 14:09:31
Quote by Raine:

*Ush has decided that he is going to react to the markets at 10:25.




Anyone noticed how regularly he's talking to the American people nowadays?

http://images.dawgsports.com/images/admin/Kevin_Bacon_Animal_House.jpg




"REMAIN CALM! ALL IS WELL!!!!"

Comment by Grumpymann on 10/10/2008 14:09:58
Quote by Raine:

Kevin Bacon... My friend Dated him when she was in High School. She didn't like the way he kissed. I had a boyfriend who kissed bad... So, I -- oh wait... I confused that! :P


Hey you have a butt too!

Comment by Scoopster on 10/10/2008 14:10:52
Quote by velveeta jones:

6 degrees? Really. Okay off the top of my head:

I did a one woman show with Kathleen Turner.

who starred in The War of the Roses with Michael Douglas who starred in The Game which also starred Sean Penn who starred with Kevin Bacon in Mystic River.



I'm sure I have more, but I haven't had enough coffee........


I saw The Game recently.. what an amazing movie!



Did you know there's a lighthearted comic remake of The Game starring Kal Penn?

Comment by Scoopster on 10/10/2008 14:12:16
Quote by clintster:

Quote by Raine:

*Ush has decided that he is going to react to the markets at 10:25.




Anyone noticed how regularly he's talking to the American people nowadays?

http://images.dawgsports.com/images/admin/Kevin_Bacon_Animal_House.jpg




"REMAIN CALM! ALL IS WELL!!!!"




Comment by TriSec on 10/10/2008 14:13:01
Dow is only down 25 right now. Didn't it plummet immediately after the last time he tried to string together a coherent sentence?





Comment by BobR on 10/10/2008 14:17:35


oh good fucking gawd... :rolleyes2:

Comment by livingonli on 10/10/2008 14:20:49
Good morning everyone. :yawn:



Why is it everytime I hear right-wingers my reaction is

Comment by Raine on 10/10/2008 14:22:31
Quote by Scoopster:

Quote by clintster:

Quote by Raine:

*Ush has decided that he is going to react to the markets at 10:25.




Anyone noticed how regularly he's talking to the American people nowadays?

http://images.dawgsports.com/images/admin/Kevin_Bacon_Animal_House.jpg




"REMAIN CALM! ALL IS WELL!!!!"




http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y59/raine1967/5c909c84.jpg


Comment by TriSec on 10/10/2008 14:24:02
That's better than I'm doing; TriSec has some rage issues and I'm itching for a fight; I have alerted Mrs. TriSec that if her parents start spouting talking points around me, they're going down hard.



No more bullshit.





Comment by Grumpymann on 10/10/2008 14:24:54
So ... She says it's time she goes

But wanted to be sure I know

She hopes we can be friends



I think, yeah, I guess we can say I

But didn't think to ask her why

She blocked her eyes and drew the curtains

With knots I've got yet to untie...



What if I were Romeo in black jeans

What if I was Heathcliff, it's no myth

Maybe she's just looking for

Someone to dance with



See ... it was just too soon to tell

And looking for some parallel

Could be an endless game



We ... we said goodbye before hello

My secrets she will never know

And if I dig a hole to China

I'll catch the first junk to Soho



What if I were Romeo in black jeans

What if I was Heathcliff, it's no myth

Maybe she's just looking for

Someone to dance with



Sometime from now you'll bow to pressure

Some things in life you cannot measure by degrees

I'm between the poles and the equator

Don't send no private investigator to find me please

'Less he speaks Chinese

And can dance like Astaire overseas

OK



What if I was...

So what if I was...

Maybe she's just looking for

Someone to dance with



What if I was Romeo in black jeans

What if I was Heathcliff, it's no myth

Maybe she's just looking for

Someone to dance with

Comment by BobR on 10/10/2008 14:25:01
I guess if Raine is 1 degree of separation, that makes all of us 2 degrees of separation.

Comment by Raine on 10/10/2008 14:26:00
-89 when he started talking.