2 Crazy Assed Topics

Yes, this is my Senator. Sigh.. double sigh. He comes across as an unbelievable moron and a highly embarrassing father.


If possible, find video of the entire show just so you can see the look of horror on Paul Krugman's face when this interview ends.

And then there is this: Apple pulls all books from Macmillian over pricing dispute.
Is that allowed? The implication is that books with the Henry Holt, Tor, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, and St. Martin’s imprint are unavailable on Amazon? Read that sentence 1 more time. Doesn't seem as if it should be possible. Perhaps it will help out poor Borders, however.

Being Selfish?

I don't want Tai Shan to go back to China. I love that little butterstick.

Is that selfish?

I Seth Meyers

With all due respect to Scott Brown, this still isn't as big a MA upset as Sox coming back from 3 games down in '04.

Strangely, it doesn't hurt as much as the 2003 ALCS. Though Ted Kennedy will be haunting the people of Massachusetts until at least 2012 and he won't be a fun ghost.

I Seth Meyers

With all due respect to Scott Brown, this still isn't as big a MA upset as Sox coming back from 3 games down in '04.

Strangely, it doesn't hurt as much as the 2003 ALCS. Though Ted Kennedy will be haunting the people of Massachusetts until at least 2012 and he won't be a fun ghost.

Josh Says What We're All Thinking

I don't mean to get ahead of things. But I cannot help noting one blazingly obvious fact. If Michael Capuano had been the Democratic nominee, there's simply no way we'd have gotten to this point.


Mike Capuano is my rep. He should be the candidate. I've sort have been enjoying his silence during the campaign.. because I think it means we'll be seeing him in 2012.

MA residents: get out there and vote tomorrow, Jan. 19, even if the choices aren't the most desirable.

Golden Globes

It's somewhat difficult to enjoy the Golden Globes when you haven't seen most of the movies and tv shows nominated. I feel culturally out of it. At least I've seen the Jersey Shore.

Did they hand these ribbons out at the door?

OMG.. Julia Roberts is going to be in the movie version of Eat, Pray, Love? ugh..

Avatar? This is a movie I wouldn't even consider seeing.

Links Du Jour

Clinton Bush Haiti Fund - give now, give often

Why Obama Must Take on Wall St. - Robert Reich

The Biggest Loser - Maureen Dowd on the NBC late night meltdown

How the hell is the MA Senate Race even close?

Really? This Mitt Romney clone with no clue is close to the seat held by Ted Kennedy? Flabbergasting.

VOTE on Tuesday 1/19.

Move Your Money

How dumb do these banks think we are? Do what you can to protest by moving your money.

Of course, I would like the banks to embrace this sense of mutual responsibility. So far, though, they have ferociously fought financial reform. The industry has even joined forces with the opposition party to launch a massive lobbying campaign against common-sense rules to protect consumers and prevent another crisis.

Now, like clockwork, the banks and politicians who curry their favor are already trying to stop this fee from going into effect. The very same firms reaping billions of dollars in profits, and reportedly handing out more money in bonuses and compensation than ever before in history, are now pleading poverty. It’s a sight to see.

Those who oppose this fee say the banks can’t afford to pay back the American people without passing on the costs to their shareholders and customers. But that’s hard to believe when there are reports that Wall Street is going to hand out more money in bonuses and compensation just this year than the cost of this fee over the next ten years. If the big financial firms can afford massive bonuses, they can afford to pay back the American people.

Unhappiness at the Happiness Project

I think the definition of irony could be people pushing, shoving, asking others to move, being unable to shut the fuck up and in general complaining that they couldn't see or hear when watching Gretchen Rubin discuss her book, the Happiness Project (especially considering the implication of a packed house that people need a little more happiness in their lives).   

p.s. the book and related blog are fantastic!

I'm Going to the Jersey Shore, B*tch

Ok, let’s get real.   Actually I don’t think the word ‘real’ should be used in any sentence referring to the new MTV series The Jersey Shore.  I’ve never seen anything like it and it’s taken me a couple of weeks to figure out what I think about, which basically boils down to:  Holy Moly!    For the entire hour, the bubble above my head says:  did I just see that?

Things I have learned: 

-         New slang:  smooshing, vibing, pound out, creep (verb), blow out, poof, trashbag,

-         Booty shorts aren’t necessary meant to be worn under clothes

-         Duck phones exist

-         It’s ‘more classier’ to wear a thong bikini rather than a bra and a thong into a Jacuzzi

-         Moms need to get their tan on, too

-         Fist pumping is a dance style

-         It’s not cheating if it’s done to house music

-         How to handle it if you’ve got two potential sets of people to hook up with (escort the ‘classier’ ones out)

-         Sometimes it takes five and a half hours to get ready to go out

-         There are guys who spend 25 min. on their hair

-         Bartenders do great things

-         Lobsters are alive when you kill them (ha!)

-         The tanning salon is absolutely required, even in the summer, at the beach, in nice weather

-         Sweatpants are fashionable (sometimes tucked into boots), even in the summer, at the beach, in nice weather

-         Don’t call any of the roommates fat

-         If you can’t find your house, just sleep on the beach

-         Some girls are respectful, like real girls, human beings

-         You need to hang out with some girls a few times before they will hook up with you because they aren’t whores

-         One should aspire to be juiced up and orange

-         It makes sense to introduce someone you’ve been dating for a 2 weeks to your parents

-         Snooki is a real person

-         People will do anything to be on tv (think about this:  Snooki puncher Brad Ferro must have signed a release to appear on the show unpixilated.)

And I’m left wondering about the following: 

-         Imagine what these kids did in their auditions to be selected?

-         Do they realize they are on television (and the internet.. for the rest of time?)  They claim to be very family focused.  Do they know their families will see the show?  While I’m sure they would like to extend their 15 minutes of fame for as long as possible, someday when a potential employer or their children (because I’m sure these people will reproduce, god help the kids) will see these videos? 

-         Is there any possible circumstance where making out on the hood of a car while being filmed is going to make you look good? 

-         Is it possible JWoww got a hold of a do it yourself boob job kit?

-         Is there a 1 fight per episode minimum?  

-         Are they so daft that they will think this behavior is cool?   I’m afraid the answer is yes.   Really afraid

The show is a train wreck and doesn’t reflect well on our culture, yet I can’t turn away.  I enjoy every ridiculous minute.  I will mock these people, but the reality is this is the United States, home of freedom.  Guess what?  People are free to make buffoons of themselves.  That is their business.  What makes me really sad is not the ethnic stereotypes or the so called slur on Jersey, but that we are making celebrities of people solely because they act like idiots.  We are worshipping morons.   Why do we do that?   Is it a distraction?   Does it make us feel better about ourselves (I’m sure my health & beauty budget is 10% of DJ Pauly D’s)?    Most of all I’m sad because I can’t peel myself away from the tv. 

I’ve got to end this now because I feel like eating ham and drinking water.   Ham. 

Get sucked into the nightmare Thursdays at 10 on MTV (or pretty much any other hour of the day in repeats).

New Day, New Year, New Decade

I'm starting fresh with a new blog with a new name, but from a familiar source. Yes, my old blog had approximately a million posts and comments, but it's run it's been dying a slow death and frankly the path has petered out.

This is my do over, do better, whatever. I hope you enjoy.