Thursday, December 08, 2005

Quote for the Day, 12/8/2005   "Johnny lives a block away and if he came over, maybe you could make him stay, maybe you could make a start-- but you're an area code away from his heart."   -Andrew Donaldson, "Why Can't Johnny Read Your Phone Number?"   I wrote a new song.  But here's the reason I quoted it:  It's an excuse to ask a question.  I know Why Can't Johnny Read was a thing in the 1970s, but I don't know if it was an advertising campaign, a study, a program...I just don't know.  Does anyone else know?  If you can shed any light on my ignorance in this area, I'd appreciate it. 9:43:59 PM    comment []

FEC Not Doing Its Job   The Federal Election Commission is the government body which is supposed to safeguard the honesty, integrity, and legality of our elections.  That they do a decent job is fairly fundamental to our even having a democracy.  Never mind that it's a fairly toothless organization...that the penalties for wrongdoing are infinitesimal compared to the damage one can do by breaking the rules. You're probably wondering just how incompetent the Federal Election Commission is.  Well, the Senate campaign of Bob Casey, Jr., filed a complaint alleging illegal coordination between Senator Rick Santorum's campaign and anonymous well-heeled conspirators.  "An FEC spokesman said Wednesday afternoon the complaint by the Casey campaign had not been processed, but it is possible it had been received," the Associated Press reports.  That's right, that incompetent:  The FEC isn't checking its mail. We need election reform next year, and the year after, and the year after that...and on and on, until the legal bribery of officeholders is a thing of the past, and so are faceless men attempting to buy elections.  I have no real grievance against third party ads; but the people who give the money to pay for them should have to stand behind them, and be held accountable. 6:39:21 PM    comment []

Is Maureen Dowd Necessary?   Maureen Dowd says she doesn't like appearing on television, that it makes her self-conscious or something.  That's not readily apparent, since last night, she was a guest on the Colbert Report.  As soon as she appears on just one more Brazilian soap opera, she will have officially have appeared on every television show in creation, tirelessly flogging her book, Are Men Necessary?  Obviously, her answer is yes, since she is so clearly all about the Benjamins. 2:31:17 PM    comment []