The News Headlines thread

[ajmrowland]

It's such shit, I totally forgot about it since first hearing about it on Thursday.

[Lazario]

Yahoo! seems to think (and says) the rally was a success and "might" create trouble for politicians Beck & co. don't like come election year(s).

[Lazario]

Jon Stewart tears Glenn Beck a (much needed) new one and puts his idiocy in place:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/2 ... 96758.html

WATCH the video clip. I'm not kidding.

[Super Aurora]

Jon Stewart tears Glenn Beck a (much needed) new one and puts his idiocy in place:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/2 ... 96758.html

WATCH the video clip. I'm not kidding.

'

LOL awesome video. I wonder if Stephen Colbert did one too? If so is there a link I can view it?

[jpanimation]

Wealthy lawmakers increased their riches as economy sputtered in '09
http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/1164 ... d-in-2009-

Here are the top ten, along with their estimated worth.

1. Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.): $188.6 million

2. Rep. Darrel Issa (R-Calif.): $160.1 million

3. Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.): $152.3 million

4. Sen. Jay Rockefeller ( D-W.Va.): $83.7 million

5. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas): $73.8 million

6. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.); $70.2 million

7. Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.): $56.5 million

8. Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.): $53.5 million

9. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.): $49.7 million

10. Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.): $46.1 million

Well, here you go. While the rest of the country is suffering in this recession, the rich tax-evading Congressman have only been getting richer. I'm glad to see all that special interest crap they slipped into the stimulus and other bills they've passed have been working out for them. Is it any wonder Congress continually has an approval rating under 20% with all the self interest crap they pass that only further screws over the American people? They want the Bush tax cuts to expire for everyone (including the middle class), their healthcare reform act is going to increase premiums, and now they're seriously considering increasing our energy prices through environmental legislation? These rich-hypocritical jerks don't pay taxes (neither do half of all American citizens, most of whom vote for the politicians that increase taxes), so what do they care, but the rest of us do and are currently overburdened. Do they even read the jobless rates anymore because none of this sounds like it will make jobs or help lift any financial burden off Americans/businesses struggling to make it. At this point, I think there should be WAY more then just two politicians under ethics investigation (how about, 60-75% of them?).

Sorry for making this thread so political but the government aggravates the hell out of me. Everyday I'm more convinced implementing a Fair Tax, that punishes over consumption and rewards the working class, is the way to go (not to mention it abolishes the IRS and all the special interest tax credits that politicians use for political gain). It would also get a certain segment that avoids income tax to start paying up (e.g. pimps, prostitutes, drug dealers, illegal-aliens, etc.). In addition to the Fair Tax, we need some term limits slapped on our Congressional members so we don't have such deeply rooted corruption.

[Goliath]

Come you masters of war
You that build all the guns
You that build the death planes
You that build all the bombs

'Bush team wanted Iraq war from start'



Declassified documents have reveled that advisors to former US president George W. Bush had focused on justifying a new war on Iraq as soon as he took office.

Official document released on Wednesday show that a few hours after the 2001 attacks on the Twin Towers in New York, the then Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld spoke of attacking Iraq.

Papers posted by the Washington-based National Security Archive shows Rumsfeld discussing war plans for Iraq just two months after the 2001 US invasion of Afghanistan.

In memos dated November 27, he had listed justifications for the war on Iraq.

Iraqi military action against the US-protected enclave in northern Iraq, discovery of ties between former Iraqi dictator Saddam and 9/11 or recent anthrax attacks and disputes with UN weapons inspections were among the possible scenarios.

The documents released under a Freedom of Information request also show that White house claims of Iraq pursuing a nuclear weapons program based on confiscated aluminum tubes were also fabricated.

The news was released even before a preliminary assessment of the tubes, two State Department memos to then Secretary of State Colin Powell say.

The announcement had to be made "in our advantage" and it was important to "get the right story out" about the tubes, one memo stated.

After the invasion, the Iraq Survey Group determined that the best explanation for the tubes' use was to produce conventional 81-mm rockets; no evidence was found of a program to design or develop an 81-mm aluminum rotor uranium centrifuges.

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/143613.html

You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just want you to know
I can see through your masks

From start, Bush team focused on war with Iraq: documents



WASHINGTON — Former president George W. Bush's advisers focused on toppling Saddam Hussein's regime as soon as he took office and discussed how to justify a war in Iraq shortly after invading Afghanistan in 2001, official documents showed Wednesday.

A few hours after the September 11 attacks in 2001, then defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld spoke of attacking Iraq as well as Osama bin Laden, according to notes of a meeting on that day, newly declassified papers show.

Rumsfeld told a Pentagon lawyer to go to his deputy to get "support" showing a supposed link between the Iraqi regime and Al-Qaeda's founder, according to the papers posted by the Washington-based National Security Archive, an independent research institute.

[...]

In June and July of 2001, senior administration officials seized on intercepted aluminum tubes as proof that Iraq was pursuing nuclear weapons, even before a preliminary assessment of the tubes, according to two State Department memos to then secretary of state Colin Powell.

One memo states the US government's interest in "publicizing the interdiction to our advantage" and "getting the right story out" about the tubes, which were soon found to have no nuclear connection.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/ar ... JaJDGUU1yg

You that never done nothin’
But build to destroy
You play with my world
Like it’s your little toy

http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB326/index.htm

You put a gun in my hand
And you hide from my eyes
And you turn and run farther
When the fast bullets fly

[Lazario]

On a lighter note... (Sort of)


Katy Perry skit pulled from 'Sesame Street'
http://omg.yahoo.com/blogs/a-line/sesam ... y-duet/624
Parents protest the singer's racy dress in a preview of her appearance on the children's program.


As usual, uptight freaks go psycho about something ridiculous. I'm surprised at this point that they don't start forcing girls to wear dresses that touch the floor and absolutely no pants again. Oh wait... Better: two-legged dresses that go all the way to the floor. And again, the comments section is proof that America is doomed. With that many idiots running around... We're just plain doomed. All we can do now is point and laugh at the freaks. "Ha ha! You think women shouldn't have boobs! Ha ha!"

[wdwnut4life]

lindsay lohan back 2 jail (cough-thank god)

[Elladorine]

On a lighter note... (Sort of)


Katy Perry skit pulled from 'Sesame Street'
http://omg.yahoo.com/blogs/a-line/sesam ... y-duet/624
Parents protest the singer's racy dress in a preview of her appearance on the children's program.


As usual, uptight freaks go psycho about something ridiculous. I'm surprised at this point that they don't start forcing girls to wear dresses that touch the floor and absolutely no pants again. Oh wait... Better: two-legged dresses that go all the way to the floor. And again, the comments section is proof that America is doomed. With that many idiots running around... We're just plain doomed. All we can do now is point and laugh at the freaks. "Ha ha! You think women shouldn't have boobs! Ha ha!"

They pull this, yet Sesame Street does a parody of True Blood?

[pap64]

Good thing that was brought up, because I really want to offer my two cents...

First of all, I don't like Katy Perry. While her song "California Gurls" has stuck to me like a Metroid sticks to Samus, I just don't like the fact that she tries to sell herself as this "hardcore" singer and tries to bring controversial stuff into her music (as in the usage of the word "Gay" as an insult), when all it really is is her trying to be shocking for the sake of attention.

That said, I don't condone her appearance on Sesame Street. I thought the scene was rather cute! Let's be honest, Sesame Street for all its educational values has made fun of pop culture and at times it has celebrated it. Why is it so surprising that Katy Perry made it in? I may not know much about the show's history but I am willing to bet MY SHORTS that far more controversial figures have appeared in the show.

Also, just because Katy or any other artist is "controversial" it doesn't mean that they can't appear on a show that they most likely love and grew up with. Sure, you can get a little cynical and say that they wanted the publicity, but this is how it's always been.

So why Katy Perry of all people? Because she used two cans of whipped cream as weapons and put it on her breasts? That's shocking, yeah, but not Marilyn Manson or even LADY GAGA shocking.

And yes, the True Mud stuff is far weirder than Katy Perry.

[Elladorine]

Honestly, I don't really know who she is but thought the Sesame Street skit was cute. I guess women aren't allowed to have breasts on children's shows?

[pap64]

Honestly, I don't really know who she is but thought the Sesame Street skit was cute. I guess women aren't allowed to have breasts on children's shows?

Well that's too bad. We latin kids grew up with Xuxa!



The Simpsons joke about Brazilian children shows being suggestive wasn't far from the truth!

[Disney's Divinity]

Katy Perry skit pulled from 'Sesame Street'
http://omg.yahoo.com/blogs/a-line/sesam ... y-duet/624
Parents protest the singer's racy dress in a preview of her appearance on the children's program.

I'm of two minds about this.

1) There is nothing wrong with this skit, and there is nothing inappropriate about the way she's dressed. With that said,

2.) I can understand why parents might be upset that Perry is on the show, especially with the use of her song "Hot N Cold." The song as it's used there is not bad, but, tbh, if I were a child and I saw that skit--I would want the CD (because I love that song). Which would lead me to songs like..."I Kissed A Girl," "Ur So Gay," "Peacock," and "Last Friday Night." I would not want my children listening to those at 4 to 10, just to be completely honest. At 15 it wouldn't bother me, but not that young.

So, ultimately, I think the criticism is misplaced because it's obviously people who think Katy Perry is immoral that complained for the sake of complaining. If the criticism were more thought out, it would be that the skit would lead children to want CDs that (some) parents may not find appropriate.

Oh, btw, on Entertainment Tonight last night, they were discussing this and one of the hosts pointed out that Ariel wore much less in The Little Mermaid and noone ever had a problem with that. The guy against the Perry skit said, yeah, Ariel was one hot cartoon character.

[Elladorine]

Honestly, I don't really know who she is but thought the Sesame Street skit was cute. I guess women aren't allowed to have breasts on children's shows?

Well that's too bad. We latin kids grew up with Xuxa!
. . .
The Simpsons joke about Brazilian children shows being suggestive wasn't far from the truth!

I remember hearing about Xuxa in the early 90's! Something about her being a star in other countries and that they were introducing her to the US. I guess her show didn't last here though, as I don't recall hearing any more about it.
But nah . . . we didn't have anything suggestive here in the US back then, we just watched Tiny Toons: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xirDE57RlDA

I'm of two minds about this.

1) There is nothing wrong with this skit, and there is nothing inappropriate about the way she's dressed. With that said,

2.) I can understand why parents might be upset that Perry is on the show, especially with the use of her song "Hot N Cold." The song as it's used there is not bad, but, tbh, if I were a child and I saw that skit--I would want the CD (because I love that song). Which would lead me to songs like..."I Kissed A Girl," "Ur So Gay," "Peacock," and "Last Friday Night." I would not want my children listening to those at 4 to 10, just to be completely honest. At 15 it wouldn't bother me, but not that young.

So, ultimately, I think the criticism is misplaced because it's obviously people who think Katy Perry is immoral that complained for the sake of complaining. If the criticism were more thought out, it would be that the skit would lead children to want CDs that (some) parents may not find appropriate.

You're probably right about that. This all sorta reminds me of how there are two different versions of "Rockin' the Suburbs" by Ben Folds. The original has plenty of swearing in it, and then there's the family-friendly lyrics of the Over the Hedge version. I guess that wasn't an issue though because Folds isn't nearly as big in pop-culture as Perry, and he's not exactly the controversial figure she is.

Then again, any perceived sexuality (even in the form of cleavage) is going to rile up parents a lot more than anything else.

[pap64]

Fuddonna will forever haunt my nightmares...

But Julie Bruin wasn't the only fetish fuel on Tiny Toons...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93AVWcA8 ... re=related

YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!

[Flanger-Hanger]

I thought the sketch with Katy was really cute, especially with touches like the cactus and penguin muppets. Her outfit is no worse than anything you'd see women of various ages wearing in the outside world these days (especially when compared to swimwear), or Ariel as previously mentioned.

The True Mud sketch was also funny to me or I imagine anyone else who has seen the show. That show's content it's parodying is far more adult than Katy's costume, yet it's OK while she's not? I'm not saying pull the True Mud sketch, but really?

[Elladorine]

YOU KNOW, FOR KIDS!

Good to know some people are thinking of the children!

I thought the sketch with Katy was really cute, especially with touches like the cactus and penguin muppets. Her outfit is no worse than anything you'd see women of various ages wearing in the outside world these days (especially when compared to swimwear), or Ariel as previously mentioned.

The True Mud sketch was also funny to me or I imagine anyone else who has seen the show. That show's content it's parodying is far more adult than Katy's costume, yet it's OK while she's not? I'm not saying pull the True Mud sketch, but really?

I feel the same. We've got a weird set of standards going on here, but I think the people from Sesame Street are just concerned about all the complaints. And wow, look at all the publicity this has stirred!

* * *

By the way, I know how Elmo could have fixed the whole situation . . . http://twitpic.com/2rl2pp

[Flanger-Hanger]

By the way, I know how Elmo could have fixed the whole situation . . . http://twitpic.com/2rl2pp

[Goliath]

Well, I'm relieved to see that Kathy Perry and Sesame Street are deemed more important than an US administration leading over 4,000 American soldiers and over 1,000,000 Iraqi civilians to their deaths over outright lies, just so they could profit from it --and walk away scott-free.

Oh, wait, did I say 'relieved'? I mean: shocked to the bones.

[Disney's Divinity]

Well, I'm relieved to see that Kathy Perry and Sesame Street are deemed more important than an US administration leading over 4,000 American soldiers and over 1,000,000 Iraqi civilians to their deaths over outright lies, just so they could profit from it --and walk away scott-free.

I thought everybody knew that from the beginning...