Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Bill Mahers offers Democrats advice to win

Bill Maher wrote a column for the Huffington Post slamming Christine O’Donnell and offering this amazing wisdom:
“Which brings me to the one succinct phrase that could keep the Democrats in power in 2012: “We’ll legalize pot.” I’m not saying this just to get cheap applause. I’m saying it because reliable surveys tell us that there’s only one thing that will rouse our precious youth to the polls the way Jackass in 3D got them out to the theaters, and that’s pot. It’s the unwritten second half of Obama’s slogan. “Yes We Can…Get High at the Mall.”
Read all of the gems from Bill Maher on DOB’s quote page Read it here.

The motivation is simple: Bill wants everyone to get high. He’d probably be funnier if the audience was stoned out of their minds, but Maher drives home another motivation:


Bill Maher has been using current events — particularly politics — as comedic fodder for more than a dozen years. Earlier this month, the comedian made his Internet television debut with "Amazon Fishbowl with Bill Maher," a 30-minute weekly program on Amazon.com. Bill Maher has been using current events — particularly politics — as comedic fodder for more than a dozen years. Earlier this month, the comedian made his Internet television debut with "Amazon Fishbowl with Bill Maher," a 30-minute weekly program on Amazon.com.Bill Maher has been using current events — particularly politics — as comedic fodder for more than a dozen years. Earlier this month, the comedian made his Internet television debut with "Amazon Fishbowl with Bill Maher," a 30-minute weekly program on Amazon.com. AP/Damian Dovarganes



In the legalization of marijuana, the Democrats finally could have something they’ve always wanted: a wedge issue. Remember wedge issues? Things like gay marriage and prayer in school and other bulls**t that Republicans used for years to get hillbillies to the polls? That’s how Bush got elected in 2004 — Karl Rove put gay marriage on the ballot in eleven key states, knowing that all the Christian s**t-kickers would come out against boys kissing and stick around to pull the lever for Bungles the Clown.”
Like most on the Left, Maher thrives on the opportunity to rail on the right, especially the Christian right. To Maher and the leftists on Capitol Hill, we’re all just a bunch of ignorant “hillbillies” who can’t think for ourselves and it was all just a grand conspiracy by Karl Rove to strike down gay marriage initiatives.
I wish I could ask Bill how that worked in California where 70 % of the Obama supporters, who were also Black, voted down gay marriage.

Read here: http://deskofbrian.com/2010/10/bill-maher-tells-dems-secret-to-victory-legalize-pot/

Monday, October 25, 2010

Virgina Ironside: Abortion is Kindness

Virginia Ironside: If I were the mother of a suffering child I mean a deeply suffering child I would be the first to want to put a pillow over its face If it was a child I really loved, who was in agony, I think any good mother would.
When I heard about this interview, I expected a screaming match, a miscue or a comment which would be followed by a retraction and an apology.
In fact, the others on the panel give Ms. Ironside an “out” and she refuses. “Abortion is the act of a loving mother” -  I was shocked.
“If a baby’s going to be severely disabled or totally unwanted, surely an abortion is the act of a loving mother. Life is only a gift if the person living it feels cherished, loved and wanted and sadly, the world is full of unwanted children. To go ahead and have a baby, knowing that you can’t give it some kind of stable upbringing seems to me to be cruel.
“There is an argument that parents will love a severely disabled child and that a fatherless child will get all the love it needs from its mother, and some argue that the parents of a disadvantaged child will become better people. We all love the feeling of doing good, but to create a child who may well be going to suffer all its life is very, very unfair and no good parent, and no good mother, would want to impose that suffering on a child.”
The arrogance and condescending attitude isn’t really new, but is no less shocking and difficult to digest. Virginia Ironside almost drifts into citing Hitler with her visions of absolutes and having all of the answers.

Read State of the Nation at  www.deskofbrian.com

This article here at: http://deskofbrian.com/2010/10/virginia-ironside-on-bbc-abortion-is-kindess-as-most-are-unfit/

Monday, October 18, 2010

Eric Stoltz in 'Back to the Future' - thank goodness for "change"

This summer we celebrated the 25th anniversary of “Back to the Future” and even though it’s months later, I felt it interesting to reflect on what could have been…or rather, what would not have been.
Eric Stoltz as Marty McFly
As most “Back to the Future” fans know, Eric Stoltz was cast in the role of Marty McFly for 6 weeks of filming before Robert Zemeckis and Steven Spielberg deemed him “too intense” for the role and let him go.
Thanks to Gary David Goldberg, the BTTF was then able to get Michael J. Fox, their first choice for Marty.  Fox had at first been unable to play the role, due to a scheduling conflict with his TV series “Family Ties” but now Goldberg allowed him to juggle the two projects, and the rest is history! For a while, this picture was one of the ones in existence of Stoltz as Marty McFly.
Interesting Note: The costume that Eric Stoltz is wearing was described as Marty’s 1985 outfit in the novelization of Back to the Future by George Gipe. A T-shirt with a U.S. Patent Office facsimile on it [of a guitar], and green [Converse] shoes.

Production started on November 26, 1984 and by Christmas, Spielberg had declared Stoltz wrong for the comedy.
Steven Spielberg, says that Zemeckis checked with him before making the switch.
“[Zemeckis] showed me the first five weeks of shooting that he had put together, aAnd he said, ‘I just don’t think we’re getting the laughs I was hoping we would get.’ ”
Spielberg feels the decision “was absolutely correct.”

Read more of the article, see the video and pictures here at: http://deskofbrian.com/2010/10/eric-stoltz-in-back-to-the-future-woulda-coulda-glad-they-didnt/

www.deskofbrian.com

Monday, October 11, 2010

NewWorldSon interview and Concert review

Listen to the new NewWorldSon CD, a self titled album featuring their hit song “There is a Way”, and you may scratching your head trying to figure out their sound. Before a concert near Tampa, I was able to spend time with drummer Mark Rogers who described NewWorldSon as “Four guys, with similar backgrounds, who love soul, jazz, reggae, ska, funk…our music can’t just be put in a single style.”

Photo/http://www.bigbangdist.com

As I learned about the Canadian foursome, I was struck by their passion.
NewWorldSon was forged out of a Tuesday night jazz club gig, supported by their local church in St. Catharines in Ontario, Canada.
“People from the church supported us as a great outreach. It was good music. The more bolder we performed, the more successful we became” but Rogers went on to admit “We questioned if the audience would want to here gospel.”
It would be understated to describe the subsequent three years as a meteoric rise in popularity, including eight months on the road opening for the Newsboys.
“The performances all over the world were exciting. We all worship the same God and music brings people together” Rogers says of the tour. NewWorldSon surely sharpened their skills and the concert at Bell Shoals Baptist Church exceeded all of my expectations.

NewWorldSon, Rich Moore on bass 10/08/10 Bell Shoals Baptist Church Photo/Brandon Jones

Lead singer Joel Parisien immediately took control and energized the crowd during “You Set the Rhythm”, dancing a jig that engaged his fans and when Parisien opened “Listen to the Lord” with his beatbox, even the most stubborn concertgoer abandoned their seat to stand and cheer.
“Our prayer is to have a good time with you, fellowship with you and in all honesty, for some Southern hospitality” Parisien confessed to the crowd who then joined in a “spiritual calisthenics” with an organized “soul clap” to get everyone’s juices flowing.

Read article here: http://deskofbrian.com/2010/10/newworldson-interview-concert-review/

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Ground Zero Mosque response: Fred Phelps to build anti-gay church near Stonewall

Maybe you see this coming since they are going to build a mosque next to ground zero. (Read Here: Commission clears way for ground zero mosque)

So, to the supporters of the mosque (the panel vote was 9-0 and the New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg supports the idea) so would a Westboro, anti-gay church build next to the location of the Stonewall riots be approved?

Where is the new line America?

Are we drawing lines for freedom of religion or freedom of speech?

I’m struggling with the concept of the mosque for many, many reasons, but be careful NOT to infringe on their freedom to practice religion. Are these wohabe (radical extremist) Muslims or peace loving American Muslims?

So, here’s the challenge:

To the supporter: would you support the Fred Phelps, gay hating Baptist Church being built adjacent to the Stonewall Inn as I stated?

To the opposition: weren’t you screaming about suppression of Christian practices, especially as Christmas and Easter?

What church would be acceptable at or near ground zero? What is politically correct or incorrect?
This is the modern fight for “freedom of religion” and “freedom of speech” – can you and will you fight for the opinion or RIGHT even if you completely disagree in your gut?

Read more here: http://deskofbrian.com/2010/08/fred-phelps-to-build-anti-gay-church-next-to-stonewall-inn/