Comedian hails pundit’s ‘transition off’ from Fox News with extended skit, mocking him for comparing himself to Paul Revere Jon Stewart had his own take on the reason for Glenn Beck’s “transition off” from Fox News in his Comedy Central Daily Show on Thursday: “Glenn Beck still had the third highest show in cable news … Maybe Fox News thought it would be useful to pick some random talk radio host rehashing all same tired old John Birch Society conspiracy theories to seed ultra-conservative viewpoints into the news cycle, while making the rest of the network seem centrist by comparison. But, he then began to believe his own messianic delusions and became a giant pain in the ass. So they dropped his ass.” For his farewell to Beck, Stewart once again adopted his trademark glasses and chalk boards for an extended spoof, including a clip of the Fox News presenter explaining his departure from the network by way of a comparison with Paul Revere. Stewart wasn’t going to let that pass without comment: “Glenn could’ve likened himself to any character from the American revolution … But he decided to go with the first and loudest character. And the only real difference between Glenn and Paul Revere is that when Paul Revere told you the British were coming, they were in fact coming.” Stewart himself must be at least a teeny bit sad that Beck is leaving Fox News, given how much material he has provided over the past couple of years. Perhaps most memorably, in March 2010 the first half of the Daily Show was given over to a 15-minute spoof by Stewart of Beck’s presenting style and conspiracy theories. . Glenn Beck Jon Stewart Fox News Fox TV news Television industry US television industry US television Television United States Jason Deans guardian.co.uk
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Collective whitewashed 65-metre penis on drawbridge in St Petersburg Voina, the scatological Russian art collective supported by the British street artist Banksy , has won a state-backed art prize for painting a 65-metre penis on a drawbridge. Members of Voina (the war) – two of whom are awaiting trial on hooliganism charges – whitewashed the decoration on a bridge in St Petersburg last June. When the bridge was raised the erect phallus faced the local headquarters of the FSB, the successor to the KGB. The work, entitled A Dick Held Prisoner at the FSB, was awarded the 400,000 rouble (£8,700) 2010 Innovation prize by the National Centre for Contemporary Arts in Moscow on Thursday evening. The graffito was scrubbed off the bridge by authorities after a few hours but pictures of it became an internet sensation. The prize, which is supported by the ministry of culture, was awarded after weeks of wrangling, during which Voina’s entry was excluded, then reinstated. Andrei Yerofeyev, the curator who announced the winner, described the phallus as an outstanding work which stemmed from a Russian tradition of “socially engaging art”. No representatives of Voina were at the glitzy ceremony at an art gallery run by Roman Abramovich’s partner, Dasha Zhukova. However, the collective issued a statement saying it would donate the prize money to political prisoners. Two members of the group, Oleg Vorotnikov and Leonid Nikolayev, are awaiting trial in relation to a guerrilla performance in September called Palace Revolution, when the group turned over several police cars in St Petersburg. The pair were arrested in November but released on bail in February. They face up to seven years in jail if convicted. Banksy donated £80,000 from a print sale to Voina after hearing about the prosecution. Vorotnikov suggested that the prize jury had defeated bureaucrats who tried to deny the group the prize. “They are professionals after all, and some of them are brave people,” he told the Sol website. Other members of Voina said it should have won the prize for a different “action” – when a woman in the group was filmed stealing a chicken from a grocery store by inserting it into her vagina. “Now that was something,” said Vorotnikov. Russia Banksy Awards and prizes Tom Parfitt guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …On MSNBC, Dem Sanchez Tries To Drown Out Republican With ‘Broke Because of Bush’ Chant
April 8, 2011 No Comment
Loretta Sanchez would need to double her maturity quotient to qualify as juvenile . . During an interview on MSNBC this morning on the subject of the budget and possible government shutdown, the Dem congresswoman from California tried to drown out her Republican colleague from New York, Michael Grimm, by chanting “broke because of Bush.” Ironically, her infantile display came moments after host Richard Liu struggled with Sanchez's filibustering to ask whether the pair were “proud about the way this process is going forward as people watch the two of you debate the issues?” I'll be back with transcript, but in the meantime watch Sanchez middle-school worthy antics.
Continue reading …Adrian Law found guilty of injuring Abdul Alfadley’s lower body and genitals by flinging liquid through door hatch A civilian police worker has been jailed for three years for throwing scalding water over a prisoner in a police station cell. Adrian Law, 45, was accused of “gross abuse and wickedness” by a judge and condemned by senior police for letting down his force and colleagues. He was taken from the dock at Leeds crown court by security officers, a job he did himself before transferring to work as a detention officer at Barnsley police station in South Yorkshire. He had denied causing grievous bodily harm to Abdul Aziz Alfadley, 26, but, after deliberating for nine hours, a jury found him guilty. He was cleared of an additional, more serious charge of GBH with intent. The court heard that Alfadley suffered serious injuries to his lower body and genitals after Law showered him with a cupful of water taken from a boiler. Tests later suggested its temperature was 94.7C. Alfadley had been “agitated and disruptive” after being arrested in Barnsley centre for a public order offence, and had persisted in shouting and banging on his door. Jurors were shown CCTV footage of Law flinging the water through the cell’s door hatch. In spite of this, he denied the charge and claimed he was trying to pass a cup of cold water to the prisoner. Passing sentence, Mr Justice Spenser told Law he had acted cynically and brought South Yorkshire police service into disrepute. Accepting that Alfasley had been a very disruptive prisoner, and that a detention officer’s job was challenging, the judge said: “None of that is any excuse for what you did. The public has to trust police officers and detention officers at a police station to treat detainees fairly and humanely. It is the mark of a civilised society.” Relatives of Law, who lived at Goldthorpe, near Barnsley, were in tears as he was taken from court. A former miner, he worked for Group 4 as a prison escort before the move to Barnsley police station. He had an exemplary discipline record and no previous convictions. South Yorkshire’s deputy chief constable, Bob Dyson, said: “The actions of Adrian Law on that day fell far below the standards that we expect. He let down the public and let down his colleagues. On behalf of the force, I apologise to Mr Abdul Alfadley for the injuries he received.” Nicholas Long, a member of the Independent Police Complaints Commission, said Law’s actions had been compounded by an experienced custody sergeant whose only action after the assault was to turn off the water supply. The sergeant has been given a written warning after an internal misconduct hearing. Crime Police Martin Wainwright guardian.co.uk
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Military the target of Egyptian demonstrations as people demand more prosecutions against Hosni Mubarak-era ministers Protesters have packed Cairo’s Tahrir Square, piling pressure on the ruling military council to meet demands including the prosecution of Hosni Mubarak in one of the biggest demonstrations since he was ousted. By early afternoon the protest had swollen to more than 100,000. Thousands waved red, white and black Egyptian flags in scenes reminiscent of the height of the protests that toppled Mubarak and helped ignite revolts in other Arab countries. “Oh field marshal, we’ve been very patient!” chanted some of the protesters, gathered in the square that was the hub of protests that toppled Mubarak from the presidency and left the army, led by Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, in charge. “Tantawi, Tantawi get your act together or do you want a pool of blood?” chanted some of the protesters. The military has enjoyed broad support since it took control of the country on 11 February but frustrations have grown over the pace of reform. Attention is now focused on the perceived tardiness of legal steps against Mubarak and his entourage. Mubarak and his family have been living in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh since he left Cairo on 11 February. The public prosecutor, who has filed charges against some but not all of the Mubarak-era officials, was also the focus of anger during a demonstration which one activist group declared “The Friday of Purification and Accountability”. A military helicopter hovered over the city centre as protesters poured into the square after Friday prayers to support demands including the removal of remaining Mubarak-era officials, such as the powerful provincial governors. Banners included economic demands, such as the imposition of minimum and maximum wages. “The revolution is continuing until democracy is achieved,” read one banner. “It’s a strong message that the revolution is not over yet and is still going on and will not quieten down before its goals are realised,” said Hassan Nafaa, a professor of political science and a prominent figure in the reform movement. Street action remained “the real guarantee to the success of the revolution,” a coalition of youth activists said in a statement. “There has to be continued pressure for the quick and effective realisation of the demands of the revolution,” it said. “Oh field marshal, oh field marshal, we are staying in Tahrir,” read one of the banners directed at Tantawi, who served as defence minister in Mubarak’s administration from 1991 until he was ousted from the presidency. The military has scheduled a parliamentary election for September. It has said a presidential election will be held in either October or November, until when the army will hold presidential powers. At one point eight young men in military uniform appeared on stage, calling for Tantawi’s removal. It was not possible to verify whether they were serving in the military. “The people want the field marshal to fall,” one shouted over loudspeakers. Some in the crowd applauded and repeated the refrain. Others declared them imposters seeking to create trouble between the army and the reform movement and urged them to get off the stage. “We are calling on the field marshal to meet the demands of the people,” said Ibrahim Ahmed, a 20-year old student. “Enough collusion in not carrying out prosecutions,” he said. The interim government installed by the military council has set up a new committee to uncover corruption from Mubarak’s 30-year rule. The illicit gains panel is set to question Gamal Mubarak, the president’s son, next week. “If Mubarak is not prosecuted, we will go to Sharm el-Sheikh,” read another banner held aloft by the protesters. The military has said the 82-year-old president, himself a former military officer, is banned from leaving the country. The campaign against Mubarak-era figures has resulted in the arrest of once untouchable figures including the former interior minister and other ministers who held economic portfolios and are accused of corruption. Zakaria Azmi, a leading Mubarak aide, was the latest high-profile figure to be arrested. He was detained on Thursday on accusations of illegal gains. Reformists questioned why it had taken so long. “There is a feeling that the military council faces many restrictions,” Nafaa, the political science professor, said. “The aim of the protest isn’t to criticise or revolt, but to express a sense of frustration because of the tardiness in bringing to trial those responsible for corruption,” he said. Egypt Middle East Arab and Middle East unrest Protest Hosni Mubarak guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Lawrence O’Donnell Lays Into Rep. Tom Graves For Being Willing to Shut Down the Government to Defund Planned Parenthood
April 8, 2011 No Comment
Click here to view this media Despite the fact that the funding for Planned Parenthood only accounts for a tiny portion of the budget, Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA) insisted to MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell that this assault on women’s reproductive rights and health care was somehow about getting our deficit under control. I’m not sure how someone like this guy sleeps at night because given the smirk on his face as O’Donnell laid into him for playing politics with women’s health care, he thinks this is some kind of a game. It’s a deadly game they’re playing and one where they obviously don’t care how many lives might be lost in the process of either threatening to or actually shutting down the government, or as a result of their extremist ideology. And as far as his claim that the Republicans are somehow doing “the will of the American people”, well here are some polls to the contrary : Two new public polls released today show majority support for Planned Parenthood, and clear opposition to efforts to bar Planned Parenthood from receiving federal funds for preventive health care such as lifesaving cancer screenings, breast exams, birth control, and STD testing and treatment, including HIV testing. A Quinnipiac University poll released today found that a majority of voters (53 percent) opposed “cutting off federal government funding to Planned Parenthood.” The margin was 53 percent to 43 percent. The poll also found that 50 percent of Independent voters — as well as 66 percent of voters aged 18–34 and 60 percent of “moderate” voters — opposed “cutting off federal government funding to Planned Parenthood.” Read the full poll HERE . An NBC/ Wall Street Journal poll also released today found that 53 percent of Americans found it “mostly or totally unacceptable” to “eliminate funding to Planned Parenthood for family planning and preventive health services.” Among women overall, 56% found it “mostly or totally unacceptable” to “eliminate funding to Planned Parenthood for family planning and preventive health services.” Among women 18–49, 60% found it “mostly or totally unacceptable” to “eliminate funding to Planned Parenthood for family planning and preventive health services.” Read the full poll HERE . (Planned Parenthood question on page 16). Below, please find a statement by Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, on the two new public polls: “It’s clear that Americans understand that the proposal to bar Planned Parenthood from receiving federal funds for preventive health care such as lifesaving cancer screenings, breast exams, birth control, and STD and HIV testing, would have a devastating impact on women’s health, lead to more unintended pregnancies and more women detecting cancers at a later and less treatable stage. Americans know this to be true, because one in five women has been cared for by a Planned Parenthood health center at some point in her lifetime. O’Donnell also tore into Graves for his support of their ridiculous and unconstitutional bill titled the “Government Shutdown Prevention Act.” O’Donnell slammed Minority Leader Eric Cantor for his defense of that bill last week — Lawrence O’Donnell Slams Eric Cantor For Not Knowing How a Bill Becomes a Law .
Continue reading …Prior to this week, President Obama had been so detached from the budget debate that some in his own party have openly criticized him. Obama, West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin declared in early March , has “failed to lead this debate or offer a serious proposal for spending and cuts that he would be willing to fight for.” Yet when the President chose to parachute into the budget talks earlier this week, most of the mainstream media neglected to remember his long absence, but instead acted like White House stenographers in praising his “adult” and “grown-up” approach — conveying the obvious implication that House Republicans and/or the Tea Party have been acting like children. A video compilation of some of the more noteworthy these comments appears below the fold; a link to audio of remarks by CBS’s Chip Reid, CNN’s Gloria Borger and CNN’s Eliot Spitzer, all from April 5, is here . CHIP REID (CBS Evening News, April 5): The President said he’ll call congressional leaders back here to the White House every day this week if they can’t reach a deal on their own. One thing the White House is hoping to do is have the President appear like an adult breaking up a childish battle. CNN’s GLORIA BORGER (CNN Newsroom, April 5): Politically, what he’s trying to do is to be the grown up….
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Government Shutdown 2011 government shutdown Top News Government Shutdown 2011 : How Would It Impact Washington … Government Shutdown 2011 : How Would It Impact Washington? Will your garbage pile up in the street? Do you have to go to work? By Debra Bruno. Photograph by Sam Kittner. The federal government is hovering on the brink of a shutdown, … government shutdown 2011 – April 8, 2011 | Submit Digital Fri, 08 Apr 2011 04:06:56 GMT – Government Shutdown 2011 : How Would It Impact Washington? Will your garbage pile up in the street? Do you have to go to work? By Debra Bruno. Photograph by Sam Kittner. The federal government is hovering … Government Shutdown 2011 ? 16 Things You Need To Know « govtslaves.info Are we actually going to see “ Government Shutdown 2011 ″? Will the streets of Washington D.C. soon be eerily quiet as hundreds of thousands of federal workers are temporarily sent home? Right now Barack Obama, Harry Reid and John Boehner … Government Shutdown 2011 | Greg Hunter's USAWatchdog Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com It is looking more and more like the budget showdown between the Democrats and Republicans will turn into a government. Government Shutdown Threatened By Republicans Over Planned Parenthood Government Shutdown Threatened By Republicans Over Planned Parenthood. Government Shutdown 2011 . First Posted: 04/ 7/11 11:36 PM ET Updated: 04/ 7/11 11:56 PM ET. React. Important Funny Typical Scary Outrageous Amazing Innovative … PAC43 says: RT @USAWatchdog : Government Shutdown Far More Dangerous Today in 95 deficit was $35 billion today $1.6 trillion. USAWatchdog.com http://bit.ly/fmZShL
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A popular priest who leads a worldwide TV ministry is taking a leave from his California diocese duties after revealing an affair with a second cousin. Michael Manning ‘fessed up after a local newspaper received a series of intimate notes between Manning and his former lover, a schools superintendent from…
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