Sun 5 Aug 2007
I’ll confess that this blog really sucks of late. It’s been really hard to work up the energy to write about Jean Schmidt and friends. It seems like almost every week a story rolls by about our dear Jeanie screwing small farmers or trying to take away health care for little children or sponsoring legislation to outlaw teddy bears, and yet this site remains silent.
I guess I’ve just had a lot of other things on my mind. Having my prestigious if incredibly boring programming job get shipped off to India… coping with our son learning to drive… getting the weird lump on the top of my head cut off… it’s been hard to find time to fuel the fire of my frustratingly endless obsession with the blogosphere’s greatest nemesis in Congress.
When I do find the urge to blog, the last thing I find myself wanting to write about is Steve Black, Vic Wulsin or Jean Schmidt. To be honest, I’ve heard it all before. Integrity blah… restoring blah to blah… sanctity of blah blah blah… the right blah for the blah… blah streaming blah the border blah… it’s all become a droning dirge to me. Nothing personal, but kids have a point when they talk about how boring politics can be. As impossible as that task may seem Democrats and Republicans have managed to turn life and death planet hanging in the balance cliffhangers into something deathly dull. Watching C-SPAN or MSNBC these days makes me glad that I don’t keep potentially eye gouging ice picks near my favorite TV chair.
Still… a blogger has enthusiasms… enthusiasms… So what is it that brings me joy? What is it that sparks my desire to write on this humble site?
I’ve been really digging the show Flight of the Concords on HBO. It’s really funny. But that’s not what really brings me joy. What really brings me joy is watching Mrs. Editor’s totally confused face as I watch the Flight of the Concords. She just doesn’t get it. It’s awesome. She’ll just stare and stare at the TV with the funniest befuddled look on her face. What’s better is that she never seems to see it coming… we’re just lying there enjoying Entourage, and then BLAMO… she’s broadsided with befuddlement. I wonder if it’s a Black / White thing? Like how she doesn’t get Monty Python or almost all White comics except for the members of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour. (We actually went to see them live, which was as much fun an experience as the show itself. I think we were the only people in the whole auditorium laughing at Ron White’s homo erotic jokes.)
Anyway… here one of their most famous songs posted on youtube. First here’s the video of their song The Humans Are Dead from their TV show:
I think the live version is even funnier:
Hopefully I’ll be able to find my center again… I know that this is all very serious stuff. I hope you will forgive me.
I heard the two actors from the show interviewed by Terri Gross of Fresh Air on NPR. Very good interview and some funny stuff. So I tried to watch the show but it didn’t do much for me. Maybe if I had watched it from the beginning. I tried to watch Big Love but again I couldn’t get into it. Maybe you could do a Sunday TV edition of OH02.
I don’t get the popularity of Desperate Housewives. I didn’t like 30 Something or Seinfeld because everyone just whined. I think I am the only person in America who didn’t like those shows. I like British and Canadian comedy shows. The writing is great.
I think the Blue Collar Comedy guys are hilarious. I like most comedians no matter what the ethnic background. I heard three American Muslim comedians who tour together and I was LOL. There are a few comedians that I just don’t find funny, like Don Rickles and Dice Clay.
I wish the campaigning didn’t start so early. It burns everyone out. I pray we adopt the sane campaign rules in Great Britain. If I have my facts right, they can only campaign for six weeks before the election. Sounds like heaven and it would would go a long way to getting the gazillions out of fund raising.
I get Monty Python…it just aint funny!!…LOL…This show is NOT funny…maybe if you were drunk.
I just dont get how my smart(ass) brillant computer geek husband who can debate opera styles and the time continuum laughs hysterical at turds comming out of Cartman’s mouth???
How dare you…There are some white comedians I like…. I love Dice and Sam Kennison..I really liked Benny Hill back in the day. I am sure there are more but I just cant remember.
DG~Clay and Rickles are hillarious!!! I dont get british humor at all but my mom was very into Python and that late night show SOAP and Taxi…couldnt get it myself but k-saraah. I loved 30something though…I was in my 20s at the time LOL!
As for things being so early..I have to agree. Its all static right now.
I think humor is very personal. I think Monty Python is ok, sometimes very funny sometimes not. But I loved Faulty Towers. I think Red Green is hysterical but probably not everyone’s cup of tea. I like satire and political humor. I just saw a Wanda Sykes special on HBO – ROFL.
I think Flight of the Concords is probably a little generational. They are kind of slacker humor. My generation was into activism and Mort Sahl and the Smothers Brothers. Now there was so good stuff. I don’t this the guy who plays Borat is all that funny. I don’t like mean humor that hurts innocent people.
I also liked Fire Sign Theater a lot back in the day. I don’t think their stuff would go over too well now kind of like Cheech and Chong probably wouldn’t be very funny today. But there is no accounting for taste in humor so don’t try to make rational sense out of Mr. E’s taste in humor. My husband likes smaltzy ballads (I can’t stand them) and watches golf on TV (no matter what I can’t watch it). They don’t seem to fit his hyper personality but go figure. I do know that if I like something it’s like the kiss of death. The show will be cancelled,the band will break up or the product will be discontinued.
Editor,
I can’t say I blame you. The candidates you mentioned leave me wanting as well.
I have often thought that several of our recent Democratic nominees remind me of Monty Python. Specifically, Brave Sir Robin from Holy Grail.
“Sir Robin the Not-Quite-So-Brave-As-Sir-Lancelot — who had nearly fought the Dragon of Angnor, who had nearly stood up to the Vicious Chicken of Bristol, and who had personally wet himself at the Battle of Badon Hill”
I think that makes Jean the Chicken of Bristol.
I think you are on the wrong track with the Black / White thing. I strongly suspect it is a geek / not geek thing. (No offence, I’m an engineer/ profession nerd.) I wasn’t overly impressed with the song, but did laugh out loud at the binary solo. Proof, as if anyone needs more, that I am a geek.
I feel your pain. The world is truly messed up. Try laughing at it more. I have to believe that Mrs. Editor is an absolute joy. I find most of my joy in my family, especially the 4 year old.
Here’s a joke to brighten your day:
An engineer dies and reports to hell. Pretty soon, the engineer gets dissatisfied with the level of comfort in hell, and starts designing and building improvements. After a while, they’ve got air conditioning and flush toilets and escalators, and the engineer is a pretty popular guy. One day God calls Satan up on the telephone and says with a sneer, “So, how’s it going down there in hell?” Satan replies, “Hey things are going great. We’ve got air conditioning and flush toilets and escalators, and there’s no telling what this engineer is going to come up with next.” God replies, “What??? You’ve got an engineer? That’s a mistake — he should never have gotten down there; send him up here.” Satan says, “No way. I like having an engineer on the staff, and I’m keeping him.” God says, “Send him back up here or I’ll sue.” Satan laughs uproariously and answers, “Yeah, right. And just where are you going to get a lawyer?”
The first video with the robot costumes was SO LAME that I had serious concerns about you Mr. Editor. Ahem. Mrs. Editor, you have my sympathies!
Ok, ok. I have to admit it was kinda funny–at least the live version. I especially the binary sequence!
Good one Jeff. Kind of along those lines:
A physicist asks why does that work?
An engineer asks how does that work?
A Ph.D. in Philosophy asks, “Do you want fries with that?”
Jeff,
I have to be honest… You just made me laugh. As a former candidate for Congress who has stood on the stage with politicians, millionaires and lawyers (and sometimes all at the same time)… I enjoyed your joke as much as some people probably hated it…
Here’s something that’s not funny. In August of 2007, the “Cook Political Report” currently has Jean Schmidt from the Ohio 2nd Congressional District listed as R+13. Interpretation… This district is not even remotely vulnerable yet. This is a bit disturbing given that we have two Democratic candidates in the Ohio 2nd who have both raised more than $200,000 each. So, if that’s the case, why are the statistical experts still predicting another solid Republican victory in the Ohio 2nd? Because it is one of the most Republican Congressional Districts in America. Are we ever going to seriously win this thing or are we just going to keep messing around?
Does anybody have a serious plan to win?
And, editor, you (just like me) despite all of the things in our lives that might lead us to believe otherwise, YOU have a responsibility to continue this fight until the very end. You are a person who is truly capable of being instrumental in changing America. As a matter of fact, YOU already have and I am honored to have had the opportunity to get to know you. Don’t give up the fight. I will NEVER give up on the fight for the American dream for the people of Southern Ohio.
http://www.JimPARKER4ad.blogspot.com
NOT Bold and NOT Anonymous…
I think you’re on to something there Jeff. I am a joy and it is more of the geek thing.
I got one…Jack and Jill went up the hill….
I’m an economist by training, so of course we have our own set of canned jokes.
An economist is a fellow who can describe 100 ways to make love, but doesn’t know any girls.
An chemist, physicist and economist are stranded on an island with only a can of beans. They though for awhile about how they could open the can, then the chemist had an idea. “I’ll build a fire and we can heat the can until it explodes!” The physicist said, “great idea. I will calculate the trajectory of the beans to catch them after they explode. The economist shook his head and said, “No, no no. Let’s just assume we have a can opener.”
A mathematician, an accountant and an economist apply for the same job.
The interviewer calls in the mathematician and asks “What do two plus two equal?” The mathematician replies “Four.” The interviewer asks “Four, exactly?” The mathematician looks at the interviewer incredulously and says “Yes, four, exactly.”
Then the interviewer calls in the accountant and asks the same question “What do two plus two equal?” The accountant says “On average, four – give or take ten percent, but on average, four.”
Then the interviewer calls in the economist and poses the same question “What do two plus two equal?” The economist gets up, locks the door, closes the shade, sits down next to the interviewer and says, “What do you want it to equal”?
To all,
Alas I share Mr. Editor’s lament.
I too check this site to see what is really going on in the 2nd, yet see no real activity. Too early? Too Late?
Jim. Perhaps we are a solid Republican district in SW Ohio….perhaps we are just worn out from the crap that invades our lives to pay any attention to the political rhetoric being spewed by both sides of the aisle.
As for why this district gets an R+13 rating, yet the Dems have raised over 200K each….dig a bit deeper. TWO candidates on the DEM side have raised over 400K? Makes one really wonder. WHEN will our district, perhaps all districts, be represesented by someone who does NOT have to raise a quarter of a MILLION dollars for the PRIMARY.
Mr E…keep posting. I think we are WAY too early in the process for the folks to get excited or active.
As for me, I will continue to check this site, the fairest and best blog out there, on BOTH sides.
“Makes one really wonder. WHEN will our district, perhaps all districts, be represesented by someone who does NOT have to raise a quarter of a MILLION dollars for the PRIMARY.”
I share your concern. The Democratic Party claims to represent unions, trades and working men and women but when was the last time a carpenter or plumber ran for office. I am running against two Indian Hill millionaires in a Democratic primary. That seems odd to say the least.
I have this option on my donation page to highlight the problem.
23 Skidoo
For those of you how would like to give, but are worried about being hounded for more, consider the 23 Skidoo program. Click on the link below or donate any amount containing “23″ and you will never be asked to donate again. Friends of my wealthier opponents do this by giving the maximum contribution of $2300 dollars. I don’t expect that you can afford such generosity, so if you give $230, $1023, or $23, we have a way out for you.
http://www.sinnard.com/Involved.htm#skidoo