Al Franken, Comic

I was on another blog this morning where someone was disparaging Al Franken as “this comic.” I’m crossposting my response here, because…

I’m getting tired of this “just a comic” trope. Being a successful comic, which Franken is, requires a number of talents useful to a politician. It requires you to be able to communicate to a broad range of people. It requires you to look through things that are “supposed to” be to see what is. It requires an ability keep your audience on your side while making them uncomfortable.

Now, sure, a comedian can take all that and never apply it beyond battle-of-the-sexes jokes. Maybe I don’t want that comedian to be a politician. But that isn’t what Franken has done. Have you read Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them or his other political books? Franken used his talents to dissect the conservative policy machine when almost no one else was doing it. He could have just taken potshots at personalities, but instead, he combined the potshots with substantial information on why those policies are based on bunk and actively hurtful.

So when someone dismisses Franken as a comic, I have to wonder. Have they paid no attention to Franken, or are they shilling for the other team and expecting that I’m too dumb to notice they don’t have any better arguments?

Al Franken, Comic
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What?!?

Greg Laden reposted this blog post last night. I thought at the time that he was seeing someone haul out Dr. Watson’s tired old brand of racism in reaction to the presidential campaign, but that may not be the case. I went to the Seed Media Group website after reading the post and discovered that Dr. Watson is still an adviser to the Seed board. That’s just…I don’t have enough words to say how stupid a decision that is.

Or maybe I do. Below is the text of the letter I will be sending to each member of Seed’s board. If you’d like to express your feelings on the subject, here is the address. Alternatively, if you agree with me, feel free to e-mail Seed Media at [email protected] with link to this post to let them know.

Let’s see what it takes to get them to understand that this is a problem that won’t go away by being ignored for a few months.

It has recently come to my attention that James D. Watson is still listed by Seed Media Group as an adviser to the Board of Directors. This decision by Seed Media surprises, dismays and, frankly, angers me.

Dr. Watson’s remarks–not just last October, but previously as well–represent an egregious misrepresentation of scientific consensus on a number of questions directly related to his field. Seed Media claims to be “committed to strengthening public interest in science and improving public understanding of science.” I fail to see how embracing a scientist who has made such statements is in keeping with the mission you purport to embrace. The bloggers you employ as the public face of Seed Media and Dr. Watson’s former employer have already clearly stated by word and action that Dr. Watson’s remarks are incompatible with the pursuit of scientific understanding.

I am baffled that you, as a director of Seed Media, continue to sully your reputation and the reputation of the company you steward by keeping someone like Dr. Watson as your adviser. If I or anyone else is to take Seed’s mission seriously, you must take immediate steps to make your relationship to Dr. Watson clear. If you will not terminate his position as board adviser immediately, make a public statement explaining how you reconcile taking Dr. Watson’s advice with the pursuit of your mission.

I look forward to your prompt response.


Update: The problem seems to be fixed now. Watson is no longer listed as board adviser. I thank Seed Media very kindly for saving me the postage of mailing the letters and for being responsive to their customers.

What?!?

You May Already Have Lost

I was walking to work the other morning through the skyway. I passed a business with a TV running one of the 24-hour news channels, and there was Ed McMahon. The banner said something about him needing cash to avoid a foreclosure. I couldn’t help myself. I laughed hard enough to draw stares.

I’d like to be more sympathetic. I really would. But then I start wondering just how much money he got pushing sweepstakes. You know, the kind that had my grandmother subscribing to magazines she didn’t want and wouldn’t read because she might “already have won.” It took my mother at least a couple of years to persuade this formerly sharp lady–who’d had a couple of ministrokes by then and was on medication for other things that left her a bit bewildered–that blowing a stamp on these things was fine but to leave the magazines alone.

What cut of my grandparents’ retirement did McMahon get? If he wants to answer that, and tell me what good cause he spent it on, then maybe I’ll consider generating a little sympathy for his [sniff] desperate plight.

You May Already Have Lost

Really, Mr. Davies?

Who in their right minds invites the writer of “Daleks in Manhattan” back to write another two-part episode of Doctor Who? Who films a cliffhanger that involves The Doctor suddenly being too dense to break glass? Who brings back a favorite action heroine character only to have her spend most of two episodes in a coma? And who doesn’t recognize when an ending is so constrained by the law of conservation of characters as to be completely predictable?

Just askin’.

Really, Mr. Davies?

GTA4

Grand Theft Auto 4 has some problems, and I’m not talking about the ones that get lots of press. I mean it hangs consistently on some game systems. We have one. After trying five copies from a local big-box retailer and finally persuading them to find a way to work around their no-return policy on games, we decided to try a specialty game store to see whether we might have better luck with a different pressing of the disk.

We walked in, and it was just us and the young woman (yay!) behind the counter. Ben asked, “So, have people been returning GTA4?”

She said yes, and we sighed. He explained our situation and that we were hoping they’d be able to fix it. “Oh,” she said. “I hadn’t heard about that. They returned it because it was too violent.”

Blink.

Blink, blink.

Blink.

“Right. We’ll take a copy then. Thanks.” We managed not to laugh until we got out of the store.

What planet do you have to live on not to know what to expect from a GTA game? How do you maintain that level of ignorance and still be in a position to buy and play it?

That copy didn’t work either, by the way. So now we’re screaming for the patch.

GTA4

Wrong, Wrong, Wrong

So I’m on this client team at work, one of several. I have my own tiny little fiefdom, a project I run pretty much independently. I took it over because someone had to, and it turned out my experience was a good fit. Everything runs smoothly. The client, who wasn’t happy with how the project was going before I took over, is happy with me. So far, so good.

Then we hit a few weeks ago. That was when I discovered that the client is not as thrilled with other parts of their experience with us. Suddenly, “They’re always so happy with you and your work,” which I’ve heard before and didn’t think much of, has context. It has weight. Suddenly too many people know who I am. All the tiny little decisions I make every day have echoes I wasn’t hearing before.

Now people want to meet me. Tomorrow, in fact. I’ll walk into the room with a real smile on my face and be very happy to see everyone, but that will be surface. Underneath will be the constant little whisper of “I didn’t sign up for this. I agreed that a bunch of stuff needed to get done and I could do it, but I don’t remember promising anything like this.”

And I haven’t a clue what I’ll wear. Yeesh.

Wrong, Wrong, Wrong

New Science Fiction Movie

Not that the makers of Expelled have copped to the fact that their film is fiction or that the little bit of science in it is ripped off from an educational video, but hey, it’s still science fiction, right? I can’t recommend it though. Even the Nazis (yes, there are Nazis) aren’t enough to keep it exciting. When even Fox News calls your anti-science film “sloppy” and “not just a little boring,” you know you’ve got problems.

Did I mention it’s narrated by Ben Stein? Depending on your reaction to his voice, that makes it either a great cure for insomnia or a recipe for working yourself into a homicidal rage.

Spend the money on good popcorn instead. It’ll leave a better taste in your mouth.

New Science Fiction Movie

Speaking Out

I walk to work. A mile and a half each way, mostly downtown. I’ve been hit before, although it wasn’t serious, and the close calls have replaced coffee as a stimulant some mornings. Too many people are just too intent on where they want to go to look around and see who may be affected.

In order to counteract this, I make a lot of eye contact with drivers, not all of it friendly. If someone creeps up on the crosswalk as I’m crossing, their bumper gets a dirty stare. If they do it again, they get a special, just-for-drivers, WTF look. Someone who’s already in the crosswalk (even though no one ever manages to turn there against the light) may get a knock on the hood to let them know I’m there and using my right of way.

This may not make me the most ingratiating spokesperson for pedestrians. But as long as my life and other things I hold dear (my legs, my mobility, my independence…) are at stake, I don’t care. I’m much more concerned that people know there’s someone between them and their destination, someone besides them who has a stake in what they’re trying to do.

Speaking Out

Oh, LEGO

Ben’s birthday is today. I know he’d love more Star Wars LEGOs, but he won’t be getting them from me. And despite everything Lucas has done, it’s not about Star Wars.

I played with LEGOs as a kid whenever I could. They’re the ultimate in undirected play. They don’t require great dexterity, they come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, and they don’t get knocked over by stray breezes or brothers. LEGOs were great.

Then, a few years ago, I walked into the LEGO store at Hugedale (Snoopydale at the time). It’s a great looking place, with art that explores the limits of what can be done with their product. It’s also filled with ecstatic screaming children, miserable screaming children, and children screaming that they need “THIS–RIGHT NOW!” Ahem. Anyway.

A couple of steps into the store was a barrel of LEGO-figure key chains. It took me a few seconds to process what I was seeing. Then a few more to get my breath back. I chirped, “Hey, Ben, look. You can grow up to be a fireman.” Hold up one key chain. “Or a doctor.” Another. “Or a policeman. Or Darth Vader. Or an astronaut.” Drop the voice by an octave. “Or a girl!”

Bastards.

No more LEGOs for Ben’s birthday. Not this year. Not ever.

Oh, LEGO