Penguins

Today is April Fools day. I am not a fan of practical jokes on any day including this one. I especially do not understand why news organizations that depend upon their credibility for their very existence, would carry them out. But having said that, I will give a pass to the following prank pulled by the BBC in 2008, because it is so beautifully done and leaves you smiling even after you realize that you have had your leg pulled. [Read more…]

The 2012 election dilemma

Andy Borowitz points out how a presidential contest between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney is going to pose an agonizing problem for bigots., saying “Across the U.S., voters who describe themselves as bigots are complaining that a first-ever matchup between a Black man and a Mormon, while historic, is forcing them to ask a difficult question: which group do they hate more?”

Although Borowitz is a humorist, I think this will actually be a real problem for some bigots, except for that subset of them who are also nutcases and think that Obama is a Muslim. Then it becomes an easy choice in favor of Romney.

Santorum should not try to think with his heart

The late Carl Sagan was much sought after by the popular press to comment on science issues and he would rightly be cautious about expressing opinions about things that were unknown. He would sometimes be pressed to provide a more definitive response, being asked what his ‘gut feeling’ was, to which he replied “But I try not to think with my gut. Really, it’s okay to reserve judgment until the evidence is in.” [Read more…]

Whatever happens, we are always the good guys

The Daily Show had a terrific two-part series on the US cutting off all funds to UNESCO because they admitted Palestine to that organization, thus hurting many programs whose goals are to try and meet the needs of desperately poor children around the world.

Note how former congressman Robert Wexler, supposedly a progressive Democrat, supports this inhumane action. When it comes to kowtowing to the Israel lobby, so-called progressive Democrats toe the line as dutifully as anyone else.

Part 1

Part 2

(These clips appeared on March 15, 2012. To get suggestions on how to view clips of The Daily Show and The Colbert Report outside the US, please see this earlier post.)