My guest this week is Brett Winterble. Brett is not only a foreign policy guru–but is also a really good radio talk show host. Listen, or the baby seal gets it!
Check out Brett’s stuff at BrettWinterble.com
Podcast: Download
This originally appeared at NewsReal Blog.
Breaking news out of Cuba on Tuesday as former Cuban President Fidel Castro resigned from his post as first secretary in the Central Committee of the Communist Party. The move was made after a series of reforms had been passed by the Communist Party Congress that introduced minor free market reforms to the island nation’s economy. Among the reforms passed were term limits for “elected” officials and state job cuts.
From Google News:
Fidel Castro confirmed his exit from the Communist Party leadership on Tuesday, ceding power to his brother Raul as delegates prepare to vote on changes that could bring term limits to key posts.
The move came after the sixth Communist Party Congress approved a flurry of measures on Monday aimed at keeping Cuba’s centrally planned economy from collapse but without any broad embrace of market-oriented change.
…Reforms include the eventual trimming of a million state jobs and the decentralization of the agricultural sector.
In a move that has shocked party loyalists inside Cuba, rumors run rampant that Castro has sent people to Iowa to test the waters for a Fidel in 2012 presidential run. I talked to a senior Castro adviser, James Carville, who expressed hope that Castro could challenge President Obama in next year’s election.
Obama is weak and has moved too far to the left. He is destroying the Democratic Party that was once led by the great Jimmy Carter. He’s hiring too many people and expanding government too much. We believe we can, at the very least, pull Mr. Obama to the right a little bit.
Let’s talk about term limits in this campaign. Let’s talk about cutting state workers off the payrolls. How about eliminating farm subsidies? I mean, I love socialism as much as the next guy but even I see that the Obama administration has gone too far.
I could not reach anyone at the White House for comment. I did run into film director Michael Moore outside a Denny’s in Flint, Michigan. He was stunned that Castro would challenge Obama. Commenting on Castro’s 2012 chances, Moore said:
This is silly. How can he say the United States needs to cut government jobs? That’s easy for him to say. Cuba has a fantastic infrastructure. Their schools are top notch. They have the best health care in the world. For crying out loud they are Cuba! They set the standard for all of us.
The United States needs to continue President Obama’s policies. We need more federal workers. We need more shovel ready jobs. It should be a fundamental right of every American to have access to Cuban style health care. Just when we are getting close to becoming a paradise like Cuba, Castro wants to ruin it. I guess this is his revenge for the Bay of Pigs. Got any Tums?
Wait…he wasn’t born in this country was he?
When I brought up Castro’s citizenship, Carville laughed and stated for the record:
What is Michael Moore a birther? Fidel was born in San Francisco. He has a long form birth certificate. Our comrade Governor Jerry Brown will vouge for us.
NewsReal will continue to follow this story as developments…develop.
Fingers hosts The Snark Factor Radio Program on FTR Radio. His website can be found at FingersMalloy.com. Follow Fingers on Twitter here.
Listen, I know there are other shitty songs out there.
However, I am a torpedo of truth when it comes to exposing the shittastic music of Train. But last week in a gas station (while buying a liter of Mt. Dew and 2 apple fritters), I was reminded of another song that needs to die. The song that was playing over the gas station’s speakers was Mr. Jones by Counting Crows.
I pose this question to you-Which song is worse: Hey, Soul Sister or Mr. Jones?
Exhibit A–Train
Exhibit B–Counting Crows
What say you?
(polls)
Now before I get comments about other shittastic songs, I know I could have included anything written by Jon Bon Jovi or some one hit wonder…but that’s too easy. The two songs in this poll are both examples of audio terrorism.
But, honorable mention goes to Plain White T’s for this…
The radio hootenanny is back! But is Planned Parenthood really going to merge with PBS? Listen and find out.
Podcast: Download
Nationally syndicated radio talk show host Roger Hedgecock talks to the Snark Factor nation. We discuss meatloaf, the Dewey decimal System and you…
Podcast: Download
The debut of “Ask Fingers” on the Snark Factor. My buddy Jen Jacobs gives me a hand in answering a question that gave me fits…
Podcast: Download
Blogger and GOP candidate for the Senate in the great state of Maine joined me on the radio hootenanny.
Podcast: Download
- Not So Tickle Me Elmo
This post originally appeared at NewsReal Blog.
Secret documents uncovered by Fingersmalloy.com have unveiled a plot concocted by Representative Nancy Pelosi to, under the guise of a budget cutting measure, merge Planned Parenthood with the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).
The purpose of this maneuver would not only be to secure funding for both entities–but also to begin providing sex education for children as young as two.
When I contacted Rep. Pelosi’s office, her spokesperson, Iva Madetisup, did not deny the existence of a PP-PBS merger plan.
Both of these programs are not only important to women, but also critical for the survival of the United States. Neither family planning or sex education for toddlers can be left up to individuals. Government involvement is essential.
It’s a match made in heaven. Let’s take ‘Sesame Street’ for example. Instead of The Count counting bats, he can count condoms. Elmo can give breast exams. Oscar the Grouch can pass out morning after pills. This is a mach made in heaven…I mean if heaven were real. Yes I’m sane.
Count Condom
During a speech for Public Broadcasting employees at PBS headquarters last week, Vice President Joe Biden talked about the possible merger, and what it meant for PBS.
PBS is Americana. So is Planned Parenthood. This merger will insure that women’s reproductive rights are protected. It will also insure that young children will not only learn their 1-2-3′s and ABC’s–but also the birds and the bees.
I can only tell you that PBS would not be what it is today without Fred Rogers. And ‘Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood’ will be an essential part of this merger. I’m told Fred is here today. Fred stand up and let ‘em see ya.
He’s dead? Oh God love him. What am I talking about? Well I tell you what, Fred is making everyone else stand up. Stand up for Fred. This is a big f***ing deal!
Oscar the Grouchy Pharmacist
There has been talk that Mr. Hooper’s store will be converted into an organic foods store/abortion clinic. NewsReal will continue to cover this story as developments…develop.*
Fingers hosts The Snark Factor Radio Program on FTR Radio. His website can be found at FingersMalloy.com. Follow Fingers on Twitter here.
This post originally appeared at NewsReal Blog.
Sunday night, ReelzChannel broadcast the two part finale of a controversial eight part miniseries entitled; The Kennedys. Many networks passed on the miniseries; including but not limited to the History Channel, Showtime, FX, Starz, Direct TV’s 101 Network, Bass Fishing Network, Dental Floss TV, Air America and NBC (you get the idea).
Critics of the show blame the script, making the case that the miniseries isn’t historically accurate. One of The Kennedys producers claims that networks passed on the project do to pressure put upon them by the Kennedy family. After watching the entire miniseries, my guess is that it was a combination of both.
However, I find the notion that The Kennedys is controversial somewhat laughable. Let’s make a list of some of the “characters” in the miniseries and see if we learn anything.
Tom Wilkinson as Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr.- Wilkinson played the role of the family patriarch nobly. I read someone tweet that his voice sounded a little bit like a Boston Hannibal Lecter, which is an accurate description. In the miniseries, Kennedy Senior is portrayed as an ultra rich, power thirsty S.O.B. that would do anything, and spend anything to get his boys to the top. Oh…and he liked to fool around on his wife. Is this news? Controversy? Not so much.
Greg Kinnear as President John F. Kennedy- Kinnear did a magnificent job bringing to life the 35th President of the United States. Kinnear’s President Kennedy, while seeming to care very much for his wife Jackie, also had his dad’s penchant for screwing around behind his wife’s back. What a shocking revelation! Jack Kennedy loved the ladies? The hell you say? Again, what controversy?
Katie Homes as Jackie Kennedy- So, The Kennedys would have you believe that Jackie was a classy lady that had to put up with a lot of heartache due to her husband’s wandering eye. Wow, this keeps getting more and more controversial. Have we not heard this story about the Kennedy family 100 times before? Controversy? Still waiting. And finally…
Barry Pepper as Robert F. Kennedy- Pepper portrays a man that is fiercely loyal to his brother Jack. He is also a highly intelligent, arrogant bastard that made many enemies inside and outside of Washington. Hmm… RFK was cutthroat and didn’t get Christmas cards from J. Edgar Hoover. Man all this new information is earth-shattering is it not?
So what did we learn? Jack and his dad loved the ladies, Bobby could be a jerk and Jackie was a class act. Oh, and apparently Jack and Bobby did not have a brother named Teddy. He was never mentioned in the entire series.
All in all we learned nothing. If the Kennedy family really tried to bury this series–thinking that they were going to keep some of these revelations a secret (like these are secrets), then they are completely delusional.
Was The Kennedys historically accurate? Probably not. But since when does that matter? Was Oliver Stone’s JFK or W. historically accurate? Why are these networks worried about the historical accuracy of a Kennedy movie?
The Kennedys is one part History Channel and one part Days of our Lives. If given the chance, the American people would have been able to figure that out.
With the television landscape cluttered with such shows as Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Real Housewives of 10 Different Cities, Cake Boss, Cupcake Boss, Lemon Meringue Pie Boss, America’s Worst/Best Restaurant, Jersey Shore, Paulie Shore, Dinah Shore, Amazing Race, Amazing Grace, Will and Grace, Live to Dance, Dance to Live, Secret Millionare and reruns of Alf- I have to ask one question:
Who in the hell is a television executive to tell anyone what reality is? That’s controversial…
Fingers hosts The Snark Factor Radio Program on FTR Radio. His website can be found at FingersMalloy.com. Follow Fingers on Twitter here.
“Ask Fingers” is a new advice column for Parcbench readers. Fingers Malloy has no experience as a relationship, financial or career counselor. In fact, we aren’t entirely sure that he has ever been married, owned stock or even gainfully employed. Fingers claims to have been a bartender in the 1990′s, which is good enough for us.
Dear Fingers: Jack Klugman- Oscar or Quincy? – Morticia626, President of the Jack Klugman fan club.
That’s a difficult question for me to answer. What information are you trying to obtain by asking such a question? Is this your version of Ginger vs. Mary Ann? That would be kind of weird, being that it’s the same person. And if that is the kind of answer you want from me, well I can’t help you.
However, what really concerns me is that you are still interested in Quincy. The show ended in 1983. Lots of things have happened since then Morticia; Facts of Life, Silver Spoons, Alf, Full House, Fraggle Rock, After M*A*S*H, The A-Team, Punky Brewster, MacGyver, Growing Pains, Falcon Crest, Mama’s Family, Doogie Howser, M.D., Bill Cosby’s PicturePages, Mork & Mindy, Night Court, The Fall Guy, Vegas, CHiPs, Alice, G.L.O.W., Teen Wolf, Press Your Luck, Who’s the Boss?, B.J. and the Bear, Family Ties, A Different World, The Greatest American Hero, Max Headroom, Webster, Matlock, Life Goes On, Taxi, Charlie’s Angels, Magnum P.I., Remote Control, Gimme a Break, V, Police Academy-The Animated Series, Murder She Wrote, 227, My Two Dads, Alien Nation, Amen, The Arsenio Hall Show, Highway to Heaven, Trapper John, M.D., Friday Night Videos, The Gong Show, It’s Garry Shandling’s Show, Fame, Hart to Hart, The Love Boat, St. Elsewhere, Hill Street Blues, Solid Gold, Puttin on The Hits, In the Heat of the Night, It’s a Living, Police Squad!, Barney Miller, Kate & Allie, Family Ness, Remington Steele, Empty Nest, The Rockford Files, Bosom Buddies (the only thing Tom Hanks has done that was any good), Fantasy Island, The Highwayman, The Ropers, Dear John, Designing Women, Not Necessarily the News, China Beach, Too Close for Comfort, Riptide, Jake and the Fatman, Coach, Eight is Enough, L.A. Law, Yo! MTV Raps, Hello Larry, Major Dad, Still the Beaver, Double Trouble, Murphy Brown, The Hitchhiker, Night Flight, Soap and T.J. Hooker.
Morticia, my advice is to move on. Forget about Jack Klugman and that Felix tramp stamp tattoo you have always wanted. Godspeed young lady.
Dear Fingers: If people who think that Obama isn’t a citizen are called “birthers” then what will the people be called who don’t believe that a President Donald Trump has real hair? Joe from Oregon
MeghanMcCain’s
Dear Fingers: How do you distinguish an “April Fool” from the other sorts? Tom in North Carolina
That’s easy, since most April Fool’s joke are lame there is an easy litmus test to notice the difference. If a person still thinks Rick Rolling is funny, he is an April fool…
Source for all those awesome 80′s tv shows was Retro Junk.
