Image by Official U.S. Navy Imagery via FlickrFrom Denny: The massive storm, Hurricane Irene, that came on land as a category 1 storm on Sunday, left behind billions of dollars in damage and plenty of clean-up headaches. The devastation is widespread because of the relentless 12 hours of rain that pummeled an already soaked landscape.
The video clips tell the story: Rivers of water rushing through a Vermont town, mud-slimed furniture thrown out of houses during clean-up.
Those of us here in Louisiana know the pain of these people. We deal with flooding threats every year. We bear the brunt of extra unexpected financial worries that come from these disasters. We understand how difficult it is to keep your attitude positive and start over once again.
The only good news that may come out of this storm is that the rebuilding may stimulate the economy is these areas. To date this huge hurricane affected 66 million people in America, the largest ever in our history.
Dishing out spicy liberal social commentary and critical thinking news analysis on America, world politics, the news, fun political humor, cartoons - and a little poetry by Independent journalist blogger Denny Lyon.
Dennys Links
▼
31 August 2011
29 August 2011
Darth Vadar VP Cheney Crosses Bush In New Book
Alex Brandon/AP |
From Denny: Former VP Dick Cheney is out to settle the score with his former boss, President Bush 43. Cheney, often likened to the villain in Star Wars, Darth Vadar, is best known for his reputation as the GOP hatchet man. He is also now literally the man with no heart. What beats inside his chest is a mechanical heart. He plugs himself into the electrical outlet every night. Talk about the creep factor.
In this news clip he contradicts Bush's account of how it happened when he and Bush made the decision to go into Iraq. Yeah? Well, what I remember is the New York Times article back in August of 2001 - before the terrorist attack - detailing how the Pentagon had plans to go into Iraq. That article also discussed how Bush and Cheney told the Pentagon to dust off the plan, take it off the shelf and put it into action. Somehow, that little factoid has escaped public attention all these years.
24 August 2011
Funny Jon Stewart Comics Explain American Politics
Photo by Beverly and Pack @ flickr |
Society must have survived because of the comics that help us laugh at our annoying government while we patiently wait to "throw the bums out" at the next available election. :) I find Jon Stewart and his stable of fellow funny guys quite refreshing. Comics sure do have a wonderful way of putting it all into perspective, along with stabbing pins into the hot air pundit and political balloons.
Now if MSNBC would hire back Cenk Uygar, Keith Olbermann and other smart commentators who can't be fooled and are looking out for the public's best interests...
Meanwhile, check out the hilarious look at both our American political parties, my Democrats and the overt corporate puppets, the Republicans - who believe in coddling billionaires. Who could forget at the Iowa Republican Straw Poll state fair where Mitt Romney actually said, "Corporations are people too." Unbelievable. The comics don't have to make up this stuff because it's handed to them on a silver platter marked "Take me; I'm yours!"
For good measure the comics include the Socialist Party and the bizarros over at the Tea Party. While there are five clips they are all short in time to view. Get a grin to propel you through the rest of the work week while we all run for cover from the 98 degree summer heat and the occasional impromptu hurricane.
17 August 2011
Funny Jon Stewart Mocks Obamacare Culture Wars: Birth Control
From Denny: Jon Stewart sure makes the case for birth control for the parents of the very people who miraculously grow up just to vote against themselves in favor of financial serfdom by the Big Business puppet masters. Maybe we can come up with a pill that fertilizes only critical thinkers? Wouldn't that be a most interesting world?
Who doesn't enjoy silly dancing birth control pills, courtesy of crazy humorist Jon Stewart? There are actually still places in the world where birth control is considered controversial. With a world population rapidly approaching eight billion we all might want to consider a neighborhood Mardi Gras parade featuring these dancers. Maybe if we entertain those clueless voters just like Fox News we might gain some ground with serious thinking and serious issues.
15 August 2011
3 Polls: Americans Furious At The Tea Party
From Denny: Three different polls declare theTea Party's popularity is rapidly running downhill. There is a backlash against this ultra conservative self-serving political movement.
CNN, The New York Times and CBS recorded an all time high unfavorable rating this past month for the Tea Party and its goals.
What the Tea Party did achieve is to wake up the Independent voters who rarely pay close attention to politics compared to loyalist Republicans and Democrats.
12 August 2011
Egypt: Obama Blunders With $65 Million In Unwanted Democracy Grants
15 July 2011 - Tahrir Square protests, Photo by Kahlil Hamr/AP |
From Denny: President Obama campaigned on how things would change in Washington. Well, he lied. Not much has changed, at least for the better.
The New Egypt
Fast forward to The Egypt Revolution and their transitional government getting its feet wet trying to create a new Egypt.
What does Obama do? He tries to do what America has always done: patronizingly decide what is good for someone else because we want to give it to you. Of course, foreign country gifts always come with a price tag, now don't they?
11 August 2011
Jon Stewart Exposes New American Credit Rating: The Obama Downgrade
From Denny: Only Jon Stewart would think of this crazy scenario - or dare to air it. Comic Larry Wilmore delivers a flawlessly funny run on the black stereotype in relation to America's new credit rating, courtesy of a downgrade from S & P. The other credit rating agencies did not follow suit. Nor did they make a $2 trillion error in projections like S & P who still refuse to own their colossal mistake.
Basically, these credit rating agencies were paid off by Wall Street to rate various companies as good risks when clearly they were not. The second video clip is of law professor John Coffee who explains how that tangled web of deceit created the economic mess we are experiencing today.
09 August 2011
Funny Jon Stewart: Obama 50th Birthday Greetings From The Media
From Denny: President Obama gets funny 50th birthday wishes from Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert and Harry Smith, formerly of CBS and now over at NBC. In the August blistering heat, two comedians didn't think twice about blistering Obama, turning up the political heat for his birthday on August 4th.
The truth hurts, as the saying goes, well, at least the comedians made it funny. Obama can look to Harry Smith to give him a kinder, gentler birthday wish. Check out The Owners Guide to Turning 50 from Harry Smith. "You are only as old as Congress makes you feel."
03 August 2011
Funny Jon Stewart on Debt Ceiling Debacle: Dealageddon Analysis
From Denny: Have some fun with Jon Stewart as he explains our own politics to us and how our economy is governed by greedy Bozos. (polite version)
Don't you just love the way the politicians finally saw the fury of the American public over their posturing and ran for cover? They inked that crappy deal so fast it made their heads rotate like a bad horror movie.
Congress decided to put the fate of our economy in the hands of a Super Committee. If this turns out to be anything like the Gang of Six, then good luck.
Jon also mocks the media analysts which is great fun too. That's in the clip of the Analysis Mob. Enjoy all 3 hilarious video clips because there is nothing better to do while America swelters in this incredible heat - but to go online for distraction. :)
02 August 2011
Funny Jon Stewart Explains Compromised Inked Debt Ceiling Deal
From Denny: As only Jon Stewart can straighten out The Crooked Speak of our politicians, he is astounded at this crappy debt deal. Considering that 77 percent of the country is of the opinion that our politicians acted like "spoiled children" during this international crisis, Stewart has a lot of agreement in the country.
Stewart takes clips from Obama news conferences and speeches from seven months ago to just recently to demonstrate just how much Obama caved in to Tea Party demands. Like the rest of us, Jon thought the debt deal compromise sucked.