Kontemptible Karl – Update!

We’ve come to this remote island, and you’ll never believe what we’ve found.  The fugitive, Rove!  (Seems he can’t hide here, either.)

Simply serve an arrest warrant, with the assistance of the local authorities, and he’ll be in U.S. custody in no time!  Find out: why he outed a CIA agent, how he targeted and harassed an “unfriendly” governor . . . all on the sly.

I’m Bill Curtis.  And I’ve just found . . . the fugitive, Rove.

Karl rove can’t hide anymore.  Get the Contempt of Congress charge back on the table, and restore this country’s Rule of Law!

(Uncle Rave has been granted full immunity for any resemblance this may have to any actual telecom commercial.)   YUR

The Kontemptible Karl Rove

If you, or I, flagrantly ignored a subpoena we’d be held in contempt of court, and we’d be facing possible jail-time.  Hiding behind the cloak of Executive Privilege – which has not formally been granted to him, yet – has become the equivalent of a neocon “Get Out of Jail Free” card.  It’s making a mockery of the Rule of Law.

Contact your Congressman by calling the Capitol Hill switchboard, at 202-224-3121, and tell him/her to hold Karl Rove in contempt of Congress.   YUR 

Rove Ignores Subpoena – House Judiciary Sics the “Dog” on Him

The House Judiciary Committee has just announced that they have hired the services of Duane “Dog” Chapman to bring in the fugitive, Karl Rove.  We understand, from President Bush’s own words, that Rove is on the run.  “Karl Rove is moving on down the road.”  And, apparently Mr. Bush is still in contact with the fugitive, Rove.  “I’ll be on the road behind you here in a little bit.”  The fiendishly defiant Rove was heard to be taunting his pursuers, stating: “Well, I’m Moby Dick and they’re after me.”  Authorities are warning the public that Rove is “crafty, acerbic, and cutthroat”.

Rove, a college dropout, who got his start by working for George H.W. Bush in the 1970s got to know George W. Bush and masterminded his rise to the Texas governor’s mansion and the White House.  They quickly became known as “Pinkie and The Brain”.

This just in from A&E studios.  “Dog” has tracked the fugitive Rove down to Ingram, Texas.  I’m Bill Curtis.  We take you now to our very first ever live broadcast of “Dog the Bounty Hunter”. 

BC:  Duane!  Are you OK?  What happened here, Dog?

Dog:  I tracked the perp to this trailer park, here in Ingram.  I saw through the window that he was sittin’ in a lawn chair, wearin’ nothin’ but his boxers and a wife-beater, drinkin’ a Lone Star.  D’ja ever drink Lone Star, Bill?

BC:  I can’t say that I’ve had the pleasure, Dog.  But, back to the fugitive Rove.  What happened here?

Dog:  Well, I kicked in the door, like I always do, and I yells at him:  On the ground, dirtbag!  Eat the carpet!

BC:  Sounds like you had him dead to rights, Duane.  Where is he?

Dog:  Ye-aah.  Well, I’m gettin’ there.  Instead of him gettin’ on the floor, he just started cryin’ like a little bitch.  He was goin’ on about how he can’t go to prison, and something about delicate alibaster skin.  But, then he stopped cryin’ and offered me one a his beers.  This messed up drama scene caught me a little by surprise, and I was pretty thirsty, so I says:  Sure, I’ll take a brewski.

BC:  Oh no, Dog!  You didn’t!

Dog:  He looked me square in the eye, with this strange little smile.  I reached for the beer . . . and he hauls off and kicks me in the nads!  I went down like a ton a bricks.

BC:  You fell for the old “Have a beer” ploy?  How could you, Dog?

Dog:  Before I could make it up he’d run outta there, laughin’ like he was the Riddler or sumpin.  And, for a four-eyed, bald, fat little f___(CENSORED) he moves pretty good.

BC:  Well, there you have it, folks.  The fugitive Rove, utilizing his crafty and cutthroat wiles, has eluded capture.  He is a slippery one, folks.  The authorities warn us that only trained professionals should attempt to approach the fugitive Rove.  He’s very dangerous, and this being Texas, he may be armed.  I’m Bill Curtis.

We now return you to A&E studios, to our previously scheduled show “Biography”: Richard Nixon (“I am not a crook”), already in progress.

To be continued???

Your Uncle Rave     

A Blessing for Lina

Dearest, sweetest, cutest granddaughter,

You have no idea how precious you are to us.

And though you know not of your perfection,

The spirits of LOVE have made you thus.

With ten strong fingers, and ten wiggly toes,

(Not to mention your darling button nose)

You’ve captured our mind, our heart and our soul

And completed your Mom and Dad,

You have made them whole.

Your Lola and Grampa send you a LOVE

That’s so strong and so true,

On this blessed day, the First Birthday of you!

 

Love Always,

Lola Carol and Grampa Rave

Cryptoquote Controversy

Apparently the quote in yesterday’s, 06/16/08, Cryptoquote – “Rivers in the United States are so polluted that acid rain makes them cleaner” – has been misattributed to Andrew Malcolm!  And, just how does your Uncle Rave know this, you might ask?  Well, the esteemed columnist, of both the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times, was nice enough to take the time to post a comment on this humble blog.  He simply wrote: “I never said or wrote that. Otherwise, it’s perfectly fine.”  (And, I do quote!  Although, I suppose someone could’ve snuck on to his e-mail, while he was away from his desk, or – God forbid – someone could’ve hacked/hijacked his e-mail address!  But, I doubt it.)

This does bring up an interesting subject, though.  Sometimes (many times?) things on the internet can take on a life of their own.  Fortunately, this quote is pretty unobjectionable, barring that Mr. Malcolm isn’t one of those Big Oil loving, damn-the-torpedoes, global warming denier types.  But, the quote IS out there, on numerous Quote sites, and all attributed to Mr. Malcolm.  It reminds me of all the quips credited to the likes of George Carlin, Woody Allen, and Steven Wright.  There are tons of lines, out in cyber-space, that weren’t actually uttered, or written, by these well-known funnymen.  Even with various denials these mis-quotes just seem to go on and on.  They’ve taken on a life of their own.  To be generous, they’re un-truths.

It’s not just the internet, though, and it’s not just the present.  It’s also in the print media, the radio, and on television.  (Especially, on television!)  We are fed a very carefully manipulated reality on a daily basis.  The classic, most devastating, example of this would be during the run-up to the U.S. invasion of Iraq.  We were told that Iraq was – somehow – involved in the attacks of 9/11.  We were told that Iraq had WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction, for those of you who have forgotten)  And, we were told that Iraq desperately needed “regime change”, because Saddam was ‘killing his own people’.  Of course there was some truth in that last one, but it’s probably THE biggest fish story of this modern age.  It was getting to the point where just about ANY human bone, dug up in Mesopotamia, was due to Saddam Hussein’s savagery!  We heard these fabrication/allegations so frequently that a majority of Americans ended up believing them.  And, unfortunately, an all too large percentage of Americans still believe these . . . things, to this day.

Well now, some of you are wondering why your Uncle Rave wrote ‘and it’s not just the present’.  That’s because this type of media manipulation has been seen before.  How many of you have heard this quote before: “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.”?  This was from way back in the World War II era.  It’s only a partial quote too, because the speaker goes on to say: “The lie can be maintained for only such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie.  It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”  Wow!  History buffs will remember this being said by Joseph Goebbels, Adolf Hitler’s Minister of Propaganda.  This unfortunate truth/strategy worked very well, for a fairly long period of time.  Just think how certain people, who have studied Mr. Goebbels and Human Psychology, could have adapted and refined this principle to our times.

Now, stuff like this will either make you think . . . or you’ll cry: My brain hurts! and you’ll turn on “The Simpsons” or “Desperate Housewives”.  But, that’s alright.  Really!  Some mindless escapism is necessary, in order to wind down from the stress and pressures of daily life.  It’s like reading the Funnies and the Sports pages, in the newspapers.  They’re also healthy distractions.  But, when you switch to the “News” . . . just keep the words of Mr. Goebbels in mind.

Your Uncle Rave

PS.  For more unnerving Joseph Goebbels quotes you can visit this site:  http://www.people.ubr.com/political/by-first-name/j/joseph-goebbels/joseph-goebbels-quotes.aspx

 

Tim Russert Dead at 58

The news world was stunned today, by the very sudden death of NBC News Washington Bureau Chief Tim Russert.  Apparently, he was taping promos for this Sunday’s “Meet The Press” when he suddenly collapsed.

The Emmy Award winner was born May 7, 1950 in Buffalo, NY, and was a graguate of Canisius High School, John Carroll University and the Cleveland Marshall College of Law.  Besides being a reporter he was also a member of the bar in New York and D.C.

His first job after finishing law school was as a staff operative for the Daniel Moynahan senate campaign in 1976.  And, in 1982 he also worked on Mario Cuomo’s Gubernatorial campaign.  He joined NBC News in 1984 and eventually worked his way up to hosting “Meet The Press” in December of 1991.

Tim Russert wrote two books:  “Big Russ and Me” in 2004, about his relationship with his father, and “Wisdom of Our Fathers” in 2006, both of which made it to the New York Times best-sellers list.

Despite looking like the twin brother of Randy Quaid – Tim Russert was highly respected in his field.  Tom Brokaw called him “one of the premier political journalists and anlaysts of his time”.  Myself, and others, had recently complained about his fawning over Hillary Clinton’s primary victories, but he was widely known as a tough, but fair interviewer.

He is survived by his wife, Maureen Orth, a writer for Vanity Fair Magazine and by his son Luke, who had just recently graduated from Boston College.

Hillary’s Paranoid Delusions – Part II

Being neither black, nor a woman, I feel I can look at the situation fairly objectively.  Some “individuals” in the media may have demonstrated some form of an anti-woman bias, but a few individuals do not constitute “the media”.  And please, don’t bring up anybody from FOX “News” as an example of Hillary/sexist bashing, because EVERYONE knows the agenda of THAT network. 
 
I have seen just as much of an empty bias, in favor of Hillary, from some very prominent women in the media.  Maureen Dowd, for example, writes as though Hillary Clinton is the female messiah, and that the presidency is – somehow – her divine right.  Even Gwen Ifill – who I generally admire – has a hard time concealing her obvious bias towards Hillary. 
 
And, it’s not just women in the media.  After both the Ohio and Pennsylvania primaries Tim Russert could hardly contain himself, he was so happy for Hillary!  And, all the unqualified adjectives (some superlative) that the media used in describing (the few) Clinton victories showed me that “the media” was NOT favoring Obama.  As a matter of fact, though conveniently forgotten, prior to Obama’s upset victory in the Iowa caucuses, he was actually trailing in New Hampshire polls.  But, in the days following Iowa, all of a sudden, the polls had him ahead by nearly 9 % points?!?!  This set up Hillary’s “upset” victory, that the media then ballyhooed, despite the fact that she won by a mere 3%.  In the weeks leading up to the Pennsylvania primary she had as much as a 22% lead over Obama, but when Hillary won by 9.4% the media acted as though it were a major coup.  For a few days they were still crowing about it being a “double digit” victory, when it was known on Wednesday morning that she didn’t crack 10%, which still reflected a drop in support of 12+%.  New York (favorite daughter), Ohio and Pennsylvania set the stage for Indiana, West Virginia and Kentucky.  In Indiana Obama led Clinton by “a statistically-insignificant 45% to 43%, with 7% undecided and a 3.9% margin of error”, yet her 1.12% victory was also hailed as a major upset by the very media that is allegedly against her, and for Obama.  And, with West Virginia and Kentucky, Obama realized that his chances of any kind of enlightenment of those states’ – predominantly non-educated, working class, white – voters were slim to none, so he focused his energies on the primaries where he at least stood a chance of winning.  In most political circles, this is considered good strategy.  Clinton’s victories in those two states were predictable, especially considering the not so subtle race card she had been playing since the Ohio primary.  And, yet again, the nasty sexist media somehow found a way to heap the superlatives for those victories of hers that were always forgone conclusions to begin with.  Adjectives, such as “Trounce” and “Landslide” for these particular states could just as easily have been replaced with “Duh”. 

Some feel that Hillary is the only one who can carry the South.  On the contrary, Obama has actually won more southern contests than Clinton.  (Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas and Missouri)  The only southern states that Hillary won were Tennessee, Kentucky (two “Duh” states), Arkansas (former favorite daughter), and Florida.  And, Florida was predictable, considering its constituency, and doesn’t count, regardless, because they (like Michigan) ignored the rules and held unsanctioned primaries. 
 
In my mind it has been just too easy for some to make the sexist allegations.  Women, who seem to value feminism, over everything else, are all too willing to make mountains out of the molehills.  It helps in casting themselves as the oppressed, because it allows them to claim “a” (not “the”) moral high ground.  Hillary’s core supporters (other than the race-baited “hard-working whites”) are the white women, who are generally 50 and over.  They lived through the big feminist movement that ran from the latter ’60s through the early ’80s.  They are more in tune with the disappointment of the failure of not passing the ERA (Equal Rights Amendment).  In my opinion, these supporters are wearing blinders that allow them a very narrow focus, but prohibit them from seeing all that is going on around them.  I applaud those who have had the courage to remove those blinders, and I hope and pray that more of them will find that same courage.

Sexism and racism are, unfortunately, still factors in our society, and for that matter most of the world.  It’s clear to me, as it should be clear to others, which candidate is playing up the bias angle, and which one is trying to reach out to the broadest spectrum of the electorate. 

Your Uncle Rave

Hillary’s Paranoid Delusions

Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, loves a good conspiracy theory better than Your Uncle Rave!  But, as I listen to various comments from Hillary, and Bill, and some of Hillary’s campaign people and supporters, I alternately scratch my noggin, and/or laugh out loud, in utter disbelief of what I’m hearing.

Obama has been playing the gender card???  Geraldine Ferraro seems to think so.  She says she may not vote for Obama if (when) he becomes the party’s nominee, because he has acted “terribly sexist”.  And she’s not the only one threatening the Democratic party with this newest form of blackmail.  On Nightline, two nights ago, there was a woman campaigner/supporter from Ohio, who echoed this exact same insanity.  She stated that she WILL vote for John McCain, if Hillary does not receive the nomination!  I wonder if she’s familiar with the phrase: “cutting ones nose off to spite one’s face”?  I’ve heard some of their reasoning for saying that the press is too tolerant of some of the sexist signs and comments that have met the Clinton campaign.  (They claim the guy with the “Iron My Shirt” sign, in New Hampshire(?), did not receive sufficient condemnation!)   But, the only specifics about any Obama remarks are that he uttered the words “now the claws come out”,  in regards to some nastiness from the Clinton campaign, and he once referred to a female reporter as “sweetie”.  From what I’ve seen and heard the reporter took no offense.  And, (conveniently?) there was no mention of whether this reporter was a stranger to Obama, or whether the two enjoy a friendly rapport.

It’s looking more and more like some so-called *feminists* are just far too comfortable in bandying the charge of “misogynist”.  (It’s like their very own “Anti-Semite”.)  If someone doesn’t adhere to your unassailable dogma then you’ll assign them the ultimate Bad Guy label!  All these hystrionics – for lack of a better word – need to cease.  It’s doing absolutely nothing to bring the Democratic party together.  These sour grapes are only counter-productive to the task at hand . . . rescuing OUR country, from a third Bush term.

I had intended to infuse this commentary with much more humor, but the infuriating disgust aspect kind of took over.  For a much more humorous take on this issue – from a real writer – I heartily recommend the following commentary from Dana Milbank.  It appeared in the May 28th, 2008 edition of the Washington Post.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/20/AR2008052001915.html?wpisrc=newsletter&wpisrc=newsletter&sid=ST2008052002278

Your Uncle Rave!

Eggheads and African-Americans!

Whatever happened to the “Big Tent” party?  It looks like Hillary Clinton, and her team, don’t consider the Democratic Party to be that anymore.  Wow.  Does that mean I have to turn in my Registered Democrat card . . . because, I’m not a working class white, without a college education?  I’m not a female either (remember, I’m your Uncle Rave) – her other target demographic.

What does that say about her?  What does that say about the people who have voted for her?

For me, to answer the first, it’s further proof that she’s perfectly comfortable playing the “race card”.  For obvious reasons, she denies this, but it’s becoming more and more evident.  The Jesse Jackson comparisons, the “If Obama weren’t Black . . .” comments,  the playing up the Rev. Wright issue, etc.  And now, she claims that Obama is weak with “hard working white Americans”.  Hmmm!  What’s next for this disturbing and divisive campaign?  Will Terry McAuliffe, or Paul Begala (or Bill) next refer to Obama as Barack HUSSEIN Obama?  Anything seems to go with this camp.  Desperation is never pretty.

As to the second, other than the “feminists”, who seem to be wearing blinders, who is actually voting for Hillary then?  Are these “hard working white Americans” just under-educated?  Or, is this a symptom of a persistent and pervasive racism, that still exists in this country?  There are numerous levels of racism.  It doesn’t have to be a matter of pure hatred.  Sometimes it’s more a matter of fear.  Sometimes it’s just that strange idea of superiority, or in some cases . . . inferiority (afraid of losing their perceived standing in society).  It could be any one, or any combination, of these things.  A lot of it is handed down from their parents, but all of it is based on a kind of ignorance.  I just find it strange that some professed Democrats would be comfortable with all of this.  How will people like this vote in November, if it’s Obama vs. McCain?

Fortunately, it may not be as bad as it might appear.  Some of Hillary’s apparent strong showing among this sector could be due to Rush Limbaugh’s “Operation Chaos”.  This is where Rush has asked his (Republican) listeners to vote for Hillary Clinton, either through disenguously registering as Democrats, or where registered voters could participate in either party’s primary – as in Indiana.  Rush has a keen interest in seeing Barack bloodied, and prolonging this primary process.  The longer this goes on the less John McCain has to do.  Let the Democrats beat each other up!  Rush and his conservative ilk are fully behind  this divide and conquer strategy.

Why Doesn’t Hillary see this?  Vanity?  Pride?  Or, does she see it . . . and it’s more a matter of spite?  An Obama loss in November could make her the favorite for 2012.  Just supposition!  All I know is that since I’m not African-American . . . I must be an egghead.

Your Uncle Rave

Tim Russert Calls It!

FINALLY!!!(?)  I was a little surprised that Tim Russert was one of the first to say that Hillary is done.  “We now know who the Democratic nominee’s going to be, and no one’s going to dispute it.”  After all the fawning he had done over her, even up until Tuesday morning, he has finally regained his objectivity.  (If any of you truly bought into the media bias for Barack Obama I’d be more than happy to show you a lovely little bridge that connects Manhattan Island to Brooklyn, NY.  And, just because I like your face, I’m going to give you my very special sucker’s discount!)

There are two versions of this YouTube video from MSNBC.  This is the shorter one.  You can access the longer one very easily at YouTube.com

Your Uncle Rave

http://www.youtube.com/user/eli933x