Legislators are trying to quell
Fears that Backwell's amendent won't sell
He's going all in
In order to win.
Call the bluff, cuz he's showing his TEL!
Ohio GOP offers scaled-down spending-limits plan
Sandy Theis, The Plain Dealer, 5/18/06
Friday, May 19, 2006
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Handled with kid gloves
Just learned Surfnetkids has been linking.
Well, something in Denmark is stinking!
Share Savant's twisted views
With suggestible youths?
What ever could Barbara be thinking?!
"I wouldn't want to link to any site that would accept a link to my blog"
----------L.S. 2006 (channeling Groucho Marx)
Well, something in Denmark is stinking!
Share Savant's twisted views
With suggestible youths?
What ever could Barbara be thinking?!
"I wouldn't want to link to any site that would accept a link to my blog"
----------L.S. 2006 (channeling Groucho Marx)
"Limerick Savant... I loved it!"
Surfing the Net with Kids
by Barbara J. Felman
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Having it both ways
Bush on Immigration:
Before I get feathered and tarred,
I've sent in the National Guard
To shore up the borders,
But given them orders
To really not do it too hard.
On Immigration, Bush Seeks 'Middle Ground'
President to Send 6,000 Guard Troops to Mexican Border
By Jim VandeHei and Jonathan Weisman
The Washington Post, 5/16/06
Before I get feathered and tarred,
I've sent in the National Guard
To shore up the borders,
But given them orders
To really not do it too hard.
On Immigration, Bush Seeks 'Middle Ground'
President to Send 6,000 Guard Troops to Mexican Border
By Jim VandeHei and Jonathan Weisman
The Washington Post, 5/16/06
Sunday, May 14, 2006
All in the family
Yes, but which one is meathead?
Whether right-wing or left, we have mothers,
But some are more pushy than others.
We can see Barbara Bush
Giving Jeb just a push
To make for historical brothers.
[Couldn't resist a little Mother's Day politics]
Jeb Would Make a 'Great President,' Bush Says
By Bill Brubaker, The Washington Post, 5/11/06
Whether right-wing or left, we have mothers,
But some are more pushy than others.
We can see Barbara Bush
Giving Jeb just a push
To make for historical brothers.
[Couldn't resist a little Mother's Day politics]
Jeb Would Make a 'Great President,' Bush Says
By Bill Brubaker, The Washington Post, 5/11/06
...that only a mother could love
"M" is for her every mot, très bon.
"O" is for the void she leaves when gone.
"M" for if I May
Celebrate her day
With a Limerick of All Mothers Marathon.
Welcome to the 1st (annual?) Carnival of Moms or, as it will forever be known on this blog, the Limerick of All Mothers Marathon. I have invited a number of bloggers more talented than I (and certainly those hacks at Hallmark) to help me create, if not the best, at least the wordiest Mothers’ Day card ever. I was overwhelmed by the response and touched to learn that so many of them had mothers too. Like many a greeting card you may find some humor, some poignancy and maybe even some schmaltz (see above rhyme) but, as far as I can tell, there are no fart jokes. So take your time browsing and pick out whatever you like but please don’t switch the envelopes.
It rhymes with “balm” or “bomb”
Yes, it seems it’s much easier for we sons to idealize the relationship. Maybe it’s the Oedipus thing, but just wait until Father’s Day.
Graham from Point2Point who is a talented limerickist and writer sent this link to a fine quartet of Mother’s Day limericks.
Aparna, who may be my alter-ego in India, with his newsmiricks blog provided this trio:
I
On this truth, I am ready to swear,
That since God could not be everywhere,
He fashioned these others,
And titling them 'mothers',
Gave them part of his creation to bear!
II
She held you nine months in her tummy,
Was excited when you called her 'mummy'.
She hugged and she scolded,
You were nurtured and moulded,
And she made all those cookies, real yummy!
III
You may feel you don't owe her a dime,
She's a nag, who's now well past her prime.
But remember those years,
When she hugged off your fears,
On this day, give her a gift -- of your time.
Robert Duplantier, who has actually figured out a way to make money writing limericks, generously contributed five of his which may be found among many others on his Politickles website.
KID STUFF
"We bought goofy games to play
And weird-smelling modeling clay,
Plus lots of toys
That make loud noise,
To give Mom on Mother's Day."
PERSONAL GROWTH
Someone started a silly rumor
About Mother's sense of humor:
Seems she'd sworn
'Til the day I was born
That she planned to call me "Tumor."
MOTHER FIGURE
How the concept contributes to mirth:
This idea that our mother's the earth!
Is your Mom fat and round,
Several septillion pounds,
With a 25,000-mile girth?
MIXED BREED
The fertility clinic messed up
And assigned to my wife the wrong "cup":
Thanks to their help,
She delivered a whelp
And I'm now the proud pop of a pup!
FALLS CONFIDENCE?
There's no better month than June
For a second honeymoon,
So it's off to Niagara
With a quart of Viagra
And an extra-large measuring spoon!
One of Aparna’s readers, Padmaja was kind enough to send this little ditty:
Do we need Mother's Day
To bring up the urge to say,
Ma, I love you n thank you
'Cos you are one of the few
With whom I always have my way!
Jeff at Have Coffee Will Write got the idea this was a contest. Maybe I’ll have to send him a yellowing copy of the Savant’s chap book, Four-year Funk for these acerbic selections:
Limerick of All Mothers I
Limerick of All Mothers II
Limerick of All Mothers III
Or maybe he should just cut back on the caffeine.
What’s it like growing up with an Italian mother? Tony at The Blast Furnace will tell you. He also passed along this advice for using limericks as a public speaking tool:
And mourning becomes Electra
Daughters and mothers seem to share a different perspective. Maybe that is because they can be, and often are, both.
One of my favorite blogs, when I find time to read them, is Texas Trifles. The very talented writer and proprietor, Cowtown Pattie, took aim and hit her mark.
An Ode to Joyce
My personal birth-giver is neither saccarine nor sour
And much too onery for any ivory tower
Her razor-sharp tongue filets to the bone
Never softening words, the meaning well honed
Who else but "the Joyce" could wield such maternal power?
(*Aye, tis true my mom is a thorny burr in my side, but I love her!)
Mad Kane, the matter to Bob Duplantier’s anti-matter, offers up this Mother’s Day Limerick. Check out the “Secret Shopper” post and her humorous political verse while you’re at it.
Jill, who Writes Like She Talks, and, unlike the Savant, doesn’t speak in rhyme, still sent along these two offerings:
There once was a mother named Jill
Whose life mirrored Sysiphus and the hill
Her three kids she did push
Til her brain was but mush
Yet her love for them grew even still.
Oh mother what color is your hair
I know it was once naturally fair
I swore that I wouldn't
Cause I always thought you shouldn't
But now that I do? What a scare.
Annie has been taking into consideration how that relationship with mom goes better with the right wine.
Thanks to Jude from the Hinterlands of Australia for reminding us about Remembering our mothers even when they no longer remember us.
Elaine of Kaliliy bravely shares the reality of being the primary caregiver to a parent who has never been your best friend.
Tamar lets us take in the unique wisdom of African-American mothers from a book given by a friend.
Finally, despite being in the midst of a move to Maine from NYC, Ronni sends A Mother's Last Best Lesson, a three month series of posts about her mother’s final days.
I would like to finish this marathon on a personal, but lighter, note that has meaning in my family but may resonate for some other readers as well.
Now, Mom, so you'll know that it's me
I'll recall your ubiquitous plea:
Whenever they fought,
Your children were taught,
"Little birds in their nests will agree."
This phrase, (actually "birds in their little nests agree") purportedly borrowed from Little Women, (though harder to find there than a solution to the Da Vinci Code) was uttered, with perfect timing by my mother, for years in the midst of nearly every sibling brawl. The words, in their simple inanity, stunned my sisters and myself into total silence and brought even the most virulent disagreement to a sudden halt.
Even at a very young age, we were dumbfounded by such triteness coming from the mouth of this, otherwise, intelligent and well-spoken woman. We were convinced that this must surely be an early symptom of some rare, wasting "jungle" disease caused by the bite of an insect smaller than a grain of kosher salt and whose name could only be pronounced using a series of tongue clicks and guttural burps. Needless to say, our other concerns of the moment paled by comparison and we would rush, in unison, to her side to comfort and reassure her. Such is the wisdom of a mother.
Thank you, Mom, and, on that, I think we "birds" all agree.
Thanks to all who helped publicize this effort including George at Brewed Fresh Daily.
"O" is for the void she leaves when gone.
"M" for if I May
Celebrate her day
With a Limerick of All Mothers Marathon.
Welcome to the 1st (annual?) Carnival of Moms or, as it will forever be known on this blog, the Limerick of All Mothers Marathon. I have invited a number of bloggers more talented than I (and certainly those hacks at Hallmark) to help me create, if not the best, at least the wordiest Mothers’ Day card ever. I was overwhelmed by the response and touched to learn that so many of them had mothers too. Like many a greeting card you may find some humor, some poignancy and maybe even some schmaltz (see above rhyme) but, as far as I can tell, there are no fart jokes. So take your time browsing and pick out whatever you like but please don’t switch the envelopes.
It rhymes with “balm” or “bomb”
Yes, it seems it’s much easier for we sons to idealize the relationship. Maybe it’s the Oedipus thing, but just wait until Father’s Day.
Graham from Point2Point who is a talented limerickist and writer sent this link to a fine quartet of Mother’s Day limericks.
Aparna, who may be my alter-ego in India, with his newsmiricks blog provided this trio:
I
On this truth, I am ready to swear,
That since God could not be everywhere,
He fashioned these others,
And titling them 'mothers',
Gave them part of his creation to bear!
II
She held you nine months in her tummy,
Was excited when you called her 'mummy'.
She hugged and she scolded,
You were nurtured and moulded,
And she made all those cookies, real yummy!
III
You may feel you don't owe her a dime,
She's a nag, who's now well past her prime.
But remember those years,
When she hugged off your fears,
On this day, give her a gift -- of your time.
Robert Duplantier, who has actually figured out a way to make money writing limericks, generously contributed five of his which may be found among many others on his Politickles website.
KID STUFF
"We bought goofy games to play
And weird-smelling modeling clay,
Plus lots of toys
That make loud noise,
To give Mom on Mother's Day."
PERSONAL GROWTH
Someone started a silly rumor
About Mother's sense of humor:
Seems she'd sworn
'Til the day I was born
That she planned to call me "Tumor."
MOTHER FIGURE
How the concept contributes to mirth:
This idea that our mother's the earth!
Is your Mom fat and round,
Several septillion pounds,
With a 25,000-mile girth?
MIXED BREED
The fertility clinic messed up
And assigned to my wife the wrong "cup":
Thanks to their help,
She delivered a whelp
And I'm now the proud pop of a pup!
FALLS CONFIDENCE?
There's no better month than June
For a second honeymoon,
So it's off to Niagara
With a quart of Viagra
And an extra-large measuring spoon!
One of Aparna’s readers, Padmaja was kind enough to send this little ditty:
Do we need Mother's Day
To bring up the urge to say,
Ma, I love you n thank you
'Cos you are one of the few
With whom I always have my way!
Jeff at Have Coffee Will Write got the idea this was a contest. Maybe I’ll have to send him a yellowing copy of the Savant’s chap book, Four-year Funk for these acerbic selections:
Limerick of All Mothers I
Limerick of All Mothers II
Limerick of All Mothers III
Or maybe he should just cut back on the caffeine.
What’s it like growing up with an Italian mother? Tony at The Blast Furnace will tell you. He also passed along this advice for using limericks as a public speaking tool:
Funny story -- about 10-12 years ago, as part of a "Free Speech Day" celebration at Youngstown State, I was invited to participate in a reading sponsored by the English department. Most of the other participants in the event were very serious about the whole thing, but I couldn't shake Tom Lehrer's "dirty books are fun" quote out of my head for about a week prior to the reading. Determined to make people laugh (and squirm), I brought with me a tome of baudy limericks from the 1960's I borrowed from my mom with some of my favorites earmarked.
And mourning becomes Electra
Daughters and mothers seem to share a different perspective. Maybe that is because they can be, and often are, both.
One of my favorite blogs, when I find time to read them, is Texas Trifles. The very talented writer and proprietor, Cowtown Pattie, took aim and hit her mark.
An Ode to Joyce
My personal birth-giver is neither saccarine nor sour
And much too onery for any ivory tower
Her razor-sharp tongue filets to the bone
Never softening words, the meaning well honed
Who else but "the Joyce" could wield such maternal power?
(*Aye, tis true my mom is a thorny burr in my side, but I love her!)
Mad Kane, the matter to Bob Duplantier’s anti-matter, offers up this Mother’s Day Limerick. Check out the “Secret Shopper” post and her humorous political verse while you’re at it.
Jill, who Writes Like She Talks, and, unlike the Savant, doesn’t speak in rhyme, still sent along these two offerings:
There once was a mother named Jill
Whose life mirrored Sysiphus and the hill
Her three kids she did push
Til her brain was but mush
Yet her love for them grew even still.
Oh mother what color is your hair
I know it was once naturally fair
I swore that I wouldn't
Cause I always thought you shouldn't
But now that I do? What a scare.
Annie has been taking into consideration how that relationship with mom goes better with the right wine.
Thanks to Jude from the Hinterlands of Australia for reminding us about Remembering our mothers even when they no longer remember us.
Elaine of Kaliliy bravely shares the reality of being the primary caregiver to a parent who has never been your best friend.
Tamar lets us take in the unique wisdom of African-American mothers from a book given by a friend.
Finally, despite being in the midst of a move to Maine from NYC, Ronni sends A Mother's Last Best Lesson, a three month series of posts about her mother’s final days.
I would like to finish this marathon on a personal, but lighter, note that has meaning in my family but may resonate for some other readers as well.
Now, Mom, so you'll know that it's me
I'll recall your ubiquitous plea:
Whenever they fought,
Your children were taught,
"Little birds in their nests will agree."
This phrase, (actually "birds in their little nests agree") purportedly borrowed from Little Women, (though harder to find there than a solution to the Da Vinci Code) was uttered, with perfect timing by my mother, for years in the midst of nearly every sibling brawl. The words, in their simple inanity, stunned my sisters and myself into total silence and brought even the most virulent disagreement to a sudden halt.
Even at a very young age, we were dumbfounded by such triteness coming from the mouth of this, otherwise, intelligent and well-spoken woman. We were convinced that this must surely be an early symptom of some rare, wasting "jungle" disease caused by the bite of an insect smaller than a grain of kosher salt and whose name could only be pronounced using a series of tongue clicks and guttural burps. Needless to say, our other concerns of the moment paled by comparison and we would rush, in unison, to her side to comfort and reassure her. Such is the wisdom of a mother.
Thank you, Mom, and, on that, I think we "birds" all agree.
Thanks to all who helped publicize this effort including George at Brewed Fresh Daily.
Friday, May 12, 2006
Thursday, May 11, 2006
No one expects the NSA
It's your liberty that's being taken
With the database NSA's makin'.
Drill down six degrees
And one easily sees
That al Qaida all called Kevin Bacon.
The Oracle says: Osama bin Laden has a Kevin Bacon number of 3.
Osama bin Laden was in Without Fear or Favor: The Best in Broadcast Journalism (2004) (TV) with Charles Gibson (II)
Charles Gibson (II) was in ABC 2000: The Millennium (1999) (TV) with Jay Leno
Jay Leno was in "Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The" (1992) {(2005-10-12)} with Kevin Bacon
CHATTER: DISPATCHES FROM THE SECRET WORLD
OF GLOBAL EAVESDROPPING
Interview with author, Patrick Radden Keefe
NSA has massive database of Americans' phone calls
By Leslie Cauley, USA TODAY, 5/11/06
With the database NSA's makin'.
Drill down six degrees
And one easily sees
That al Qaida all called Kevin Bacon.
The Oracle says: Osama bin Laden has a Kevin Bacon number of 3.
Osama bin Laden was in Without Fear or Favor: The Best in Broadcast Journalism (2004) (TV) with Charles Gibson (II)
Charles Gibson (II) was in ABC 2000: The Millennium (1999) (TV) with Jay Leno
Jay Leno was in "Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The" (1992) {(2005-10-12)} with Kevin Bacon
CHATTER: DISPATCHES FROM THE SECRET WORLD
OF GLOBAL EAVESDROPPING
Interview with author, Patrick Radden Keefe
NSA has massive database of Americans' phone calls
By Leslie Cauley, USA TODAY, 5/11/06
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
We don't need no steenkin' veto!
These are true Constitutional zingers
And their use means a nagging doubt lingers;
That, while signing a bill
Sent from Capitol Hill,
Mr. Bush has been crossing his fingers!
Recent use of presidential signing statments
Bush challenges hundreds of laws
President cites powers of his office
By Charlie Savage, Boston Globe, 4/30/06
Reporter Highlights Bush's Executive Decisions
Terry Gross interview with Charlie Savage
of the Boston Globe
Fresh Air, NPR, 5/9/06
And their use means a nagging doubt lingers;
That, while signing a bill
Sent from Capitol Hill,
Mr. Bush has been crossing his fingers!
Recent use of presidential signing statments
Bush challenges hundreds of laws
President cites powers of his office
By Charlie Savage, Boston Globe, 4/30/06
Reporter Highlights Bush's Executive Decisions
Terry Gross interview with Charlie Savage
of the Boston Globe
Fresh Air, NPR, 5/9/06
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
A request from the Savant
My 87 year old mother has just recently fallen and broken her neck and is now at home recovering. She has always been one of the Savant's most loyal fans ("only a mother could love") and is surely the source of his twisted sense of word play. I wish to do something very special for this woman to whom I owe so much. Please help me pay tribute to her and to all mothers this Sunday with a Limerick of All Mothers Marathon.
What I propose is a sort of Carnival of Moms to be hosted at this blog. Many of you will probably be posting wishes of the day on your own blogs and I ask that you send me the URLs so that I may post a link and a comment. For those of you that are not yet blogging, (why not?) please send me your Mothers' Day thoughts and I will post them as well. Naturally, I am especially interested in limericks, poems or songs to, or about, mothers; but all submissions, serious or comic, will be accepted. The submissions may be sent directly to me at limericksavantATSYMBOLgmail.com by Saturday, May 13.
Please forward this request (by clicking the envelope icon below) to anyone who you think would be interested or, better yet, post it on your blog. Thanks in advance for the support. And please don't tell mom.
What I propose is a sort of Carnival of Moms to be hosted at this blog. Many of you will probably be posting wishes of the day on your own blogs and I ask that you send me the URLs so that I may post a link and a comment. For those of you that are not yet blogging, (why not?) please send me your Mothers' Day thoughts and I will post them as well. Naturally, I am especially interested in limericks, poems or songs to, or about, mothers; but all submissions, serious or comic, will be accepted. The submissions may be sent directly to me at limericksavantATSYMBOLgmail.com by Saturday, May 13.
Please forward this request (by clicking the envelope icon below) to anyone who you think would be interested or, better yet, post it on your blog. Thanks in advance for the support. And please don't tell mom.
Monday, May 08, 2006
No one expects the CIA!
The appointment of General Hayden
Might seem like it's heavily laden.
When you take the position
To expect Inquisition,
What's the diff between rack and Iron Maiden?
And now for something completely different...
Hayden Nominated to Head CIA
By Dafna Linzer and Fred Barbash
The Washington Post, 5/8/06
Might seem like it's heavily laden.
When you take the position
To expect Inquisition,
What's the diff between rack and Iron Maiden?
And now for something completely different...
Hayden Nominated to Head CIA
By Dafna Linzer and Fred Barbash
The Washington Post, 5/8/06
Monday, May 01, 2006
Nuestro problemo
Mr. Bush, we have heard you would banish
Our national anthem in Spanish.
Is your real motivation
That you find immigration
Is a problem that simply won't vanish?
ADDENDUMB:
Or maybe we should just deport anyone who cannot pass this test?
U.S. Prepares for 'Day Without Immigrants'
The Washington Post, 5/1/06
Our national anthem in Spanish.
Is your real motivation
That you find immigration
Is a problem that simply won't vanish?
ADDENDUMB:
Or maybe we should just deport anyone who cannot pass this test?
| You Passed the US Citizenship Test |
 Congratulations - you got 9 out of 10 correct! |
U.S. Prepares for 'Day Without Immigrants'
The Washington Post, 5/1/06
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Fuel for thought
As the price of our gasoline soars
Just to fatten oil industry whores;
We've become docile fools,
Who deplete fossil fuels
And will fall just like all dinosaurs.
Record Prices Fueling Energy Debate
CBS News, 4/22/06
Just to fatten oil industry whores;
We've become docile fools,
Who deplete fossil fuels
And will fall just like all dinosaurs.
Record Prices Fueling Energy Debate
CBS News, 4/22/06
Sunday, April 23, 2006
Arachnophilia
You can't keep a good city down
With so many claims to renown.
What Web destination
Is best in the nation?
Why, Cleveland, while Spidey's in town!
It's lights, camera, action on Euclid
Spidey crew ready to spin its magic
Julie E. Washington, The Plain Dealer, 4/21/06
With so many claims to renown.
What Web destination
Is best in the nation?
Why, Cleveland, while Spidey's in town!
It's lights, camera, action on Euclid
Spidey crew ready to spin its magic
Julie E. Washington, The Plain Dealer, 4/21/06
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Prized Find
You can keep your hip-hop and your punk.
By comparison, all of that's junk.
#1 with a bullet, sir,
And, now, with a Pulitzer;
Give me jazz by Thelonius Monk.
2006 Pulitzer Prize winners
Seattle Post Intelligencer, 4/17/06
By comparison, all of that's junk.
#1 with a bullet, sir,
And, now, with a Pulitzer;
Give me jazz by Thelonius Monk.
2006 Pulitzer Prize winners
Seattle Post Intelligencer, 4/17/06
Sunday, April 16, 2006
General dissent
An Easter Parade
This week brought a new powder keg:
Six generals differed to beg
That Rumsfeld, this Easter,
Be out on his keister,
As the crack in Iraq's rotten egg.
Behind the Military Revolt
By Richard Holbrooke, The Washington Post, 4/16/06
This week brought a new powder keg:
Six generals differed to beg
That Rumsfeld, this Easter,
Be out on his keister,
As the crack in Iraq's rotten egg.
Behind the Military Revolt
By Richard Holbrooke, The Washington Post, 4/16/06
Friday, April 14, 2006
Appreciating the gravity of the situation
When the stork brought her bundle of joy,
No one told her he wasn't a toy.
So Brit got confused
When words that they used
Were "Bouncing" and "Baby" and "Boy."
Officials Pay a Visit to Spears
Social workers are called after
the singer's baby falls from a chair.
By Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 4/12/06
No one told her he wasn't a toy.
So Brit got confused
When words that they used
Were "Bouncing" and "Baby" and "Boy."
Officials Pay a Visit to Spears
Social workers are called after
the singer's baby falls from a chair.
By Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 4/12/06
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Slim pickin's indeed
When it comes to leadership
Indifferent to any rebukes,
This president raises his dukes
And plans, even now, boy,
To leave (the mad cowboy!)
His brand on Iran using nukes.
With my sincerest apologies to the real Slim
who could ride the bull, not just sling it.
THE IRAN PLANS
Would President Bush go to war
to stop Tehran from getting the bomb?
by Seymour M. Hersh, The New Yorker, 4/17/06 issue
Indifferent to any rebukes,
This president raises his dukes
And plans, even now, boy,
To leave (the mad cowboy!)
His brand on Iran using nukes.
With my sincerest apologies to the real Slim
who could ride the bull, not just sling it.
THE IRAN PLANS
Would President Bush go to war
to stop Tehran from getting the bomb?
by Seymour M. Hersh, The New Yorker, 4/17/06 issue
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
L'uva acerba
Berlusconi is counting the ways
To create just a few more delays.
It's clear from the vote he
Was beaten by Prodi.
He'd better recount better days.
Berlusconi demands ballot review
BBC News, 4/12/06
To create just a few more delays.
It's clear from the vote he
Was beaten by Prodi.
He'd better recount better days.
Berlusconi demands ballot review
BBC News, 4/12/06
Saturday, April 08, 2006
Newsflash: Both leaks came from the top
One's questions of faith grow acuter
When faced with a major refuter.
We discovered this week
Mr. Bush sprung the leak,
In the gospel according to Scooter.
The Lost Gospel of Judas Iscariot?
NPR, 4/6/06
Libby Said Bush OKd Leaks
By Richard B. Schmitt and Peter Wallsten
Los Angeles Times, 4/7/06
When faced with a major refuter.
We discovered this week
Mr. Bush sprung the leak,
In the gospel according to Scooter.
The Lost Gospel of Judas Iscariot?
NPR, 4/6/06
Libby Said Bush OKd Leaks
By Richard B. Schmitt and Peter Wallsten
Los Angeles Times, 4/7/06
Friday, April 07, 2006
Consider the alternative
Thank you, Ronni, for setting the pace
On an issue that all of us face;
And answering why,
As time goes on by,
We must greet it with power and grace.
Here's looking at you, kid.
Happy Birthday!
Hope you play it again,
and again and again and again and again and…
Time Goes By
What it's really like to get older
By Ronni Bennett
On an issue that all of us face;
And answering why,
As time goes on by,
We must greet it with power and grace.
Here's looking at you, kid.
Happy Birthday!
Hope you play it again,
and again and again and again and again and…
Time Goes By
What it's really like to get older
By Ronni Bennett
Thursday, April 06, 2006
"Hidden" agenda
In our lives' everyday interplay
All the baggage we've hidden away
May emerge with effect
That we cannot direct.
All this carries a certain Caché.
View a trailer
I saw Caché (2005) a few weeks ago and it is still rattling around in my head. Ostensibly a smart thriller in the mode of Hitchcock, this is not a movie for those who like all the loose ends tied up in a neat bundle. Even with the ambiguity, this is indeed a very certain film; certain in its methods, certain in its acting, certain in its impact and certain to get you talking.
This movie, whose title translates as "Hidden," works on many levels. It is a taut thriller and a thoughtful "art" film. The plot centers on a French couple that are terrorized by a succession of voyeuristic videotapes left at their door. The tacit invasion of privacy and implied threat of these actions throws Georges (Daniel Auteuil) into a paranoid search for their origin that unsettles every element of his life. There is a political subtext to this film that alludes to abuses of power; by the French in the 60's with Algerian immigrants and in the current day Bush "War on Terror."
The acting is superb across the board, with a wonderfully measured performance by Daniel Auteuil. This is not to diminish superb performances by Juliette Binoche and the rest of the supporting cast but, clearly, it is Auteuil's film. He has been a favorite of mine since his turn as Ugolin in Claude Berri's Jean de Florette and the, even better, sequel Manon des Sources. If you like your story threads resolved, rent both of these.
Caché raises more questions than it answers. What is our responsibility to those around us? How can a small act ripple into unimagined repercussions? (In this respect, it is reminiscent of last year's very fine Crash) What is the nature of media in our current society? As the film plays with our sense of reality, it forces us to focus on minute details, the "hidden" elements of daily life hinted at in the title that are nevertheless in plain sight. Pay close attention to the background action during the closing credits for a hint as to one possible answer. Or maybe it will only raise more questions?
Pointed Focus
Austrian director Michael Haneke discusses his latest film, the elusive thriller Caché
by Jason Shawhan, Nashville Scene, 3/2/06
All the baggage we've hidden away
May emerge with effect
That we cannot direct.
All this carries a certain Caché.
View a trailer
I saw Caché (2005) a few weeks ago and it is still rattling around in my head. Ostensibly a smart thriller in the mode of Hitchcock, this is not a movie for those who like all the loose ends tied up in a neat bundle. Even with the ambiguity, this is indeed a very certain film; certain in its methods, certain in its acting, certain in its impact and certain to get you talking.
This movie, whose title translates as "Hidden," works on many levels. It is a taut thriller and a thoughtful "art" film. The plot centers on a French couple that are terrorized by a succession of voyeuristic videotapes left at their door. The tacit invasion of privacy and implied threat of these actions throws Georges (Daniel Auteuil) into a paranoid search for their origin that unsettles every element of his life. There is a political subtext to this film that alludes to abuses of power; by the French in the 60's with Algerian immigrants and in the current day Bush "War on Terror."
The acting is superb across the board, with a wonderfully measured performance by Daniel Auteuil. This is not to diminish superb performances by Juliette Binoche and the rest of the supporting cast but, clearly, it is Auteuil's film. He has been a favorite of mine since his turn as Ugolin in Claude Berri's Jean de Florette and the, even better, sequel Manon des Sources. If you like your story threads resolved, rent both of these.
Caché raises more questions than it answers. What is our responsibility to those around us? How can a small act ripple into unimagined repercussions? (In this respect, it is reminiscent of last year's very fine Crash) What is the nature of media in our current society? As the film plays with our sense of reality, it forces us to focus on minute details, the "hidden" elements of daily life hinted at in the title that are nevertheless in plain sight. Pay close attention to the background action during the closing credits for a hint as to one possible answer. Or maybe it will only raise more questions?
Pointed Focus
Austrian director Michael Haneke discusses his latest film, the elusive thriller Caché
by Jason Shawhan, Nashville Scene, 3/2/06
Saturday, April 01, 2006
So what does that make me?
I'm so tired of the Dubbaya bashing
And those Liberals need a good thrashing!
I've not gone NeoCon.
I'm just trying it on
For the day. Don't you think it looks smashing?
Is it just coincidunce that NeoCon
is an anagram of cone on?
To all my newly acquired conservative brethren:
Don't forget to turn back your clocks tonight-
to the Middle Ages
Dick Cheney announces he will run in 2008
Urged on by the "Draft the VP" campaign started
at the Limerick Savant blog
Al Jazeera, 3/31/06
And those Liberals need a good thrashing!
I've not gone NeoCon.
I'm just trying it on
For the day. Don't you think it looks smashing?
Is it just coincidunce that NeoCon
is an anagram of cone on?
To all my newly acquired conservative brethren:
Don't forget to turn back your clocks tonight-
to the Middle Ages
Dick Cheney announces he will run in 2008
Urged on by the "Draft the VP" campaign started
at the Limerick Savant blog
Al Jazeera, 3/31/06
April Fuels
The White House is setting new rules
For SUV mileage and fuels
But they're giving free passes
To allow green house gasses
They must think we are all April fools
Federal government takes aim at California's greenhouse gas rules
Tim Molloy, Associated Press
San Jose Mercury News, 3/26/06
For SUV mileage and fuels
But they're giving free passes
To allow green house gasses
They must think we are all April fools
Federal government takes aim at California's greenhouse gas rules
Tim Molloy, Associated Press
San Jose Mercury News, 3/26/06
Thursday, March 30, 2006
A break in the clouds
As if we had not had our fill
Of kill upon kill upon kill;
But Hope shines a ray
Of respite today.
With relief, we can welcome home Jill.
Journalist Jill Carroll Released in Iraq
By Jonathan Finer and Ellen Knickmeyer
The Washington Post, 3/30/06
Of kill upon kill upon kill;
But Hope shines a ray
Of respite today.
With relief, we can welcome home Jill.
Journalist Jill Carroll Released in Iraq
By Jonathan Finer and Ellen Knickmeyer
The Washington Post, 3/30/06
Sideshow Savant
This carnival, broad as humanity,
Hawks wisdom as well as inanity.
So, if you will go
To the Beltway, below,
You'll find I'm indulging my vanity.
Carnival Of The Vanities # 184
At Below the Beltway, 3/29/06
Hawks wisdom as well as inanity.
So, if you will go
To the Beltway, below,
You'll find I'm indulging my vanity.
Addendum:
I was remiss in not acknowledging these other fine carnivals that also had the good taste to showcase the Savant-
The Carnival of Satire (#27)
At the skwib, 3/30/06
Carnival of Comedy 48: The Border Patrol Edition
At Dr. Phat Tony's, 3/29/06
Carnival Of The Celebrities
At Don Surber, 3/25/06
Carnival Of The Vanities # 184
At Below the Beltway, 3/29/06
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Guessed workers easily exploited
Immigration reform's come of age
Now that President Bush set the stage.
You may stay as our guest
And there's only one test:
That you'll work below minimum wage.
Immigration Follies
By Robert B. Reich, Web Exclusive
The American Prospect, 3/29/06
Now that President Bush set the stage.
You may stay as our guest
And there's only one test:
That you'll work below minimum wage.
Immigration Follies
By Robert B. Reich, Web Exclusive
The American Prospect, 3/29/06
Friday, March 24, 2006
Chef's return: a dish served cold
He who shafts last, shafts best
Is it tasteful, not even a smidgen,
Using faith like a comic clay pigeon?
We applaud Isaac Hayes
For amending his ways
In defense of his crackpot religion!
Speaking of pigeons, see the Savant's take on another controversy over humor v. religion.
A 'South Park' Character's Return Becomes an Opportunity for Revenge
By Alessandra Stanley, The New York Times, 3/24/06
Is it tasteful, not even a smidgen,
Using faith like a comic clay pigeon?
We applaud Isaac Hayes
For amending his ways
In defense of his crackpot religion!
Speaking of pigeons, see the Savant's take on another controversy over humor v. religion.
A 'South Park' Character's Return Becomes an Opportunity for Revenge
By Alessandra Stanley, The New York Times, 3/24/06
Thursday, March 23, 2006
The oracle speaks again
Will the buyouts hold any appeal?
After decades asleep at the wheel,
GM's taking these chances
To amend the finances;
But, for workers, it's "Deal or No Deal."
PLAN FOR SURVIVAL:
Up to 113,000 eligible for GM buyouts, opening door for Delphi exits
By Michael Ellis, Detroit Free Press, 3/23/06
After decades asleep at the wheel,
GM's taking these chances
To amend the finances;
But, for workers, it's "Deal or No Deal."
PLAN FOR SURVIVAL:
Up to 113,000 eligible for GM buyouts, opening door for Delphi exits
By Michael Ellis, Detroit Free Press, 3/23/06
Friday, March 17, 2006
Ratings plummet for the West Wing?
With strategic security theories
Reasserted by Bush, patience wearies.
Even sponsors are tempted
That he be preempted.
Better yet, why not cancel the series!
Bush to Restate Terror Strategy
2002 Doctrine of Preemptive War To Be Reaffirmed
By Peter Baker, Washington Post, 3/16/06
Reasserted by Bush, patience wearies.
Even sponsors are tempted
That he be preempted.
Better yet, why not cancel the series!
Bush to Restate Terror Strategy
2002 Doctrine of Preemptive War To Be Reaffirmed
By Peter Baker, Washington Post, 3/16/06
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Limericks 101
Getting your feet whet
A limerick's mostly in jest,
But must pass a most arduous test.
No matter how witty
The ultimate ditty;
It is mostly a pun an' a pest!
I've had a number of recent visitors linking from the "limerick (poetry)" citation on Wikipedia in addition to a few requests for assistance writing limericks. I can only surmise that the latter were desperately trying to finish a high school English assignment at the last minute from the nature of their requests.
Despite the name, the Savant does not claim exceptional knowledge of this form, only exceptional ego. In fact, I often violate the rules and have occasionally been accused of antidactyl dysfunction by purists who say my verse doesn't scan properly. To them, I say, "Lighten up! It's only a limerick."
For those wanting instruction, I recommend the "Limerick Discussion Page" on David Finley's site, but don't blame me if your teacher gives you the "F" anyway. If you're looking for bawdy limericks, the definitive source is The Limerick, 1979, by G. Legman but it may be out of print. And now, in the words of Edward R. Morrow, good night and good luck.
Anapaest: Wikipedia entry
(No, it's not a city in Hungary)
A limerick's mostly in jest,
But must pass a most arduous test.
No matter how witty
The ultimate ditty;
It is mostly a pun an' a pest!
I've had a number of recent visitors linking from the "limerick (poetry)" citation on Wikipedia in addition to a few requests for assistance writing limericks. I can only surmise that the latter were desperately trying to finish a high school English assignment at the last minute from the nature of their requests.
Despite the name, the Savant does not claim exceptional knowledge of this form, only exceptional ego. In fact, I often violate the rules and have occasionally been accused of antidactyl dysfunction by purists who say my verse doesn't scan properly. To them, I say, "Lighten up! It's only a limerick."
For those wanting instruction, I recommend the "Limerick Discussion Page" on David Finley's site, but don't blame me if your teacher gives you the "F" anyway. If you're looking for bawdy limericks, the definitive source is The Limerick, 1979, by G. Legman but it may be out of print. And now, in the words of Edward R. Morrow, good night and good luck.
Anapaest: Wikipedia entry
(No, it's not a city in Hungary)
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Cheers, Mrs. Gundersen
How could dishwashing get a bad rap
When good fortune falls into your lap?
Though a line has been crossed,
We think nothing is lost
With the suds flowing right from your tap!
Beer pours from apartment's kitchen faucet
Chicago Sun-Times, 3/14/06
When good fortune falls into your lap?
Though a line has been crossed,
We think nothing is lost
With the suds flowing right from your tap!
Beer pours from apartment's kitchen faucet
Chicago Sun-Times, 3/14/06
Friday, March 10, 2006
Guess we knew how to quit you?
Any stories of torture or shock
That the prisoners report from the block?
We're tellin' you, babe,
It ain't us! Abu Ghraib
Now belongs to our friends in Iraq.
U.S. to Hand Over Notorious Prison to Iraq
The Guardian, 3/9/06
That the prisoners report from the block?
We're tellin' you, babe,
It ain't us! Abu Ghraib
Now belongs to our friends in Iraq.
U.S. to Hand Over Notorious Prison to Iraq
The Guardian, 3/9/06
Thursday, March 09, 2006
What he did for Love - 40
Succeeding at tennis is tricky;
So a parent who isn't too picky
As to how his kids win,
Might commit a small sin
And slip their opponent a Mickey.
Frenchman gets 8 yrs jail for drugging tennis foes
By Jean-Yves Saint-Ceran, Reuters
The Washington Post, 3/9/06
So a parent who isn't too picky
As to how his kids win,
Might commit a small sin
And slip their opponent a Mickey.
Frenchman gets 8 yrs jail for drugging tennis foes
By Jean-Yves Saint-Ceran, Reuters
The Washington Post, 3/9/06
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Finish this sentence:
"I am al-Qaeda..."
The Feds now admit that they might
Have stopped 9-11 pre-flight
And claim it is how we
Were duped by Moussaoui
That terrorists hid in plain sight.
Moussaoui 'hid 9/11 plot details'
BBC News, 3/7/06
The Feds now admit that they might
Have stopped 9-11 pre-flight
And claim it is how we
Were duped by Moussaoui
That terrorists hid in plain sight.
Moussaoui 'hid 9/11 plot details'
BBC News, 3/7/06
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