On Politics
This is a great line that is not only appropriate for this political season, it’s true for life: Think for yourself, don’t believe everything you hear, and look it up.
I find the late-night comics and their take on politics to be funny, such as this pre-debate bit by Conan O’Brien.
I didn’t watch the debate, but did notice that top Google searches during the debate involved two of the questions on my list: Simpson-Bowles and Dodd-Frank. Even heard some morning commentators mention Glass-Steagall (another one of questions). For those who watched, could the moderator have used my rules? I note that some are criticizing Mr. Lehrer’s performance.
Debate Fact Checks
This article at National Journal provides a great graphic about the breakdown of voter preferences. Thanks Moe.
For those who enjoy The Onion, here are the voter guides (video) for the election: Barack Obama and Mitt Romney
For anyone desiring a deep discussion of various global issues, consider visiting Intelligence Squared. Thanks Tim for mentioning this site.
On This Week’s Headlines from The Onion
- Guy in Suit Handling Newspaper like a Pro
- Florida to Experiment with New 600-Lever Voting Machine
- Reporter Steps in to Replace Woman’s Missing Husband
- Schwarzenegger Admits to Affair with Predator Costume
- Texting While Fielding Causes Record Number of Outfield Collisions
- Nauseating Precious NYC Couple to Walk Around in Rain
Interesting Reads
- Blogger Val for comparing Democratic and Republican platforms: Foreign Policy, Taxes, and Social Issues
- Blogger Le Clown on blogging
- Blogger Rich/Brainsnorts on writing posts
- A great Cincinnati story about an adult with Down Syndrome
- History Channel’s The Men Who Built America
- The Supreme Court’s upcoming cases
- Photo gallery of 50 years of Bond girls
On Potpourri
I will have a Saturday Morning Classic Cartoon post tomorrow.
I like this one. The race for Ohio’s senator involves Josh Mandel and Sherrod Brown. When people search “Mandel Brown Ohio”, the commonly get the site for Mandell Brown, a Cincinnati plastic surgeon.
Here this weekend is the football battle that is the oldest non-league rivalry game in college football. Go Bearcats!
Baseball’s regular season ended on a Wednesday, thus another reason to hate Commissioner Bud Selig. The one-game playoff games are about to start, thus another reason to hate Commissioner Selig.
The Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame may be a great idea, but their selection process may be one of the worst processes ever. All I have to ask is no Moody Blues again? Is Bud Selig also running the R&R HOF?
Have a good weekend. In the words of Garrison Keillor, Be well, do good work, and keep in touch. Enjoy the video. (Here’s a higher quality video to the same song below that must be watched on YouTube.)
Oh, Frank. I did watch. I think your rules would have been much, much better. And I wish I had been in a cone of silence. I would have slept better.
Elyse,
Thanks for commenting. BTW – I think you will like Val’s posts in my reading list. Just don’t read them before bedtime. 
Hooray – my first post-debate endorsement of my rules! Wonderful … maybe now I will sleep well tonight.
I’ve read all except the one she posted today — I can’t face it until tomorrow! As Scarlet said, Tomorrow is Another Day!
Frank,
I’m touched and honoured to be part of your suggestions today. Thank you. I mean this.
Le Clown
Le Clown,
I honored to have your presence. So hey – did you get your FP notice?
Frank,
Ha! No… One day. I think. I hope. I owe one the Weebles.
Le Clown
Dang … I thought that would do it … plus the one by Rich.
Frank,
I didn’t see the one by Rich. Did I miss something? He’s a great blogger.
Le Clown
Directly below where I mention you.
Dang … I thought that would do it … plus the one by Rich. After all, I would like to get you two expelled from the club.
You owe me way more than one, buddy.
Weebs,
Alright … I’ll start with a home run in my first at bat. I live in Cincinnati and have been a life-long Reds fan. I know Pete Rose screwed up, but that aside, Commissioner Selig will not allow the Reds to retire #14. I get ticked every time I go to the ballpark and then see the retired numbers without #14. Selig is intentionally punishing me, all Reds fans, and the city of Cincinnati. A past post … http://afrankangle.wordpress.com/2009/04/13/on-a-special-jersey/ ….
i’m going with the nauseating couple in the rain. and i’m actually hoping to stay in the club. so far, that FP club hasn’t been so impressive.
Rich,
Thanks for commenting.
That is a good Onion selection. Oh no … no FP congrats letter for you either. Bummer … Oh well … hope some readers checkout your link. (Well, I hope you saw it.)
i did see it, and much appreciated, and then reblogged by le clown, and le mucha appreciaté. that’s my made-up french.
Good … and super on the reblog.
I would love to see 50 years of Bond girls. It would be interesting to see how the classic Bond girl has grown and developed over the years. xx
Hey Spiced … well, the link is to a photo gallery … but I see your point as well as you mean then and now. Thanks for commenting.
Jim Lehrer is way past his time and should move on. He is incompetent and does not have the capacity to engage the debaters with proper follow up or even keeping track of the time. I vote for new blood.
Ditto on Bud Selig. The past few weeks I thought he was running the NFL.
Go Reds.
50 years of James Bond girls. Time to quit writing and go check that one out.
Randel,
Interestingly, the debate organizers got Jim Lehrer out of retirement … and it seems that the legendary figure may have gone one too many.
Cheers that we have the same opinion of Bud Selig!
Don’t give up on your Cardinals yet! … but thanks for the best wishes for my team … the team that I currently find very worrisome.
Thanks for visiting!
Here come the St. Louis Cardinals. They are a heart attack team. They surprise me all the time. I thought the Braves would dust them. Now I wonder if they have that October magic once again. The Reds deserve to go to the World Series for a change of pace.
Thanks … but I fret not getting past SF. After all, teams with the better record starting on the road is another reason to hate Bud Selig.
Both of them would have ignored the Moderator, Jim Lehrer was in over his head.
Larry,
Thanks for commenting.
“Would have ignored” means they didn’t ignore … thus I figure you mean they did ignore Jim Lehrer. Oh well … I just had to hassle you.
Thank you so much Frank, I am humbled to be on your list.
Now to the rest, dang where was that Cone when we so much needed it! Where were our questions when they were so much better!!!!!! Why weren’t you the moderator? Dang and double Dang. You do realize I am being respectful, there is something far more rude I really want to say, but my potty mouth is being flushed.
Loved the 50 years of Bond Girls! Don’t know what I enjoyed more, laughing at the names or simply remembering the movies.
I loved the story of the Bat Boy, loved it! Had tears by the end. I have a sister who was born with Downs, she lived a grand life much to the dismay of the doctors who told my heart mother to put her into a institution at birth. Candy will be 67 in January, far exceeding all expectations of life.
I am saving the rest, for later but they are open and waiting for me.
As for the Onion, what can I say but woe is me.
Val,
You are very welcome … and deserving! Besides, I know you are one of the readers who enjoys this section.
Regarding the debate, in order for me to moderate, my rules must also be in place.
I’m glad someone read the Bat Boy story! …. especially because it ends up you sharing something special! BTW … We don’t know Teddy, but know who he is. If you recall, he dances ballroom. It just so happens that he’s taking a lesson (sometimes) at a studio where we go for a group class. He’s a very nice man!
BTW, I think you will enjoy this past post, which is actually from the Cincinnati Enquirer. I turned it into a post because they quickly archive their articles. (Which is something I should do with the article about Teddy.)
Thanks for visiting and sharing your story.
This struck a chord with me: Guy in Suit Handling Newspaper like a Pro. All week I have been riding the subway with amateurs.
Lame,
That headline is perfect for you! Oh my …. with your experience and constant exposure, you could develop a 1-to-5 rating scale on the topic! Thanks for sharing!!!
I thought it was one of the better debates I have watched. There was some spontaneity to it and no teleprompter, thus exposing the emperor and his lack of clothes. He was kicked to the curb by facts. The cone of silence should surround the media afterwards. We don’t need them telling us what we just saw. It all pisses me off Frank.
Christine,
Thanks for sharing.
Now be careful with your partisan emotions getting in the way. After all, you have the moderate independent in a swing state on the other end.
I find it very difficult to understand why an ‘independent’ such as yourself didn’t watch all of the debate.
Shimon,
You bring up a very good point that deserves an answer, which I will limit to 2 key points.
1) The US process is far too long, thus we already have ample information for a decision.
2) These events generally frustrate me because the candidates generally don’t lack the question as the maneuver their answer in order to get to a comfortable talking point that we have heard many times.
Thanks for the thoughtful question!
Frank, Here is the link of how both Candidates ignored Jim Leher, Watch it all the way through
http://www.nypost.com/p/entertainment/tv/watch_jimmy_fallon_debate_spoof_ofPPmayFG3tepEHTxaPr7O
Thanks Larry … and I’ll check it out … and hopefully report back.
It will be great to get over there and feel part of the elections, even though we can’t actually vote.
Good for that public-spirited reporter! 
Have a great weekend, Frank.
Paradise,
But I know you’ll enjoy your time here. 
Thanks for commenting.
Yep … you’ll be hear soon … and here all the over-analysis.
I have three questions: (1) Does the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame continue to exclude The Moody Blues because it thinks (wrongly!) that their music isn’t true rock n’ roll? (2) Will the UC-Miami football game survive? (3) Did someone read about your Cone of Silence and lower it over moderator Jim Lehrer causing him to totally lose control of the debate?
Tim,
1) R&R HOF must be run by peckerheads.
2) UC-Miami …. time will tell
3) The role of a moderator is a debate in itself.
Thanks for commenting.
It’s reassuring to hear about the surge in people googling Simpson-Bowles and Dodd-Frank. Hopefully, that’s a few less ignorant people who’ll be going to the polls in November.
Snoring Dog,
Great point … even though it’s only a few … thus the ignorant march on. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Good Morning Frank Go Bearcats!
“Nauseating Precious NYC Couple to Walk Around in Rain”
I enjoyed reading the blog post from Blogger Le Clown on blogging Lots of good advice.
Enjoyed the Moody Blues nice blast from the past. :+)
Starla,
The NYC couple seems to be popular here today. Glad you enjoyed Le Clown’s excellent post. Thanks for stopping by. Go Bearcats!
GO BEARCATS! :+)
Good Morning Starla,
It’s Game Day … although it doesn’t start until 7 pm. It’s the oldest non-league rivalry in the country and will be played at one of the oldest (4th or 5th) college football venues! Nippert is in the center of an urban campus surrounded campus buildings. Quaint but loud! Excuse me if I have shown you this before, but here’s a past post. http://afrankangle.wordpress.com/2008/12/09/nippert-stadium-what-a-venue/
I lost count of the number of reasons I hate Bud Selig. Mr. Weebles actually had a brilliant thought: George W. Bush should have been made Baseball Commissioner instead of running for president. This way we would have at least had a guy who cared about baseball as commissioner, and the world would have been safer without him in the White House.
Weebs,
Interesting rationale, as well as one that I haven’t heard anyone say before. Meanwhile, I can’t stand Bud Selig. Actually, I can’t think of anyone in sports that I despise more. Thanks for commenting.
Wow what a full post! Lots to take in here. Have a great weekend!
Twixt,
This week was “That was the week that was” … thus I noticed it was a bit long, but decided to go with it – although I did remove a couple of bits. Thanks for visiting.
I am still watching from Canada!
Clan,
Nice to know. I figure you have been busy. Thanks for checking in.
On the Onions my vote would go to “Nauseating Precious NYC Couple to Walk Around in Rain”, if only I knew which damn lever to pull on this here voting machine contraption.
And 50 years of Bond girls – yum!
Fasab,
Oh no … you’re in Florida so good luck with that machine. I hope this pic and article will help you prepare. http://www.theonion.com/articles/florida-to-experiment-with-new-600lever-voting-mac,29699/. … and glad you enjoyed the Bond girls gallery.
LOL Hey, a voting machine that works on hot air – who’da thought of that???
Nauseating Precious NYC Couple to Walk Around in Rain
Runner up:
Guy in Suit Handling Newspaper like a Pro
Spinny,
Good choices … and thanks for sharing!
Running behind, so just a quick drop-in.
I got my Wednesday’s night’s entertainment. Got to see a British Brown Bess musket (on TV) that landed in America in the 1740s, and had parts from the 1750s and 1770s. Uber-cool!
Gotta go with the Nauseating Couple. We used to drive our circle of friends nuts with a baby-talk routine. Truly barf-inducing, even at extreme range!
Catch ya on the next post, hopefully with a manageable Inbox!
John,
… Thanks for sharing!
Muskets or a president debate? Hmmmmm …. Yes, musket wins!!! Meanwhile, great rationale for choosing the nauseating couple.
Arnie for me Frank!
Ginger,
I laughed a lot when I first saw that one! Thanks for stopping by.
LOL! Love the Conan video clip. I didn’t watch the debate. I figure I’ll get caught up on it this weekend by watching the fake news. It’s more fun that way.
Robin,
Hooray … finally someone commenting on the Conan clip – to which I laugh each time! Although I didn’t watch, I recommend the fact checks I listed. Thanks for commenting.
There is so much comment and so much information about the election it was fun to see The Onion’s take.
Cuttlefish,
The Onion also has many great headlines about both candidates! But hey – the election is already taking up too much space. Thanks for commenting.