Ari Fleischer: What Kind Of Idiot?
I was reminded of an old Firesign Theater exchange this week:
"What kind of idiot do you take me for?
"First Class!"
The person doing the reminding was Ari Fleischer. Long-time readers of this column will recall that I started it to keep from being thought crazy as I yelled back at the Republicans on TV during the Clinton impeachment. PSACOT gives me a public forum with which to afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted. I haven't wanted to woodshed a government official this badly in months.
The source of all this fulmination was Fleischer's unswerving contention that the leaders of Congress had been briefed on the President's secret government.
It's real simple, Ari. If Tom Daschle says he wasn't briefed, he wasn't briefed. And not inviting Dick Gephardt to the belated briefing that was finally held last Tuesday would be petty beyond words if it were not so typical of the rabid, right-wing partisanship that has typified this president, when he isn't wrapping himself head to toe in the flag.
There. I feel better now.
Voluntary Payment
If You Enjoy This Programming…
Effective today, P.S. A Column On Things is adopting the business plan that I think of as the "public broadcasting guilt" plan. That is, I'm going to remind you periodically that this column is free, but that you could choose to pay for it, if you wished. I have arranged with Paypal to accept payment, as well as the Amazon Honor System. And, because you asked for it, I'll even take a check.
Paul's Payment Page
I've decided to be just like public broadcasting--well, almost. They hit you up four times a year. Besides this introductory note, I'll hit you up twice a year. I'm asking for $12 a year. I'll take more. And of course, I'll take nothing, if that's your preference.
When I say "hit you up," I mean there will be two columns a year that contain variations of this note, and little reminders scattered through the rest of the column.
No premium content, no special password-protected edition, no long emails (I may write to say thank you). Just a chance for you to support content you enjoy, and a chance for me to reap some minor tax benefits. And of course, for you to keep original content and well-filtered links alive on the web.
Larry King on Photographers Redux
Last week, I ran Dave Tenenbaum's reminder of the value of photojournalism and a 15-year-old screed by my friend, financial journalist Larry King, about art directors and photographers. Larry saw the juxtaposition and wrote:
You run off at the mouth long enough, it's going to catch up with you. I'm not sure under what circumstances I wrote that ill-humored paragraph about art directors, photo editors, and photographers, and I'm not sure I want to re-think my position on art directors or photo editors. But I would like to retract anything grumpy I had to say about photographers.
Not only is David Tenenbaum right -- photographers are journalists, too -- but in my view photographers are generally more useful in getting across to people who weren't there what it was like for people who were there, which is a fairly good working definition of what journalism ought to do.
To any writing hack inclined to argue, I'd say, how many people remember anything written from the Pacific front during World War II? Now, how many people remember Joe Rosenthal's photo of the six marines raising the flag on Iwo Jima?
Or, to take an example closer to hand, who remembers a word written about the 1980 hockey match between the U.S. and the Soviet Union? How many remember Tenenbaum's photo?
Okay, I'm overstating the case. The written word can do a lot a photograph can't -- let's just not get into television, all right? -- and a misleading photograph can arguably be more inaccurate than a sloppily reported, badly written, ineptly edited (that last one may be redundant) story. But all things considered, I think the best photos are in several respects slightly superior to the comparable written journalism.
You can also find his recent comments on the stateof British broadcasting.
Healing From The Inside Out
Regular readers will recognize the name Drew Kossoff; he runs a newsletter and a website devoted to personal growth. Mark my words; you'll be hearing more from this young man. He included a very inspirational story in a recent newsletter, and since he hasn't posted it yet, I've posted it (with permission) here on my site.
Healing From The Inside Out
The True Story of Ranee Folk
by Drew Kossoff
My friend Ranee Folk is a living example of quantum healing. After spending 9 years in and out of the hospital, today she's completely transformed her health and her life, and it all started in her mind. This is her story.
Mark Your Calendars: Paul In Concert
Mark your calendars and don't miss these event. If you don't live around here, fly in for it. The music will be great and the narrator and second tenor saxophone will be... well, modesty forbids.
Contra Costa Wind Symphony
Gala 20th Anniversary Concert
Saturday, April 27th, 2002 8 p.m.
Hofmann Theatre
Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts
Walnut Creek, California.
Tickets are now available. Call the Regional Center Box Office at
(925) 943-SHOW |
|
The Top 20 Current Events Limericks
March 8, 2002
NOTE FROM CHRIS:
We've got a long list today, so grab a cup of
coffee and a bagel, then sit back and enjoy!
20> The recession is now at an end.
Says Greenspan, "We're in an up-trend."
If the outlook's so high,
Then please tell me why
I still have no money to spend?
19> Young Sergei came over from Moscow.
He skated and scored and we said, "Wow!"
But his number one feat,
Watched from her seat.
It's his scoring with Anna we cheer now.
18> Five bucks to jump in the pool?
March Madness is totally cool!
The brackets I fill in
Might bring me a win
But more likely, I'll look like a fool.
17> Sports stadiums with sponsors are lame,
But the Astros must still play their games.
Now that Enron has sunk,
The old signs are junk,
How 'bout "Bankruptcy Park" for a name?
16> There once was a movie called LOTR
Playing in many a theatre.
When the servers all crashed,
The CEO said, unabashed,
"Fear not! I know where the geeks are!"
15> An internet slacker named White
Is the chief of a lame humor site.
So little he's paid
That he cannot get laid,
So please send in your 12 bucks tonight.
14> We spent years, 'fore the 2K election
Roasting Bill for his naughty erection.
If his hummer deserved
All that Starr-studded verve,
How 'bout Bush and his Enron connection?
13> The Olympics are over at last,
And the Super Bowl, too, came to pass,
With no terror attack.
So the question comes back:
Where's bin Laden bin hidin' his ass?
12> Enron shares? They said keep buying 'em!
Allegations? They're flatly denying 'em!
Now most of the nation
In total frustration
Thinks power should be used for frying 'em.
11> "Biopics..." the studio exec whined,
"For Oscars, we need films of this kind!"
So with no more ado,
At a theater near you:
Britney Spears in "A Pitiful Mind."
10> There's no humor in drowning your child,
Like Andrea Yates, who went wild.
Unless you're the momma
Of that bad guy, Osama --
Then just turn on the faucet and smile!
9> A graceful young skater, Michelle,
Did her triples and doubles, but fell.
She went home with the Bronze
And now gets only yawns.
Even Wheaties has said, "Go to hell."
8> That Oscar-bound stud, Russell Crowe
Will be trying for two in a row.
If his speech lasts an hour,
They'll just sit there and cower,
'Cause A Beautiful Punch he can throw.
7> We're holding some folks down in Gitmo,
Under charges they simply do not know,
Bush says it is cool,
'Cause he made up some rules,
And Ashcroft was in from the get-go.
6> I have a great submission
About current events
But it's a Haiku -- I'm hosed.
5> A morning show hostess named Katie,
Does interviews both light and weighty.
And now the cute honey
Is making more money
Than the annual budget of Haiti.
4> We couldn't have been any fairer
In fighting this new war on terror.
We spared most of Afghanistan
While bombing the Taliban --
Though we did send Geraldo in error.
3> When Anne Heche had a child, folks said, "No!
Don't name him that, Anne!" Even so,
Lil' Homer Laffoon
Will go to school soon
And be greeted by kids yelling, "D'OH!"
2> Dick Cheney's a hard-to-find guy.
When he's not flying 'round in the sky,
He's deep underground
In some secret compound
Prob'ly eating a chicken pot pie.
and Topfive.com's Number 1 Current Events Limerick...
1> So Rosie has written a book,
Which contains an unusual hook:
It's rumored to say
That O'Donnell is gay,
But who cares who she wants to fook?
[ The Top 5 List www.topfive.com ]
[ Copyright 2002 by Chris White ]
================================
Selected from 74 submissions from 32 contributors.
Today's Top 5 List authors are:
------------------------------------------------------------------
Wade Kwon, Birmingham, AL -- 1, 18 (17th #1/Hall of Famer)
Pat Sajak, Los Angeles, CA -- 5
Paul Schindler, Orinda, CA -- 6
None This Week
You want the facts? Go to the Internet Movie Database.
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