MUGWUMP

Khrushchev would have been proud

Bill Maher

Great interview with Bill Maher over at Salon.com. Choice bit:

What do you think about [Hillary Clinton] as a candidate?

I think she'd make a fine president. I've never been convinced that she could win a general election. I think, in many ways, she would be the worst of both worlds for the Democrats, because she is basically a centrist. So she's going to constantly be tacking to the right. She's going to constantly be trying to fish in that pond of votes that I don't think ever bears fruit for the Democrats. You remember John Kerry in the duck-hunting outfit, Harold Ford with the Ten Commandments?

And on Election Day he was standing there with an Elmer Fudd camouflage hunting cap, and I was like, "It's over, Harold. It's not just the [GOP commercial about] white women; it's the pandering."

Right, the pandering. So I think she's going to wind up pissing off her base, and of course she will never, ever win over that red state crowd that I guess she's going after. I can't see those people ever voting for Mrs. Blow Job.

Do you think she's evolved at all? When you look at her, do you think she's developed or matured as a candidate?

I think she's who she always was; I think people are getting to know her more. I think the more people get to know her, if she would stick to some principles, they'd really like her. Because I think she's a very effective administrator. The Clintons have a reputation for a number of things that baffles me. Yes, he's got a wandering eye, and yes, he's oversexed or whatever. But really, Bill Clinton is a policy wonk. He's the kind of guy who gets into the details of it, and so is she.

Absolutely.

Government -- they used to teach it in college. It's actually something you should study and learn and know how to do. The Republicans always run on the idea that government isn't very effective. Well, not the way you do it. But it can be effective.

Does anyone doubt that if Bill Clinton was president during the Katrina storm that he would have been on top of that? He would have been all over that situation! He would have had the right people. He would not have slept for a week. That's the kind of guy he was.

Harry Potter's Ass

because I can.

Valentine's Day

I just HAD to grab this picture this morning of the corner flower shop as I passed by it. There was a line of customers out the door, all young guys, all wearing sort of disgruntled expressions of their faces.

Fighting the right fight: UPDATE

As first related to you last month here at mugwump, the military's case against Ehren Watada fell apart this week and the judge for the court martial declared a mistrial.

Long National Nightmare is over

The Anna Nicole Challenge, first posted here at Mugwump almost exactly 2 years ago, is now officially over.

Nobody won the book.

Don't know when I'll be back again

This story relates how a woman boarded a bus and was lost for 25 years.

Choice bit:

Jaeyana Beuraheng told her eight children she accidentally boarded a bus bound for Bangkok instead of Malaysia, and once there she boarded a second incorrect bus because she could not read or speak Thai or English, The Times of London reported Wednesday.

ummmm.... "Eight children"??

That woman wasn't lost. She was making a break for it.

Snickers dissatifies

The brouhaha over the web content that accompanied the Snickers Super Bowl commercial is both interesting and fairly well deserved. Like most others, I found the actual ad that aired during the Super Bowl to be harmlessly amusing... but then they cross the line with their web material. Americablog explains.

This warrants an official Mugwump Fingerwagging of Shame to the dolts at Americafoods that gave a thumbs up on the campaign.

Orion - Burningman campmate 2006

Treasure hunter. Rum lover. Hard worker, harder partier. Jubilent pest and endearing attention whore. I didn't know you as well as others... but well enough to be sad and mad that you're gone. Thanks for wrestling in the dirt, the polished jade bear, the many swigs of alcohol, and for being patient and getting me up on those hyperstilts. You could be a god-damn tool but you were incredibly affectionate and sweet-natured when you wanted to be. That's how I knew you. I'm disappointed. Thought for sure I'd see you again.

photos by Terry Pratt

Best Hollywood news item of the week

Chewbacca gets arrested. Make sure you watch the video because the on-the-street interviews are bizarre and surreal.