Fly the Friendly Skies?

Two things struck me after hearing about the recent terrorist attempt on Flight 253 last Friday. First, I was surprised by how many people seemed surprised that explosives were able to be taken onto the plane. Systems are only as strong and secure as the people who are enforcing them. Humans are humans - and humans make mistakes - sometimes stupid ones - but we definitely make them. My view is that the only people who will actually be "flying friendly skies" are those on private planes or on Air Force One. Those of us with no other option but taking commuter flights, will either be uncomfortable, inconvenienced, or in danger. It is just the way it is.

Secondly, I keep waiting for Dick Cheney - or Darth Vader - to make a comment about how we are less safe now that President Obama is in office. A comment has to be coming. After reading today that some of the backers for the terror plot were former prisoners at Guantanamo Bay - I think it is inevitable. Who cares that these same prisoners were released back in 2007. These are just the details.

Well, I thought that it would be fun to reminisce a little bit about when the skies were a little bit more friendly. Here is a snippet of an old commercial:

Christmas Special Quiz

Did you ever have a song that you just can't get out of your head? For me, at least for today, it is Dean Martin singing, "It's a Marshmallow World." I have a snippet of Dean singing the song on a mid-70s, Bob Hope Christmas special. How can you tell that is an old special? Well - here is how you may know:

1. They really don't make Christmas specials anymore. I mean, there are Christmas episodes of shows - but not really Christmas music specials.
2. Dean Martin is still alive on video. I checked, and Dean Martin died on Christmas day in 1995.
3. Bob Hope is still alive on video. Bob Hope died in July of 2003.
4. Dean Martin is wearing a tuxedo. You don't see many guys wearing tuxes on television anymore. Sometimes you will catch one or two on Jerry Lewis telethons - but I don't even know if those air anymore.
5. Lastly - Dean is smoking a cigarette while singing. You never see that anymore - at least on non-cable stations. They last guy that I can remember smoking a cigarette on TV (he wasn't singing, however) - was Don Johnson as Sonny Crockett.

I hope that you enjoy the video:

Zelig

OK everyone, please just calm down. Everyone is so upset with President Obama. Healthcare, the economy - blah, blah, blah. When I refer to "everyone," I mostly mean liberal Democrats. Even Howard Dean is getting into the mix now; Dean is recommending that the current version of the healthcare bill be "killed," because of it's being a useless, water-downed version of its former self. Democrats are proclaiming, "where is our President - where is the Obama that we voted for?"

When I hear this, I can't help but question if people really believe that. Is that the "Candidate Obama" whom you really saw? Don't get me wrong - I am thankful that he is in office and pray that he stays in for another term - but I didn't see him as this far-left liberal. Look, the guy doesn't support gay marriage - how liberal can he be? Some part of me always believed - and still does - that Hillary Clinton was more "left" than Obama. Her persona and Bill Clinton scandal-connections just didn't always reflect that - or - allow people to see it.

Whom did Obama reflect? Well, I think that Obama reflected the image that people wanted to see. Liberal Democrats projected their hopes and dreams onto then candidate Obama. But that - at least in my vision - was not whom he really was. Having the gift and gracefulness to project what people want to see is a gift - particularly in elections. But, once that wrapping paper comes off and you see the real person - the disappointment is bound to follow - at least for those doing the projecting - or maybe depending on whom the person is surrounding him or herself with.

I keep thinking of the Woody Allen movie, Zelig. Set in the 1920s and 1930s, the film focused on Leonard Zelig, a man who had the ability to transform his appearance to that of the people who surrounded him. It was filmed in documentary style, using actual newsreel footage. In the movie, Leonard Zelig gains fame as being the "human chameleon." But, like chameleons, Zelig was only as attractive as whom he was near. I am including a snippet of the film below:

Oh, Joe!

Oh, that Joe. No, not Biden, I am talking about Senator Joe Lieberman. Who is Joe Lieberman? Well, the Democrats see Lieberman as the Connecticut Independent who is a "thorn in the side" of the Healthcare Bill. They are potentially, and probably, going to bow to Lieberman's demands - to get rid of the portion of the Healthcare Bill which would allow people to buy into Medicare beginning at age 55. They need Joe Lieberman in order to reach the 60 votes that is a must for the health care legislation to pass. Some Democrats accuse Lieberman of simply bowing down to his insurance industry interests back home in Connecticut.

The Republicans, on the other hand, tend to portray Joe Lieberman as the scapegoat of the Democratic wrath. You know, that Lieberman is the only one willing to put himself out there. The National Review asks, "What is next for Lieberman - Boils and Locusts?"

Well, whatever your view on Lieberman is - one thing is for sure - he definitely gets much attention. He not only seems to like it, but appears to thrive on it. Look, Rahm Emanual even personally pressed Senator Majority Leader Harry Reid to cut a deal with Lieberman. It is interesting - Liberman is not particularly tough looking or fear-provoking. But there is something about the guy that gets under people's skin - and not in a good way.

That got me thinking. Who is Lieberman like? I don't mean in "real life," but in the fictional realm. I think I have a match. He may be the Felix Unger of the Senate. You remember Felix, don't you? He is from the Odd Couple. Tony Randall portrayed Felix on the television series that I grew up with. Felix was a little guy - but he could definitely get on peoples' nerves. He, like Lieberman, seemed to believe that he was doing what he was doing for the greater good of mankind. In actuality, his actions - more than likely - were there to soothe his own neuroses. Here is a snippet of an old Odd Couple clip. Just as an aside, I don't know if Joe Lieberman also has sinus problems.

GEORGE!!!

Damn, George. I remember when you were cool. I remember you from the Clinton years. I'm talking Bill, not Hillary. I just read this morning that you will be hosting Good Morning America. What happened? I like the cocky you, the angsty you...the guy who had to grow a beard because of a stress rash back in the White House days. I know, I got older too. But, I was never cool. You had cool moments. Anyway, here is a snippet of you back in the jean jacket wearing days of Bill Clinton's first run for President. It's from the War Room documentary.
P.S. - If I ever hear that James Carville is hosting Regis and Kelly - I am a goner.

They're Neck and Neck

I don't say "WTF" very often - and I have never uttered it in my blog - but today's article in the Los Angeles Times that says, "Shocker polls: That Sarah Palin-Barack Obama gap melts to 1 point - is a definite, "What the F#$#@!#!@" moment to me. What does that even mean? Well, the way that the article explains it is:

Lordy, Lordy, Lordy, look what the pollsters just brought in.
A pair of new surveys revealing that President Obama is still declining and has hit a new low in job approval among Americans just 56 weeks after they elected him with a decided margin.
And -- wait for it -- Republican Sarah Palin is successfully selling a whole lot more than books out there on the road. Even among those not lining up in 10-degree weather to catch a glimpse of pretty much the only political celebrity the GOP has these days.

Of course, Matt Drudge had this article front and center on his website this morning. Obama is President - that is why we refer to him as, "President Obama." John McCain and Sarah Palin lost the election. Don't they get it? Now, I am in no way saying that Sarah Palin has not done a fabulous job in keeping her name in the news for the past year or so. But to imply that Sarah Palin is somehow "catching up" with President Obama is ridiculous. He is the POTUS, and she is a hocking her book and writing on Facebook.

I do think that Palin is doing a little bit better than Drudge, however. I feel like that is the real story. Matt Drudge seemed to hit rock bottom for me when he was lurking around in his fedora the day that Hillary Clinton gave her campaign exit speech in D.C. I am sorry that I can not find a photo or video of Drudge at the concession speech on 6/7/08. If I can locate one, I will add it at a later time.

Forgive me Oprah, for I have sinned...

I just read earlier today that Tiger Woods is going to be interviewed by Oprah Winfrey to discuss his recently disclosed transgressions. By transgressions, I mean the fact that the married, new dad, and world-famous golf pro has more girlfriends than he has putters. OK - people have affairs - that is no revelation. The part that fascinates me is the idea that Oprah has become the person to whom celebrities go to in order to confess things - or at least make their personal issues known. I think that at one time, Barbara Walters held this role. She kind of messed things up on The View, by letting her more back-stabbing and caddy nature be visible. Now it is Oprah. Think of it, Oprah has interviewed - Sarah Palin, Vicky Kennedy, Tom Cruise, and Mackenzie Phillips. I am sure there are many more on this list whom I have missed.

I wondered, when did this role start for Oprah? One of the earliest times that I can remember, was not on her show - but during a stint she played on Ellen Degeneres' show back in the 1990s. Oprah played Ellen's psychologist - one of the first person's that Ellen talked about being gay with. Back then, that was a pretty big deal. Now, people come out - or are pushed out - on sites like TMZ and Perez Hilton; and who did Ellen trust? She trusted Oprah. Here is a snippet of their scenes below:

Good Grief, President Obama!!

Am I glad that President Obama is scheduling a speech tonight to update the world on the status in Afghanistan? Yes, yes I am. However, the speech will be bumping the annual showing of A Charlie Brown Christmas on ABC. Sure - I have a copy of the show on DVD somewhere, but it is just not the same. You know what I mean, don't you? To tell you the truth, the Charlie Brown Christmas show has not been the same for me since Dolly Madison Cakes stopped sponsoring it, but those days are long gone.

This whole Obama-Charlie Brown tangling got me thinking...which of Charlie Brown and his friends would make the best president? Who is the most Obama-like? In my opinion, Charlie's friend Linus is the best fit. He is pretty grounded for a kid, and has held his devotion to the Great Pumpkin through many a Halloween season. Many may question his abilities, considering the fact that he is constantly seen holding a blanket. To me - Linus' blanket is like President Obama's teleprompter - he really doesn't need it - but he feels better having it.

So - keeping with this theme - who is Lucy? Well, the obvious answer is Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. Lucy, like Hillary, is not afraid to "play with the boys." That one is easy. I have had a more difficult time coming up with which Peanuts character is Vice President, Joe Biden most like? Not Snoopy; to me, Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel seems more Snoopy-like. You know, a little bit behind the scenes - but tough. I think that I am going to have to go outside the box and go with Peppermint Patty. Peppermint Patty is kind and down to earth, but sometimes talks a little bit too much. OK, who is Charlie Brown you may ask? I think that we all can agree on that. Nobody says "Charlie Brown" like Senator John McCain.

Since we won't get to see A Charlie Brown Christmas until next week then, here is a little snippet. Enjoy: