A Belated Happy Birthday

Chuck Berry's birthday was a couple of days ago, and I didn't get around to commemorating it. Now I understand from Halle that he was a big-league jerk, but there's no denying that he was a guitar-playin' fool, and IMHO, any black guy that can get away with singing "My Ding-A-Ling" to an audience full of white chicks, even in the early 70's, has got something worth commemorating - even 2 days late!

Who Do You Love?

Can't help but wonder how Barbara feels about sounding just like the NY Daily News. As I've read different blog posts and watched the media response to OWS, I keep thinking about Greenwald's first post on the subject in which he speculated about what was behind all the progressive sniping of the protesters. 'Course the rightwingers motivation is easier to understand - not much mystery there. Anyway, as these protests pick up steam and spread, it's interesting to keep an eye on who says what. I saw a segment on BBC this morning in which a protester and some rightwing British gob from Manchester were intereviewed together. It was distressing to see that the protester guy was pretty lame, and I wondered if he was chosen for just that reason. I wish they had gotten this guy. But the Manchester tool couldn't have been more of an asshole, and at least I can say that the BBC interviewer challenged him fairly aggressively on some of his more blatant BS. I tried to find a video of it, but couldn't. The segment was marginally better, at least, than this kind of fare that our US media spews.

Anyway, I find my sympathies much more in line with Jared Bernstein who patiently explains:

Protest movements are often born of two interacting injustices: the lack of opportunity and the lack of accountability by the persons perceived to be blocking that opportunity.

Given the facts of the income distribution, the trends in real middle-class incomes and poverty, the failure of policy to do much to change these trends, the government bailouts of the only class that’s benefitted from the recovery so far, the absence of clear punishment/accountability for the financial and political institutions that helped inflate the debt bubble that continues to squeeze economies across the globe, and the dysfunctionality of the current political system (they’re arguing more about whether they can keep the lights on than whether they can help solve the economic problems), the more interesting question is what took so long for such protests to show up?

Exactly. And don't miss the link at the end of that post.

Then again, there's this.

UPDATE: And, um, this. The arrogance is pretty amazing, isn't it? These people have absolutely no fear at all that they will ever be held accountable. Ever. It's unthinkable to them.

RIP Marv Tauplin

The Motown sound was driven by such great talent.

Texas Toast

I checked in with TexasFred to see how Gov. Goodhair is faring in Greater Wingnuttia and, lo and behold, things are looking not-so-good for our man Rick. Fred lists 3 issues that, for him, put Rick out of the running and they are: 1) Letting "illegals" get in-state tuition, 2) the HPV vaccine ruckus and.....wait for it.....3) Rick's suggestion that the US invade Mexico! That's right! Fred is, of course, just fine with shooting anyone that crosses the border illegally into the US from Mexico but apparently thinks having our military go down to "help" Pres. Calderon fight the drug cartels is just silly. And, believe me, it's downright scary to see Fred say anything that I agree with!

Fred expresses reservations that Rick might yet redeem himself with actions that show sufficient remorse for past transgressions - or something - so I'm kind of waiting to see if N*****-gate doesn't turn Perry's fortunes around amongst the boneheads of Texas, remembering that what is unconscionable to normal people is a distinct mark in the Plus Column for the Republican party base. But apparently Rick is so full of Cow Wow that even knuckle-dragging teabaggers think he's a loser. You know, that's kind of an accomplishment in itself!