Gene and Brak

Back in July, I confessed that one of the first songs I sang for little C.C. was a beer jingle. I've moved on to a greater variety of tunes since those earlier days, though they are just as pop-cultured as the first and far, far sillier:

Kenny Wayne Shepherd better look out.

After the recent attempted terrorist strike over the holidays, the usual gang of GOP idiots are calling once again for the use of racial profiling at airports.

Believe it or not, I can see both sides of issues and understand where the right is coming from on most of them even. For instance, when it comes to the whole wiretapping thing, they see the process as a genuine good that could help prevent terrorist attacks. And aside from the conflict with our inherent right to privacy, it's hard for me to argue against that.

But then we have something like racial profiling thing where we get suggestions like this:

"Radio host Mike Gallagher recently said, 'There should be a separate line to scrutinize anybody with the name Abdul or Ahmed or Mohammed,' and Rep. Peter King (R-NY) raised the idea of profiling people based on their religions."

These proposals I cannot see the motivation for because any rational human being can see that such things will not work. They make these statements to stir up the base and the deep seated hatreds that lie within the GOP. And that, my friends, is not constructive. It's purely malevolent.

My final word on this is courtesy of the News of the Weird syndicated column. They have a feature called "The Classic Middle Name" which would seem to make an effective case for restricting anyone with the middle name "Wayne" from both alcohol and firearms.

I'm sure Newt Gingrich would agree.

And some YouTube in your stocking.

As a final Christmas present to Mrs. Mosley (Yeah, we already exchanged presents days ago. We're zany like that), I present this nine minute documentary (via Metafilter). It combines three of her most favorite subjects: London, The Underground and History. Merry Christmas, sweetie... and the rest of you lot, as well!

A Gorgeous Killing Machine

Neatorama says it best: "The last thing seen by many a field mouse."

The Onion just made my day.

"I do not understand," reads an ancient line of pictographs depicting the sun, the moon, water, and a Sumerian who appears to be scratching his head. "A booming voice is saying, 'Let there be light,' but there is already light. It is saying, 'Let the earth bring forth grass,' but I am already standing on grass."

"Everything is here already," the pictograph continues. "We do not need more stars."

Full story here.

"Spitting in a wiiiiiishing weeeeeeell..."

Somebody put this old chestnut in my head today. Now it's your turn:

Alonzo's Cinematic Fatherhood: Lesson One

So if I had to choose one scene from one film to represent my first five months of Fatherhood, it would be the stealing of the idol in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Why? Well, when you have spent night after night trying to oh-so-deftly pick up a sleeping baby and/or put down a sleeping baby without waking her, you'll know.

And just as the Titanic is doomed to hit the iceberg which will seal Jack and Rose's fate, and just as Hilts will never be able to jump that final barbed wire fence, you are always going to trip that damn giant boulder.

JapanVideoMangaGameBanzai!

Oh Metafilter, what have you introduced me to:



Fortunately or unfortunately, someone linked to a related video in the comments of that post, which I watched. I'm not going to embed it here but just provide the link. If your a fan of old school video games, have thirteen minutes to spare and aren't prone to seizures, you ought to check it out. Even then, you've been warned.

I miss Spencer Tracy.

Available in today's newspaper (just kidding):

*hint hint* (or maybe not)

I had previously told Mrs. Mosley that a new MP3 player might be nice for my Christmas gift this year. I think I may be changing my mind:



Ever since I blogged about the Warner Archive earlier this year, I've been determined to find a title to add to my collection (both to see what the disks are like and also to show my support for such an awesome program). None of the titles offered so far have really floated my boat, but this "Big Band, Jazz & Swing Short Subject Collection" comes close. However, it does violate the "sight unseen" DVD purchase rule I have. And at 40 bucks (even for a six disk set), I have to agree such a purchase is probably not in the cards.

Oh, well. I'll keep on the lookout over at their site, and you should too. If you're looking for some expert opinion of the disks themselves, the always excellent DVD Savant has been semi-regularly reviewing different Warner Archive titles, so please go check him out!

In the same league as "Jews for Buchanan"

I just got a blind friend request today on Facebook by a (if the picture is to be believed) very attractive girl in her twenties looking for friendships and dating relationships. The woman had already racked up over 1,000 friends this way, but I decided not to be one of them.

I had to laugh, though, at her brief profile. This gorgeous young woman listed herself as a Conservative Atheist from Texas. I'm not saying that such a combination doesn't exist, but I'm more likely believe fallen Nigerian Princes in my email than this gal.

"Hey, Joe! You Schmuck!"

It's December 1st, which means we're beginning to see the flood of articles listing the top ten of this and top twenty of that for the year 2009. In The Root's Top 10 Epic Fails of 2009, there's this gem:

When Joe Wilson yelled "you lie" during the president's health care speech, he should have been escorted out. During the election, Obama had to temper his temper because he couldn't afford to be labeled the angry black guy. Had he yelled out "You Lie!" during the debates, it would've been game over. I so wanted Obama to shut the South Carolina congressman down and say, "Come down here and say that to my face, Joe Wilson!" Yes, I know, Obama can't do that. And that is what I love about Obama: He doesn't have to. He's the president.

Roscoe Lee Browne Quote of the Month: December 2009

I saved one of the very best for last this time around. The following quote comes from The Cowboys, one of John Wayne's last great Westerns. In this scene, Browne's character (with the oh-so-awesome name of Jebediah Nightlinger) is about to be lynched by the bad guys. He uses his last moment before the noose to say a prayer:

Jebediah: "I regret trifling with married women. I'm thoroughly ashamed at cheating at cards. I deplore my occasional departures from the truth. Forgive me for taking your name in vain, my Saturday drunkenness, my Sunday sloth. Above all, forgive me for the men I've killed in anger... and those I am about to."