As expected, the DeLay House has attempted to kill the child credit by passing a swollen $82 billion tax cut that has little hope of passing the Senate. Apparently the House bill pays a whopping “96 percent of its benefits to middle- and upper-income taxpayers.” Said Charlie Rangel of the bill, “it was ‘one of the most cynical and hypocritical moves’ he had ever seen,” and you have to think that at this point Rangel’s seen a lot. For shame. Yet another reason why we should be embarrassed as a nation to have a guy like Tom DeLay calling the shots in Congress.
Month: June 2003
Energy Influx.
Election 2004 update: Kerry tries to separate from the herd by announcing his proposed national energy policy today, which includes raising fuel-efficiency standards (currently at 20.7 and 27.5 miles per gallon for SUVs and cars respectively) to 36mpg by 2015. (Of the other leading candidates, Dean appears to concur with tougher standards, while Edwards – also in Iowa today to call for pension reform – has voted for a truck exemption in the past…the perils of a pickup state.)I like the “Of Big Oil, by Big Oil, for Big Oil” line…hopefully the pack will continue to call out Bush before turning on each other anew.
Another DUI?
According to Fortune (via the Segway website), “using a Segway is so intuitive that it feels as though the thing has somehow been plugged into your central nervous system.” Dan Bricklin adds, “The Segway is incredibly stable, whether
standing still or moving.” So, of course, Dubya manages to flip one almost immediately. I could extend the metaphor, but I think it speaks for itself, no?
The Cooler King meets the Muscles from Brussels.
Heard any really awful movie news lately? How ’bout this gem – Jean Claude Van Damme will be starring in a remake of The Great Escape. That’s flat-out egregious, even worse than Keanu as John Constantine. The Great Escape does NOT need to be remade, but if you’re going to do it anyway, the cast should look something like the one assembled for The Thin Red Line. And there should be no – I repeat no – Van Damage anywhere near the freaking picture. If they have Van Damme jumping the fences on his motorcycle, I expect the ghost of Steve McQueen will haunt him until the end of his days.
The Killing Point.
Hmm. Hollywood Homicide is getting much better reviews than I ever would have anticipated…and, yes, in case you were wondering, the finger of death does makes an appearance.
On the Prowl.
The new Bob Johnson-owned NBA franchise unveiled their name, logo, and uniforms on Wednesday, and they’re the
Enemies in our midst.
“If I felt that my neighbor of 10 years was doing fundraising for a group, I’d turn ’em in…[the FBI will] just investigate them, and if you’re wrong, you’re wrong. And if you’re right, that’s a big thing!” In other words, report your neighbor! What’s the harm? Suspicion breeds confidence! The Voice‘s James Ridgeway notes the proliferation of Cat Eyes, a neighborhood “civil defense” group encouraging citizens to look out for suspicious behavior. Underneath the spreading chestnut tree…
Man of the Hour.
The Post profiles Anthony Romero, the current head of the ACLU. Intriguing to note that the organization has grown by 33% (100,000 new members) in the past eighteen months. Even if I disagree strongly with the ACLU on campaign finance, I think most of the time they’re doing God’s work. So that membership stat may end up being Ashcroft’s only positive legacy.
Goodnight David (and Atticus).
This Week is off the air, Atticus has left the courtroom, Ahab has gone down with the ship, and the guns of Navarone have fallen silent. Rest in Peace David Brinkley (1920-2003), one of television’s pioneering newsmen, and many condolences to his family. The same goes out to the family and friends of Gregory Peck (1915-2003), one of the big screen’s enduring heroes. They will both be missed.
Sons of Gondor.
USA Today takes a peek at the Two Towers extended edition, and it sounds like Boromir, Denethor, Theodred and Treebeard benefit the most. Also, we’re apparently granted a fuller picture of Faramir’s backstory, which may help to dispel some of the fanboy negativity about his gruff portrayal in the film. Is it November yet?