Katie Couric, VP Biden, and there's the white guy comment

I was glad to get up this AM and be able to find online, Katie Couric's lame comment, "and there's the white guy". When I heard it last night, I found it very disturbing, but I couldn't quite figure out why. After thinking about it this morning, I think it was not what was said, but more about the tone and laughs that came after. I felt the laughs and tone were not poking fun at our white Vice-President Biden. I felt they were poking fun at an African-American president and a female speaker of the house. In case you didn't see it, Katie said, "Nice to see a little diversity for a change, we have an African-American president, a female speaker of the house and there's the white guy, Bob, hahahaha", with the camera on Joe Biden. It was almost said as if there should have been white guys in those other positions?
You can find a clip at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/02/24/katie-couric-on-biden-the_n_169695.html if you happened to miss it.
And here, just yesterday, I naively said I didn't believe things were always about race. Today it's looking like it's not only about race but about gender, too. Am I the only one who thinks this comment was not about "the white guy", Vice-President Biden?
I wonder how would this have gone over if Imus had said it? I would love to hear your thoughts....

NY Post Chimp Cartoon Compares Stimulus Author to Dead Primate

I just can't hold it in any longer....I wrote this comment in reply to "Mr. Dreadful" who was commenting on Sam Stein's article "New York Post Chimp Cartoon Compares Stimulus Author To Dead Primate" in the Huffington Post who was commenting on the New York Post's chimp cartoon (boy that was long).
My comment below, is in response to this comment in the Huffington by Mr. Dreadful.

Bravo, Mr. Dreadful! My translation of this cartoon is that the chimp relates more to the stimulus bill itself than any person or race. To me it infers that the bill was written in panic (maybe by crazed lunatics) to save the economy. If I were going to relate the chimp in this cartoon to people, it would be the Democrats. As reported in this paper, Nancy Pelosi commented in regards to Republicans not voting for the stimulus package, "We won the election, we wrote the bill." A little pompous, I"d say.
And yes, I totally agree with you, what does it say about those people who saw this as a racial issue? I might be naïve, but I don"t think things are always about race or black and white...and speaking of Al Sharpton, isn't he the one who wanted the innocent Duke boys hung and has still not apologized almost two years after the charges were dropped?


Things I maybe should have added to the post: In my mind African-Americans are NOT synonymous with monkeys. I do realize, however that this cartoon could have been hurtful to some people and maybe the NY Post should have been a little more sensitive to racial stereotypes. However, it upsets me that I need to be sensitive to racial undertones because of narrow-minded bigots. If those people did not exist, maybe no one would have to worry any more about any comments ever being racial slurs or cartoons like this being offensive.

Our President a smoker?

Okay, am I the only one who did not know that our President, was (maybe is) a smoker? According to Albert B. Southwick, in the Telegram, "Barack Obama, trying to quit cigarettes, admits to sneaking an occasional smoke." I don't know how I missed this, being a former smoker myself. Here's my big question....if Mr. Obama had openly smoked on the campaign trail, would he have been elected President?

And BTW, this is really old news. I found another post on ABC's blog that is dated June 10, 2008. This blog states that he had been "open about his smoking past". Still shaking my head that I missed this one!

What a sad day in the world of Ezra (Better Than Ezra that is)

What a sad, sad day this is in the Ezralite world to hear that Travis McNabb, Better Than Ezra's drummer (according to The Times-Picayune) is leaving to take a full-time job with country band Sugarland. I've had the pleasure of meeting Travis on several occasions and I can tell you, he is not only an impressive drummer, he is a great guy with a lot of class.

The really sad part of this is that Better Than Ezra is finally coming out with a new CD, in May, and we will not be seeing Travis on their tour. They haven't had a new CD since "Before the Robots" in 2005.

Travis' last performance with Better Than Ezra is Sunday, February 15, 2009. His replacement is Michael Jerome.

Wishing you the best of luck in your new job, Travis. Sugarland is lucky to have you!

Dr. Oz on GMA

I just love Dr. Oz! I've only seen him a few times, but every time I see him he says stuff that just makes sense! If you didn't happen to catch him on Good Morning America yesterday, you really missed it. I don't know if I had previously missed his sense of humor, if he just developed a sense of humor or if what I saw yesterday was not intended to be funny, but boy did I laugh! I hadn't laughed that hard for quite some time!

He was talking to a group of men about health. He said, "You men have an advantage over women; you have a dipstick for health." There was enough of a pause that I said to myself, dipstick, hmmmm..... he can't be talking about a penis. Sure enough, he then said, "It's called your penis." I have to say, I was shocked to hear him say that, well...on Good Morning American anyway. He went on the explain that if the arteries were working properly in that area it should mean they are working properly every where else.

It gets better. He went on to measure a couple of the guys around the waist. He said our waists should be 1/2 the size of our height. While he was standing there after measuring the second man he said, "for every 35 pounds you lose, you gain one inch down here", as he took his tape measure and motioned as if he was measuring the guys penis. Then he said, "Because you can see it again." I chuckled off and on throughout the day as these images popped in and out!

Iman Crossman

I just love Iman Crossman. If you don't know who he is, he is President Obama's dancing, singing impersonator. He seems like a great, classy guy. If you haven't seen him yet, youtube him!

UPDATE 10-12-09: Iman, where are you?

Bonnie Newman to be Judd Gregg's successor

According to the Union Leader Bonnie Newman is scheduled to become Judd Gregg's successor, which will be announced by Governor Lynch at a 4:30 pm conference. The Union Leader further comments, "Newman, 63, was Sen. Judd Gregg's chief of staff when he was in the US House in the 1980's." Reading the Union Leader article, it looks like her resume is quite lengthy. Don't know why I had never heard of her until today.

Florida Avacados and Pineapples

As I'm cutting up and tasting a pineapple, it occurs to me that this is the second one in a row that tasted absolutely delicious! I know that Florida Avocados are in season and delicious at this time of the year (well January), but I did not know this would be a great time to be buying pineapples. I did find, at Produce Pete, that there are several seasons for pineapples: April/May for Hawaiian pineapples and December - February and August/September for Caribbean pineapples. Checking the tag, sure enough, this one is a "product of Costa Rica". I'll have to pay better attention to when pineapples are the best!

Happy Ground Hog Day 2009 !

Happy Groundhog Day! The news is in, Punxsutawney Phil managed to see his shadow, even though it was cloudy. Six more weeks of winter. Personally, I think there are only six (or seven) more weeks until spring!