Festivus 2010: No Mediaite Festivus? What Gives?

Festivus, that annual celebration for the rest of us, is upon us, once again. But in 2010 Festivus just don't feel like, well, Festivus.

The idea was first introduced in Seinfeld, Jerry Seinfeld's long-running television comedy, as an alternative to what some perceive as the commericialization of Christmas.

But this time, Festivus doesn't feel like Festivus, and maybe that's because the idea was started by a long-cancelled TV show, rather than a religious event?

At any rate, I know Festivus isn't as huge this year, because Mediaite's not mentioning it at all. Last year, the online media watchdog publication had a Mediaite Festivus of the top 50 media influencers in 2009, and that I talked about in my vlog here:



This year, zip.  Nada.

And while Festivus is a Google Trend, some of the blogs and articles don't seem to be focused on it in the title heading.  Festivus is more the day that, say, an NFL football game is being played.

I think AOL's David Knowles got it right when he observed that Festivus lived on, although Seinfeld reruns were "dated."  I think Festivus is headed in the same direction.  But there's still Christmas, and always will be.

Now, for this blogger, Christmas is about giving, not necessarily buying. It's also a celebration of the time of Christ's birth.

That's forgotten.

An aside.

For some reason there are people who just want to be mean. They want to be mean 24 and 7, and so they hate Christmas. Can't stand it. Those people are sad sacks. There's nothing wrong with being nice to people and giving to them in honor of the birth of Christ, and because it's just a plain nice thing to do.

As I said to someone who explained the common rationale for not celebrating Christmas, in other words, it's commericialized, "Christmas is something you do with society. Why does it have to be about you?"

Don't be selfish. Get into the sprit. Give of yourself.

Happy Festivus and Merry Christmas!

How To Videoblog Advice From Zennie Abraham (Zennie62)

Vldeologging is now a part of mainstream culture, although this blogger's not sure what major event caused that to happen. Now, there are any number of tips, but they're so complicated they take the fun out of vlogging.

A video blog starts with a camcorder. The one used to make this vlog is called The Flip Video Ultra. You also need a laptop computer like a MacBook Pro to upload your videos to YouTube and Blip.tv with.  Beyond that, you need to think about what you're saying, pick up the camcorder and hold it to your eyes, then look at the lens and talk.

It's that simple.

The key is in holding the camcorder to the eye and looking into it.   When done correctly,  your videos will be stable and friends and relatives will think you've got your own camera crew.

Oh, and the only way to be a good video blogger is practice, practice, practice.

Oakland News: The Alley's Ready For Christmas!

If you live in, or are visiting Oakland, California, you must visit one of my favorite places, The Alley.

Located at 3325 Grand Avenue, and just up the street from The Grand Lake Theater, The Alley is an Oakland institution who's history goes back to 1931.

Then, it was a speakeasy and very much as it is today (except that the upstairs has been closed for years).  But in 1960, Rod Dibble started playing at the piano, and never stopped since.  I estimate patrons have  sat at the piano with Rod 105,000 times since 1960 to 2010.

So, if you like to sing, want to give it a try, or enjoy listening to others sing, pay a visit to The Alley this weekend.  Sit down, order a steak, then go over to the piano with a cocktail and get a song book.  The drill is to pick a song you want to sing, and Rod plays the piano background for you as you sing.  My song is "Fly Me To The Moon."

And if you are fortunate enough to here a man wearing a beret hat, and sitting with his wife, sing, give him a hearty round of applause.  He's Dave Chapman, and like Rod Dibble himself, has just beat cancer - stomach cancer.

Congratulations Dave!

President Obama Signs Repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell (Video)

Today, three days before Christmas, President Obama signed the Repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT).

Here's the full 26 minute video marking the fall of one of the last vestiges of mass stupidity. If anyone, had doubts about Barack Obama as a president right for our time, please jettison them.

No Urgency in Obama White House to Save 99er Millions

In an answer to ABC’s White House correspondent Jake Tapper, Robert Gibbs made it clear there is no urgency in the Obama White House to save millions of 99ers in America.

TAPPER: ... they're individuals who have been -- who's unemployment insurance has run out. They were not included in the deal, the tax deal that the president signed with Mr. McConnell, the Republicans and others. Is there anything that the president can do for them?

GIBBS: Well, I think the best thing that we can do as a country is to get -- get a fragile economy more stable, and one that creates more jobs. I think that's -- that's why I think, you know, economists said that they would reorient their growth estimates based on the agreement that the president signed. And obviously, the best thing we can do for them is to create an environment where businesses are hiring. Look, we have -- what you've heard me say on a number of occasions, that one of the great benefits of the agreement was taking the politics out of -- out of unemployment insurance. We -- we -- we have -- it's been a contentious battle just to get unemployment insurance to continue up to 99 weeks. It's not -- it's not in any way been easy. And this takes the politics out of that throughout 2011 and hopefully we can focus -- continue to focus on getting the economy moving again and providing -- providing those guys with a helping hand with a job.

First of all, Mr Gibbs, as for Jobs YES we need JOBS but Obama/Congress should have tackled that LONG AGO. Congress Has ignored the 99ers into an immediate emergency and now wants 99ers to wait what - another YEAR it will takes for DC to help us with JOBS?

What are we supposed to do until then when we have already survived on ZERO for going on 10 months!!!!

Too bad we are only Americans and not some foreign Nation or a Big Bank where Congress would Help in 3 days or LESS!

A great in-depth analysis of the Tapper/Gibbs exchange can be found in Mike Thornton’s article Gibbs: 99ers helped with jobs, not unemployment benefits Where he suggests “Here’s how the interview segment would have made more sense: 


Mr. Tapper: Estimates are that 4-5 million unemployed have exhausted all their unemployment benefits – the 99ers. Since job creation is near zero and millions more 99ers are in the pipeline for 2011, why didn’t the president demand some relief for these long-suffering jobless, instead of just giving billions to businesses that aren’t hiring and to the wealthy who don’t need the extra cash?

Mr. Gibbs: Yes, the economy is still unable to create the jobs needed to help the 4-5 million and growing ranks of 99ers. We didn’t include 99ers in the monster tax package plan because economists think job growth will increase and you know how much you can trust economists to be correct (LOL)! We are more concerned about continually giving untold billions in tax breaks to businesses that still are not hiring even though they have recorded record profits and are sitting on over a $trillion in capital. Eventually they will have to hire some additional people, maybe even a couple 99ers, just to count all that extra cash!

We took the politics out of the next 13 months of unemployment benefits extensions for those who haven’t exhausted benefits, but when millions more do exhaust benefits in 2011, well, honestly, tough luck. In fact we didn’t even bring up the matter of unemployment benefits exhaustion because we were afraid that Republicans would be angry at us! You know how nasty Republicans can get if you bring up job creation or longer term benefits! Are you crazy (LOL)? Did you see what that whacko Sen. Bunning did last year when we tried to extend unemployment benefits? We didn’t want to go there again. Those guys are nuts!

We feel it’s much more important to bailout corrupt and mismanaged Wall Street banks, large insurance companies and auto manufacturers than it is to bailout the long-term unemployed. I mean, do you think the president will receive more money for his 2012 reelection campaign from corrupt business leaders or 99ers? Get real, Jake. Sure, we hope 99ers support us, but we know where our bread is buttered and it’s not from contributions from unemployment checks! Reality is, “Show me the money!” Great flick, Jerry McGuire.

We will continue to go down the same path of giving billions in tax breaks to businesses and the wealthy, but we have our fingers crossed that businesses will create a few jobs for the very long-term unemployed. Our job creation policies haven’t worked for the past two years, but we’re certain they will work this time. Third time lucky we think (ha, ha, ha)!”

Bravo Mike!!!!

I implore all 99ers, their friends & family - as well as any concerned American with a heart larger than larger than a pre-Christmas Grinch to PLEASE:

Tweet Jake Tapper @jaketapper and thank him for his courage and tenacity to keep asking the White House about the millions of 99ers.

It seems the 99ers are Washington’s dirty little secret - or why else would Obama and Congress work so hard to misinform the American public into thinking they gave us a 13 month UI extension when they know damn well they have not included help for 99ers in the “Obama Bend-over.” Most of the media too has perpetuated this complete falsehood! Kudos to ABC’s Jake Tapper, CNN’s Ali Velshi for getting the story RIGHT!

OK 99er Nation - are you mad enough now to stand as one and fight this with everything you have got left?

If so, then this is the time for an all out phone/fax/email and public protest assault on Washington DC (including the White house and the Press core) and every media outlet (print/blog/radio/TV) in America and overseas. Let the World know how little America cares about over 5 million of it’s own who are suffering terribly!

Start googling for the contact info or check back through my past articles to get what info you need that is not listed below:

The 111th Congress Complete List http://joblessunite.yolasite.com/legislators-list.php

What's UR question 4 POTUS? Call WWR toll free:1-866-USA-0021 (872-0021) It could be asked at next news conference....OK EVERYBODY CALL and ask about Tier 5 to SURVIVE & benefits for those who have run out and now going HUNGRY and HOMELESS !!!

Twitter contacts for:
Press Secretary Gibbs: @PressSec
Jake Tapper: @jaketapper
Rachel Maddow: @maddow @ProducerGuy1 (Now that DADT is a done deal they can turn up the heat on behalf of starving/homeless 99ers)
Keith Olbermann: @keitholbermann
The White House: @BarackObama @joebiden @WhiteHouse_Blog @whitehouse
Huffington Post: @ariannahuff
Let's Get going and not stop until we get what we need or die trying. I for one will NOT let the 99ers go quietly into that great good night!

(FYI - for you who do not know it - as of April 2010 I do not qualify for any additional UI benefits that may come down the pike. I am now a 1099er writing for the Examiner and independent contractors are considered Self Employed - NOT eligible for a continuing claim after reaching a certain income threshold - a whopping $200 or less average for the past 9 months - and not eligible for a New claim either - SO IFIGHT on for YOU to get this help and NOT for my own benefit)

[Please use the donation button below to help Paladinette to KEEP FIGHTING for the 99ers! Thank you Merry Christmas to all.]

Washington Redskins Bruce Allen Must Fire Mike Shanahan ASAP

This is a call to action for Washington Redskins GM Bruce Allen.

Bruce, if you have any ounce of common sense, you will fire Redskins Head Coach Mike Shanahan immediately.

The problem is the modern slave mentality that's still pervasive in football today allows a person like Shanahan to get a head coaching job, even after Denver Broncos Owner Pat Bowlen fired him.   

Bolen was right.

Mike Shanahan has become a franchise-killer. His inability to relate to black players and his consistent use of not just racial code words, but racist treatment of players like Donovan McNabb and Albert Haynesworth while not criminal, should be.   Plus, Shanahan's grasp of the modern game is simply not there any more.

The modern NFL game has passed Shanahan by. His son, Offensive Coordinator Kyle Shanahan, shows the same "in the box" unimmaginative play calling and play design that's plagued Mike for several years. Many of the current offensive innovations, from quarterback runs to fake wide receiver screen pass / draw plays, and constant use of runs out of the shotgun / spread, aren't in the Redskins system.

And Mike Vick?

Ha.

While Coach Shanahan may praise Philadelphia Eagles QB Mike Vick, the fact is Mike Shanahan would have ruined Vick had he coached him.   Indeed, Shanahan would have benched Vick for Rex Grossman, then came up with some off-the-wall reason to justify his move.

Mike's problem is he can't stand anyone black who is smart, and I say this from experience.

When the Broncos played the Oakland Raiders in 2001, this blogger was one of the Raiders press team members.  After a game that saw the Broncos use a four-wide-receiver offense to make up for the lack of a healthy tight end, I asked Mike about that.

Well, I tried to.

Shanahan was actually flustered that I asked him a technical question.  He looked as if that wasn't supposed to come from my mouth.  I never forgot that episode of my life, and its "colored" my view of Mike ever since.   It caused me to think he's one of those people who's not comfortable with anyone who's black who's "mind is on fire," perhaps because he's threatened by them.

Sad.

Thus, when Mike benched McNabb and basically kicked dirt on him, I knew what was up with that.  Mike can't deal with smart black guys, and I'll stand tall by that assertion.

Mike Shanahan will not bring a division championship to Washington. Bruce. Coach Shanahan wlll ruin your career as GM and fast.

Bruce Allen, save yourself.

Fire Mike Shanahan.

Terrell Owens Calls ProFootballTalk.com "Jerks"

Well, ProFootballTalk.com is really living up to this blogger's billing of the site as "The TMZ of Football."

Just as TMZ gets under the skin of some celebrities, ProFootballTalk.com is getting under the skin of some NFL players, namely one Cincinnati Bengals Wide Receiver Terrell Owens, who called the staff of PFT "jerks" on Twitter.

Here's T.O.'s tweet:

terrellowens Terrell Owens

@ProFootballTalk i put blame on every1!! i said frm the top-down!!! spin it how u want, i'm used 2 it! u guys r jerks!

14 Dec Favorite Retweet Reply

Terrell's tweet was in response to criticism over his expressed anger at the Bengals performance.  And really, Terrell's not the problem.  He had 72 catches for 983 yards and nine touchdowns.

If the Bengals don't keep Owens, they really are losers.  

T.O.'s a great player.  He just wants to win.

Bring him to Oakland.  Or how about with the Eagles and Mike Vick?