Archive for January, 2010

Dan Sherrier

According to the feminists, playing an ad about a woman’s decision to defy doctors’ recommendations and not have an abortion is “extraordinarily offensive and demeaning.”

Let’s replay that in slow-motion:

Pregnant woman. Doctors say have an abortion. Woman thinks for herself and decides to have her baby. Tell this story in a commercial, and it’s “extraordinarily offensive and demeaning.”

Demeaning? Offensive? Huh?

Doesn’t make sense to me either.

Yet this is what has incited feminists’ self-righteous fury–a potential Super Bowl commercial that CBS is allowing to air.

The ad features college football player Tim Tebow and his mother Pam, and it’s about Pam Tebow’s decision to have her baby (specifically, Tim). Read the rest of this entry »

Kelly Anderson Wright

WARNING: Borrowed money always comes with strings.

When Chrysler received a $15 billion bailout of taxpayers’ money, the troubled automaker probably didn’t think that we, the people, would want to have a say in how they spent it.

Uh-oh, looks like Nevadans want to pull some strings.

Super.

Rep. Dean Heller (R-NV) sent a letter Friday asking Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner to review Chrysler’s advertising plans, urging the automaker to reconsider advertising on CBS during Super Bowl XLIV, Feb. 7.

Read the rest of this entry »

Bob Franken

Never forget one of nature’s immutable laws: “If Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining That Means Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud”. At least that’s the case when it comes to Washington’s nature.

Let’s take the thunderbolt from Boston that seems to have shocked the lethargic White House into the realization that voters’ anger and fear require jolting action.

Biggest fear? Being a mediocre two-term president. Isn't he overlooking his first term?

Beginning the day after the election that sent a Republican from Massachusetts, of all places, President Obama has switched into his “No More Mr. Nice Guy” mode. Gone is that Joe Cool stuff. The new Message of the Day is that it’s time to turn up the temperature. Call that a Silver Lining.

Read the rest of this entry »

Bob Batz

You never realize how old you look until you get your new driver’s license.

When I did it recently the folks at the license bureau were absolutely wonderful.

They painstakingly walked me through the procedure from Point A where they asked me if I was an American citizen or something like that to Point Z where they asked me if I saw a blinking light on the screen off to my left.

A depressing experience.

Then it was picture-taking time.

Older people approach photo shoots a lot differently than younger people.

Younger people just plunk down, say “cheese” or  whatever it is young people say when they are about to get their pictures taken and then they walk out of the place with a bounce in their step and a new driver’s license in their wallet or purse.

Read the rest of this entry »

Dan Calabrese

Throughout the first year of the Obama presidency, the administration and Congress completely ignored the problem of rising unemployment. Instead, they pursued the Democratic Party’s long-time dream of government-run health care.

Not a clue.

Now that the voters of Massachusetts appear to have stopped them in their tracks, Obama has decided to do the only thing worse than neglecting the jobs situation: He is going to pay attention to it.

Read the rest of this entry »

Bob Maistros

Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH), on a YouTube video making the rounds: “We go to the ladies room, the Republican women and the Democratic women, and we just roll our eyes. And the Republican women said when we were fighting over the health care bill, if we sent the men home we could get this done this week.” (Loud applause.)

Hit the road, Joe. We can get more done without ya.

“You know why? I’m not trying to diss the men, but I’m telling you, it’s the truth, that every single woman there has been responsible for taking care of her mother, her husband’s mother, her children, her sister’s children, her brother’s children, and so we think we can find a common ground there.”

Washington, D.C., February 2, 2010 – Less than a week after sending their male colleagues home, the all-female Congress enacted the Jewish Mother for Everyone Health Care Act of 2010. Under the legislation, every American who gets sick will benefit from a personal Jewish mother to make chicken and matzo ball soup and tuck him or her into bed. Chief Executive Nancy Pelosi, who assumed the presidency when alpha males Barack Obama and Joe Biden were also dispatched to their home states, will sign the bill tomorrow. Said newly sworn-in Speaker of the House Emma Thizer (D-FL), “Every mother in America understands the healing power of chicken soup, a good night’s sleep and tender loving care. We’ll save billions in health expenditures.”

Read the rest of this entry »

Jamie Weinstein

American Idol has become in the last decade an American institution. In many ways, its success has been due to an American import – a Brit, Simon Cowell.

It is no overstatement to say that, without Cowell, the show would not be the huge success it is today. If the judges were just Randy, Paula (now gone), and whoever the new girl is, the show would be far less interesting.

How 'bout it, Hitch?

Sure, the show is ostensibly about singing talent. But it also driven by sober evaluation of that talent, and sometimes that sober analysis requires acerbic wit.  Cowell provides that for us in an entertaining, if not sometimes cruel, way.  And, yes, I admit to being an American Idol fan. We all have our skeletons.

Now that Cowell has declared that he will leave the show at the end of the season, what will become of America’s favorite singing contest? Can it succeed without Cowell? Perhaps, but not unless a new judge emerges capable of filling Cowell’s shoes.

Read the rest of this entry »

Jill Ciminillo

CHICAGO — I can’t help it. I’m still mesmerized.

I sit in the car, push the ignition switch and stare mindlessly as the navigation screen pops up and the swirling Cadillac symbol greets me before slipping away into the standard nav screen. And, I admit it, I have (more than once) turned the car off and then back on  just to watch the emblem sweep across the screen again.

This intriguing display originally appeared on the CTS, and now for 2010, it appears on the SRX. This little swirling dervish is just one of the many nice features that Cadillac employed to spruce up the formerly blah crossover.

And, I have to tell you, it beats the pants off of the all-new 2010 Lexus RX. Sorry.

2010 Cadillac SRX

I have done a couple of quick tests in the SRX and recently had a week-long test in the crossover. All of my former opinions have been utterly reinforced: This is a stunning vehicle inside and out.

The exterior design adds a little curve to the formerly sharp edges, which is a direct hit to the new RX. In addition to being more visually appealing, this makes the SRX a little more accessible to the average luxury car buyer who wants something unique but pretty.

But if you think that the exterior is a show stopper, it’s the interior that blows everything else out of the water. It’s pure luxury, pure Cadillac and pure gorgeous. From the 8-inch navigation screen in the premium test vehicle to the sleek leather seats, every i is dotted and every t is crossed. Everything just works. Unlike the RX, which has some very cheap touch points and downright ick interior design.

Read the rest of this entry »

Bob Franken

One more thought on the Supreme Court ruling that corporations have the First Amendment right to free expression and are therefore able to spend on campaigns as if they were individuals.

It’s a human right. Right? Actually that’s the flaw in the decision: Humans have hearts. Corporations decidedly do not. As we’ve witnessed in the massive waves of layoffs to protect profits, in the despicable tactics of those in the big bank and finance companies, in the contemptible treatment of customers with health problems by the insurance companies, they are heart-LESS.

Heartless.

Their interest is not the common good. Their only concern is hoarding as much as they can for the few at the top of their executive garbage pile. Everyone else be damned.

And if any upstarts in government try to make any waves, the company lobbyist enforcers can calm the turbulence and drown the troublemakers with money that’s now even easier to spread over the waters.

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Brett Noel

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Large version for newspaper publication.

Grayscale version for newspaper publication.