Things I Drink and So Should You, The Return: Ft. the Toronto

Pop and I have been friends since before the internet, or since before a lot of people knew the internet existed. We were friends when the Patriots were a joke, when Britney Spears was not, when Bill Clinton was President, when the years started with a 1. We were young and naive, sitting in small classrooms discussing political and social issues with an eye on changing the world, on being the force behind the change.

Pop and I both turned 30 this year. Age got to me first, around mid-year, and then to Pop just as the year ended. December is always a time for reflection, a chance to look at what’s gone by, to assess and critique, to congratulate or regret. At the close of this year, I am especially predisposed to such cataloging. At 30, there is no turning back, no grasping weakly at a youth slipped through the fingers of someone too careless to hold on tighter (that someone is everyone). From here, there is only looking back on it, head turned wistfully back at what’s gone before, what fun (or dread) there was in those times, while feet march slowly on into adulthood.

I’ve spent the better part of three months with my head turned backward. Maybe if I’m honest with myself, it’s been this whole year. I’ve been telling stories of the great times I’ve had, and of the horrible things I’ve done. I’ve gone over old photo albums and looked through yellowed copies of pieces I’ve written. I’ve laughed at how much I am not the person who had those times, did those things, sat for those photos or wrote those pieces. And I’ve laughed at how much I am that person, how much I will always be that person, and how much all the things that person did constitute who I am now. And then I’ve sighed, and started my cataloging all over again, no longer laughing at it, because it’s not something to laugh at on second thought.

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Looking Back Through C-SPAN #10

It’s over, and the 111th will forever be known for the craptastic economy.  With better things to do there was no way you could have been watching C-SPAN every minute of the day, so we are bringing you 10 of the most memorable clips from (or occurring during) the 111th Congress that C-SPAN had to offer.

September 24, 2010 – Stephen Colbert of the Colbert Report was asked by Chairman Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) to testify before the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship and Border Security to share his experience with seasonal immigrant laborers who work in agriculture.

Some on the left, such as myself who are fans of Colbert, thought it was poor choice to use congressional time and resources to joke about immigration policy even if it was done in a satirical manner. It gave Republicans softballs to show how unprofessional Democrats take governing. It is equivalent to letting Anne Coulter, Bill O’Reilly, or Newt Gingrich testify (I tried thinking of a republican satirist but there really are none), cherry picking individuals with no true expertise in an area of concern to the Committee. However, few friends agreed with me – many people admitted never watching a Committee hearing prior to Colbert’s testimony, and no one can argue that Lofgren did not achieve her goal of promoting an issue. But hey, by adding the clip to the C-SPAN series I only bringing more attention to the testimony – just can’t help myself.

The Agenda

Republican Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski has finally been certified the winner of the U.S. Senate race in Alaska.

According to a CNN poll, more than 6 in 10 Americans oppose the war in Afghanistan.

Geraldine Hoff Doyle of Lansing, Michigan, the women who inspired the WWII “Rosie the Riveter” poster, has passed at 86.

Gin and Tacos questions the underlying premise of the American health care system: personal responsibility.

Why Christine O’Donnell is no Sarah Palin.

Amazon banning books about incest?

Here’s a baby bird hatching:

V+V Remembers 2010: A skewed-towards-sitcoms top 10 best television shows

Yeah, I’m the one on this blog that watches a lot of television. Yeah, I probably missed your favorite—what do you think I missed?

1. Friday Night Lights

In its fifth and last season on DirecTV (the amazing fourth season aired in the Spring on NBC), FNL is the best drama on television right now. Last season’s episode “The Son” showed how gripping, and downright devastating, a character-focused episode of television can be. It’s a shame this show never really found a wide audience, but it’s also interesting how many are just now discovering the show. Perhaps if it didn’t air on Friday nights on NBC. (Wednesdays on DirecTV’s 101 Network)

2. Parks and Recreation

On hiatus currently because of star Amy Poehler’s pregnancy, the second season of the show, which ended in the Spring, was a fantastic rebirth of this single-camera show focusing on a small-town government agency. Much like Greg Daniel’s earlier project, The Office, the strong writing and acting allow every character the ability to be both hilarious and touching. (Thursdays on NBC)

3. Party Down

It was on Starz, and as a result, nobody saw it. Yet, it was one of the funniest shows on television following a troupe of Hollywood characters who all work for a catering company. It’s possible that the name was a little confusing (many people I’ve describe the show to thought it was a show about partying.) You can catch the second season right now on Netflix Instant View, although I kind of prefer the first. (Starz, Canceled)

4. Parenthood

A drama from Jason Katims, the same creator from Friday Night Lights, and the show has a similar feel. It’s a retelling of the 1989 film by the same name, a follows a similar large extended family. (Tuesdays, NBC)

5. Better Off Ted

Here’s an ABC sitcom nobody watched, but was probably the best satirical look at the modern corporate office workplace, complete with parody ads. It was fun to watch Portia de Rossi play a smarter and way meaner character than Lindsay Funke. Comparisons to the funky and offbeat feel of Arrested Development should not be tossed aside. Where The Office was about an office, Better Off Ted was about corporate culture. (ABC, Canceled)

6. Community

A group of rejects attend a community college. What am I kidding, you’re already watching this. (NBC, Thursdays)

7. Rubicon

An ambitious serial following an intrepid intelligence analyst as he uncovers a massive conspiracy. While slightly uneven (probably due to the showrunner changing after just a couple of episodes), the show’s gritty texture, dark storytelling, slow pace and solid acting made it one of the most interesting pieces of television in several years. (AMC, Canceled)

8. Modern Family

It’s finally a good, modern reissuing of the family sitcom. And it’s really, really funny, unlike Full house. (ABC, Wednesdays)

9. 30 Rock

Who would have thought that a show about a live comedy show would be one of the funniest shows ever produced? And who would have thought that it would go up against another show in its first year with the same exact premise, but written by wunderkind Aaron Sorkin and win? Well, she may have flopped on SNL, but Tina Fey made a genius sitcom, and it only helps that it features the brilliant Alec Baldwin. (NBC, Thursdays)

10. Rescue Me

A show about New York City firefighters dealing with the aftermath of September 11. Yes, created by and starring Denis Leary, and it’s some of the most gripping and troubling television ever produced. Oh, and often downright hilarious. The final season airs next Spring/Summer on FX. Watch this clip, especially at the 3:00 point:

V+V Remembers 2010: Best things we watched thanks to Netflix

Estes:

The Wire.

Jack Burden:

Lawrence of Arabia: Almost certain there was not one women cast in the whole movie. Seriously, a lot of testosterone on that set.

Lady Blaga:

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.

Poplicola:

In Bruges. (DVD only) Not sure how I missed that before recently, but holy shit. The Boys and Girls Guide to Getting Down is a pretty entertaining portrait of L.A. hipster life through the lens of a satirical 1970s-style educational film (Instant View). Honorable Mentions: A Serious Man, Informant!. (Both DVD only)

Also, did you realize how many episodes of King of the Hill there are? There are a lot! (Instant View!)

Nemo:

The Damned United.

V+V Remembers 2010: Movies we weren’t pissed off after spending $10 to see

Nemo:

Jack Burden:

Fair Game (Valerie Plame): The one benefit we got from the sheer indecency, self centered act of leaking a spy’s identity was a fucking cool story about a real life spy.

The Ghost of Hemingway’s Gun:

I honestly don’t think I went to the movies this year, once.

Lady Blaga:

Fair Game
The Social Network
The Kids Are Alright
Toy Story 3

Poplicola:

The Social Network
Black Swan
Inception

If you had told me last year that my favorite movie of the year would be about Facebook, I would spit my whiskey comically. If you had told me it would be screen-written by Aaron Sorkin and directed by David Fincher, I’d find it slightly more believable. If you had told me that I’d describe a Aronofsky movie as “beautiful” but “in the end, overwrought and disappointingly predictable”— well, that would be the opposite of an Aronofsky movie! and I’d laugh. But it was still really good!

And, I know, but it’s been months since you saw Inception. But, c’mon, wasn’t it kind of bad ass?!

V+V Remembers 2010: Books we only liked enough to get from the library (and sometimes never finished)

Poplicola:

Game Change. The first 20 pages I read were way too terrible to continue reading. To compensate, for the rest of the year I only read American novels and novellas from 1920s through the 1960s. In other words, yes, Mark Halperin drives me to read books by drunks.

Jack Burden:

Small Business Financial Management Kit For Dummies, by Tage C. Tracy and John A. Tracy: Yes, the yellow one, how else to know the difference between a S corp and C corp?

Didn’t finish: Henry Clay by David Heidler and Jeanne Heidler – but seriously, all the dueling was spot on.

Lady Blaga:

Jonathan Franzen, Freedom

(I’m a little ashamed that my book category has almost nothing in it, but I don’t tend to read books the year they come out, apparently.)

The Ghost of Hemingway’s Gun:

1. Paul Auster – Sunset Park
2. Philip Roth – Nemesis
3. Michael Lewis – The Big Short

Didn’t Finish:

1. Hitch-22
2. John Hick – Between Faith and Doubt: Dialogues on Religion and Reason
3. Time Parks – Teach Us to Sit Still
4. Yann Martel – Beatrice and Virgil (And I will never finish that garbage)

But, some that were totally worth buying:

1. Tony Judt – Ill Fares the Land
2. Jonathan Franzen – Freedom
3. Jorge Luis Borges – The Perpetual Race of Achilles and the Tortoise
4. Colm Toibin - The Empty Family
5. Judith Schalansky – The Atlas of Remote Islands

Nemo:

Well, here’s the deal.  I don’t read new books. Unlike music, movies, or video games, reading books requires a massive investment in time and intellectual and/or emotional energy. And there are a lot of them! So, my usual M.O is to let myself fall behind the literary zeitgeist and read the books that still seem worthwhile 5-10 years after publication. Right now I’m reading The Enchantress of Florence, which is the newest book I’ve read, and that’s a major exception made for one of my favorite authors.

V+V Remembers 2010: Albums we liked a couple songs on

Jack Burden:

Hurley by Weezer
Contra by Vampire Weekend

Nemo:

Ratatat – LP4
Big Boi – Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty
Band of Horses – Infinite Arms
MGMT – Congratulations

Poplicola:

Atmosphere – To All My Friends, Blood Makes The Blade Holy: The Atmosphere EP’s
Big Boi – Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty
Eminem – Recovery
Grieves – The Confession of Mr. Modest
Jukebox the Ghost - Everything Under the Sun
Nocando – Jimmy the Lock
The Roots – How I Got Over
LCD Soundsystem – This Is Happening

The Ghost of Hemingway’s Gun:

1. Janelle Monae – Tightrope
2. Basically every track Rihanna guested on, because I’m a sucker, I guess.
3. Warpaint – The Fool
4. Curren$y – Pilot Talk I and II
5. Sleigh Bells – Treats

Lady Blaga:

-The Hold Steady, Heaven is Whenever
-Los Campesinos, Romance is Boring

Clevinger:

Belle and Sebastian – Write About Love
Sufjan Stevens – All Delighted People EP
The National – High Violet
Spoon – Transference
New Pornographers – Together

V+V Remembers 2010: Albums that were worth buying

Lady Blaga:

-Vampire Weekend, Contra
-The National, High Violet
-The New Pornographers, Together

Jack Burden:

Together by New Pornographers
The Suburbs by Arcade Fire

Ghost of Hemingway’s Gun:

1. Kanye – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
2. Girl Talk – All Day
3. Justin Townes Earle – Harlem River Blues
4. Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
5. Roots & John Legend – Wake Up

Poplicola:

My favorite album this year was Titus Andronicus’s The Monitor. Their first, 2008′s The Airing of Grievances, was punctuated by intensity, but The Monitor turns it up into near insanity.

This narrowly beat out a couple of other favorites. Against Me!’s White Crosses is by far the best punk album that’s been released since, well, Against Me!’s New Wave (which was marginally better, but, damn). Eligh’s GrewCrow is his best record so far, deftly maneuvering between despair and hope with fantastic beats and solid guest spots—”Stuck With You” featuring Aesop Rock is an especially strong track.

Also: The Suburbs and High Violet.

Nemo:

The Books - The Way Out
Mumford and Sons – Sigh No More
Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
The Black Keys – Brothers

Estes:

Flying Lotus – Cosmogramma
Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
The National – High Violet
Brooklyn Rider – Dominant Curve

Clevinger:

Vampire Weekend – Contra
Arcade Fire – The Suburbs
Sufjan Stevens - The Age of Adz
Joanna Newsom – Have One on Me

Friend of the blog Sometimes We Mean It made a mix that you should probably be listening to as well.

Tea party put your hands up

I have no idea what to say about this. Carry on.

Impact Bold: Budget Delayed

Karen Tumulty at Washington Post reports that Obama’s 2012 budget will be released a week late because of Senate obstruction:

President Obama now expects to release his fiscal 2012 budget in mid-February, about a week later than the timetable set out under the Budget Act of 1974, administration officials said Tuesday.

The White House needs additional time in part because of a six-week delay in the Senate confirmation of new budget director Jacob Lew.

Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) had put a hold on Lew’s nomination to protest the administration’s moratorium on offshore oil drilling. When the administrationlifted the moratorium in October, Landrieu continued the hold, saying she objected to the way drilling permits were being issued. Lew finally was confirmed in November.

Looking Back Through C-SPAN #9

It’s over, and the 111th will forever be known for the craptastic economy.  With better things to do there was no way you could have been watching C-SPAN every minute of the day, so we are bringing you 10 of the most memorable clips from (or occurring during) the 111th Congress that C-SPAN had to offer.

April 1, 2009 – Rep. Frank (D-MA) is reliable for a good show on the floor.  With financial regulatory reform legislation constantly being debated in the post TARP era there were plenty of opportunities for the Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee to flex his wit.  Here is a back and forth with Rep. Culberson (R-TX) .

New York Times Columnist Line of the Day

If you’re one of the four-or-so frequent readers of this here blog, chances are you also occasionally check out the New York Times op-ed page. You may even know the names: Thomas “Friedman’s Just Another Word For Nothing Left to Lose” Friedman, Gail “The Colander” Collins, Nicholas “The Dark Crystal” Kristof, &c. This is a daily feature dedicated to these folks: one line that is either awesome, funny, insightful, intelligent, ridiculous, or utterly divorced from reality.

Today’s is from Nicolas “The Dark Crystal” Kristof, who in his column “Primero Hay Que Aprender Español. Ranhou Zai Xue Zhongwen.” writes:

In fact, I think the rush to Chinese is missing something closer to home: the paramount importance for our children of learning Spanish.

It’s true, and the reasoning he gives, both that Latin America is a growing economic power and that Spanish is just plain easier to learn, is sound. However, he fails to mention that there are millions of people living around us already that speak Spanish almost exclusively—or at least best. But, then again, learning to speak to the lower classes never seems to be a good enough reason to do anything.

Morning Constitutional – Thursday, 30 December 2010

Good morning, folks. Willow Smith is considering covering “Parents Just Don’t Understand,” a song by, yes, her dad. Now, your morning constitutional:

President Obama made six recess appointments who have had their nominations held up for an average of 147 days, including the first U.S. ambassador to Syria in six years.

Former Israeli President Moshe Katsav was convicted of two counts of rape Thursday in Tel Aviv.

Big banks have started lending more, a trend that is expected to accelerate into the next year.

Veterans of recent wars return to face a grim job market. President Obama signed four bills yesterday, including one that provides assistance to veterans dealing with foreclosures.

Ivory Coast’s new ambassador to the U.N. warns that his country may be on the verge of genocide.

As engines of economic progress, America’s economic recovery will start in and depend on its cities.

Representative-Elect Andy Harris, the incoming Republican who complained that his government health care didn’t kick in immediately was rejected from the committee that has jurisdiction over health care issues.

Unlike their more conventionally Republican counterparts, tea party Republicans may find themselves averse to nuclear energy.

New unemployment claims reached their lowest levels in two years last week

What’s the greenest way to shave?

Finally, French aristocrats launch a company selling luxury condoms. Of course.

Looking Back Through C-SPAN #8

It’s over, and the 111th will forever be known for the craptastic economy.  With better things to do there was no way you could have been watching C-SPAN every minute of the day, so we are bringing you 10 of the most memorable clips from (or occurring during) the 111th Congress that C-SPAN had to offer.

Despite the preamble of this post the 111^th Congress will very likely be remembered for the Senate’s incompetency.  60 became the only majority.   Just about every day the Democrats struggled to pass votes requiring they take real votes on an issue of prominent importance to the nation.  Rather, Senators opted to talk about whether or not they would like to talk more about a piece of legislation.  So it is only fitting we have a clip of Senators talking about how much each of them gets to talk and a fitting display of how inert the institution is to any diversion from its customs, even diversions within the rules.  This from a clip during debate on health care reform from December 2009.

Looking Back Through C-SPAN #7

It’s over, and the 111th will forever be known for the craptastic economy.  With better things to do there was no way you could have been watching C-SPAN every minute of the day, so we are bringing you 10 of the most memorable clips from (or occurring during) the 111th Congress that C-SPAN had to offer.

Plenty of members brought the bigot talk to the 111th Congress as repeal of DADT was debated over the last year.  Here is one, Jack Kingston (R-GA) in one of many floor appearances using circular reasoning to keep DADT.  Probably most offensive is that they talk about equality as if the issue was about them, their right to be offended by homosexuality, their freedom of religion, which further highlights their failure to recognize gays and lesbians as people deserving the same freedoms.

You can see a whole series of sound arguments by Republicans on the YouTube

Morning Constitutional – Tuesday, 28 December 2010

Good Morning Patriots, Natalie Portman is pregnant.  Now your Morning Constitutional:

Obama is more admired than Bill Gates, the Pope, and Glen Beck and Hillary Clinton is more admired than Sarah Palin.

Baby boomers not financial ready for retirement.

It is official, shoppers spent the most this holiday season since 2007.

Justice in Russia is on the suck path as Khodorkovsky, the tycoon guy whose sentence was to be up in 2011, was found guilty again on other charges, but it is not the only indication sucking over there.

Informal Anarchist Federation (I.A.F.) continues to send mail bombs to embassies, most recently to Greek’s embassy in Rome.

Ali-Akbar Siadat was executed  in Iran after being found guilty of spying for Israel.

The number of Americans without health care insurance rises over 50 million.

And last, Saturday Night Fever and 24 other movies were for selected by the National Film Preservation Board (Library of Congress) for the National Film Registry.

Renting American

I’ve been driving around [undisclosed location] for the past few days now, and, as I own no automobile, I’ve been driving a rental. It’s basically the first major trip I’ve taken by motor carriage in many years, almost exclusively because I generally prefer to travel by public transport, be it train, bus or aeroplane.

In the amount of time since I’d driven significantly, the American car companies have enjoyed a renaissance. True, Ford before the others, but that’s be because it hit trouble first, not because it was a super-far-sighted company—but I do give Alan Mulally his due because when Ford did need to be reinvented, he made the right decisions. However, now, it’s certain that GM has turned a corner and started producing better cars as well, even if it did come by the sacrifices of Pontiac (sadness because of nostalgia) and Saturn (sadness because as of ten years ago, it really looked like the future of the American car company).

So, as I drive from town to town all over this land, I wonder why it’s so difficult to rent an American motorcar. I’d been hoping that I’d be able to whirl around in a Ford Focus or Fusion—first on the list because they’ve been so heralded as Good Cars—or, at least, a Chevy Aveo. But, instead, I’ve been cruising in the typical rental: the Honda Civic. Sure, it’s a good, solid car with a strong heritage, and it did weather a pretty gnarly snowstorm sum blizzard, but one thing does surprise me:

Why is renting an American car so infrequent?

I can list the last number of cars I’ve rented: a Toyota, a Nissan and a Kia. Now, a Honda. Yet, you’d think that one of the rental companies would support exclusively American cars and market itself that way. Any company that now did that would finally set itself apart (when was the last time one of the rental companies really seemed different than the others?). In an age of often overwhelming jingoism, you’d think that a “Rent American” movement would be a no-brainer.

But, really, I just want to drive a Focus. I hear they’re awesome.

Looking Back Through C-SPAN #6

It’s over, and the 111th will forever be known for the craptastic economy.  With better things to do there was no way you could have been watching C-SPAN every minute of the day, so we are bringing you 10 of the most memorable clips from (or occurring during) the 111th Congress that C-SPAN had to offer.

We could have chosen many clips of Louie Gohmert (R-TX), but really there is one issue that allowed him to blaze a leadership role.  Mother F**cking Terrorist Babies.

And what made this comment even better is that he was later invited on cable news shows to defend himself.

Looking Back Through C-SPAN #5

It’s over, and the 111th will forever be known for the craptastic economy.  With better things to do there was no way you could have watching C-SPAN every minute of the day, so we are bringing you 10 of the most memorable clips from (or occurring during) the 111th Congress that C-SPAN had to offer.

The gentleman is correct in sitting.

July 29, 2010 – Anthony Weiner (D-NY) calling out Republicans for voting against a bill to provide health care  for 9/11 first responders who contracted health illnesses while serving at ground zero, claiming they did not like the rules of debate on the bill.

The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act was finally passed by Congress despite five more months of inertia by Republicans following Weiner’s displayed frustration.  The bill was sent to the White House on December 22 giving the President until January 1 to sign the bill, which he hasn’t yet, being in Hawaii and all for Christmas.  Interestingly enough, on December 24 White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs tweeted:

On signing 9/11 bill, we haven’t decided yet when it will be signed – President might do it from Hawaii

That in itself raises a bunch of curious questions.  Does the bill literally have to be sent by Congress, or can they fax it over?  How about emailing a pdf to sign?  What if the bill has to flown over and the plane is grounded do to weather?  With Congress not in session the bill would be a de facto pocket veto.