When president Obama announced the thaw in relations with Cuba, my guess is that many people would have been surprised that there was even an embargo with Cuba, since knowledge of foreign relations is not exactly the strong point of the public. But Obama seems to have a better feel for public opinion on this issue than those who are acting apoplectic over this development, with polls overwhelmingly supporting his move.
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(Via Kelly Conaboy)
Mallory Ortberg at the New Yorker has discovered what the objectivist hero, who believes that selfishness is the highest virtue, thinks of the classics of children’s films. Here are some of Rand’s reviews:
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Now that The Colbert Report has signed off, what about the show that will replace it? The Nightly Show with host Larry Wilmore premieres on January 19, 2015 and he says that it will focus on the underdog, whoever that might be, with interviews of people who are actually doing something and are not merely politicians or talking heads.
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Here are the two final clips from Stephen Colbert’s final episode. I thought it was a good ending, somewhat sentimental but avoiding the trap of being sappy. And you can amuse yourself by seeing how many people you can identify. The list unfortunately includes some of the dregs of politics and journalism and at least one war criminal. You can see a comprehensive list here.
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I am not a psychiatrist but I am not being facetious when I pose this question. It is quite incredible to watch Dick Cheney defend the torture that he and George W. Bush authorized and encouraged and to see someone who is dead wrong and yet be dead certain that he is dead right. His defenses of the indefensible are so bizarre that I honestly think that he shows signs of being detached from reality because the things he says seem to go well beyond mere attempts at self-justification and well into delusional territory. There is a deranged quality to the way he calmly and matter-of-factly says the most appalling things.
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As Stephen Colbert points out in a debate with himself, the America that many Americans live in is a concept and an idea, an ideal that has little resemblance to the reality. But they don’t care, because believing that fiction gives them a warm sense of self-admiration.
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In a Congress that is notable for the craziness of some of its members, she truly stood out. Why the people of Minnesota saw fit to elect her so many times is something I will not understand. Stephen Colbert gives her a fond send-off.
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Samantha Bee looks at the efforts by corporations to use a breast campaign awareness campaign to ‘pink wash’ their actions and distract people from the fact that their business actions may actually be increasing the risk of cancer. The charity Susan G. Komen that promoted using the pink color has already been accused of exploiting the campaign for its own benefit and that of its executives and this is not going to help them either
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The Daily Show took aim at the Freedom From Religion Foundation that had sent a letter threatening legal action to the owner of a small restaurant Mary’s Gourmet Diner that offered a 15% discount to patrons who prayed before meals. As a result of that letter, the owner of the diner dropped the promotion. The show interviewed Dan Barker, co-president of the FFRF, about why he did this and although he was articulate and clear, he did not come off well.
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