“Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.” – Douglas Adams
Tim Russert, NBC News’ Washington bureau chief and host of Meet the Press, died today. He was 58 years old.
Russert was at work at the NBC News bureau when he suffered a massive heart attack.
I was stunned to hear of Russert’s death. It’s tragic when anyone dies suddenly and 58 is not that old.
You can find out more about his death at MSNBC.com.
Sadly, Harvey Korman passed away yesterday.
I loved to watch The Carol Burnett Show when I was a kid. I particularly loved to watch Harvey Korman and Tim Conway perform together. Korman may have been playing the straight man to Conway’s antics but it was Korman that I would watch during these bits. Just how long would it take him to crack up? I typically didn’t start laughing till Harvey Korman laughed.
One of my favorite bits was “The Dentist” sketch. Once again, I had more fun watching Korman try to hold it together than watching Conway goof.
Harvey Korman was also in many a Mel Brooks film. One of my favorite performances was as Hedley Lamarr.
One performance that I loved but didn’t know was Korman’s was The Great Gazoo on The Flintstones.
File this one under “Idiots.”
Some well known members of the right wing blogosphere are in a tizzy over a black and white scarf that Rachel Ray is wearing in a Dunkin Donuts ad.
Michelle Malkin is calling the scarf “hate couture” and wonders if people should start calling for a boycott of Dunkin Donuts.
Charles Johnson over at Little Green Footballs claims that Dunkin Donuts “…is the latest American firm to casually promote the symbol of Palestinian terrorism and the intifada, the kaffiyeh, via Rachael Ray.”
Malkin does, at least, give DD and Ray some wiggle room in saying that they might not realize just what Ray is wearing. Johnson doesn’t give them that any forgiveness promoting an “acknowledge, well-know symbol of terrorism.” But does at least back peddle enough to say that he wasn’t accusing them of having “terrorist ties.”
Personally, it looks like an ugly, black and white scarf. It doesn’t look like the head wear that Arafat always wore.
Now, this whole silly fuss did teach me one thing: a scarf can also be called a kaffiyeh and wearing it makes you in league with the terrorists. At least by those who see terrorist hiding in every nook and corner.
The kaffiyeh has been around for centuries. They’ve even been worn by British troops in the deserts of Africa during World War II. They’ve also been worn my U.S. troops in the Middle East to keep sand out of their nose and mouths.
Are these right wing bloggers going to fuss at our troops?
For that matter, are they going to fuss at Meghan McCain? It looks to me like she’s wearing what Malkin calls a “jihadi chic kaffiyeh.” Or is it that if Meghan McCain wears it then it’s just a scarf?
Personally, no matter who is wearing it, it’s just a scarf.
I’m not a big fan of Chris Matthews. Since I rarely watch him I didn’t see this segment when it first aired. Thankfully a friend told me about this smack down.
Matthews slams right wing talk show host Kevin James for not know what appeasement means and for not knowing his history.
It’s well worth a watch:
Olbermann has fun with McCain’s pie in the sky wish list for Bush’s third term his first term in office.
