Zogby Poll: Obama Strong but Clinton Slips Against GOPers

Here is an interesting Zogby poll for those Democrats who believe Hilary Clinton is the only candidate who can beat the Republicans. In fact, when voters are given a choice between Clinton and each of the Republican candidates, she loses each time. When a similar question is presented with Barack Obama, he beats each of the Republican candidates.

Green Team!

Enviro-Tips from the driving force behind the environmentalist movement (Will Ferrel, John C. Reilly, Adam McKay):

Hip Hop Power Point

Plenty more of that here.

Carrie Brownstein, guitarist/vocalist for Sleater-Kinney, has an article up on Slate.com reviewing the new video game Rock Band (which I recently purchased). The article is predictable ("wouldn't it be more fun to form a real band?"), but entertaining. I don't feel as though I can offer my feelings on the game until I've had an opportunity to have a few drunken friends over to play. Any takers?

The article also of interest to me because I had something of a crush on Carrie Brownstein as a teenager. Up until that point, my understanding of Jewish women was that 99.9% of them were like the girls I had gone to summer camp with - i.e., JAPs. Carrie was a guitarist for what I then viewed as one of the best bands on the planet (and I still maintain that "Dig Me Out" is one of the best albums of the 1990s). This meant the world to me and my heart still swoons for her.

I recently learned she does comedy videos with Fred Armisen (the best cast member SNL has had for the past few seasons). Speaking of Fred Armisen, he's playing a show at Knitting Factory this Thursday, November 27th. I don't know if that means he'll be doing comedy or music (considering his former career as a musician), but I'll be attending.

Fat Kid Successfully Avoids Ridicule By Swimming With Shirt On

It's under the radar for most people, but The Onion consistently creates high quality videos in addition to their written stuff. You can subscribe to the video podcast via iTunes. Here's a very funny sample:


Fat Kid Successfully Avoids Ridicule By Swimming With Shirt On

Here's a very cool picture of Heath Ledger as The Joker in the upcoming sequel to "Batman Begins." Personally, I love the look - it's much creepier than the Jack Nicholson version.

I read a compelling article today at realclearpolitics.com by Jack Kelly that helps crystallize the problematic relationship Democrats have with the Iraq War. Specifically, the article discusses Democrats' puzzling rejection of Gen. David Petraeus and open embrace of retired Army Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez, who presided over the war's biggest failures (the rise of the insurgency) and disgraces (Abu Ghraib):

It does seem odd that Democrats would excoriate Gen. David Petraeus, architect of the strategy that has turned things around in Iraq, and embrace Gen. Sanchez, especially since it was Democrats in Congress who led the criticism of him during the Abu Ghraib affair.

Historian Victor Davis Hanson puts it this way:

"In all these cases there is a dismal pattern: a mediocre functionary keeps quiet about the mess around him, muddles through, senses that things aren't going right, finds himself on the losing end of political infighting, is forced out or quits, seethes that his genius wasn't recognized, takes no responsibility for his own failures, worries that he might be scape-goated, and at last senses that either a New York publisher or the anti-war Left, or both, will be willing to offer him cash or notoriety -- but only if he serves their needs by trashing his former colleagues in a manner he never would while on the job."

For me, what is depressing is how Democrats choose to embrace those who speak to their instinct rather than their intellect.

The State is Reuniting!

According to Michael Showalter: "The State is reuniting (though in truth we never broke up) to make a sketch comedy movie. All I can say about it is that we're back together after a brief ten year break and it's going to be about the history of our country. Hopefully, funny."

One of the perks of jury duty is that it allows me sufficient time to read the New York Times. A few things from today's edition I wanted to share:

1: Bill O'Reily should be pleased to see that the New York Times is reporting "all the great stuff" coming out of Iraq. Today's paper has a cover story about the improving security conditions in Baghdad and the psychological effects its had on its citizens. As an aside, I'll mention that the New York Times and Washington Post - the two newspapers conservative pundits continually argue are rooting for America to fail in Iraq and any other Bush conceived foreign policy issue - are the only two papers in the nation with a Baghdad bureau.

2: Apparently, it is a half-time tradition at Jets games for thousands of male fans to demand that the women in attendance show them their tits:

"At halftime of the Jet's home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, several hundred men lined one of Giants Stadium’s two pedestrian ramps at Gate D. Three deep in some areas, they whistled and jumped up and down. Then they began an obscenity-laced chant, demanding that the few women in the gathering expose their breasts.When one woman appeared to be on the verge of obliging, the hooting and hollering intensified. But then she walked away, and plastic beer bottles and spit went flying. Boos swept through the crowd of unsatisfied men."

Way to go, New York.

Unfortunately, I missed the special writer's strike edition of Saturday Night Live this week, performed at the Upright Citizens Brigade theater. Michael Cera of "Arrested Development" and "Superbad" hosted, with Yo La Tengo as the musical guest. Naturally, I'm extremely jealous that I couldn't be there - it sold out in a blink. I'd hoped my irrational devotion to this show (which I continue to watch without fail) would have paid off with a ticket, but no such luck. Those of us left out in the cold can read about it here.

In other comedy news, I haven't seen much potential in the super hyped group The Whitest Kids You Know. However, this video definitely had me laughing: