All the news unfit to print for Sunday, June 29, 2008
The Sunday Morning Sidewalk: random news events from the world at war
The weekly tradition on Schmuckraker, the best and worst of the world on a Sunday morning. The Sunday morning sidewalk .. Main Street America's sidewalk this week facing ever increasing gas prices.. ever increasing worries over their budget. Here's to you! Hopefully this Sunday morning isn't as lonely as it could be..
We can sleep better now, right? Scientists say not to worry about that little atom smasher! Earlier and more fearful reports suggested it could create a black hole that would swallow Earth. The creator hopes that the atom smasher could discover something--anything!--including possibly invisible matter or extra dimensions. And maybe even create a pesky black hole that could swallow Earth.
The David Letterman era coming to an end? Criticized for an endless hour of boring comedy, hackneyed material, and tired banter between David Letterman and Paul Shaffer, the era of LATE SHOW may very well be ready to give up and .. just sleep.
Once not ready for prime time, it seems like the Letterman show may not be ready for the 11:35 not ready for bed yet hour.
The LATE SHOW posts dismal ratings, according to Neilson projections. The lowest rating ever for the show since its debut in 1993..
Adults 18-49 rating seem ready to give up on Dave.
But: For the record, Letterman will be remembered for one of the most creative shows in history (minus, oh say, the past 6 or 7 years.) A few clips worth remembering, still funny after all these years: The Madonna interview Top ten Bush moments Classic viewer mail from LATE NIGHT And there's more. You Tube it. Some is worth it.
And it continues.. The big time players keep admitting their viewing of the new BATMAN film, rating it online .. and even bragging that they were able to see the movie.
The MTV review gives the new movie a high rating.. Says it has a 'wow factor,' writes that any "semblance of camp" will be gone from the franchise, says that the new film is superior to DARK KNIGHT 1..
Only days ago, a scientist said that there is a fifty percent chance that the Arctic will be ice free for a short time this summer--the first time in "human history" ..
Give me a physical break. Natural foods!? The same foods that have existed on this earth for centuries? Really.. come in.
Look to the middle section of the grocery store to products with "natural sweeteners" and other byproducts of modern life. It's not the natural food, it's the chemicals. Don't believe this one.
"It seems unthinkable, but for the first time in human history, ice is on course to disappear entirely from the North Pole this year.
The disappearance of the Arctic sea ice, making it possible to reach the Pole sailing in a boat through open water, would be one of the most dramatic – and worrying – examples of the impact of global warming on the planet. Scientists say the ice at 90 degrees north may well have melted away by the summer."
And now, the new question in the age of ice being gone: Who will get there first to drill for oil!?
Obama may not be emailing Ralph Nader anytime soon. Nader, the perpetual presidential candidate, said that Obama is using white guilt to win.. Nader went on, "There's only one thing different about Barack Obama when it comes to being a Democratic presidential candidate. He's half African-American." And he didn't stop there.. some video.
The long awaited court ruling came today after a it heard a case concerning a Louisiana law that allows capital punishment for people convicted of raping children under 12..
Laws allowing executions of molesters also now struck down in five other states that allow it.
George Carlin, a fixture in comedic life and counter-culture, dead today.. Millions of emails have been sent .. stuff he never said that people think he did.. Today, I am sure they thought it again. George Carlin was an authentic American commentator. Someone that observed the dark side of American life. .the negative, the obscure.. the inhuman. And funny. He is being mourned today .. and being remembered for his irreverence and his authentic humor ..
A Carlin YouTube from user Morrinn3, perfect for today:
With George Carlin's death, one of two things will now happen: I will 1) stop getting emails with quotes attributed to George Carlin * (that he never said)* or get MORE emails with quotes attributed to George Carlin *(that he never said)* .. Either way, the comedian is dead this morning at the age of 71.. dead of heart failure..
The ad campaign for the next Batman film continues, this time in your face.
The death of Heath Ledger apparently isn't stopping Warner Bros. from using darkly bloody images of him in their campaign .. The newest installment of posters brings us a bloody "ha" over the black-eyed smiling Ledger's face.. No other words on the poster. No other words needed..
Batman fans, including me, are eagerly anticipating July 18.. Possibly one of the greatest performances coming from Ledger .. Post-mordem.
Tim Russert's was laid to rest this past week.. though he is gone from earth in a physical sense, there were three interesting "miracles" that occurred during and after his memorial service..
The family requested that John McCain and Barack Obama sit together during the service. .both sides agreed to. Reporters describe the scene as one of friendship. Both McCain and Obama seemed to be involved with a conversation that lasted for about 20 minutes..The second "miracle" was Bruce Springsteen appearing during the service to blast THUNDER ROAD .. one of Russert's favorite artists and songs..
And finally, the third event wasn't about stardom or political personalities talking. It could also be considered a natural occurrence, were it not for the timing and song playing..
The Isreal Kamakawiwo'ole version of OVER THE RAINBOW played during the service.. Immediately after, a stunningly vibrant rainbow appeared over Washington D.C. .. Attendees of the memorial service were stunned as they looked to the sky.. and perhaps saw a final message from Tim Russert. From somewhere else.. over the rainbow..
Because we're human. Laughter so often is the best medicine. An old statement..modernized in today's world of high prices and flooding.. and death. And homes gone forever.
"Down at a pumping station in a blazing sun -- the metal railings were too hot to touch -- things looked grim. Brent Hoerr's one remaining diesel-powered pump sounded like it was hours, maybe minutes from expiring.
If it did, flood water would seep in from the river and likely undermine his levee, spelling disaster for the 4,000 acres (1,619 hectares) of just-planted crop land it protected.
"Don't sound too good, does it?" Hoerr said, nodding at the wheezing machine and lost in despair for maybe a second.
"You do know how to swim, don't you?" he added, his eyes twinkling as he broke into a belly laugh."
Maybe grim humor.. maybe starkly dark laughter. But at certain points in life, it's the only thing you have left. The last attempt to stay human. Face crisis with a renewed sense of humanity.
And what else, besides sadness, is human? What else is there that binds us together. A common sense of plugging through crisis.
Reading the Associated Press won't do much to cheer you up from a slump. Those depressed may want to stay away from the latest AP news alert .. the news wire should only be viewed in small doses. With no ropes nearby.
The story details levees breaking in the Midwest, polar bears dying from global warming, wars, high food and gas prices, and much much more.
An absolutely amazing section reads:
"The can-do, bootstrap approach embedded in the American psyche is under assault. Eroding it is a dour powerlessness that is chipping away at the country's sturdy conviction that destiny can be commanded with sheer courage and perseverance."
The AP concludes:
"Why the vulnerability? After all, this is the 21st century, not a more primitive past when little in life was assured. Surely people know how to fix problems now.
Maybe. And maybe this is what the 21st century will be about — a great unraveling of some things long taken for granted."
The great unraveling! The end of our days!? As the AP taken the route of TV minsters proclaiming 2012 will be doomsday?
What's true is that the news wire story was a pretty thorough reminder of pretty much every single negative piece of information that has taken place over the past few months and years... A very good reminder. So much so that going to bed this fine Saturday night is a little less happy, a little more unsure of tomorrow. If everything is this bad tonight, AP, what about tomorrow!? What will Sunday's news alerts bring......?
"The girl had taken her father to Quebec Superior Court after he refused to allow her to go on a school trip for chatting on websites he tried to block, and then posting "inappropriate" pictures of herself online using a friend's computer"
CNN reporter and pundit Lou Dobbs called for President Bush's impeachment due to salmonella outbreak.. He suggested that the Bush Administration knows the source of the tomato-caused sickness..
MORE:
"You know, I have heard a lot of reasons over the years as to why George W. Bush should be impeached. For them to leave the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in this state, its leadership in this sorry condition and to have no capacity apparently or will to protect the American consumer – that is alone to me sufficient reason to impeach a president who has made this agency possible and has ripped its guts out in its ability to protect the American consumer."
And just in time, a thong lawsut against Victoria Secret.. A woman who says she was hurt by her thong panties when a metal clip flew off and hit her in the eye has sued Victoria's Secret
Random rakings
The David Letterman era coming to an end? Criticized for an endless hour of boring comedy, hackneyed material, and tired banter between David Letterman and Paul Shaffer, the era of LATE SHOW may very well be ready to give up and .. just sleep. 
And it continues.. The big time players keep admitting their viewing of the new BATMAN film, rating it online .. and even bragging that they were able to see the movie.
You didn't hear it here first, and believe me, I am fine with that.
It's still running wild. Less wild than it was, but wild nonetheless.
Supreme Court decided today 5-4 that 
The ad campaign for the next Batman film continues, this time in your face.
Still trying to grapple with the prospects of life on Mars now or then? Perhaps some other news from around the world will take your mind off of it.. 
