News & Politics

What’s your great uncle’s middle name, sir?

14 March, 2006
By

As reported today in The Borowitz Report in a story titled CHERTOFF LOCKS HIMSELF OUT OF HOMELAND SECURITY HEADQUARTERS Forgets Security Code, Secret Question Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff suffered another embarrassment today when he accidentally locked himself out of the Homeland Security Department’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. Now, Agent Smart, here is your decoder ring. Never use your decoder ring as an Exxon Mobil gasoline fob. Not pretty. After security guards entrusted with protecting the Homeland Security building complained that the building itself was not secure, Secretary Chertoff ordered that the headquarters be outfitted with a new security system, but then forgot the security code necessary to gain entry. There he is, outside in the cold, rubbing his hands together, alternately blowing into them to warm up, rocking side-to-side on his feet, all with a presentation in the stylings of one waiting for a late bus on a blustery day, on the last cigarette. “Unfortunately, Chertoff is the only one who knew the security code, and he forgot it,” one source said. “He also had a secret question which could be used to retrieve the security code, but he forgot that, too.” Cue the organist. Note the obvious embellishment Continue reading →

Share


Read more »

Posted in Media, News & Politics | No Comments »

You don’t say…

7 March, 2006
By

There’s this thing in the print business called the “standing head [line].” A good example of a standing head is this one found in Newsday.com today: Vermont Town Backs Bush Impeachment The link to the site is at Newsday.com NEWFANE, Vt. — In a white-clapboard town hall, circa 1832, voters gathered Tuesday to conduct their community’s business and to call for the impeachment of President Bush. Newsday reports that the article, after the four hour annual town meeting, approved 121-29 in balloting by paper, calls on Vermont’s lone member of the House Rep. Bernie Sanders, to file articles of impeachment against the president, alleging that Bush misled the nation into the Iraq war and engaged in illegal domestic spying. The Vermont town of 1,600 dedicated a half hour of the four hour annual town meeting to the referendum.

Share


Read more »

Posted in News & Politics | No Comments »

So, you don’t say.

4 March, 2006
By

“Customers and different people were telling me that they have a hard time trying to communicate with them about the work they want done on their yards. I just want to let people know they at least can communicate with me when I do work on their property.” Meet Mike Gray, a 50 year old father of two who works as a heavy equipment operator for a road department. On the side, Mike Gray owns a lawn service business; he tows around a trailer that he uses to carry lawn mowing equipment for his business. Here’s the full story from the CBS television affiliate in Denver. Gray’s problems started when he decided to put a sign on the side of his trailer that reads “Lawn Services Done With Pride!! By An English Speaking American.” The sign also gives Gray’s phone number and the lettering is over a background of an American flag. “Some of your conduct … is reprehensible and discriminatory to our non-English speaking and/or Hispanic workforce. You are in violation of … guidelines which ensure a workplace free from harassment and sensitive to the diversity of employees.” Ouch. Diversity is good. Language is good. English is a language. Continue reading →

Share


Read more »

Posted in News & Politics | No Comments »

Penne for your thoughts?

2 March, 2006
By

Rosapepe v. Giannetti So there he was, Jim Rosapepe, at a Maryland Italian restaurant. Choking to death. Jim is a member of the University of Maryland system’s Board of Regents. He is also a candidate for public office. He is challenging State Senator John Giannetti in the Democratic primary for the suburban Washington district. Time was ticking quickly. All seemed lost for Rosapepe. A mere chunk of seafood stood in the way of a fate, perhaps, even worse than death, that of a chance at political life. Enter John, Good Samaritan. Unflinchingly, Good Samaritan John recognizes the universal sign of choking and proceeds to adminster the Heimlich maneuver and voila! Success. Jim Rosapepe will live to run another day. Continue his run for office. And the person Rosapepe will be challenging for that political seat? John. Good Samaritan John. State Senator John Giannetti.

Share


Read more »

Posted in News & Politics | No Comments »

UAE, seaports, and Congress, oh my…

20 February, 2006
By

Port Whine, Continued… Here’s a story in the 2/20/06 Washington Times on Congressional push-back that is expected on the Bush administration’s initiative to allow the sale of port management to transfer to a UAE state owned company. Here’s one deal that simply cannot be allowed to go through. If this all goes away within a week I will consider it a bad attempt at humor. Any longer, then, it will be a rather respectable attempt at lunacy.

Share


Read more »

Posted in News & Politics | No Comments »

Bill-O’-Notes®

May 2012
S M T W T F S
« Feb    
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  

Bill-O’-Stacks