Results tagged “bush”

Local Philadelphia sketch group Secret Pants recently set up shop near the Constitution Center, asking locals a simple question... Bush, or Batman?

Smile people: It's Friday!

Most people, when finding out after surgery that their anesthesiologist had given them Sodium Pentathol prior to their operations because the doctors wanted "to find out something about the patient," and that as a result, they spoke for twelve minutes straight to the surgeons and scrub nurses, possibly revealing embarrassing or incriminating secrets about themselves, would have sued the hell out of the anesthesiologist, the surgeon, and the hospital.

Many neo-conservatives both in the Bush White House and Congress have argued that in a post-9/11 world torture is a necessary and viable method of obtaining information from detained enemy combatants. Others have argued that torture discredits the U.S. abroad, breeds anti-American sentiment, places our soldiers at risk, and contradicts most of mankind’s reasonable standards as to what is and is not moral. Here’s an overview of the United States’ recent relationship with torture:

Climate change has rapidly become part of our national discourse. As early as four or five years ago, the issue was treated by many as a paranoid conspiracy. Now, political figures from governors to presidential candidates to George W. Bush himself seem unable to avoid the fact that not only is our planet becoming warmer, but it is also losing the ability to produce key resources such as oil and clean water. Here’s a look at recent Earth-related news:

Perhaps Senator John McCain is feeling pressure to court the remaining Christian conservative votes he has not already pulled out from under former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, who is a former evangelical pastor. Many far-right conservative voters have expressed doubts about McCain’s allegiance to their values, including notorious radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh. This may be the reason why in the past week he has been openly embracing fiery evangelical leaders.

Democratic rivals Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama exchanged blows in Ohio Tuesday leading up to next week’s primary in that state. 161 delegates are at stake. The exchange of criticism focused largely on Clinton’s position on the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA. On free trade, there appears to be little difference in the candidates’ rhetoric and voting records. Clinton, however, faces a challenge on the issue that Obama does not.

What's new and/or interesting in Philly theaters this weekend.

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Two separate laws aimed at making most government records public by default are making their way through the state legislature. The House bill, which was approved by a committee yesterday, is stronger than the bill that was passed by the Senate yesterday, 48-1. Another day, another shooting in Philadelphia. Two officers responding to a call about a man causing a disturbance in West Philadelphia early yesterday morning chased the man into an alley, where he...

In a video presented by the Smithsonian Institute’s Latino Center after the premiere showing of the new film Bella at the United Artists King of Prussia Stadium 16—note to readership: unless you enjoy watching rich people kiss each other’s asses and overblow their purpose in life, you better get an aisle seat if you go to a film premiere—I discovered that both former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and the lead singer of the band Switchfoot were big fans of the film. While I hate to voluntarily put myself in the company of a member of Georgie Boy’s gene pool or a guy whose musical catalog is significantly lesser than Nickelback's, I have to admit that this Phillyist actually thought the movie was… aaah-ite.

Ah, what I wouldn't give to be the average George Bush supporter at this very moment in time. If I could, then I could delusionally ignore what I have just seen and pretend like everything is all right with "the home team." Yes, the Eagles just thoroughly dominated the overmatched Jets! Yes, there are WMDs hidden behind one of the flat-screen TVs in Saddam Hussein's palatial domain that just haven't been found yet! Yes, voting an actor from Law & Order to the highest position of responsibility in the world would go a long way toward restoring our luster in the eyes of the world. But, no, I am a realist, and as a realist I know two things: 1) Bush should have been impeached three years ago and 2) The Eagles are about as "out of the woods" as the Unabomber was out of the woods. Rejoice in this victory if you must but realize that if this is as good as it gets, you might actually have to start giving a rat's ass about the Flyers before long. On to the diary!

As it gets closer to Halloween for LAist, a contributer recollects her tale of staring down the serial killer, Richard Ramirez, otherwise known as the Night Stalker. Must think happy thoughts -- okay, free organic chocolate chip cookies for Los Angeles -- now that's a happy thought. Other happy Los Angeles thoughts include an interview with Jack Kehler of The Big Lebowski (he was the Dude's landlord), a beautiful and magical photographic moment in Venice and the press making the speaker of the California State Assembly, Fabian Nunez, run away when being asked hard questions about sketchy luxurious and worldly expenses.

and wouldn't let me out of the house until I admitted that, yeah, the dude was kind of funny. (After her thankfully brief Dane Cook obsession, Birbiglia was practically Carlin, I promise.) By which I mean: I know Mike Birbiglia. And Mike Birbiglia? Is hilarious.

We think this might qualify as some sort of meta-volunteer experience: Philly is hosting this year's National Conference on Volunteering and Service, and Greater Philadelphia Cares is looking for a few good volunteers to help everything move along smoothly. Volunteers will (fittingly) be involved in every aspect of the conference, which runs July 16-18 at the Convention Center. Best of all, this is one of those deals where you get concrete rewards on top of the do-good feeling: sign up for 1 three-hour shift, and you can attend the conference for just $150 (regular rates range from $325 to $770). Sign up for 3 three-hour shifts, and you get to go for free.

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By his own admission, Michael Penn isn’t a song-and-dance man. (His stage presence is, one might say, subdued.) Twiddling his strings at his Friday night show at World Café, he confessed “I’m a chronic tuner with no gift of gab,” and encouraged showgoers to grab the audience mic between song breaks to offer up “a really good joke, a fun fact, even a well placed heckle!”

Jackson O'Connel-Barlow of Grand Buffet, on influences, sweatshops and baseball cards.