Shouting Grounds

From Yahoo (of course): “MTV is embracing change. In nearly three decades on the air, almost everything about the cable network — from its programming, to its focus, to its place in popular culture — has changed with the times, except for its famous tagline, “Music television.” Recently, the network quietly unveiled a new logo which has dropped the tagline entirely, indicating that MTV itself is leaving its original mission of an all-music channel in the dust.”

“The new logo is meant to put the focus on MTV’s current slate of talent.”

From Socrates Points (of course): OK, the graphic has GOT to be a joke.  There’s bad photoshop (on celebs, wafer-thinners and other trash), but then there’s REALLY bad photoshop…and this logo is definitely REALLY bad photoshop.  So you’re telling me that after 30 years, MTV just crops the fuckin’ original logo?  That’s it?  Just fuckin’ crop it?  Oh wait, if I really wanted to be technical…make that “crop it and invert it.”  Done.

That’s not edgey.  That’s not new and original. That’s just fuckin’ REALLY bad photoCHOP!  A baby can do that crap.

And because of that, I’m pissed off!  You know some fuckin’ lazy gen-x asshole out there (working for MTV) came out on top with this one.

Socrates Points is back, and he’s pissed off.  Thanks.

by: Jerry Fletcher
April 9, 2009 – Chicago, Ill

The US Navy hopes that a peaceful resolution is at hand hundreds of miles off of the Somali Coast.

Early Wednesday the U.S.-flagged cargo ship, Maersk Alabama, was approached by a small watercraft containing several Somalian nationals who had become stranded over 350 nautical miles east of the Horn of Africa. The 20-person All American crew of the Alabama tied up the small boat and brought the Somalians on board the super-cargo ship.

A witness on the Alabama said that the stranded peoples were showing signs of malnourishment and dehydration, and also that they “seemed more primitive” than he would have expected for people that had found themselves in such a situation.

In accordance with United States Maritime Law, the crew of the Alabama tended to the Somalians and immediately began their exposure to the “American Dream”. Luckily, Maersk Line Ltd. out of Norfolk, Va., requires that all of their cargo ships sail equipped with proper training materials for such situations. The witness, who prefers not to be named, said that while the Somalians happily sat through the first two presentations, “Capitalism Today” and “Tale of a Good Consumer”, then showing signs of the Fear once they had eaten through their provisions and the crew began showing “The American Way: Jesus Christ our Savior”.

“They were surely grateful to have been rescued, but didn’t seem willing to accept the American Dream as they should have,” the witness stated.

In accordance with Maritime Law, the executive officer of the Maersk Alabama distributed handguns and automatic rifles to their crew to help in convincing their guests that the only right way was American way. The ship’s Captain, Richard “Trick Dick” Phillips, reportedly didn’t agree with his XO’s representation of Maritime Law, and took issue with the escalation of the situation. The executive officer swiftly diffused the situation by removing Captain Phillips from command and subjecting him to the same treatment afforded, as the witness referred to them as, the “skinnies”.

The witness couldn’t recall how but the Somalians were able to overpower the crew, steal their weapons and lock them in the ship’s steering maintenance compartment, along with one of their own people…the only one who appeared willing to understand the American videos.

“One of the savages subdued me with an alarmingly large tube of real Wisconsin Summer Sausage…when I regained consciousness my mates and I were locked in the [steering bay],” the witness struggled to recall.

Luckily, a member of the crew was able to signal the nearest U.S. Navy ship before being sequestered to the maintenance compartment. The USS Bainbridge, a Navy Morale and Resupply cruiser, was quickly able to track down the Alabama and intercede.

Wanting nothing to do with the ship itself or her payload, described by the witness as “convenience toiletries, nondescript plastic junk, and supplies for the U.S. Christian charities of WorldVision and Catholic Relief Services”, the Somalians were able to coerce Captain Phillips into helping them flee using one of the Alabama’s lifeboats. The escaping boat wasn’t able to get far before being intercepted by the Bainbridge. U.S. Naval personnel were able to quickly free the crew of the Alabama, restore their command of the cargo ship and allow them to continue on toward their middle eastern destination with their cargo.

Captain Phillips has been in communications with the Bainbridge, claiming that he “really doesn’t care for the three C’s anymore,” alarmingly referring to Consumerism, Catholosism and Conquest…the cornerstones of modern America. Captain O’Rly of the Bainbridge has attempted to diffuse the situation in the “only way he knows how”

“Luckily we were the closest vessel, being a [Morale and Resupply] ship. I reckon we had the most convincing weapon at our disposal…the blinding righteousness of American-made consumer products,” Captain O’Rly said.

The Bainbridge started by lobbing plastic bottles of Mountain Dew Code Red soda, King Size Snickers candy bars and bags of Xtreme Flamin’ Hot Cheetos in the vicinity of the lifeboat while projecting reruns of American Idol through its windows. With no obvious effect, Captain O’Rly has been reluctant to use escalated force since the arrival of the Marine Nationale (France) “intelligence” ship, the Dupuy de Lôme. The U.S. Navy hopes to avoid what could be construed by the French as an overtly-hostile act in the name of the American Dream.

The U.S. Navy is now considering this as a hostage situation, and the Bainbridge awaits the arrival of negotiators from the F.B.I., who can hopefully return peace and American prosperity to the Middle East.

Yup.

Magic John Stone back with your stupid ass for another Oscar LiveBlog. Even though no one will be F5′n this mother fucker during the show, I’ll be posting up like the Mailman every few minutes to let you know how lame the Academy is this year.

7p central, Oscar Fashion Handjob Pregame (blueballs mix)
- Just like last year, forgot that hollywood thinks we tune into the Oscars to find out who these overpaid screws gave too much money to for their dresses and suits…what a joke. Maybe seek out the stars to ask them interesting questions instead of cupping their genitals like total fuckups.
- Diane Lane…num num.
- Amy Adams is pretty hot, short but hot…like a little hot pocket. Tuna Croissant Pocket.
- Sarah Jessica Parker is still a Gremlin, Matthew Broderick is still a retard.
- Now this cheese dick is interviewing Valentino? WHO FUCKING CARES?! Movies, assface!
- Good to see Danny Boyle brought half of India to the show…wonder why no one cares what they’re wearing?
- Mickey Rourke is the ugliest Pimp in Hollywood. It’s gotta be hard out there for a Pimp.
- Vanessa Hudgens looks different with clothes on.
- Robert Downey Jr is cool.
- Viola Davis, from Doubt, is up for Best Supporting Actress…I think she was in the movie for like 4 1/2 minutes. And yeah, I saw that shit.
- How old is Miley Cyrus again?
- Anne Hathaway…num num.
- The douches with the winning envelopes have plastic smiles.
- Meryl Streep’s daughter is bangin’! But there’s always the fear she’ll age like mom.
- 16. Miley Cyrus is 16…
- Jack Black knows how it is…he’s dug in at the bar. And he made the interviewer look like the tool he is.
- Marisa Tomei…num num. Yes please.
- Seth Rogan and Judd Apatow are dug in with Jack Black at the boozer. Smart peoples.
- Segment about the thinking behind the production of the Oscars…slightly interesting.

End of Pregame, I’m unsatisfied.

- Huge Assman is hosting…this should be interesting. Wonder if he’s the first guy from the Criminal Continent to host?
- Kate Winslet is a serious MILF
- Huge Assman is playing it like SNL…pretty smart.
- Shit…he can really dance too. That makes me nervous.
- Nice, he wonders too why The Dark Knight’s not up for best Movie.
- LOL…overall one of the better intro Montage/Performances I can remember. I think it’s partly because Huge actually thought it was funny too.

- Angelina Jolie, good god. They should clone her or something.
- Ew…Tilda Swinton creeps me out.
- Guinan! Red light y’all! I’m sure Whoopi will find some reason to slow down and complicate the Oscars.
- I think Huge should give Anjelica Huston the old Croc Dundee Dick-Check…she’s looking like she picked up a Y-chromo or two somewhere.
- Goldie Hawn’s 1 drink away from dreamland, and 1/2 inch away from showing her complete pec’s to the Academy.

**AWARD**
Best Supporting Actress – Penelope Cruz for Vicky Cristina Barcelona

- Penelope Cruz? Really? I think that was Marisa Tomei’s award…or the woman from Ben Button. Once again the Academy shows its tendency to give awards away to foreign movies. Just a little conspiracy theory of mine.
- Great…Steve Martin. Maybe as soon as his mouth opens someone will shoot him.
- Shit…that didn’t happen.
- Tina Fey is hot, but I gotta say there’s something not right about her hair.
- I haven’t heard of any of these fucking movies for Best Original Screenplay.
- Oh wait, In Bruge! Shit yeah! Now Milk, here we go…what were those first two movies?
- Now WALL-E? Really?

**AWARD**
Best Original Screenplay – Dustin Lance Black for Milk

- Milk was a good movie, I can accept this award.
- Fuck, this guy is young.
- Have a feeling Slumdog’s gonna win Best Adapted Screenplay.

**AWARD**
Best Adapted Screenplay – Simon Beaufoy for Slumdog Millionaire

- Good award, fantastic movie. I think this guy’s wearing a Pleather Tux. Probably pretty warm.
- I think Jennifer Aniston’s about to lose her shit being this close to Angelina Jolie.
- The Animation 2008 montage wasn’t too inspiring…

**AWARD**
Best Animated Feature Film – WALL-E

- WHOOP-E
- Philip Seymor Hoffman’s wearing a seaman’s watchcap and holding a bible or something.

**AWARD**
Best Animated Short Film – La Maison en Petits Cubes

- PURE EXCITEMENT.

- Sarah Jessica Parker’s got some grapefruit tits.
- Daniel Craig is a man’s man. He should do us all a favor and choke the Gremlin to death.

**AWARD**
Art Direction – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

- Yeah yeah yeah. So it was good…but you know I wanted TDK to win.

**AWARD**
Costume Design – The Duchess

- A Dude just won an Oscar for designing ridiculous women’s dresses. An Irishman to boot… What’s the world coming to?
- So far, this show is like Mountain Dew that you can watch. Xtreme!
- That was a joke…

**AWARD**
Makeup Artist – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

- TDK’s now 0 for 2 on the night. Just so you know.
- You know how they have that pre-award show for technical acheivements? How about boxing all of these stupid ass costume/makeup/set awards into that and shorten this goddamn show?
- How the fuck does the sleepy cuntrag vampire-pussy from Twilight end up on the Oscars? And presenting the “Romance 2008″ montage. Pheph!

- Natalie Portman…nummie num num.
- Cinematography, Slumdog or Button?

**AWARD**
Cinematography – Anthony Dod Mandle for Slumdog Millionaire

- 0 for 3.
- Slumdog’s gonna sweep up.
- Guess I’ve never seen Danny Boyle, he looks like a functioning retard.
- Ohmigod, Jessica Biel. NUM.
- Awesome, a Pineapple Express short film! w00t!

**AWARD**
Best Live Action Short – Spiiegle’sland or something

- This guy’s a nat-zi.
- I want to bone Meryl Streep’s daughter.
- Wanna take a moment to throw a shout-out to my boy Redscape watching the Oscars from the West Suburbs…
- Assman’s doing the big Broadway again. Damn…Beyonce…Damn…
- Huge Assway. Broad Assman. Think about it.
- The ‘Musicals’ performance, pretty good. Some classic showbiz right there.
- Here’s Best Supporting Actor…Heath Ledger HAS TO FUCKING WIN THIS.
- This has to be the closest Cuba Gooding’s been to the Academy since Rod Tidwell. What a shame.
- Ironic he’s complaining about RDJ in Tropic Thunder, stealing the black man’s role. Cuba’s been too busy making diarrhea to get a good role.

**AWARD**
Best Supporting Actor – Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight…FUCK YEAH

- He deserves it…
- I wish he was around to receive it. I’d really like to have seen him get the recognition.
- Follow that up with a Documentary montage? Really? y4wn.

**AWARD**
Best Documentary – Man on Wire

- zzzzz…maybe it’s a spoof of Man on Fire? Maybe it’s about a guy that is hopelessly obsessed with the Wire? Maybe not.

**AWARD**
Best Documentary Short Subj…ah fuck it.

- PFFT!
- Action 2008 montage. Now we’re talkin’…jack it up! Xtreme.

**AWARD**
Outstanding Visual Effects – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

- I suppose that makes sense, Iron Man and TDK, while fantastic in the VFX dept, were slightly more pedestrian than all the Ben Button shit.

**AWARD**
Outstanding Sound Editing – The Dark Knight

- Well, at least they got two.
- SNORE, how’s that for sound editing?

**AWARD**
Sound Mixing – Slumdog Millionaire

- How can two different movies with Sound Editing and Sound Mixing? Let’s face it, assholes, it’s the same fucking thing. (no matter what JT says)

**AWARD**
Film Editing – Slumdog Millionaire

- Will Smith’s apparently paying his dues for wasting his load on shitty blockbusters by presenting the mid-show F/X awards.
- Redscape thinks this Slumdog Film editor is fucking Moby. I don’t wanna know how he’d know that.

**AWARD**
Gene Hershaw Humanitarian Award – Jerry Lewis (presented by Eddie Murphy)

- Who is Eddie Murphy? He looks familiar but I can’t place him…

**AWARD**
Best Original Score – A.R. Rahman for Slumdog Millionaire

- Do they get a discount on statue plaques if they’re all the same, say Slumdog?
- The Best Original Song performance was good.

**AWARD**
Best Original Song – A.R. Rahman for Slumdog Millionaire, “Jai Ho”

- Really? Hopefully Slumdog sweeping the Oscars will just inspire people in general, not open the door for shitty Bollywood movies to head West.
- It’s 10p central, this show should be wrapping up right now…but you know we have another hour left, right? Ridiculous.

**AWARD**
Best Foreign Language Film – Don’t Bother from Magic John Stone

- I think that Liam just read the nominees for a different award…none of what he said matched the screen, nor did the winner…that’s just bad as balls.
- Oh god. Queen Latifah. Queen of what I ask you? Queen of horrible comedies? We need to find the Queen’s Castle and sack the shit out of it. Then guillotine her shit.

In Memoriam montage…notables:
- Bernie Mac
- Michael Crichton
- Roy Scheider
- Isaac Hayes
- Ricardo Montalban
- Stan Winston
- James Whitmore (Brooks)
- Charlton Heston
- Sydney Pollack
- Paul “Fucking” Newman (bytheway)

- Heath Ledger died on January 22nd last year, guess he was in last year’s montage…I was waiting to see him up there.
- I want to punish Reese Witherspoon. Wrecking Crew style.

**AWARD**
Best Director – Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire

- Surprised? Me neither. He deserves it…good director.
- His head is enormous.
- Nicole Kidman looks like she just blew the band, Sophia Loren looks like a nightmare

**AWARD**
Best Actress – Kate Winslet for The Reader

- She did a great job in that movie, justifiable
- Kate Winslet should have to accept the trophy naked, and her dad looks like Hannibal Lecter back there…
- And she’s genuinely happy, no notes or political murmurs or other bullshit.
- I haven’t seen Jack all night…where’s he at?
- They got quite a crew of dudes up there…for some reason I’d like Ben Kingsley to punch Adrian Brody in the schnozi-ola-ola
- I think Sean Penn’s the man for best Actor, but I’d like to see Mickey Rourke or Brad Pitt win too

**AWARD**
Best Actor – Sean Penn for Milk

- Well, there you go. Good chips.
- Penn’s surprisingly humble, that’s cool. He’s had some great roles.
- STEVE! Where you been Steve?
- The Best Picture montage is bad ass.
- It’s gonna be Slumdog Millionaire…

**AWARD**
Best Picture – Slumdog Millionaire

- It was certainly in the cards. Milk and Button could easily have won in different years…
- I didn’t get to see Nixon, but Slumdog was the Best Picture of the lot that I saw.

done…I’m going to bed.

This article definitely sums it all up:

To succeed, a talk show host must perpetuate the notion that his or her listeners are victims, and the host is the vehicle by which they can become empowered. The host frames virtually every issue in us-versus-them terms. There has to be a bad guy against whom the host will emphatically defend those loyal listeners.

Sometimes it takes these sorts of comprehensive explanations to nail down that pit in your stomach you feel when you happen upon a recording of Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, or Bill O’Reily that you find particularly hypocritical.

Though, I do find that something that’s missing from this account is the obvious self-aggrandisement of the host’s power or masculinity. It’s definitely the case with Bill O’Reily, who’s sex scandals, subsequent pay-offs, and active “bully” technique do little to mask a petty, fearful man. In regards to the last clip, he would certainly be fearful of losing a shouting match to “a gay“. lol

The simultaneous pandering to country, troops (unless they disagree with you), “Joe Six-Pack“, and anyone from a hero-worshipping, halcyon, by-gone (if it ever even existed) era, exposes the article’s claim of casting listeners as victims. The biggest problem with this, I can see, is that it manufactures an idilic “red-blooded”, “Rock-Ribbed” American archetype that only exists in these hosts’ wet-dreams. Instead of getting upset that a host is speaking to them while assuming that they are a member of this elite, the audience is of course flattered, thus buying into it. It’s what brought us lower-middle-classmen like “Joe the Plumber” arguing from a standpoint of being rich. Somehow he has been trained to be concerned about how people earning well over $250,000. That’s the only reason we have so many poor people supporting the GOP these days. They’ve been tricked into believing that they should be concerned about the Estate Tax, when they would have to inherit an estate valued at over $2,000,000 for that to even be an issue.

This is maddness!

“Behold, the atheists nightmare!”…WTF???

Could this be why the terrorists hate us?

Or maybe THIS is why the terrorists hate us…(1:00 is when it starts to get good and around 1:30 is my favorite part)

Or it could just be this…

From Geekologie:

“Hailing all the way from Thailand, this commercial was made for Sylvania by ad agency JEH United and has it all — a picnicking family, ghosts, a guy who may or may not be a member of the Blue Man Group, and a transvestite. Advertising people, take note: this is how you sell freakin’ products.”

This is one of the coolest f’in commercials I’ve ever seen!

In leu of the utterly fascinating David Lynch videos related to our man’s panty diet, I thought this one also deserved a mention. Pretty fucking brutal. lol

What the fuck does winning the West-Virginia primary really prove, at this point?

Seriously, guys (and gals). What’s does this fucking say? Are we to place these voters in some higher bracket than the rest of the hundreds of thousands of people who voted thus far? It’s such bullshit I can’t even breathe. I’m glad that Clinton’s cornered the much sought after Appalachian Mountain folk demographic. I’m surprised that they stopped raping canoers long enough to jab their shit covered, callused hands on the ballot console.