The BoormanBlog

OK. I’m late on this one.

Well, uh. This guy was famous for….making a list of ugly outfits worn by famous people for the preceding year.

Ummm. That’s it I guess.

And what’s with this “Mister Blackwell” thing? Seems a little haughty doesn’t it?

Well, anyway, I’m sure he will be sadly mourned by….well, his family at least.

And the world will just have to carry on without…that guy who pointed out ugly outfits worn by famous people.

So here’s to you Mr. Blackwell. I guess.

OK, seriously, why did anyone pay attention to this guy?

Had to mention it. Wasn’t really a big fan of his. Don’t even think I’ve seen any of his movies start to finish. Oh well, good on him for his charitable works. He was a good actor and he’ll be missed.

So the government decided to bail out Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac. Another business that was “too big to fail” I guess.

I really don’t see why the American taxpayer should foot the bill for this. If it wasn’t for moronic decisions by just about everyone involved, this never would have happened.

Moronic congress
Unscrupulous lenders
Idiotic borrowers

By artificially propping up these mismanaged businesses, as well as the lenders who borrowed more than they could afford, the government is only going to prolong the economic crisis. That’s the complete antithesis of capitalism, absolutely antithetical of what America is about.

Sometimes you got to sacrifice a limb to save a life, with all the education these politicians have, you’d think someone in Washington would realize this.

What the heck is going on here? I’m gone for two weeks and Brett is playing for the Patriots’ rivals, and Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes are dead? Sheesh, I can’t turn my back on this blog for a second!!

Not much to say here, except that Isaac had a voice like butter. I loved him as Chef on South Park. Too bad the Scientologists made him bail on the show (I don’t think he wanted to quit).

May he rest in peace. Goodbye children.

Wow! This was a shocker! Comedian Bernie Mac died today of complications of pneumonia. Don’t know what else to say except that he’s gone too soon. I wouldn’t call myself a fan. From what I remember, his material wasn’t particularly filthy like most comedians, and he didn’t pick easy targets like making fun of Bush.

He will be missed.

Former White House Press Secretary and Fox News anchorman Tony Snow passed away of colon cancer today at age 53. I loved watching Tony on Fox News Sunday. He had great “stage presence” that made him a perfect choice for Press Secretary.

There’s a good summary of Snow’s career on Yahoo! News here. I didn’t know that he was director of speech writing and media affairs for Bush 41.

Two Tony Snow moments stand out for me as I’m writing this. The first is Tony’s wrap up of the first Fox News Sunday broadcast after the September 11th attacks. I looked for it on Youtube, but couldn’t find it. All I could find were videos mocking Bush, Cheyney et. al. Yawn. Tony’s speech at the end of the broadcast brought a tear to my eye. Partly because it was an emotional time for everyone, but mostly because it was true. Americans are a resilient people. We’ve encountered challenge and tragedy before, and we always come through.

The other moment was another Fox News Sunday wrap up. At the time various politicians and embedded reporters were throwing around charges about our men in uniform committing terrible crimes and terrorizing the locals in Iraq. I distinctly remember Tony’s words “I’m not saying give them a pass, but at least give them a break!” I couldn’t have said it better. These soldiers are busting their behinds to protect our freedom and our lives in working conditions that are inhospitable and extremely dangerous. They don’t punch out on Friday at 5:00. They are on call 24/7. I’m pretty sure the pay isn’t that great either. But they do it all willingly. Were you or a loved one killed in a terrorist attack recently? No? Thank a soldier, not an embedded reporter.

As I write this, I’m sure (but have no proof), that there are many who are literally celebrating Tony Snow’s death on sites like dailykos and moveon.org. All I can say is that you guys are some sick people.

God bless Tony Snow, and God bless our men and women in uniform, past and present.

Oh, I know there are many that will be celebrating this man’s death. Let them celebrate if they like. I won’t be.

Jesse Helms earned the name “Senator No”, after he blocked so many bills and nominations. He was a staunch defender of family values and refused to comprimise on his believes. Not a bad thing if you ask me.

I love this quote of his from 1959: “”Compromise, hell! … If freedom is right and tyranny is wrong, why should those who believe in freedom treat it as if it were a roll of bologna to be bartered a slice at a time?”

I think it’s fitting that someone who so ferverently believed in freedom should die on the 4th of July.

Here’s to ya Jesse.

Seriously folks, Amy Winehouse is becoming the Dana Plato (God rest her soul) of the new millenium. One hit early on, and a short lifetime of misery afterward. Seriously, this woman is becoming less known for her music than for her drug abuse and her arrests.

Hey, maybe she’ll get her act together and her career will be back on track. I don’t like her music, but I still wish her the best.

I got to say, I have little sympathy for these celebrities who have the world on a plate, only to throw it away on drugs, alcohol and stupid behavior. I wish I had half her fame and money.

OK. That does it. I have now officially created a ‘Dead Celebrities’ category. This was a shocker! I knew Carlin was old, but I didn’t know he was in his 70’s. George Carlin died Sunday of heart failure. He had performed as recently as last weekend. Now that I think about it. It’s not that shocking. It looked like he lost quite a bit of weight, and was looking pretty gaunt. Sad to see him go.

While it can’t be said that this guy elevated the public discourse, he certainly made me laugh when I was 10 when he said all of those dirty words on HBO.

A few decades later, I picked up one of his books “Brain Droppings” and gained a better insight into the man. The intervening decades seemed to have brought a mellowness that was missing in Carlin’s younger days. Sure, the anger was still there at the hypocrisy of religious and political leaders (his usual, if not easy, targets). The self congratulations were still there for being a champion of free speech and the subject of a Supreme Court review.

There was something more, however, a certain wisdom and restraint that only the passage of time can bring. In “Brain Droppings”, Carlin didn’t seem as interested in shocking for its own sake. Now, he was interested in using humor to point out how, for all our technological progress and prosperity, America has taken several giant steps backward when it comes to the real quality of life.

Carlin keenly observed that, despite the internet, cell phones, Instant Messaging and Email, Americans are some of the most isolated, lonely people in the world. Technology has grown by leaps and bounds in the last half century, making Americans more productive than anyone could dream. Yet somehow, we are busier than ever, with no time to enjoy family and friends.

Don’t get me wrong, Carlin was still funny in his later years, and every bit as clever. It just seemed that he was more keenly aware that life isn’t all about pushing the envelope and pointing fingers at those who would point fingers. At some point, you let the younger crowd fight for “the cause” and you enjoy the success you’ve earned, while building (or rebuilding) relationships with friends and family. Yep, Carlin was one of the few outlaws who managed to 1) grow old and 2) do it gracefully.

Of course, I could be wrong. It’s been, like, six years since I thumbed through that book at the local Borders, then put it back on the shelf. But it’s a heck of a thought, no?

Here’s to you, George.