Keeper of the Clown Bell

You might not believe it, but I'm telling the truth when I say that Eleanor Clift is a charming person and very pleasant to talk with at a DC cocktail party. Funny and engaging - not the screeching harpy she sometimes channels when battling it out with PJB and Mort Z on The McLaughlin Group - especially when defending the Clampetts. She's a HillBilly fan to the end so there's really nothing she will not excuse or justify in defense of their excesses - but she goes through the looking glass when comparing the Arkansas hayseeds to patrician FDR. Just a few points of consideration:
Clift supplements her income through Speaking fees.I assume she gets paid something to sit in on McLaughlin's Group.FDR, for all his deficiencies was, in fact, an excellent public speaker with a great radio voice.HRC is probably the worst public speakers in the modern era - I can't comment on Adams or Jefferson - and I can't say it's a disqualification for the Presidency, but why any…

I salute The Soup - I honestly think it's one of the best programs on television. It's a television show about television that goes were few TV shows dare to tread. It's so subversive that were it broadcast on a "legitimate" network (ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS) or even a cable network that aspires to be taken seriously (CNN, ESPN, AMC, etc.) it would be vilified and protested by every group imaginable. It makes fun of everyone - movie stars, news anchors, politicians, poor people, fat people, yellow people, stupid people - the list is as long and varied as this wonderful country is big. I love it actually and can think of few ways better to squander an hour than watching Joel McHale bite the gigantic hand that feeds him.


You see, The Soup is broadcast on a goofy cable network called E! - a network so base and depraved that words can't capture the rottenness of its rot.  E! broadcasts some of the most horrific content imaginable and when my children ask me, "why…

Leave it to the hippies of Arivaca AZ to protest the immigration "checkpoint" located twenty (20!) miles outside of town - I use the word town loosely (pop. 700) - and leave it to the LA Times to "report" on the story as though it's actually news:
"At the Arivaca checkpoint, about 20 miles outside the town, dozens of protesters stopped traffic for less than a minute in an attempt to shut down the facility, but federal agents quickly herded the group to the roadside."  The protesters claim that Arivaca and it's surroundings have been turned into a "war zone", you know, like Syria. But as someone who's spent considerable time in the territories acquired by the United States of America through the Gadsden Purchase at a price of $10 Million (and those are 1853 dollars mind you) I can only say - it's always been a war zone. From the Hell Hole of Arizona (Yuma) to El Paso, TX this is Cowboy and Indian country with a long and distin…

I don't mess with the supernatural in uncontrolled environments. I read the Exorcist as a youngster and it put me off devil worship even as a prank. William Peter Blatty showed me that conjuring spirits can have very negative consequences for the living (and the dead) and it's best for children to stay innocent. As Blatty said in recent WaPo interview: “The Exorcist” put forward the notion of evil incarnate. I have moved away from the belief in fallen angels to the belief that demons are, in fact, spirits of the dead who are behaving very, very badly. In fact, in all of the possession literature since the beginning of the 20th century, most cases involve the spirit of someone who has died.  Unfortunately, thanks to social media, the Charlie Charlie Challenge is all the rage among the adolescent set world wide, and the dead are being invited into the living world through pencil portals in suburban homes by clueless teenagers. Word is that the teenage mind is "wired&qu…

The days of sticking a wad of bills in your pocket are coming to a close - in an ISO twenty-oh-2-2 world cash will be an archeological novelty from the pre-global order. It's not easy to understand and nobody really reports on it but the lingua franca of financial transactions willchange the world and the way citizens of every nation relate to their government and money (or what used to be called money). I'm not a big New World Order fan and place little faith in International bodies like the United Nations but the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), located in the happiest country on earth, is one group that gets it done - behind the scenes with little notice. For those who want to eliminate money because it's a scam, evil and unnecessary ISO 20022 is the answer to your prayers (if you pray) and it helps with practical business problems too. Companies like C24 have already built a business around ISO 20022 - why?
By leveraging a common language, or refe…

A 4 year old has lots of questions. What happens when you die? Who made gravity? Why do we call them dogs? How fast is fire? When will we get there?

Yesterday I went to a birthday party for a 4 year old friend and Mom and Dad had hung a piñata for other 4 year olds to beat with club. After song and cake the beating commenced - swing after swing the blue donkey felt the blow of the plastic bat and held it together. Anxious and disgruntled children eventually handed the bat to the Dads who swung hard and connected making rips in the body and knocking off legs but still nothing of value dropped from the animals head or heart. Answer: more beating. Harder, angrier - with determination. Still nothing - no toys or candy as had been repeatedly promised by the grown-ups, just wisps of newspaper and blue confetti. Exasperated Dad looks inside the piñata to see what the problem is only to discover that Mom didn't put any candy in the jack-ass.
Sorry kids, no candy. Sad little confused face…

This blog has been tough on President Obama and not without cause, but hanging out in South Africa has reset my parochial American mind and given me a new appreciation for 0. In short, things could be a hell of a lot worse for the U.S.A. and maybe, in the future, they will be, but for now I'll ride out the next 18 months and pretty much keep my mouth shut. Jacob Zuma makes Obama look like a frigg'n dream of deep thinking, competent wisdom and he makes Bill Clampett look like a choir boy. Corruption, rape, polygamy, love children (multiple) and the fate of a nation all shouldered by a cattle herder with a 3rd grade education. But the chief just laughs and goes on his merry way - Americans complain about Scott Walker not finishing college or Hillary taking bribes through her family foundation and all I can say is Zuma to that. Here in JoBurg everyone lives behind a gate, the power goes out every night for a few hours, no one walks the streets at night (or day) and they protest (…

Last night David Letterman "signed off" after 30+ years of late night TV and over that time he evolved from a cynical smart-ass to a cynical liberal smart-ass. This is a brief goodbye posting - Letterman hardly rates on the KOTCB blog - and a comment about TV Finale's in principle. They are almost all horrible and the hype and outpouring of grief by TV critics and log-rolling entertainers is annoying. I remember David Letterman when he had a morning show in 1980 - it was hilarious and totally original and, as one would expect, no one watched it. He moved to late night and there he stayed until last night - insulting guests, mocking staff and local store owners, employing his mom, throwing index cards and "inventing" the Top Ten List. Last nights last list was delivered by comedy all stars and the nostalgia reigned as it always does at these TV moments.
Top Ten Things I've Always Wanted To Say To DaveWednesday, May 20, 2015 10. "Of all the talk shows, y…

Logging in from South Africa I'm feeling pretty good. The weather is incredible, the food is great, the people are friendly and warm. I may not be as happy as when I'm leis'n in the happiest place in America, but I'm pretty happy. That's not the way the latest UN World Happiness Report portrays South Africa (to say nothing of Africa as a whole) but lets examine their 2015 results.

Edited by John F. Helliwell, Richard Layard, and Jeffrey Sachs (I know I make fun of names, but really) the WHR2015 takes a look at happiness with an eye toward sustainability. Published by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network based in NYC which was created by the UN in 2012 it's populated by a really happy group of people. As has been noted in previous WHR's critiques these folks like to be rich, have problems, live in western Europe, in the cold and dark with bicycles. Usually Denmark wins, Norway places and Switzerland shows while the USA makes the top 20 its neighbors…

There is something very feminine about ISIS - including the name. Manley P Hall gives a good overview of Islam in his classic text The Secret Teachings of all Ages and make the following point:
The feminine principle is repeatedly emphasized in Islamic symbolism. For example, Friday, which is sacred to the planet Venus, is the Moslem's holy day; green is the color of the Prophet and, being symbolic of verdure, is inevitably associated with the World Mother; and both the Islamic crescent and the scimitar may be interpreted to signify the crescent shape of either the moon or Venus.  There has been a lot of yammering about the Islamic State and weather they rightly claim the religion of Islam as their loadstar - Some say no and others say yes, but I like to look further into the past - way before the Prophet started weaving the strands of ancient religions into a contemporary (for the time) interpretation.  Isis is the female principle in the Isis/Osiris theology that r…

I'm flying for the next 16 hours - will be in Africa all week. When you get on a plane for this kind of trip a few things go through your mind. Please don't sit me next to a screaming baby, a special needs hyper-active boy, a TFTF tubby, someone who farts, a belligerent drunk, an ebony Ebola victim, two middle aged Chinese woman or a terrorist. It's not personal or bigoted or even insensitive - it's 16 hours of my life space truck' in close quarters and if possible I'd avoid all of the above. By the time the crew closed the cabin door my situation looked good - very good - I'm riding coach in the back of the bus and the middle row tapers down to 3 seats back here with me in one isle seat and a very orderly looking chap in the other isle and nobody in the middle seat - EMPTY - thanks be to God. The nearest baby is two rows up and to the side but she's a tow headed bundle of adorableness and grandmas on the job, No hyperactive seat-kickers to be seen, no…

I don't call out Jon Stewart and his "Daily Show" on this blog for several reasons.
I never watch it on TV (though I do see clips of the show on the internet)It's demo is young, male(ish), highly educated, rich, liberals who can't figure out they're watching a show targeted at their demo - thanks for clearing that up Pew Research.Stewart is pretty funny - meaning he's good at his schtick even though it's formulaic and lazy.Greater minds have already destroyed the destroyer and my effort would add nothing to the destruction. So I've always cut this show, and it's host,  a lot of slack - It only has a few million viewers and I figure most of them are either too young or too cynical to vote. Where's the harm in ye laughing at heavy handed partisanship and editing tricks that ridicule thine enemies. This mirth includes the ludicrous hard on the New America Left has for the dreaded Fox News (Faux News as they call it) and Stewart's gleeful …

How will the Democrats keep the Obama coalition together and win in 2016? I remain convinced that John Kerry is behind all the HRC scandals with an eye on the prize for himself. He believes, in his own mind, that he can win it but he's got to get HRC off the playing field by any means necessary. But even if he succeeds, as I believe he will, he needs to guard against lefty gadflies who might buzz in to the Presidential soup and spoil what he's spent the past 30 years concocting. Uncle Joe is a clown, Albert Jr. is insane, Pocahontas a my favorite Martian are 2nd tier. Who else could challenge?
I would have said no one, except Gov. Moonbeam but he's too "Tim Cook" to win east of I-5 and West of I-95. But then Rasmussen Reports looked directly at the pink donkey in the room and asked, "What If Michelle Obama Challenged Hillary Clinton for the Democratic Nomination?"
Answer: MO would probably win. She'd win Iowa and South Carolina for sure and once the…

I flew into LAX this morning from the East Coast sitting next to a TFTF individual taking up 1.5 seats in coach so I sympathize with anyone who desires more thin, athletic, perfect-people like those that live in District 50 represented by California Assemblyman Richard Bloom. In an effort to make people thinner Bloom introduced Bill 1357 to tax poor fat people who drink sugar water.
"This bill, subject to specified exemptions (???), would impose a fee (???) on every distributor, as defined, for the privilege of distributing in this state bottled sweetened beverages, at a rate of $0.02 per fluid ounce and for the privilege of distributing concentrate in this state, either as concentrate or as sweetened beverages derived from that concentrate, at the rate of $0.02 per fluid ounce of sweetened beverage to be produced from concentrate. The Board of Equalization (WTF is that?) would be responsible for administering and collecting the fee (???) and registering the distributors …

One of the greatest features of the Internet is the ability to go back in time with a "click" and see what people were actually saying 2, 3 or 5 years ago on a given subject. I use this capability to great effect here on this blog, or at least I thought I did until I read this Niall Ferguson article, "The Rise and Fall of Krugmania in the UK", posted on the HuffPo news/opinion aggregator. This scathing review grabs Keynesian economics premier acolyte by his small balls and twists - hard. Not really any new news here as the KOTCB blog has a permanent link to Paul Krugman's writings (see Clown Links > BullKrug) and that's just the old stuff - stops at 2010 before the results of his advise really started to sink in here in the USA. In Brittan the Labour Party went Balls deep into the Krughole and now...

Never Mind the Bollocks - Krugman is taking his Holidays in the Sun.

Mother's Day came early this year so I thought I might commemorate May 10th with a reflection on the mother of all social democrats - Fabian Socialism and it's timely death two days ago at the hands of Cam'ron, er, David Cameron the Tory dragon-slayer. All the pollsters and media people were calling this a nail-biter up to the day of judgement - just like they were back in March of this year.

Sweet death was what they got once the results were in - buckets of tears at the Beeb and right-thinking (meaning correct-thinking) publications all over London. Ed Milktoast fell on his sword and Ed Balls (I'm not making that up), Labour economics adviser for two decades+ was shown the door. WaPo breaks down the road to resurrection:
"As the party members begin the search for a new leader, they undoubtedly will go through a painful period of introspection about who they are and why they failed so badly. The unity they presented during the election will give way to a debate…

I was attending some sales and marketing motivational training this week learning about the human brain, how decisions are made, what parts of the brain do what and how to use that understanding to change peoples minds - sort of what I do here at the KOTCB blog. I was with a team of experienced professionals and we drew pictures, made lists, asked and answered questions, presented concepts to each other and our "trainer" having a pretty good time in the process. When you delve into the science (both hard and soft) of personality type, behavior modification, selling technique and marketing analytics using big data you realize the average joe doesn't stand a chance. These ad agencies and sales organizations are going for the gut, pulling at the heart strings and stimulating the "lizard brain" at every opportunity. With all the formulaic "proven" approaches to mind manipulation bombarding the collective American psyche is it any wonder that significant n…

Only in the New America could you have pasteurized left-wing pabulum masquerading as organized atheism supported through a foundation. With a home base in Madison, WI one can only wonder what the primary framer of US Constitution would think of the Freedom From Religion Foundation?

Maybe this, from Federalist 10 gives a clue:
"The influence of factious leaders may kindle a flame within their particular States, but will be unable to spread a general conflagration through the other States. A religious sect may degenerate into a political faction in a part of the Confederacy; but the variety of sects dispersed over the entire face of it must secure the national councils against any danger from that source. A rage for paper money, for an abolition of debts, for an equal division of property, or for any other improper or wicked project, will be less apt to pervade the whole body of the Union than a particular member of it; in the same proportion as such a malady is more likely to tain…

It looks like Dave Goldberg was using the same exercise equipment that Harry Reid used last winter, but poor David bit the Mexican dust in Puerto Vallarta. The nation mourns - The USA, not Mexico.



Details on Dave Goldberg’s death are still murky.

So who knows, really - there will probably be 30 variations on the story of how he lay bleeding on the floor for several hours with a gash in his head at a 5 star resort. Happens all the time.
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Situated on the majestic shores of Lake Erie as a monument to corporate rock all you need to know about the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is that Bo Diddley and Eddie Cochran were NOT inductees on the first ballot year 1 of it's opening in 1986. Chuck Berry & Elvis made the cut as well they should, but holding off on Bo and Eddie is a slight against the entire ethos of Rock & Roll (if such a thing were to exist).

Ellas Otha Bates did, in my opinion, invent the art form known as Rock & Roll - hence his nickname "The Originator" and if you listen to Bo Diddley the 1958 album you can hear why. Two things are evident in this record:
1. It is a mystery - a miracle really - how this music was produced in 1955 - 1957 for it is unlike anything that came before it. Forget all that blues roots mumbo jumbo that Rock critics are always spouting because yes, yes, yes Rock & Roll has roots but that doesn't explain the creative supernova of Bo Diddley and his collab…