Category: 1

Because you see what’s going on there and you say, “Cheeeeeez.”

Passing a law that strips an entire union of its right to collectively bargain? What the hëll is up with that?

“We, the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union…”

There it is, right there. The spirit of combining power in order to gain collective strength and be able to protect mutual interests, right there in the preamble to the Constitution. We’ve got “United” in our country’s name, for God’s sake.

It’s appalling, and the only thing more repulsive than the GOP ramming this through is the fourteen Democrats who headed for the hills rather than stay and try to slug it out. I am so dámņ sick of Democrats rolling over when it comes to a fight. And this time it’s teachers who are paying for it.

Please tell me that a lawsuit’s going to result from this. For all I know, it’s a First Amendment issue. The Supreme Court has protected the rights of jáçkáššëš to fling insults at funerals and the rights of big business to try and influence elections. If talking is protected speech, and money is protected speech, how is talking about money NOT protected speech? We draw the line of free expression at teachers assembling and speaking with one voice saying, “This is what we want?” How is THAT fair?

PAD

First of all…tempting fate by opening on March 15 was always a lousy idea. Even key cast members weren’t sanguine over the notion of opening on the Ides of March. How do I know? Reeve Carney, Broadway’s “Peter Parker” and a really nice guy, told me. Where’d I encounter him? At the Broadway Bears auction on Sunday. (Sorry the picture’s a little blurry; lighting wasn’t the greatest).

The announced push back comes as no surprise (although the reports of Julie Taymor supposedly departing are startling.) Anything that could be done to fix the show before March 15 would have been mere bandaids, and what the show really needed for long-term health is a tourniquet, which is what a several month delay at this point amounts to. By all reports, the second act is still a major problem (and the bizarre number about shoes remains in place for no explicable reason.) But the assertions that the show can’t be fixed are simply wrong. There’s nothing in the script that can’t be repaired. To me the delay just shows that they’re determined to do what needs to be done so that the story and score is able to match the much higher quality of the visuals.

PAD

I remember reading that Kunal Nayyar, who plays “Raj” on “The Big Bang Theory,” was getting short shrift in the salary department while everyone else in the cast was getting serious bumps.

I can’t help but observe that since Charlie Sheen had just been fired, you should have some additional money lying around. So how about giving some more salary love to the cast of the smartest half hour of comedy on television.

Even if Raj is wrong headed about Aquaman.

PAD

Entitled “Bronsky’s Dates With Death,” it’s the story of an elderly Jewish man who keeps talking so matter of factly about his impending demise that even Death doesn’t want to have anything to do with him.

I’ll give you an update once I know when it’s going to see print.

PAD

First we went to Tampa, Florida to attend the Vulcan Events convention down in Florida. Great assortment of guests, and the fans were uniformly friendly and engaging. Sadly it was somewhat underattended, and I feel badly for the fans who didn’t make it there since–as the cliche goes–a good time was had by all.

After that we spent a few days in Orlando communing with the Mouse. We brought our plush Oswald the Lucky Rabbit with us and gave him a grand tour of the place. It could only be considered a triumphant homecoming because of all the Oswald fans–both tourists and Disney employees–who oohed and aahed over him. We’ll be putting up picture of his exploration of the parks over the next few days.

PAD

I’ve said for years that President Obama doesn’t really have a problem with gay marriage, and the recent announcement that he’s finally come to believe that the anti-gay marriage aspect of the DOMA is unconstitutional would seem to reinforce that. At the VERY least he’s acknowledging that marriage isn’t the business of government, which is what a president should be saying.

You might think that the GOP, always advocating the notion that government should be involved in fewer and fewer aspects of life and staying out of people’s business, would be the first ones to praise this declaration as an example of government acknowledging its limits.

Nah.

A spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner said that “the president will have to explain why he thinks now is the appropriate time to stir up a controversial issue that sharply divides the nation,” particularly at a time when “Americans want Washington to focus on creating jobs and cutting spending.”

Well, let’s see. Not having government lawyers spending countless man hours in a pointless pursuit of marriage bias would seem to be saving some money. So basically Obama announced something that will hurt no one, cost nothing, and save money. As opposed to the GOP representatives who have shown little to no interest in creating jobs and are focusing on spending cuts that hurt lots of people while preserving the interests of big business and NASCAR.

Conservatives. Always good for laughs.

PAD

I never wanted to believe something was an Internet hoax more than when a morose Kathleen informed me that Dwayne McDuffie had passed away.

I’ve known him literally for decades, going back to his days as an assistant editor at Marvel. I loved his work on “Damage Control,” which I always thought was inspired and should have been an ongoing title. I continued to read and enjoy his constantly innovative and groundbreaking work throughout the years, and I was thrilled to have the chance to actually work closely with him on several episodes of “Ben 10: Alien Force” and “Ben 10: Ultimate Alien,” for which he was the story editor. I will never forget sitting in his office as we worked out storylines. There was more than just his physical presence (he was well over six feet tall). He seemed to radiate confidence in his abilities, which was entirely warranted, and he was determined to roll with whatever curves Cartoon Network might throw his way and turn them into the best stories possible. He had boundless enthusiasm not only for his work, but for the sheer creative process. To say he will be missed is to understate it. I offer condolences not only to his family, but to the entirety of fandom for losing one of the great ones.

As for us, right now we’re watching one of his “Ben 10” episodes and later I’m running out to buy his “All-Star Superman” DVD.

PAD

Updated 7:36 PM–And Rich Johnston reports that Nicholas Courtney, the Brigadier from “Doctor Who,” has also passed away. What a suck-ášš day.