John Kerry Rotates Back To The States Again

Another Purple Heart for the Duke of Heinz? 

Middle Finger News Service Wire

Earl of Taint Reporting

See Earl's Complete Report and the Gory Details  HERE

Chicago Isn't Very Happy With Little Spike Lee

Sheldon Jackson Lee, known for sometime making what some call inflammatory movies and stirring the pot so to speak, is in the Windy City to make another Spike Lee Joint. 

But the subject of gun violence in Chicago's black neighborhoods, and working title of the film have some not so enamored with the film maker. 

NYT - Mr. Lee, who declined to be interviewed, has not publicly confirmed the title of the movie, but city officials who have met with him said he had told them that he intended to call it “Chiraq.”

The film, Mr. Lee has said, is focused on gun violence on the South Side; some reports, unconfirmed by Mr. Lee, offer the intriguing possibility that the film is a comedic reimagining of “Lysistrata,” the ancient Greek tale by Aristophanes in which women withhold sex to force the men to end the Peloponnesian War.

Gun violence is a way of life for many Chicagoans, especially in pockets of the South and West Sides. Street gangs have splintered and multiplied in recent years, complicating police efforts to tamp down crime.

During a meeting with Mr. Lee and several City Council members in April, Mr. Burns, the alderman, urged Mr. Lee to reconsider the title, he said.

“I said in that meeting, ‘A lot of people take offense to the term Chiraq,’” Mr. Burns said in an interview. “These are communities where people are doing the right thing, people trying to have a decent neighborhood. Having a movie called ‘Chiraq’ will make it much more difficult for folks like me and other aldermen to bring economic development to those neighborhoods. Who wants to live in a place that people call Chiraq?”

And like a good wealthy Hollywood types, he asked for the public tax credit to make his movie:

"An alderman from the South Side, William Burns, was so perturbed by the title that he angrily suggested that Mr. Lee, the renowned director of films like “Do the Right Thing” and “Malcolm X,” should not get the $3 million tax credit that he is seeking for filming here.

“If he wants to name the movie 'Chiraq' and film it in the city of Chicago, he should be able to get the permits for that and he should be able to do it, but we shouldn’t give him money as taxpayers to brand a part of the city as Iraq.” 

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel met last month with Lee, who has been spending time in Chicago as he prepares to film his new movie, to express his displeasure about the choice of the title — which comes from rap lyrics about violence in some of the city’s black neighborhoods. 

How Long Will Carly Fiorina's "Moment" Last?

Vintage media sources, like the Washington Post, think Carly Fiorina is just having 'a moment'.  What will they think if Ms. Fiorina’s moment lasts? Imagine their disgust if they had to start reporting that she's a policy wonk and a great communicator.  Oh Noes!

"Clinton is Fiorina’s foil and chief raison d’etre in the crowded Republican primary field. The only woman among the Republican candidates, she tells crowds that her business background makes her the more accomplished choice to become the first woman president.

And she is having a moment this week, trying to capitalize on Clinton's frequent reluctance to take questions at her campaign events and on general press grumpiness.  Clinton is avoiding questions about Iraq, her family foundation and her record at the State Department, Fiorina said Wednesday.  “The Republican Party needs a nominee who will ask these questions on a general debate stage” and answer them from reporters, Fiorina said outside the hotel."

This isn't a prediction but I wouldn't be surprised if Ms. Fiorina wound up being the fourth (and last) top tier candidate.  She's a great communicator and starting to come across a bit of a policy wonk, especially well-versed in explaining the negatives about regulations.  The other thing she has going for her is that she can rip on Hillary without coming across as mean. The fact that she's shadowing Hillary and grabbing lots of free press tells me that she's a savvy media person, too, which is important.

One thing that's become clear is that Ms. Fiorina isn't a sliver candidate like Rand Paul, Mike Huckabee, Rick Santorum or Chris Christie.  Earlier this week, Rand Paul made another foolish accusation against his presidential opponents when he accused Republicans of creating ISIS.  Statements like that immediately identify him as a fringe candidate.  The GOP won't nominate someone who is to the left of Hillary on national defense.

Rick Santorum doesn’t bring anything special to the field.  People won’t take a Johnny One-Note candidate who hasn't won an election since 2000.  He won the Iowa Caucuses in 2012, defeating Mitt Romney by a handful of votes.  To tell you how pathetic that is, Mike Huckabee defeated Mitt Romney by almost 11,000 votes and by 9 points in 2008. In 2012, Rick Santorum defeated Romney by 34 votes.

When your signature victory is by 34 votes over a candidate who didn't work the state that hard, it's a telling sign.

 And this from Hot Air:

"I’m waiting to see some fresh numbers either nationally or in the early primary states which is less than a couple of weeks old. I don't know how much Fiorina has moved the needle yet – assuming there's been motion – but she's picking up a ton of earned media everywhere she goes. And yet again, the way she's doing it isn't by starting a private, internecine grudge match such as the one between Rand Paul and Lindsey Graham. She's taking the battle to Hillary Clinton's doorstep… literally in this case."

Personally, I don't think she can win the nomination, but a classy chick none the less. And if she makes the cut for the debates, she can probably hold her own with the guys.  She might be a good choice for VP, but for now, she's extremely valuable as the only one in the GOP field that can take on at full throttle Hillary Clinton and not be accused of what anyone else would be.  

Expect some serious burning of the midnight oil at Clinton Opposition Research, and hit pieces by Clinton friendly media sources if Mrs. Fiorina’s campaign picks ups any speed in the near future. 

You Can Ease Up Working on That Legacy Thing There Mr. President......We've Run Slap Out of Room on the Graphic.

Finally The Science Guy Gives us Science We Can Believe In

The Universe - HERE

The Ghosts of Tom Jefferson and Ben Franklin........

Le jour de Fishnets