You know what’s amazing? Sometime this week, almost everyone you know will fill out an NCAA Tournament bracket. Male, female, young, old, basketball fan, non-basketball fan, it doesn’t matter. The numbers are staggering. I don’t have the research on this, but I have to imagine that it is the sporting event that pulls in the most non-fans this side of the Super Bowl. [Read more →]

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Whenever someone proposes spending money on a new government program, critics will say that we should balance out the effect on the budget with a matching tax increase. That would be great if it worked, but it’s a mistake to think that we can make up for increased government spending by increasing taxes.

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Tags: money, politics & government // 5 Comments »

Two of my favorite things in the world are fine food and game shows. There is nothing I enjoy more than curling up on the Victorian settee to watch the latest episodes of “Jeopardy!” and “The Price is Right” while eating foie gras-stuffed quail with asparagus and drinking port wine. The extreme pleasure of consuming great food combined with the excitement of a thrilling game show causes the cares of the world to just drift away.

Given my love of food and of game shows, the appearance of the NBC program, Minute to Win it, should be cause for celebration. After all, it is a game show, and it is hosted by a popular figure from the Food Network.

You might think that one such as I would enjoy the Food Network. You might think that, but do not say it out loud, because if I hear you, I will remove my gauntlet and slap you across the face. [Read more →]

Tags: diatribes, television // 4 Comments »

10. “No, that’s my shillelagh, but I’m still glad to see you!”

9. “But I love the taste of Bailey’s Irish Cream!”

8. “Every time I see you, somethin’ starts Dublin in size!”
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For many of us, our lives don’t work out the way we planned. But that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a plan. It’s very apropos that Lost’s “Dr. Linus” episode was named for a teacher since it taught us some very valuable lessons about who we are and what our purpose here may be. In other words, it really was all about you.

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To those who believe that the ongoing war on terrorism against Islamic fanatics is a war without end or a war that can’t be won,  I suggest they read up on the anarchists’ 19th Century international terror campaign.

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I love the Florida Keys. I love the laid-back, tropical, “Margaritaville” lifestyle of the local characters.

But one laid-back inhabitant should not be behind the wheel of a moving car.

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BBC News reported this week that the Treasury Department has eased sanctions against Iran, Cuba, and Sudan with the hope of “[helping] further the use of web services and [supporting] opposition groups.” While I generally disagree with sanctions on principle, and so certainly welcome any removal of them by our gov’t, I can’t help but make a few quick points regarding the general narrative that this move fits into. [Read more →]

Tags: politics & government, technology // 1 Comment »

1. Throwing the baby out with the bathwater
   Based on the off-chance that someone working for the Washington DC Archdiocese might be gay and want to marry their partner, the organization, employing about 850 people, has announced that they’re eliminating all health care benefits for their workers’ families. As Tiny Tim would say, “God bless us, everyone!” [Read more →]

   Tags: religion & philosophy // 1 Comment »

I am so sick and tired of hearing Republican hack after Republican hack telling those of us who are conservative, and yet not also Republican, that we are the ones screwing everything up.  From Limbaugh and Rove on the squawking boxes to actual Republican leaders like Romney, it’s a virtual litany these days…

It pisses me off.

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Tags: politics & government // 6 Comments »

The new Iron Man 2 trailer has appeared to much fanfare, as the sheeple begin to salivate over the return of their military-industrial complex savior. Well, you’ll excuse me if I’m not excited about the so-called “super” hero known as “Iron Man.” I know he is not all the media would have you believe. I know that Iron Man, AKA Tony Stark, is a heartless businessman who cares for nothing more than the padding of his own massive bank account.

Tony Stark is more than just an opportunist and war profiteer. He’s also got a shameful secret he’d like to keep hidden. A shameful union-busting past, as stated in the explosive headline of this post.

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Tags: art & entertainment, politics & government // 6 Comments »

Paramedic Daniel McIntosh died in the line of duty in Bensalem, PA. 

On Sunday night, the squad’s ambulance crew had rushed to the 2600 block of Knights Road for a report of a suicidal man. When they arrived, the man ran away and McIntosh chased after him, hoping to save the man from hurting himself. Instead McIntosh suffered a fatal heart attack. Members of the ambulance squad then turned their attention to saving the life of their own crew member with no luck.

I suppose the suicidal man is not to blame for McIntosh’s death. [Read more →]

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I’ve seen the future of news, and it’s as red as the blood of a freshly killed Siberian ibex.

Don’t doubt it. Think about it. While American news publications die a slow death and adapt clumsily to new media, Russian journalism evolves with stunning rapidity.  It is the new standard-bearer, the prized Rothschild Egg. Meanwhile, all that American journalism can do is lay an egg.

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Tags: trusted media & news // 2 Comments »

When Falls the Coliseum is looking for bloggers to post commentaries, essays, rants, satire, and reviews about current events, politics, entertainment, culture, and many other topics from a broad range of personal and political perspectives. We appreciate both serious discussion and merciless mockery. We like humor — the funny kind. If you’re interested in being a regular contributor, visit our submissions page and tour our site (see FAQ, Welcome, and History). We don’t care if you are libertarian, liberal, conservative, other, or don’t pay attention to politics. As long as you can write posts that interest readers and you want to do so regularly, we’d like to hear from you. We’re looking to increase our coverage of movies, books, TV, video games, celebrity news, pop culture, politics, current events, social issues, online oddities.

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March 7, 2010
I dream I am with friends who cultivate eccentricities. I am fussy about the kinds of eccentricities I am willing to cultivate, but with them, anything goes. For example, I am reluctant to use the new inspirational paper towels. I am ok with the old ones imprinted with general homilies that might be appropriate in a wide range of contexts, but my friends prefer the new ones that are thought to be the word of God. If anyone has a problem or question, all they do is rip off the next paper towel and do what it says. My friends recline together in enormous beds and think up odd things to do. I feel out of it, and begin work on a list of eccentric activities.

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“Sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast,” says Alice (Mia Wasikowska) to the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp).  So have I. I believed that it would be impossible for Tim Burton to make a film of Alice in Wonderland that is: 1) not funny, 2) not dark,  3) not adult, 4) dull, even with the help of 3D effects, 5) heavy handed and 6) lacking in imagination. But, curiouser and curiouser, I was wrong. [Read more →]

Tags: Gail sees a movie, movies // 4 Comments »

I got this letter today from the U.S. Census Bureau. Does every residential mailing address in the country get one of these?

My first thought was about the first bolded sentence that informed me that “About one week from now, you will receive a 2010 Census form in the mail.”

Holy crap, are they really spending the money to print and mail these letters to everyone in the country? [Read more →]

Tags: money, politics & government // 7 Comments »

Bon Jovi is using the occasion of his latest tour to promote volunteerism, and is apparently playing this video at each of his concerts:

I think it’s obvious that anyone who would willingly attend a Bon Jovi concert is in desperate need of direction as to how to spend his free time, but that video is liable to confuse Mr. Jovi’s fans. [Read more →]

Tags: music, politics & government // 9 Comments »

In Raven Stole the Moon, Jenna Rosen walks away from a life that is fractured.  Two years ago, her young son drowned in a tragic accident at a resort in Alaska.  Her husband seems to have moved on, but Jenna cannot let go of her grief.  On the anniversary of their son’s death, they attend a party that turns out to be Jenna’s breaking point.  She walks away from the party, gets in her husband’s car and drives… straight through to Bellingham, Washington.  She gets on the ferry and heads to her home town of Wrangell, Alaska — and straight into a mystery.  [Read more →]

Tags: Lisa Reads, books & writing // Add Comment »

I spent much of my childhood in the Silver State and love it still, which is why I’m proud it can offer a pair of leaders to rival New York’s dynamically dysfunctional duo of Spitzer and Paterson. The more famous is Senator John Ensign, whose prospects of becoming the Republican party’s next Palin dimmed significantly when it was revealed he’d been boinking an aide’s wife. This was bad, not because it showed Ensign’s spouse couldn’t trust him — that’s to be expected in politics — but his own staff couldn’t either…and if they can’t, good luck to folk not on his payroll. It soon got worse, with the FBI investigating how Ensign used his power to help the career of the angry spouse of his former bed mate…and then got kind of goofy, with Ensign admitting he had his parents pay the woman nearly $100,000, because even an elected official in his 50s sometimes needs a hand from Mom and Dad. [Read more →]

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Guess who’s back? That’s right! The western hemisphere’s favorite oppressor and comandante — el Comandante, Fidel Castro. Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water (off the shores of Havana that is). [Read more →]

Tags: politics & government // 1 Comment »

Parenthood (Tuesday, NBC, 10PM) — I got to watch the pilot episode of Parenthood (thanks to the free episode on iTunes, a plastic cup of wine and a train ride to see my mother) and I gotta say, I loved it. There was nothing to not love. It was funny, heartwarming and downright wonderful.

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Tags: Lauren Likes TV, art & entertainment, television // 1 Comment »

The president’s health care initiative has been stalled by politics as usual and partisan rancor. This is a great tragedy, not only because people are literally dying in the streets from lack of access to government-run health care, but because it also gives the impression that Americans are “ungovernable.” Despite what you might have read in Newsweek, it’s only some Americans that are “ungovernable.” I, for one, want to be governed in the worst way; which is why I have so much faith in our current leaders. To that end, I’ve come up with a plan to help the president jump-start what is becoming a stalled presidency: appointing a bunch of new czars. Czars are great, since they don’t require congressional approval and can therefore get started doing the people’s work right away. They can also do pretty much whatever they want, because they don’t have to worry about being accountable to those “ungovernable” American citizens, like my neighbor who shall remain nameless. The president hasn’t yet taken full advantage of his power to appoint czars, so below is just a small sample of the czars I’d like to see him appoint, to bypass all the partisan gamesmanship and really get to work helping us:

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Tags: diatribes, politics & government // 2 Comments »

Plenty of people have been whining publicly that they can’t afford health care insurance, some of whom I know. I’m talking about fairly young, reasonably healthy men and women with decent jobs who think the government should step in. Consequently, I sought out a solution at the grassroots level to see if I could help, and in the process, avoid a costly federal mandate.

Turns out it was easier to get health insurance than one might think. That’s right, an American who wants health insurance has a sure fire way to get it. Here’s how. [Read more →]

Tags: health & medical, politics & government // 2 Comments »

Sometimes you know there just has to be more to a story. Guy Morriss, who played for the Eagles when I was a kid, is now the head football coach at Texas A&M-Commerce, a Division II school. Recently, a couple of his players were arrested on drug charges. The school paper wrote a cover story about it last week. Early in the morning on the day of publication, some of the players went around campus and took every copy and disposed of them. When asked about the theft, Morriss stated that he was proud of his players. [Read more →]

Tags: bad sports, good sports // Add Comment »

10. “Is Sandra Bullock nominated for All About Steve?”

9. “I’m glad they made it ten Best Picture nominees; before, the show never seemed to drag enough.”

8. “Who’s up for Best Boy?”  [Read more →]

Tags: Bob Sullivan's top ten everything, movies, television // Add Comment »

President John F. Kennedy, a naval officer in World War II, once told a friend how a Navy chief would describe a broken down jeep: “This fucking fucker is all fucked up!”

The phrase “curse like a sailor” has a basis in fact. Sailors do curse.

But it appears that Navy Captain Holly Graf took the tradition a bit too far. As TIME reports, Captain Graf cursed and abused her officers and crew, which led to her being relieved of the command of her ship.       

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Tags: politics & government // 1 Comment »

I am a Julia Child fanatic. I feel so cheated that she died before I had the chance to meet her and become her best friend (oh trust me, it would have happened!). Generally I couldn’t care less about the Oscars, but this year Julia is involved (albeit against her wishes). I will be preparing Julia’s Classic Roast Chicken to munch on while we watch the Oscars, followed by her most famous dessert, the Apple Tarte Tatin. Here are a few more of my favorite J.C. menu combinations and recipes.

Enjoy the Oscars tonight and Bon Appetit!

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Regardless of whether or not you agree with the stance of the group Atheist Agenda, most of us would recognize and admit the folly of trying to change someone’s mind by insulting them. I think we can all agree that things such as this only make the resistance to their ideas more concrete, opposition more determined, and hurts their overall cause.

Press Release via WHAS11

Tags: religion & philosophy // 2 Comments »

Recently I have had nothing but grave news. Two weeks ago I was describing to friends how it was our hour of need as the Norskies defended the peak of the gold medal mountain in the new Cold War, in Vancouver. Then it was just last week that my clarion call was sounded regarding the now 7-year-war against wild animals (10/03/2003 — Never Forget). These two very serious issues were weighing on me heavily. And then I heard that the Earth’s day is now shorter.

The earthquake in Chile changed the axis and sped up the Earth?! What? I’m sorry, come again? Why hasn’t there been much gnashing of teeth and such? The fifth most feasible way to destroy the Earth is to overspin it until it tears itself apart! [Read more →]

Tags: black helicopter watch, environment & nature // 8 Comments »