Rick Santelli: Runt Bitch

You know things are tough when Matt Lauer of all people takes you down, hard, on national television. Rick Santelli called millions of people facing homlessness "losers," but apparently is afraid Obama Press Secretary Robert Gibbs is going to break his legs or something. Please.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Let this be a lesson to everyone: Don't be this guy.

(h/t: Ta-Nahishi Coates, who is a must-read for anyone interested in the crossroads between culture and politics)

Teh Internetz has Spoken

Bobby Jindal is Kenneth the Page:



(h/t: debateporridge, via Dailykos)

It's Not Your Fault, Rick Santelli. It's Not Your Fault.

Matt Yglesias nails the fundamental issue in the housing crisis:

When someone applies for a mortgage, there are two parties to the transaction. On one side of it is a teacher or a blogger or an electrician or a lawyer or a nurse or a guy who manages a Home Depot. On the side is a guy who, for a living, as a professional, works in the “deciding on what terms to offer people mortgages” business who works, for a living, at a financial services business.

Be sure to read Matt's entire post. The Rick Santelli revolt is based in such bullshit. The idea that home buyers were the principal bad actors in this crisis makes zero sense for the reason outlined above. If I go to buy a house, and the person who's lending me the money says I can afford it, and that even if it's tight, not to worry because, in his professional opinion, the home value will definitely go up, and I base my purchase on that professional advice, how is this my fault? The alternative is to have everyone major in economics before purchasing a house.

The answer, of course, is that the brokerage firms knew they were going to sell off the mortgages they signed, so the impetus to avoid unnecessary risk just wasn't there. To blame people who reasonably believed no one would lend them money if they couldn't afford it is designed to kick up enough dirt and sand so the real culprits can sneak away.

What Rick Santelli and the rest of the thieves who created this mess want is for you to subsidize them, their banks, their companies instead of the "loser mortgages." Watching that clip of him whipping up the Chicago Exchange traders was like watching Knute Rockne give Murder Inc. a pep talk. Just total garbage.

But maybe I'm just being mean, and what Rick Santelli needs is a good, long hug and pat on the back. Because who wouldn't want the Good WIll Hunting treatment:



(h/t Pete for the Matt Y link)

It's Like Ed Grimley and the Superfans Had a Baby

Via Adam Gaffin, via Adam Pieniazek, now comes a challenger for Gino's crown: A young turk named Jeremy Fry, who goes completely apeshit during "Livin on a Prayer."



Celtics Fandome has the feed from the jumbotron, although Adam P's version, above, is more enjoyable because the New Garden was going bonkers watching this guy.

UPDTAE: I realized that most people who read this blog may not be young enough to remember Ed Grimley. So, to avoid another debacle like The Great H.R. Pufnstuf Disaster of 2007, here's the man who could well be little jeremy Fry's father:

Stuck In My Head: Sonic Youth

Sonic Youth |MTV Music

See this video? It came out around 1994, and I remember seeing it and thinking "I've got to listen to some Sonic Youth, this is pretty good." I asked my friend to lend me some Sonic Youth tapes so I could give it a whirl. She said sure. But I never got the tapes from her.

Every few months, or maybe a every year, I'd ask again "Hey, could I borrow some Sonic Youth from you?" And she'd always say "Sure," and would never follow up. It was just a thing that kept happening. We started dating, then we broke up, and became frenemies, then reconciled and became good friends for years and years. All the while, I'd ask for some Sonic Youth, and she'd agree and never follow up.

Finally last month she sent me a couple of albums, and I haven't stopped listening since. Kinda worth the 15-year wait, I think.

Revere Journal to Youth: Drop Dead

Youth prevention program? Do they mean condom distribution in the high school? But the high school kids are also considered "youth," so maybe they want a new law requiring residents be born at age 18? Only in Revere would moms be expected to gestate their kids for 225 months. The birth certificate could double triple as selective service registration and FAFSA application.

Hey, it's not like I'm against preventing youth! It's such a hard word to say, anyway:

Whole Lotta love

One day, YouTube will be either gone or filled with slick, production-heavy videos. That will be a sad day, because things like this won't be around. Holy cow, this is awesome...



(h/t: Ta-Nehisi Coates)

Good Luck Adam!

Adam Gaffin, lord and ruler of the awesome Universal Hub, lost his day job today. Here's to hoping for a quick change in fortune. There's a grassroots effort on his site right now to create UH t-shirts. Buy one.

And let me add my voice to the chorus: The Boston Globe needs to hire Gaffin right away.