Bloggingheads hits homerun with timely Iran election diavlog

h/t BJKeefe

It's fun to watch Eli Lake agree with the liberal Reza Aslan. Like Brendan, Lake is one of my favorite neocons. He's a thinking mans neocon. If you're looking for more details from two of the more knowledgeable foreign policy heads from both sides of the political spectrum, I highly suggest watching this diavlog. These diavlogs are of the type that make bloggingheads.tv one of the better resources on the web.

A must read with Aslan in The Daily Beast for some more background on the protests.

Biggie Smalls Will Always be the Illest

I know I've already waxed nostalgia on Biggie and the disappointing biopic. But Spencer Ackerman reminds us that Christopher Wallace would have been 37-years-old today. What a shame.

Always will be Brooklyn's finest.

California's Quick Tumble

John Cole is sick of California budget politics and says "Let [California] Burn." Hours later he returned to say he was right with the prescription, but wrong with the prognosis:

“The California Constitution has been amended or revised more than 500 times. It is now 157 pages. “

That just strikes me as a recipe for fail. Additionally, I learned that you all have term limits, so not only does it only take a 50+1 vote to increase spending and a 2/3 vote to raise money to pay for things, you also have special interests doing bond initiatives for anything that blows their trumpet, property tax laws that make no sense, and then to compound everything, people have no problem raising spending because when the shit hits the fan, they will have been term limited out and it is someone else’s problem. Then, the new people coming in to replace them have no experience and no authority and no way to fix it and the voters all hate them.

Pretty awesome.

You've got to respect someone who acknowledges when they're wrong and isn't afraid to do some research.

John pointed me to one of my new favorite blogs, Calitics, who takes the prognosis one step further:

The video features Assemblywoman Noreen Evans, Chair of the Budget Committee, breaking down the root of the evolving California budget crisis. It's an important watch, regardless of your party affiliation or ideology.

What's next?

As the notion of California as ungovernable grows stronger than ever, Mr. Schwarzenegger, a Republican, has expressed support for a convention to address such things as the state’s arcane budget requirements and its process for proliferate ballot initiatives, both of which necessitated Tuesday’s statewide vote on budget matters approved months ago by state lawmakers.

“There could not be more of a tipping point,” said Jim Wunderman, chief executive of the Bay Area Council, a business group that moved forward on Wednesday with plans to push for a constitutional convention. “We think the interest is going to grow by orders of magnitude now.”

The constitutional convention would be must see TV. It looks to be the best solution to this mess.

Frank Black Performs With Portland School Of Rock

h/t stereogum

Jaime Foxx Couldn't Have Done It Better

h/t Jonas Robledo on AIM

R.I.P Bea Arthur

I watched you weekly with my mother. You brought hours of enjoyment to my life and my families.

of Montreal Cover of The Beatles "I'm So Tired"

h/t StereoGum

More on International Relations When Grownups Are in Charge

International Relations When Grownups Are in Charge

h/t Brendan

Napolitano stands by DHS report on right wing extremists

I wish she'd said this when it leaked initially. Napolitano is a fierce politician. She needs to get better acclimated to D.C to be truly affective. Right now it feels like she's just feeling her way through the wilderness.
h/t sgwhiteinfla

And Now They're Coming for Your Children

Wow, I'm honestly speechless. You smell the fear in these people as the world changes around them. Sad.
h/t Andrew Sullivan via Box Turtle Bulletin

Turkish anchor wears blackface to report on Obama’s visit.

h/t Think Progress

It's amazing just how different cultures view "blackface." I don't speak Turkish, so I'll leave it open to others for interpretation.
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Baracknophobia - Obey

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Lykke Li @ NTBR Part 4 - "Hustlin'"

Lykke Li @ NTBR Part 4 - "Hustlin'" from Drew Innis on Vimeo.
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Life After Death

First ever known recording of Biggie, at 17, in a freestyle battle in Bed Stuy.

Today marks the 12 year anniversary of the passing of Chris "Notorious B.I.G" Wallace. To say I was a fan of his music would be an understatement. In many ways his larger than life personality provided my 16-year-old self with inspiration. It really is a shame he had to go out like he did, but when you live the life he did you're constantly putting yourself in constant risk.

Vibe has been doing an excellent job today. They have a four part narrative of Biggie's life, part 1, part 2, part 3, and part 4. Vibe also included a 12 part YouTube montage of Biggie's greatest moments. All worth watching, here. Rest in peace, Christopher Wallace, still larger than life even after death.
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World Builder

World Builder from Bruce Branit on Vimeo.
A strange man builds a world using holographic tools for the woman he loves.

This award winning short was created by filmmaker Bruce Branit, widely known as the co-creator of '405'. World Builder was shot in a single day followed by about 2 years of post production. Branit is the owner of Branit VFX based in Kansas City.
via

As Only David Bowie and Bing Crosby Could Do

Thanks to Andrew Sullivan, I've caught the Christmas Hathos bug. Looks like I'll be heading south for a few days, so I'll leave you with this:


Happy holidays and merry Christmas!