The New New Rules: A Funny Look at How Everybody but Me Has Their Head Up Their Ass by Bill Maher

The New New Rules: A Funny Look at How Everybody but Me Has Their Head Up Their Ass
by Bill Maher

 At this stage I doubt many people need an introduction to Bill Maher, rabid left wing atheist and famously a pothead.  He is very left wing.  Even more so than me (yes dad me).  So what we get here are the usual topics in fast short essay form.  War is bad, Health Care System horrible, republicans really bad and Tea Party members worse than Satan, if he existed.  There were times when I did laugh out loud.  Interspersed through these are short one liners the "new rules".  Think of them as equivalent to stand up jokes.

I'm not sure how they read on the printed page.  I had it in audiobook form.  Even though he's not using a live crowd to work off of his timing is still excellent.  I'd probably recommend the audiobook although the link down below goes to the print version.

Recommended.

Now that's a lawsuit

Harry Popper condoms company sued by Warner Brothers for Harry Potter infringement.

Exit Blue by Ivan G. Goldman

Exit Blue by Ivan G. Goldman this is a satire of American Society. The red states and blue states have separated. The narrator gets himself entangled in red state politics, ending up in bed with the president and her sister. Basically the red states are described like a MSNBC announcers nightmare. I'll admit some of it is funny but it's just a little too overwhelming. This is crammed full with references. If you haven't been keeping track of the news since 2000 you may be confused. There were a couple things I had to think about before getting the joke. If you're a blue stater with a sense of humor you'll enjoy this.

Recommended.

Note: this was provided for review by a PR outfit.

Historically accurate T&A

Considering all the grumbling about historical inaccuracy in films I found this a positive sign. It's also rather funny to. No silicone in period films.

Star Warped by Adam Roberts

Star Warped by Adam Roberts no points for guessing what this is a parody of.  Yes there are named based puns but much of the humor is situational.  For instance the Darth Vader equivalent is fearful that he doesn't have a sense of humor.  Which involves him testing it out on terrified underlings.  The book also has the final section first much like the films.  Roberts does create a plot out of this not that it's terribly important.  I did laugh out loud several times so it did its job.  The ending is so bizarre I don't think it worked but I give him credit for trying something completely out of left field.

Recommended.

Late Show spot and Super Bowl commercials

Very nice spot with Dave, Jay and Oprah. So far the commercials have been pretty lackluster except for the fiddle playing beaver.

Funny article on offline book piracy

Offline Book "Lending" Costs U.S. Publishers Nearly $1 Trillion

The Android's Dream by John Scalzi

The Android's Dream by John Scalzi an alien ambassador is murdered. Complicating things is that the aliens require a gift from Earth. This is a genetically modified sheep. Which isn't going to be that simple. The book is inventive with a devastating wit. The first chapter, for instance, is a fart joke. Diplomats, lawyers and religion get skewered along the way. Did I mention that a religion worships sheep?. A great read for a long winters evening.

Highly recommended!

The Lost Diaries of Adrian Mole, 1999-2001 by Sue Townsend

The Lost Diaries of Adrian Mole, 1999-2001 by Sue Townsend this is the collection of journal entries that originally appeared in the Guardian newspaper.  It is seventh in the series.  Unfortunately it comes off as a sort of best hits collection.  The characters are static at this point which doesn't surprise or bother me that much.  I did find it frustrating that Adrian navigates his way through the same events.  He falls in love with his therapist, is in a dysfunctional relationship, writes angry correspondence, his parents fall back into love and there's even a debate over school dress code.  The wider social commentary is muted.  I'm not sure if that was a space concern.  The last 10 pages are very good they deal with the characters reactions to 9/11.  I only wish there was more.

Recommended only for those familiar with the series.

The War with Mr. Wizzle by Gordon Korman

The War with Mr. Wizzle by Gordon Korman doing some short reading for Christmas. A computer expert is sent in to organize Mcdonald Hall the students rebel in typical fashion. Pretty dated with the technology used so I'm not sure how well this would read to a younger reader today but I enjoyed it.

Recommended.

Go Jump in the Pool! by Gordon Korman

Go Jump in the Pool! by Gordon Korman time for some more nostalgia. This is part of the young adult humor series Bruno and Boots. The boys want to fund a pool which leads to crazier and more bizarre schemes. Amusing I'll have to remember this for my nephew.

Recommended.

The Stainless Steel Rat Gets Drafted by Harry Harrison

The Stainless Steel Rat Gets Drafted by Harry Harrison this is the second book chronologically in the series. As the title suggests are hero finds himself in the military. They invade a planet that is completely peaceful. He tries to defeat them while taking revenge on their commander. Like the first book the humor is mostly a farce. I enjoyed it and it's a nice distraction but certainly no deep thoughts here.

Recommended.

The Stainless Steel Rat is Born by Harry Harrison

The Stainless Steel Rat is Born by Harry Harrison this is the first chronologically in the Stainless Steel Rat science fiction series. The main character is a master thief and con artist. This book describes his first heists and education into that profession. This is fun occasionally amusing brain candy no deep thoughts here. I've already ordered the next book The Stainless Steel Rat Gets Drafted .

Recommended.

Number Ten by Sue Townsend

Number Ten by Sue Townsend is a snarky sendup of "New Labor". The Prime Minister much to his horror has lost touch with British Society so he enlists one of his security guards to help him get back in touch with his people. The humor here is done with broad strokes. Townsend's disdain for what the Labor party has become is quite obvious and it's accurate from what I understand. I was chuckling throughout most of the book.

Recommended.

And on a happier topic

Banned on Vulcan by Voltaire very funny occasionally very rude Star Trek song parities. Available for free legal download at the labels web site. Thanks to Monique!

Language: Bloody H-1; G/OMG-3

This is the most unintentionally funny Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince movie review I've come across in my wanderings. Dunn not surprisingly by a puritanical Christian outfit. I think if George Carlin was still with us he would very much enjoy the concept of "Mild cleavage".

Bookstore recommendations

Amusing piece on relating science fiction/fantasy to self help books.

Conservatives not so competent

Auctioned silver belonged to the royal family

Trek Yourself.

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State Department stupidity

Button gaffe embarrasses Clinton.