The Mouse Who Found It's Balls

 

Visit the ABC website to learn more, and scan the QR code.

"Censorship it the child of fear, and the father of ignorance."

~Laurie Halse Anderson

Speak

On May 23rd, 2007, Rosie O'Donnell, and Elizabeth Hasselbeck, engaged in an argument so profound, that it ended up being Rosie's last day as moderator of ABC'S, The View. It was tough, and embarrassing to watch as the viewer, but it was hard to look away from. It was about more than politics, it was about respect in the workplace, friendship, and yes, changing political behaviors, beginning, in my opinion, with the Bush administration, when right-wing media reveled in the brutalities of opinion, and the ignorance of the voter/viewer. Back when politics encouraged division at all cost, and that is what has gotten us to this point. I have often said that you can lay the blame on Sarah Palin, and her ridiculous Tea Party Patriots, for the state of our nation, but in looking back at this old clip, I see a lot more was involved. And thank goodness we had that show that day, and thank god we have it now to refer back to, because at the time, we had no idea how lucky we were in that moment. We got to watch the argument happen, and decide for ourselves what was at the core.

Fast forward, and it's suddenly, June 16th, 2015, and Donald Trump, seizing on the dangerous political rise of fuck you politics, rides down a fake golden escalator, and into American political history, as the first gameshow host in history to become president, in his first term, and the first convicted felon, to be elected to a second term. America, it seems, has quite the sense of humor! All joking aside, Donald Trump has been sticking his big nose into just about every area of our lives, including popular culture. He's sued the networks, accepted bribes in order to insure the successful merging of Paramount with Warner Bros/Discovery. David Ellison's wet dream is to  have eventual control of, Paramount, CNN, HBO, Warner Brother's, Discovery, and CBS. To that end, CBS has been kissing Donald Trump's ample butt! He waves a wand and David Ellison, and his minions, such as Bari Weiss, give him whatever he wants within the network, including the firings of Steven Colbert and Scott Pelley. It's embarrassing for them, and depressing for us. Gone are two important and powerful voices who spoke truth to power! CBS is dying, they just haven't pulled the plug yet.

ABC, who is also under constant threat from Donald Trump, hasn't been so easy to be kicked around. Jimmy Kimmel was yanked off the air last year, for one night, as the weak willed network caved to Trump's demands, not only with Kimmel, but with settling a multi-million dollar lawsuit, which most legal experts said the network could have won easily due to a lack of merit. They capitulated to him as they would a school yard bully, and in true bully fashion he keeps coming back for more. But wait... not so fast! ABC, which is owned by Disney, is now saying, ENOUGH! And what did it take? It took the insistence that, The View, change it's content to suit his liking, or face investigations by Trump's FCC, putting licensing of company owned stations on the line. Well, the network, and The View, is having none of it! They are fighting back, and it will more than likely play out over the summer. 

I suppose that saying the mouse has found his balls is a bit harsh. After all, the mouse found himself in uncharted waters, just like the rest of us, and they seem to be taking a stand now... finally... I just hope when all is said and done, they will never cave to the bully again. I don't know, maybe they see that everything has been failing for Trump, hard. In the last few weeks, his vanity projects. His hillbilly smackdown on the east lawn of the White House, and to a devastating effect, the war by choice in Iran. 13 lives... gone. A girls school in Iran bombed, and yes, he is trying to not take responsibility for, and last year the illegal tariffs, that threatened to bring down the world economy. Did I mention the reflecting pond? If the Democrats manage to take both the senate and the congress, impeachment and possibly removal, will be in his future. Please, God, Please. Of course that's assuming he won't try another coup on November 3rd.

Be brave Micky, be brave!

Giggle, Giggle, Snort, Giggle... Jon and Kate + Hate

"More marriages might survive if the partners realized that sometimes the better comes after the worse."

-Doug Larson

From For Ellipsis

From For Ellipsis

Opinions, Opinions... isn't it about time that Jon and Kate... went away?! Who do you believe? Jon? Kate? Both? Neither? Do you really care?

;)

-Carly



By the way, if you just can't stand not seeing Kate Gosselin every day, she will be co-hosting ABC's The View, on Monday and Tuesday of next week! Oh boy! I think I will watch The Price Is Right instead! LOL

You Don't Look A Day Over 125

"Age is something that doesn't matter, unless you are a cheese"

-Billie Burke

Would you want to live to be 100? How about 125? How does 150 grab you? I was watching ABC's The View today, and they were sharing in, Hot Topics, about a new Barbara Walter's special, which will air tomorrow night called, "Live To Be 150, Can You Do it?"

Living that long is an awesome thought. On the one hand, I would love to see what's yet to be, for as long as possible, and on the other hand, what if our nation continues to decline. Things are tough enough for we middle age folks, I can only imagine the impact of the failing economy has had on the elderly. I have a general idea, in that I have been hearing local stories about how a lot of senior services have been cut in my area. One of the hardest hit was the Meals On Wheels program. With gas prices poised to hit $5 a gallon by Memorial Day, volunteers simply cannot afford to bring those much needed meals to those signed up for it.

On the plus side, medical innovation continues to flourish. I believe it is easier now then ever to eat a proper diet and still feel satisfied. There are more ways to get the right amount of exercise as well. Everything from good old fashioned walking for heart health, to Sit and Be fit for those with special needs. Personally, I love the way I feel after a long walk, and Alan and I have been seriously kicking around the idea of getting bicycles. We are both learning about the need for exercise in our lives. One day you wake up and realize you just aren't a kid anymore. Proof of that fact came when we began walking, and a mere four months later we weren't making that "old person" noise anymore. LOL.

I kind of doubt that even with the most diligent practices I won't live to be 150, I am living with Type2 Diabetes, and Fibromyalgia. The Fibromyalgia won't take years off my life, but the pain associated with it does make some days so much more difficult then others. Diabetes on the other hand is much more hard on the body. I have to be concerned about kidney disease, and the possible eventuality of needing to take oral medications or insulin to control it. The good news is that people are living longer then ever with diabetes, and I am taking care of myself, so, as my doctor put it, "You can hold it off for years," Yep, thats the plan!

So, do I want to live to be 150? I don't know. I took a longevity quiz a while back, that said I would probably live to be 85. When I read that, it seemed just about right somehow. Not so long as to live our my welcome here on earth. LOL. I think I would be lonely though. According to the same poll, Alan would live to 81. I don't know if I want to be without him, assuming he puts up with me until then. LOL. I am surprised we have made it nearly 18 years... I am a flake sometimes... and yet there he is, looking at me like I am still a young chick. Heck, do you suppose one day he will look at me and say, "Carly, you don't look a day over 125!"

Live To 150, Can You Do It? Secrets to Living Longer With Barbara Walters

-OndineMonet
"The Kites2"
Union City, California
November 28, 2006
Early Evening

Here A Host, There A Host, Everywhere A Host Host

"If you're in a bad situation, don't worry it'll change. If you're in a good situation, don't worry it'll change."

-John A Simone Sr.

Once Upon A Time...

was on The View.

One day...


Had a fight with .

Suddenly, stormed away in a fit of... well... a fit.

And then there were 3.

Meanwhile...

was naughty. "45 days in the Hoosegow," said the judge.

"It's not fair", said . Sniff, sniff.

And...

ate onion rings for the last time.

The Nation became infuriated... "Grrrr."

"I feel like I have wasted the last 10 years of my life!" said one angry fan.

And if all that wasn't melodramatic enough...

retires after 600 years of hosting The Price Is Right!

"Oh no," said the world.

"Who, could EVER replace?


"How about "said.

" ?" said the world in a gasp!

But wait...Who would replace on The View?

"How about ," said a caller to .

"Yes" said Barbara
"No" said Bill Gedde
"Yes" said Barbara
"No" said Bill Gedde

"I know!" said . How about...

replaces
replaces
replaces

And a new and improved gets her own reality show, "Paris Does The DMV."

All kidding aside, I could see Rosie O' Donnell hosting The Price is Right. Rosie O' Donnell is a lot of things, but mostly she is generous. She really does enjoy seeing folks happy. I think she would be a fine choice. Besides there aren't many female game show hosts, right now. I have always wondered why there haven't been, because look how good Meredith Vieira has been on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.

As for Paris Hilton. Enough already. It's pretty damn easy to kick a person when they are down... isn't it? Here is the straight deal on the matter. She is indeed doing more time for that probation violation then most folks do. She is being treated differently because she is a celebrity. Shes being punished way more severe then the average person. It's the truth whether it wants to be admitted or not. I live in California, and I know this to be true. So, if her sentence for drunk driving didn't seem like enough initially, then stop whining about how unfair it is that a girl, who comes from an advantaged life is given probation, and put pressure on your political representatives to make tougher laws for drunk drivers, and demand those laws be enforced. It's my hope when she gets out of jail, folks will stop throwing those self-righteous stones her way. Remember... if you expect someone to fail, they probably won't let you down.

So tell me, what do you think about Rosie O' Donnell hosting "The Price Is Right?"

-OndineMonet

Tell Barbara Walters I Am On My Way...

"New York: the only city where people make radio requests like, "This is for Tine - Sorry I stabbed you."

-Carol Leifer

Hey, good news, it seems all of you, my wacky fans, voted for me to replace the outgoing Rosie O' Donnell, as co-host, and moderator of The View! And not just by a little margin, nope, 38%! LOL. You can view all the details by visiting my poll results blog right here. Jeepers, I have a lot of packing to do, if I am going to make my flight. What to take? What to take?

Actually, as nifty as I think it would be to join The View, I don't think Elvis would look to keenly on me being a bi-coastal mommy. Also, I would probably miss the hunky hubby a bit, so regretfully, I must send my letter of nonacceptance, or is it a letter of denial? Hmmm... anyway... my letter of NOPE, to Barbara Walters. The show will simply have to go on without me. But wouldn't it have been strange? I mean seeing me every day, sitting there at the head of the table? Moderating and stuff? Weird. Wouldn't you just have to pinch yourself and say, "Hey look... that's Carly! She's on The View! She looks taller in person!" LOL. Yeah, that would be nice, in that my feet don't usually reach the floor when I sit in most chairs, can you imagine me sitting on the set of The View, with my feet dangling below my chair? Yep... that's a nice mental picture all right.

Whoever they choose in the following weeks, they will certainly have their hands full. Do you suppose they will talk about what The View has gone through since Meredith Vieira and Star Jones exited? I mean they discuss HOT TOPICS, and right now that little/large disagreement that Rosie and Elizabeth engaged in, does seem to be alive and well and living in the media. Sigh. Still, it all seems so sad to me. Rosie continues to share her feelings by way of her blog, but it seems Elizabeth Hasselbeck has chosen to keep mum. It's probably just as well to say nothing, maybe that way they can all move on. Let's hope so.

It was strange and uncomfortable watching The View Monday morning. It was a previously taped episode, and everyone looked like friends. Yesterday was Elizabeth's birthday, and Rosie, as a present, gave her the use of her Miami home for two weeks. It's too bad things couldn't have been different. As for who might be a good candidate to replace Rosie, I think it will come down to either Sherri Shepherd, or Kathy Griffin. Both are strong, opinionated ladies, who fear very little. Shepard was co-hosting when some of the most controversial shows happened to air, and she seemed to handle them well. Griffin has already had a slight run-in with Walters, and managed to resolve it amicably. I am sure that is probably an attractive prospect at the moment. I guess we will all have to stay tuned!

Well, with the old poll "Who Should Replace Rosie O' Donnell On The View" now closed, it's time to move on to a new poll on Ellipsis. "Which Fast Food Restaurant Makes The Best Hamburgers?" Be sure to visit my sidebar to cast your vote. The month of May is National Hamburger month, did you celebrate the occasion? :)

-OndineMonet

Good Day Sunshine

"Information is moving... you know, nightly news is one way, of course, but it's also moving through the blogosphere and through the Internets."

-George W Bush, May 2, 2007

I don't know... lol... this is just funny no matter who it happens to! Welcome to my first YouTube video posting. I was thinking about posting a video of one of the many cat fights that The View has brought us over the last year, but with the announcement Friday, that Rosie O' Donnell has asked for, and been granted, an early release from her contract with ABC... why go there? Although ABC World News Tonight News did feature the conflict between Rosie and Elizabeth Hasselbeck in their weekly feature, A Closer Look. They seem to feel like I do, that we are polarized in this country, and while our voices are getting louder... not much is being accomplished. We don't and sometimes can't talk amongst ourselves. Sigh. I would like to see this disturbing trend change. I would like to see the congress and the senate keep it's promise to end this war, and not bow to pressure from the Bush administration. There will be hope for this again at the end of the summer. In the mean time... there's always time to laugh. Right? :)

-OndineMonet

She Said/She Said

"One day it's going to dawn on the human race that war is a barbaric means of resolving conflict as cannibalism is as a means of coping with diet deficiencies."

-Bruce Kent

Things have gotten out of hand. Did you happen to catch Wednesday's edition of The View? I only caught the first half of the show, but what I did see left me feeling kind of sick. Not necessarily for the combatants Rosie O' Donnell, and Elizabeth Hasselbeck, but more for the way we Americans in general are responding to things. I have admitted more than once that I tune in because to a degree I like seeing the conflict. I have formed some of my strongest opinions through exchanges of passionate ideals. I told you that when I was a little girl, my father would occasionally ask my siblings and myself, how we felt about different current events, both social and political. It wasn't enough to have an opinion, my father insisted we explain why we felt the way we did about whatever topic we were discussing. If we tried to give the "I don't know why I feel the way I do," out, dad would push us until we figured it out. At times I found his inquiries daunting, because as a kid I would have rather not put a deep effort into it. LOL. It took me years to fully appreciate what he was trying to accomplish, which was to teach us to think things through, and then decided what we believed based on hard facts, not just instinct or emotion.

I was thinking about dad today as Rosie and Elizabeth engaged in what was probably their most volatile exchange of opinions to date. You could see the hurt feelings on both sides, and there was a definite low blow exchanged. And the thing is, what the original catalyst for the argument was, had to do not so much with politics, or religion, or war, or lifestyle choices, but more to do with friendship. The real question seemed to be, when do you stand up for your friends, and should you have to? I have always heard that friends should never discuss politics or religion, but it seems that this list of taboo subjects has grown, especially since 9/11. Now I don't think that those two ladies were, or have been, anything resembling true friends, but how come they can't share their respective thoughts and observations? Why have our individual opinions become so earth shatteringly important, that we are willing to dig in with both heals, and hold righteousness in one hand, and the stone prepared for casting in the other. I keep going back to 9/11 and how scared we all were and still are.

That day divided this nation, just like Osama bin laden wanted. The Bush administration has done nothing to bring us together, indeed, it seems as if at times they had encouraged the breach. It's my opinion, and feel free to disagree if you want to, that we as a nation fell into a lot of traps, because of our sorrow and fear. Who wasn't reeling after that day? How long did it take you to feel some sense of safety? Do you feel safe now? Both women want to feel safe, and both women love their country. That is what drives the strong opinions of both women, their respective views about the way they feel about the direction America is moving in, under the Bush presidency. I can see both views at times, although I will admit, most of the time I find Elzabeth Hasselbeck simplistic in her take on things. I don't understand how she can bring herself to defend the actions of the administration with such childlike admiration. There are a lot of valid questions that need to be asked, and Rosie can be, at times, extremely harsh and impatient in how she asks them.

Questions such as,why did the Bush administration stop actively pursuing Osama Bin Laden, if they knew he was still a dangerous threat? Why was the CIA task force, in charge of tracking him, disbanded?Last July, Bush denied the claims that the task force, searching for bin Laden had been closed, but he did say that funding for the search had been cut back. What? Say it's true that we are still actively searching for Bin Laden... why isn't he our number one war budget priority? Especially since Bush disclosed yesterday, that Bin Laden had some dire plans for us. Funny that Bush chose a Coast Guard commencement ceremony to share that tidbit with us. Doesn't it seem like it should have been a major announcement? Why does he always come up with these scary scenarios, when he is speaking in front of a group of military? If Bin Laden has been up to no good, why have we allowed Al Qaeda to flourish not just in Afghanistan, but now in Iraq, which prior to the U.S. invasion, according to intelligence reports prior to the war, had no ties to that country? How come we always seem to get the number 2 or 3 man in these terror groups, but not Bin Laden? I don't know that we will ever really know the true reason why we invaded Iraq, but it has been proven time and time again, that that the Bush administration has lied.

He lied to ALL of us. If lied is too strong a word, lets just say, mislead. Or how about taking it down an additional notch and say... unintentionally mislead. Or how about we just blame it on flawed intelligence both here and abroad. Maybe we could say it was an Ooooooops moment. In any case, we are supposed to be in Iraq fighting terrorism. Right? With nearly $500 billion already been spent in Iraq, fighting terrorism, why did we stop making the number one reason we are in harm's way a low priority?I know what I think about it, and if you have been reading me for any period of time you know what I think as well. So?

Rosie O' Donnell, and Elizabeth Hasselbeck know how each other feels as well. Every day when they arrive at the ABC studios they know how each other thinks and what triggers each other's hot topic button, and yet they still engage in an all out war of the words between each other. What had me coming back to watch the inevitable conflicts, was that as passionate as each could get defending their respective views, at least they knew why the felt the way they did. Yesterday, the lines blurred between healthy debate for an exchange of opinions and became a perfect example of what Osama bin Laden's goal for all of us in America was on 9/11, the implosion of our society a little painful bit at a time. And it isn't just happening on TV, it's happening all over, a little here and a little there, every single day, spreading like an incurable cancer. Sigh. So sad.

So tell me, do you feel intimidated about sharing your views regarding politics? How about religion? Is there any subject, relevant to current events, that you find yourself deliberately avoiding? Have you ever lost a friend because of a difference of opinion? And if so, why? Tell me what you think. Opinions please.

-OndineMonet
"Fire"
Half Moon Bay, California
October 22nd, 2006
Afternoon

Rosie O' Donnell Opts For A Different View

"When you are silent, it's as good as lying."

-Rosie O' Donnell

The announcement yesterday that Rosie O' Donnell will be leaving ABC's The View this coming June, probably didn't surprise most people, or did it? According to an AOL poll I read earlier today, 81% of those who responded to the question as to whether they agreed or disagreed with O' Donnell's opinions, said they did not, and 80% also said that the attention given to her sometimes controversial remarks is "excessive." It's a fact however, that when Rosie O' Donnell joined The View last September, the ratings climbed dramatically, and have consistently stayed high. So, I have to ask, who are the people that took the poll? And who are the people tuning into The View every day that represent the spike in ratings? Are they sometimes one in the same? Was Rosie, the person we loved to hate?

I know speaking for myself, she did actually draw me back to The View, after having not watched the show for a number of years. As frustrating and childish as I felt she could be at times, I found myself agreeing with her about 85% of the time. I think she had an uncanny ability to be right, and at the same time, be so completely wrong with how she chose to present her opinions. When those moments of ire came up, I also found myself putting some thought into why I felt the way I did. It challenged me. I think on some levels I appreciated that, but not always. I found her remark about Kelly Ripa, being "homophobic" to be an irresponsible assumption, that seemed to be based on one incident, in which Rosie wasn't there to see the whole story. It didn't seem fair to place that characterization on Ripa, without at least asking her side of things.

I also have to admit, I watched to see the fur fly between she and Elizabeth Hasselbeck. OK, it's not the best trait I have, but there it is in all it's honesty. I can admit it... I liked the controversies, most of the time, however, the situation with Donald Trump continues to annoy me. He is a bully. His remarks about Rosie were, and are, vile. His remarks about Rosie are actually a hit on all women. It's so strange, I found his comments about her appearance as offensive as the remarks made by Don Imus about the Rutger's team, but we don't say much about jokes regarding weight, the way we do about gender or race. I wonder why that is? It seems jokes about weight, either too fat or too skinny, are still fair game, no matter how much damage they do. Sigh. I wish Rosie could have used the incident with Donald Trump, to bring that more to the forefront. The question has been asked, "Was Rosie too fat for ABC?"

Oh well, whoever ABC chooses to replace Rosie, one thing is for sure, they will have to be ready to deal with whatever controversies remain. Of course ABC might choose to bring someone to the mix that will be willing to pick up where Rosie left off. Personally, I would like to see The View moderated by someone who is a little more like the woman Rosie replaced, Meredith Vieira. She had her opinions, they were strong and she pulled no punches, and yet she kept it all under control. She was the only woman on the panel, with the exception of Barbara Walters, with a background in journalism. That is what made a difference, and it was a difference for the better. There was a certain class to the show, when Vieira was moderator and co-host, so perhaps the powers that be will play it safe and choose a someone from the world of journalism as Rosie's successor, or maybe they will go for someone with a completely new, fresh perspective on things, who can also bring a different kind of controversy to the show.

Here are a few possible candidates...

Ann Coulter

Ann Coulter could be considered the "Anti-Rosie." Her presence, and views could be interesting!

Elizabeth Vargas

I really liked Elizabeth Vargas, as co-anchor of ABC World News Tonight. I was sorry to see her leave. She just might be the right journalist to moderate The View.

Tipper Gore

She made a snazzy vice president's wife. She worked on causes and issues and continues to support her husband, while not losing herself in the process. She is a strong lady with integrity.

Ariana Huffington

Hey, it's a woman's right to change her mind! Once a republican, Ariana saw the light and became a democrat. No matter which party she was affiliated with, she held firm, and didn't cave to the bullies of the world. Again a woman of strength, but could she practice her view in moderation, or would she bring about even more controversy?

Maria Shriver

She is the first lady of California. She comes from THE democratic family of America, and she is married to republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzeneggar. She has certainly had practice in seeing both sides of any given social or moral issue. I think she would be a fascinating choice.

Sheryl Crow

Her recent trek into environmental activism impresses me. She is currently touring the country with Laurie David, wife of Larry David, and the Academy Award winning producer of Al Gore's film, "An Inconvenient Truth." As a Breast cancer survivor, Sheryl Crow has also worked hard to bring awareness of the disease, and it's early detection. I could see her bringing a certain perspective to things, but would she want to take a break from singing, to try a new gig?

Carly Gordon

OK, yes I know, I am not now, nor have I ever been a high profile celebrity, but I do have my opinions, and I think I can be fairly articulate when I work at it. LOL. It kind of intrigued me when The View, on a couple occasions this season, chose a member of the studio audience at random, to act as co-host for a day. I could do that. Besides, Donald Trump does not intimidate me in the slightest. PLEEZZZE!

Portia Di Rossi

It wouldn't be a bad idea, to continue to bring a lesbian perspective to the show. It's about time we were representing all kinds of opinions, and lifestyles, rather than perpetuate stereotypes and hide behind our fears and misunderstandings.

Michelle Pfeiffer

As a woman in my 40's, I like the idea of seeing someone with class, from my age group, who can convey an opinion with style. She isn't a journalist, but maybe having someone from the acting world would be a fresh change.

Anne Heche

This lady knows a thing or two about about controversy, having experienced her share over the years. When it all got rough, she didn't stay down, she got back up and reinvented herself. That takes some guts, on the other hand, she has been a bit too controversial lately. She might actually be bringing some difficult baggage to an already stressed situation.

So, there's what I think. Tell me, what do you think? Who should replace Rosie O' Donnell? I have installed a brand new quiz on my sidebar, asking that very question. Go take it. If your first thought for a replacement isn't on my list, let me know who your choice is, by leaving me a comment. Click here for the results of the previous quiz, "Which Comedian Makes Us Laugh The Most?" Come on everyone, opinions, opinions!

-OndineMonet