Trevor Noah on the Comey firing plus Chuck Grassley should be a movie villain

We need an African look at the Comey firing by President Trump. Here's Trevor Noah of the Daily Show with his take. Love the end of the video.

Plus, after watching conservative Republican Charles Grassley (R-Ia) use his time on Monday to not question former Director of Intelligence James Clapper and former Attorney General Sally Yates about Russian interference but talk about leaks to the press, it's become clear that he would be the perfect villain for the movie of the whole Trump presidency. And that movie obviously would be a disaster film. Grassley later commented on concerns on the Comey firing by telling America to "Suck it up and move on." It's at the 7:25 mark of the video. Grassley and almost all of the Republicans are more interested in protecting Trump than worrying about America. Grassley is hateful, angry and political.

Hero or criminal? Leaking to the press

Last Monday, we heard former attorney Sally Yates testify that she warned the White House about General Michael Flynn lying about his contacts with the Russians. Obviously, Flynn could have been blackmailed by the Russians.
And remember at the time Yates informed the White House, Flynn was National Security Adviser. It took eighteen days before conservative Republican president Donald Trump fired Flynn. And that came right after the Washington Post reported that Flynn was compromised. Lawrence O' Donnell on his show The Last Word makes the point that if the Post article didn't come out, it's likely that Flynn would still be National Security Adviser. Just remember also that Flynn was privy to some of the biggest secrets to the United States. O' Donnell makers the point at 5:58 of the video below. Somebody leaked to the press and the truth came out.

Now with the firing by Trump of James Comey as FBI Director, we can surmise that more leaks will come out. This will likely occur if the truth is that Trump ditched Comey because he was ramping up the investigation of collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russians. With it looking like the Republicans will do nothing, our democracy is in danger.

So the question is when is a leaker a hero or criminal? The press's job in our American democracy is to bring out the truth. Speak truth to power. If a leaker sees corruption and the powers that be, either a conservative Republican President or a complicit Republican congress do nothing, then wouldn't it be morally correct to leak the truth to the press? Those that have the knowledge of corruption have the truth but it's certainly a difficult decision to make. O'Donnell is correct. The Watergate scandal broke because of somebody leaking information to primarily the Washington Post. That brought President Nixon to justice.

Huffington Post explains the Infinity Stones

You thought The Huffington Post is a liberal and Pulitzer Prize winning news website. You would be right. But it also can analyze how all the Marvel movies are related. Cool. In this video piece, The Huffington Post explains that the Marvel superhero movies are connected by The Infinity Stones. Check it out. here's the link.

Bravo Jimmy Kimmel

After making a compelling argument for universal healthcare because of his son's heart condition, Jimmy Kimmel returned to late night. He shows grace and humor as he discusses his son's condition, the people who criticized him and his continued support for universal healthcare when he performs his monologue and interviews Republican Senator Bill Cassidy. (R-La.) And while Sen. Cassidy is sympathetic, I don't think Trumpcare will work as it will gut prohibitions against charging more for pre-existing conditions and Medicaid. Regardless, bravo and thanks to Jimmy Kimmel for taking the banner for healthcare for all.

Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2. review

Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2. starts out with our merry band known as the Guardians of the Galaxy attempting to get some batteries from a monster for the gold skinned race known as The Sovereign. They're led by Ayesha played by the lovely Elizabeth Debicki. (The Man From U.N.C.L.E.) Is it too much to ask Warner Brothers to make a sequel to U.N.C.L.E.? I mean check out this poster for U.N.C.L.E.

And for the next Guardians movie could we lose the gold painted skin? I mean Ms. Debicki is gorgeous in her ivory tone. Oops, sorry that could be a spoiler. Maybe, Marvel could feature her in her own superhero movie. Was I supposed to be writing about the new Guardians movie? Were there any other actors in this movie?

Anyway, Star-Lord aka Peter Quill (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave Bautista), Rocket (Bradley Cooper) and Baby Groot (Vin Diesel) succeed in securing the batteries. But Rocket decides to troll the arrogant Sovereign by stealing more batteries from them. This leads the Sovereign to chase the Guardians in space. Fortunately, they are saved by a mysterious figure, Ego. (Kurt Russell) He has a big surprise for Quill in the Darth Vader vein. "Luke er... Peter, I am your father." Hey that last part is in the trailer so don't whine about a spoiler.

The main actors are all great. A special nod to Bradley Cooper as Rocket. I can't think of Rocket as a CGI character but a sentient rodent er... raccoon. Of course, Elizabeth Debicki is absolutely fabulous. I'm sorry was I talking again about Ms. Debicki?

Director and writer James Gunn turns the Guardians comic book into a movie comedy. That may annoy fans of the comics, but frankly I don't know if the books were serious. Volume 2 is a science fiction comedy with a little drama thrown in. Arthur C. Clarke, this ain't. Gunn's movie throws jokes at you with lightening speed. And for the most part it works. But not all is laughter, there are touching moments about family. The only small problem with the film is that it is a little bloated with some action scenes that go on too long.

One caveat for you young folks. Like the first Guardians, this movie heaps a generous dose of seventies -early eighties nostalgia at you. Let me explain a gag that had me laughing hard in the theater while most people didn't get the joke. The Sovereign remotely guide their fighter ships like people playing video games in an arcade. Um.... in the early eighties, we used to go to the arcades to play video games like Space Invaders, Pac-Man, etc. Anyway, the Sovereign fighter ships make eighties video game sounds Get it? Okay, I guess you have to be old.

Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume 2 is one funny science fiction comedy. And it has Elizabeth Debicki. The grade is A Minus.

Defending Stephen Colbert

The FCC is investigating satirist Stephen Colbert for a joke he made last Monday on Late Night with Stephen Colbert. The joke that conservatives are getting upset about? In a rant where Colbert defends CBS News' John Dickerson after Trump insulted him, Colbert goes all insult comic on Trump. He calls Trump a "c...kholster" for Russian President Putin. It starts at the 10:00 minute mark of Colbert's monologue.



A couple of things here. I saw this on TV. And first, CBS bleeped out the word "c... k." Second, this satire is protected by the First Amendment. Let me explain it to you conservatives. Trump has expressed an affection for Russian President Vladimir Putin. So he makes a joke about a sexual act between Trump and Putin. It's not homophobic either. Colbert says nothing bad bad about homosexuality.

I could cut the hypocrisy with a knife here. Trump has decried political correctness. Used a "F" bomb in a speech to the public. Bragged about grabbing a woman's genitalia. So, conservatives, where are Colbert's free speech rights?

Trump says Australia's universal healthcare is better than America's

LOL. President Donald Trump praised Australia's single payer healthcare as a plan that is "better healthcare than we do." Hey, Lying Donald, Australia's healthcare is government sponsored, i.e. it's basically a Medicare for all. The cruel plan you and the Conservative Republicans passed which guts pre-existing guarantees of insurance and Medicaid is nothing like Australia's. You see no one has to worry about paying for healthcare in Australia since the government pays for it. You sir are an idiot. (By the way, Trump later tweeted that Australia does have better healthcare on Friday. Business Insider.)

The irony was not lost on former presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders. (I-Vt.) He was a guest on MSNBC's All In with Chris Hayes. Watch him burst out into laughter when he heard Trump praise Australia's auniversal healthcare plan. (From The Independent, below.) I agree with Sanders. Okay, Lying Donald. Get Congress to pass a single payer universal healthcare plan. Medicare for all. I mean you do say that Australia has a better plan.