LARRY ROIBAL

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The leader of the House Appropriations Committee David Obey announced a new ban on earmarks to private business. If the Senate follows suit, it would bar the end run around the merit-based or competitive allocation processes and the means legislators use to slip pork and no-bid contracts into bills. The ban does not include not-for-profits.

It’s a start.

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New York Congressman Eric Massa claimed the Obama administration pushed him out of congress with trumped up ethics violations to help pass health care reform. After 24 hours in the spotlight, it’s become clear, this guy needed no help in destroying his political career. Bizarre.

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Yesterday Obama got passionate about health care, but do Americans share his passion?

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Best Picture: The Hurt Locker

Directing: The Hurt Locker, Kathryn Bigelow

Actor in a Leading Role: Jeff Bridges

Actress in a Leading Role: Sandra Bullock

Actor in a Supporting Role: Christoph Waltz

Actress in a Supporting Role: Mo’Nique

Film Editing: The Hurt Locker,Bob Murawski and Chris Innis

Art Direction: Avatar

Cinematography: Avatar

Animated Feature Film: Up

Documentary Feature: The Cove

Costume Design: The Young Victoria, Sandy Powell

Documentary Short: Music by Prudence

Foreign Language Film: The Secret in Their Eyes (El Secreto de Sus Ojos)

Makeup: Star … Continue Reading

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The Academy Awards are on this Sunday. Any predictions?

Okay, I’ll start. Best Actor, for his portrayal of the down-and-out- country singer, Jeff Bridges.

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With ethics violations swirling around the powerful chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, the twenty term congressman from Harlem read a statement temporarily relinquishing his chairmanship. He took no questions.

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Ever get frozen out of an event moments after it went on sale? Of coarse you have, we all have. I don’t know why it took so long to figure out that unscrupulous hackers were gaming the system, buying up all the good seats and selling them back to ticket brokers for huge profits. I’m curious to see if these inditments make it any easier for me to get tickets.

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Forty years after his death, Hendrix is still a legend with an ax. Look for a CD release to commemorate the rock icon.

Watch him do his Voodoo

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Okay, I was routing for the scrappy underdog Americans, but that was a great hockey game and the better team won. Congratulations to Canada and Syd Crosby for scoring the winning goal in sudden death overtime.

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Here in the North East we has another huge snow storm. Actually, it was two storms which joined forces and dropped snow for over thirty hours. Both the Times and the Ledger’s delivery took a snow day while I spent another day shoveling heavy snow. Today both Friday and Saturday papers were delivered. I’m a fan of the seasons, but it seems like I’ve shoveled a lifetime of snow this winter and I’m longing for baseball and the boys of summer.

Oh yeah, this is John Podesta, U.S. contracts, higher wages, Center for American Progress, yada, yada, yada.

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On my cable provider C-SPAN-3 is located at 105, check your local listings.

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“I am deeply sorry for any accident that any Toyota drivers have experienced,” said Toyota President Akio Toyoda. When you consider the thousands of complaints and 39 deaths attributed to faulty Toyota accelerators, Akio, the grandson of Toyota’s founder, hardly fell on his sword before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

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Speaking about the six hour televised forum on health care reform, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell doubts the President and Congressional Democrats are acting in good faith. “We will be at the meeting on Thursday and anxious to participate in the discussion, but it appears the administration has already made up their mind.”

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Yes, for all those under forty, there was once a championship team that played at Madison Square Garden. Last night they celebrated the 40th anniversary of the first Knick championship. That great team led by Hall of Famers, Willis Reed, Walt “Clyde” Frazier and “Dollar” Bill Bradley went on to win one more in 73. And although Ewing, Starks, Oakley, Jackson, Johnson, Mason, Houston and Spewell provided some excitement along the way it’s been a long drought at the Garden for Knick fans.

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RIP Fran Lee. Everyone who walks in New York owes pioneer consumer advocate Fran Lee our gratitude for making dog owners clean up after their pets.

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I am a lover of good food and a fan of the Food Network. It’s owners, Scripps Networks will debut an all new Cooking Channel this May 31st. The company has announced six new series starring Rachel Ray, Emeril Lagasse, Chuch Hughes, Laura Calder, Roger Mooking and the owner/chef of Mesa Grill, Bobby Flay.

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Yesterday Chinese Americans rallied in Washington to show support for the meeting between President Obama and the Dalai Lama.

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Yesterday the new head of the International Atomic Energy Agency issued a troubling report on Iran’s undisclosed activities to develope a nuclear warhead. Stay tuned.

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Roger Ebert has battled cancer since 2003. At 67, he’s be no means giving up, but has ruled out further surgeries. Perhaps the greatest compliment I could give any journalist is that they help inform my life decisions. It’s true whether they are writing a review or covering a campaign. It seems odd to say I’m a fan of a critic, but I am a fan of making good use of my time and for years I’ve trusted Roger Ebert to steer me towards worthy entertainment choices. Even now, though he’s no longer able to talk, or eat or drink, he continues to write and inform my decisions. Bravo!

Read Esquire article
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“Leave me, just for a bit.” When the doctor had gone: “I picked up the pillow and smothered him until he was dead. The doctor came back and I said: ‘He’s gone.’ Nothing more was ever said.”
Ray Gosling described how he euthanized his lover who was dying from AIDS. He has since been arrested on suspicion of murder.

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President Hugo Chavez is tightening his inner circle, using his secret police to detain magnates previously loyal to him.
interesting article in todays NYT
Stay tuned.

Adebanji Alade is a talented artist born in Nigeria, living in the United Kingdom. His site “My art, my passion for sketching” is a treasure trove of carefully observes and skillfully sketched commuters on London’s public transportation, with the occasional update of his studio work. I regularly check his site to see his work and get inspired. Recently, I learned he was participating in a sketchbook/journal exchange entitled The Flying Moleskins.

Adebanji provided a theme for his sketchbook of “Homelessness and Poverty.” I wrote him expressing my interest in contributing something. For years I’ve been doing this morning exercise (for a lack of a better term) of drawing a portrait-a-day of news makers, on the corresponding news article. Most often my posted doodles are done on the New York Times or The Star Ledger, but I thought it would be interesting to sketch the New York homeless on the pages of the Wall Street Journal, (a business and financial news daily.) The dichotomy between the subject and the subtext would create a commentary more profound than I alone could express, becoming greater than the sum of it’s parts.

Adebanji very graciously agreed to let me contribute. I bought the Wall Street Journal on the morning of February 4th, 2010 and headed out onto the streets of New York to sketch, but found it more difficult then I had anticipated. The weather was bitter cold that day and I found few homeless outside. I spent the afternoon sketching in New York’s Penn Station on 34th Street. The resulting sketches were displayed on his site yesterday. Thank you Adebanji for your kind words, I was honored to be able to participate in your worthy project.

One Note: Adebanji presentation is far superior to mine enabling you to click on the image to view a larger version and easily read the underlying text. click here

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Yesterday the Sunday morning talk shows staged a VP debate of sorts. Former Vice President Cheney appeared on ABC’s “This Week” while Vice President Biden made the rounds on CBS’ “Face the Nation” and NBC’s “Meet The Press” No, surprise, they disagreed on virtually everything

Sharpie on today’s newsprint

Faced with a bankrupt state government, New Jersey’s new governor, Chris Christie is serving up some tough love.

Happy Valentines Day!

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Retired Gen. Frederick C. Weyand passed away on February 10th. Weyand served as the final commander of American forces in South Vietnam and as Army chief of staff in the waning days of the Vietnam War, even though he was convinced victory in Vietnam was beyond reach. Read the interesting obit in todays NYT. He was 93.

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On the 20th anniversary of Nelson Mandels’s release from prison, the dichotomy between the end of apartheid, the hopes for the future of South Africa and the current realities of the Zuma administration, couldn’t be more stark.

Yesterday was a snow day, which means I spent the day digging myself, a neighbor and my In-Laws out from under tons of snow. But Donna and I did manage to put aside some time to be kids by building this snowman. The snow was ideal for packing. Of coarse, most of what I know about snowmen I learned from the brilliant illustrator, cartoonist and author of “The History Of The Snowman” Bob Eckstein.

Bob’s book!

Visit Bob’s site “Today’s Snowman”

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With seven days until pitchers and catchers report for spring training, it’s a good time to read James S. Hirsch’s new book, “Willie Mays: The Life, the Legend”

From todays NYT

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Too bad I can’t animate this because when I move my thumb, I can sort of make her wink.

Okay…I was in a mad rush this morning to get to a few photo-shoots. Thanks Ricky for sending me that email about how to create an gif animation using layers. Sarah’s makeup may have gotten a little smeared riding in my palm all day, but here’s my attempt to make Sarah wink.

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….go marching in
When the Saints go marching in
Oh lord I want to be in that number
When the Saints go marching in!

Congratulations to Super Bowl 44 MVP, Drew Brees for leading his New Orleans Saint to victory over the Indianapolis Colts, 31-17. The win marks the Saints first Super Bowl victory.

Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday, the last day of carnival before Ash Wednesday, falls on February 16th this year. That gives New Orleans eight days to celebrate.

Watch Louis Armrtong play the “When The Saints Go Marching In”

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All eyes are on the European Union. Mounting debt in some small member countries like Greece and Portugal are threatening the Union and causing European markets to free fall…Stay tuned.

Doodled from top to bottom: President of Greece Karolos Papoulias and President of Portugal Aníbal António Cavaco

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Commercials aired during the Super Bowl have a history of generating more buzz than the game itself. With 90-plus million viewers, ad agencies break out the top guns. This year CBS has agreed to air a controversial anti-abortion, pro-life ad, paid for by the conservative Christian group Focus on the Family. The ad features college football superstar Tim Tebow and his mom Pam Tebow. Tim has led his Florida Gators to their second national championship in three years. Twenty two years ago, while Pam was pregnant, she contracted amoebic dysentery. The prescribed medicines threatened her unborn fetus and doctors advised her to abort the fetus. Pam ignored the doctors advice and gave birth to the future Heisman trophy winner.

What are we to conclude?

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An upset Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero postponed the United States - European Union Summit, scheduled to take place in Madrid because of Obama’s decision not to show.

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President Obama plans to ignore China’s warning and meet with the Dalai Lama. Officials did not say what actions China would take if Obama did so. Sure, it’s the right thing to do, but it might be prudent to get our financial house in order before we bite the hand that feeds US.

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The Deficit for the coming year is eleven percent of GDP and the most optimistic of forecasts project unsustainable debt for at least ten more years.

Translation: A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall.

I saw ten thousand talkers whose tongues were all broken,
indeed.

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Taylor Swift won four Grammy Awards last night, including Album of the Year for her second album Fearless. On the red carpet, the twenty year old was gorgeous and composed beyond her years, but I thought her live performance was less than stellar. Not only did she sound off key, but someone forgot to tell Swift that duet etiquette required she be quiet for a verse so we could hear the other singer - poor Stevie Nicks, reduced to singing backup - hmph.

Note to producers: More singing acrobats please.

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