The Great Depression 2: Depression Harder

[Uncle Du 22]

Ah yes, the (not quite) age old debate over Dane Cook.

I, for one, like his stuff. Yea, some of it's kinda mediocre, but I think it's the way he takes random every day s***, and puts a spin on it that freakin hilarious.

I think my favorite thing he does is about how women are "brain ninja's". :rofl:

Edited May 13, 2009 by Du

[Andy 60]

I think it's the way he takes random every day s***, and puts a spin on it that freakin hilarious.

Isn't that what comedians are supposed to do? :p

[Uncle Du 22]

Not all of em!! :p

[Chickenman 9]

I attempt to be a bit more absurdist with my stuff. But I truthfully don't really have much of a style or anything yet.

[Uncle Du 22]

I'm sure you have a style, but it's your own style, so you may not notice it.

[Ender 8]

I don't really follow the evoluton of stand-up... I really only pay attention to Eddie Izzard these days, now that Georgie Carlin's gone.

[Bad furday 57]

Watching Jeff Dunham's routine is amazing, both from a talent and a psychological point of view. Vocally, he's very talented, ventriloquising various voices. And, he sculpts his puppets himself.

I don't think Dunham could do/say the things he does, or be as popular as he is, without the puppets. If Dunham got onstage and told everyone to "Shut the hell up!!!", not many would laugh. When he uses cranky old Walter to tell the audience to shut up, they laugh and enjoy it.

Dunham makes his puppets' performances so lifelike, you can easily forget that you're really watching a one man act. :D

[James the Defender 7]

Exactly! I've been saying that from the beginning. Like with Achmed the Dead Terrorist. Saying, "So I kill the Jews...No, I would not kill the Jews, no...I'd toss a penny between them and watch them fight to the death! Yes, yes! I did the same thing with two Catholic priests and I tossed in a small boy!"

Yeah...only puppets...he couldn't say that without them.

[Chickenman 9]

You're always able to say more if you're in a character.

Unfortunately, my character is so close to myself, that a lot of time people take my complete sarcasm at face value.

Which can still be fun for me. :p

[Princess 35]

Hate to be a spoilsport, but let's get this thread back on topic.

Anywho, according to the radio news on my way home today, Michigan's unemployment rate is expected to hit 20% this year because of the problems with the auto industry.

[Chickenman 9]

Oh my god. That's horrid. :(

[Princess 35]

Yeah. Temporary shutdowns started this week at some of the plants in an effort to reduce inventory.

[Drake 53]

Yeah, the big GM truck plant is shutting down here too.

[Tsl 7]

A whole bunch of Crysler dealers just got dumped too. And the company is leaving them stuck with the cars on their lots!

[Princess 35]

Okay, so here's the thing I don't like about the bailouts. The auto industry is having to bow before Washington and beg and grovel and hundreds of thousands of people are being affected and are losing their jobs because of the forced restructuring. The banks on the other hand got money, still sent executives on retreats and gave out corporate bonuses and they still got more money. It doesn't make sense!

[Chickenman 9]

As much as I feel like a n00b for referencing Jon Stewart when talking about my own political viewpoints, I've got to say that he put it brillantly a few months ago. He placed a toy car on the desk and reasoned the same thing. "The government won't bail out the people who make cars, just the people who make car loans."

Great rant.

I mean, for cripes sake, we're going to lose even more money by making these people unemployed than we're losing giving the financial industry their bailout. The auto industry actually creates a product, and employs thousands.

The only explanation I can think of is that Congress got so much flack for bailing out the banks, that they're trying to be extra careful with the auto industry. Come on.

And how come brilliance like the above video doesn't net the Daily Show any media hype, but ridiculous, media-created feuds like the dumbass Cramer affair make headlines?

[Tsl 7]

they do have a bit of a point though. just pouring money into the automotive industry isn't going to fix anything... Changes do need to be made.

[Radioactive Isotope 29]

someone made a good point the other day that those retreats were probably booked several months to a year in advance and may have had something in the contract that if they cancelled, they'd still be paying for the rooms anyway.

[Drake 53]

They may have been or they may not have. Who knows.

[Chickenman 9]

I believe that's been their argument, yeah. But at the same time, they should have been focusing on fixing the company. If you ewok up that badly, you don't go on a vacation and let the company continue to suffer. Especially when the effects are hurting the world's economy.

Edited May 15, 2009 by Chickenman

[Radioactive Isotope 29]

oh, i totally agree.

[Uncle Du 22]

Heh, normal people get fired for going on vacation during a crisis. I guess we're lucky the Nation's military isn't like that huh?

[Uncle Du 22]

The most tragic news of the CENTURY:

Veteran games developer 3D Realms has closed down because of a lack of funds.

Founded in 1987, the firm popularised the concept of shareware gaming and published the seminal Duke Nukem and Wolfenstein 3D first-person shooters.

The company was working on a follow-up title, Duke Nukem Forever, which after being in development for 12 years has become the object of industry derision.

Publisher Take-Two says it will no longer fund development of the game but retains rights to the title.

From: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8037688.stm

Had to bring this back up, cause of the AWESOME review that Zero Punctuation has here...

Warning, vulgarity and hilarity will ensue upon clicking that link. ;)

Edited May 28, 2009 by Du

[Mara 29]

The GM plant in my area has basically closed all done now.

I hope all those people can find new jobs.

[Uncle Du 22]

It's gonna be tough. People have to realize that they may have to move to get new jobs.