tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53592784266427794612024-08-30T10:32:45.087-07:00My opinions on entertainment, politics, social issues, current events and health and well being, given my knowledge and education as a physician living in the Los Angeles area. Comedy that makes you think, I hope.M.A. McClurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12237508593365153527noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5359278426642779461.post-1759487738707472602011-11-04T12:57:00.000-07:002011-11-04T12:57:05.230-07:00

Ok, a friend of mine shared a really funny picture on his Facebook account:  Of course, being the joker I am, I had to make my own. I hope it hasn't already been done, and I hope no one gets upset with me for sharing something that isn't mine (Ah!) and taking it a step further: The element Bu is Group 2 element. As such, it is a shiny silver-white color (paradoxically so, given

M.A. McClurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12237508593365153527noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5359278426642779461.post-42181484772672813202011-10-18T15:26:00.000-07:002011-10-18T16:27:16.722-07:00

Sunday I was watching Fareed Zakaria GPS, and I was struck by something. You see, he had Paul Krugman on, along with Steve Forbes (Editor-in-Chief of Forbes Media), Chrystia Freeland (Global Editor-at-Large of Reuters) and Bret Stephens (of the Wall Street Journal). Paul (excuse me, Mr. Krugman, if I am so forward as to call you by your first name) took the position that the Occupy Wall Street

M.A. McClurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12237508593365153527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5359278426642779461.post-68706555455180232732011-09-29T06:37:00.000-07:002011-09-29T09:13:31.963-07:00

I was trying to avoid posting something about Jamey Rodemeyer, but I am having trouble ignoring it, so here goes: For those who are unaware, last week (9-18-2011) 14 year old Jamey committed suicide. The factors which contribute to something like this are many and varied. In Jamey's case there had been a history of bullying, but as a health care professional I have to say that this by itself is

M.A. McClurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12237508593365153527noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5359278426642779461.post-20886834368951928432011-09-28T13:02:00.000-07:002011-09-28T13:06:33.694-07:00

I have always loved to read. When I was in elementary school it became obvious to my parents that "grounding" me was not a very effective punishment if I was allowed to read, so "not being able to read" had to be part of my grounding. However, when I was in junior high reading became a chore. I constantly had to write book reports, and they had to be written a specific way, and had to be about

M.A. McClurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12237508593365153527noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5359278426642779461.post-27093555243854151882011-09-20T17:52:00.000-07:002011-09-20T17:52:01.596-07:00

For several weeks now this notion of "class warfare" has been bantered about in the media. Actually, it's been used before, but recently it's been gaining in popularity, and I completely understand why. Do you? Let me begin by introducing the word of the day: demagoguery. Excuse me if I borrow the following from Wikipedia (mostly because I like the goofy letters used in pronunciation keys)

M.A. McClurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12237508593365153527noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5359278426642779461.post-71620012390343528382011-09-14T17:21:00.000-07:002011-09-14T17:21:59.126-07:00

I don't know why, but my family constantly sends me spam - most notably my mother and my sister. Since much of it is political, I wonder if maybe they're trying to convert me - but whatever. I guess I should start by saying I am an apolitical socially progressive fiscal conservative (read: Marc is all over the map). My mother and my sister appear to be hard core republicans if not tea partiers.

M.A. McClurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12237508593365153527noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5359278426642779461.post-22498787245641284532011-08-17T05:54:00.000-07:002011-08-23T09:53:02.914-07:00

On Friday I visited IMDb.com (one of my frequently visited sites). As those who frequent the site know, and for those of you who don't let me tell you, at the top of the page they always have 3 photos side by side, and clicking on them takes you to a trailer for the movie from which the picture was taken. Well, on Friday they had something that drew my attention - a trailer for a Disney movie

M.A. McClurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12237508593365153527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5359278426642779461.post-80648423401763030712011-08-14T11:32:00.000-07:002011-08-14T11:32:59.575-07:00

Yeah, I know - I've been absent for a while again. I get busy - and frustrated. But I'm back for another try. I just saw Michele Bachmann interviewed after her Straw Poll win. I don't understand the obstinate nature of the Tea Party, insisting on a course of action economists inform us will only worsen our budget and credit rating crisis. In particular, she says two things I think everyone in

M.A. McClurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12237508593365153527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5359278426642779461.post-51852493877992537562011-05-11T14:02:00.000-07:002011-05-11T14:02:04.299-07:00

I know I already have a post about the lack of imagination in Hollywood, but this one really got to me. I don't watch the series "Castle," but I was recently at my father's house and they were watching it, so had the opportunity to experience the episode, "To Love and Die in LA" (a rip-off of the 1985 movie name To Live and Die in LA). Granted, the movie To Live and Die in LA is the story of a

M.A. McClurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12237508593365153527noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5359278426642779461.post-72428632599299794902011-05-07T12:26:00.000-07:002011-05-07T12:26:40.211-07:00

I've been quite busy this week, so again, slacking on the writing (at least here). Sorry. A few days ago I read here that Fidel Castro had a comment about the US killing bin Laden: Fidel Castro has criticized the United States for the manner in which its forces killed al-Qaida mastermind Osama bin Laden, saying it executed him in front of his family. As I said in my last post, I have a

M.A. McClurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12237508593365153527noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5359278426642779461.post-6463241606658695922011-05-02T14:55:00.000-07:002011-05-02T14:55:20.927-07:00

So I've been watching the aftermath of the bin Laden thing. I'm not quite sure how to feel about it. On the one hand, he was quite the dangerous person. As the Doofenshmirtz Dance Brigade would say sing, "He's an evil, evil man." Do I think he deserved to die? That would be a resounding "YES," not out of any desire for revenge, but to keep him from continuing to hurt/kill others. On the other

M.A. McClurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12237508593365153527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5359278426642779461.post-20221079298576603932011-04-11T00:25:00.000-07:002011-04-11T00:25:07.498-07:00

So it's been a while since I've blogged. I've been a little busy lately. Just finished a script to submit to a contest - top prize is a lot of green and a potential development deal. Wish me luck! Now I've got to focus on another writing contest, but this is just a short story. What do I mean "just" ? I'm sure it'll be just as hard to write as the script. Yesterday I went to a local Mexican

M.A. McClurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12237508593365153527noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5359278426642779461.post-37109875337822245322011-03-24T23:34:00.000-07:002011-03-24T23:34:07.683-07:00

I have a problem with my cats. They eat. My mother always put down a bowl full of dry cat food and would let her cats eat as much as they wanted. There would always be food in their dish, and they could help themselves throughout the day. The problem is, her cats are fat. Very fat. And I've been told that it is not good for a cat to be that fat. Makes sense to me ... if human's can't handle

M.A. McClurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12237508593365153527noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5359278426642779461.post-68323717273336653552011-03-18T11:26:00.000-07:002011-03-18T11:26:15.511-07:00

It has been a week since the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, and the situation continues to deteriorate. Thousands of people are homeless, many of whom are of advanced age, and the winter weather does not let up. It is cold, they are exposed to the elements, they have little food and less water, and the danger from TEPCOs damaged nuclear power plant is growing daily. Yet people on the US west

M.A. McClurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12237508593365153527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5359278426642779461.post-54341846464585000962011-03-15T23:40:00.000-07:002011-03-16T09:43:23.404-07:00

Sam Rubin, you've disappointed me ... KTLA morning news likes to talk about issues in their 9 o'clock hour, and this morning Sam Rubin (entertainment reporter) turned to a same-sex kiss aired last night on Glee (male/male, looked like they were having dinner to me, but the dialogue made it seem they were in the school's music room). Oddly, no discussion was sparked by last week's incident: a

M.A. McClurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12237508593365153527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5359278426642779461.post-82929776061602077632011-03-09T16:55:00.000-08:002011-03-09T16:55:47.806-08:00

Here's a transcript of what I presented at the Improv in Hollywood last night. Some of it's from previous posts, and I think there are a few new things scattered here and there. Let me know what you think. Just moved to LA a few months ago. This is a tough town! Living over here on the west side, I found a hair ... cut ... you know, place ... I mean, come on! I'm a guy! She's a barber to me! But

M.A. McClurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12237508593365153527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5359278426642779461.post-57270140879871048942011-03-06T07:00:00.000-08:002011-03-06T07:00:08.302-08:00

Ok, I have to admit I love Stephen Colbert. He is so funny ... well, at least 50% of the time. Now, I know this is old, but I was a little behind on my DVR, so I just saw it yesterday, but I have to share this, because it is just too funny. Background: Aaron Barr (of HB Gary) reportedly suggested to BofA (who reportedly got in contact with Barr at the suggestion of the Law Firm of Hunton &

M.A. McClurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12237508593365153527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5359278426642779461.post-14685293352181616802011-03-04T16:34:00.000-08:002011-03-08T10:05:53.015-08:00

I don't get Charlie Sheen's preference for porn stars. If he was just going for a pretty face with big chichis, I think he would end up with fewer porn stars. Let's face it, people watching porn are not looking at faces. I wonder if he thinks he'll get more sex from a porn star than a 'regular Jane.' I would think that would not be the case. I mean, they spend all day doing that at work. I

M.A. McClurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12237508593365153527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5359278426642779461.post-55126041554663995502011-03-01T16:00:00.000-08:002011-03-01T16:00:05.617-08:00

So I wanted to say something about the Oscars, but I didn't get a chance to write yesterday. James Franco has got to be gay. That's the only explanation I can find for his performance on Sunday night. Anne Hathaway did a great job with the material she was given (and wow! I had no idea she could sing that well!) She engaged the audience and even tried to engage James. But he was having none of

M.A. McClurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12237508593365153527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5359278426642779461.post-31811506225507005802011-02-24T06:54:00.000-08:002011-02-25T17:18:01.425-08:00

Okay, so in the last post I alluded to a bad experience I had ordering a pizza online. I thought, rather than leave that allusion hanging out there all dead-endy, today I should tell you about that experience. The thing is, I love to do all my shopping online. I can do it whenever I want, as fast or slow as I want, click, and then my merchandise just arrives at my doorstep. Wow ... I just

M.A. McClurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12237508593365153527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5359278426642779461.post-88646992830628459642011-02-22T11:20:00.000-08:002011-02-25T17:19:02.702-08:00

Since this was a long weekend, I decided to splurge and order a pizza. Now, normally I love the internet and prefer to do everything online, but Pizza is sorta time sensitive, and I had a bad experience ordering it online once, so I dialed my local pizza place. Of course, calling the order in, I was treated to seventeen commercials before I was connected to a person who could take my order. And

M.A. McClurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12237508593365153527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5359278426642779461.post-56627019860440317242011-02-12T07:00:00.000-08:002011-02-12T07:00:01.523-08:00

So I was walking down the street in Beverly Hills the other day, and I noticed a sign that said, "Coming soon: Brooklyn Bagel Company." Below that, it said, "It's in the water!" Really? The flavor of a Brooklyn Bagel Company bagel comes from the water? If their water is significantly different from the water used by any other bagel place, they must be getting it from either the Hudson or the

M.A. McClurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12237508593365153527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5359278426642779461.post-27138503184496099182011-02-09T08:00:00.000-08:002011-02-09T08:00:04.267-08:00

In Santa Monica there is a restaurant called Blue Plate Oysterette. It's a nice place, and they serve good food. Unfortunately, the sign on the front of the building just says "BP," with a sorta subliminal "oysterette" written in cursive across the bottom. I wonder if the Gulf oil spill of 2010 (OMG, I just realized we're going to have to put dates on the disaster) has affected their business. I

M.A. McClurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12237508593365153527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5359278426642779461.post-33863354703585998742011-02-05T08:00:00.000-08:002011-02-06T11:53:34.625-08:00

My parents smoke like chimneys. When I was in my first year of college, I would come home from class in the early evening. Opening the front door, a shaft of light would break through the darkness of the living room (my dad would keep the place dark as a movie theater so he could enjoy the first generation large screen TV), and I could see the cloud bank that encompassed the whole place, from

M.A. McClurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12237508593365153527noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5359278426642779461.post-27898338474354484752011-02-02T08:00:00.001-08:002011-02-02T08:00:11.913-08:00

The other day I saw a news report about a rally against the use of real fur in the production of clothing and accessories. They had the perfect spokesperson. I don't think there is anything on Ms. Lavinthal that is not "faux." This woman has had so much plastic surgery I think that she may be a life-sized animatronic version of Barbie. She is the poster child for the faux future. I'm not against

M.A. McClurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12237508593365153527noreply@blogger.com0