Mike Browne’s Blog

ALBANY, New York (AP) — Comedian Lenny Bruce was granted a posthumous pardon by Gov. George Pataki Tuesday for a nearly 40-year-old obscenity conviction prompted by a foul-mouthed political commentary.

Finally. Bruce was a hilarious (yet tragic) figure in the world of comedy. He tended to push the bounds of taste and free speech right to the very limit, but were it not for him comedians like Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy and Adrew Dice Clay never would have been as mainstream as they were.

Hold on. What am I talking about? They’re all f***ing a**holes! F**k Lenny Bruce!

Read the full article on CNN right here.

A number of guys with the same name as I have have been emailing me of late with well wishes, hellos and holiday greetings. I’m saying hello, and the happiest of holidays to all the other Mike Brownes, variations thereof and pathetic (just kidding) wannabe Mike Brownes out there.

I send to you all a good Irish blessing:

“As you slide down the Bannister of Life,

May the Splinters never point the wrong way.”

Lots of people loved Seinfeld, myself included. How often I have misquoted an episode whilst standing around the watercooler.

Well no more.

Now I can be sure of the text in every stupid conversation by using Seinfeld Scripts. Awesome!

One of my personal favourites is The Voice. “Hello-o-o-o!”

Thanks to Matt S for the skookum link.

Just about 60 lbs since last Christmas when the “then” photo was taken at the company Christmas party. Thanks to Dr Atkins (read the book and see a doctor before you diet) I’m not a tub o’lard anymore.

The down side to massive weightloss? Clothing looks like I stole it from a hobo. It’s kind of expensive to replace everything. Other than that I can’t come up with anything else.

Yahoo! News – Saddam was held by Kurdish forces, drugged and left for US troops

Thanks to Rick for the heads up.

Brownie sent along the following:

The ULTIMATE in political correctness:

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.

In addition my best wishes for a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great, (not to imply that America is necessarily
greater than any other country or is the only “AMERICA” in the western hemisphere), and without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith, choice of computer platform, or sexual orientation of the wisher.”

(Disclaimer: By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms.
This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted
to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year, or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher who assumes no responsibility for any unintended emotional stress these greetings may bring to those not caught up in the holiday spirit.)

Here’s a monkey in a Santa suit for you to fondle.

Thanks to Steve for the pic!

I’m watching a stream of the Gary Ridgway, the Green River Killer, sentencing on the KIROTV.com site. The families are reading victim impact statements. It’s very sad. Ridgway just seems indifferent to the proceedings. How on Earth could someone be so cold as not show any emotion when listening to this?

This man is nothing less than a monster.

The saddest part is the hate that these people, left behind, obviously have. The effects of such vicious acts, even these that happened many years ago, are still obvious and painful to observe. I hope these poor people find some healaing through all this.

The families keep telling Ridgway that he’s going to hell. My thought is that he’s already there.

I wonder if Ridgway is going to say anything.

Thanks to Pauly for the heads up on this.