News Roundup for 4/27/11

Birthers never let a little thing like reality stand in their way before...

-Headline of the Day-
"Birther Legislator in Texas Not Convinced by Long-Form Certificate."

See? It's like a religion now. No amount of proof can ever put a dent in faith -- which should make you wonder about the real-world value of faith. Like climate change denial and the belief that Glenn Beck's a straight shooter who makes a lot of sense, birtherism is now a deeply held belief unsupported by any evidence. In fact, with the birthers it's worse, since the evidence they said they would accept is now being dismissed as insufficient.

One such dismisser of its suffiency is Leo Berman, a Texas state legislator and author of a birther bill. Sharon Guthrie, Berman's legislative director, says what President Obama released today simply will not do. ""What I've seen online, what they produced today, still says certificate of live birth across the top," she says. "We want to see a 'birth certificate.' The one that we have that says 'birth certificate' is from Mombassa, Kenya, with his footprint on it. He has still not produced an American birth certificate."

Does that thing about Mombasa sound like ridiculous bullshit? That's because it is. Guthrie is referring to a forgery used in an internet hoax.

So, for those keeping score -- an obvious forgery from a (then) non-existent Kenyan city is convincing proof, while an official document from the United States is not. In related news, up is down, backwards is forward, and "birther" is defined as anything other than "an incredibly stupid and gullible ass." (Weigel)


-Atlas Just Fucking Gives Up-
The Most Important Movie in Cinematic History is being panned by critics and producer John Aglialoro has had enough. Just because Atlas Shrugged is unbearably blowful is no reason to give it bad reviews. It is, after all, The Most Important Movie in Cinematic History. And, if the critics don't knock it off, he's not gonna make another one... and then they'll be sorry.

"Critics, you won," he says. "I'm having deep second thoughts on why I should do Part 2."

"Why should I put up all of that money if the critics are coming in like lemmings?" Aglialoro asks. "I'll make my money back and I'll make a profit, but do I wanna go and do two? Maybe I just wanna see my grandkids and go on strike."

This is an interesting word choice, because Atlas Shrugged is about rich people going on strike, after which civilization collapses because only rich people know how to do anything.

So clearly, if Atlas Shrugged: Part 2 isn't made, civilization -- or at least, the film industry -- may be doomed.

Speaking for myself, I'm willing to take that chance. (Los Angeles Times)


-Bonus HotD-
"A Children's Treasury of Brand-New Birther Theories To Explain Eveything."

Wonkette puts together some seriously desperate attempts by birthers to stay true to their faith and it's really fun to see. But one paragraph jumped out at me:

"Jerome Corsi is releasing a book through WND's press in a few days. It's called Where's the Birth Certificate?. (The answer to this title: on the front page of every news site today.)"

Perfect. (Wonkette)