Apparently the country of New Zealand has amended its constitution to make Peter Jackson King of New Zealand and Labor Minister in perpetuity. This was done in a bid to ensure that the two new “Hobbit” movies are filmed there rather than on a soundstage in Hollywood (like the hugely successful “Plan 9 from Outer Space” was). Supposedly the films have a budget of about $500 million, which is something like 6 times the country’s GNP and enough to make about half the population millionaires, so everyone in New Zealand is cool with it (except the labor unions who are never happy about anything). Now Peter Jackson can pay the movie actors whetever he wants, and even have them do his laundry and mow his lawn (or till his outback, or whatever it is those guys have behind their houses in New Zealand). Everyone wins: Read more »

Tea Party/Republican Sharron “You Look Asian To Me” Angle has decided that last month’s ad featuring a photo of Mexican men in Mexico was apparently too subtle in its fear-mongering appeal to voters in her challenge to Sen. Harry Reid, and in true Nevada fashion has decided to double down and go for broke.

Her new ad depicts images of menacing-looking Latino men next to images of white school children. Keep it KKKlassy, Sharron!

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Kentucky Stomper Identified As Paul’s (Now Former) Bourbon County Coordinator [TPM]

The Sports Department here sends a fond auf wiedersehen to the 2010 winner of the Stinque Golden Vuvuzela, Paul the Octopus, who died of old age on Tuesday in Germany. Paul rocketed to global fame this summer when he correctly predicted the outcome of all of Germany’s World Cup games as well as Spain’s victory in the championship game, and of course when he later won the Golden Vuvuzela for Hottest Hottie of the World Cup with 51% of Stinque readers’ votes.

[CNN: World Cup Oracle Octopus Dies, H/T: Walking Still]

This is why Bill Clinton was, is, and will forever remain America’s most awesome president:

In 1999 or 2000, after the failed attempt to kill Osama bin Laden with some 80 cruise missiles launched into the al Qaeda camp in Khost, Afghanistan, a frustrated President Bill Clinton thought that somehow the United States could “scare the shit out of al Qaeda if suddenly a bunch of black ninjas rappelled out of helicopters into the middle of their camp,” according to the 9/11 Commission.

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We also would have accepted being smothered under a ton of fluffy pillows.

“If Maes fails to get 10 percent of the vote on election day, his legacy… will be leaving Republicans with minor party status in Colorado until 2014.” Oh, and Hickenlooper’s leading by barely four points. [TPM]