Speaking of the Seventies, we know Maxell did a follow-up ad with a television set. But we can’t find it, so you’ll have to bear with our tawdry reconstruction.

Point being, the California Energy Commission wants to reduce your TV watching. Or short of that, your TV:

The influential lobby group Consumer Electronics Assn. is fighting what appears to be a losing battle to dissuade California regulators from passing the nation’s first ban on energy-hungry big-screen televisions.

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“I’m a Republican,” says GOP California gubernatorial candidate, former eBay CEO, absent-minded voter, and Junior Terminatrix Meg Whitman. “And you’ll find I’m a darn good one.”

So good, in fact, that she maxed out on donations to Barbara Boxer in 2003. And signed an open letter to other tech execs asking them to join her. “Barbara Boxer is a courageous leader,” Meg said at the time. In a Democrat-provided press release.

Y’know, we’re starting to like Meg. It’s fun to watch ex-CEOs flail about without toadies to cover for them.

“Darned good” Republican Whitman endorsed U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer in 2003 [SF Gate]

Former eBay CEO, devoted mother, and civic late-bloomer Meg Whitman has a message for Californians:

“The next governor must have a spine of steel. Know what she believes and sticks with it.”

Considering Meg didn’t believe in registering to vote until age 46 — and didn’t even declare herself a Republican until two years ago — that’s quite a statement. But our current Governator literally had a spine of steel, and that hasn’t seemed to help him much. For that matter, our MBA President didn’t do the nation much of a favor, either.

But this is California, and we lurve ourselves a good slow-speed chase. Especially when it ends in a wreck.

In the new Atlantic, Christopher Hitchens is tired of all the adoration received by America’s Favorite Fake Newscaster:

Immediately following the death of Walter Cronkite, Time magazine took an online poll to determine who was now “America’s most trusted newscaster.” Seven percent of those responding named Katie Couric. Nineteen percent nominated Charles Gibson. Twenty-nine percent went for Brian Williams. But the clear winner, garnering 44 percent, was Jon Stewart of The Daily Show. Either I missed it, or the poll failed to specify, in that wonderfully reassuring way that polls purport to do, what had been its “margin of error.”

Or it was, y’know, an online poll, which is 100% Accurate of visitors clicking buttons. Which is the first indication that Hitch is phoning this one in from the club.

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First they came for Glenn Beck, because he wants you to kill the President for him.

Then they came for Whole Foods, because its CEO wants you to die for his principles.

And now they’re coming for WorldNetDaily — because it makes wingnuts look bad:

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And you don’t need a pilot’s license!

I can only begin to imagine the injuries and property damage that thing will cause. I smell a Darwin Award.

Who, exactly, thought this was a good idea?

Taking time out from their extensive Iran coverage — two headlines buried way down their 46-headline homepage — WorldNetDaily is pitching an exclusive! story about what matters to Americans: the shocking truth! behind Carrie Prejean’s firing as Miss California.

In an interview with Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly, [Prejean attorney Charles Limandri] said the head of the Miss California USA pageant is an open homosexual who does not approve of Prejean’s opposition to same-sex marriage — and that is the real reason he terminated her contract.

An open homosexual running a beauty pageant? In America? Next you’ll be telling us they also design the gowns.

On the other hand, Donald Trump, the open asshole who actually owns the operation, is quoted saying he agreed with decision, once Prejean’s promotional shelf-life expired: “To me she was the sweetest thing. Everyone else — she treated like shit.”

Guess who fired Miss California [WND]