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Wednesday Caption Contest: Part 162.

STAY TUNED... new contest will be up Wednesday, Oct. 1.

This week's WILLisms.com Caption Contest photograph:

The actual caption:

Republican vice presidential candidate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, signs a cowboy hat after speaking at a campaign rally in Carson City, Nev., Saturday, Sept. 13, 2008. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

There's a better caption out there. I just know it.

Entries will remain open until 11:59 PM, Central Standard Time, Tuesday, September 23. Submit your captions in the comments section, or email via WILLisms@gmail.com.

And... the winners:

1. Mr. Right:

"My good luck hat," The Pontiff said. "Given to me by a CIA guy as we went in for a special mission in Cambodia."

2. ikkonoishi:

Senator Palpatine readies himself for his raid on Planet Hooville.

3. clyde_m:

Determined to fulfill a childhood dream, Pope Ben dons a Santa hat and marches into Macy's to apply for a Christmas Season 2008 Santa job.

As Abraham Lincoln often said, "if you don't caption this week, I will attack you with the North."

Posted by Will Franklin · 17 September 2008 08:32 PM · Comments (23)

Wednesday Caption Contest (THURSDAY EDITION): Part 161.

This week's WILLisms.com Caption Contest photograph:

The actual caption:

Pope Benedict XVI adjusts his fur-lined camauro as he arrives to lead his weekly Wednesday general audience in St. Peter Square at the Vatican in this December 28, 2005 file photo. (Alessia Pierdomenico/files/Reuters)

Yeah, okay. Awesome.

Entries will remain open until 11:59 PM, Central Standard Time, Tuesday, September 16. Submit your captions in the comments section, or email via WILLisms@gmail.com.

And... the winners:

1. Bigfoot:

Piper: Mommy, are there any moose in Washington?

Sarah: Yes, dear, but we call them "congressmen".

2. The Whistler:

So on November fifth I get rid of the old guy, right?

3. Rob B:

Mom, would you like me to lick my hand tame your hair too?

Captioning: Better Than Pig On Lipstick.

Posted by Will Franklin · 11 September 2008 11:31 AM · Comments (15)

Trivia Tidbit Of The Day: Part 511 - Obama, Media. Darling

Media Deserve No Trust-

Media Bias. There's anecdotal evidence every which way. The way they have covered the Sarah Palin announcement versus the way they covered Joe Biden, for example.

Interesting data from the Media Research Center:

Seven times more Obama stories were positive than negative over the course of the primaries.

Obama beat Hillary because of the media. Period.

But the flow of media coverage is interesting:

Even in the midst of scandal, the media largely protected Obama.

What's more, they painted a picture that Obama had broad appeal and support from real people:

On November 5, there might well be some fun conversations-- per the norm-- in this country's elite media circles, that begin with, "I don't know how McCain could have won. I don't know ANYONE who didn't vote for Obama."

Previous Trivia Tidbit: Taxes.

Posted by Will Franklin · 4 September 2008 08:39 AM · Comments (2)

Wednesday Caption Contest: Part 160.

This week's WILLisms.com Caption Contest photograph:

The actual caption:

Republican vice presidential candidate, Alaska Gov., Sarah Palin and her daughter Piper listen as Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., addresses supporters at a campaign rally in Washington, Penn., Saturday evening, Aug. 30, 2008. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)

That's a sweet photo of Palin and her daughter. I wonder what they were talking about, though.

Entries will remain open until 11:59 PM, Central Standard Time, Tuesday, September 9. Submit your captions in the comments section, or email via WILLisms@gmail.com.

And... the winners:

1. Jody:

Disaster came to Bunol when the world's largest women's dorm "synched up".

2. justsalt:

This is the best prom ever! We have to get Carrie to plan the entertainment every year!

3. Bigfoot:

Waiter, there's a girl in my salsa. No, wait, there's TWO of them!

Honorable Mention. elliot:

By the way, if you didn't know, the girls are Marie Nara and Kat Chatorrie.

Double Honorable Mention. elliot:

Never tell Luigi his tomato sauce sucks, just as these two girls just found out.

Be a Maverick for change and hope. Caption in 2008.

Posted by Will Franklin · 3 September 2008 07:44 PM · Comments (14)

Trivia Tidbit Of The Day: Part 510 - Soaking The Rich.

What Tax Cut For The Rich?-

Some important data to consider this election year:

According to the negative (Obama) view, when Bush's tax cuts took effect, the share of income taxes paid by the wealthiest Americans should have declined. The rich, in this scenario, benefited from the senseless giveaway, putting a greater and greater proportion of the tax burden on the poor. Under the positive view, by contrast, the share of income taxes paid by the wealthiest Americans might increase even when you cut their tax rates, since they will work harder and reduce their efforts to avoid taxes.

The nearby chart suggests that recent movements in the tax data are inconsistent with the negative Obama perspective.

The blue line indicates the share of income taxes paid by the top 10 percent of taxpayers. The pink line indicates the share of income taxes paid by the bottom 90 percent. In 2006, the top 10 percent of earners paid fully 70.8 percent of taxes. That is significantly above the 2000 peak of 67.3, before the Bush tax cut.

This economy needs a shot in the arm. We need tax relief, not socialism. We need to reward and promote wealth and productivity, not penalize it.

We need to keep Obama far from the White House, and we need to knock Pelosi and Reid from their perches.

Previous Trivia Tidbit: Obama Will Raise Taxes.

Posted by Will Franklin · 3 September 2008 06:52 PM · Comments (1)