Everything Solid Dissolves into Flab (Ex-Mr. Olympia Edition)

Drudge links to this story and pic about what This Is London calls Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's "spare tyre."

Even if Arnold has turned in his abs like giant ravioli for, well, a giant plate of ravioli, this recent Wash Post story on the Gubernator suggests that the Austrian Oak is still packing some Olympian political muscle:

Schwarzenegger is challenging the status quo and the Democrats' coalition on several fronts. He wants a rigid limit on state expenditures that would impose across-the-board cuts when spending exceeds revenue. He proposes to change the state pension system by replacing defined benefits with individual accounts for newly hired workers, patterned after private-sector 401(k) accounts and in the spirit of Bush's Social Security plan.

Whole Post story here.

A bunch of Reason-based Schwarzeneggeriana here.

Gratuitous Lou Ferrigno mention here.

Comments

[Les]

Unfortunately, he’s acting a lot like Gray Davis in other areas.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/03/29/MNGSNC03LQ1.DTL

[phocion]

He must need the Ultimate Fitness Program. Five hours of carpet-humping a day and he’ll be back in form.

[Number 6]

I’m running up the PhotoChop flag on this one.

[Evan Williams]

It’s all about context. He’s getting in a pool, in front of someone who is in shape. ThisIsLondon wouldn’t be singing the same tune if he was posing in front of a waterfall.

[kmw]

I dunno, it looks photoshopped to me. His abs were in fine form for T3.

[Lowdog]

How many 57 year olds can say they look even that good. Also, if Arnie wanted to get his abs ripped, he has the money and time to whip himself back into pretty damn good shape. I know a guy in his late 40’s who will shred himself up in only a couple months when he puts his mind to it.

[Don]

Unfortunately, he’s acting a lot like Gray Davis in other areas.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/03/29/MNGSNC03LQ1.DTL

Keeping a murderer in prison is bad?

[Native NYer]

Predator was on AMC a couple of weeks ago and it was funny seeing Arnie and Jessie Ventura haming it up for the cameras and fighting an invisible alien.

What’s next, Carl Weathers for president in 08?

[Solitudinarian]

I’ve tried that Ultimate Fitness Program and it’s really not bad. Overpriced, but not bad for maintaining shape.

Unfortunately, I’ve developed an unnatural attachment to my rug….

[Rhywun]

Ultimate Fitness Program

Is that the “muscly ass” guy on the right side of Hit’n’Run (as someone here memorably described him a while ago)? He was the first thing I ad-blocked when I started using Firefox…

[Gary Gunnels]

…in the spirit of Bush’s Social Security plan.

Whatever the merits of Arnold’s plan, if its in the spirit of Bush’s plan, with its increased government centralization, etc., no fucking thanks.

kmw,

Too bad T3 was a terrible movie.

[Rhywun]

Too bad T3 was a terrible movie.

No it wasn’t. Sure, not as good as 1 (the best) or 2 – but I enjoyed it thoroughly on cable.

[The Governator]

I might be flabby, but I’m not a girly-man!

Although if I was a girlyman, that judge ruled that I could get married to another girlyman, which is fantastic.

[Bonar Law]

From the article about Schwarzenegger’s “unfortunate,” Davis-like behavior:

“Convicted murderer James Tramel’s ordination as an Episcopal deacon wasn’t enough to persuade Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to approve his release on parole last week, prompting a fiery Easter sermon from Episcopal Bishop William Swing. . . .

“. . . Tramel was scheduled to be ordained as a priest at Grace Cathedral in June. . . .

“[Bishop Swing implicitly compares Schwarzenegger to Pontius Pilate for denying parole to Tramel.]

“Tramel was 17 years old and a student at a Santa Barbara prep school in August 1985 when he and a classmate, David Kurtzman, went out to retaliate after a group of Tramel’s friends from the school was hassled by some local gang members.

“According to trial transcripts, Kurtzman attacked a sleeping homeless man, 29-year-old Michael Stephenson, in downtown Alameda Park, stabbing him to death as Tramel watched and did nothing. Tramel was found to be the ringleader in what was dubbed a thrill killing and sentenced to 15 years to life for second-degree murder. [Tramel admits his guilt]

“. . . The victim’s friends and relatives questioned Tramel’s religious conversion and argued that he hasn’t paid for Stephenson’s brutal slaying.”

So, let’s see: Tramel planned the thrill-killing of a sleeping homeless person while he [Tramel] was at prep school. The Episcopelians, friends of the poor that they are, side with Tramel against his victim’s family. They say Tramel is fully rehabilitated, which is why they’ve ordained him.(Surely the Episcopelians wouldn’t ordain an unworthy candidate!) Now an Episcopal bishop tries to shame Schwarzenegger by invoking Pontius Pilate, while at the same time urging Schwarzenegger to emulate Pilate’s grant of parole to Barabbas.