Sept. 27th, 2010
Here's Ben over on the Cavuto show this past Saturday morning suggesting that the President and unions are trying to institute "the beginning of Peronism" in reference to protests against Michigan home foreclosures. Also noteworthy is when Charles Payne, sitting in for host Neil, brings up "some sort of beatdown of a guy" by union members from a completely unrelated incident.
Monday, September 27, 2010
The Austerity Movement
Sept. 27th, 2010
From the Financial Times comes coverage of the current European economic crisis and how the E.U. is handling it.
"In a letter to all 27 EU finance ministers, Wolfgang Schäuble (the German Finance Minister) said he “chiefly supports” the stringent proposals to be unveiled Wednesday by José Manuel Barroso, European Commission president, which include millions of euros in fines for countries that fail to cut sovereign debt levels.
But the letter and a position paper, obtained by the Financial Times, also goes further, suggesting EU development and agricultural funding should be suspended for repeated violators. It also proposes that voting rights in the powerful Council of Ministers be suspended for countries that fail to meet fiscal benchmarks."
One has to wonder if the punishments being proposed for failing to meet bureaucratic targets might actually aggravate the disparities in financial strength or industrial stability amongst E.U. members. Could the strictures of the sort suggested lead to unfinished infrastructure or even diminished programs to prevent famine and combat drought?
Time will tell.
From the Financial Times comes coverage of the current European economic crisis and how the E.U. is handling it.
"In a letter to all 27 EU finance ministers, Wolfgang Schäuble (the German Finance Minister) said he “chiefly supports” the stringent proposals to be unveiled Wednesday by José Manuel Barroso, European Commission president, which include millions of euros in fines for countries that fail to cut sovereign debt levels.
But the letter and a position paper, obtained by the Financial Times, also goes further, suggesting EU development and agricultural funding should be suspended for repeated violators. It also proposes that voting rights in the powerful Council of Ministers be suspended for countries that fail to meet fiscal benchmarks."
One has to wonder if the punishments being proposed for failing to meet bureaucratic targets might actually aggravate the disparities in financial strength or industrial stability amongst E.U. members. Could the strictures of the sort suggested lead to unfinished infrastructure or even diminished programs to prevent famine and combat drought?
Time will tell.
The Debate Over Colbert
Sept. 27th, 2010
by F. Grey Parker
As most everyone knows, Stephen Colbert made quite the appearance before the House Judiciary Committee last week to discuss immigration reform. The coverage, in my view, has been a testament to the failure of the moment. A great number of bright thinkers heartily disagree.
Below, is a thread from another forum between myself and some of my compatriots who mostly think I have it all wrong. I have only used their initials as it was a private thread. Everything has been copied without correction. It has been a lively and contentious debate so far. I may have missed some valuable points in my haste. I may simply have been dismissive of others. Tempers flared. I lost my cool at times. I even received a personal message describing my tone and work as arrogant which is distinctly possible. Warts and all, though, it has definitely not been a waste of efforts.
by F. Grey Parker
As most everyone knows, Stephen Colbert made quite the appearance before the House Judiciary Committee last week to discuss immigration reform. The coverage, in my view, has been a testament to the failure of the moment. A great number of bright thinkers heartily disagree.
Below, is a thread from another forum between myself and some of my compatriots who mostly think I have it all wrong. I have only used their initials as it was a private thread. Everything has been copied without correction. It has been a lively and contentious debate so far. I may have missed some valuable points in my haste. I may simply have been dismissive of others. Tempers flared. I lost my cool at times. I even received a personal message describing my tone and work as arrogant which is distinctly possible. Warts and all, though, it has definitely not been a waste of efforts.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
A Party for Marty
Sept. 26th, 2010
Marty Peretz was hoisted by his own petard yesterday at Harvard. You may have followed his recent adventures in Islamophobic racism here or here. He deserves no sympathy. Note the protesters coordinated use of signs containing only Marty's own words. Yup. That's his own petard, alright.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Smart Cops?
Sept. 25th, 2010
Apparently, New London, Connecticut, has had it's fill of intelligent police officers, thank you very much, and it was time to draw the line. Or something. This is ridiculous.
"A Federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit by a man who was barred from the New London police force because he scored too high on an intelligence test. In a ruling made public on Tuesday, Judge Peter C. Dorsey of the United States District Court in New Haven agreed that the plaintiff, Robert Jordan, was denied an opportunity to interview for a police job because of his high test scores. But he said that that did not mean Mr. Jordan was a victim of discrimination."
Apparently, New London, Connecticut, has had it's fill of intelligent police officers, thank you very much, and it was time to draw the line. Or something. This is ridiculous.
Network News Priorities
Sept. 24th, 2010
The Daily Kos reminded us today of an article from one year ago in the Columbia Journalism Review.
"Katie Couric’s annual salary is more than the entire annual budgets of NPR’s Morning Edition and All Things Considered combined. Couric’s salary comes to an estimated $15 million a year; NPR spends $6 million a year on its morning show and $5 million on its afternoon one. NPR has seventeen foreign bureaus (which costs it another $9.4 million a year); CBS has twelve. Few figures, I think, better capture the absurd financial structure of the network news."
The Daily Kos reminded us today of an article from one year ago in the Columbia Journalism Review.
Friday, September 24, 2010
The Facebook Outage
Sept. 24th, 2010
Yesterday's Facebook outage prompted a near worldwide flood of humorous tweets.
My two favorites are as follows:
@Lord_Voldemort7 wrote "I shut down facebook. That'll teach The Social Network for trying to steal attention from the Deathly Hallows Trailer. Take that, Zuckerberg"
and @MTVClutch wrote "Facebook is down. We can't tell who's hungry or tired."
Yesterday's Facebook outage prompted a near worldwide flood of humorous tweets.
My two favorites are as follows:
@Lord_Voldemort7 wrote "I shut down facebook. That'll teach The Social Network for trying to steal attention from the Deathly Hallows Trailer. Take that, Zuckerberg"
and @MTVClutch wrote "Facebook is down. We can't tell who's hungry or tired."
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Frum's Mission
Sept. 22nd, 2010
David Frum is a man with whom I share very little commonality of perspective. But he is smart and honest. That has qualified as a failure of the current "conservative" litmus tests as shown here, here and here.
In response to a ridiculous blurb on blogmocracy, Frum responds:
"I devoutly believe that there exists a huge national audience of people who believe in limited government, free markets, technological progress, and a strong American role in the world – but who do not want to be represented and championed by paranoid idiots."
David Frum is a man with whom I share very little commonality of perspective. But he is smart and honest. That has qualified as a failure of the current "conservative" litmus tests as shown here, here and here.
"I devoutly believe that there exists a huge national audience of people who believe in limited government, free markets, technological progress, and a strong American role in the world – but who do not want to be represented and championed by paranoid idiots."
Sullivan on Christine O'Donnel
Sept 22nd, 2010
Andrew Sullivan has a point.
"O'Donnell is an important figure not because she is a flake, as Bill Kristol says. She is important because she is as yet too guileless to lie about her real views, or to conceal the reactionary worldview that animates them. She is not an outlier. She is a very powerful way to understand what the theoconservative project is really about - and what the GOP base truly believes in."
Andrew Sullivan has a point.
"O'Donnell is an important figure not because she is a flake, as Bill Kristol says. She is important because she is as yet too guileless to lie about her real views, or to conceal the reactionary worldview that animates them. She is not an outlier. She is a very powerful way to understand what the theoconservative project is really about - and what the GOP base truly believes in."
Scary Stuff
Sept. 22nd, 2010
As we have grown so accustomed to wildly sanitized presentations of the news from our ongoing wars, this clip is quite dramatic.
The link is available here.
As we have grown so accustomed to wildly sanitized presentations of the news from our ongoing wars, this clip is quite dramatic.
The link is available here.
Amnesty International Report on Iraq
Sept 22nd, 2010
The recently released Amnesty International report on abuse and torture in Iraq should be read by every American. We are responsible for this.
The recently released Amnesty International report on abuse and torture in Iraq should be read by every American. We are responsible for this.
Really, Sen. Graham?
Sept 22nd, 2010
When a previously thoughtful and moderate legislator like Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) starts talking like this, we should be very alarmed at the prospect of republican victory this November.
“The world needs to come together and relook at the Geneva Conventions. The Geneva Conventions have served the world well even though the worst among us will never comply with it… the world we’re in depends on intelligence gathering, not combating a nation state. That means good, sound, firm interrogation techniques that are not available to this country right now. Nine years after 9/11, we don’t have the ability to effectively interrogate an enemy prisoner.”
With all due respect, senator, we do not need to become our enemy to defeat our enemy.
When a previously thoughtful and moderate legislator like Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) starts talking like this, we should be very alarmed at the prospect of republican victory this November.
“The world needs to come together and relook at the Geneva Conventions. The Geneva Conventions have served the world well even though the worst among us will never comply with it… the world we’re in depends on intelligence gathering, not combating a nation state. That means good, sound, firm interrogation techniques that are not available to this country right now. Nine years after 9/11, we don’t have the ability to effectively interrogate an enemy prisoner.”
With all due respect, senator, we do not need to become our enemy to defeat our enemy.
Friday, September 17, 2010
That's What I Wanted To Say
Sept. 17th, 2010
When I heard that American "hiker" Sarah Shourd had been released by Iranian authorities after 14 months of captivity, my first reaction was a feeling of empathy and relief for her friends and family. But I also wanted some answers.
Georgie Anne Geyer seems to have felt the same way:
"Just exactly what did you three modern Marco Polos think you were doing, supposedly hiking in the rugged mountains of Kurdish northern Iraq near -- or over -- the border to Iran? Did you know where you were? Did you care? Did you know there was a war on?"
When I heard that American "hiker" Sarah Shourd had been released by Iranian authorities after 14 months of captivity, my first reaction was a feeling of empathy and relief for her friends and family. But I also wanted some answers.
 |
| Sarah Shourd |
Georgie Anne Geyer seems to have felt the same way:
"Just exactly what did you three modern Marco Polos think you were doing, supposedly hiking in the rugged mountains of Kurdish northern Iraq near -- or over -- the border to Iran? Did you know where you were? Did you care? Did you know there was a war on?"
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Reading Around
Sept. 16th, 2010
Over at the National Review, Victor Davis Hanson has proven again that facts aren't nearly as important to the neo-cons as are glib-riffs on poll data. His latest piece is an attempt to cash in on the short attention span of Americans and take pleasure in the supposedly improving remembrance of the W years.
"Take the economy and the War on Terror. Americans were angry about the Bush-era deficits. But they look small now, after Obama trumped them in less than two years."
You can't argue with these guys. That his suppositions on matters of fact are false is one thing, but his part in the chorus of pundits who are pretending that context doesn't matter gives me pause.
So-called conservatives like Hanson remind me of some guy who, after blowing his savings on hookers, booze and poker, comes home and punches his wife in the mouth for reminding him that his kid needs braces.
Over at the National Review, Victor Davis Hanson has proven again that facts aren't nearly as important to the neo-cons as are glib-riffs on poll data. His latest piece is an attempt to cash in on the short attention span of Americans and take pleasure in the supposedly improving remembrance of the W years.
"Take the economy and the War on Terror. Americans were angry about the Bush-era deficits. But they look small now, after Obama trumped them in less than two years."
You can't argue with these guys. That his suppositions on matters of fact are false is one thing, but his part in the chorus of pundits who are pretending that context doesn't matter gives me pause.
So-called conservatives like Hanson remind me of some guy who, after blowing his savings on hookers, booze and poker, comes home and punches his wife in the mouth for reminding him that his kid needs braces.
Photo Caption Fun!
Sept. 16th, 2010
Here's the rules, kids. There aren't any. Just post what you think the caption should be for this photo. Don't be a drag, participate.
Our caption is, "Ich liebe das Vaterland so sehr macht es mein Schweiß Kugeln."
Yours?
Here's the rules, kids. There aren't any. Just post what you think the caption should be for this photo. Don't be a drag, participate.
 |
| "Ich liebe das Vaterland so sehr macht es mein Schweiß Kugeln" |
Yours?
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
The Marty Peretz Update
Sept 13th, 2010
Well, Marty Peretz has issued an "apology" for publishing this remark about American Muslims recently:
"So, yes, I wonder whether I need honor these people and pretend that they are worthy of the privileges of the First Amendment which I have in my gut the sense that they will abuse."
As of this afternoon, an update over the original post carries these words: "I have issued an apology for one sentence written below." The emphasis is mine. Not good enough, Marty.
The entire original piece was dripping with loathsome turns of phrase. Not just one unfortunate sentence.
The "apology" is worse than the offending article and I am not the only one who thinks the "apology" is bullshit. More to come...
Well, Marty Peretz has issued an "apology" for publishing this remark about American Muslims recently:
"So, yes, I wonder whether I need honor these people and pretend that they are worthy of the privileges of the First Amendment which I have in my gut the sense that they will abuse."
 |
| Marty Peretz - Lowlife Racist Motherfucker |
As of this afternoon, an update over the original post carries these words: "I have issued an apology for one sentence written below." The emphasis is mine. Not good enough, Marty.
The entire original piece was dripping with loathsome turns of phrase. Not just one unfortunate sentence.
The "apology" is worse than the offending article and I am not the only one who thinks the "apology" is bullshit. More to come...
Monday, September 13, 2010
The Season of Hate, ctd.
Sept. 13th, 2010
UPDATE: Marty has apologized. Sort of. Not good enough.
In the pages of the once venerable New Republic, Martin Peretz adds to the discussion of Islam in America with these chilling words:
"I wonder whether I need honor these people and pretend that they are worthy of the privileges of the First Amendment which I have in my gut the sense that they will abuse."
Peretz should be ashamed of himself. This has got to stop. People of good conscience should pass this along. What if they were saying things like this about Jews or Catholics?
UPDATE: Marty has apologized. Sort of. Not good enough.
In the pages of the once venerable New Republic, Martin Peretz adds to the discussion of Islam in America with these chilling words:
"I wonder whether I need honor these people and pretend that they are worthy of the privileges of the First Amendment which I have in my gut the sense that they will abuse."
Peretz should be ashamed of himself. This has got to stop. People of good conscience should pass this along. What if they were saying things like this about Jews or Catholics?
 |
| Martin Peretz |
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Newt, Dinesh and the Season of Hate
Sept 12th, 2010
UPDATE: THIS COLUMN WAS REFORMATTED VISUALLY 12/23/2010 NO CHANGES WERE MADE TO CONTENT
by F. Grey Parker
Newt Gingrich has outdone himself. It wasn't enough that yesterday he chose to mark the anniversary of 9/11 by releasing his Citizen's United propaganda DVD at $19.95 a pop. Nope, there's further contribution to our national dialog in the form of verbal bomb throwing over at the National Review.
“What if [Obama] is so outside our comprehension, that only if you understand Kenyan, anti-colonial behavior, can you begin to piece together [his actions]?” Gingrich asks. “That is the most accurate, predictive model for his behavior.”
In the interview, he cites and seems to draw strength from a recent anti-Obama hit piece in Forbes by Dinesh D'souza. Although his own inflammatory comments are getting the most coverage, I think it is this alignment with D'Souza that is both more telling and more offensive.
Hannity Deceptive? You bet.
Sept 12th, 2010
Hannity is clearly taking lessons from his pal, Breitbart.
Hannity is clearly taking lessons from his pal, Breitbart.
Excuse Me?
Sept 12th, 2010
Over at The Hill, Bernie Quigly has written what may be one the most poorly constructed Obama hit-pieces we've ever read. It rambles through the usual rightist memes while adding to the new victim-culture that is rotting away the conservative movement.
Then, there is this jaw-dropper ridiculing NY Mayor Bloomberg's very principled defense of the first amendment. "This is fetishistic and cultish: constitutionalism unanchored from reality to become a pseudo-or-secular religion and a crazy one."
Read that again. The basic support of our most cherished principle is "fetishistic and cultish"?
Over at The Hill, Bernie Quigly has written what may be one the most poorly constructed Obama hit-pieces we've ever read. It rambles through the usual rightist memes while adding to the new victim-culture that is rotting away the conservative movement.
Then, there is this jaw-dropper ridiculing NY Mayor Bloomberg's very principled defense of the first amendment. "This is fetishistic and cultish: constitutionalism unanchored from reality to become a pseudo-or-secular religion and a crazy one."
Read that again. The basic support of our most cherished principle is "fetishistic and cultish"?
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