James Frey, the writer whose fraud was revealed by The Smoking Gun, has lost his publisher. Penguin Group (Uk-based Pearson) will not publish his next two books. There is no sign that Random House (German-based Bertelsmann) regrets publishing his first book.
Scoundrel that he is, though, he still has a movie deal with Warner Bros. in the works. (Time Warner) But then, they own CNN and we know their problems with credibility.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Egregious headline
The headline flagrantly dishonest: "Supreme Court Backs Abortion Protesters."
The U.S. Supreme Court merely said that RICO and extortion laws could not be used against abortion protesters. It was always a despicable application of law under the Clinton administration to make free speech and assembly to protest a criminal offense.
That isn't backing abortion protesters. It's correcting a legal decision that should never have been made. The decision indicates that the justices agreed on that. It was 8-0 (Alito did not participate in the decision.)
The headline should have said: Supreme Court Backs Free Speech and Right of Assembly to Protest.
The U.S. Supreme Court merely said that RICO and extortion laws could not be used against abortion protesters. It was always a despicable application of law under the Clinton administration to make free speech and assembly to protest a criminal offense.
That isn't backing abortion protesters. It's correcting a legal decision that should never have been made. The decision indicates that the justices agreed on that. It was 8-0 (Alito did not participate in the decision.)
The headline should have said: Supreme Court Backs Free Speech and Right of Assembly to Protest.
Second Thoughts
I wish it represented second thoughts. New York senator David Paterson (D) introduced a bill to mandate that police "shoot to wound." He now says he has changed his mind and has dropped the bill.
It isn't second thought. He's a candidate for lieutenant governor and the first one to criticize was Eliot Spitzer, his running mate.
When did the (D) start standing for Dumb as Dirt?
It isn't second thought. He's a candidate for lieutenant governor and the first one to criticize was Eliot Spitzer, his running mate.
When did the (D) start standing for Dumb as Dirt?
EU support
The European Union authorized some $163 million in aid to Palestinians, despite a call for Hamas to disavow violence. Look at the breakdown.
Interesting.
The Palestinian Authority's utility company recently threatened to shut off the utilities when a $22 million check bounced. So, $54 million is understandable. But more than half (52%) of the funds are to go to the U.N.$54 million for the Palestinian Authority's power and utility bills, to be paid directly to the utilities.
$86 million for health and education projects, to be paid to the United Nations
$23 million for the salaries of Palestinian Authority workers, paid from an already created World Bank trust fund
Interesting.
Monday, February 27, 2006
Good for Bolton
The U.S. will vote against the new Human Rights Council.
For this reason. [Emphasis mine.]
If the goal is to replace the "widely criticized and highly politicized" Human Rights Commission that has been "attacked for allowing some of the worst-offending countries to use their membership to protect one another from condemnation or to criticize others" then how does a vote of 50% of the U.N. membership help change anything? The new Human Rights Council would immediately include the EXACT same despicable violaters that were on the old commission. But then, that's exactly what the U.N. wants.
For this reason. [Emphasis mine.]
Under the proposal, the 53-member Human Rights Commission would be replaced by a 47-member Human Rights Council elected by an absolute majority of the 191-member General Assembly -- 96 members -- not the two-thirds majority that Mr. Annan, the United States and human-rights campaigners had sought in an effort to keep human-rights abusers off.Naturally, "human rights groups and a dozen Nobel Peace prize winners urged the United States to support the new council, calling it a significant step forward."
If the goal is to replace the "widely criticized and highly politicized" Human Rights Commission that has been "attacked for allowing some of the worst-offending countries to use their membership to protect one another from condemnation or to criticize others" then how does a vote of 50% of the U.N. membership help change anything? The new Human Rights Council would immediately include the EXACT same despicable violaters that were on the old commission. But then, that's exactly what the U.N. wants.
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Facts, Just the Facts
Slowly the facts of the Dubai Ports World port contracts are emerging. Even from the Associated Press.
Tamil Tigers
A lengthy, but curiously unsigned article in the Toronto Star on the intimidation and extortion by the Tamil Tigers in the Sri-Lankan community in Toronto.
Canada does not consider the Tigers a terrorist organization, at least officially. But that might change in the next few months. In the meanwhile, human rights groups continue to document the abduction of children by the terrorist group.
The timeline of "Sri-Lankan Conflict" notes that in 2004 that the government of Sri Lanka agreed to share tsunami relief. It does not, however, remind anyone that the Sri Lankan governnment was pressured to do so by Bill Clinton. Bill Clinton was the official UN envoy for relief.
And the word "Marxist" doesn't appear in any of the Toronto Star's reporting.
Canada does not consider the Tigers a terrorist organization, at least officially. But that might change in the next few months. In the meanwhile, human rights groups continue to document the abduction of children by the terrorist group.
The timeline of "Sri-Lankan Conflict" notes that in 2004 that the government of Sri Lanka agreed to share tsunami relief. It does not, however, remind anyone that the Sri Lankan governnment was pressured to do so by Bill Clinton. Bill Clinton was the official UN envoy for relief.
The Clinton Foundation last month also launched a $45 million appeal with the U.N. Children's Fund, UNICEF, to provide clean water and sanitation in tsunami-ravaged areas. UNICEF took a leading role in coordinating foreign aid for children shortly after the disaster.But, apparently, the relief for children does not include relief from being forceably inducted into the Tamil Tiger army although Human Rights Watch has pushed for UNICEF and the UN to act.
And the word "Marxist" doesn't appear in any of the Toronto Star's reporting.
Saturday, February 25, 2006
Who Doesn't Get it???
I hate to quote from anything at the New York Times-owned International Herald Tribune. They are so uniformly PC and plain wrong that it makes me question my own thinking when something they print makes a modicum of sense.
Nevertheless, Matthew Rojansky's "Europe doesn't get free speech" makes partial sense, especially in this observation in condemning the prosecution of David Irving.
The Left has no coherence. The European Convention of Human Rights was written and continues to be used to trump the laws of nations, an excuse for elected governments to collaborate in the process of de-legitimizing the nation state. Vichy socialism is the norm in Europe. The Cartoon War, radical mosques in European countries, and the Paris riots are all testaments to the failure of multiculturalism. And the lack of western media to support free speech in the Danish cartoon controversy shows a decided hypocrisy in criticizing anyone on the issue.
Nevertheless, Matthew Rojansky's "Europe doesn't get free speech" makes partial sense, especially in this observation in condemning the prosecution of David Irving.
The European Convention on Human Rights, which legally binds all EU states and supersedes domestic law, explicitly guarantees "the right to freedom of expression" including "the freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority."Unfortunately for his case, he then goes on to blame the problem on Europe for suppressing Muslims' right to dress as their religion dictates, meaning in French schools. And from there the whole article degenerates into the kind of babble we fully expect from the Left as he urges European governments to tolerance and respect for different cultures and beliefs.. etc etc. As if that isn't already the crux of the problem.
This provision is in keeping not only with the U.S. Bill of Rights, but with the central instruments of international human rights law to which Europe and America claim adherence. Yet Europe's interpretation of free expression has diverged markedly from America's broad deference to First Amendment freedoms of speech, assembly and religion.
The Left has no coherence. The European Convention of Human Rights was written and continues to be used to trump the laws of nations, an excuse for elected governments to collaborate in the process of de-legitimizing the nation state. Vichy socialism is the norm in Europe. The Cartoon War, radical mosques in European countries, and the Paris riots are all testaments to the failure of multiculturalism. And the lack of western media to support free speech in the Danish cartoon controversy shows a decided hypocrisy in criticizing anyone on the issue.
MEDICAL TRAGEDIES
EUTHANASIA DURING KATRINA
Court documents and reports are disturbing. That a hospital in New Orleans gave lethal injections during hurricane Katrina. Reportedly, an unknown number of patients on the 7th floor of the New Orleans Memorial Medical Center hospital were euthanized. Some, but not all were "do not resuscitate". The conditions in the hospital were bad. No power, lack of sanitation, soaring temperatures and fear of looters were all factors.
The Louisiana State Attorney General has been investigating since September. Subpoenas have been issued.
One can only speculate that the overhype of the widespread looting and lawlessness, the breakdown in New Orleans government response, the failure of law enforcement, the lack of preparedness by the hospital, and the 24-hour news despair cycle may have contributed to what may have been hospital personnel anxiety and desire to leave. Killing their patients seem to have been their exit strategy. At least that might be a factor, but there is probably another reason as well.
It is probably the same reason that the Martin Luther King Jr./Drew Medical Center story has not generated a lot of national media attention either.
DREW MEDICAL CENTER
In Los Angeles, county-owned Martin Luther King Jr./Drew Medical Center, self described as the only black medical school west of the Mississippi, lost accreditation due to health and safety violations. Despite "a poor standard of care" and "multiple cases of unnecessary loss of life over the past years" and "incompetence [that] caused at least three deaths in the heart unit" and a number of other gross violations, where nurses did not have certifications for basic life support -- despite all that -- the hospital stayed open because, as the Los Angeles Times points out, "Community pride, timid county leadership stand in the way of a remedy." Plus Maxine Waters, the civil rights industry in Los Angeles, and community activists from Watts where the hospital is located. Mind you, it was a teaching hospital where medical students from Drew got their training.
Read the whole horror story. The series is here.
Newsday grasped the problem.
Both hospitals serve almost exclusively black populations. I can find no reports on the New Orleans hospital to suggest that the level of day to day negligence was the same as the Los Angeles Country-owned Martin Luther King hospital, but surely someone should ask the question whether the black population is best served by identity politics in medicine?
IDENTITY POLITICS
Read the preface of William McGowan's book, Coloring the News to see how identify politics is so destructive. Lethal in the case of medicine. In light of New Orleans Memorial Medical Center and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Trauma Center, shouldn't we be asking if blacks are served by such political shanigans and low standards?
Court documents and reports are disturbing. That a hospital in New Orleans gave lethal injections during hurricane Katrina. Reportedly, an unknown number of patients on the 7th floor of the New Orleans Memorial Medical Center hospital were euthanized. Some, but not all were "do not resuscitate". The conditions in the hospital were bad. No power, lack of sanitation, soaring temperatures and fear of looters were all factors.
The Louisiana State Attorney General has been investigating since September. Subpoenas have been issued.
One can only speculate that the overhype of the widespread looting and lawlessness, the breakdown in New Orleans government response, the failure of law enforcement, the lack of preparedness by the hospital, and the 24-hour news despair cycle may have contributed to what may have been hospital personnel anxiety and desire to leave. Killing their patients seem to have been their exit strategy. At least that might be a factor, but there is probably another reason as well.
It is probably the same reason that the Martin Luther King Jr./Drew Medical Center story has not generated a lot of national media attention either.
DREW MEDICAL CENTER
In Los Angeles, county-owned Martin Luther King Jr./Drew Medical Center, self described as the only black medical school west of the Mississippi, lost accreditation due to health and safety violations. Despite "a poor standard of care" and "multiple cases of unnecessary loss of life over the past years" and "incompetence [that] caused at least three deaths in the heart unit" and a number of other gross violations, where nurses did not have certifications for basic life support -- despite all that -- the hospital stayed open because, as the Los Angeles Times points out, "Community pride, timid county leadership stand in the way of a remedy." Plus Maxine Waters, the civil rights industry in Los Angeles, and community activists from Watts where the hospital is located. Mind you, it was a teaching hospital where medical students from Drew got their training.
Read the whole horror story. The series is here.
Newsday grasped the problem.
How did things go so wrong for so long before anyone acted to fix them?The trauma center at Drew was finally closed. Years too late.
A closer reading of King/Drew's history offers a clue. What goes unsaid of the hospital born of the 1965 riots is that it was conceived as much to create jobs as to heal patients.
Both hospitals serve almost exclusively black populations. I can find no reports on the New Orleans hospital to suggest that the level of day to day negligence was the same as the Los Angeles Country-owned Martin Luther King hospital, but surely someone should ask the question whether the black population is best served by identity politics in medicine?
IDENTITY POLITICS
Read the preface of William McGowan's book, Coloring the News to see how identify politics is so destructive. Lethal in the case of medicine. In light of New Orleans Memorial Medical Center and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Trauma Center, shouldn't we be asking if blacks are served by such political shanigans and low standards?
Friday, February 24, 2006
Crime of Insensitivity
The proliferation of insensitivity crimes continues. This time, Ron "Red" Livingstone, mayor of London, has been castigated for his "unnecessarily insensitive and offensive" remarks to an Evening Standard reporter last year." Livingstone has been suspended for four weeks.
Powerline on Livingstone. On the other hand, Michael Barone is not opposed to "halocaust denial" being a crime.
Powerline on Livingstone. On the other hand, Michael Barone is not opposed to "halocaust denial" being a crime.
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Shoot To Wound
New York State Senator David Paterson has introduced legislation that would require police to shoot to wound rather than use deadly force. In addition, the bill provides for a second-degree manslaughter charge "specifically for an officer who "uses more than the minimal amount necessary" to stop a crime suspect."
Paterson is on Eliot Spitzer's ticket as Lieutenant Governor. Scarey.
UPDATE: Spitzer has distanced himself from the legislation, saying that he didn't think "it will go anywhere." (At least before the election.)
Paterson is on Eliot Spitzer's ticket as Lieutenant Governor. Scarey.
UPDATE: Spitzer has distanced himself from the legislation, saying that he didn't think "it will go anywhere." (At least before the election.)
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
LIBERALISM AND GNOSTICISM
In life, sometimes you stumble upon a book and think yourself lucky to have found it. It becomes a treasured friend, a source of guildance, a spark of joy. I found a blogger at The Doctor Is In - that has the same wonderful appeal.
This 2004 essay on Liberalism and Gnosticism is only one of his great writings.
This 2004 essay on Liberalism and Gnosticism is only one of his great writings.
HO HUM
Take the headline: "Mosque Attack Pushes Iraq Toward Civil War" with a grain of salt (or cynicism, depending on your degree of disdain.) Many of these most "holiest shrines" end up being, well, more functional. It's an AP story.
The sub-text, of course, is our MSM rooting for a civil war. It's their new strategy. First the Hamas win by default that is hardly real empowerment for them hyped to ridiculous levels, and then the cartoon protests to whip up the unemployed muslim mass, then the radicals hope to provoke a civil war by the bombing. Exploiting all of this is the MSM quoting insignificant, predictably unnamed muslim "political leaders" to stoke the flames.
They are so predictable.
The sub-text, of course, is our MSM rooting for a civil war. It's their new strategy. First the Hamas win by default that is hardly real empowerment for them hyped to ridiculous levels, and then the cartoon protests to whip up the unemployed muslim mass, then the radicals hope to provoke a civil war by the bombing. Exploiting all of this is the MSM quoting insignificant, predictably unnamed muslim "political leaders" to stoke the flames.
They are so predictable.
HEART WRENCHING
SOB STORY FROM Los Angeles Times
Even shorter version: Democrat party in California loses cash cow. Los Angeles Times weeps.
Ludlow, who is black, brought a compelling personal story to his public and union posts. At 9 months old, he was adopted by a white Methodist minister and his wife in Idaho who were longtime activists for a number of social causes. After moving to Los Angeles, he enter the political world and eventually served as Villaraigosa's deputy chief of staff when he served as state Assembly speaker.Without the sentimental bunk and bad grammar, the brief is Mark Ludlow was deputy chief of staff to current Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villariagosa when Villariagosa was California State Assembly speaker. Ludlow took school workers union dough and union-supplied campaign workers to get himself elected to the Los Angeles City Council. He later resigned council post to become sec-treasure for the union and then was elected to head of it. He now has to resign from that self-same union and is gonna plead on the charges.
Even shorter version: Democrat party in California loses cash cow. Los Angeles Times weeps.
RANT OF THE DAY
It sounds like legal extortion of business by local and state governments, doesn't it, as the newest victim being paint companies and the alleged injuries from lead paint.
In Rhode Island, three paint makers were found guilty of "creating a public nuisance that continues to poison children." The fourth defendant, DuPont Co. was dropped from the lawsuit after they agreed to pay millions to the "nonprofit Children's Health Forum for lead paint remdiation, public education, and compliance programs in Rhode Island."
It sounds an awful lot like Jesse Jackson's scheme of threatening companies with boycotts and bad publicity and then happily taking a donation to go away.
Wisconsin is debating whether to reinstitute their lawsuit against the paint manufacturers that was dismissed once before.
The companies will, of course, appeal and it is likely they will win on appeal and the damages will be minimal. The real cost is to our legal concept of fairness and common sense. Holding companies responsible for products made 25 years ago or more -- lead paint sales have been banned since 1978 -- is ludicrous.
Even more ludicrous is the Rhode Island Children's Health Forum list of supporters that includes Innovative Family Partnerships and Children's Service Society of Wisconsin that are both non-profits ---- amazing coincidence here ---- in Wisconsin. All appear to be strikingly similar to the NGOs through which the United Nations funnels their aid money. The most disturbing part about many of these NGOs is the inclusion of former politicians, Democrat party personnel and black civil rights industry people on their boards, advisory committees, and their day-to-day operations and the interdependence of NGOs and incumbent Democrat party governments.
In Rhode Island, three paint makers were found guilty of "creating a public nuisance that continues to poison children." The fourth defendant, DuPont Co. was dropped from the lawsuit after they agreed to pay millions to the "nonprofit Children's Health Forum for lead paint remdiation, public education, and compliance programs in Rhode Island."
It sounds an awful lot like Jesse Jackson's scheme of threatening companies with boycotts and bad publicity and then happily taking a donation to go away.
Wisconsin is debating whether to reinstitute their lawsuit against the paint manufacturers that was dismissed once before.
The companies will, of course, appeal and it is likely they will win on appeal and the damages will be minimal. The real cost is to our legal concept of fairness and common sense. Holding companies responsible for products made 25 years ago or more -- lead paint sales have been banned since 1978 -- is ludicrous.
Even more ludicrous is the Rhode Island Children's Health Forum list of supporters that includes Innovative Family Partnerships and Children's Service Society of Wisconsin that are both non-profits ---- amazing coincidence here ---- in Wisconsin. All appear to be strikingly similar to the NGOs through which the United Nations funnels their aid money. The most disturbing part about many of these NGOs is the inclusion of former politicians, Democrat party personnel and black civil rights industry people on their boards, advisory committees, and their day-to-day operations and the interdependence of NGOs and incumbent Democrat party governments.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
FANTASY, PURE FANTASY
It's a great story. Corrupt governments propping themselves up by pretending piousness, outed by fearless journalists who, with the same X-ray vision Superman used, sees through the game.
You can sense all that in this story in the New York Times on "Furor Over Cartoons Pits Muslim Against Muslim". The problem is the plot falls apart on the first page. The Arab fury, we are told, is a political struggle involving the "emerging Islamic movements like Hamas in Gaza and the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and the Arab governments unsure of how to contain them."
Unfortunately, for the plot, Hamas is not new and the Muslim Brotherhood dates back to 1928. Both have been largely marginalized and contained for decades by Arab governments in every country except Palestine where extremism has been encouraged to flourish by - drumroll - the media. Hamas has only recently gained limited political power because Yassir Arafat's death gutted the Fatah party. (He did a lot of gutting, quite literally, while he was alive, careful to eliminate competitors for his job and any possible successors lest he be urged to move on prematurely.)
If you believe the plot of the "We Is Wonderful" script offered up by the NYTimes, you find all journalists are moderate, governments are persecuting them, and the war of the cartoons is nearly over because a wave of regret is sweeping "some circles". All aided by journalists, of course. Acting on the courage of their conviction that it is work of journalists to inform.
If someone asked you to write a story to rehabilitate journalism's image after the blatant cowardice of the Western media in their failure to publish the cartoons or offer support for free speech, or for fired editors, or real journalists who really do have guts, this story would be it.
Look for it next year at the Sundance Festival.
You can sense all that in this story in the New York Times on "Furor Over Cartoons Pits Muslim Against Muslim". The problem is the plot falls apart on the first page. The Arab fury, we are told, is a political struggle involving the "emerging Islamic movements like Hamas in Gaza and the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and the Arab governments unsure of how to contain them."
Unfortunately, for the plot, Hamas is not new and the Muslim Brotherhood dates back to 1928. Both have been largely marginalized and contained for decades by Arab governments in every country except Palestine where extremism has been encouraged to flourish by - drumroll - the media. Hamas has only recently gained limited political power because Yassir Arafat's death gutted the Fatah party. (He did a lot of gutting, quite literally, while he was alive, careful to eliminate competitors for his job and any possible successors lest he be urged to move on prematurely.)
If you believe the plot of the "We Is Wonderful" script offered up by the NYTimes, you find all journalists are moderate, governments are persecuting them, and the war of the cartoons is nearly over because a wave of regret is sweeping "some circles". All aided by journalists, of course. Acting on the courage of their conviction that it is work of journalists to inform.
If someone asked you to write a story to rehabilitate journalism's image after the blatant cowardice of the Western media in their failure to publish the cartoons or offer support for free speech, or for fired editors, or real journalists who really do have guts, this story would be it.
Look for it next year at the Sundance Festival.
Olympics
As I have said before, I don't do the Olympics. But it is worthwhile sometimes to remember why.
Theatrics on display.
I would check this list against the U.N. Food-for-Oil oil smuggling list.
Quickly buried by our MSM in order to keep NBC from being sold again, was the dismal attendance and the scandals at the last Olympics. It was so bad the Globe and Mail worried that it would be the end of the games.
We should be so lucky.
Theatrics on display.
I would check this list against the U.N. Food-for-Oil oil smuggling list.
Quickly buried by our MSM in order to keep NBC from being sold again, was the dismal attendance and the scandals at the last Olympics. It was so bad the Globe and Mail worried that it would be the end of the games.
We should be so lucky.
Baltimore Port Deal - No Big Deal
Jonah Goldberg weighs in. Blogger Squiggler has an essential post to help understand the issues. Bloggerbeer has some perspective. As has Lakeshore Laments. White House Press Release.
What it amounts to is bandwagon politics, cheap political shots, and lack of information. If we really worried about our ports, we would have been deeply disturbed when New Jersey Governor Jim McGreery (D) appointed Charles Kushner to the New York New Jersey Port Authority and nominated him to head the agency. Now THAT was spooky. Make sure to check link to Kushner and his attorneys.
What it amounts to is bandwagon politics, cheap political shots, and lack of information. If we really worried about our ports, we would have been deeply disturbed when New Jersey Governor Jim McGreery (D) appointed Charles Kushner to the New York New Jersey Port Authority and nominated him to head the agency. Now THAT was spooky. Make sure to check link to Kushner and his attorneys.
Violent laptop salesmen arraigned
The Justice Department has charged three in Toledo, Ohio, with conspiracy to commit terrorist acts against Americans overseas and providing material support to terrorists.
Their names are Mohammad Zaki Amawi, Marwan Othman El-Hindi, and Wassim Mazloum. The press release states that all three lived in Toledo, Ohio, one was caught in Jordan while trying to deliver five laptops to other terrorists.
No doubt, the AP is busy trying to figure out how to describe them without using the word "terrorist" in any of the copy. Maybe they are just violent laptop salesmen.
Their names are Mohammad Zaki Amawi, Marwan Othman El-Hindi, and Wassim Mazloum. The press release states that all three lived in Toledo, Ohio, one was caught in Jordan while trying to deliver five laptops to other terrorists.
No doubt, the AP is busy trying to figure out how to describe them without using the word "terrorist" in any of the copy. Maybe they are just violent laptop salesmen.
BRIEF
BRITISH SOCIALISM
The wonderful thing about the internet is that you actually get to read what socialism means and who it appeals to. Heh
(Ever notice how many Lefties are 'performers" of some sort? I presume this is because they either can't make a living at what they do, or, if they do, they feel so unappreciated that they resent reality.)
MORE ON IRVING
David Irving tidbit. The Times of London reported in an article on Irving that 158 people had been convicted of Halocaust Denialin Austria since 1999, a handful of them imprisoned. Irving sued Deborah Lipstadt in 2000 and lost the lawsuit. Her reaction to the sentence?
The wonderful thing about the internet is that you actually get to read what socialism means and who it appeals to. Heh
(Ever notice how many Lefties are 'performers" of some sort? I presume this is because they either can't make a living at what they do, or, if they do, they feel so unappreciated that they resent reality.)
MORE ON IRVING
David Irving tidbit. The Times of London reported in an article on Irving that 158 people had been convicted of Halocaust Denialin Austria since 1999, a handful of them imprisoned. Irving sued Deborah Lipstadt in 2000 and lost the lawsuit. Her reaction to the sentence?
She said yesterday: “He should have been met by the sound of one hand clapping. The one thing he deserves, he really deserves, is obscurity.”Exactly.
Eugenics . . . (again)
Those Dutch are so progressive. Euthanasia, drug cafes, and now compulsory abortions for irresponsible mothers, drug addicts and the mentally handicapped.
That sounds so familiar, doesn't it?
That sounds so familiar, doesn't it?
Europe panics
The assault against free speech continues. In Germany a man will go on trial for printing the word "Koran" on toilet paper and sending it to a mosque.
UPDATE: Feb. 23, 2006 Convicted, he was sentenced to 1 year suspended sentence and 300 hours of community work. One can only wonder at the typical European disregard for consistency of law.
UPDATE: Feb. 23, 2006 Convicted, he was sentenced to 1 year suspended sentence and 300 hours of community work. One can only wonder at the typical European disregard for consistency of law.
Judge Carsten Krumm told the 61-year-old retired businessman that the penalty was increased to one year because of the worldwide political controversy in the past month over cartoons that Muslims regard as offensive because they depict the Prophet Mohammed.
"The significance of what you did became far greater through the world political situation," the judge said.
Monday, February 20, 2006
AP Perfidy
Another one of those guerilla-who-isn't-a-terrorist shot dead stories from our very own AP.
Pitiful journalism
Reading this Time mag story on the Smoking Gun expose of author James Frey, two things struck me.
One, the subtitle: "How the suits behind the website that took down best-selling author James Frey plan to cash in" is spurious. First, the Smoking Gun didn't "take down" Frey. They exposed his fraud. Anyone remotely respecting the truth would applaud that. That is, everyone but Time.
Two, the first paragraph of the article implies that Oprah Winfrey was responsible in some way for uncovering Frey. The writer deliberately distorts the chronology to make it look like Oprah did the outing. Or, at least, should share the credit. She had no part in their investigation. Her subsequent on camera "shredding" as Time would call it, was more to salvage her reputation than castigate Frey for his literary fraud. (Fraud is a word not used once by the writer.)
The whole article bears the unmistakable stamp of behind-the-scenes editors whispering, "Don't mention Oprah's appearance on Larry King defending Frey." and "Don't give em credit. We need to infer they are money-grubbing bastards. Not journalists like us. You know, real investigative reporters."
Yeah.
One, the subtitle: "How the suits behind the website that took down best-selling author James Frey plan to cash in" is spurious. First, the Smoking Gun didn't "take down" Frey. They exposed his fraud. Anyone remotely respecting the truth would applaud that. That is, everyone but Time.
Two, the first paragraph of the article implies that Oprah Winfrey was responsible in some way for uncovering Frey. The writer deliberately distorts the chronology to make it look like Oprah did the outing. Or, at least, should share the credit. She had no part in their investigation. Her subsequent on camera "shredding" as Time would call it, was more to salvage her reputation than castigate Frey for his literary fraud. (Fraud is a word not used once by the writer.)
The whole article bears the unmistakable stamp of behind-the-scenes editors whispering, "Don't mention Oprah's appearance on Larry King defending Frey." and "Don't give em credit. We need to infer they are money-grubbing bastards. Not journalists like us. You know, real investigative reporters."
Yeah.
Politicizing intelligence?
David Irving
Our very own Associated Press (owned by our very own MSM) reports that "Right-wing British historian David Irving" pleaded guilty of denying the Holocaust and was sentenced to three years in jail for the crime of giving two speeches. He appeared in court in handcuffs. And he isn't the only European on trial after being deported from Canada.
Aside from the slam at the "right", there is hypocrisy of the media. On one hand they claim their championship of "freedom of speech" but show no outrage when speech is declared a criminal offense. Not suprising since the MSM were also in favor of criminalizing "hate speech" too. And they find the Danish cartoons too offensive to print in a burst of sensitivity they do not show Christianity. It isn't an issue of free speech for the press and media and not for us. It is Big Brother. Who gets to decide is the issue.
I deplore what Irving thinks. I also deplore most of the speeches of Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Louis Farakkhan and the rest of the race baiting industry leaders. I deplore the speeches of Al Gore for the utter shamelessnes and pandering and lunacy. And everytime I hear Paul Begala and the skinhead who is married to that other loser consultant, I feel disgusted. And Howard Dean is an advertisement for the need for anti-depressants. There isn't a one of them I would not march for in the streets if they were arrested for their speech. Not because I like them, but because human dignity demands freedom to think and speak.
It's a dignity they would deny every one of us if they could.
Aside from the slam at the "right", there is hypocrisy of the media. On one hand they claim their championship of "freedom of speech" but show no outrage when speech is declared a criminal offense. Not suprising since the MSM were also in favor of criminalizing "hate speech" too. And they find the Danish cartoons too offensive to print in a burst of sensitivity they do not show Christianity. It isn't an issue of free speech for the press and media and not for us. It is Big Brother. Who gets to decide is the issue.
I deplore what Irving thinks. I also deplore most of the speeches of Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Louis Farakkhan and the rest of the race baiting industry leaders. I deplore the speeches of Al Gore for the utter shamelessnes and pandering and lunacy. And everytime I hear Paul Begala and the skinhead who is married to that other loser consultant, I feel disgusted. And Howard Dean is an advertisement for the need for anti-depressants. There isn't a one of them I would not march for in the streets if they were arrested for their speech. Not because I like them, but because human dignity demands freedom to think and speak.
It's a dignity they would deny every one of us if they could.
Hall of Shame
I don't follow the Olympics, primarily because of the corrupt IOC (International Olympics Committee.) So I am not surprised at the Austrian dope scandal. Only the scale.
Not only did the team use the drugs, but their coach fled, raced back to Austria, stuck a police officer with his car in an escape attempt and then slammed into a police car, totaling both. This isn't a doping story. It is criminality and it goes hand in hand with the corruption of the IOC.
This also true about most American sports who, like the IOC, recieve most of their revenue stream from American media for television rights. Whether doping for the Olympics or doping for baseball, the coaches ought to be banned for life and the players banned for 10 years minimum. First offense. Doping isn't just cheating. It is drug addiction. And the MSM is a large part of the problem for not insisting on higher standards. So, too, are the viewers.
Not only did the team use the drugs, but their coach fled, raced back to Austria, stuck a police officer with his car in an escape attempt and then slammed into a police car, totaling both. This isn't a doping story. It is criminality and it goes hand in hand with the corruption of the IOC.
This also true about most American sports who, like the IOC, recieve most of their revenue stream from American media for television rights. Whether doping for the Olympics or doping for baseball, the coaches ought to be banned for life and the players banned for 10 years minimum. First offense. Doping isn't just cheating. It is drug addiction. And the MSM is a large part of the problem for not insisting on higher standards. So, too, are the viewers.
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Silly AP Buggers
The U.S. has frozen the assets of a group that funnels money to Hamas. But the real story is how the Associated Press describes Hamas as a "militant organization." And then this distortion.
Like this doesn't say it all?
The United States considers Hamas, now the most powerful political group in the Palestinian parliament, a terrorist group.Like the State Department under Bill Clinton didn't????!!!! Like multicultural Canada doesn't? Like multicultural, socialist European Union does not??
Like this doesn't say it all?
Pragmatic terrorism
Interesting tidbit. [Bolding mine]
The Toronto Star does not acknowledge the fact that Hamas' ruling party can't exactly rule. This is how they see Hamas taking charge.
Which is why Ismail Haniyeh was nominated as prime minister. Considered a leader of Hamas' "pragmatic wing", this term seems to be one that Hamas has chosen to describe Haniyeh in their text messaging to media outlets. Whether or not he is "pragmatic" or even "moderate" as some describe him is questionable. Note that Hamas is still a "militant group" to the Associated Press. Maybe that's because the U.N. is still debating the definition of "terrorism". (Little surprise considering the composition of the UN's Counter-Terrorism Committee and the fact that U.N. relief agencies employ Hamas members on their staff, a fact deplored by no less than Jerrod Nadler.)
The [Israeli] cabinet decision Sunday [to withhold tax receipts] means Israel will halt the transfer of about $50 million US in taxes it collects monthly on behalf of the Palestinians under a 1994 economic accord. That money accounts for nearly half of the Palestinian Authority's payroll and could compromise the ability of the Palestinian government - the largest employers in the territories - to pay salaries.Also of note is the leftwing Toronto Star admitting that Hamas has killed hundred of Israelis. They do not, however, go so far as to call them a Terrorist organization, despite the fact that the EU, Canada, and United State do. (The BBC leaves Canada off their list of countries that list Hamas as terrorists - Hamas was removed from list by Chrétien for a time. The CBC quibbles that they are a group associated with terrorists despite this definition by the Canadian government.)
The Toronto Star does not acknowledge the fact that Hamas' ruling party can't exactly rule. This is how they see Hamas taking charge.
About a dozen newly elected lawmakers are imprisoned in Israeli jails and one is in a Palestinian prison. Two others could not attend as they are fugitives from Israel.The Globe and Mail, to their credit, put it into that inconvenience into perspective.
Which is why Ismail Haniyeh was nominated as prime minister. Considered a leader of Hamas' "pragmatic wing", this term seems to be one that Hamas has chosen to describe Haniyeh in their text messaging to media outlets. Whether or not he is "pragmatic" or even "moderate" as some describe him is questionable. Note that Hamas is still a "militant group" to the Associated Press. Maybe that's because the U.N. is still debating the definition of "terrorism". (Little surprise considering the composition of the UN's Counter-Terrorism Committee and the fact that U.N. relief agencies employ Hamas members on their staff, a fact deplored by no less than Jerrod Nadler.)
Laugh a Minute Liberals
First it was assault rifles, then registering guns in a $2 billion (with a B) gun registry. Now Liberals in Canada are after toy guns. I kid you not.
They're pushing for a law that " makes the possession of toy guns in public by anyone under the age of 18 liable to a fine of $150" similar to the one passed in one town.
I guess Christmas Story isn't gonna play well in Canada. Liberals aren't even pretending to be sane nowadays.
UPDATE: There are exceptions. Heh
They're pushing for a law that " makes the possession of toy guns in public by anyone under the age of 18 liable to a fine of $150" similar to the one passed in one town.
I guess Christmas Story isn't gonna play well in Canada. Liberals aren't even pretending to be sane nowadays.
UPDATE: There are exceptions. Heh
Saturday, February 18, 2006
WHEN PR FLACKS WRITE COPY
NBC can't beat FOX in ratings but....
Meanwhile, NBCOlympics.com soundly beat the 'American Idol' site in visitation through Sunday, according to Nielsen/NetRatings, even as the Fox singing contest crushed the Olympics on television Tuesday and Wednesday.Oh, yeah. That's a measurement of popularity.
Standing up
The editor and publisher of the Rocky Mountain News on his decision to print the cartoons and the reaction of the public which was overwhelming favorable.
This whole experience of publishing these cartoons has been enough for me to want to wear a Danish flag pin in solidarity with that country and to regret - at least during this test of journalism's commitment to free speech - my membership in the American Society of Newspaper Editors.Not everyone in the media is a spineless, groveling coward. Some actually do stand up for free speech and freedom. Very few. John Temple is one of them.
Friday, February 17, 2006
Blessed by our Enemies
Just when you think Democrats can't sink any lower, there's the Democrat from Dallas seeking election to the Texas House of Representatives who once worked as a prostitute. He was male escort. (And Mary Kay salesman.)
He was endorsed by fellow Democrats. He was also a member of the Dallas Citizen Police Review Board. That's just what police need - oversight by a male hooker. Hey, but it's not his fault! He was quick to point out he was abused physically and emotionally and sexually as a child.
Then there is Alex Baldwin calling Vice President Cheney a terrorist.
Richard Dreyfuss is still building monuments on top of mountains to try to lure space aliens to land. No doubt to help in his call for impeachment of President Bush. He is also calling for a return to the principle of civility while he calls Bill O'Reilly Mr. Smarty-Pants.
Thank God these people are not on my side.
He was endorsed by fellow Democrats. He was also a member of the Dallas Citizen Police Review Board. That's just what police need - oversight by a male hooker. Hey, but it's not his fault! He was quick to point out he was abused physically and emotionally and sexually as a child.
Then there is Alex Baldwin calling Vice President Cheney a terrorist.
Richard Dreyfuss is still building monuments on top of mountains to try to lure space aliens to land. No doubt to help in his call for impeachment of President Bush. He is also calling for a return to the principle of civility while he calls Bill O'Reilly Mr. Smarty-Pants.
Thank God these people are not on my side.
Manufactured Outrage
Charles Krauthammer on the White House press corps performance:
"as a psychiatrist I found the groups I ran for inpatient schizophrenics far more civilized".
And they were probably less hypocritical than our MSM.
"as a psychiatrist I found the groups I ran for inpatient schizophrenics far more civilized".
And they were probably less hypocritical than our MSM.
Secrecy? This was hardly an affair of state. And it was hardly going to be kept secret. Arrogance? The media laying these charges are the same media that just last week unilaterally decided that the public's right to know did not extend to seeing cartoons that had aroused half the world, burned a small part of it and deeply affected the American national interest. Having arrogated to themselves the judgment of what a free people should be allowed to see regarding an issue that is literally burning, they then go ballistic over a few hours' delay in revealing an accident with only the most trivial connection to the nation's interest or purpose.It's called foaming for the cameras, the same mob instinct you see in the Middle East in the manufactured riots. Manufactured outrage is an artform perfected by the Left.
Cheney got a judgment call wrong, for reasons that are entirely comprehensible. The disproportionate, at times hysterical, response to that error is far less comprehensible.
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Knight-Ridder
Knight-Ridder newspapers are up for sale. But the possible buyers and backers are unexpected. The Newspaper Guild-Communications Workers of America will be financed by Yucaipa.
I guess we should not be surprised. To begin with, the newspaper unions helped drive out competition in the 1960s with long strikes against other newspapers to give us single newspaper cities. The remaining newspapers, like the Los Angeles Times, are ultra-liberal with an unfailing allegiance to the Democrat party, left liberalism, the cult of celebrity, and advocacy journalism. Everything, in fact, except good newspapers.
I guess we should not be surprised. To begin with, the newspaper unions helped drive out competition in the 1960s with long strikes against other newspapers to give us single newspaper cities. The remaining newspapers, like the Los Angeles Times, are ultra-liberal with an unfailing allegiance to the Democrat party, left liberalism, the cult of celebrity, and advocacy journalism. Everything, in fact, except good newspapers.
Olympics Ratings
Olympics ratings are not good but the folks at NBC console themselves.
NBC notes that its viewership is down 22 percent since Nagano in 1998. At the same time, the World Series is down 21 percent, and the Academy Awards down 27 percent _ proof that big events in general have less pull than they used to, the network said.Trust the MSM to put the best spin on their loss of hegemony. Those big events were worth watching once - before multi-million dollar sport salaries for creepy, ill-behaved athletes and poor sportsmanship in sports and movie stars began to believe they were political geniuses. And before studios wanted to "send messages."
GOOGLE SHAME
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
Google's Elliot Schrage in response to Congressional inquiry about Google's cooperation with authorities.
Google's Elliot Schrage in response to Congressional inquiry about Google's cooperation with authorities.
Google decided to enter China because it thought it 'will make a meaningful, though imperfect, contribution to the overall expansion of access to information in China.'Echoes of CNN to justify their complicity in supressing stories in Iraq in a deal with Saddam Hussein.
Spoiled Brat Media
Thomas Sowell on our "Spoiled brat media"
There is nothing in the Constitution or the laws that says that the media have a right to be in the White House at all, much less to have press conferences.As in partial birth abortions and John Kerry's war records.
This has become a customary courtesy over the years, but courtesy is a two-way street, except for those in the media who act like spoiled brats, as if they have some inherent right to whatever serves their institutional, career, or ideological purposes.
The media love to wrap themselves in the mantle of 'the public's right to know' but there is no such dedication to that right when it goes against the journalists' own prejudices.
The "public's right to know" apparently extends only to such things as will not cause the public to reach conclusions different from those of the liberal media.Read the whole thing.
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
AP-AOL Black Poll
An Associated Press story about an AP-AOL poll of 600 blacks about black leadership made sure you KNEW this upfront.
Louis Farrakhan outpolled Oprah Winfrey which must be a surprise to our media. Martin Luther King got 3% (a tie with Oprah) which must be a surprise to the professionals in the race industry.
The greatest suprise. Of those polled, the two Republicans polled 19% together, a clear choice over Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton combined (17%) OR Obama, Farrakhan, Winfrey and MLK combined (18%).
LEADERSHIP
Oddly, the AP story concluded that two-thirds thought their leaders were effective and one-third who didn't which TOTALLY ignores this follow-on sentence from the official AP-AOL press release. [Bolding mine]
POLL RESULTS
The poll was conducted by Ipso Public Affairs, the Canadian Liberal party public opinion firm of choice. Poll Results LINK
Some of the poll questions and answers yielded suprises, like this one.
6. When slang words that originated in the black community are adopted by mainstream America, is that mostly a good thing or mostly a bad thing?
Some 47% said bad. Only 38% said it was good. Hip hop wasn't admired either.
The pollsters do not explain why the demographics of the poll are skewed toward the South (54%) and women (55%) over men (45%). Nor why, in a poll of blacks, 2 Hispanics were included.
Many blacks question whether any one person can wear the leadership mantle for such a large and diverse group of people. At the same time, two-thirds in the poll said leaders in their communities were effective representatives of their interests.That's because the poll found 15% named Jesse Jackson and 11% named Condoleeza Rice. But a STUNNING one-third declined to volunteer a name at all. Think about that figure for a moment. In polling 600 individuals, some 200 could think of no black leader. That isn't questioning whether one person could wear the "leadership mantle." It's really a question of media-promoted black leadership vs. others.
Louis Farrakhan outpolled Oprah Winfrey which must be a surprise to our media. Martin Luther King got 3% (a tie with Oprah) which must be a surprise to the professionals in the race industry.
The greatest suprise. Of those polled, the two Republicans polled 19% together, a clear choice over Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton combined (17%) OR Obama, Farrakhan, Winfrey and MLK combined (18%).
LEADERSHIP
Oddly, the AP story concluded that two-thirds thought their leaders were effective and one-third who didn't which TOTALLY ignores this follow-on sentence from the official AP-AOL press release. [Bolding mine]
Regardless of the absence of a dominant leader, two-thirds of blacks feel that the leadership of the black community is effective in representing black people like them. However, married men and those making more than $75,000 per year were more likely to say that black leadership is not effective, with approximately 40% of both groups noting their dissatisfaction.In other words, successful black men and black men with families were dissatisfied with "black leadership." (Note in the demographics how under represented this group was. )
POLL RESULTS
The poll was conducted by Ipso Public Affairs, the Canadian Liberal party public opinion firm of choice. Poll Results LINK
Some of the poll questions and answers yielded suprises, like this one.
6. When slang words that originated in the black community are adopted by mainstream America, is that mostly a good thing or mostly a bad thing?
Some 47% said bad. Only 38% said it was good. Hip hop wasn't admired either.
The pollsters do not explain why the demographics of the poll are skewed toward the South (54%) and women (55%) over men (45%). Nor why, in a poll of blacks, 2 Hispanics were included.
Getting it WRONG (again)
Two of Bush's new nominees for the 9th Circuit Court have been announced. And it isn't all good.
MEDIA CLOWN
Staff writer Barry Saunders from the McClatchy-owned North Carolina News & Observer.
You don't need a thousand words to see a clown. (See last paragraph of item below.)
MEDIA SHAME
Refusing to cooperate with local police to catch someone making threats to a middle school, the Island Packet sought to justify their actions.
All that, so that the newspaper could preserve their, ahem, self-esteem. If I were a parent whose child was a 6th, 7th or 8th grader who was threatened and found this out, I would be throwing bricks through that newspaper's window. And then I would target the individual editors with a few threats of my own.
But what do you expect from the McClatchy newspapers that include the partisanly pious Sacramento Bee, the Modesto Bee, and the notorious Minneapolis (Red) Star Tribune? Or the ridiculous News & Observer where a staff writer postulates that Cheney deliberately shot his hunting partner to warn Scooter Libby not to testify. (You can't make this up, folks.)
But the newspaper could not knowingly tell readers a lie, [Executive editor] McAden said.The lie? To say the police could not identify where the call was coming from to catch him in the act. (Romenesko calls it "false information".) Despite their lack of cooperation, the suspect was arrested several weeks later without their help or assistance, but not before he had made a total of nine phone calls threatening teachers and the principal and threatening to shoot students, causing fears that disrupted classes to the extent that parents pulled their children out of school in large numbers.
Managing editor Sally Mahan echoed the same feelings, saying that doing so could destroy the newspaper's credibility. Bluffton Today managing editor Robert Holquist also agreed that his newspaper could not knowingly publish a falsehood.
All that, so that the newspaper could preserve their, ahem, self-esteem. If I were a parent whose child was a 6th, 7th or 8th grader who was threatened and found this out, I would be throwing bricks through that newspaper's window. And then I would target the individual editors with a few threats of my own.
But what do you expect from the McClatchy newspapers that include the partisanly pious Sacramento Bee, the Modesto Bee, and the notorious Minneapolis (Red) Star Tribune? Or the ridiculous News & Observer where a staff writer postulates that Cheney deliberately shot his hunting partner to warn Scooter Libby not to testify. (You can't make this up, folks.)
OUR PETER PAN PRESS
Hugh Hewitt scores big with The MSM Campaign Against Cheney.
Read it all. It's a great article.
I recently had a debate with a friend who said he thought this whole episode was because the MSM found "bad news" sold better than "good news." I pointed out that if that was so, why does FOX News have twice the ratings as the MSM? And why does the Los Angeles Times sell less newspapers today than they did in 1960? Why does the MSM insist on a Chris Matthews whose show, on average, has less than 300,000 viewers while competitors wipe him out night after night, after night?
The MSM isn't in the business to make money. They are in the power business - for themselves and the Democrat party. It isn't an economic model they are pursuing. It is a vendetta and a hissy fit because they are furious at their irrelevance.
Hugh Hewitt is right.
Read it all. It's a great article.
I recently had a debate with a friend who said he thought this whole episode was because the MSM found "bad news" sold better than "good news." I pointed out that if that was so, why does FOX News have twice the ratings as the MSM? And why does the Los Angeles Times sell less newspapers today than they did in 1960? Why does the MSM insist on a Chris Matthews whose show, on average, has less than 300,000 viewers while competitors wipe him out night after night, after night?
The MSM isn't in the business to make money. They are in the power business - for themselves and the Democrat party. It isn't an economic model they are pursuing. It is a vendetta and a hissy fit because they are furious at their irrelevance.
Hugh Hewitt is right.
The MSM is unhinged, a victim of its Bush hatred, which includes of course hatred of Cheney. The idea that failure to tell the White House press corps of a hunting accident for 14 hours is in anyway similar to leaving a woman to die in a submerged car while fleeing the scene or the cover-up of Watergate is just nuts.Indeed, we do.
And the American people know it.
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
EUROPEAN IRRELEVANCE CONTINUES
The UN believes Germany has a human rights problem because: [Bolding mine]
The numbers show that a 15-year-old student whose parents have an academic background is likely to be two years ahead of a working class student in scholastic achievement. And the chances of going to a university are four times greater.The solution is obvious. Parents with education must not be allowed to reproduce. At least until disparity has been eliminated and all parents are equally dumb.
**MAJOR** OUTRAGE
The headline: Muslims protest in Brussels against cartoons
There were exactly 100 protesters.
There were exactly 100 protesters.
FAINT PRAISE FOR COWARDICE
Saloojee praises other media outlets in Canada for choosing not to reprint the cartoons.
Along with this praise for cowardice, Raid Saloojee of the Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations warns that the publication of controversial cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in a Western magazine may cause harm to Canadian troops in Afghanistan.
To date, only one magazine (Western Standard) and zero newspapers in Canada has printed the cartoons. And there is no widespread outcry for the prosecution of Saloojee for "hate speech" or any other political correctness crime. Nor any outrage at the implied threat to Canadian troops.
Try that shit, in the U.S. and see how people react.
Monday, February 13, 2006
Tim Blair has more guts than NYT
The dreaded cartoons in full color. Ohhhhhhh. Forbidden fruit !
Can you imagine any rational person rioting and killing their neighbors over cartoons like these while completely ignoring the death and destruction by suicide bombers? This, folks, isn't a religion worth respecting anymore than the Inquisition was worth celebrating.
Can you imagine any rational person rioting and killing their neighbors over cartoons like these while completely ignoring the death and destruction by suicide bombers? This, folks, isn't a religion worth respecting anymore than the Inquisition was worth celebrating.
CERTIFIABLE IDIOTS
I dearly wish I knew who this idiot was at the White House Press briefing. team.
Compare the number of questions on Cheney's mundane, everyday hunting accident and their interest in Iran's enrichment of uranium. Honest to God, these people are nuts, certifiable nuts. I always said the more marginal the media, the more marginal their sources. But it ought to be, "The more marginal the media, the more mundane and laughable their reporters." You can't get much more laughable than these White House reporters. If SNL was funny anymore, this press conference would be good for a three-week run skit.
Q When did the President know that the Vice President was the shooter? What time?And this one:
Q Is it proper for the Vice President to offer his resignation or has he offered his resignation --Apparently the latter question was asked by some twit female reporter named Connie. NBC's David Gregory, however, was the most uniformly idiotic. (This is no surprise to those of us who note that NBC uniformly misses the boat, a fact validated by their low ratings week after week.) Gregory is one of those kids you remember from fourth grade who, right after the teacher announced a test on Friday, would ask, "Is there going to be a test? And, when?" This wasn't because he wasn't listening. His brain just processed more slowly. Like S L O W L Y. And no one wanted him on their
Compare the number of questions on Cheney's mundane, everyday hunting accident and their interest in Iran's enrichment of uranium. Honest to God, these people are nuts, certifiable nuts. I always said the more marginal the media, the more marginal their sources. But it ought to be, "The more marginal the media, the more mundane and laughable their reporters." You can't get much more laughable than these White House reporters. If SNL was funny anymore, this press conference would be good for a three-week run skit.
Saturday, February 11, 2006
HEADLINE HOPPING
IRONY OF THE DAY
Leftwing Guardian pans George Clooney's movie as "unfair and unbalanced" for advocating activist journalism.
BAD TIMING
Dire warning from the UK Independent. "The entire northern hemisphere is experiencing a sustained period of warming that is unprecedented in the past millennium, a study has found." on the same day when New York and New Jersey are expecting 10-12 inches of snow and the Ukraine is in a mini-ice age.
(Oh no!! It's global cooling from those American bastards who are polluting our planet.)
(ANOTHER) CALIFORNIA RULE AGAINST SOMETHING
It's now illegal to throw batteries, cellular phones, fluorescent lights, printers, VCRs, answering machines, computer and television monitors, and radios into the garbage. E-Waste such as this must be collected by some sort of mandated local community system.
ASSOCIATED PRESS ERRS
Yes, the Oakland, CA, attempt to tax fast food restaurants for litter was not a first. It was first attempted in Chicago in 1999 but subsequently ruled against in court.
FIRST BIRD FLU IN EUROPE
Seventeen swans die in Sicily. Glenn Reynolds seems convinced we are all going to die of this. But given the track record of the world beaucracies in predicting anything accurately and spending large sums of money in the pursuit of solutions that never materialize for problems that are grossly over-hyped, I am less horrified.
(I am, however, buying stock in Kleenex if they should develop teeny, tiny nose tissues for the world fowl population.)
Leftwing Guardian pans George Clooney's movie as "unfair and unbalanced" for advocating activist journalism.
BAD TIMING
Dire warning from the UK Independent. "The entire northern hemisphere is experiencing a sustained period of warming that is unprecedented in the past millennium, a study has found." on the same day when New York and New Jersey are expecting 10-12 inches of snow and the Ukraine is in a mini-ice age.
(Oh no!! It's global cooling from those American bastards who are polluting our planet.)
(ANOTHER) CALIFORNIA RULE AGAINST SOMETHING
It's now illegal to throw batteries, cellular phones, fluorescent lights, printers, VCRs, answering machines, computer and television monitors, and radios into the garbage. E-Waste such as this must be collected by some sort of mandated local community system.
ASSOCIATED PRESS ERRS
Yes, the Oakland, CA, attempt to tax fast food restaurants for litter was not a first. It was first attempted in Chicago in 1999 but subsequently ruled against in court.
FIRST BIRD FLU IN EUROPE
Seventeen swans die in Sicily. Glenn Reynolds seems convinced we are all going to die of this. But given the track record of the world beaucracies in predicting anything accurately and spending large sums of money in the pursuit of solutions that never materialize for problems that are grossly over-hyped, I am less horrified.
(I am, however, buying stock in Kleenex if they should develop teeny, tiny nose tissues for the world fowl population.)
Friday, February 10, 2006
Cartoonish War Continues
A professor is confronted by protesters on campus.
The professor of philosophy is accused of "fanning the flames" by newspapers for posting the Danish cartoons on his office door. Student Abraham Khalafi confronted him and reported the professor treated the students "like garbage" and this:
"He said, 'I'm going to dis your religion.' And I said: 'Keep it to yourself.' That's not freedom. It's making racism."Another demonstration is planned by Said Jaziri, the imam of the Al-Qods mosque, for tomorrow. The University ordered the cartoon removed.
American University in Egypt, Dubai, Beirut? Nope. None of those.
It's St. Mary's University, Halifax Canada. No kidding.
Surreal Olympics
Even the AP described the Olympics opening ceremony as "surreal". If it was weirder than the Atlanta, Georgia, ceremony, complete with paper birds and bizarro costumes, it would qualify as a Cirque du Soleil act, albeit without the gymnastic talent.
The flag was carried by eight women including Chilean Leftist Isabel Allende, American Leftist Susan Saradon, Nobel Peace Prize winner -- which probably means Left since the whole Nobel Prize thing is laughably, predictably Left -- Wangari Maathai and a classy Sophia Loren. The rest were athletes. I guess it would have been too much to expect that since it was an athletic event, the political hacks could have been avoided. But since few watch it anymore, I guess it doesn't matter except to the dwindling Left. And those spandex costume designers.
UPDATE: "Surreal" doesn't begin to describe the opening ceremony. "Bizarre" and "laughable" are terms that come to mind when you see more pictures from the event.
The flag was carried by eight women including Chilean Leftist Isabel Allende, American Leftist Susan Saradon, Nobel Peace Prize winner -- which probably means Left since the whole Nobel Prize thing is laughably, predictably Left -- Wangari Maathai and a classy Sophia Loren. The rest were athletes. I guess it would have been too much to expect that since it was an athletic event, the political hacks could have been avoided. But since few watch it anymore, I guess it doesn't matter except to the dwindling Left. And those spandex costume designers.
UPDATE: "Surreal" doesn't begin to describe the opening ceremony. "Bizarre" and "laughable" are terms that come to mind when you see more pictures from the event.
Anne Applebaum
Anne Applebaum defends herself in Captain's Quarters blog. I loved this particular distortion of reality. [Bolding mine]
THAT is why Newsweek lied. Like Dan Rather and the pre-election smear on Bush, they couldn't, couldn't, consider any alternative because they wanted it so badly to be true.
And what does that say about them? It says they lack integrity.
The Newsweek affair continues to bother me, because of the widespread assumption, perpetuated on the Right, that the magazine (with which I have no personal association) 'lied' in order to smear American soldiers, and therefore deliberately endangered our troops. In fact, they repeated a story - about throwing a Koran in a toilet - which came from Guantanmo inmates, and erroneously claimed the story would be confirmed by an official investigation. That's very, very different from lying in a deliberate attempt to endanger Americans.What, I ask, is the difference between an error and a lie when you want the error to be true badly enough that your judgement dismisses any argument that a rational person would consider before committing themselves?
THAT is why Newsweek lied. Like Dan Rather and the pre-election smear on Bush, they couldn't, couldn't, consider any alternative because they wanted it so badly to be true.
And what does that say about them? It says they lack integrity.
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Cartoon capers
FreedomforEgyptians blogger has images of an Egyptian newspaper that published the Danish cartoons five months ago. She notes:
Oh, wait, those last are punishments preserved for Western journalists. Well, not all Western journalists. Most U.S. papers and Canadian Lefty publications are all touchy feely about religion this week. The sanctity of it, you know. (See posting below)
Mind you that this is the holy Muslim month of Ramadan. While Muslims are worshipping in this holy month, not a single protest was called in Cairo against Denmark or the newspaper.The editors in Egypt have not been called upon to resign or apologize. Nor have they been fired, threatened, hanged, or had their offices firebombed.
Oh, wait, those last are punishments preserved for Western journalists. Well, not all Western journalists. Most U.S. papers and Canadian Lefty publications are all touchy feely about religion this week. The sanctity of it, you know. (See posting below)
Media Piousness (Canadian style)
In reporting on a student newspaper that published the "controversial caricatures" the Globe and Mail reporter Scott Deveau has discovered piousness.
The controversy has pitted the right to free speech against the sanctity of religion.Deveau is not going to make the Romenesko blog that way. And there's no ACLU job for him in the near or distant future either.
Missing the boat
It's a new euphemism for bias. Howard Kurtz reports that "Much of the MSM missed the boat." when they ignored or buried the rudeness of Jimmy Carter and the race industry leaders at the Coretta Scott King funeral.
This, of course, was not bias on their part. It was, ah, because, "reporters come to a set-piece event like this with the lead in their heads and even if the place is set on fire, they don't deviate from their path."
If this was a single event in which the print media ignored the obvious because it was inconvenient to their presentations, it would deserve the Kurtz mild rebuke. As it is, the stories are the first version of history that they intend to write despite reality. Increasingly readers are looking to blogs for accuracy and completeness.
And where does that leave newspapers except as press releases from loathed spin machines?
This, of course, was not bias on their part. It was, ah, because, "reporters come to a set-piece event like this with the lead in their heads and even if the place is set on fire, they don't deviate from their path."
If this was a single event in which the print media ignored the obvious because it was inconvenient to their presentations, it would deserve the Kurtz mild rebuke. As it is, the stories are the first version of history that they intend to write despite reality. Increasingly readers are looking to blogs for accuracy and completeness.
And where does that leave newspapers except as press releases from loathed spin machines?
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Coercion and Control
Boris Johnson in the (U.K.) Daily Telegraph on the Left.
There are affirmative action programs at universities to systematically exclude whites from admission to cull their opportunities. All so they can substitute a Ward Churchill for someone who is actually an academic. His speech is defended as academic freedom no matter how hateful, no matter how untrue. A halocaust denier at Northwestern University is tolerated because of that same academic freedom. They even provide him with web space for his insane ramblings. But, then, the privileged classes today are the Marxists on campus and in the newsrooms.
Those Marxists in the newsroom are essential so that no one will question the coerciveness or criticize political correctness that shuts off free speech and attempts to intimidate and limit free thought. And if this means bilingual education to restrict the options and opportunities for Hispanics, it's just part of the dependency plan. Like permanent victimhood for blacks, it's a guarantee of inadequacy, a disability to become responsible adults. And the best part to the Left is that it's a handicap that minorities will pass on to their children in a generational slavery.
Imposition of law and taxes from an unelected judiciary is another lofty Leftist goal. It's another attempt to undermine democracy and stifle self determination. And don't forget the attempted imposition of gay marriage or the court-mandated $3 billion spent on Kansas schools, or the refusal of Vermont judges to inflict sentences because they no longer believe that crime deserves punishment in demonstration of their contempt for law. We're all wards of the state in the Leftist minds.
Which is why simple courtesy was so lacking at Coretta Scott King's funeral. The Left has no time for civility, manners, or decency. There's a world they want to control.
The Lefty instinct hasn't gone away: it has just mutated. Once they discovered they had lost the big economic arguments, Lefties decided there was no longer any need to own large chunks of industry. They could achieve their objectives through regulation, and the tyranny of political correctness.He is so right. What's true in the U.K. is more so in Calfiornia. And in California, it's mandatory bicycle helmets that make you look like a plastic duck-wannabe. It's mandatory motorcycle helmets when you've spent $5 - 30 thou for a Harley so the wind will blow in your hair. Then there are anti-smoking edicts, not one of which was established by voter consensus. It's campus speech codes that restrict speech that is, coincidentally, always contrary to Leftist thought. And then there is hate speech to be outlawed, defined, of course, by the Left, which oddly enough never seems to apply to them no matter what they say. Hate crime legislation would have had judges and juries compelled to judge racist intent before they considered the weight of the crime itself.
Lefties are fundamentally interested in coercion and control, and across British society you can see the huge progress they are now making in achieving their objectives: in the erosions of free speech and civil liberties that are taking place under this government, in the ever more elaborate regulation of the workplace, the bans on hunting, smacking, smoking, the demented rules about the numbers of children you may take in a swimming pool, the proposed plan to tag your car to see where you have been, Prescott's mad spy satellites to see if you have built an unauthorised conservatory.
There are affirmative action programs at universities to systematically exclude whites from admission to cull their opportunities. All so they can substitute a Ward Churchill for someone who is actually an academic. His speech is defended as academic freedom no matter how hateful, no matter how untrue. A halocaust denier at Northwestern University is tolerated because of that same academic freedom. They even provide him with web space for his insane ramblings. But, then, the privileged classes today are the Marxists on campus and in the newsrooms.
Those Marxists in the newsroom are essential so that no one will question the coerciveness or criticize political correctness that shuts off free speech and attempts to intimidate and limit free thought. And if this means bilingual education to restrict the options and opportunities for Hispanics, it's just part of the dependency plan. Like permanent victimhood for blacks, it's a guarantee of inadequacy, a disability to become responsible adults. And the best part to the Left is that it's a handicap that minorities will pass on to their children in a generational slavery.
Imposition of law and taxes from an unelected judiciary is another lofty Leftist goal. It's another attempt to undermine democracy and stifle self determination. And don't forget the attempted imposition of gay marriage or the court-mandated $3 billion spent on Kansas schools, or the refusal of Vermont judges to inflict sentences because they no longer believe that crime deserves punishment in demonstration of their contempt for law. We're all wards of the state in the Leftist minds.
Which is why simple courtesy was so lacking at Coretta Scott King's funeral. The Left has no time for civility, manners, or decency. There's a world they want to control.
Faint Praise
The closest CNN would ever come to admitting the Democrats acted crassly at Coretta Scott King's funeral. Jeff Greenberg had faint praise for President Bush.
And yes, the Dems do. As Greenberg noted there was a backlash from the Simon funeral. It did not reflect well on the Democrats. Once might be fervor. Twice is a indication of lack of decency.
I do, however, think that in a more subtle way, this actually rebounds to the credit of President Bush. I mean, he came to the funeral, changed his plans, made a gracious speech. And I think for people who are not politically committed -- I mean, if you don't like George Bush, this was fine. If you like George Bush, this was horrible.I wish he had completed the "for those people who are not politically committed -- " He might have noted that those are the crucial uncommitted center that the Democrats keep alienating who will be the ones asking "do you really do this at a funeral?"
I think for a lot of people the idea is, do you really do this at a funeral?
And yes, the Dems do. As Greenberg noted there was a backlash from the Simon funeral. It did not reflect well on the Democrats. Once might be fervor. Twice is a indication of lack of decency.
BEST LINE OF THE DAY:
Michelle Malkin notes that CNN has decided not to show the Mohammed cartoons that have been printed in several European and American newspapers "because the network believes its role is to cover the events surrounding the publication of the cartoons while not unnecessarily adding fuel to the controversy itself." Well, sure. That would explain why CNN didn't show the Abu Ghraib photos.- From Power Line
Free societies?
Expatica French editor worries about the cartoon war and freedom of the press. [Bolding mine]
So, why is it so important that French newspapers print caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed? Why is the right to caricature God considered more important than respect for a religious injunction, which, while it may be hard for Westerners to understand, is at least very specific: don't draw pictures of Mohammed.And, this:
Because the cartoon crisis in France, if not elsewhere, isn't as much about freedom of the press as it is about French fear of Muslim influence within its own society.
More generally, France would like to hold Muslim values at bay, not because they're all racist or intolerant or afraid of change, but because it's a really confusing question: how, in practical terms, do you show respect for large numbers of your Muslim neighbours without agreeing to follow their religious rules?It's a question the French must ask themselves. Along with, how much respect should you show to a religion that advocates violence and seeks to destroy your way of life? The wonder is that the answer isn't obvious to Europeans. There is nothing there to respect and no values worth acknowledging in such a religion. They are just Islamic rules YOU are expected to observe while they flagrantly rampage and murder, burn and destroy. Every bombing, every terrorist attack, every murderous suicide bomber is a demonstration of evil. Call it what it is. It deserves to be lampooned. It's up to Muslims and their leaders to prove otherwise.
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Patrick Leahy
Investors Business Daily on Sen. Patrick Leahy, VT - D.
I just bet, however, that the MSM doesn't mention a word of this during the hearings.
And given his almost traitorous past behavior on the Senate Intelligence Committee, we have to wonder whose side he's really on. Leahy had to give up his seat on the panel after he was found leaking intelligence reports on both Iran and Libya.
In 1985, Leahy threatened in a letter to the CIA to disclose details of a top secret plan to undermine the government of Libya's Moammar Gadhafi. A few weeks later details of the plan found their way into The Washington Post.
Then he leaked a draft report on Iran-Contra to an NBC reporter. At the time he was vice chairman of the intelligence panel. In resigning his post in shame in 1987, he maintained that he didn't breach national security. He did admit, however, that he "carelessly" let the reporter "examine the unclassified draft and to be alone with it."
It's plain that Leahy is a security risk. Yet as the lead Democrat probing the NSA surveillance program, he's privy to the most secret information imaginable in the war on al-Qaida.
At the same time, he has a disturbing record of putting the concerns of the Muslim community ahead of effective measures to protect the entire country from Muslim terrorism.
Leahy does not engender trust. Yet here we are: An admitted leaker who wasn't fit to serve on the intelligence committee is standing in judgment of the legal merits of another important counter-terrorism program.
I just bet, however, that the MSM doesn't mention a word of this during the hearings.
The European Disease: Appeasement
This Globe and Mail headline says it all.
Europe fails to mount united response to protests
Europe fails to mount united response to protests
Monday, February 06, 2006
Good idea/dumb Radio Netherlands
This is an idea worth considering.
Therein is the problem with European amorality. Lacking any beliefs, they abandoned patriotism for a multiculturalism that embraces all cultures equally despite any murderous intentions and despite war declared upon their own citizens. What the Leftists have done -- in Europe and to some degree the U.S. -- is sell out their own countries. What they are doing now in not supporting Denmark in every European newspaper is busily selling out each other.
[Belgian] Philosopher Etienne Vermeersch said 'Belgian newspapers should publish such cartoons each week so that Muslims get used to the idea'On the other hand, Radio Netherlands goes all touchy feely to excuse the outlandish protests by criticisng the opposition.
In many European countries, the vast influx of immigrants, many from Islamic countries, has led to problems of integration, and created a platform for right-wing anti-immigrant parties who play on fears that fundamentalist Islam is on the rise and trying to impose its world view on the host countries.What rational person does not believe this to be true? In Toronto, they allow Sharia law. In the Netherlands, they tolerate the intolerable - murder and death threats against an elected official.
Therein is the problem with European amorality. Lacking any beliefs, they abandoned patriotism for a multiculturalism that embraces all cultures equally despite any murderous intentions and despite war declared upon their own citizens. What the Leftists have done -- in Europe and to some degree the U.S. -- is sell out their own countries. What they are doing now in not supporting Denmark in every European newspaper is busily selling out each other.
Busted
This is what bloggers do the absolute best!!!!
Imam Ahmad Abu Laban took three additional cartoons to the middle east to rile up the nutcases. Gateway Pundit discovered the source. And it was a French Pig-Squealing Championship.
Great work.
Imam Ahmad Abu Laban took three additional cartoons to the middle east to rile up the nutcases. Gateway Pundit discovered the source. And it was a French Pig-Squealing Championship.
Great work.
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Self delusion
This is how a Washington Post journalist sees the decline of newspapers.
a Slandering public figures to vent ideological anger is not good for democracy.
a Labeling terrorists in Iraq as "insurgents" is not good for democracy.
a Labeling terrorists in Columbia as "rebels" is not good for democracy.
a Labeling Yassir Arafat, a known terrorist, a "romantic revolutionary" is not good for democracy.
a Hiring journalists out of college who have no living experience is not good for democracy.
a Creating fraudulent circulation figures for newspapers is not good for democracy.
a Refusing to investigate the suspect service record of a presidential candidate one favors is not good for democracy.
a Underreporting corruption in major cities is not good for democracy.
a Inflating fear and anxiety to hype a solution the media favors is not good for democracy.
a Refusing to acknowledge any other viewpoint but their own on their editorial pages is not good for democracy.
a Running anti-war campaigns on your pages in the guise of newsgathering is not good for democracy.
a Tolerating the bias of journalists because you share that bias is not good for democracy.
a Hiring them for that same reason is not good for democracy.
a Creating a newsroom atmosphere where favorite journalists are allowed to write fraudulent copy until caught is not good for democracy.
a Smearing anyone on your pages with whom you disagree is not good for democracy.
a Daily flashbacks to Vietnam and comparing every war to that one is not good for democracy.
a Demeaning your readers by ignoring their complaints is not good for democracy.
a Hiring punk writers to slap the military in wartime is not good for democracy.
a Having a quota system in newsrooms in order to repress individual thought is not good for democracy.
a Pretending that newspapers actually ever covered local politics is not good for democracy.
a Insisting newspapers aren't mostly Liberal in defiance of demonstrable proof is not good for democracy.
a Pretending that newspapers serve anything but their own interests is not good for democracy.
a Promoting an agenda in defiance of reality, public antipathy, human decency, and historical truth is not good for democracy.
a Claiming it's all Wall Street's fault is not good for democracy.
a Lying to yourself and your readers is not good for democracy.
a Self-delusion is not good for democracy.
And thinking that this is a justification for newspapers is how self-interest and self-delusion leads to incoherence.
The cutback craze might be good for Wall Street and publishers' bottom lines, but even people outside newsrooms are beginning to fret that it's not very good for democracy.
Which leads me to provide the media with some balance.
a Reporting one side of a war is not good for democracy.a Slandering public figures to vent ideological anger is not good for democracy.
a Labeling terrorists in Iraq as "insurgents" is not good for democracy.
a Labeling terrorists in Columbia as "rebels" is not good for democracy.
a Labeling Yassir Arafat, a known terrorist, a "romantic revolutionary" is not good for democracy.
a Hiring journalists out of college who have no living experience is not good for democracy.
a Creating fraudulent circulation figures for newspapers is not good for democracy.
a Refusing to investigate the suspect service record of a presidential candidate one favors is not good for democracy.
a Underreporting corruption in major cities is not good for democracy.
a Inflating fear and anxiety to hype a solution the media favors is not good for democracy.
a Refusing to acknowledge any other viewpoint but their own on their editorial pages is not good for democracy.
a Running anti-war campaigns on your pages in the guise of newsgathering is not good for democracy.
a Tolerating the bias of journalists because you share that bias is not good for democracy.
a Hiring them for that same reason is not good for democracy.
a Creating a newsroom atmosphere where favorite journalists are allowed to write fraudulent copy until caught is not good for democracy.
a Smearing anyone on your pages with whom you disagree is not good for democracy.
a Daily flashbacks to Vietnam and comparing every war to that one is not good for democracy.
a Demeaning your readers by ignoring their complaints is not good for democracy.
a Hiring punk writers to slap the military in wartime is not good for democracy.
a Having a quota system in newsrooms in order to repress individual thought is not good for democracy.
a Pretending that newspapers actually ever covered local politics is not good for democracy.
a Insisting newspapers aren't mostly Liberal in defiance of demonstrable proof is not good for democracy.
a Pretending that newspapers serve anything but their own interests is not good for democracy.
a Promoting an agenda in defiance of reality, public antipathy, human decency, and historical truth is not good for democracy.
a Claiming it's all Wall Street's fault is not good for democracy.
a Lying to yourself and your readers is not good for democracy.
a Self-delusion is not good for democracy.
And thinking that this is a justification for newspapers is how self-interest and self-delusion leads to incoherence.
"Serious journalism is labor-intensive and time-consuming and therefore requires large amounts of money and health benefits and pensions," wrote longtime journalist Sydney H. Schanberg in the Village Voice in December. "The blogosphere has plenty of time, but as yet none of those other items."Maybe not, Sydney, but we have something you don't have. We have a profound respect for truth.
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