Saturday, August 31, 2013
Obviously Randy Newman's song would work well too
No one likes us-I don't know why
We may not be perfect, but heaven knows we try
But all around, even our old friends put us down
Let's drop the big one and see what happens
We give them money-but are they grateful?
No, they're spiteful and they're hateful
They don't respect us-so let's surprise them
We'll drop the big one and pulverize them
Asia's crowded and Europe's too old
Africa is far too hot
And Canada's too cold
And South America stole our name
Let's drop the big one
There'll be no one left to blame us
We'll save Australia
Don't wanna hurt no kangaroo
We'll build an All American amusement park there
They got surfin', too
Boom goes London and boom Paris
More room for you and more room for me
And every city the whole world round
Will just be another American town
Oh, how peaceful it will be
We'll set everybody free
You'll wear a Japanese kimono babe
And there'll be Italian shoes for me
They all hate us anyhow
So let's drop the big one now
Let's drop the big one now
Friday, August 30, 2013
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Friday, August 23, 2013
Friday, August 16, 2013
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Glenn Greenwald comments on Schieffer's objectivity
Since we first began reporting on NSA stories, there has been much debate over who is and is not a "journalist" and whether being a journalist requires "objectivity" (i.e., a pretense to not having opinions). Under this metric, does Bob Schieffer qualify?
Two weeks ago, Schieffer spewed a vicious, one-sided attack on Edward Snowden, accusing him of "putting the nation's security at risk and running away." Echoing Dick Cheney and Rudy Giuliani, Schieffer added:
I know eleven people who died or lost a member of their family on 9/11. My younger daughter lived in Manhattan then. It was six hours before we knew she was safe. I'm not interested in going through that again. I don't know yet if the government has over-reached since 9/11 to reinforce our defenses, and we need to find out. What I do know, though, is that these procedures were put in place and are being overseen by officials we elected and we should hold them accountable."I think what we have in Edward Snowden is just a narcissistic young man who has decided he is smarter than the rest of us. I don't know what he is beyond that, but he is no hero. If he has a valid point — and I'm not even sure he does — he would greatly help his cause by voluntarily coming home to face the consequences."
How come you're allowed to have that opinion and be an "objective journalist"? How come none of the people so very upset that those who are reporting on the NSA stories have opinions are objecting to any of that or calling the TV host an "activist"? The answer is clear: "objectivity" in Washington journalism does not mean being free of opinions; it means the opposite: dutifully echoing the official opinions and subjective mindset of those in political power. In the eyes of official Washington and its media mavens, spouting opinions is not a sin. The sin is spouting opinions that deviate from the ones expressed by and which serve the interests of those in power.
...Bob Schieffer is a more slavish, shameless spokesman for the NSA than anyone actually employed by that agency. But what one really finds here is a reverence for military officials like Michael Hayden so extreme that it's actually uncomfortable to watch.
A new Pew poll this weekend found that while the US public holds the media in very low esteem, the one function they actually value is having the media serve as a watchdog over political leaders. The percentage of Americans who value this press function has risen considerably this year.
This has happened despite the likes of NSA advocate and government spokesman Bob Schieffer continuing to dominate and shape establishment TV outlets. The fact that his "objectivity" as a journalist would never be questioned by those who raise such issues demonstrates that this concept of journalistic objectivity has only one real purpose: to delegitimize all views other than those that prop up and glorify those who wield the greatest power in US political and financial circles.
Monday, August 12, 2013
A few facts out of Michigan just amazing.
- Five new cities under an unelected Emergency Manager’s rule — Flint, Hamtramck, Allen Park, Inkster, and Detroit, Michigan’s largest city
- Over half of Michigan’s African Americans without democracy at the local level
- Five new school districts in financial emergencies and under Emergency Managers — Pontiac, Hazel Park, Buena Vista, Highland Park, and Muskegon Heights
- Enacted a new Emergency Manager law just three months after voters rejected the previous similar one at the ballot box
- Dissolution of Buena Vista and Inkster school districts due to lack of funds
- One in ten Michigan schools facing bankruptcy
- Michigan’s unemployment rate stagnant two months ago and actually increased last month.
- Taxes raised on over 50% of Michiganders
- Taxes increased on seniors
- School funding slashed
- Decimation of our public school system through increasing numbers of for-profit charter schools, the highest percentage in the nation
- Huge tax break for corporations that appears to have had little if any effect
- Michigan’s largest city in bankruptcy
- Lack of transparency in his administration including a top aide being paid from a privately-funded slush fund
- Secret “skunk works” group working to privatize/voucherize Michigan schools in violation of the constitution
- Passage of widely unpopular right to work legislation
- Failure to pass Medicaid expansion that will save billions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of lives
http://www.eclectablog.com/2013/08/with-four-years-of-a-downward-spiral-will-rick-snyder-even-run-for-another-four-as-governor.html
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
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