"What is it in the Arab world where there's so many people available for demonstrations on a weekday? I mean... these guys always look like they've got a two day growth of beard, they're always available for demonstrations and they're always yelling in the same passionate way. Are they always ready, like, sitting on benches ready to hit the streets, with attitude? I mean, I'm kidding, but it is to us a cartoon. They put a shoe at the top of that flagpole. We (Americans) laugh at this! I mean, you want to know our western attitudes? This is a joke! You guys are sitting around with nothing to do, drinking sweet tea, waiting for something to happen. I mean, why don't they work?"
Well Chris, unfortunately, due to the economic downturn, Starbucks has had to close four of its shops in Sadr City. And this is after Macy's and Neiman Marcus announced they would not be opening branches in Fallujah or Basrah.
Seriously?
Where the hell have you been for the last, oh, I don't know, 5 years? Did he really ask, "Why don't they work?" as if, there is some abundance of jobs just waiting for these people in Iraq? Maybe it has something to do with the absurdly high unemployment rate that's been estimated at anywhere between 25% and 50%.
The man gets paid upwards of $5 mil. per year and asks questions like this? Isn't he supposed to be a reporter.
If this is the standard to which MSNBC holds their reporters, then the whole network is a joke.
That's all I got.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Friday, December 12, 2008
Independent Pres. Bush
Bush is now saying that he might use the TARP money to keep the automakers afloat. I guess that's the benefit of being hated by both parties... You don't need to care what other people think.
I find myself agreeing with the Bush administration... this is unprecedented.
I find myself agreeing with the Bush administration... this is unprecedented.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Us and Them
MSNBC is filled with coverage today surrounding what police said is a child's skull found near the Orlando home of a missing child.
As the local sheriff was grilled by reporters, again and again, he said that he was unable to discuss evidence (or frankly any other real details of the situation).
I understand that as a police officer, often times, keeping information private is vital to solving a case and that these sort of restrictions are in place for very good reasons. But this sort of thing reflects a larger cultural aspect that may be all too prevalent in our society; the concept of us vs. them.
The government (including the police) is supposed to lead the people. In an ideal society, we would have no problem trusting our leaders with our own well being and have no doubt that they have only the best intentions in mind. But unfortunately, this is not the case. As demonstrated in today's discovery, the police see themselves as separate from the community at large, an outside force that is there to keep the peace and find the truth.
It's these kinds of perceptions that are detrimental to a functioning society.
At Miami, this concept came up a little over a year ago when many permanent residents and the city council pushed to ban outdoor drinking games. Is it outrageous that local parents might not want their children to be constantly exposed to drunk students? Absolutely not. But in my mind, creating city ordinances to solve the problem only work to exacerbate the situation.
While the immediate problem was perhaps the drinking games, the bigger picture showed a rift between permanent residents of Oxford and students. If instead of forcing laws on students, or showing no regard for permanent residents, an effort was made to unite these two groups, I think we would see a much more cohesive and productive environment.
We don't need laws to fix our problems, we need mutual respect.
On a national level, people see the federal and state governments as outside forces imposing their will on the everyman. Politicians, as evidenced by shady pardons and illegitimate wealth, aren't perceived to understand what the average American has to deal with on a daily basis. For this country to survive, this kind of imagined separation needs to end.
Just some food for thought.
As the local sheriff was grilled by reporters, again and again, he said that he was unable to discuss evidence (or frankly any other real details of the situation).
I understand that as a police officer, often times, keeping information private is vital to solving a case and that these sort of restrictions are in place for very good reasons. But this sort of thing reflects a larger cultural aspect that may be all too prevalent in our society; the concept of us vs. them.
The government (including the police) is supposed to lead the people. In an ideal society, we would have no problem trusting our leaders with our own well being and have no doubt that they have only the best intentions in mind. But unfortunately, this is not the case. As demonstrated in today's discovery, the police see themselves as separate from the community at large, an outside force that is there to keep the peace and find the truth.
It's these kinds of perceptions that are detrimental to a functioning society.
At Miami, this concept came up a little over a year ago when many permanent residents and the city council pushed to ban outdoor drinking games. Is it outrageous that local parents might not want their children to be constantly exposed to drunk students? Absolutely not. But in my mind, creating city ordinances to solve the problem only work to exacerbate the situation.
While the immediate problem was perhaps the drinking games, the bigger picture showed a rift between permanent residents of Oxford and students. If instead of forcing laws on students, or showing no regard for permanent residents, an effort was made to unite these two groups, I think we would see a much more cohesive and productive environment.
We don't need laws to fix our problems, we need mutual respect.
On a national level, people see the federal and state governments as outside forces imposing their will on the everyman. Politicians, as evidenced by shady pardons and illegitimate wealth, aren't perceived to understand what the average American has to deal with on a daily basis. For this country to survive, this kind of imagined separation needs to end.
Just some food for thought.
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
My world is turned upside down
Holy crap. Karl Rove just defended Barack Obama on Hannity and Colmes with regard to this whole Blagojevich debacle. It happened.
Sunday, December 07, 2008
Bailouts that don't bail out.
Looks like the Senate is looking at a $15 bil. "bridge loan" for the ailing auto industry.
Oh yeah, that's effective.
Compromise is great and all, but not when it will be completely useless.
I can't even tell you how many times I've hear people say things like, "Oh, this money would just delay the inevitable bankruptcy to come. (regarding the asked-for $34 bil.)"
Well, that seems to be exactly what this $15 bil. will do. Sure, we might be able to float G.M. until February, but what then?
This is about the equivalent of giving a homeless guy a couple thousand dollars and telling him to get his life on track.
Here's how the conversation would play out:
Senate: Hey homeless guy, we know your down on your luck. We know you've made some poor choices in the past, but a lot of us want to help you out.
Homeless Guy (we'll call him Rick): That would really be great! I'm pretty sure I'm going to starve to death in the next couple months without some kind of help.
Senate: We know you really need something along the lines of $25,000 to get yourself a place to stay and time to clean yourself up, maybe take a couple workshops or online classes, and find a job, but we've decided to give you $2,000 now and then check up on you in a few months to see what progress you've made. Frankly, we can't even promise that you'll get any more money.
Rick: But if I use the $2,000 to get a place to stay and turn my life around, I won't have any money to buy food - I might starve by then. And how can I know how to use the money if I don't even know if you'll help me in the future?
Senate: That's a risk we're willing to take.
Rick: Umm...
Senate: Of course, some of us think it would be better for you to lie in a gutter and restructure.
Oh yeah, that's effective.
Compromise is great and all, but not when it will be completely useless.
I can't even tell you how many times I've hear people say things like, "Oh, this money would just delay the inevitable bankruptcy to come. (regarding the asked-for $34 bil.)"
Well, that seems to be exactly what this $15 bil. will do. Sure, we might be able to float G.M. until February, but what then?
This is about the equivalent of giving a homeless guy a couple thousand dollars and telling him to get his life on track.
Here's how the conversation would play out:
Senate: Hey homeless guy, we know your down on your luck. We know you've made some poor choices in the past, but a lot of us want to help you out.
Homeless Guy (we'll call him Rick): That would really be great! I'm pretty sure I'm going to starve to death in the next couple months without some kind of help.
Senate: We know you really need something along the lines of $25,000 to get yourself a place to stay and time to clean yourself up, maybe take a couple workshops or online classes, and find a job, but we've decided to give you $2,000 now and then check up on you in a few months to see what progress you've made. Frankly, we can't even promise that you'll get any more money.
Rick: But if I use the $2,000 to get a place to stay and turn my life around, I won't have any money to buy food - I might starve by then. And how can I know how to use the money if I don't even know if you'll help me in the future?
Senate: That's a risk we're willing to take.
Rick: Umm...
Senate: Of course, some of us think it would be better for you to lie in a gutter and restructure.
Monday, December 01, 2008
The more you know!
As Virginia Rep. Eric Cantor picks Kevin O. McCarthy to be his top deputy, the word of the month is: Rising Stars.
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