PSoTD

Worst final episode since Seinfeld.

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip, June 29 — A Mickey Mouse look-alike who preached Islamic domination on a Hamas-affiliated children's television program was beaten to death in the show's final episode Friday.

In the final skit, the character Farfour was killed by an actor posing as an Israeli official trying to buy Farfour's land. At one point, the mouse called the Israeli a "terrorist."

"Farfour was martyred while defending his land," said Sara, the teen presenter.

I'd like to see the Democratic Presidential candidates begin to debate press coverage of the President's office. Among the things I think should be discussed:

How access to the President should be provided to the press;
Whether organizations such as WHCA should be involved in determining who is and isn't "credentialed";
Whether there should be floating access for news media from outside the Beltway that can have interval access as part of the White House press coverage. There are 48 months in a Presidential term. There are 50 states. Is it so hard to give 3-4 journalists per state a month of daily access?

I don't think candidates should be afraid of discussing the journalistic access issue during the campaign - in fact, I think it's beneficial to the rest of the public to hear details of it. It is a big part of the problem in Washington, and the only way it is going to be changed if it is confronted.

So, I wake up at 6 AM on Sunday morning, go downstairs to make some coffee and I turn the television on. There's Tim Russert, being interviewed by somebody, about his book(s) concerning his Dad and fatherhood. I hear him say the same things I have heard him say 4 or 5 times earlier, something along the lines of:

and I get these letters, from liberals and conservatives, from Republicans and Democrats alike, and they're all saying, your Dad's values were my Dad's values! And blahtiddy blah blah blah...

And it occurred to me how little Tim Russert is actually like a newsman, and how much he's like the early morning paid commercial programming hosts - you know, those infomercials. He's selling "Russert Values" as something value-added in his books. There's very little difference between him and this guy as Russert's out there pitching his wares...

No disrespect to Tim Russert's dad, but honestly, I'm not impressed by Russert to find any reason Russert might recommend to read a book about the values his father held. I believe there's value in looking at commonalities of how we are/were raised. I don't believe there's much value in having someone try to "brand" it. And I also think it's important to look at the differences, too.

I guess I don't understand why this survey included those with agnostic philosophy and those with atheist philosophy as a lump sum result. It is not even close to the same.

Of course, that is a true indicator of the interests of the surveying organization. Too bad the LA Times couldn't - or wouldn't - point that out. I don't understand why any news publication would treat a survey by the Barna Group as strictly information - that's not what the Barna Group does:

Through its five divisions, The Barna Group provides primary research (The Barna Research Group); communications tools (BarnaFilms); printed resources (BarnaBooks); leadership development for young people (The Josiah Corps); and church facilitation and enhancement (Transformation Church Network). The ultimate aim of the firm is to partner with Christian ministries and individuals to be a catalyst in moral and spiritual transformation in the United States.

Our Vision

To provide leadership and unique, strategic information and resources that help facilitate spiritual transformation in America.

They are in the business of Christianity promotion. Yet the LA Times article makes no mention of this. It's sad to see such POS* journalism being allowed at the Times.

Interesting post about the Barna Group at Goosing the Antithesis.

*piece of shit

It does eventually make a difference. Three years ago today, Crossfire blared away on CNN. Two years ago today, it was gone. Crap eventually breaks down and disappears into the environment.

WWE knows who watches them. My suspicion is that their adult audience skews very much to the Republican spectrum of politics, but that's just a suspicion. Regardless, it's a very, very sad day in the United States when an American faux sports program thinks that their audience wants to see people killed in car bombs.

I was listening to Glenn Beck on the radio (I know, it was a temporary stop while scanning) as he was talking about immigration and government services and improving the lot of the poor, spanking the right wing anger monkey all the time, and I heard him say something I've heard other conservatives claim: That helping the poor, that ending the division of the haves and have-nots, can only be done by churches and other community organizations, and not by government.

There's clearly a lot of crap in such a declaration, but it does get back to a very basic understanding - government IS a community organization. Doesn't Glenn Beck ever wonder how local governments were created?

And doesn't he realize that various faiths have their own version of government as well? As a Mormon, he should be familiar with the rules of his faith, the administrative requirements of his church, the funding requirements. His church governs their religious community.

It's pretty clear that Glenn Beck is one mixed-up guy. Unfortunately, his confusion seems to be viral.

I'm sorry, CNN, all online publishing is not blogging. This sorta looks like a blog, sorta acts like a blog, but it's really just repackaging of their content, so it's a schplog.

Well, damnit, wouldn't you know it that Schplog already exists, and it isn't CNN, so I am wrong. Maybe CNN has a fraudgg...