Disqus - Latest Comments for newswriter

Re: How to curate Instagram by reposting newsworthy photos

newswriter — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 14:10:16 -0000

What a pain.

Re: Let's Start A New Country

newswriter — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 09:13:53 -0000

Funny you should mention that ...

Y'know, this could be a very interesting virtual experiment. I've often thought that the 12 Traditions would make a good basis for government. Sure, 12 step groups have their problems, people get pissed at other people and leave for another group. But there's always another group, run the same way, just by different people.

And in each group, "our leaders are but trusted servants, they do not govern" and the groups "should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers" and the groups "ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve."

Sounds a little, well, democratic to me. The people decide. Of course, what works for a group of alcoholics or drug addicts trying to get clean and sober -- and very specific purpose -- may not be so easily applied to a more varied group with more varied purposes. Just addressing one or two of the many, many contradictions this country lives by might send some over the edge.

But ... if you eliminate the lobby money, that'd probably solve a whole buncha problems in one fell swoop.

I think this might indeed be an inneresting experiment. We'd prolly need to have some sort of declaration of purpose or something first before we start drafting laws. Ideally, folks can come to agreement much quicker and with less bullshit when they're not working at cross-purposes as we see Republicans and Democrats doing these days. Those guys are united only in their drive to line their own pockets for the next election.

So why not give it a try? A Progressive Country. What would that look like? How would it work? Who are we to set up such a space, even in cyber space? If I had an island ...

Re: What Do You Do?

newswriter — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:15:20 -0000

Sometimes biding our time for just the right moment is how we do it. Point made, perfectly.

Re: Dennis Ross Ousted?

newswriter — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:27:40 -0000

You're not back yet? Extended visit, eh? I'll stick with my brown suitcases.

But at least we're carrying on this conversation on your site this time instead of Lori's facebook page. :)

Re: Dennis Ross Ousted?

newswriter — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:40:41 -0000

No iPhone until Apple and AT&T break up. And we already know you got me on the six suitcases. But I pay cash too. At least I did until I had that $2300 in car repairs last month.

Re: Dennis Ross Ousted?

newswriter — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:14:40 -0000

Here's to that happening. But it might have to wait until I go pick up my new cell phone tomorrow. :) OK, it's a warranty replacement. My old one broke.

Re: Dennis Ross Ousted?

newswriter — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:40:38 -0000

Oh yeah. And that's just how St. Ronnie's handlers planned it, because that's where this all started being codified. The bankers were pretty pissed after FDR and waited a long, long time before they got just the perfect storm in there to implement a plan to make sure nothing like the 1930s ever happened again, except that it wasn't the Depression and its effects on us they were worried about. Honestly, the Masters of the Universe really aren't all that much different from the Robber Barons, except they're more prepared. And they have more politicians in their pockets. In fact, I'd have to say they have virtually ALL politicans in their pockets. It's going to be really, really hard to break that, but it can be done. Maybe not without an American Bastille Day, but it can be done.

Speaking of which, I'm watching these protests in Iran and I'm thinking, dayum. We shoulda been doing this in 2000.

Re: Dennis Ross Ousted?

newswriter — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:25:38 -0000

Some days I think so, others, not so much. After all, he did pick a couple of the guys responsible for our economic meltdown -- Tim Geithner and Larry Summers -- to lead our response to it.

Re: Dennis Ross Ousted?

newswriter — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:16:43 -0000

He's going to NSC, I hear.

Re: Journalism At Death's Door?

newswriter — Mon, 11 May 2009 15:05:24 -0000

It'll move at 12:01aET ... -5 GMT.

Re: Journalism At Death's Door?

newswriter — Mon, 11 May 2009 09:21:07 -0000

Amen to that. I do my best to encourage my beloved colleagues to get real, and some actually do trend that way when they're not in the active throes of journalistic ADD.

Press release journalism -- and its sister form, stenography -- are the scourges of my profession. Where in the world my colleagues got the idea that rewriting press releases and printing he said/she said quotes were actual journalism, I'm not sure -- I suspect that it may have come from a basic malaise of laziness that crept into a lot of areas during the Reagan years and was never properly expunged.

But I think we're going to see the boys separated from the women in the next little while, as my colleagues finally come to terms with their culpability in the crimes of the Bush administration. So far, they've not quite been forced to acknowledge what they did. But that's coming.

Hey, should we just repeat this conversation tomorrow when this post goes up on AWOP?

Re: Journalism At Death's Door?

newswriter — Mon, 11 May 2009 01:13:33 -0000

Hey hey hey Cherlock, watch who you're callin a suicide!

But yeah, we're a buncha dolts, that's for sure. My colleagues ... oy. some days i really wanna ... well, never mind.

we mainstream types are still gonna have a place for some time to come. but it's gonna be different. and it's not the fault of the internet or the bloggers or the economy -- well, there is some truth there what with all the loss of advertisers because nobody really reads newspapers anymore. we're still sorting it all out.

i just can't see social media or bloggers "taking the place" of mainstreamers because they're all coming from their own biases. the difference, of course, is that they're not afraid to say so, while we mainstreamers pretend to be fair and balanced.

but it's also not really true that we're driven by our corporate masters. Well, except for Fox "news." i can tell you that my corporate masters never mess with me. but i contend daily with whatever shiny object somebody's dangled in front of our correspondents eyes. the trouble's not that we follow what our bosses tell us to do. it's that we've lost our ability to think for ourselves and depend on whoever's got the best press kit to draw our attention.

it's a damn shame, and i do expect that when this all finally does shake out, that'll be over.

but wow, that thing about future news -- that is sooooo right on. i hate watching night after night of "commentators" speculating on what might happen. it's such garbage.

Re: Every Man A Giant: Torture: The Last Word

newswriter — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:35:44 -0000

I'll have to watch Frost/Nixon, although I was there for the original. ;)

And I do agree that this is one of those things where good people will disagree. The difference, of course, is that we can disagree without painting one another as unpatriotic or socialist or something.

And I definitely agree that these guys who did this have blackened their own souls. I doubt that many of them will realize it in this lifetime, but they have damned themselves.

(whoops sorry -- was meant to reply to your reply to me)

Re: Every Man A Giant: Torture: The Last Word

newswriter — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 21:04:43 -0000

I can't agree. We may have "known" about the torture, but the Bush administration was way to busy saying they couldn't tell us what they were doing, but it wasn't torture anyway. Now we know for sure and certain that it was.

This isn't a question of criminalizing policy differences. If that were the case, we'd be looking at hauling the Bushites up on charges of stealing from the Treasury by giving tax cuts to their rich buddies.

This is about who we are as a people. We need to investigate this closely -- not a congressional investigation. An independent one. And those who knew about this and allowed it to happen -- whether it was Donald Rumsfeld or Jay Rockefeller or Dick Cheney or Nancy Pelosi -- must face the consequences.

To me, the unintended consequences of sweeping this aberration under the rug are potentially far worse than taking aim at what happened and bravely facing what we did.

It means that all of us -- all of us -- will have to face ourselves and our attitudes, but I believe this country needs that kind of cleansing ritual, no matter how painful.

Re: Every Man A Giant: To See A Mockingbird

newswriter — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 20:09:17 -0000

Mockingbirds typically represent innocence -- just a bird that can be annoying at times if it won't shut up, but not harmful at all. Harper Lee used mockingbirds in To Kill A Mockingbird to represent those who've done no wrong but have nevertheless been harmed by society, much like the mockingbird, who's often maligned by those who don't understand its benevolence.

Re: The Comments We Face

newswriter — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 00:58:13 -0000

Unfortunately there are far too many morons out there who think nothing of typing that kind of drivel into comment spaces (although I doubt they have the balls, if you'll pardon the phrase, to say it to anyone's face). I like to leave such crap up on my blog -- so far I've never deleted a comment. Not saying it won't happen, but not yet. But I do post an "Ignorant Comment Warning" at the top of such comments. It brings me great joy to ridicule such fools.

Re: Tammy Bruce Subbing on Laura Ingraham's Radio Show Calls President Barack and Michelle Obama "Trash In The White House"

newswriter — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:14:56 -0000

nah, it ain't right, that's for sure. especially when it's so very not true.

yeah, i've been reading for a while. most of the time i read and run, but sometimes i'll stick around and comment. I think I did the mybloglog thing right this time. i've added you to my blogroll too.

Re: A few words from the late mayor of Atlanta, Maynard Jackson

newswriter — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:10:13 -0000

Man, I just loved Maynard Jackson. He was a wonderful guy -- never forgot a face, a name or your life history. He worked hard and always with the good of all in his heart.

Re: Tammy Bruce Subbing on Laura Ingraham's Radio Show Calls President Barack and Michelle Obama "Trash In The White House"

newswriter — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 10:41:27 -0000

I apologise. I thought I was. Did you perhaps misunderstand? What I meant was that if Bruce is a lesbian, I - being a lesbian myself -- would be delighted for her to return to the fold of the heterosexuals.

Re: Republican Circle Jerk

newswriter — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 22:39:46 -0000

Eric Cantor? What a wannabe. Eric Cant. All they're doing is following the Ayatollah Limbaugh, like the little lemmings they are. Excuse me, though, I have to go slap around a few of my colleagues who are starting to fall for the bull again.

By the way, it was that wonderful drawing that caught my eye. Glad I'm here now.