Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Election 2008 - Who Can Really Solve Our Problems?
This is fun! Go to AARP and create your own political ad!
| AARP 08 Video |
 |
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Light a Candle for an American Hero
This morning (October 19, 2008) on Meet the Press, former Secretary of State Colin Powell related the simple and touching story of Army Cpl. Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan, a 20-year-old American soldier who died in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Powell eloquently noted that religion should not be a factor in any political discourse and that Muslim-American children have the same right to aspire to the Presidency that non-Muslim American children do. The same day The New York Times did a more in-depth follow-up on Cpl. Khan's all-too-short life and heroic sacrifice.
During my internet search for more information, I stumbled upon what I think is a gentle and caring way to let Cpl. Khan's family know that you appreciate the sacrifice that their son made for his country.
You can go to the website for the Thibadeau Mortuary and light a virtual candle for Cpl. Khan.
Here's the link:
Light a Candle
It will take a few seconds and make a statement that you agree with Gen. Powell.
Powell eloquently noted that religion should not be a factor in any political discourse and that Muslim-American children have the same right to aspire to the Presidency that non-Muslim American children do. The same day The New York Times did a more in-depth follow-up on Cpl. Khan's all-too-short life and heroic sacrifice.
During my internet search for more information, I stumbled upon what I think is a gentle and caring way to let Cpl. Khan's family know that you appreciate the sacrifice that their son made for his country.
You can go to the website for the Thibadeau Mortuary and light a virtual candle for Cpl. Khan.
Here's the link:
Light a Candle
It will take a few seconds and make a statement that you agree with Gen. Powell.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Catholic Church Engaged in Stealth Campaign That Clearly Steers Believers to GOP
Right off the bat, I'll tell you that I was baptized Catholic and attended sixteen years of Catholic school. I studied Classical Greek, Theology, Medieval History and Philosophy at Fordham University and left the Church at age 20. About ten years ago, I tried to reconnect. Did the reconciliation, went to mass regularly, etc. I finally decided that what had driven me away originally still hadn't been fixed. Women were still second-class citizens in the Catholic God's world.
Today, when I opened my email account, I discovered the video below, sent to me by a woman friend, also a lapsed Catholic. She has been inundated with videos and literature like this by her still-practicing family, people who routinely vote against their own economic self-interest because their Church "tells" them to vote against abortion.
In the video, a surrogate organization, shilling for the Catholic Church, clearly tells Catholic viewers that abortion is the ONLY issue that is important in the upcoming election. As you will see, in what can only be described as propaganda, the video juxtaposes photos of a voting booth, a fetus, the sign for high gas prices and global warming with the following words superimposed on the images:
MANY ISSUES ARE AT STAKE.
SOME ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN OTHERS.
NO ISSUE CAN BE IGNORED
BUT NONE ARE MORE CRUCIAL
TO THE FOUNDATION OF OUR COUNTRY THAN
LIFE.
The message is extremely clear, even to those not raised Catholic.
Vote for the party that labels itself pro-life.
Now, exactly what party would that be?
As far as I'm concerned, that Catholic Church - through this surrogate site - has endorsed a political party just as surely as if every priest stood in the pulpit next Sunday morning and ordered his congregation to vote for McCain and Palin.
Never mind that the Catholic Church and fundamentalist Protestants like Sarah Palin would make a 12-year-old girl carry her father's baby to term (now, why doesn't someone ask McCain about THAT in the next debate?!!)
This is blatant use of the internet and modern marketing techniques to sway the votes of millions of Americans. Catholics are in awe of the power of the Pope. The clever cutting and pasting of powerful archetypical images, co-mingled with historical images of proud Catholic Americans, leads to only one possible conclusion for a devout Catholic to draw. And that is: Vote Republican.
This video was produced (at some cost, I would imagine) by CatholicVote.com, the brain-child of another Catholic organization called Fidelis.
From the Fidelis website:
"Fidelis (Latin for faithful) is the universal name for a group of Catholic-based political, legal, research and educational organizations whose collective mission it is to formulate, promote, and defend public policies that uphold religious freedom, human life from conception to natural death, and the traditional institutions of marriage and family.
"Our structure and approach is designed to coordinate the efforts of four related organizations under a comprehensive structure and unifying vision in order to effectively shape public debate, influence public policy, and defend critical freedoms in areas consistent with its mission. In this objective, Fidelis is unique in combining political, legal, policy and educational components at the service of one mission."
###
Recently dozens of evangelical pastors put their tax-exempt status at risk when they defied the IRS prohibition against preaching politics from the pulpit and began instructing their congregants to vote for the McCain-Palin ticket.
The Catholic Church, through groups like Fidelis, is doing precisely the same thing, only in a way designed to preserve that all-important tax exemption!
Watch and decide for yourself.
Today, when I opened my email account, I discovered the video below, sent to me by a woman friend, also a lapsed Catholic. She has been inundated with videos and literature like this by her still-practicing family, people who routinely vote against their own economic self-interest because their Church "tells" them to vote against abortion.
In the video, a surrogate organization, shilling for the Catholic Church, clearly tells Catholic viewers that abortion is the ONLY issue that is important in the upcoming election. As you will see, in what can only be described as propaganda, the video juxtaposes photos of a voting booth, a fetus, the sign for high gas prices and global warming with the following words superimposed on the images:
MANY ISSUES ARE AT STAKE.
SOME ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN OTHERS.
NO ISSUE CAN BE IGNORED
BUT NONE ARE MORE CRUCIAL
TO THE FOUNDATION OF OUR COUNTRY THAN
LIFE.
The message is extremely clear, even to those not raised Catholic.
Vote for the party that labels itself pro-life.
Now, exactly what party would that be?
As far as I'm concerned, that Catholic Church - through this surrogate site - has endorsed a political party just as surely as if every priest stood in the pulpit next Sunday morning and ordered his congregation to vote for McCain and Palin.
Never mind that the Catholic Church and fundamentalist Protestants like Sarah Palin would make a 12-year-old girl carry her father's baby to term (now, why doesn't someone ask McCain about THAT in the next debate?!!)
This is blatant use of the internet and modern marketing techniques to sway the votes of millions of Americans. Catholics are in awe of the power of the Pope. The clever cutting and pasting of powerful archetypical images, co-mingled with historical images of proud Catholic Americans, leads to only one possible conclusion for a devout Catholic to draw. And that is: Vote Republican.
This video was produced (at some cost, I would imagine) by CatholicVote.com, the brain-child of another Catholic organization called Fidelis.
From the Fidelis website:
"Fidelis (Latin for faithful) is the universal name for a group of Catholic-based political, legal, research and educational organizations whose collective mission it is to formulate, promote, and defend public policies that uphold religious freedom, human life from conception to natural death, and the traditional institutions of marriage and family.
"Our structure and approach is designed to coordinate the efforts of four related organizations under a comprehensive structure and unifying vision in order to effectively shape public debate, influence public policy, and defend critical freedoms in areas consistent with its mission. In this objective, Fidelis is unique in combining political, legal, policy and educational components at the service of one mission."
###
Recently dozens of evangelical pastors put their tax-exempt status at risk when they defied the IRS prohibition against preaching politics from the pulpit and began instructing their congregants to vote for the McCain-Palin ticket.
The Catholic Church, through groups like Fidelis, is doing precisely the same thing, only in a way designed to preserve that all-important tax exemption!
Watch and decide for yourself.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
If McCain's Such a "Reformer," Where Are His Wife's Tax Forms? And What About "Pitbull" Palin and Her Husband?
This one's a no brainer.
Barack and Michelle Obama have released their tax forms.
Hillary and Bill balked until the media browbeat them into submission.
John McCain has released his forms.
Sen. Joe Biden's 2006 tax forms are available. We assume that he and his wife will release their 2007 forms shortly.
Mrs. Cindy McCain has basically told everyone to take a hike, declaring early on that the American people have no right to know where she gets her money.
The so-called liberal media hasn't bothered to bring it up since. They've given Cindy and her $100 million a free ride.
So, now, the GOP is trying to make Sarah Palin into The Painted Pitbull Housewife, claiming she's a woman who represents the great middle of America.
OK. Then she won't mind letting us all know how much she and her husband are worth!
TAX FORMS.
I WANTS TAX FORMS!!
Click on the following media links. Demand "full disclosure" and "transparency."
Demand that Cindy McCain and Sarah and Todd Palin release their 2007 IRS reports.
Click on one of the links below and let your voice be heard. It's time for the foot-dragging to stop.
comments@ foxnews.com
letters@msnbc.com
CNN Online Comment Form
Barack and Michelle Obama have released their tax forms.
Hillary and Bill balked until the media browbeat them into submission.
John McCain has released his forms.
Sen. Joe Biden's 2006 tax forms are available. We assume that he and his wife will release their 2007 forms shortly.
Mrs. Cindy McCain has basically told everyone to take a hike, declaring early on that the American people have no right to know where she gets her money.
The so-called liberal media hasn't bothered to bring it up since. They've given Cindy and her $100 million a free ride.
So, now, the GOP is trying to make Sarah Palin into The Painted Pitbull Housewife, claiming she's a woman who represents the great middle of America.
OK. Then she won't mind letting us all know how much she and her husband are worth!
TAX FORMS.
I WANTS TAX FORMS!!
Click on the following media links. Demand "full disclosure" and "transparency."
Demand that Cindy McCain and Sarah and Todd Palin release their 2007 IRS reports.
Click on one of the links below and let your voice be heard. It's time for the foot-dragging to stop.
comments@ foxnews.com
letters@msnbc.com
CNN Online Comment Form
Friday, August 15, 2008
A Passionate George Galloway Tries to Explain the Realities of War to a Pathetic, Brainwashed Caller
You've GOT to listen to this. British MP George Galloway desperately tries to teach a caller about what war really is. Galloway is brilliant - and the caller, James, is a classic example of a person who probably gets most of his news from one or more of Rupert Murdoch's media outlets. Pass this on on to everyone you know!
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Northern California Moms Protest Unnecessary LBAM Spraying
Excerpted from the "Stop the Spray" website:
THE LIGHT BROWN APPLE MOTH (LBAM)
ERADICATION PROGRAM:
A Hazard to Public Health & The Environment
* Urban populations in Santa Cruz & Monterey counties were aerially sprayed with a synthetic pheromone-pesticide without their consent in the Fall of 2007.
* 643 reports of illness followed the spraying.
* Millions of Californians are slated to be sprayed REPEATEDLY beginning in Summer 2008 and continuing up to 9 months per year, for at least 5 years, according to agency officials.
* Other methods of applying toxic pesticides are already being used in our neighborhoods and on private property without our consent.
* $74 million is the minimum cost of the 2008 spraying program in California
* No substantiated damage has occurred to any crops in California.
* THIS IS NOT OVER YET!
The California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the State of California claim that synthetic pheromone-pesticide sprays will eradicate the Light Brown Apple Moth (LBAM), an insect that entomologists say has lived in California for more than three decades.
Not Necessary: In New Zealand, where the LBAM has been present for over 100 years, control is achieved almost exclusively by non-toxic means, including naturally existing predators. Expert scientists say that eradication of the LBAM in California is not even possible.
Not Effective: Aerial spray of this synthetic pheromone-pesticide has not been used before over populated areas and has never been used to eradicate a pest. Entomologists and agriculture experts say it will not be effective. The CDFA admits that it can't be sure that any moths have been affected (inhibited from mating) by the spraying done thus far.
Not Safe: CheckMate LBAM-F, the chemical compound used in the first spray has not been tested for long-term health effects, and contains ingredients with known toxicities. Furthermore, it is contained in plastic micro-capsules, some of which are small enough to lodge in the deepest recesses of human lungs.
Not Over: Although a Superior Court judge in Santa Cruz County recently ruled that spraying in Santa Cruz could not continue there until after an Environmental Impact Report has been completed, the CDFA plans to seek an appeal. In addition, the court’s decision only applies to Santa Cruz County. And though Governor Schwarzenegger has temporarily issued a delay of the continuation of the spraying, he also insists that spraying is safe and necessary to avoid "…a devastating impact on our state's environment and economy." [Bakersfield Californian, 4/24/08]
The CDFA plans to start spraying in Monterey, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo counties on August 17, 2008. California communities are raising our voices and calling on Governor Schwarzenegger to stop the spray today.
To sign the petition or get more information go to Stop the Spray.
THE LIGHT BROWN APPLE MOTH (LBAM)
ERADICATION PROGRAM:
A Hazard to Public Health & The Environment
* Urban populations in Santa Cruz & Monterey counties were aerially sprayed with a synthetic pheromone-pesticide without their consent in the Fall of 2007.
* 643 reports of illness followed the spraying.
* Millions of Californians are slated to be sprayed REPEATEDLY beginning in Summer 2008 and continuing up to 9 months per year, for at least 5 years, according to agency officials.
* Other methods of applying toxic pesticides are already being used in our neighborhoods and on private property without our consent.
* $74 million is the minimum cost of the 2008 spraying program in California
* No substantiated damage has occurred to any crops in California.
* THIS IS NOT OVER YET!
The California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the State of California claim that synthetic pheromone-pesticide sprays will eradicate the Light Brown Apple Moth (LBAM), an insect that entomologists say has lived in California for more than three decades.
Not Necessary: In New Zealand, where the LBAM has been present for over 100 years, control is achieved almost exclusively by non-toxic means, including naturally existing predators. Expert scientists say that eradication of the LBAM in California is not even possible.
Not Effective: Aerial spray of this synthetic pheromone-pesticide has not been used before over populated areas and has never been used to eradicate a pest. Entomologists and agriculture experts say it will not be effective. The CDFA admits that it can't be sure that any moths have been affected (inhibited from mating) by the spraying done thus far.
Not Safe: CheckMate LBAM-F, the chemical compound used in the first spray has not been tested for long-term health effects, and contains ingredients with known toxicities. Furthermore, it is contained in plastic micro-capsules, some of which are small enough to lodge in the deepest recesses of human lungs.
Not Over: Although a Superior Court judge in Santa Cruz County recently ruled that spraying in Santa Cruz could not continue there until after an Environmental Impact Report has been completed, the CDFA plans to seek an appeal. In addition, the court’s decision only applies to Santa Cruz County. And though Governor Schwarzenegger has temporarily issued a delay of the continuation of the spraying, he also insists that spraying is safe and necessary to avoid "…a devastating impact on our state's environment and economy." [Bakersfield Californian, 4/24/08]
The CDFA plans to start spraying in Monterey, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo counties on August 17, 2008. California communities are raising our voices and calling on Governor Schwarzenegger to stop the spray today.
To sign the petition or get more information go to Stop the Spray.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
FOX Expert: If the Mob Ran Things, There'd Be No Obama Issue
Tracy Byrnes, a FOX Business analyst, went completely over the line in her comments during the Cavuto show that aired April 23rd on FOX Business Network.
Byrnes is a dedicated water-carrier her bosses at FOX News. If they asked her to say the moon is made of green cheese, she'd say it. So when you listen to the following comments, realize that - despite the surprised looks on the faces of Neil Cavuto and John Layfield - she is, in all probability, simply stating what she's heard around the FOX set and in the halls of power at FOX Central.
During a ludicrous discussion about whether or not the "mob" (Mafia) is controlling the cost of oil, Byrnes said "I've seen the mob in action. I'm thinking it could rule the world and they probably should. We wouldn't have the Obama issue, quite frankly, if Tony Soprano was in charge."
What exactly did Ms. Byrnes mean by the "Obama issue"? And what, pray tell, does she think the mob should do to the Senator from Illinois?
Later in the show, embittered comedian Dennis Miller let the FOX audience know precisely why Ms. Byrnes was hired by FOX Business Network.
If, after watching the video below, you think that FOX should issue an apology to Sen. Obama and censure Ms. Byrnes, contact them here:
feedback@foxbusiness.com and comments@foxnews.com
As for one of the other FOX financial experts - John Layfield - he's a joke. Several years ago the former wrestler was censured in Germany for doing the Nazi salute and goose-stepping during a WWE house show. This caused a huge ruckus in Germany, which has strict laws against such behavior.
If that wasn't bad enough, here's a video of Layfield hawking Mamajuana Energy sex potion!
With "business experts" like these discussing pretentious, manufactured tabloid topics, is it any wonder that FBN's ratings are in the toilet?
Byrnes is a dedicated water-carrier her bosses at FOX News. If they asked her to say the moon is made of green cheese, she'd say it. So when you listen to the following comments, realize that - despite the surprised looks on the faces of Neil Cavuto and John Layfield - she is, in all probability, simply stating what she's heard around the FOX set and in the halls of power at FOX Central.
During a ludicrous discussion about whether or not the "mob" (Mafia) is controlling the cost of oil, Byrnes said "I've seen the mob in action. I'm thinking it could rule the world and they probably should. We wouldn't have the Obama issue, quite frankly, if Tony Soprano was in charge."
What exactly did Ms. Byrnes mean by the "Obama issue"? And what, pray tell, does she think the mob should do to the Senator from Illinois?
Later in the show, embittered comedian Dennis Miller let the FOX audience know precisely why Ms. Byrnes was hired by FOX Business Network.
If, after watching the video below, you think that FOX should issue an apology to Sen. Obama and censure Ms. Byrnes, contact them here:
feedback@foxbusiness.com and comments@foxnews.com
As for one of the other FOX financial experts - John Layfield - he's a joke. Several years ago the former wrestler was censured in Germany for doing the Nazi salute and goose-stepping during a WWE house show. This caused a huge ruckus in Germany, which has strict laws against such behavior.
If that wasn't bad enough, here's a video of Layfield hawking Mamajuana Energy sex potion!
With "business experts" like these discussing pretentious, manufactured tabloid topics, is it any wonder that FBN's ratings are in the toilet?
Monday, April 21, 2008
Karl Rove Tests New Talking Point: Obama Just Another Uppity Black Man.
FOX News contributor Karl Rove - who is still very active as an informal advisor to John McCain - has tried out various smear tactics against Sen. Barack Obama in the past several months.
As we all know, FOX News was the first channel to begin floating various slurs against the Senator from Illinois.
The FOX & Friends crew made their by now infamous attempt to portray Obama as a closet terrorist because he attended a Muslim school in Indonesia as a child.
When the "madrassah" controversy didn't work, they tried the "his-middle-name-is-Hussein" and "he-doesn't-wear-a-flag-pin" approaches. After that fizzled, FOX News and the right wing noise machine dipped into the lexicon of racist code words and began painting Obama as all talk and no action, which is "code" for the stereotype of the jive-talking black man, a shallow con artist who is charming but shiftless.
That didn't seem to work either, so the smear merchants went into pure swiftboat mode, and tried to convince American voters that Sen. Obama is guilty by association. The malevolent maestro of slime, Sean Hannity, fulminated against Obama's minister, snarled like a mad dog about Mrs. Obama and drooled over the fact that Sen. Obama - gasp! - served on a charitable foundation with former Weather Underground member William Ayers.
None of these attacks seemed to stick either, so now FOX is trying a new tack.
On April 18th during a preview showing of Hannity's America, Karl Rove floated his latest talking point. He spoke with host Sean Hannity (who's been buddy-buddy with the likes of racist Hall Turner) and repeatedly used the word "arrogant" to conjure up yet another noxious stereotype that lingers just below the surface in the minds of some older Americans who are uncomfortable with African-American success.
By using the word "arrogant" to describe Obama, Rove deliberately pandered to those who remember when the n-word was used in children's play songs and who, to this day, carry the memories of the ofttimes turbulent struggle by African-Americans to carve out a place at the American economic table.
Most Americans supported the civil rights movement, but a small percentage of our citizenry retreated into anger and fear. As middle class jobs left the small towns and competition for the few remaining jobs increased, some people lashed out at African-Americans, seeing them as competitors who were getting special privileges. That simmering anger often expressed itself in racially offensive words meant to belittle and invalidate any black person who dared to push for a better life or stand up and challenge the status quo.
The state of Pennsylvania has the second largest concentration of older Americans in the United States. Karl Rove is well aware of this fact, so he knows precisely what he is doing by using the word "arrogant" to describe an educated, self-assured African-American man like Barack Obama, a man who seems to take everything in stride with humor and good grace.
Let's cut to the chase.
Rove knows that Obama is going to be the Democratic nominee and he is desperate to redefine Obama's assured self-confidence as "arrogance" in a benighted hope that older voters will translate the word into a less politically correct phrase.
In the video below, in a slimy bit of "framing" Karl Rove is basically saying that Sen. Barack Obama is nothing more than an "uppity n****r" who doesn't know his proper place in the white man's world.
As we all know, FOX News was the first channel to begin floating various slurs against the Senator from Illinois.
The FOX & Friends crew made their by now infamous attempt to portray Obama as a closet terrorist because he attended a Muslim school in Indonesia as a child.
When the "madrassah" controversy didn't work, they tried the "his-middle-name-is-Hussein" and "he-doesn't-wear-a-flag-pin" approaches. After that fizzled, FOX News and the right wing noise machine dipped into the lexicon of racist code words and began painting Obama as all talk and no action, which is "code" for the stereotype of the jive-talking black man, a shallow con artist who is charming but shiftless.
That didn't seem to work either, so the smear merchants went into pure swiftboat mode, and tried to convince American voters that Sen. Obama is guilty by association. The malevolent maestro of slime, Sean Hannity, fulminated against Obama's minister, snarled like a mad dog about Mrs. Obama and drooled over the fact that Sen. Obama - gasp! - served on a charitable foundation with former Weather Underground member William Ayers.
None of these attacks seemed to stick either, so now FOX is trying a new tack.
On April 18th during a preview showing of Hannity's America, Karl Rove floated his latest talking point. He spoke with host Sean Hannity (who's been buddy-buddy with the likes of racist Hall Turner) and repeatedly used the word "arrogant" to conjure up yet another noxious stereotype that lingers just below the surface in the minds of some older Americans who are uncomfortable with African-American success.
By using the word "arrogant" to describe Obama, Rove deliberately pandered to those who remember when the n-word was used in children's play songs and who, to this day, carry the memories of the ofttimes turbulent struggle by African-Americans to carve out a place at the American economic table.
Most Americans supported the civil rights movement, but a small percentage of our citizenry retreated into anger and fear. As middle class jobs left the small towns and competition for the few remaining jobs increased, some people lashed out at African-Americans, seeing them as competitors who were getting special privileges. That simmering anger often expressed itself in racially offensive words meant to belittle and invalidate any black person who dared to push for a better life or stand up and challenge the status quo.
The state of Pennsylvania has the second largest concentration of older Americans in the United States. Karl Rove is well aware of this fact, so he knows precisely what he is doing by using the word "arrogant" to describe an educated, self-assured African-American man like Barack Obama, a man who seems to take everything in stride with humor and good grace.
Let's cut to the chase.
Rove knows that Obama is going to be the Democratic nominee and he is desperate to redefine Obama's assured self-confidence as "arrogance" in a benighted hope that older voters will translate the word into a less politically correct phrase.
In the video below, in a slimy bit of "framing" Karl Rove is basically saying that Sen. Barack Obama is nothing more than an "uppity n****r" who doesn't know his proper place in the white man's world.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
During Discussion of "Sicko" and Health Care, Ben Stein Smacks Downs FOX's Neil Cavuto
Wow! Will wonders never cease? On the February 23, 2008 edition of "Cavuto on Business" that aired on the FOX Business Network, Ben Stein let 'er rip!
During a discussion of the possibility that Michael Moore's "Sicko" might win an Oscar, Stein argued that the rich should be willing to pay more taxes in order to facilitate better health coverage for those Americans who cannot afford it. He was vehemently - and angrily - rebutted by FOX Business regulars Neil Cavuto, Charles Payne and Tracy Burns. Guest Mark Lamont Hill agreed with Stein while another FOX expert, Adam Lashinsky, tried to take a middle road.
When Rupert Murdoch started the FOX Business Network, he said his objective was to reach out to "Main Street" Americans with happy, upbeat news about the greatness of American business.
I find it ironic that none of the FOX hosts seems to have a shred of respect for or knowledge about what it takes to make it - day to day - on the real Main Streets of America!
At one point Charles Payne says that the green movement has been a "godsend" for American business because, "all you have to do is take a shampoo, put 'green' on it and sell it for ten cents more."
Need I say more?
During a discussion of the possibility that Michael Moore's "Sicko" might win an Oscar, Stein argued that the rich should be willing to pay more taxes in order to facilitate better health coverage for those Americans who cannot afford it. He was vehemently - and angrily - rebutted by FOX Business regulars Neil Cavuto, Charles Payne and Tracy Burns. Guest Mark Lamont Hill agreed with Stein while another FOX expert, Adam Lashinsky, tried to take a middle road.
When Rupert Murdoch started the FOX Business Network, he said his objective was to reach out to "Main Street" Americans with happy, upbeat news about the greatness of American business.
I find it ironic that none of the FOX hosts seems to have a shred of respect for or knowledge about what it takes to make it - day to day - on the real Main Streets of America!
At one point Charles Payne says that the green movement has been a "godsend" for American business because, "all you have to do is take a shampoo, put 'green' on it and sell it for ten cents more."
Need I say more?
Saturday, February 23, 2008
FOX Business Network Continues Its Assault on the Middle Class and the Poor
FOX Business Network's head rah-rah boy, Neil Cavuto, and his quartet of johnny-one-note business "experts" continue their loud-mouthed, rude campaign to convince their heartland viewers that rich people are good guys who don't deserve to pay more taxes and don't have a "moral imperative" to help those who have less.
I continue to wonder why everyday Americans still support this elitist group of uber-rich hypocrites who consistently sound like Ebeneezer Scrooge before he's been visited by the three ghosts!
The rest of my commentary is embedded in the video below.
I continue to wonder why everyday Americans still support this elitist group of uber-rich hypocrites who consistently sound like Ebeneezer Scrooge before he's been visited by the three ghosts!
The rest of my commentary is embedded in the video below.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Pentagon Takes Cue from Barack Obama, Bombs Pakistan Unilaterally
In August 2007 Hillary Clinton accused rival Barack Obama of being "naive" because he indicated that he would meet with the leaders of unfriendly nations. She claimed he was unprepared to make the tough decisions necessary to defend the United States. Sen. Obama responded that in the absence of any other options, he would bomb a country like Pakistan unilaterally if it meant eliminating a known terrorist threat. (Source: Reuters)
At the time he was hauled over the coals by Republican talking heads.
During an episode of Hannity & Colmes on August 4, 2007, Clare Booth Luce Policy Institute Fellow Kate Griffin claimed that Sen. Obama had studied at the "Jimmy Carter school of foreign policy." "That's exactly what Jimmy Carter did with the Shah of Iran," she said. "We had an ally and then they turned into our most ferocious enemy in the world. ... I'd feel sorry for Obama if this weren't so incredibly important and negligent on his part, to talk about going into a sovereign nation, invading it, basically handing the government and their nuclear arms supplies over to the ... extremist terrorists." (Video available at Brightcove.)
On August 14, 2007 the uber-conservative Hannity repeated Griffin's false talking points. According to Media Matters, Hannity "claimed that Obama has stated his 'willingness to invade an ally against their will,' referring to Pakistan. However, as Media Matters for America repeatedly noted, Obama never said he would 'invade Pakistan.' Rather, Obama stated in an August 1 speech: "If we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets [in Pakistan] and President [Pervez] Musharraf won't act, we will." (Two-part video of entire interview available at Newshoundsblog: Part 1 and Part 2.)
I guess the Pentagon liked the idea.
On January 29th, the United States military implemented Barack Obama's strategy. Using good intelligence and on-the-ground cooperation by local informants, we launched a drone into Pakistan and killed a highly-place al-Qaeda leader. The U. S. did this without the cooperation of Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf. (Source: Washington Post)
Bingo! Barack Obama got it right!
Now, here's the capper!
On February 10th, eleven days AFTER authorizing a unilateral incursion into a sovereign nation without the approval of its leadership, President George W. Bush denigrated Barack Obama on national TV. He said this to Chris Wallace on FOX News Sunday: ""I certainly don't know what he [Barack Obama] believes in. The only foreign policy thing I remember he said was he's going to attack Pakistan and embrace Ahmadinejad."
Welcome to the madhouse that masquerades as American political discourse!
At the time he was hauled over the coals by Republican talking heads.
During an episode of Hannity & Colmes on August 4, 2007, Clare Booth Luce Policy Institute Fellow Kate Griffin claimed that Sen. Obama had studied at the "Jimmy Carter school of foreign policy." "That's exactly what Jimmy Carter did with the Shah of Iran," she said. "We had an ally and then they turned into our most ferocious enemy in the world. ... I'd feel sorry for Obama if this weren't so incredibly important and negligent on his part, to talk about going into a sovereign nation, invading it, basically handing the government and their nuclear arms supplies over to the ... extremist terrorists." (Video available at Brightcove.)
On August 14, 2007 the uber-conservative Hannity repeated Griffin's false talking points. According to Media Matters, Hannity "claimed that Obama has stated his 'willingness to invade an ally against their will,' referring to Pakistan. However, as Media Matters for America repeatedly noted, Obama never said he would 'invade Pakistan.' Rather, Obama stated in an August 1 speech: "If we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets [in Pakistan] and President [Pervez] Musharraf won't act, we will." (Two-part video of entire interview available at Newshoundsblog: Part 1 and Part 2.)
I guess the Pentagon liked the idea.
On January 29th, the United States military implemented Barack Obama's strategy. Using good intelligence and on-the-ground cooperation by local informants, we launched a drone into Pakistan and killed a highly-place al-Qaeda leader. The U. S. did this without the cooperation of Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf. (Source: Washington Post)
Bingo! Barack Obama got it right!
Now, here's the capper!
On February 10th, eleven days AFTER authorizing a unilateral incursion into a sovereign nation without the approval of its leadership, President George W. Bush denigrated Barack Obama on national TV. He said this to Chris Wallace on FOX News Sunday: ""I certainly don't know what he [Barack Obama] believes in. The only foreign policy thing I remember he said was he's going to attack Pakistan and embrace Ahmadinejad."
Welcome to the madhouse that masquerades as American political discourse!
Saturday, February 16, 2008
FOX Business Bashes Barack Obama. "Experts" Say He'd Destroy Capitalism.
Oh, my. Oh, my. I haven't paid much attention to FOX News since leaving News Hounds about two months ago. Therefore, I thought I could once again watch a few shows without having a coronary or grabbing for the bottle of Pepto Bismol.
I was wrong.
This past weekend, I made the mistake of subjecting myself to what passes for financial news on FOX - the two-hour Cost of Freedom block on Saturday, February 16th and FOX Business Network on February 18th. FOX's head business honcho, Neil Cavuto, has clearly decided that it's his job to bolster the moth-bitten, creaky campaign of John McCain by unleashing his pack of rabid, greedy "FOX business experts" on Democratic front-runner Barack Obama.
The first salvo was fired on Bulls & Bears, hosted by brassy, red-headed dominatrix Brenda Buttner. Her harem of experts - Gary B. Smith, Scott Bleier, Pat Dorsey and Tobin B. Smith - dutifully dumped on a possible Obama presidency, universally agreeing that Barack Obama's economic plan would result in the demise of capitalism.
Check out this laughable exchange:
Later, Neil Cavuto and his band of merry hatchet men (and one woman) continued the Obama-bash during his own Cavuto on Business show.
Then, perpetually peppy preppy David Asman joined the Forbes on FOX gang - including two-time losing Presidential candidate and failed Giuliani campaign manager, Steve Forbes. They slammed Obama's comments on CEO compensation, claiming that he should be equally hard on his Hollywood "buddies" as well. This was just another trumped-up excuse to make disparaging comments about Obama by implying that he's anti-business. Thank goodness Quentin Hardy was once again on board to snap the discussion back to reality!
British ex-patriate and former CNBC anchor Stuart Varney continued the hate fest on the FOX Business Network show FOX Business that aired yesterday, President's Day, February 18th. Varney made no bones about his disdain for Obama's economic plan. As usual on FOX media outlets, the person selected to represent the opposing POV was ineffective. This time it was Leigh Gallagher of Fortune Magazine. She tried her best but Varney and his sidekick du jour, Ed Ponsi hammered home their pro-greed, anti-middle class message. (Note: The sync between the picture and the sound on this video is slightly off.)
I was wrong.
This past weekend, I made the mistake of subjecting myself to what passes for financial news on FOX - the two-hour Cost of Freedom block on Saturday, February 16th and FOX Business Network on February 18th. FOX's head business honcho, Neil Cavuto, has clearly decided that it's his job to bolster the moth-bitten, creaky campaign of John McCain by unleashing his pack of rabid, greedy "FOX business experts" on Democratic front-runner Barack Obama.
The first salvo was fired on Bulls & Bears, hosted by brassy, red-headed dominatrix Brenda Buttner. Her harem of experts - Gary B. Smith, Scott Bleier, Pat Dorsey and Tobin B. Smith - dutifully dumped on a possible Obama presidency, universally agreeing that Barack Obama's economic plan would result in the demise of capitalism.
Check out this laughable exchange:
Later, Neil Cavuto and his band of merry hatchet men (and one woman) continued the Obama-bash during his own Cavuto on Business show.
Then, perpetually peppy preppy David Asman joined the Forbes on FOX gang - including two-time losing Presidential candidate and failed Giuliani campaign manager, Steve Forbes. They slammed Obama's comments on CEO compensation, claiming that he should be equally hard on his Hollywood "buddies" as well. This was just another trumped-up excuse to make disparaging comments about Obama by implying that he's anti-business. Thank goodness Quentin Hardy was once again on board to snap the discussion back to reality!
British ex-patriate and former CNBC anchor Stuart Varney continued the hate fest on the FOX Business Network show FOX Business that aired yesterday, President's Day, February 18th. Varney made no bones about his disdain for Obama's economic plan. As usual on FOX media outlets, the person selected to represent the opposing POV was ineffective. This time it was Leigh Gallagher of Fortune Magazine. She tried her best but Varney and his sidekick du jour, Ed Ponsi hammered home their pro-greed, anti-middle class message. (Note: The sync between the picture and the sound on this video is slightly off.)
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
The Geometrically Increasing Bill for the Iraq War
Here's a new video from Robert Greenwald's Brave New Films. After watching it, you can do something - donate money to an antiwar candidate, start working for your local political organization to bring your message to them, volunteer to be a poll worker, start or sign a petititon against the war, write to your Senators and Congressperson, let all your friends know how you feel, etc.
But don't just sit there, in front of your computer, and do nothing!
But don't just sit there, in front of your computer, and do nothing!
Monday, February 11, 2008
Hasta la vista, U.S.A! American Multi-nationals Kiss Off the United States, Head for Far Away Places
In February 2004 I joined eight other women to monitor various FOX News shows for the documentary OUTFOXED: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism. After the film was released, we started a media watch blog called News Hounds. Until January 1st of this year I spent three to five hours a day, seven days a week, viewing and reporting on various FOX News shows, including The O'Reilly Factor, Big Story with John Gibson, Hannity's America, FOX & Friends, America's Newsroom, Your World with Neil Cavuto, the Cost of Freedom financial shows, FOX News Sunday and Special Report with Brit Hume.
I finally could not take it anymore. FOX is a miserable excuse for a news channel and it has been heavenly waking up each morning and NOT feeling pressured to subject myself to GOP propaganda masquerading as news.
Instead, I have been watching CNBC on a daily basis. I find their total devotion to greed to be refreshingly honest. The hosts and guests make very little attempt to mask the fact that it's the bottom line that matters, high net worth that's god and the devil can take the hindmost. (The hindmost tend to be the workers whose labor actually creates the wealth for the stockholders.)
However, within that mindset, CNBC presents a decent sampling of bullish and bearish guests and, wonder of wonders, the hosts actually allow them to finish their sentences!! No more toothsome David Asman slobbering over those who agree with the FOX News viewpoint while rudely interrupting guests who try to tell him something he doesn't want to hear!
Last week the The Financial Times published the stunning announcement that General Electric (ticker symbol GE) is moving the headquarters of its consumer finance division to London. Last year Halliburton (HAL) announced a similar move to Dubai. (Aside: Isn't it quite an interesting coincidence that HAL, the ticker symbol for Halliburton, is the same as the villainous HAL computer in Stanley Kubrick's sci-fi masterpiece 2001: A Space Odyssey?)
I find this relocation trend to be disturbing. These major companies have used American government, American law, American labor and American consumers to grow into what they are today. Now, it would seem, they are giving us the bird. In a related development, stock experts - even on the flag-draped FOX Business Network - have been urging investors not to put their money into this country but to invest in foreign ETFs, foreign companies and foreign currencies.
Sadly, this doesn't surprise me in the least. However, there are millions of Americans out there who are only now waking up to the realization that they have been had. It is not a coincidence that Barack Obama's support comes from small contributors, including lapsed Republicans like my brother the newly registered Independent, who are plunking down hard-earned nickels and dimes in the idealistic hope that maybe, just once, there's a candidate who will owe his allegiance, not to some company that moves overseas, but to people like you and me.
Several years ago I was reading Original Story By, the autobiography of director, playwright, screenwriter Arthur Laurents. On page 335 he relates the story of his purchase of a lot on the island of Quogue in New York in the year 1954.
Let's do a financial analysis of this seemingly innoccous biographical episode.
In 1929, a five-acre oceanfront lot on Quogue Island cost $22,000.
Twenty-five years later the same lot was sold for $5,000, a loss of $17,000 (77%) to the owner.
In 1974, the widow's property would have sold for close to its original price of $22,000.
By 1984, the widow's heirs would have realized a profit.
In other words, the crash of 1929 was a fifty-year correction.
Here's my completely intuitive take on what happened then and what may be happening now.
In the period after the American Civil War through the early 1920s, manufacturing began its inexorable move from Europe to the United States. This put a strain on the European currencies, which were finally dealt a death blow with the massive disruptions of World War I. By 1929 it became imperative for the markets to tag future trades to the dollar rather than the pound, franc and mark. I believe that 1929 was the beginning of a massive, long-term restructuring of the financial markets as they gradually acknowledged the dominance of the American dollar.
In the past thirty years, from Ronald Reagan through Bill Clinton, the government, acting in collusion with powerful economic interests, has effectively moved 90% of American manufacturing to China and other points west, east and south.
I believe that we are about to experience another multi-year economic upheaval - a depression if you will - as the international markets once again make a long-term shift, this time tagging themselves to the Chinese yuan.
This morning on CNBC a real estate expert made the standardized claim that property eventually returns to its highest value. This statement should be taken with a truckload of salt.
If, as I believe, we are about to experience another huge currency upheaval, anyone who owns property in the United States had better be prepared to leave it to the grandchildren, since it may not reach its current value again until 2058!
One wonders why the mind of man cannot devise a better economic system.
This boom-bust approach is a massive loser all the way around.
I finally could not take it anymore. FOX is a miserable excuse for a news channel and it has been heavenly waking up each morning and NOT feeling pressured to subject myself to GOP propaganda masquerading as news.
Instead, I have been watching CNBC on a daily basis. I find their total devotion to greed to be refreshingly honest. The hosts and guests make very little attempt to mask the fact that it's the bottom line that matters, high net worth that's god and the devil can take the hindmost. (The hindmost tend to be the workers whose labor actually creates the wealth for the stockholders.)
However, within that mindset, CNBC presents a decent sampling of bullish and bearish guests and, wonder of wonders, the hosts actually allow them to finish their sentences!! No more toothsome David Asman slobbering over those who agree with the FOX News viewpoint while rudely interrupting guests who try to tell him something he doesn't want to hear!
Last week the The Financial Times published the stunning announcement that General Electric (ticker symbol GE) is moving the headquarters of its consumer finance division to London. Last year Halliburton (HAL) announced a similar move to Dubai. (Aside: Isn't it quite an interesting coincidence that HAL, the ticker symbol for Halliburton, is the same as the villainous HAL computer in Stanley Kubrick's sci-fi masterpiece 2001: A Space Odyssey?)
I find this relocation trend to be disturbing. These major companies have used American government, American law, American labor and American consumers to grow into what they are today. Now, it would seem, they are giving us the bird. In a related development, stock experts - even on the flag-draped FOX Business Network - have been urging investors not to put their money into this country but to invest in foreign ETFs, foreign companies and foreign currencies.
Sadly, this doesn't surprise me in the least. However, there are millions of Americans out there who are only now waking up to the realization that they have been had. It is not a coincidence that Barack Obama's support comes from small contributors, including lapsed Republicans like my brother the newly registered Independent, who are plunking down hard-earned nickels and dimes in the idealistic hope that maybe, just once, there's a candidate who will owe his allegiance, not to some company that moves overseas, but to people like you and me.
Several years ago I was reading Original Story By, the autobiography of director, playwright, screenwriter Arthur Laurents. On page 335 he relates the story of his purchase of a lot on the island of Quogue in New York in the year 1954.
"The widow and I stood on her dune, looking out at the ocean. She was a breezy woman, yet sad about the property: she had wanted to build, but her husband had died. She wanted to be sure I was going to build, then warned the lot had cost her $22,000 in the Twenties, a price that was never coming back; beach property had had it. Of course, her ocean frontage, which determined price, wasn't as wide as most, but her dune was thick and strong and the lot ran from the high water mark on the beach, across Dune Road, across the wetlands on the other side to Shinnecock Bay. Five acres in all. A farewell sigh: she would let me have it for $5,000."
Let's do a financial analysis of this seemingly innoccous biographical episode.
In 1929, a five-acre oceanfront lot on Quogue Island cost $22,000.
Twenty-five years later the same lot was sold for $5,000, a loss of $17,000 (77%) to the owner.
In 1974, the widow's property would have sold for close to its original price of $22,000.
By 1984, the widow's heirs would have realized a profit.
In other words, the crash of 1929 was a fifty-year correction.
Here's my completely intuitive take on what happened then and what may be happening now.
In the period after the American Civil War through the early 1920s, manufacturing began its inexorable move from Europe to the United States. This put a strain on the European currencies, which were finally dealt a death blow with the massive disruptions of World War I. By 1929 it became imperative for the markets to tag future trades to the dollar rather than the pound, franc and mark. I believe that 1929 was the beginning of a massive, long-term restructuring of the financial markets as they gradually acknowledged the dominance of the American dollar.
In the past thirty years, from Ronald Reagan through Bill Clinton, the government, acting in collusion with powerful economic interests, has effectively moved 90% of American manufacturing to China and other points west, east and south.
I believe that we are about to experience another multi-year economic upheaval - a depression if you will - as the international markets once again make a long-term shift, this time tagging themselves to the Chinese yuan.
This morning on CNBC a real estate expert made the standardized claim that property eventually returns to its highest value. This statement should be taken with a truckload of salt.
If, as I believe, we are about to experience another huge currency upheaval, anyone who owns property in the United States had better be prepared to leave it to the grandchildren, since it may not reach its current value again until 2058!
One wonders why the mind of man cannot devise a better economic system.
This boom-bust approach is a massive loser all the way around.
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