Wonderland or Not

After years of near-total abstinence, there’s a TV in the pad now - but it’s almost never on. “News” has been off the list ever since the purveyors - right down to PBS - traded in Walter Cronkite for the National Enquirer. The purpose of “news” now is to get the viewer all riled up - which is the state in which the viewer is most susceptible to advertising.

Speaking of advertising, I visited “sexy politics” - and found myself face to face with a sweet young thing wearing a T-shirt (this is an ad, natch): “Sex - do it for the kids.” Click.

I’m much younger than I used to be. If this goes on, I’ll wind up like Sergeant Schultz (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hogan%27s_Heroes#Sergeant_Schultz): “I know nothing, nothing …”

If I’m not already there.

Five years already and how has it changed our lives here? I can’t even answer that question which only tells me I still don’t know what we’re fighting for.

“pundits who used to have shows therefore much be seen positioned as an expert guest on every other show touting to be real political commentary.” that’s the best summary of tv news “journalism” ever. It would be with audacious hope that we see Carlson’s dismissal as a sign of the decline in dipstickery. And yet I am moved.

This post is why I’m a faithful OTN Cooper reader

I’m feeling a bit put out that I didn’t get a sexy politics invite though I probably would have put them in spam where most things go

amoeba: Also to support corporate view points. i think I’ve said this before, but I’ve watched old black and white news clips and the news was quite different in the sixties.

Yes, well sexy politics ya know.

mojo: It is far too depressing to ponder, my god, really, is all I have to say.

Doug: “You Move Me”, my favorite line for that profound composition, “Wild Thing”.

Pia: My spam section is always full, and often with emails from real people, but as you do, by necessity, I delete it in bulk.

Too bad the redux is necessary.

Tucker got canned? Way to go.

I looked briefly through the sexy politics site, but I’m at work - no flash so I didn’t see much.

I’m listening to “Masters of War” by Dylan to commemorate the 5 year mark. I’ve been listening to it quite a lot since this whole mess was started. It always sends a chill down my spine, and sadly it will probably never lose its relevance. There is no real news on TV any more … just mixed shadow and light … sound and fury signifying nothing.

My “news and politics anonymous” is called “a week away”, otherwise it has become background noise.

I hope one day you are able to stop posting “My back Pages” to your blog, one day maybe.

I’ll check out sexy politics later. I already have a vision of it.

I wish we could only whisper about the war, but the fact is people need to be reminded of it, everyday.

Saw a segment on brain-injured vets on ABC that broke my heart. Those men will never be the same.

So heartbreaking. Our generation is paying the costs so greatly.

The thing is? His cancellation is a mixed blessing. There have been times when, in spite of him, I could have almost liked the guy. Almost. My attention span isn’t so short so as not to remember the reasons to dislike him.

But he’s one of few conservative pundits that Fox News would never hire. Unlike most of the rest, he has no orthodoxy or loyalty to the establishment. He’s welcomed opposing views without shouting them down. And while under normal circumstances, that would merely be descriptive of someone behaving like a decent human being, its rarity in this field makes it significant.

I mean, I’m not really going to miss him–He’s a dick

But if I had the power to pull the plug on political talk shows, his would be way down the list. The sad fact is, he’s the about the closest thing out there to a fair and rational conservative pundit. And if there’s any real weakness among liberals as far as ability to defend a position, it’s because we’ve grown fat and lazy on an opposition made up of pathetic clowns.

casey: You should stay off-line at work. That way they can never hold anything against you.

Francis: I’ve said this before but I was amazed on watching older news clips, from the sixties, how different news actually is. It seemed that news used to be news, or as much as it cold be with the technology of the times, it became entertainment in the decade I was born.

john: I might have almost a week away if I can manage it, to Mexico. I’m still working on it.
Your hope is my hope.

tipp: I find it hard to belie that some people just do not see it that way.

EW: I could never have liked him, he is interested only in his view and rarely let anyone get a word in edgewise. When anyone disagreed with him he usually cut them short to rambling some rapid rate punditry. I did hear him say something once or twice I actually agreed with. Sure there are a lot o pundits who should go but they are really just well paid entertainers who know nothing of real life.

I see Iraq, and I hope this doesn’t have to be posted in your blog for eternity.

And they are giving a news conference to the family of the woman who was killed by a stingray.

How many news conferences do we see with Iraq veterans?
With families of Iraq vets?

You were always so much much older then, and (than them).

5 Years. WWII didn’t last as long. The Civil war over in 4 years.

Can you say Vietnam?

I don’t normally do this, but my last post touches on some weighty things, I hope you will read and comment.

I will also say that, though I understand how women have had a rough row of it, I sometimes think that the ultra-fems are doing more harm than good to what is usually considered the Democratic Party, in this political cycle.

And it certainly seems that Ferraro has decided to fight more this time for a female candidate than she did for her own candidacy in 1984. Which is in some ways fine, but in other ways, a bad omen if they, the Democratic Party, can not resolve fairly the Michigan/Florida voting.

You know my solution. (But why wasn’t that offered up as a middle compromise? Isn’t it easier for groups around the states, after work hours, to meet and discuss the electing of Hill-Barack, and vote accordingly? Was not the gov. officials asked to vote on a bill to hold this election over? Why not try all avenues? Paradigm, or political wheeling and dealing? I choose the later.)

i used to watch Tucker on that kinda Point Counter Point show on CNN with Paul Begalla or James Carville - i kinda liked it*

the Sexy Politics site totally underwhelmed me cept for the c0ol Logo - not enuf Skin fer my liking* I’m more of a Swank or Hustler Beaver Hunt guy i guess*

I read a great letter from Ramsey Clark asking to Impeach Bush! Seems the Iraq War is totally off the American Public’s Radar - can’t say I blame for having Battle Fatigue set in on that useless Illegal War*

Is that $9 B u mention there?? I was seeing those $3 + $4 Trillion Dollar numbers by Stiglitz* I think a Big reason it’s drifted off the Radar is frankly it’s a War Americans have not had to Pay for (certainly not in Lives + Casualties as U already pointed out) but rather $$$ that Magically appears outta thin Congress air + seems to keep Funding this thing - very bizarre* Normally High Prices at the Gas Pumps Shock Americans into Vocal Outrage against the Government but not even that is drawing a Fart of a Protest from anyone??

Are Americans still American or what the Hell is going on down there??

;))

Peace*

On the fifth anniversary of President George W. Bush’s invasion of Iraq, President Bush said he has no doubts about waging the unpopular war despite the “high cost in lives and treasure.”

Vice President Dick Cheney had a different message. Informed during a Good Morning America interview broadcast Wednesday that two-thirds of Americans now think the war was not worth fighting, Cheney said: “So?”

“So you don’t care what the American people think?” ABC’s Martha Raddatz asked.

jacob: You are right on that.

jason: I’ll head over.

Billy: The arrogance is the worse part.