(C) 2010 Stan Spire
Here we go again. Another article saying we need mainstream journalism to keep our democracy alive.
Posted at the Nieman Journalism Lab site on Jan. 6 with a pompous title -- "Eric Newton: Shame on us if we don’t take the steps needed to feed knowledge to our democracy" -- it goes on about how universities can help by teaching "news literacy." That provoked me to leave this comment:
= = =
News literacy? How about citizenship literacy?
"Shame on us if we don’t take the steps needed to feed knowledge to our democracy"
Our democracy? What country do you live in? Pay attention the next time you recite the Pledge of Allegiance. We live in a republic. If we really lived in a democracy, Al Gore would've been elected president back in 2000 (popular vote).
I find it amusing how mainstream journalists go on that we need newspapers to protect "democracy."
= = =
There are many reasons why newspapers are dying out. The main one: They suck. They keep repeating lies about "our democracy," giving the average American roob the illusion he has some sort of real say in what his leaders do through voting or writing a letter to the editor.
The Founding Fathers were concerned about democracy because it could lead to "mob rule." Instead, we have this republic run in part by Mob rule -- organized crime.
= = =
Here's the link to the Nieman J Lab, www.niemanlab.org, article I was yakking about. Copy and paste it; I don't have time to screw around with HTML link crap.
http://www.niemanlab.org/2010/01/eric-newton-shame-on-us-if-we-dont-take-the-steps-needed-to-feed-knowledge-to-our-democracy/#more-11795
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Limbo
(C) 2010 Stan Spire
No sunshine in NENYland lately. Just a series of gray snowy days. Limbo.
This blog is in limbo. Low hits on the counter. No one reads it. The lemmings must be all over at Facebook, writing pithy bits of nothing and exchanging cute little digital gifts.
So maybe I should change my writing style. Be really funny, not so negative. Yeah. Fat fucking chance. If I want to write to an audience, I might as well work at a newspaper. Or try the mainstream publishing route again, sending out short stories and novels to win the approval of a no-talent editor, a gatekeeper with all his taste in his mouth and all his brains in his ass.
I write for myself. (Just don't repeat statement to your creative writing teacher in college. That concept will blow his mind, man, inducing a tumor in his ass.)
So I'm going to treat this blog as my "private" journal. If anyone else reads it, fine. At least it might end up as a message in a bottle from one man treading water in the first half of the 21st century.
No sunshine in NENYland lately. Just a series of gray snowy days. Limbo.
This blog is in limbo. Low hits on the counter. No one reads it. The lemmings must be all over at Facebook, writing pithy bits of nothing and exchanging cute little digital gifts.
So maybe I should change my writing style. Be really funny, not so negative. Yeah. Fat fucking chance. If I want to write to an audience, I might as well work at a newspaper. Or try the mainstream publishing route again, sending out short stories and novels to win the approval of a no-talent editor, a gatekeeper with all his taste in his mouth and all his brains in his ass.
I write for myself. (Just don't repeat statement to your creative writing teacher in college. That concept will blow his mind, man, inducing a tumor in his ass.)
So I'm going to treat this blog as my "private" journal. If anyone else reads it, fine. At least it might end up as a message in a bottle from one man treading water in the first half of the 21st century.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Product Placement
(C) 2009 Stan Spire
In case you're not familiar with the term:
Product placement is a sneaky form of advertising. A product -- such as a can of soda with a distinctive logo -- is surreptitiously placed in a scene during a TeeVee show or Movee. Instead of directly selling the product with a loud, annoying ad, the zombie viewer subconsciously picks up the cue: "Joe Hollywood is drinking a Coke so that soda must be cool and I can be cool, too, if I drink a Coke."
Product placement can pop up anywhere, even in the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance. "One nation, under God..."
There's been a uproar lately that a NENYland public school will no longer require its students to recite the Pledge at the beginning of each day. Your typical NENYlander is pissed off at this but the school responds that it is just following a Supreme Court decision.
Today on a Plattsburgh radio station there was a guest editorial by a retired military robot who said that if students don't want to recite the Pledge they should move to a Third World Country. He said non-recitation showed disrespect to all brave soldiers, especially those awarded Purple Hearts.
The commentator made sure to mention his rank when he retired from active duty and that he was a veteran, three times. Such credentials mean that he's absolutely right, of course.
I've never served but I can still pull rank on that commentator as an plain old American citizen. When he was serving his country, he was defending the right for someone like me to be an atheist. Originally "under God" wasn't in the Pledge; it was added during the Red Scare 1950s. Those liars who say this country was founded as a Christian nation pushed to get their product version of a god in the ritualistic loyalty oath.
Two inserted words -- "under God" -- caused the Supreme Court to decide that students didn't have to be forced to repeat them.
There is one way around this for a public school. Leave a pause after "under" during the Pledge and each student can insert whatever he wants: God, Allah, Satan, No One, Amos 'N Andy, etc. Don't forget the "public" in public school: students come in all shapes and colors from various backgrounds. They're not clones or robots; they're individuals.
Take a look at this statement:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion..."
That statement ain't from the Communist Manifesto.
In case you're not familiar with the term:
Product placement is a sneaky form of advertising. A product -- such as a can of soda with a distinctive logo -- is surreptitiously placed in a scene during a TeeVee show or Movee. Instead of directly selling the product with a loud, annoying ad, the zombie viewer subconsciously picks up the cue: "Joe Hollywood is drinking a Coke so that soda must be cool and I can be cool, too, if I drink a Coke."
Product placement can pop up anywhere, even in the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance. "One nation, under God..."
There's been a uproar lately that a NENYland public school will no longer require its students to recite the Pledge at the beginning of each day. Your typical NENYlander is pissed off at this but the school responds that it is just following a Supreme Court decision.
Today on a Plattsburgh radio station there was a guest editorial by a retired military robot who said that if students don't want to recite the Pledge they should move to a Third World Country. He said non-recitation showed disrespect to all brave soldiers, especially those awarded Purple Hearts.
The commentator made sure to mention his rank when he retired from active duty and that he was a veteran, three times. Such credentials mean that he's absolutely right, of course.
I've never served but I can still pull rank on that commentator as an plain old American citizen. When he was serving his country, he was defending the right for someone like me to be an atheist. Originally "under God" wasn't in the Pledge; it was added during the Red Scare 1950s. Those liars who say this country was founded as a Christian nation pushed to get their product version of a god in the ritualistic loyalty oath.
Two inserted words -- "under God" -- caused the Supreme Court to decide that students didn't have to be forced to repeat them.
There is one way around this for a public school. Leave a pause after "under" during the Pledge and each student can insert whatever he wants: God, Allah, Satan, No One, Amos 'N Andy, etc. Don't forget the "public" in public school: students come in all shapes and colors from various backgrounds. They're not clones or robots; they're individuals.
Take a look at this statement:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion..."
That statement ain't from the Communist Manifesto.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Public Begging System Self-Destructs
(C) 2009 Stan Spire
Enough already, PBS!
Some should tell them about the law of diminishing returns. More pledge drives doesn't mean more money being donated. After a while people get turned off by the almost constant begathons. As soon as I see someone pleading for money for public television, I tune out.
One time a PBS station here in NENYland was really laying on the guilt trip, saying that employees would have to be let go unless the money came in. This claim appeared in a newspaper article.
The next day, according to someone who worked at the station, the general manager was going around to everyone and saying not to worry, no one was going to lose their job.
That's the BS in PBS.
Maybe public television is really hurting for money this time around. Fuck 'em. Let the rich elite pay for it, those wealthy stockholders reaping in big dividends while ordinary people are being thrown out of work to jive up the company's stock value.
Enough already, PBS!
Some should tell them about the law of diminishing returns. More pledge drives doesn't mean more money being donated. After a while people get turned off by the almost constant begathons. As soon as I see someone pleading for money for public television, I tune out.
One time a PBS station here in NENYland was really laying on the guilt trip, saying that employees would have to be let go unless the money came in. This claim appeared in a newspaper article.
The next day, according to someone who worked at the station, the general manager was going around to everyone and saying not to worry, no one was going to lose their job.
That's the BS in PBS.
Maybe public television is really hurting for money this time around. Fuck 'em. Let the rich elite pay for it, those wealthy stockholders reaping in big dividends while ordinary people are being thrown out of work to jive up the company's stock value.
New York Times Offers Titanic Deal
(C) 2009 Stan Spire
Check it out. The New York Times is hawking stuff to rake in some bucks to stay afloat during the economic slump. Take a look at this one:
http://www.nytstore.com/ProdDetail.aspx?prodId=30407
Now you can own a fully assembled "Large R.M.S. Titanic Large Wooden Model" -- either 32 or 40 inches long -- with "amazing details" that include "handcrafted wood lifeboats." I wonder if one of those lifeboats includes a tiny replica of The New York Times Company chairman, Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr.
You could fill up your bathtub with frigid water and send Junior afloat in his little lifeboat, a victim of a financial iceberg.
That's cold, huh?
Check it out. The New York Times is hawking stuff to rake in some bucks to stay afloat during the economic slump. Take a look at this one:
http://www.nytstore.com/ProdDetail.aspx?prodId=30407
Now you can own a fully assembled "Large R.M.S. Titanic Large Wooden Model" -- either 32 or 40 inches long -- with "amazing details" that include "handcrafted wood lifeboats." I wonder if one of those lifeboats includes a tiny replica of The New York Times Company chairman, Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr.
You could fill up your bathtub with frigid water and send Junior afloat in his little lifeboat, a victim of a financial iceberg.
That's cold, huh?
Friday, November 6, 2009
Boys and Their Toys
© 2009 Stan Spire
Yesterday evening a woman from Iceland was supposed to appear before a federal judge here in Plattsburgh. She had been detained at the border by federal agents. Whoever was watching her – immigration officials or U.S. marshals – fell for the old “I have to go to the bathroom” bit. Instead of powdering her nose, she took a powder.
So local law enforcement went into action. Downtown Plattsburgh was cordoned off. She wasn't going to get away. Of course, if someone had been doing their job and had some smarts, her escape wouldn't have happened.
I found out about this later. The first indication I had that something was going on was when a helicopter kept flying over my place, again and again, chop-chop-chop. All I want is some peace and quite but that solitude kept getting chopped up.
When I went out for a walk, the helicopter was still flying around, shining a searchlight into the backyards of various homes.
OK, I can see this stuff happening when an armed and loaded terrorist is on the loose, getting ready to set off some bombs. But when law enforcement officials sent out an alert about the escapee, they stated that they believed the woman was “not dangerous.” She ended up being caught outside the city limits after a couple of alert citizens spotted her and called the state police. The cordon and the helicopter search were useless.
Once again a lot of fuel was burned by the Homeland Security helicopter. If the border has to be constantly protected from terrorists, then why does the HS copter have enough time to aid the local police? It's not the first time this has happened.
It seems the HS copter needs to find some action to justify its existence. Hell, why not sent it out to locate a lost puppy or kitty cat?
This reminds me of an incident from years ago. Law-enforcement officers were given some new toys to play with, paramilitary uniforms and weapons. The black-clad officers were scouring Plattsburgh for a fugitive. A citizen would look out the window and see a fully-armed body-armored stranger running by his house. There was an uproar because citizens were terrorized by the overreaction. They didn't know what the paramilitary types were doing.
But give the boys some shiny new toys – uniforms, weapons, helicopters – and they have to play.
Fun financed by your taxes. And while they play with their toys, basic and practical law enforcement become secondary – and second-rate.
That's how a woman could escape with the old bathroom ploy.
Yesterday evening a woman from Iceland was supposed to appear before a federal judge here in Plattsburgh. She had been detained at the border by federal agents. Whoever was watching her – immigration officials or U.S. marshals – fell for the old “I have to go to the bathroom” bit. Instead of powdering her nose, she took a powder.
So local law enforcement went into action. Downtown Plattsburgh was cordoned off. She wasn't going to get away. Of course, if someone had been doing their job and had some smarts, her escape wouldn't have happened.
I found out about this later. The first indication I had that something was going on was when a helicopter kept flying over my place, again and again, chop-chop-chop. All I want is some peace and quite but that solitude kept getting chopped up.
When I went out for a walk, the helicopter was still flying around, shining a searchlight into the backyards of various homes.
OK, I can see this stuff happening when an armed and loaded terrorist is on the loose, getting ready to set off some bombs. But when law enforcement officials sent out an alert about the escapee, they stated that they believed the woman was “not dangerous.” She ended up being caught outside the city limits after a couple of alert citizens spotted her and called the state police. The cordon and the helicopter search were useless.
Once again a lot of fuel was burned by the Homeland Security helicopter. If the border has to be constantly protected from terrorists, then why does the HS copter have enough time to aid the local police? It's not the first time this has happened.
It seems the HS copter needs to find some action to justify its existence. Hell, why not sent it out to locate a lost puppy or kitty cat?
This reminds me of an incident from years ago. Law-enforcement officers were given some new toys to play with, paramilitary uniforms and weapons. The black-clad officers were scouring Plattsburgh for a fugitive. A citizen would look out the window and see a fully-armed body-armored stranger running by his house. There was an uproar because citizens were terrorized by the overreaction. They didn't know what the paramilitary types were doing.
But give the boys some shiny new toys – uniforms, weapons, helicopters – and they have to play.
Fun financed by your taxes. And while they play with their toys, basic and practical law enforcement become secondary – and second-rate.
That's how a woman could escape with the old bathroom ploy.
Orange Easter Bunny and the Second Coming
© 2009 Stan Spire
Ever read something so wacky that the term “LSD flashback” pops in your head?
I don't think conservative Baptist preacher Rev. R.W. Fry, D.D. dropped acid during his younger years. It's just that you read one of his weekly columns and your head does a metaphysical spin.
Each Friday Rev. Fry runs an ad in the Plattsburgh daily (news)paper that features a short essay in which he tries to tie in an unusual news event with scripture. Sometimes the connection is really contorted.
In his latest commentary he talks about an incident in Oregon last Easter involving the driver of a Mercedes who hit a woman and left the scene. The victim was six feet tall; she was dressed as an orange rabbit, her vehicle a pedicab. According to Fry, the pedicab was lit up with “deflectors” [sic] and a flashing red light. There was no reason for the Mercedes driver not to see the victim, even though that was the excuse he gave to the judge..
Then Fry writes: “This sort of reminds me in a rather peculiar kind of way what we read in Matthew 25:13 – 'Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.'”
So this must be that Jesus is coming back as a six foot tall orange rabbit on a pedicab.
Signs and wonders, indeed.
Ever read something so wacky that the term “LSD flashback” pops in your head?
I don't think conservative Baptist preacher Rev. R.W. Fry, D.D. dropped acid during his younger years. It's just that you read one of his weekly columns and your head does a metaphysical spin.
Each Friday Rev. Fry runs an ad in the Plattsburgh daily (news)paper that features a short essay in which he tries to tie in an unusual news event with scripture. Sometimes the connection is really contorted.
In his latest commentary he talks about an incident in Oregon last Easter involving the driver of a Mercedes who hit a woman and left the scene. The victim was six feet tall; she was dressed as an orange rabbit, her vehicle a pedicab. According to Fry, the pedicab was lit up with “deflectors” [sic] and a flashing red light. There was no reason for the Mercedes driver not to see the victim, even though that was the excuse he gave to the judge..
Then Fry writes: “This sort of reminds me in a rather peculiar kind of way what we read in Matthew 25:13 – 'Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.'”
So this must be that Jesus is coming back as a six foot tall orange rabbit on a pedicab.
Signs and wonders, indeed.
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