by matttbastard
Because ‘excited delirium’ is, like, so 2007.
Jesus wept.
Related: Alison has more regarding the Criminal Justice Branch ruling on the 2007 death of Robert Dziekanski (shorter: “It was his own goddamn fault that he died!”); make sure to also check out this post at Dawg’s place, where the good Dr. is once again calling for the RCMP to be disbanded.
Hard to argue with him this time.
Update: more from Dawg.
by matttbastard
The National Post editorial brain trust goes above and beyond its pay grade with a new feature today, as it attempts to collectively evaluate the academic writings of new Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff, starting with Iggy’s 2004 book The Lesser Evil: Political Ethics in an Age of Terror.
One can’t help but get the sense that there was a lot of self-satisfied preening going on for daring to break out an hoary term like ‘oeuvre’ — “Oooh we’re taking a big risk by letting our Eastern elitist flags fly, kids!” Although, with that said, Kelly McParland does take a few steps back from the brink, pointedly noting that he never enjoyed the luxury of Haaahvaaahd book-learnin’. Still, I wonder what KKKate and Kathy Shaidle will have to say about *gasp* teh Francais appearing in the (web) pages of the Post–and in a non-disparaging fashion?
Quell horreur!
by matttbastard
Sometimes its best to let teh wingnuts speak freely, because the vicious projection, though blindingly offensive, can be quite illuminating:
On his radio show, Mark Belling said: ‘Whether it’s blacks, Mexican-Americans, whatever, people who live in a neighborhood should not have to put up with newcomers deciding that that neighborhood is going to be ‘Crimeville.’ ‘ Belling continued: ‘You wonder why racism occurs. Why people fear ‘look what’s happening to the neighborhood’ when some — when a minority person moves in. The answer is because sometimes it does mean an increase in crime.’
Got that, folks? Racism is still prevalent because uppity upwardly mobile minorities insist on turning decent (white) neighbourhoods into ‘Crimeville’. O-Dub is right about why movement conservatism in the US alienates and repels most people of colour, even those whose political philosophies lean to the right:
“[Wingnuts] say things like this and honestly can’t see what the problem is.”
Related: Former Milwaukee radio program director Dan Shelly on how the right-wing talk radio industry manufactures and markets polarization for profit, framing “virtually every issue in us-versus-them terms” in order to “appeal to a segment of the population that feels disenfranchised and even victimized by the media.”
by matttbastard
Jamison Foser on the Blagobamagate!!1 media circus:
If the news media regains a bit of the skepticism so many of them set aside for the past eight years, that would be an unequivocally good thing, and it should be applauded.
But this week brought signs that much of the media is set to resume the absurd and shameful behavior that defined the 1990s — guilt by association, circular analysis whereby they ask baseless questions about non-scandals, then claim they have to report on the “scandal” because the White House is “besieged by questions,” grotesque leaps of logic, downplaying exculpatory information, and too many other failings to list.
If that happens — if the media continue to behave as they did in covering Whitewater — they will damage the country. It’s really that simple. We cannot afford to be distracted from serious problems by overheated conjecture and baseless insinuation masquerading as journalism.
IOW, less Blago, more bailout.
…ahh, fuggeddaboutit. Y’all are beyond redemption– making shit up is standard operating procedure for many in the UK press, ethics and standards be damned. At least folks in the Mother Country readily acknowledge this fact, making its impact far less potent (at least domestically–there are those here in NA, many of whom should know better, who actually treat the Daily Mail as something resembling a legitimate source, rather than discount bird cage liner. No, seriously!)
Just keep this in mind: according to CNN, Rahmbo “has been notified that he is not a target of the investigation.” That means that, despite the sordid innuendo of James Bone’s copy, the future CoS wasn’t caught on tape saying things to Gov. Blagojevich (or Blago’s staff) that could “prove an acute embarrassment to the incoming Obama Administration, even if no illegal deals were discussed”–which obviously weren’t, or else Rahmbo would likely be a target of the investigation–“and could even force Mr Emanuel’s resignation”. Yes, and it could also force winged simians to emerge flapping from Mr. Emanuel’s backside.
Hey, anything’s possible in the Murdoch Times (Drudge siren!!11one)
Here’s the thing: It is all too apparent that Obama (and the Village) is already quite aware of Rahmbo’s, ah, colourful reputation. That’s likely why he’s CoS, not Secretary of State. So you’d think it would take a whole lot of, ah, colour to embarrass the incoming White House, acutely or otherwise.
Or, as fakerahmemanuel colourfully puts it:
“In a word: NOTAFUCKINGCHANCE.”
with bemusement and resignation,
matttbastard
bastard.logic 