Amid the oil spill, the tea baggers and the end of the school year, it's not much fun worrying about 'the big picture'.
But if your interest partially includes the future facing your kids and grandkids, this is something to consider.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Keith Olbermann, You Cowardly Tool
On Countdown, Keith Olbermann gets an hour a night to shine a light on what is wrong with the world. He normally does an excellent job. It is the most-watched show on MSNBC.
The biggest story in the world today, June 1, 2010, is the illegal attack on a Turkish humanitarian ship by Israeli commandos...in international waters. So big that it was the lead story in the New York Times, and every other reputable newspaper on the planet.
But for some reason, it didn't seem that important to NBC...or its cable news outlet. The Today Show gave it a perfunctory two minutes and 35 seconds, buried within its first half hour.
Hardball with Chris Matthews went a full 4:49, which may have been commendable, had Matthews not found it necessary to close the segment saying, 'this is an unfair shot at Israel'.
The wonderful Rachel Maddow devoted a very quick, very closely worded 2:27...which sounded as if every syllable had been reluctantly vetted by a phalanx of NBC lawyers.
Maybe someone at NBC doesn't like criticism of Israel. Yes, Jeff Zucker, I'm talkin' to you.
But today's winner of Worst News Person in the World is you, Olbermann. Not a word. Not one god damned word. Which means you are either a) just as big an idiot as Sarah Palin (as you often correctly point out); or b) allowing yourself to be censored in a way so transparent that you should move on to a job where your cowardice is not nearly so damaging.
Shame on you.
The biggest story in the world today, June 1, 2010, is the illegal attack on a Turkish humanitarian ship by Israeli commandos...in international waters. So big that it was the lead story in the New York Times, and every other reputable newspaper on the planet.
But for some reason, it didn't seem that important to NBC...or its cable news outlet. The Today Show gave it a perfunctory two minutes and 35 seconds, buried within its first half hour.
Hardball with Chris Matthews went a full 4:49, which may have been commendable, had Matthews not found it necessary to close the segment saying, 'this is an unfair shot at Israel'.
The wonderful Rachel Maddow devoted a very quick, very closely worded 2:27...which sounded as if every syllable had been reluctantly vetted by a phalanx of NBC lawyers.
Maybe someone at NBC doesn't like criticism of Israel. Yes, Jeff Zucker, I'm talkin' to you.
But today's winner of Worst News Person in the World is you, Olbermann. Not a word. Not one god damned word. Which means you are either a) just as big an idiot as Sarah Palin (as you often correctly point out); or b) allowing yourself to be censored in a way so transparent that you should move on to a job where your cowardice is not nearly so damaging.
Shame on you.
Israel, the Dog
There's an old parable about a two-way relationship. One side does nothing, refuses to say a word, makes a pest of himself, whines when he doesn't get his way, escalating, if necessary, to threatening howls. The other provides food, shelter, medical care, conversation, and willingly follows the first around...personally cleaning up after the first has taken a crap.
The relationship, of course, is between man and dog...and raises the very perplexing question of who is really the 'owner' of this relationship.
So it is with America and Israel. The indefensible (although fully spun) attack by a thousand Israeli troops on a couple of humanitarian relief ships headed to the Gaza strip on our Memorial Day again demonstrates who is the snarling pit bull and who the cowardly owner in this upside down relationship. Humanitarians killed? What does it matter? Only Israel matters.
While the outrage pouring from all of the civilized world (outside the U.S. borders) is fully merited, it's more illustrative to look at this incident from the perspective of Israel's chief U.S. propagandist, Ambassador Michael Oren.
Here were his assertions to PBS:
-- The commandos were absolutely justified in attacking in international waters because the humanitarians were 'a hostile entity'.
-- The Israeli soldiers did not fire first--they had 'no choice' but to defend themselves. Why bullets were necessary to quell an opponent armed with metal pipes and slingshots was not explained.
-- The purpose of the flotilla was, "...to make a political statement and provoke Israel".
-- The cement contained on the ships were, "...construction materials that Hamas would use to build bunkers, not hospitals".
He was then asked whether Israel would conduct a full and fair investigation. But since he already is certain what happened, and can even read the minds of the humanitarians, why bother? Seems like the facts were already settled by the Israeli judge-and-jury before the blood was even dry on the ship decks.
At this point, we await the meek response of the dog's owner, explaining why the cur should not be put down. But for Oren, there really isn't any need to wait; he will happily bark for the Americans:
Indeed. As has been pointed out elsewhere, neither Obama nor the key members of Congress are any more willing to call out Israel than they are Wall Street or the NRA. Above all, campaign contributions must not be endangered. Money rules America--not courage or brains.
In 1963, a singer named Rufus Thomas had a hit with 'Walkin' the Dog'. If you imagine a proud and purebred Israeli singing the refrain while pulling along an enfeebled Uncle Sam at the other end of the leash, the words make more sense than ever:
Walkin' the dog...
Just a walkin' the dog...
If you don't know how to do it, I'll show you how to walk the dog.
The relationship, of course, is between man and dog...and raises the very perplexing question of who is really the 'owner' of this relationship.
So it is with America and Israel. The indefensible (although fully spun) attack by a thousand Israeli troops on a couple of humanitarian relief ships headed to the Gaza strip on our Memorial Day again demonstrates who is the snarling pit bull and who the cowardly owner in this upside down relationship. Humanitarians killed? What does it matter? Only Israel matters.
While the outrage pouring from all of the civilized world (outside the U.S. borders) is fully merited, it's more illustrative to look at this incident from the perspective of Israel's chief U.S. propagandist, Ambassador Michael Oren.
Here were his assertions to PBS:
-- The commandos were absolutely justified in attacking in international waters because the humanitarians were 'a hostile entity'.
-- The Israeli soldiers did not fire first--they had 'no choice' but to defend themselves. Why bullets were necessary to quell an opponent armed with metal pipes and slingshots was not explained.
-- The purpose of the flotilla was, "...to make a political statement and provoke Israel".
-- The cement contained on the ships were, "...construction materials that Hamas would use to build bunkers, not hospitals".
He was then asked whether Israel would conduct a full and fair investigation. But since he already is certain what happened, and can even read the minds of the humanitarians, why bother? Seems like the facts were already settled by the Israeli judge-and-jury before the blood was even dry on the ship decks.
At this point, we await the meek response of the dog's owner, explaining why the cur should not be put down. But for Oren, there really isn't any need to wait; he will happily bark for the Americans:
"I believe there will be allies defending our right to defend ourselves. The Obama administration upholds our right to defend ourselves. They have defended our right to have that blockade in the seas. We're not standing alone".
Indeed. As has been pointed out elsewhere, neither Obama nor the key members of Congress are any more willing to call out Israel than they are Wall Street or the NRA. Above all, campaign contributions must not be endangered. Money rules America--not courage or brains.
In 1963, a singer named Rufus Thomas had a hit with 'Walkin' the Dog'. If you imagine a proud and purebred Israeli singing the refrain while pulling along an enfeebled Uncle Sam at the other end of the leash, the words make more sense than ever:
Walkin' the dog...
Just a walkin' the dog...
If you don't know how to do it, I'll show you how to walk the dog.
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