Friday Fish Wrap: March 18. 2011

During an ABC Nightline interview on May 21, 2003, host Ted Koppel suggested that his guest was engaging in “class warfare” by arguing that the wealthy should pay increased taxes. While the exchange was not unusual—Koppel’s use of the term “class war” to characterize bottom-up or populist economic rhetoric is the norm—what was unusual was that his guest was the second-richest man in the world, Warren Buffett. The interview is worth remembering primarily for Buffett’s commonsense response: “Well, I’ll tell you, if it’s class warfare, my class is winning.” From FAIR, 2009

The legacy of Edward Bernays lives on, as the billionaire-fed right-wing sound machine - via any media other than the hated and feared Public of NPR and PBS - continues to convince an increasing number of American citizens that democracy is less about being an informed voter, acting to develop policy to benefit the greatest number of citizens and more about ‘It’s democracy because we tell you it is’.  If the Tea Party is any indication, it’s even better democracy if you get out there in funny costumes and be outraged about the wrong things, perpetrated by the wrong ‘enemies’.

It’s so much the better to get minds off of the wholesale dismantling of every rational regulation that might protect consumers. This can be accomplished with greater efficiency when vast swathes of the population are held in thrall by the latest celebrity culture, incessant shopping, and working two and three jobs to keep their heads just equal with the water.

The latest attack is the Republican held House of Representatives effort to defund public broadcasting. Personally, I think we could weather almost anything else - the degradation of reproductive rights, the financial crisis, war, pestilence and plague better than the hideous silence that would result from a darkened NPR/PBS early warning system. It’s nothing more than a direct assault on our right to know.

It is the right’s attempt to promote censorship and ignorance. They’ll have it all their way, having defunded education and silenced opposing viewpoints. And for the right to suggest that the minimal amount of money spent to fund NPR/PBS speaks volumes - they really do believe we’re all either that stupid or aren’t paying attention.

Are they right? Although it’s clear that the Democratic Senate will resist entertaining any discussion now, can we afford to take our eyes off this clear and present danger in the foreseeable future? I don’t think we dare. I find this comment by Latin American journalist/writer, Edward Galeano timely:

“Never have so many been held incommunicado by so few. More and more have the right to hear and see, but fewer and fewer have the privilege of informing, giving their opinion and creating. The dictatorship of the single word and the single image, much more devastating than that of the single party, is imposing a life whose exemplary citizen is a docile consumer and passive spectator. Never before have so few fooled so many.”

No time like the present, when the GOP/Tea Party are on a ‘roll’, to assist the wealthy elite in crushing the development of critical thought and reasoning. And, it’s better than worrying about that annoying promise to ‘create jobs’, right?

Interesting number of the day:

The Full Time Minimum Wage - adjusted for inflation

1968: $18,262
2004: $10,712

But, in Nevada where so many labor for that minimum wage, the GOP leadership would destroy even that. It’s too expensive, you know.

On the way to looking for something else today, I found an interesting new website that supports investigative journalism in safety, health and corporate issues. A perusal of the site convinced me it was worth bookmarking. Take a look and see what you think.

As more and more states - ‘conservatives’ all - attempt to rewrite history, turn back the calendar, and redefine, destroy reproductive rights and functionally deny legal choice to millions of women, you begin to wonder what’s going on. The GOP … pro-gun, pro-war, pro-death penalty … is anti-abortion. As bizarre as it is, I’ve sort of gotten used to it.  What I can’t get my head wrapped around is their bizarro world definition of rape.

Although they backed off for a while, the same group of old white men will be back. If not in Washington D. C. debating the Stupak on Steroids H.R. 3 bill,  then in South Dakota, Iowa or any other state that is currently deliberating how they can put a stop to a woman’s legal right to choice.

While they worry so much about whether an insurance company might offer coverage for an abortion for the victim of a rape, they don’t seem to worry much about the prevalence of deliberately provocative and violent imagery in the largely Republican owned media such as this:

Or this:

I find this type of imagery very disturbing. I quit buying anything Calvin Klein or Dolce & Gabbana long ago because of advertising like this. I’m not going to sit and decry the violence exacted against women while handing over my dollars as a consumer. While I believe whole-heartedly in a free and unfettered press, I don’t have to support this as a woman or thinking consumer.

I’m simply saying that I find it puzzling that the so-called ‘Conservatives’ aren’t demanding that imagery like this be taken out of the mainstream media - that media which is owned by their wealthy benefactors.

Can you spell H-Y-P-O-C-R-I-T-E?

Is this what’s driving the new RepubliCorp defintion of rape? That isn’t not rape if the woman doesn’t fight back hard enough? That rape is only rape if it’s ‘forcible’ and to what degree?

Talking about Bizarro World, Ann Coulter is Baaaaack. She says that increasing levels of radiation - from Japan, I suppose - can be good for you.

At least Bill O’Reilly expressed some doubt. He says it’s “provocative”. Too bad that he didn’t point out that she is: A) Batshit Looney-Toons, B) Comparing apples to oranges. The depth and breadth of logical fallacies here will have to be the seed of a post on Skeptical Maven. Stay tuned.

Regarding Libya, Obama has done the right thing. As long as he stands carefully within the four corners of the U. N. Security Council’s ‘No-Fly Zone’ and other attempts to assist the Libyan rebels withstand a completely one-sided assault by Gaddafi. That means a continued resolve to not be drawn into any kind of unilateral response by the United States. This is what the damned U. N. was designed to do - with multi-national help.

We’re one week out from the devastating earthquake in Japan, and it seems that the Japanese government if finally coming to gripes with their own limits to overcome multiple catastrophes at once. Having reached out to the NRC for assistance, in addition to admiting to their own people that things might be worse than first thought. But in light of the multiple layers of tragedy going on here, would you think it could be otherwise?

Last night I bought tickets online to the Artown performance of Max Raabe and the Palast Orchester. It ought to be great fun. A bit of old 1920’s Berlin at the Grand Sierra. We’ll be there with several friends.

It’s going to be a busy weekend socially. We have dinner/cocktail commitments tonight, tomorrow night and two on Sunday afternoon/evening (in addition to taking my mom to brunch on Sunday). Whew! I told Ron that I wasn’t going to leave the house on Monday. But, I’ll be looking forward to a quick run over to the Bay Area later this next week to the Michael Pollan lecture.

Life is never dull around here.

Oh, did you see the dustup over the Nye County Assessor - Shirley Matson - and her blatantly racist emails to one and all regarding workers at a construction site near her office. Evidently, she wasn’t able to immediately identify them from a distance as WASP’s, so that obviousl meant they were Hispanics, illegals, and incapable of speaking English.  Whenever you get complacent and begin thinking that Nevada has joined the world in the 21st century … well, it’s a reality check to be sure.

Here’s an interesting comment made on the March 16 article in the PVT:

samantha says:

March 17, 2011 at 6:26 pm

i agree with her. this country is so broke we cnt pay for our own health care,education, aANYTHING for that matter. my boyfriend is a nativE american,im french candaion and polish my family came here legaly. If people cant read or write why the crap do us who r here not have jobs? most places wont hire u unless u speak spanish.. crap huh? iv lived in this town for 17yrs and iv seen alot and this one im sayen my piece! she should stay in office, the fact that freedom of speach. if she cnt say what she wants then wtf is america about? redardless of everything have ur green card, and ur papers. and employers shouldnt not hire anybdy for not being able to speak spanish.this is america,illegal mexicans should have to learn to speak english,get educated and then a green card. cnt speak english no green card!!!!!

I try to remember things like this when I start to poke fun at places like Alabama and Mississippi. I can tell you that it was ‘interesting’ to say the least when I drove down to Las Vegas and back a year ago with Natacha. A road trip through BF Nevada with a French speaking skinny black woman from West Africa. You shoulda seen the sideways ‘looks’ in the casino coffeeshops. Tonopah was a delight.

Well, it’s stopped blowing like hell and started snowing. March weather in Nevada. If there’s ever a time of the year to get out of the state, it’s March. I checked the remote weather data earlier today, and found that the winds on Squaw Peak were 354/70/g110. Oooooh. That’s why I didn’t go skiing today.

Try and stay warm, dry and out of the wind. This is supposed to go on until well into next week.

Cheers

-maven