A Blog Version Of The Inside Of My Head. The place where politics, film, the media, music, pop culture, and random topics collide in an orgy of neo-philisophical randomness that would make your mother scream.
It's all too easy to berate a person delivering a valid message in favor of addressing the message itself. This is the M.O. of the Modern American Right - they know that their point of view on a variety of issues like women's reproductive rights, race relations, and he very nature of how news is delivered will ultimately fail if they focus on the message over who/whom delivers it.
But such is the nature of Right Wing framing.
Case in point is Keith Olbermann's new program on Current TV and a recent guest that the Tea Baggers and their sympathizers tried to prove was either nothing more than a hack comedian/actor or simply playing the so-called "race-card" in order to make the Tea Baggers look bad.
Internet sophist and over-simplifier, Allahpundit, takes to another meeting of Garofalo and Olbermann in textbook fashion when it comes to not addressing the message:
Via the Daily Caller, is Olby the voice in Garofalo’s head or is Garofalo the voice in his? There’s not a scintilla of disagreement here — just JG doing her usual over-the-top impression of a cartoon liberal with KO mm-hmming all the way — until around 4:35 in, when suddenly a dispute erupts over whether Clarence Thomas is (a) a victim of Stockholm syndrome in having married a white tea partier or (b) a token used by the tea party to distract from its own seething racism. Gee, guys, I don’t know. Can’t it be both? Coming next week to “Countdown,” hopefully: Olby interviews a tape-recording of himself.
And while some of you might claim that I am acting in the very fashion I am decrying, perhaps you should keep reading.
Let's let's look at the interview in question:
And while Allahpundit is want to source a popular Right Wing framing site, it should be pointed out that the very idea that there is racism within the Tea Bagger conglomerate is ignored in favor of insisting that there very well might be racism within Olbermann's staff since they appear to be predominantly white.
So, are Allahpundit and Ace of Spades now calling for some sort of "Affirmative Action Initiative" when it comes to the media, their staff, and their reporting? Absolutely not, as this is nothing more than a diversionary tactic explicitly used to undermine the very accurate and honest statement that racism still exists in this country.
More to the point, this is another aspect of Right Wing framing, as Allahpundit is insisting that Olbermann explain his staffing decisions in favor of confronting the very real aspect that there is a racist element within the Modern American Right. This is something that I have addressedbefore - insisting that it's not you but the other that is to blame for everything.
There's quite a bit that Olbermann and Garofalo get into that I can and will address later on, but the primary aspect is what Allahpundit does to this clip with his misplaced, meandering thesis and the reality behind it. Yes, I completely disagree with - and have for some time - that the blanket racism charge needs to be addressed. Not everyone that considered themselves a part of or even tangenticaly aligns themselves with the Tea Baggers are racists, as there are other primary motivators for such a movement.
I have seen Olbermann take after Obama on a variety of issues, such as warrantless wiretapping or the conflict in Afghanistan or the occupation of Iraq. So does the meme of "Liberal Media Bias" only go so far that the Right is butt-hurt that their water isn't carried on specific issues? I would wager yes on that one.
And with that in mind, I would like to leave you with this clip from Maddow to ponder the next time someone within the Modern American Right claims she is a pure Obama sycophant:
Check out and you'll see what Gov. Chris "No, I'm Not Going To Run For President" Christie has to say when asked a very honest and non-threatening question.
For starters, Christie acts as if the woman is demanding the address of the school and the name of his kids' teacher. Both of which are clearly not intended. But hey, it's a "red meat moment" so you know Christie is going to lap it up like so much Palin-churned cream.
Gail never requested the scholastic status of Christie's children, but he certainly offered it. Gail wondered whyy Christie wanted to punish the public school system, and that is what raised his blood pressure. Do you really have to wonder why?
And then he breaks out the "I pay more than you in taxes" meme - which I would love to fact check - in order to create the illusion that Gail's question is not only irrelevant, but that her entire existence and that of public schools is irrelevant in New Jersey.
Don't let the "choice" meme coming from the Modern American Right fool you. Chris Christie and his eager followers demand that your children be "educated" from a religious standpoint.
Got the chance to see Mastodon at - of all places - Bonnaroo a few years ago and they really impressed me. They really embraced the spirit of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal of the late 70s and early 80s and blended it with what I call the "epic adventrure" style of presenting your material.
I've been watching the Jackass films for years and have been enjoying the CKY videos for just as long. And with that in mind, I have to say that it's been the supporting cast that has made the genre - not the likes of Johnny Knoxville, Bam, or even Steve-O.
I honestly expected the later to be gone from this earth long before anyone of them.
The West Goshen Township Police Department says officers found Dunn's 2007 Porsche 911 GT3 "off the road and in the woods."
Both (Ryan) Dunn and his passenger "died as a result of injuries sustained in the accident." Cops will release more information on the passenger once officials can positively identify the body.
Cops say "speed may have been a contributing factor to the accident."
An investigation into the crash is ongoing.
As TMZ previously reported, Dunn tweeted a photo of himself drinking with friends hours before the accident.
While it's not certain at this point that Dunn was driving drunk, look for this story to be pushed as if Dunn was an out of control addict. Then again, isn't that part of the "Jackass" image?
This isn't to state that Ryan Dunn couldn't comprehend and understand his limits, but the modern media consumer is more than want to embrace the image rather than the reality of a person who happens to be on television.
Regardless of your standpoint on Jackass, no one should have to die this way. It was a tragedy, regardless of how this will ultimately be framed, and the world has lost a person of humor and honesty that can't be replaced.
This is an aspect of Right Wing Entitlement Culture that shows that conservatives/libertarians ( and yes, they are both part of the Right despite what many in the later would proclaim ) have more than just a modest desire to control science and completely misrepresent it.
The Right and science have a relationship that is expressed in a very specific way: Humans have no direct impact on the earth.
This, more than anything, is a blatant and indefensible lie that The Modern American Right should be able to understand based on their alleged principles of responsibility and accountability. However, they are more than want to reference the alleged "Dominion Mandate" in biblical scripture without comprehending it's deeper meaning:
26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
And while the Modern American Right love to quote scripture without the least bit of analysis or inspection, it should be noted that religious publications like Christianity Today have written of Climate Change and it's connection to modern Christianity that came to this conclusion regarding the "Dominion Mandate":
....Christians were called to be a “new centre of strength” for creation and for others seeking to live in a more environmentally sustainable way.
He ( Rev David Moss, Vicar of St Michael’s ) said Scripture had to be understood in the context that it was written and that the Hebrew word ‘rada’ had often been “mistranslated” in Genesis 1as ‘dominion’ over creation.
“This word actually described what was believed to be the nerve centre of being of the plant, which ruled over the rest of the organism,” he said.
“‘Rada’ literally refers to the node or nucleus just above the root from which a plants life and being stems.
“In this context a better interpretation would be ‘Let [humanity] be the centre of strength’ for all creation.
“This translation demonstrates that humanity’s God given rule over creation does not come without responsibility.”
Blind ideological hatred can lead to consequences that one might not expect. And with that in mind, the Modern American Right have taken to frame Climate Change as nothing but pure ideological posturing by the Left, regardless of the evidence that is presented to them.
Their narrative is expressed as such:
- We have dominion over the earth as expressed in biblical scripture
- Corporations are not responsible for impacts on the environment ( See the recent Deep Water Horizon spill of last year )
- Teaching the impacts of humans on the earth is propaganda directed at children
- Protecting the environment ultimately kills jobs
and finally.......
- Science is Leftist theology
The later is clearly expressed in relation to Climate Change, while it is still present in various forms of verified scientific data.
So why does the Modern American Right have such a vendetta against science and against the Earth they occupy? The answer is quite simple - because it's a cause that the Left champions.
Had the Left championed an anti-abortion amendment to the Constitution, the Right would be against it. Had the Left desired to "clear-cut" all the National Parks in the South, the Right would be against it. When the Left does anything, the Right will reflexively act. But it is this aspect of the Left that the Modern American Right can use to their advantage - early missteps.
Science, in and of itself, is nuance - something the Right refuses to acknowledge - and while one scientist may discover something, another may find an aspect that bolsters or refutes the initial claim. The problem that the Right faces is that they not only want to inject ideology into science, but religion as well. These two factors have no place in the scientific community.
Science is not based on "feeling", but fact. And as the Modern American Right rely almost exclusively on the stimulation of feelings - generally towards the negative - they will continually fail in the realm of scientific debate. However, their "framing" approach has given them somewhat of an advantage, as the bulk of media in America tend to kowtow to such nonsensical blather in favor of a truly honest approach to their claims.
So the question stands - if the Modern American Right think we have no direct impact on the Earth, does this mean we can dump all our used motor oil onto Rush Limbaugh's front yard?
Clarence Clemons, the saxophonist in Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, whose jovial onstage manner, soul-rooted style and brotherly relationship with Mr. Springsteen made him one of rock’s most beloved sidemen, died on Saturday at a hospital in Palm Beach, Fla. He was 69.
The cause was complications of a stroke he suffered last Sunday at his home in Singer Island, Fla., a spokeswoman for Mr. Springsteen said.
In a statement released Saturday night, Mr. Springsteen called Mr. Clemons “my great friend, my partner.”
“With Clarence at my side, my band and I were able to tell a story far deeper than those simply contained in our music,” he added. “His life, his memory and his love will live on in that story and in our band.”
Here's a new feature that showcases the blogs I follow.
This section will ( hopefully ) be a continuous Friday feature that showcases both the Left and Right. Not in the spirit of "fairnessy and blancyness", but just to show you how completely off base the Modern American Right are and make you understand that the Mainstream Media aren't digging in like they should on the real issues - while favoring the framing of the Right.
- It's certain to be a Right Wing, GOP, Tea Bagger talking point that Anthony Weiner's seat ( oh wait, are we supposed to say it's "the poople's seat"? ) will tilt to the Republicans, but Nate Silver tells us why Rep's should be tepid in their insistence.
- John Cole how Republican/Conservative/Libertarian/Randian? posturing gets mixes in a pot and either comes out as Galt-Cultist goulash, or just idiocy disguised as important socio-political dialogue.
- My Twitter Pal ( @bluegal - you're "it" ) briefly talks about the different from "non-profit" charter schools and "for-profit" charter schools ( read: Tea Bagger Institutions Of "Learning" ).
- Occasional commenter Busted Knuckles over at "Ornery Bastard" has the greatest description of what it means to be a Republican and really break the law in reference to extra-marital exercises.
- Gryphen over at The Immoral Minority points out what Fox"News" and Fox"Nation" will attempt to spin before we can say "Paul Revere actually brewed that beer with Samuel Adams, donchaknow"
- Former "I'm really the intellectual guy" MTV anchor ( and that's fucking funny on it's own ) Kurt Loder takes to the Doughy Pantload path and ends up highlighting how "Fascism" is part of the Green Lantern movie storyline. Yeah, you knew it was coming.
- Breitbart's "Big Gov't" site continues to push their ignorance ( wait, is it really ignorance or just a veiled attempt to protect those businesses that are more than willing to shaft the consumer if they can have accountability removed? ) of Net Neutrality with another call for "defunding".
- The internet's Dumbest Man is more than eager to show his hatred for women's reproductive systems while stalking his employer Andrew Breitbart at the so called "Right Online" convention to attempt to tell people he knows that his decisions are more important than any woman's. Typical.
- Oh, so the Romney "hey, guys I'm unemployed too" bit was just an innocent joke?
- Once again, Brent Bozell's easily lead employee's equate low ratings with "Liberal Media Bias"
Got a link for me to use? You know where I am.............
Considering the fact that The Modern American Right endlessly claim that our country is "Center Right", that we embrace "conservative ideals", and that we need to be fiscally responsible, why the fuck is Rush Limbaugh hawking a pack of iced tea - yeah, you read that right - that they really aren't that secure about peddling?
After teasing it for a few days, Rush Limbaugh made a major announcement on his show Wednesday afternoon. He’s launching “Two If By Tea,” what he calls “the best” sweet tea you’ll ever drink. A picture of “Rush Revere” adorns the bottle, “sounding the warning the liberals are coming.”
“We are doing this for the single reason that we love tea, and we want to share it with you,” Rush explained. “The shrink wrap is a work of art,” Rush said. “You’ll save it … along with the bottles.” Part of the profits will go to the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation.
Can we all say "Tax Write-off"? Yeah, I knew you could.
You'll notice the words "part of the proceeds". Why not all? Is Limbaugh banking on the fact that he can make more money off this if he doesn't have to donate 100%? I'm guessing yes, since there is a NO RETURN policy. After all, I remember his "donation fever" after the "phony soliders" letter of complaint from the US Senate was sold on EBay for $2.1 million ( which Limbaugh matched to obvious maximize his return ).
But let's look at the price - $23.76 per 12-pack.
In most markets, the cost of a 12-pack of beer ( Bud Light ) costs approximately $10.00. The cost of a 12-pack of coke costs approximately $5.00. The cost of 12 McDonald's sweet teas - despite the way they market it is almost half what it would cost you to buy Limbaugh's non-guaranteed bottles of swill.
So who's benefiting from this? Certainly not the consumer - unless they want to drink anything Rush tells them to out of some sense of patriotism. And I would love to see the results of a full audit from the alleged recipients of Rush's "charitable giving" considering how his compatriot Sean Hannity faired with his alleged "Freedom Concerts".
The first concert I went to was KISS. Certainly this will sound prototypical to some, but for me it's actually true. It was the UNHOLY tour and some rank amateur band was opening for them, whom was properly booed off stage.
I can vividly recall the moment that Gene Simmons took a fiery sword and spewed a mouth-full of kerosene onto it launching a fireball some 15 feet in front of him. But until tonight, I never knew of any instance since that they had played this track live.
Great Expectations
And here's the only live version I think I've ever seen then do.
Considering the massive failure of the Atlas Shrugged film adaptation, one would have to wonder why The Modern American Right are proclaiming that there is this "grassroots" desire to see the new Palin propaganda film "The Undefeated"
ARLINGTON, Va., June 14, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In response to overwhelming demand from its free-market grassroots activists for a sneak peek of the controversial new film, The Undefeated, Americans for Prosperity Foundation's RightOnline Conference will move the showing of the movie to the 1,000-seat main ballroom during RightOnline on Friday, June 17th at 9 p.m. CDT. The Undefeated is an independently produced feature film about Alaska Governor and Vice Presidential candidate, Sarah Palin. RightOnline is a conservative technology activism conference that runs opposite the left-wing Netroots Nation Convention.
Film, regardless of your socio-political alignment and regardless of the subject matter, is very touch-and-go. You produce something that the market won't like and you will lose in the end. This is why indie films don't see the return that blockbusters produced/directed by the likes of Spielberg or star Tom Cruise see. And while the Modern America Right equate audience share with validity, this is a market that they will always fail in.
The world of "niche film" is difficult to make any considerable profit from. But considering the bulk-purchase nature of conservative books, I'm guessing that the DVD release of the Palin mockumentary is going to be showcased by Fox"News" and their easily persuaded automatons as proof that "conservative filmmaking" truly has a market in American - despite the fact that they are currently pushing the narrative that all of Hollywood is against anything "conservative".
Another aspect of "niche film" is that there can be enough of an audience for your product if you market it correctly. After all, if there is a market of people willing to spend money to see someone's mouth attached to another person's asshole, then there's enough people willing to go see a film trying to convince them that Sarah Palin is "experienced enough" to be President. But never let these people convince you that that will break any records, as they never will.
There aren't many artists that can capture the spirit and passion of American youth the way that Bruce Springsteen has been able to for as long as I can remember. But was Springsteen has captured is not only that passion and potential, but he has created an American storytelling tradition that can quite literally take one back in time and revisit their own experiences, often from a new and fresh perspective.
For me, that time traveling aspect is present in the Born To Run LP more than any.
This album came out the year that I was born, and each track has spoken to me in a variety of ways since I first heard it. Not to sound overtly corny, but I have often felt that this album tells my life story in a way that I never could have imagined. And the track that encapsulates much of my experiences - and many thoughts of late - is Thunder Road.
So, for tonight's Late Night Music selection, we're going to feature three different versions of this. One thing that Springsteen has been able to do is make his music and lyrics come alive with new arrangements and even with other artists.
First, the original version:
This version is from VH1's Storytellers - an exceptional show that I wish were still around.
This final version is a duet with Melissa Etheridge, and really creates a whole new visual landscape to the version originally recorded with the E Street Band.
It's normally when members of the Modern American Right have no plan that they claim that it's all in "God's hands".
Case in point - Texas Governor Rick Perry:
There are a ton a variables that can be brought up in reference to this.
Was Obama gifted to us from "God" to carry us through this burden?
Was the eviction and destitute of thousands of Americans the results of "God's plan"?
Was waste of funds in the Iraqi occupation part of "God's will" that lead to the death of thousands of Americans?
When you have no answers to your ideological "principles", this is what you end up with when you continually references the "invisible man in the sky". This is what happens when you let blind faith dictate your every move and machination. This is what happens when you want to be a member of the Modern American Right - you look like a fool that has no idea what policy and the needs of your people mean.
When we continually hear members of the Modern American Right speak about "personal responsibility", it's curious that we rarely - if ever - hear them speak about accountability for one's actions. Well, we actually do, but it is usually in reference to those they call their ideological opposites - and they tend to be portrayed as belonging to a "lower cast system" ( ie: blacks, single mothers, immigrants - legal or otherwise - media that isn't controlled by Rupert Murdock, et al )
It's with that in mind that we should take a look at Tracy Morgan's poor performance in Nashville where he claimed he would kill his child if they were gay.
This revelation was met with great approval by the Modern American Right, yet they couldn't understand why he should be held accountable for his actions.
Remember how they suddenly embraced accountability when David Letterman joked about Palin's daughter? And there was clearly the intent to make it seem like he was joking about the younger Palin daughter when he wasn't. But nuance is something the Modern American Right doesn't understand, so we'll save that for later.
From "Dr. Laura" and her n-bomb fetishism that resulted in he firing, to Glenn Beck's conspiratorial machinations that have directly resulted in an attempt to murder, and even to the decisions of the Bush Administration that lead to the economic collapse of the nation and the deaths of thousands of soldiers and innocent Iraqis, The Modern American Right have completely divorced "responsibility" and "accountability" when it comes to their ideological kindred.
But back to Morgan, people within the Modern American Right - including Right Wing hack Jim Hoft - think Tracy Morgan should apologize to Sarah Palin for saying exactly what he and many others within their ranks treat her like.
The rationale here is that it's alright to threaten the life of a child, but admitting that you wank it to Palin now and again is tantamount to wiping your ass with The American Flag.
Comedy is an art, something which Tracy Morgan can be both deft with and unable to comprehend all at once. The later is where you favor "shock value" over substance in order to get your audience to respond. If anything, Morgan was successful in getting a very wide audience to respond. But should we neglect holding him accountable for his words?
I say let him continue with this exact same on-stage rhetoric. But when he starts to see his box-office receipts dwindle, the audience share of 30 Rock all but disappear, then perhaps he will understand that if he wants to be considered a serious comedian, then he ought to take his art seriously.
This track has made the rounds from it's standout sound on Juno Reactor's Bible Of Dreams LP, to being featured on the soundtracks for The Animatrix and Mortal Kombat.
I played this track quite often on my weekend radio program at WKU back in the late 90s and it's still amazing that it can stand alongside modern electronic music.
UPDATE: Somehow I posted the unchecked, raw version of this post the other day without noticing it. So, in the spirit of showing you that I'm not a dithering buffoon who doesn't understand grammar, here's the version that should have been posted.
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In the second installment of our series on Right Wing Entitlement Culture, we examine the singular aspect of the modern American landscape that the Right claims is largely against them - The Media.
While the Modern American Right continually blast the "Mainstream Media", it's interesting to note that they also love to blather endlessly about how Fox"News" enjoys a massive audience share that other outlets should be jealous of.
Admittedly, I do watch Fox"News" now and again, but not for the reasons that they claim most people do. More on that aspect of the Right and the media in America in a moment.
I thought I would start this off with what is likely the perfect example of Right Wing Entitlement machinations: a healthy dose of rank conjecture, conspiracy, and more than a sprinkling of insistence of victimhood.
Immediately Breitbart goes after his most prestigious foe - Media Matters. Not because they are explicitly wrong by using context and the precise and accurately accounted words of the Modern American Right and their Fox"News" masters, but because he has a metaphorical hard-on to see Eric Boehlert and company be proven false by any means necessary.
This is the first, and most shining example, of conservative framing - attack the messenger without merit.
In terms of O'Reilly's insistence that he and Fox"News" have proven that Media Matters is a sham operation funded almost exclusively by George Soros, he again references the demonstrably misleading chart of Soros's financial contributions to Media Matters - something Breitbart and Fox"News" have tried to do with NPR as well.
This is where Breitbart - accompanied by an easily convinced O'Reilly - start to make completely false connections with Media Matters, Daily Kos, and Anthony Weiner's staffers that is the perfect definition of "unfounded". What O'Reilly postulates is that simply because people question Breitbart's motives and sources, they are simply trying to "smear" him.
Here is where they actually got it wrong, though their instincts were right from the start.
Andrew Breitbart has been so eager to prove that his socio-political opposites are nothing but corrupt and immoral that he will distribute and champion material that he apparently doesn't properly vet. And for those that used this template as a rational for going after the story and it's credibility, they were wrong - this time.
Breitbart then tries to explain his specious and laughably poor "connections" by referencing the non-controversial Journolist story as if it were in any way controversial. But, to a Conservative or Libertarian, any way to besmirch media that you don't control automatically demands that you label it as controversial.
The pair then went full-on Beckian to insist that MSNBC, Media Matters, and the White House are in this together in order to attack Breitbart and Fox"News". Again, this is something that is not even provable or even in the realm of speculation. What Breitbart and O'Reilly are relying on is another piece of conservative framing - something that media outlets have decided to cover based on nothing more than the Right has said that it was true.
Certainly, Barack Obama has had meeting with bloggers and reporters that champion the Left, but he has be equally open to those on the Right. But, I suppose that O'Reilly and Breitbart think that since they have both not been invited to an exclusive "sit-down" with Obama that this means that there is some sinister plot to destroy them.
Immediately following, O'Reilly defends his network's easily probable track record - defending, championing, and even employing members of the Modern American Right - against attacks targeting them when Breitbart boasts it is simply "projection" by the Left. It's at this point in the "interview" that reality is completely turned on its head.
After Brietbart lambastes The Huffington Post for being a primary source for ensuring that conservative claims never see the light of day - something that simply doesn't happen - O'Reilly goes full on "you know they are going to try and kill you". And Breitbart is more than eager to embrace that meme. After all, conservative victimhood works to their advantage more often than most people are willing to admit.
With that said, I'm not going to state that people of any ideological stripe have not threatened Breitbart. But one has to question what those threats are and if they are real or just posturing. We have all seen where conservative rhetoric leads to.
So how does this "interview" express the very real aspect of Right Wing Entitlement Culture in relation to modern media?
Primarily, it demands that anyone within the Modern American Right never be accountable for their previous mistakes and favor a singular instance where they were correct. I'm reminded of the popular phrase that "a blind squirrel can find a nut every great once in a while".
Secondly, The Right demand on a daily basis that their framing be used as a primer for all media coverage. Unfortunately for those of Liberal/Progressive perspective, this is all too true - even though the opposition that makes these demands will never admit it. Just take a look at virtually all the Sunday Shows on all major networks and you will see this in action. The Modern American Right demand that all media push their narrative - regardless of its merit - again and again and again. This is where they get the term "Liberal Media Bias". If someone doesn't genuflect to their particular belief system then you are guilty of heresy of the highest order.
For classic examples of what Breitbart and O'Reilly are referencing, check here and here.
Let's get back to the notion that Fox"News" has such a large audience share because their "reporting" is accurate, yet they can't seem to embrace the idea that this would make them "mainstream".
I have stated many times that accurate reporting and ratings-share are mutually exclusive creatures and to state that one equals another is a complete fabrication. This equivocation is another form of Right Wing framing. If this were true, then it should cross over into all forms of communications to audiences: The film AVATAR would have been more factually accurate than The Hurt Locker, as more people saw the former at theatres than the later.
Also, employees of Fox"News" have also claimed that America is a nation that is "Center-Right", yet that flies in the face of the fact that a plurality oppose the views that Fox and their compatriots champion.
The job of the American Media is to report the events of the day. When those events are beginning to be largely shaped by Right Wing ideology - and the media doesn't accept that premise - those that are attempting to shape it consider themselves being attacked by those they are attempting to control. This is the very nature of Right Wing Entitlement culture in relation to media.
Essentially, they are spoiled children being told that they can't have all that they want all the time. The reality is that their socio-political opponents are not in control the way they are being presented as.
There are a metric ton of under-appreciated bands from the late 90's. But for me, Big Wreck is easily in my Top 10.
Ian Thornley and company produced some of the most honest music of the time that hardly anyone took note of. And by that, I mean that the mainstream music outlets in many markets weren't playing them.
As far as ballads go, Big Wreck had a way of melding heavy riffs and passion with a vocal style that would have left post "Badmotorfinger" Chris Cornell wondering where he had gone wrong.
It's no surprise that the Modern American Right are attempting to make Weiner's ultimate downfall the downfall of the entire Democratic Party.
The Voice of the Right, Rush Limbaugh, claims that Weiner is an example of Democratic Family Values while one of the more popular Right Wing magazines, National Review, has in it's online edition an even more generalized spin on the Weiner controversy.
Whenever we hear anyone within the Modern American Right talk about "Family Values" or "Morals", this is nothing more than verbal special effects be used in the hopes that their intended audience will forget all the extra-marital transgressions and illegal activities that come from their side of the aisle as well.
Equivocation is a pointless game, but trying to pretend that someone on your side doesn't do it - even going so far as to blatantly and unblushingly lie about it while you're attempting to chastise your opposition for their own nefarious activities.
For the Modern American Right, "morals" simply means submitting in total to a authority figure; while "Family Values" falls alongside in a similar fashion - though it usually encompasses that which Liberals/Progressives fight against in their own family lives. One classic example of this is how the Right continually insist that "gay marriage" would be detrimental to "the family unit", while the reality is that more than half of all straight marriages end in divorce. But that's getting off the path a little here.
As stated previously, Weiner is at fault and will have to deal with the consequences, but we can't let this be spun into the image that the entire Liberal/Progressive population of America is somehow complicit in what he has done. And rest assured, that's what they are trying to do.
Bonnaroo starts on Thursday afternoon and I'm honestly still a little bummed that I won't be there this year. But, having to be an adult and hold true to your responsibilities does take precedent - and buying a new car does tend to put a dent in your summertime funds.
For tonight's music session, we take a look at an artist I have had the honor of seeing many times over the last 15 years - most recently at Bonnaroo with Allison Krauss.
Robert Plant and the Band of Joy
For the full line-up of the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, check the official blog here and be sure to listen to Bonnaroo Radio for all the music that makes this weekend special.
It seemed like literally moments after Barack Obama took the Oath Of Office that Conservative Republicans renounced the (R) on their voter registration cards and took up the mantle of the "Independent" - something the Tea Baggers championed on literally a daily basis.
But as Obama's first term entered the later portion, the Tea Baggers seemed to become less relevant and the so-called "Independent" began to disappear from media coverage and those that championed them started to wonder where all the Republicans were.
Finally, let’s look at the sample. The D/R/I in the April poll sample was a ridiculous 32/22/41. This sample has a slightly better split, although still skewed at 31/25/39, which still undersamples Republicans. In a sample more reflective of reality, Obama’s job approval would be lower than the 47% shown here, and he’d be in deeper trouble against Republican challengers than this shows.
Where did the love of the Independent go?
And this isn't the first time Morrissey pulled the victim card when a particular poll didn't suit his particular need or reflect his desire to make people believe that a majority of Americans believe exactly as he does. If he were as honest as she should be - given Hot Air's love for the Tea Baggers - he would be able to at least tacitly admit that just because you claim to be "Independent" doesn't mean that you always agree with and vote along Democratic Party lines.
I've noted here manytime, polls are interesting snapshots into a particular moment in time but in no way dictate how people will vote come election day. But there is an obvious caveat that I should offer here.
The embrace of Scott Rasmussen by the Modern American Right seems, to me at least, that many of them look to polling and focus groups as voting indicators. This is quite troubling when you begin to take a deeper look into it, as this completely contradicts the Right Wing notion that they act based off their own desires and not the desires of any outside force. But that's another story for another day.
In light of yesterdays confession by Rep. Anthony Weiner, it's no wonder that Breitbarts Big Blogs are in full on gloat mode.
But there's something that people need to realize - this doesn't vindicated Breitbart in any fashion other than he somehow managed not to screw this one up. And for the man that is perpetually wrong, that's a pretty big step up.
The downfall is ultimately going to be two-fold: Weiner will likely face an ethics investigation and will probably be resigning in the weeks or months to come, and Breitbart will get away with the narrative that all criticism of him, his websites, and his "employees" are completely unfounded because he showed the world Rep. Weiner's - well - weiner.
What this should cause all people to do is put more pressure on Breitbart to prove his legitimacy. We shouldn't let the media give him a complete pass on this. After all, this is the same guy that pushed the demonstrably false ACORN story that the media didn't even come close to correctly covering.
So the question I find myself asking is this - would Breitbart take the same stance against a GOP member of Congress? Likely not, as his modus operandi is strictly "anti-left" and in no way objective in nature. I would suggest we not hold out collective breath in the hopes that Breitbart "expose" conservative misdeeds.
The boasting and bragging will likely dominate media coverage for the remainder of the week, so look for Fox"News" to claim some moral victory before lunchtime today.
As for Weiner, his credibility is pretty much shot in the eyes of the average media audience. But that was the idea, was it not? As one of the most vocal and intelligent opponents of the Modern American Right, Breitbart knew that he had to get this one right so they could be rid of Rep. Weiner. But the Congressman wasn't really a victim so much as complicit in his own downfall, Breitbart just knew he had to exploit it the best way possible.
I've been watching, with great interest, how The Modern American Right have beendoing the utmost in damage control in light of Sarah Palin's ignorance of American History that she claims to hold dear.
What troubles me about this the most is that it's not Palin's ignorance, nor that of her sycophants, that will ultimately gestate within certain cross-sections of children in our country, but that far too many people are willing to accept conservative "framing" of American history and allow that to be the basis of their response.
As the father of two young girls - one that just recently got an award of excellence in History - I often wonder what teachers are doing in relation to media exposure of people like Sarah Palin. Do they teach class in conjunction with conservative posturing? While this may sound familiar to some of my more Right leaning readers - as they are want to claim that the modern public school classroom is a breeding ground of far-left thought - I have seen a great deal of textbooks that are used in classrooms today that are more akin to far-right ideology.
Should we honestly have to counter Palin's idiocy simply because it is there?
Should we have to digitally grapple with the likes of Fox"News" and their ilk because they place Palin, and her ignorance of American history, on a pedestal?
The answer isn't so simple, but the results would yield dividends for Liberals/Progressives.
I believe that it's time that we take on the issues that matter to all of America, and not what The Modern American Right believes "America stands for". I say let Palin look idiotic on her own while we tackle the real issues. I say let Fox"News" and their easily lead compatriots twitch and chatter all they want while we make this country stronger.
It's time we end the reign of conservative framing.
The Cure have endured many line-up changes through the years, and it's too difficult on most days for me to pic my favorite Cure LP. But for me, the years with Porl Thompson and Simon Gallup are the best.
And some have called Disintegration the greatest Cure album of all time - something I can't completely argue against, mind you - I've been revisiting Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me over the past year and I realized why it always stood out alongside Disintegration.
So tonight, here's a live version of the title track ( The Kiss ) featuring one of the greatest Cure intros of their entire catalog:
Fox"Nation" and frequent contributor Jim Hoft went full "woman on crustacion" fetish today with this post:
This is why they hate her… She can bash Obama’s job-killing policies while she pets lobster.
Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin (L) touches a lobster held by her father Chuck Heath during their visit to Yankee Seafood Cooperative in Seabrook, New Hampshire June 2, 2011.
This whole non-story sounded a lot like this scene from Clerks II
So what's next, Herman Cain molests a slice of Supreme Pizza? Mitt Romney combs his hair in slow motion, or Tim Pawlenty does...........well, I don't know what the Right does up north, but it proabably involves ice, a Vikings t-shirt, and some KY Touch Massage.
But in all seriousness, this whole Palin fetishism is getting WAY out of hand. But it makes for good material.
Having had someone close to me be faced with the choice - and yes, it is a choice - of abortion or having her life or the life of her unborn child be put at risk, I find the continued drumbeat of Fox"News" and the Modern American Right that anyone of opposing political alignment is purely a "pro-abortion" party to be simply ridiculous.
But, they seem to have their hooks in their easily lead droogies, so why should they give it up?
What Fox and the Right are missing is the fact that the platform of "choice" is not about a woman sitting around at her house going "jeez, if only I could get pregnant just so I could have an abortion". Nor is their insistence that Planned Parenthood is nothing more than an "abortion mill" even remotely accurate.
The choice that a woman makes is hers, not that of an alleged "law-maker" that doesn't even know her or her situation. The choice of a woman is not taken lightly, as they would have you believe. The choice of a woman is all to often that of life and death - and not in the fashion that the Right would have many of us believe.
This, more than anything, is about control and regulation of the reproductive system of women all across America - regardless of what is written on their voter registration card. Sadly, the Modern American Right still view women as second class citizens, no matter how many times they shove Sarah Palin in our faces.
I never thought I would like Norah Jones as an artist, but once I gave her a chance she really got her hooks in me.
Also had the good fortune to see her at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival a few years ago. I would have posted my video I took of her there, but YouTube keeps yanking it for some reason.
So here's a interesting gem I found a while back of Jones and her band covering what is quite possibly my favorite AC/DC track:
Sure, hypocrisy knows no political alignment. I have to admit that I've caught myself more than a few times saying one thing while thinking another. It's something I've learned from and feel I have become a better blogger, and better person because of it. This apparently hasn't happened to Andrew Breitbart's least intelligent employee Jim Hoft ( aka: GatewayPundit ) who's hypocrisy is so transparent that it practically screams at you several hours throughout any given day.
Take this post for example:
Another Day – Another Leftist Attack The left must be very proud tonight. Far left criminals defaced Sarah Palin’s bus tonight.
The left is upset that Sarah Palin just won’t go away.
Actually, the Left isn't upset that she won't go away, it's just that she makes herself such an easy topic for scorn and derision when she does and says some of the most preposterous things - like this
And you call this an "attack" and an act of "defacement"? Please, it's a piece of paper with tape on the back. Take it off, drive away, and stop the pity party.
What makes this even more of a point that Jim Hoft is so eager to digitally finer-bang Palin that he can't keep his media "hate list" in order, is that he actually sourced the website that published pics from her hacked account. Double standard much?
Just check out his sit tomorrow morning, as Hoft will likely have many more examples that expose his rank amateur status.
Tonight's Music Club features two genius of Richard D. James ( aka Aphex Twin ).
The track is from Nine Inch Nails' "Further Down The Spiral" import EP entitled "At The Heart Of It All".
This is not a remix of any track off NIN's Downward Spiral LP, but was specifically solicited by Trent Reznor for this compilation. Aphex Twin also provided mix work to the track "The Beauty of Being Numb".
While the visuals in the above fan video lend themselves well to the track, I have always envisioned a city-scape along the lines of Blade Runner, but with a horror film twist. That's what makes these two musicians such phenoms, that they can conjure up emotions and visuals of such intensity.
You can also find this track on Aphex Twin's 2003 EP 26 Mixes For Cash.
I caught this over at Bob Cesca's blog earlier today and wanted to add a little context to it, just so we can see what Palin is missing.
I love that smell of the emissions.
That was Palin during her "I'm riding 'Bitch' on this super-keen motor-cicle in D.C. doncha-know" thing.
So, what's is it about "emissions" that Caribou Barbie loves?
If you're into the serious scientific analysis of it, I suggest you read this. But for a more concise description of Palin's favorite new perfume, there's this little nugget for her to chop up and snort:
A short list of the likely pathogens in car exhaust:
Carbon Monoxide Nitrogen dioxide Sulphur dioxide Suspended particles, PM-10 particles less than 10 microns in size. Benzene Formaldehyde Polycyclic hydrocarbons
So let's look at what the PAH's ( Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons ) do:
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has determined that PAHs may be carcinogens. Several of the PAHs, including benzanthracene, benzopyrene, benzofluoranthene, benzofluoranthene, chrysene, dibenzanthracene, indenopyrene have caused tumors in laboratory animals when they ate them, when they were applied to their skin and when they breathed them in the air for long periods of time. Reports in humans show that individuals exposed by breathing or skin contact for long periods of time to mixtures of other compounds and PAHs can also develop cancer. Mice fed high levels of benzopyrene during pregnancy had difficulty reproducing and so did their offspring. The offspring from pregnant mice fed benzopyrene also showed other harmful effects, such as birth defects and decreased body weight. Similar effects could occur in humans, but we have no information to show that these effects do occur.
Studies in animals have also shown that PAHs can cause harmful effects on skin, body fluids, and the body's system for fighting disease after both short- and long-term exposure. These effects have not been reported in humans. PAHs are changed into chemicals that can attach to substances within the body. The presence of PAHs attached to these substances can then be measured in body tissues or blood after exposure to PAHs. However, this test is still being developed and it is not known yet how well it works. PAHs or their breakdown products can also be measured in urine. Although these tests can tell that you have been exposed to PAHs, it is not yet possible to use these tests to predict the severity of any health effects that might occur or to determine the extent of your exposure to the PAHs. These tests are not routinely available at a doctor's office because they require special equipment for sampling and detecting these chemicals.
Yeah, Sarah, sit behind Todd's big ass truck on Sunday afternoon and take a big whiff of that which you love so much.
This, among many other examples, shows how science and the mind of the Modern American Right, will never co-exist.
