Month: August 2008

So Called Liberal Media9 Comments

You Shall Not Side With The Great Against The Powerless

Highlights from Dan Rather’s talk in the Big Tent, in the form of disconnected quotes: On the convention coverage and how “there’s no news here”: “Just because the parties lay out a script doesn’t mean reporters have to follow that script. There’s still news here, it just has to be uncovered. That requires some digging.” On traditional vs. new media: “The big media are a part of the system. New media’s bottom line is not tied to the status quo.” On what the hell happened: “Too many of our newsrooms are owned by too few international corporate entities.” On how … Continue reading You Shall Not Side With The Great Against The Powerless

Hurricane Katrina & Federal Flood5 Comments

Katrina Anniversary–3 Years Later on Tennessee St in the Lower 9th Ward

After filming the video below, it struck us that John McCain owns more homes than have been rebuilt on Tennessee Street in the Lower 9th Ward. The street lies 2 blocks from where the Industrial Canal levee broke 3 years ago. News networks once frequently broadcasted from this street, Brad Pitt’s pink houses once lined it and First Draft has chronicled its progress in previous videos (6 months and2 years after the flood). This time, 3 years post Katrina and flood, we found 4 homes have been rebuilt and 6 are under construction. Of the nearly 100 homes which once … Continue reading Katrina Anniversary–3 Years Later on Tennessee St in the Lower 9th Ward

Jude, Of Interest2 Comments

Just a Reminder

Yes, this is our little fashionista. Adorable, isn’t she? Have you checked outEmily’s fashion blog lately? I’ve seen what you wear. You really should.  I, on the other hand, hit the town last night in a smart, long-sleeved, button-down, royal blue shirt (with sleeves slightly rolled up), a nice pair of flat-front khakis, gorgeous brown leather shoes, and matching leather belt and watchband. Yes, I am that awesome. Come on, guys. Pick up a few pointers. She knows what she’s talking about. Continue reading Just a Reminder

So Called Liberal Media4 Comments

For God’s Sake, Journalism

Nobody’s paying for content! Why, you ask, would a program at the Democratic Party Convention include someone who is a big McCain contributor? Welll… it turns out that he is president of Liberty Media, which owns Starz, which is a sponsor of the program. Liberty Media is run by John Malone, who Al Gore famously dubbed Darth Vadar. Strange bedfellows, indeed. He didn’t seem to think too highly of the blogosphere. And he was very, very worried about the future of journalism sincenobody was paying for content. Very worried. Indeed, one might almost think that he had an agenda, although … Continue reading For God’s Sake, Journalism

So Called Liberal Media8 Comments

Blogging the Journalism, Reporting the Bloggers

So the Tent, where I wound up holed up most of the afternoon once the speeches started, having exhausted my battery and figured out that my spare was fried, was like a zoo. Bloggers being the exotic animals therein; I was interviewed several times which was trippy (I was well-trained to stay OUT of the story, not jump into it) and filmed by I don’t know who a whole lot for b-roll that doubtless will show up in some CNN segment about “Who is on Your Blogosphere?” or “Your YouTube — Show Me It.” Upstairs, Arianna Huffington was talking to … Continue reading Blogging the Journalism, Reporting the Bloggers

Political Crack8 Comments

Convention Day One Jimmy’s Crack Van

Posts in the van belong to their authors. Not to me, Jude, Scout, any of the guests, Mr. A, or President Carter. Speaking schedule here. Watch live here. Chat here: Update: Van closed. More tomorrow, but damn, did Michelle and those incredibly adorable kids bring the HOUSE DOWN. And I mean nearly brought the house literally down. The Tent was rocking hard tonight. I’ll have even more later on today and what’s going on, and the crack van reconvenes tomorrow afternoon, same Moonbat Time, same Moonbat Channel. A. Continue reading Convention Day One Jimmy’s Crack Van

Faith9 Comments

Faith in Public Life — In One Hour

To their credit, most of the people at this morning’s Big Tent panel seemed to realize it was ridiculous to try to cover Dems and religion in 25 words or les. Highlights: Amy Sullivan: Liberal evangelical is not an oxymoron. She said in an interview afterward that it wasn’t that Democrats didn’t respect religious people (the assertion ofPaul Rauschenbush, at whom I was contemplating throwing stuff), it was that there had been no concerted outreach like there was to veterans, union people, all those for whom there is a designated outreach effort. Alexia Kelly: Catholic voters are a quarter of … Continue reading Faith in Public Life — In One Hour

Stupid Republican Tricks6 Comments

Today on Tommy T’s Obsession with the Freepi – pre-crack van edition

All right – everyone get suited up – this week’s sample of stupid is so corrosive that you’re going to need the neodymium tongs to handle it. Let’s start with the predictable reponse to the news that Toby Keith is going to be voting for Obama. In a word, To: peggybac Shut up and sing! 2 posted onThursday, August 21, 2008 12:51:57 AM byJim Robinson How original. They weren’t telling him that when he was singing “Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue” now, were they? To: peggybac Toby, switch to rap music.14 posted onThursday, August 21, 2008 1:01:42 AM … Continue reading Today on Tommy T’s Obsession with the Freepi – pre-crack van edition

Hurricane Katrina & Federal Flood6 Comments

New Political Crush

Scott Myers-Lipton. He spoke this morning in the Tent about Katrina recovery and his project, which actually takes up something we talked about over at the Crack Den in the immediate hurricane aftermath, theNew Deal analogy. A Gulf Coast Authority, similar to the Tennessee Valley Authority will oversee the Gulf Coast Civic Works Project to ensure transparency. This inter-state agency will give final approval to local project proposals in a timely fashion. The Gulf Coast Authority will also be charged with working with the local communities, the city, and the state to expedite matters and to create a smooth process … Continue reading New Political Crush

Political Crack1 Comment

Denver Arrival

The airport was Obamafest. The plane was pressfest. You can always tell the TV people because they’re dressed nicely, with heavy makeup and immaculate hair, at 7 a.m., whereas the print guys and the geeks are wearing whatever they rolled out of bed in or found on the floor that didn’t smell too much like last night’s party. A much more experienced reporter than I gave me some awesome advice once: If you can’t run five miles in it, don’t wear it. Spike heels stay home, no matter how hot they make your ankles look, and pack light. Again, with … Continue reading Denver Arrival

Geek Cred2 Comments

JFK, Oswald, and Magritte are all spinning in their graves

Allison Hantschel

The sixth-floor window of the Texas School Book Depository, through which Lee Harvey Oswald shot and killed John F. Kennedy, was sold on Ebay yesterday for more than three million dollars. The mystery buyer, listed as r.seydel and based in the Netherlands according to his page on Ebay’s website, paid 3,001,501 dollars to acquire the window, well past a starting bid for the piece of 100,000 dollars.  The window was taken out of the depository weeks after Kennedy’s assassination and held for more than two decades by Caruth Byrd’s father Harold. When Caruth inherited the item after his father’s death, … Continue reading JFK, Oswald, and Magritte are all spinning in their graves

Immoral Values5 Comments

‘Macaca Moment’

Well, it had to happen sometime. The devil turned round on them. Watching what they’re already calling theMacaca Moment of McCain, I’m admiring of the style of it, the way Obama’s campaign is taking advantage of every single aspect of a 21st century campaign: e-mail lists, viral videos, the way the national punditry loves a political attack disguised as a joke, the “did you hear?” level of knowledge you have to have in order to get something like this, to get all of it in one idle conversation with the person next to you at the haircut place. It’s the … Continue reading ‘Macaca Moment’

Hurricane Katrina & Federal Flood3 Comments

FEMA to give some of supplies back to Louisiana

Not sure what “some” isbut… (CNN) — Some of the $85 million in hurricane relief supplies given away as federal surplus will be sent back to Louisiana and given to nonprofit agencies for distribution, the state’s hurricane recovery office said Tuesday. “Today we can report that we have been notified that some of the surplus property has been located in Texas and will be coming to the state of Louisiana for distribution by Unity New Orleans,” said Paul Rainwater, the executive director of the Louisiana Recovery Authority. A CNN investigation revealed last week that FEMA gave away the supplies as … Continue reading FEMA to give some of supplies back to Louisiana

Diary, Jude7 Comments

Puzzling America: Oregon Edition

Let’s stop here and get a cup of..wait, what? So, yeah. The Hungry Redneck Cafe. With espresso. I can’t fault the food here, though. It’s in a little nowheresville called Durkee, Oregon. And the guy what runs it used to be a five-star hotel chef in LA, I think. He moved out to the desert and opened a roadside restaurant, and he can serve some damn fine food. I’m thinking about submitting this photo to theFailblog as a sophistication fail. Whaddya think? Continue reading Puzzling America: Oregon Edition

Political Crack13 Comments

Column: Edwards, Ad Infinitum

Link: Boy, is John Edwards a moron. All that time he spent running for president. All that time he spent talking to Americans about the poorest people in our nation, about why and how to be responsible for them, about how he was going to help them out and in the process, make our nation better. All that work on behalf of the downtrodden and disadvantaged. Countless hours on the Democratic primary trail, making speeches, giving interviews, running advertisements, courting voters. All that energy expended on behalf of 37 million people in America who live below the poverty line. And … Continue reading Column: Edwards, Ad Infinitum

Political Crack13 Comments

DODD!

Should be VP. Also president. Also, maybe, chief justice. Andking. In 2004, I could tell I needed to step back from the Interwebs for a bit when I started to have dreams about John Kerry doing stuff. Yesterday I woke up convinced, absolutely convinced, that since my cell phone was on the fritz I was missing the text message announcing Dodd as Obama’s VP. I think I need sleep. A. Continue reading DODD!