Month: January 2017

Athenae, So Called Liberal Media3 Comments

The Media Myth of Powerlessness

Allison Hantschel

Josh Marshall asks everyone to please grow up:  It is vastly preferable to have a President who believes in or at least respects American and democratic values. But let’s get real: we don’t or won’t as of Friday. Trump is a would-be authoritarian and a bully. He’s surrounded by mediocrities who owe all to him and feel validated by enabling his endless transgressions. Of course, he’s doing these things. We know Trump’s MO. He will bully people until they’re cowed and humiliated and obedient. He’ll threaten to kick the reporters out of the White House and then either cut a … Continue reading The Media Myth of Powerlessness

Tommy T2 Comments

Today on Tommy T’s mundane musings – the invisible man

Tommy T

Well, good people, I actually saw the stupidest thing I’ve ever seen on Facebook this week. A wingnut in one of my political discussion groups actually replied to a liberal poster by calling him a “Commie”. For reals. Habit, I guess. I’m thinking that he didn’t get the memo from The Darnold that red “commies” are the new black. One more random musing, as Freeperville is still pretty boring (although I did save a thread about their former hero Paul Ryan’s town hall which was pretty amusing). The Invisible Man Being a bass guitarist is like being the invisible man … Continue reading Today on Tommy T’s mundane musings – the invisible man

Adrastos, Books, Fog Of History, Political Crack, Race

The Fog Of MLK Day History

Peter Adrastos Athas

I was among those NOT surprised when a tweet from some bozo in Biloxi “revealed” that today is Great Americans Day in the Magnolia State. White Southern conservatives have long resisted the holiday, massively. At least MLK *was* an American hero even if the Confederates his memory has been erroneously linked to were not. The social media discussion of the Insult Comedian’s idiotic attack on John Lewis has been deeply shallow. Anyone surprised? I thought not. On the right, Lewis has been called a minor figure in the Civil Rights movement. On the left, I saw multiple tweets referring to him as a … Continue reading The Fog Of MLK Day History

Athenae, So Called Liberal Media1 Comment

Get Out of the Office

Allison Hantschel

Conventional wisdom: If you think moving the press out of the White House won’t be cheered by lots of people who voted for Trump, you are wrong. — Chris Cillizza (@TheFix) January 15, 2017   Yeah. And. So. What? I swear, between Trump’s press conference shitshow last week and the high dudgeon over Trump’s spokesman saying maybe we won’t even GIVE you nice desks in the White House anymore, American journalism is having the biggest freakouts over the stupidest things. Three-decade assault on the press, co-opting entire news networks to debate for days exactly how much they suck? YAWN. Move my … Continue reading Get Out of the Office

Athenae, Bigotry, Immoral Values, Race, The Darnold4 Comments

What You’re Called

Allison Hantschel

I don’t have a nickname. I mean, I have things not my formal name that people call me, ranging from “hey, when am I gonna get that thing you said you’d get me” to “Mama,” but I don’t have a shortened version of my name. Maybe because my parents didn’t give me one, so I grew up using my full name always, and s0 when I was old enough to notice, I didn’t want one. Mr. A, when we were dating, called me “Allie” once. Once. I told him I didn’t like it, and he stopped. That’s what I always come back … Continue reading What You’re Called

Doc, Political Crack, Uncategorized

A bad week for journalism

docphd

If I were paranoid (which in this environment, I might soon officially become), I’d think that that world is conspiring against every profession in which I have ever worked. The levels of stupid coming out of various parts of our universe make it almost impossible to touch on everything that is killing us at this point, but I’ll spend this post talking about the drive-by shooting against my original profession: Journalism. Speaking of things that happen quickly and painfully… President-elect Donald Trump and his posse spent much of the week in the news, thanks to his quick movement through confirmation … Continue reading A bad week for journalism

Athenae, So Called Liberal Media

Overcoming

Allison Hantschel

Can we please get together some kind of summit for journalists that is just WHAT ARE WORDS and HOW DO WE FUNCTION THEM? Jared Kushner will be named a senior adviser to the president, overcoming anti-nepotism laws, a senior transition official tells NBC. — Michael Wilner (@mawilner) January 9, 2017 Things that could have been said instead of “overcoming,” in no particular order: Breaking (most accurate would be “in an attempt to break”). Circumventing (still garbage, but factual). Defying. Challenging (milquetoasty enough for mainstream pubs which hate definitive language). SINCE APPARENTLY NOBODY’S HEARD OF. Violating. Attempting to violate. Ignoring. Flouting. A. Continue reading Overcoming

Athenae, Books, Stupid Republican Tricks, The Darnold4 Comments

‘in the end the age was handed/the sort of shit that it demanded’

Allison Hantschel

The first wounded American from the Italian front arrived yesterday by the steamship Giuseppe Verdi of the Transatlantica Line with probably more scars than any other man in or out of uniform, who defied the shrapnel of the Central Powers. His wounds might have been much less if he had not been constructed by nature on generous proportions, being more than six feet tall and of ample beam. He is Ernest M. Hemingway, before the war a reporter for the Kansas City Star, and hailing from Oak Park, Ill.  The surgical chart of his battered person shows 227 marks indicating … Continue reading ‘in the end the age was handed/the sort of shit that it demanded’

Tommy T

Today on Tommy T’s Mundane musings -Tape Doesn’t Lie!

Tommy T

Well, folks, the Freeperati still haven’t realized that they’ve been Don-conned, so I have this fond memory for you : Back in my studio engineer days I had a guy come in with a karaoke tape he wanted to sing along to (first one I’d ever seen). Horrible little low-fi cassette, with his vocals on our good U47 mike laid over it.Okay. It’s his money. Then this guy, who is loaded up with bling, proceeds to dance around in the vocal booth. Really. Big moves and all. Like he’s doing a music video. The bling’s clinking and clanking, his polyester … Continue reading Today on Tommy T’s Mundane musings -Tape Doesn’t Lie!

Campaign Notes, Immoral Values, Political Crack, Stupid Republican Tricks, Tommy T6 Comments

Today on Tommy T’s Local Yokels – letter of interest

Tommy T

Good people – I’d like to tell you about someone I met yesterday at the Democrats HD65 strategy / committee elections meeting Saturday.

youngsung

His name is Young Sung, and he’s an impressive individual.

MBA, Deacon in his Methodist church, Korean-English translator for dispute resolution, the FBI, and Homeland Security. One of the mainstays behind development of the incredibly successful “H Mart” here in Carrollton (our fair city) Tx.

Endorsed by the Carrollton Fire Fighters Association, the Carrollton Police Officers Association, Ron Branson (former Mayor of Carrollton), Becky Miller (former Mayor of Carrollton), and many others, he ran for a seat on the Carrollton City Council last May.

Guess what happened?

He surged in early voting, and the Tea Party incumbent Anthony Wilder’s re-election was in danger.

Then, this was mailed out to Carrollton voters.

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So – gay Korean mosques and temples for everyone!

Woo Hoo!

It gets better, though – please click on the “continue reading” to continue reading.

Continue reading “Today on Tommy T’s Local Yokels – letter of interest”