Media Criticism, Political Commentary, Popular Culture

John Stewart

20 Comments

I’ve never been as impressed with him as I’m supposed to be.

Here’s a long explanation why:

Was Jon Stewart being a dick when he was subjecting Jim Cramer to enhanced interrogation? Sure he was. He was also being a dick when he called Tucker Carlson a dick, and when he was preaching to Chris Wallace. But here’s the thing: It doesn’t matter. What matters is that even when Stewart’s a dick, he is never the dick. It is Stewart’s unique talent for coming across as decent and well-meaning when he’s bullying and hectoring and self-righteous. And this is because his talent is not just for comedy and not just for media criticism or truth-telling; it’s for being — for remaining — likable.

I think it’s a travesty that so many young people get their news from him and think they understand what’s going on.

Education, Media Criticism, Political Commentary

I Agree With Instapundt

2 Comments

Exactly the same example hopped immediately into my mind.

[Update a couple minutes later]

“They all look alike to them“:

I’ve suggested in the past that Obama is Pumpsie Green and but was sold to us as Jackie Robinson, but on reflection I think it goes deeper than that.

I think the press had Pumpsie Green in front of them but saw Jackie Robinson. They deceived themselves and moreover wanted to be deceived. As far was the press was concerned their desire for the political equivalent of Jackie Robinson blinded them to the point where any semi-qualified black candidate became Jackie

So naturally when some of us on the right objected to a person who was totally unqualified for office the press went wild, because it directly challenged their illusion and cried racism when it was just the opposite.

We on the right saw not a black man, but an unqualified inexperienced Chicago pol who just happened to be black. The press meanwhile saw not an individual but a symbol, it didn’t actually matter who he was, it mattered that he was. Or to put it bluntly, they couldn’t tell Jackie Robinson from Pumpsie Green because “they all looked alike to them.”

If Branch Rickey had done this in 47 the majors might still not be integrated.

As I’ve often noted, the true racists are on the left, almost inherently.

[Update a few minutes later]

I agree with Instapundit on this, too: “Half a century ago, insecure white bigots needed to put down black people so they’d have someone to feel superior to. Now they use Mississippi.”

Popular Culture

So Much For The Spartans

4 Comments

I thought that Notre Dame was a much better team than their record, and they showed it today. Michigan was very lucky to get out alive, but the Spartans looked over-ranked today. They probably won’t drop out of the polls completely, but they never should have been at 15. It will still be a tough game against them in October for the Wolverines, though, because it always is. But the way Michigan played today, they may be able to go into that game 6 and 0. Which is a nice way for a first-year coach to start.

[Sunday morning update]

Ignoring the Spartans, which did fall out of the polls, it’s been a pretty good sports weekend for the Great Lakes State. The Lions are tromping the Chiefs, and if the Panthers can come back against Green Bay, they may be at the top of the division, with Chicago going down to the Saints. And the Wolverines are now ranked at #22. Prematurely, I think. Not to mention that the magic number for the Tigers has been zero for more than a couple days now. Their first time in the playoffs in almost a quarter of a century, I think, not counting wild cards.

Business, Media Criticism, Political Commentary, Popular Culture, Social Commentary, Space

This Won’t Be Good For The Rocket Racing League

31 Comments

Many people have been killed and injured at the Reno Air Races. It was a vintage plane (reportedly a Mustang) and things can go wrong. The rocket racers will be more modern, and presumably safer, but there will be a lot of emotional arguments against allowing a crowd anywhere near them after this.

[Update a few minutes later]

Here’s some video. Looks to me like it could have been a lot worse — the pilot seems to have tried to minimize the damage. I’d hope do the same in similar circumstances — I suspect it’s a natural reaction. You don’t want to die, but you don’t want to fly into a crowd, either.

Political Commentary, Social Commentary, Technology and Society

Phone Harassment Bleg

27 Comments

I got an email from a friend:

I am fairly at my wits’ end (short trip, I know). Perhaps you have someone reading your blog who can help. The situation is this:

Since early July, my company has been getting about four or five calls a day from #209-382-7432. When the phone is answered, an ear-splitting howl comes out of the earpiece. Nothing else. If one calls that number, it’s a robot answering for free magazine subscriptions.

I called the phone company. The “harassing calls” department says you have to have a police incident number before they can trace the call, and they will not inform you of who is placing the call, only law enforcement. So I called the county sheriff, got an incident report, and called the phone company back. For a month we reported all harassing calls. The phone company then called us and said “Yes, you are being harassed and we have notified your local law enforcement.” (Note that they did not tell the harasser to stop.) But the sheriff can’t do anything because the 209 number is not in my county. I have not seen the incident report because it’s not my business. No I am not making that up.

The harassing calls department at AT&T is bloody useless. AT&T does not care if you are being harassed. It’s not their problem and they will hang up on you if you ask them why not. And they will not return phone calls asking for clarification.

So I called our attorney. He suggested I call the FBI. I did. The FBI said they do not deal with harassing phone calls, try calling the FCC. The FCC hasn’t a clue what I am talking about, and why don’t I complain to AT&T?

Do you sense my level of frustration here? My people are being harassed daily and I can’t get anyone to take me seriously. Can anyone who reads your blog help? Have any advice, or knows of another avenue to pursue? I’m lost.

I’ve no idea, but maybe some reader does.

Biting Commentary about Infinity…and Beyond!