Let’s see, now. The Thursday Washington Times [print edition] reported on Wednesday’s tea parties on the front page, above the fold, with three pictures. A second article was inside the first section, on page A15. Both articles were national in scope.
The [Manassas VA] News & Messenger reported on Wednesday’s tea party in Woodbridge, Virginia, on the front page, again above the fold, with two photos from the protest. It did not mention other tea party protests.
The Washington Post [print edition] coverage was a mostly negative article, with a single protest photo, in the B [Metro] section. There was no mention of other protests until the eighth paragraph, on page B2 inside. Nothing to see here, folks. Nope. Nothing. Just move along now.
[Update] Oops. I missed Dana Milbank's snark on page B2.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
NO BIAS HERE, JUST MOVE ON
Hey, robots, use your brain instead of blindly protesting
What still surprises me – to the extent anything in the “mainstream” media can surprise me – is the extent to which “journalists” can’t perform even a simple Google search. If this Gary Stein had done so, he might have discovered that the first tax protest occurred before Rick Santelli’s (of CNBC, not Fox)famous tea party rant.
Fox News may be jumping on,but they certainly aren't leading the bandwagon.
And Gary Stein is going to be thrown under it.
via Don Surber.
I don't blame the folks at Fox News for being the promotional engine behind the Tax Day Tea Party protests today.
Fox has been laughable for years, and this is just another low-level stunt for ratings.
So Fox doesn't surprise me. But what does surprise me are the robotic, non-thinking lemmings who will still take their marching orders from Fox, and other stations' hosts.
What still surprises me – to the extent anything in the “mainstream” media can surprise me – is the extent to which “journalists” can’t perform even a simple Google search. If this Gary Stein had done so, he might have discovered that the first tax protest occurred before Rick Santelli’s (of CNBC, not Fox)famous tea party rant.
Fox News may be jumping on,but they certainly aren't leading the bandwagon.
And Gary Stein is going to be thrown under it.
via Don Surber.
TAX DAY TEA PARTY IN DC
Here are some initial pictures and impressions from the protest.
It was wet, cold, and raining throughout the day. Even with coats and an umbrella, we left cold, tired, and soaked to the skin. Despite the weather, I'd guess the total attendance was at least 2000, perhaps as high as 3000 at the peak.
It was so closely packed at the outset that we couldn't get close enough to hear the speakers despite the fact that there was a loudspeaker system. This photo gives some idea of the density near the speaker’s stage. It was taken at least 50 feet back from the fence surrounding the stage.
The sign in the center reads:
The audience was very well behaved -- no clown suits, that sort of thing. There was a large number of families in attendance, and I spotted a fair number of suits & ties in attendance, especially over the lunch hour.
The number of posters and signs, was a little sparser than I expected. Because of the rain, unprotected posters didn’t fare that well. Here’s one on a “pirate” theme. I suppose Senator Harry Reid wasn’t considered important enough to make the list.
And the hiring freeze.
“The 111th Congress could be replaced with a button marked THEFT.” True enough.
But my personal favorite, is this one:
“HOCUS POTUS” You can’t say it better than that.
Please stay tuned. Thoughts to come on the police activity (trivial); the counter-protest (laughable); audience (laudable); and some video clips.
It was wet, cold, and raining throughout the day. Even with coats and an umbrella, we left cold, tired, and soaked to the skin. Despite the weather, I'd guess the total attendance was at least 2000, perhaps as high as 3000 at the peak.
It was so closely packed at the outset that we couldn't get close enough to hear the speakers despite the fact that there was a loudspeaker system. This photo gives some idea of the density near the speaker’s stage. It was taken at least 50 feet back from the fence surrounding the stage.
The sign in the center reads:
Constitution – 4400 words
Declaration of Independence – 1328 words
2009 Tax Code – 3.7 million words
JUST WORDS?
The audience was very well behaved -- no clown suits, that sort of thing. There was a large number of families in attendance, and I spotted a fair number of suits & ties in attendance, especially over the lunch hour.
The number of posters and signs, was a little sparser than I expected. Because of the rain, unprotected posters didn’t fare that well. Here’s one on a “pirate” theme. I suppose Senator Harry Reid wasn’t considered important enough to make the list.
And the hiring freeze.
“The 111th Congress could be replaced with a button marked THEFT.” True enough.
But my personal favorite, is this one:
“HOCUS POTUS” You can’t say it better than that.
Please stay tuned. Thoughts to come on the police activity (trivial); the counter-protest (laughable); audience (laudable); and some video clips.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
TEA PARTY TIME
“It’s for the children.”
Yours and mine -- they’re the ones who are going to pay off this monstrous debt.
Join in.
Monday, April 13, 2009
TWEEDLEBUM AND TWEEDLEVIL
“The bulk of politicians of both parties are corrupt -- if not criminally then at least intellectually -- and the parties wholly captured by a cabal of special interests. Congressional elections consistently offer us no better choice than between Tweedlebum and Tweedlevil.”
Which is why there are Tea Parties. Find one near you.
Which is why there are Tea Parties. Find one near you.
THIS IS NEWS?
Blind-sided by the obvious: safety exposes us to risk.
Good Lord, I wrote about this back in nineteen eighty-something when Texas was debating a mandatory seat-belt law. It was obvious to me back then that drivers wearing seat belts were driving faster, weaving through traffic more, tailgating, and challenging yellow lights more than their unbelted counterparts.
Does anyone (beside me) remember the “Baby on Board” signs that were so popular about that time? Coincidence? Or reaction?
Glenn Reynolds has thoughts as well.
What happened to common sense? Oh, never mind.
In the middle of the last century, an aerospace engineer working for Volvo developed the modern, three-point seat belt. Yet even today the safety device’s benefits are not clear-cut, William Ecenbarger http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/Presence-of-Mind-Buckle-Up-And-Behave.html writes in Smithsonian magazine. That’s because of people’s tendency toward “risk compensation” — actively taking more risks because they feel more secure.
Good Lord, I wrote about this back in nineteen eighty-something when Texas was debating a mandatory seat-belt law. It was obvious to me back then that drivers wearing seat belts were driving faster, weaving through traffic more, tailgating, and challenging yellow lights more than their unbelted counterparts.
Does anyone (beside me) remember the “Baby on Board” signs that were so popular about that time? Coincidence? Or reaction?
Glenn Reynolds has thoughts as well.
What happened to common sense? Oh, never mind.
ON THE PROPER USE OF ENGLISH
“So far as I’m concerned, the only term [the Obama administration] have come up with that I approve of is ‘man-made disaster,’ which was invented by Janet Napolitano. Understand, I don’t sanction her using it as a euphemism for 9/11. The only reason I like it is because I think it so perfectly defines the Obama presidency.”
Sunday, April 12, 2009
OBAMA’s FIRST TEST?
[President Obama] commands overwhelming firepower in the form of a growing flotilla of U.S. warships, but he doesn't want to use it.
"Piracy may be a centuries-old problem, but we are working to bring an appropriate 21st-century response," [Secretary of State] Clinton said.
Yeah, TOTUS is preparing an apology ...
[UPDATE] Three pirates dead; one captured; Capt. Phillips rescued. Good job!
"Piracy may be a centuries-old problem, but we are working to bring an appropriate 21st-century response," [Secretary of State] Clinton said.
Yeah, TOTUS is preparing an apology ...
[UPDATE] Three pirates dead; one captured; Capt. Phillips rescued. Good job!
PRESIDENT PANTYWAIST
Mr. Obama isn't looking good in the UK:
From the comments: "Obama is Jimmy Carter on stilts."
Watch out, France and Co, there is a new surrender monkey on the block and, over the next four years, he will spectacularly sell out the interests of the West with every kind of liberal-delusionist initiative on nuclear disarmament and sitting down to negotiate with any power freak who wants to buy time to get a good ICBM fix on San Francisco, or wherever. If you thought the world was a tad unsafe with Dubya around, just wait until President Pantywaist gets into his stride.
From the comments: "Obama is Jimmy Carter on stilts."
NO BIAS HERE
Found in the Washington Times Show section (4/10-11/2009): "It's tempting to attribute critical neglect of the late author-filmmaker [Michael Crichton] to contemporary biases - against his global warming denialism and all that."
Crichton was an intelligent, articulate, informed critic, yes. But denialist?
No bias here. None. Nope. Move along, now.
Crichton was an intelligent, articulate, informed critic, yes. But denialist?
No bias here. None. Nope. Move along, now.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
ELECTRIC (CAR) UTILITY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
“So I’m reading this Wall Street Journal article on surplus cars in storage and the thought occurs to me: If only these cars were all electric they could be used for grid load balancing while they were waiting to be sold. All those batteries could shift electric power from night to day.”
And in response to a reader question on how grid balancing would pay her for her personal auto, Joe Cresko, an AAAS Science Policy Fellow in the Energy Department's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy wrote:
Hmm. That’s all well and good, except for a couple of minor points.
One. It assumes a 50% differential between on-peak and off-peak power generation. I’m not an engineering economist (that was 40 years ago), but that number seems a bit high.
Two. There is an energy conversion loss on both ends of the transaction. It isn’t much (a percent or so), but it’s there.
Three. There is no discussion of the infrastructure requirement at both ends of the transaction to perform the energy conversion. That isn’t cheap, especially since it has to exist for every car that is used. Who pays?
Four. Every battery has a limited lifetime (charge/discharge cycles) and must eventually be replaced. Will that ten-cent daily saving pay for the early replacement cost of the electric automobile’s battery?
Five. What are the chances that anyone would willingly give up 20% of their car’s capacity just prior to their commute home? Especially if the commute is a long one?
It’s a pleasant idea, but practical? I doubt it.
With apologies to the New Mexico State University Electric Utilities Management Program for the title.
And in response to a reader question on how grid balancing would pay her for her personal auto, Joe Cresko, an AAAS Science Policy Fellow in the Energy Department's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy wrote:
[I]t is based on the simple concept of peak (day) and off-peak (night) electricity rates. Charging the battery at night, when rates are lower, and feeding back to the electricity grid during the day would help utility companies by leveling demand. This type of rate structure is common in the power industry, and with the advent of a "smart grid" (an electricity distribution system based on more-advanced metering and communications technologies), residential customers would be able to benefit through significant efficiency increases.
Let's use Ms. Ivancic's own example (let's say 10 units at 10 cents per unit for $1), but consider connecting to the smart grid when at work to supply two units back to the utility. This would be of value to the utility (let's say at 15 cents per unit), since it would not need to increase power generation as much during the day to meet the increased electricity demand. In this example, charging at lower off-peak rates would reduce the daily cost of the work commute by 10 cents.
Hmm. That’s all well and good, except for a couple of minor points.
One. It assumes a 50% differential between on-peak and off-peak power generation. I’m not an engineering economist (that was 40 years ago), but that number seems a bit high.
Two. There is an energy conversion loss on both ends of the transaction. It isn’t much (a percent or so), but it’s there.
Three. There is no discussion of the infrastructure requirement at both ends of the transaction to perform the energy conversion. That isn’t cheap, especially since it has to exist for every car that is used. Who pays?
Four. Every battery has a limited lifetime (charge/discharge cycles) and must eventually be replaced. Will that ten-cent daily saving pay for the early replacement cost of the electric automobile’s battery?
Five. What are the chances that anyone would willingly give up 20% of their car’s capacity just prior to their commute home? Especially if the commute is a long one?
It’s a pleasant idea, but practical? I doubt it.
With apologies to the New Mexico State University Electric Utilities Management Program for the title.
OBAMA - STOP PIRACY BY REDUCING SHIPPING
Piracy spurs Obama calls for cargo-ship reductions:
Scott Ott only thinks he's joking.
The rash of piracy incidents off the coast of Africa in recent years has spurred the Obama administration to reach out to the other G-20 nations to build consensus around a "gradual drawdown of cargo vessels in global sea lanes."
"We need to get rid of the old trans-oceanic M.A.D. doctrine of Mutual Assured Delivery," said [White House press secretary Robert] Gibbs, "and look toward a safer future, where piracy no longer looms over the world as an ever-present threat. As everyone knows, President Obama is a visionary, and he can see the day when we'll have a world without nukes, and a world without cargo ships."
Scott Ott only thinks he's joking.
THE WAYBACK MACHINE
This was taken from an email I received back in 2001, after George W. Bush was first elected President.
I think we just did - and they are.
I think we just did - and they are.
Friday, April 10, 2009
WHEN BILL WHITTLE SPEAKS, I LISTEN
Bill Whittle has a message for the rich in America: Leave.
Here’s an excerpt:
“The Washington Post ran a column a few days ago, in which a Mr. Joel Berg applauds the Obama Administration for reducing the amount of charitable deduction that The Rich are allowed to take when they write a check to charity.”
“Mr. Berg – who runs a charitable foundation that feeds the poor — explains things for us thusly: ‘Combined with other progressive Obama tax proposals, that change would not only start to redress the inequality gap that has engulfed America in recent decades but would also help to pay for many effective domestic programs…’”
“…Which Mr. Berg then helpfully goes on to list."
“Well, I read this article in the Washington Post, and I thought: there you have it. The top ten percent, that pays sixty percent of the total income tax and which allows the bottom half – HALF! – to pay nothing… Those horrible, greedy bastards are not using their free-will generosity as ‘efficiently’ as the government can, so let’s just take more of their money and call it square. “
“So let me now send a personal message to The Rich in America…”
“As an American and a patriot, I implore you – I go to my knees and beg you – LEAVE NOW."
"[O]n behalf of those few of us who still believe in the Land of Opportunity, I beg you and implore you, in the name of our common patriot ancestors who worked so hard and sacrificed so much so that we could become so spoiled and ungrateful: take your 60% of the total income taxes and just go away.”
“Because if you do, then there will no longer be an Enemy for the Left to stick it to. Then, perhaps, the half of the country that pays no income tax might have to put some skin in the game. Then, perhaps, with most of the wealth generation gone we will turn to our community organizers to provide the wealth creation, and the tax dollars, and the innovation. When you have gone, the President of the United States, supported by an army of little acorns like Joel Berg, will have to start calling for the rest of us to be taxed more to address the inequality gap.”
“That’s what I want.”
“You see, I’ve actually been there. I have experienced this pathology from the inside."
"That is the pathology – that is the sickness – that dependency breeds: resentment and hostility to those that help you the most.”
I posted on Joel Berg here, but Bill Whittle did a better job. Read the entire article.
Here’s an excerpt:
“The Washington Post ran a column a few days ago, in which a Mr. Joel Berg applauds the Obama Administration for reducing the amount of charitable deduction that The Rich are allowed to take when they write a check to charity.”
“Mr. Berg – who runs a charitable foundation that feeds the poor — explains things for us thusly: ‘Combined with other progressive Obama tax proposals, that change would not only start to redress the inequality gap that has engulfed America in recent decades but would also help to pay for many effective domestic programs…’”
“…Which Mr. Berg then helpfully goes on to list."
“Well, I read this article in the Washington Post, and I thought: there you have it. The top ten percent, that pays sixty percent of the total income tax and which allows the bottom half – HALF! – to pay nothing… Those horrible, greedy bastards are not using their free-will generosity as ‘efficiently’ as the government can, so let’s just take more of their money and call it square. “
“So let me now send a personal message to The Rich in America…”
“As an American and a patriot, I implore you – I go to my knees and beg you – LEAVE NOW."
"[O]n behalf of those few of us who still believe in the Land of Opportunity, I beg you and implore you, in the name of our common patriot ancestors who worked so hard and sacrificed so much so that we could become so spoiled and ungrateful: take your 60% of the total income taxes and just go away.”
“Because if you do, then there will no longer be an Enemy for the Left to stick it to. Then, perhaps, the half of the country that pays no income tax might have to put some skin in the game. Then, perhaps, with most of the wealth generation gone we will turn to our community organizers to provide the wealth creation, and the tax dollars, and the innovation. When you have gone, the President of the United States, supported by an army of little acorns like Joel Berg, will have to start calling for the rest of us to be taxed more to address the inequality gap.”
“That’s what I want.”
“You see, I’ve actually been there. I have experienced this pathology from the inside."
"That is the pathology – that is the sickness – that dependency breeds: resentment and hostility to those that help you the most.”
I posted on Joel Berg here, but Bill Whittle did a better job. Read the entire article.
WHERE ARE THE LOONS?
Ordinarily I use “Where are the clowns?” to caption tripe such as this, but “clown” just isn’t adequate to describe the darkness of this conspiracy theorist.
Oh, my. Would anyone care to remind this young gentleman of the protests of the Viet Nam era? By his side?
I get it: Conservatives bad. Liberals good.
Of course. Jim Bob, Billy Joe, and Cooter are going to exercise their Second Amendment rights in camouflage and with assault weapons.
And of course former President Bush wasn’t elected democratically.
Uh, have you heard about the First Amendment? Freedom of speech and all that? Oh, it only applies to your side?
Seems to me that he missed his mark by about 3 years and 11 months.
With the notoriously conservative Tea Party movement gaining steam, is it time to take the ‘United’ out of ‘United States’? ... Their arguments have the potential to divide the country along titanic lines not seen since the bloody days of the Civil War.
Oh, my. Would anyone care to remind this young gentleman of the protests of the Viet Nam era? By his side?
Think I’m exaggerating here? The Tea Party movement is an incredibly dangerous concept, fuelled by the usual gushes of sycophantic support from the conservative news media (here’s looking at you, Fox).
I get it: Conservatives bad. Liberals good.
Can you imagine the potential for chaos if some of these ‘protesters’ decide to exercise the Second Amendment and bring their weapons to these rallies? There’s a thin line between peaceful protest and bloodthirsty patriotic fervor, especially if those protesting are used to being on the side of the mighty status quo.
Of course. Jim Bob, Billy Joe, and Cooter are going to exercise their Second Amendment rights in camouflage and with assault weapons.
President Obama was elected democratically, according to the doctrines set forth by the Founding Fathers.
And of course former President Bush wasn’t elected democratically.
The Tea Party movement represents a real danger to the tenets of democracy Americans have embraced for centuries.
Uh, have you heard about the First Amendment? Freedom of speech and all that? Oh, it only applies to your side?
[The author] is an unabashed atheist who says he's doomed whether or not the world ends on December 21, 2012. But that doesn't stop him from taking a dark interest in all things apocalyptic. Join him as he explores the various signs that portend the End of Days.
Seems to me that he missed his mark by about 3 years and 11 months.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)