Who, what, when, where, how, and, if independently verifiable, why are the hallmarks of journalism. At least, so I was taught when I first encountered the concept in school. If the story did not contain the first five, then the story was incomplete. The sixth element was allowable only if it could be ascertained by one or more sources independent of involvement in the incident.
News: A three alarm fire that has been claimed to be arson by a Fire Department Investigator, was brought to the attention of authorities around ten o’clock last night. The fire, which appears to have been started on the loading docks, located at the back of the old paint factory on Second and Maple Streets, created the need to evacuate the surrounding neighborhood. Any tips leading to conviction of the perpetrators would be eligible for rewards.
Not News: It was horrible. People were told to leave their homes. The city needs your help.
Worse than not News: The big fire yesterday, which anonymous sources say was set by Joe Blow who hates the owner, was bad for everybody. The big fire today is bigger than the big fire last night, so it will get worse for everybody. Any information that puts Joe Blow in jail will get the informant money.
On matters of most import, the major American media becomes more and more exemplified by the third example. Instead of news we get opinion and/or propaganda. The same lies that the news used to cheer lead the drumbeats that got us into war with Iraq are now beating the drums for war with Iran. This in behalf of a nation that has no constitution. American news quickly assigned blame for the latest assassination in Lebanon to Syria. Why wait for facts or even ask who else might be responsible.
Now, into the circle file...
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Support our Troops
Reckon we have been at war, what, seven, eight years? No, wait, that’s how long it’s been since I heard he was running for the job. Then, though, I reckon it probably feels a whole lot longer than that to the men and women over there doing the actual fighting. Finally starting to slow down a little from the relief of the mid-term elections and I got to thinking of those troops we’re supporting over there and wondering how they, individually, got there. I figure on the following percentages:
.05% Are (Air your dirty laundry first, as it needs more disinfection time in the sunlight) those ill individuals who jump at the chance to do bad things to other human beings. It used to be a whole lot less, but as the need for fresh bodies have gone up; recruitment standards and screenings have gone down.
50% Are economic draftees. Those who felt the only way they’d ever become financially able was by trading a few years of service to their country in return for training or a chance at higher education.
20% Are those whom society (parents, teachers, guidance counselors, friends, and loved ones) steered into the military because they felt they needed a structured environment in order to keep them off the streets and out of the gutter.
15% Are those who believed the recruiters and really thought they were going to see the world while defending our nation.
09% Are legacy enlistees. Most military families, whose members have been serving for generations, insist that their children serve at least one term of duty in order to make an informed decision as to weather or not to continue the family tradition.
5.95% Are dedicated, professional career soldiers whom account for, probably, 95% of confirmed enemy combatants killed or captured.
That last percentage most likely equates to the actual size of the military needed by our country if the goal of our military was, in actuality, the defense of our nation. It is the military contractors and the multinational (that used to be US) corporations that need the juggernaut for the process of ever increasing profit and expansion. In other words, the size of the forces is predicated on the fantasy of an infinitely growing economy based on infinite resources, whose cost of doing business is subsidized by the public. That we allow this to continue shows infinite stupidity.
The linked site explains how the M.I.C. keeps tensions stirred up so the media can be used to keep the propoganda going about how we need a large military.
Now, into the circle file...
.05% Are (Air your dirty laundry first, as it needs more disinfection time in the sunlight) those ill individuals who jump at the chance to do bad things to other human beings. It used to be a whole lot less, but as the need for fresh bodies have gone up; recruitment standards and screenings have gone down.
50% Are economic draftees. Those who felt the only way they’d ever become financially able was by trading a few years of service to their country in return for training or a chance at higher education.
20% Are those whom society (parents, teachers, guidance counselors, friends, and loved ones) steered into the military because they felt they needed a structured environment in order to keep them off the streets and out of the gutter.
15% Are those who believed the recruiters and really thought they were going to see the world while defending our nation.
09% Are legacy enlistees. Most military families, whose members have been serving for generations, insist that their children serve at least one term of duty in order to make an informed decision as to weather or not to continue the family tradition.
5.95% Are dedicated, professional career soldiers whom account for, probably, 95% of confirmed enemy combatants killed or captured.
That last percentage most likely equates to the actual size of the military needed by our country if the goal of our military was, in actuality, the defense of our nation. It is the military contractors and the multinational (that used to be US) corporations that need the juggernaut for the process of ever increasing profit and expansion. In other words, the size of the forces is predicated on the fantasy of an infinitely growing economy based on infinite resources, whose cost of doing business is subsidized by the public. That we allow this to continue shows infinite stupidity.
The linked site explains how the M.I.C. keeps tensions stirred up so the media can be used to keep the propoganda going about how we need a large military.
Now, into the circle file...
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Too little, Too late?
The Resident started out more coherent than I’ve heard him in a long time. When he stated that he didn’t know where we got the idea that he was all about “stay the course,” I got the feeling that his changing face is superficial. While he did show improvement in his political acumen, I wonder how it will translate into working with an actual opposition party in power.Of course, I’m assuming the Democrats will so act.
The most interesting part I discern is his replacing Rumsfeld with Gates, a CIA spook. I’d say former, but my understanding is you don’t retire, you just go on extended leave. Rumors were rife during his confirmation hearings to head the CIA that he lied to congress about his knowledge vis-à-vis Iran/Contra. The Resident might get his marching orders from a higher power, but it seems his soldiers are more and more composed of Bush 1 minions.
The Republican meme: The further we go, the be hinder we get. So, with that in mind, I can now hope that we won’t degrade back to the stone age in the next two years, though the Resident’s posting of nuclear bomb designs on the web might make the make up of our congress irrevelant.
Now, into the circle file...
The most interesting part I discern is his replacing Rumsfeld with Gates, a CIA spook. I’d say former, but my understanding is you don’t retire, you just go on extended leave. Rumors were rife during his confirmation hearings to head the CIA that he lied to congress about his knowledge vis-à-vis Iran/Contra. The Resident might get his marching orders from a higher power, but it seems his soldiers are more and more composed of Bush 1 minions.
The Republican meme: The further we go, the be hinder we get. So, with that in mind, I can now hope that we won’t degrade back to the stone age in the next two years, though the Resident’s posting of nuclear bomb designs on the web might make the make up of our congress irrevelant.
Now, into the circle file...
Sunday, November 05, 2006
November, already.
Voted already, to ensure I leave a paper trail. I intend to spend Tuesday at my local polling place, just to interact with the populace and hopefully educate on the stupidity of our current system of trusting those black boxes with our votes.
It is almost too easy as nearly everyone has a computer and no one has had a trouble free experience. Ask them if they'd trust their life on the reliability of a computer and at least it gets them to thinking. I tell them they have a right to request a paper ballot and I was pleasantly surprised how many took that option during the primaries.
Dickhead Pearle has learned that the war he championed so loudly for, four years ago, turns out to have been a mistake. If it took this long for him to learn that, he's a slow learner and probably unable to project that lesson forward. I can hope that he will stop banging the drum for a new war with Iran. If he thinks that the war with Iraq was a "mistake," I lack the language to define the boondoggle that will insue should the cretins in control ignite the conflagration of a war with Iran. The truly maddening part of this is that I have to include way too many Democrats in the insane list of warmongers. Too much money in military contracts, I reckon.
Now, into the circle file...
It is almost too easy as nearly everyone has a computer and no one has had a trouble free experience. Ask them if they'd trust their life on the reliability of a computer and at least it gets them to thinking. I tell them they have a right to request a paper ballot and I was pleasantly surprised how many took that option during the primaries.
Dickhead Pearle has learned that the war he championed so loudly for, four years ago, turns out to have been a mistake. If it took this long for him to learn that, he's a slow learner and probably unable to project that lesson forward. I can hope that he will stop banging the drum for a new war with Iran. If he thinks that the war with Iraq was a "mistake," I lack the language to define the boondoggle that will insue should the cretins in control ignite the conflagration of a war with Iran. The truly maddening part of this is that I have to include way too many Democrats in the insane list of warmongers. Too much money in military contracts, I reckon.
Now, into the circle file...
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