Posts Tagged ‘reality’

Well I did like her in CopLand

Posted: April 21, 2009 by datechguy in opinion/news
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At Big Hollywood Tom Shillue not only defends Janeane G. as a nice person but point out that she is only saying outloud what people on the left actually think but tend to say in “coded” ways.

Here’s the thing; everything Janeane said is what people on the left already think. They have been saying it right to your face, in creative ways, for years. Remember when the candidate Obama repeatedly spoke about his being a long shot for the election because “he has a funny name” or because he “doesn’t look like those other presidents on our money,” what do you think he was saying? He was saying that a large portion of our country is racist. He was talking about you. He was trying to shut his critics up even before they started. And it worked. Almost no one called him on it.

So don’t get upset when someone says it out loud. You should be glad someone finally said it-now you can answer the charge. You don’t want to have to answer the charge? Why not? It’s out there.

Conservatives will even buy into this. They will say, “Well, I know that there is still a lot of racism out there, but…”

That’s the problem. People are unwilling to declare that it’s over. It’s done. The number of Americans who believe one race is inferior to another is so small that they are not worth discussing. They are silly people. And they have no power.

This is an excellent point. It’s an argument we will win every time but only if people are willing to make the argument in public. She is willing so we can engage.

As for the personal stuff as I’ve said I have plenty of friends who are very left (hey it’s Massachusetts). There are plenty of people I would be willing to trust with my life and the lives of my family that I wouldn’t want to see in the White House or Congress. I’m glad she is nice on a personal level. I like nice people.

And yes you should see CopLand. It is one of the best movies you’ve never heard of.

Update: Commentators at HotAir don’t agree.

That’s why

Posted: April 20, 2009 by datechguy in opinion/news
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You might notice that this blog is unabashedly pro Israel. This is despite the fact that I’m not Jewish, None of my ancestors are Jewish and other than one nephew’s marriage I have no connection other than acquaintance to anything Jewish.

I’m also not an evangelical which is the other large group that is pro Israel in the US. I’m not worried about the 2nd coming connection or non-connection to the state of Israel or the end of days. (We will all have our own personal end of days so that is what we should concentrate on).

I support Israel because they are a voice of pluralism crying out in the wilderness of Monarchy and Dictatorship. I support them as I would any free people threatened by murderous barbarians. (Yes I said barbarians, when you train your children to kill and falsely teach them from birth to hate, you are barbarians.) I support them as their foes danced as our people burned 8 years ago, but I also support them for the sake of these men:

As terrified teenagers 65 years ago, Menachem Sholowicz and Anshel Sieradzki stood in line together in Auschwitz, having serial numbers tattooed on their arms. Sholowicz was B-14594; Sieradzki was B-14595.

The two Polish Jews had never met, they never spoke and they were quickly separated. Each survived the Nazi death camp, moved to Israel, married, and became grandfathers. They didn’t meet again until a few weeks ago, having stumbled upon each other through the Internet. Late in life, the two men speak daily, suddenly partners who share their darkest traumas.

Lets not forget that during WWII we didn’t do anything to stop this slaughter until the camps were actually taken. It wasn’t until after the war was won that we pushed the notion of stopping this slaughter. The average GI was incensed and appalled but the high command was indifferent.

We already have plenty of people who want to pretend this didn’t happen. It is likely that in my lifetime that last living memory of these camps will disappear. It is incumbent on us to remember and not allow this slaughter to happen again.

We have done very poor job ofit thus far.

Regrets I’ve had a few…

Posted: April 19, 2009 by datechguy in opinion/news
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…ah Napolitano plays the “regrets” card:

Homeland Security chief Janet Napolitano says she regrets that some people took offense over a report warning that right-wing extremist groups were trying to recruit disgruntled troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

It’s a pretty game let me give you an example: I regret that some people take offense over my stand against Gay marriage.

Does that say I think that I’m wrong on Gay marriage? Nope. Does it say that I’m thinking of changing my opinion? Nope. All that says I wish people were not offended by my position, in other words I wish they thought like me.

I regret that people are foolish enough to fall for that nonsense.

Why the sex jokes and outrage doesn’t matter

Posted: April 17, 2009 by datechguy in opinion/news
Tags: , ,

Yesterday many blogs took MSNBC and CNN to task for using crude oral sex jokes to refer to the tea party protests. The idea that a major media network would do this was unthinkable just a little while ago.

Now today hot air complains about Janine Garofalo appearance on Olberman.

These complaints are irrelevant, as are the ratings numbers. I think that MSNBC has made a business decision and is sticking with it.

I think that MSNBC believes that it would take too much time effort and money to overcome Fox’s lead. If a new personality manages to get a following then they will give them a shot but that’s it.

By catering to the far left they have a ready made audience base that if not a majority is solid. We are talking real true believers. The only attempt they are making to get any kind of non-liberal base is in the morning drive and even then you might notice the most conservative segment always seems to be a 6 a.m. hour.

It doesn’t mean MSNBC will not make a profit it just means it won’t make as much as fox. Long John Silvers doesn’t make the money that McDonald’s does but they make a living and a profit. Their primary customer base is fish based. It is not as large a base as a burger based one but it is a profitable customer base.

Fox is right leaning although it will give some voice to the left to play off of. Their willingness to give that alternate voice a shot and their respect for religion is the reason why they will always outperform CNN and MSNBC. (I think the decision to go full Hannity is a mistake.)

This actually puts the squeeze on CNN. They have always leaned left but are not as unabashedly left wing as MSNBC. That means the “true believers” on the left won’t choose them over MSNBC and the people on the right like myself don’t trust them. The arguement that most people are in the center may or may not be true, but even if it is true that center aren’t news junkies. News junkies have beliefs and opinions. The moderate center would rather watch something else.

So that leaves CNN with the people who believe the “Fox is evil” hybe but are not far left enough for MSNBC. That also include the people who have watched CNN for decades (they were first you know) and watch it out of habit. That is not a growing market.

So we can get angry at MSNBC it won’t matter. This is their business decision that is where their profit comes from.

Our anger will just increase their ratings. The people who would get offended have already left.

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