It's been a couple of weeks now since the once venerable and later venial Captital Times abandoned it's six day-a-week format to become an "on-line" news source. It's online presence is forgettable at best. It has broken no new ground for web news and is out shined by several other local sources like WISC-TV's Channel 3000.
The daily paper has been replaced by two tabloid sized editions distributed through the execrable Wisconsin State Journal and certainly they are more interesting than the web version. Wednesday's version is the front page section and it really seems to have coalesced all that had made the old version a weak imitation of the early Cap Times. Feature stories fleshed out by page sized pictures, a few local sports stories, and the most vapid call-in and letters-to-the-editor section imaginable make up the bulk of the paper and even John Nichols, usually a reliable editorialist, phones it in. They even brought the embarrassing "Human Cost of the Iraq War" box with it's listing of Iraqi casualties at 87'800. Only off by a factor of 10.
Surprisingly, the Thursday feature section is a far better production. It's had mostly interesting, well written articles by staff members. They seem to have sifted out those that were interesting and got rid of the worst of the old paper. I'd hoped that they would cut loose the amazingly unappetising Michael Muckian (if I never read "choice of starch" again it will be a better world) but at least he only reviews wine and beer. Samara Kalk-Derby is a far better writer and has a better feel for restaurant reviewing.
All in all the new format has a somewhat broader range than it's obvious competitor, The Isthmus, but Isthmus has had a better track record of late in doing real reporting. It'll be fun to see what shakes out.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Crazy Preachers
It appears that the media is trying it's best to keep the Rev. Wright/Obama story on the front burner. Polls are suggesting that the Wright controversy hasn't hurt Obama but some people seem to think that if it is pushed long enough it might some traction. Interestingly, only a few blogs have tied the story to the February endorsement of McCain by Pastor John Hagee. Hagee is a fundamentalist preacher with a large church in Texas. And while Wright has definitely said some provocative things in his sermons, Hagee is part of the Doomsday Crowd that are continually pushing for an expansion of hostilities in the Middle East.
Writer Robert Weitzel has done a great job of tying Hagge, McCain, the Christian right, and the Republican party together and showing how this "end of time" crowd is helping to kill children today and possibly bring the entire world into a war not that far in the future. It is a piece that everyone should read.
I dare you to read Palestinian, Israeli kids are cannon fodder for the Rapture and not fear radical Christianity every bit as much as radical Islam.
Writer Robert Weitzel has done a great job of tying Hagge, McCain, the Christian right, and the Republican party together and showing how this "end of time" crowd is helping to kill children today and possibly bring the entire world into a war not that far in the future. It is a piece that everyone should read.
I dare you to read Palestinian, Israeli kids are cannon fodder for the Rapture and not fear radical Christianity every bit as much as radical Islam.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Easter Story
Six Iraq war protesters were arrested on Sunday after disrupting the Easter Mass of Cardinal Francis George. The protesters shouted that the Pope called for peace and squirted fake blood on themselves. One angry Mass goer yelled at the group "Are you happy with yourselves? There were little kids in there. You scared little kids with your selfish acts"
Umm, small children dragged into church being told about someone being nailed to a cross by an old man wearing a dress? How could you tell what scared them?
Umm, small children dragged into church being told about someone being nailed to a cross by an old man wearing a dress? How could you tell what scared them?
Marking Time... Part 2
Just after passing the five year mark for this awful war (is there any other kind?) we reach another milestone: the 4000th dead serviceman. The number has been used by both sides. The anti-war people hoping that the enormity of 4000 dead might stir the seemingly complacent populace into joining the with the vocal opponents. The administration once again claiming to feel the pain of the families.
On Nov 12th Sgt. James W McDonald died. The US Military said 37 service members died in November from wounds suffered in Iraq. Sgt. McDonald was not one of the the 37. Because he was wounded in May and had returned to the US and because there was no determination of the exact cause of death, his death is not one of the 4000. His mother Joan McDonald is not so ambiguous about whether John's death was war related.
"If my son was not at the war, he would not be dead, plain and simple. He was a strong and healthy boy. Don't tell me it was unrelated to the war. I will never accept that" said Mrs. McDonald
4000. It's a good round number. It's a milepost. It helps understand the horror of war. And it's a lie. Joan McDonald and hundreds of others know it.
On Nov 12th Sgt. James W McDonald died. The US Military said 37 service members died in November from wounds suffered in Iraq. Sgt. McDonald was not one of the the 37. Because he was wounded in May and had returned to the US and because there was no determination of the exact cause of death, his death is not one of the 4000. His mother Joan McDonald is not so ambiguous about whether John's death was war related.
"If my son was not at the war, he would not be dead, plain and simple. He was a strong and healthy boy. Don't tell me it was unrelated to the war. I will never accept that" said Mrs. McDonald
4000. It's a good round number. It's a milepost. It helps understand the horror of war. And it's a lie. Joan McDonald and hundreds of others know it.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Dont Let The Door Hit You....
Getting closer and closer to the last day as a real newspaper, The Crap Times has pushed itself into over-drive to destroy what ever it has left of it's legacy as a "progressive" voice. Buried on page four of it's Thursday edition was it's only story of the day about anti-war protests in Wisconsin. At least it was above the fold. Along with the usual quotes from a few protesters and the listing of several near arrests for trying to get elected officials to actually talk to them, there was these wonderful two paragraphs:
When contacted about the demonstrations, Mark Jefferson, executive director of the Wisconsin Republican Party, called the protesters extremists.
" If we were to cut and run at this point, we would lose a lot of credibility round the world," Jefferson said. "I think people realize that"
There are so many things wrong with this that I'm having trouble lining them up.
First, when polls consistently show that over 60% of America thinks that it was a mistake to enter this war, how the hell can war protesters be "extremist"
Secondly, we have not had any respect around the world for five years.
Finally how the fuck do you decide to ask the head of the Rethuglicans about war protests at all! This walking piece of human excrement is one of the morons responsible for the mess we're in. His hands are bloody. This is like asking a murderer why he thinks there is so much violence today.
I can only mourn the Capital Times of old when maybe there would have been someone there to point out their own foolishness.
When contacted about the demonstrations, Mark Jefferson, executive director of the Wisconsin Republican Party, called the protesters extremists.
" If we were to cut and run at this point, we would lose a lot of credibility round the world," Jefferson said. "I think people realize that"
There are so many things wrong with this that I'm having trouble lining them up.
First, when polls consistently show that over 60% of America thinks that it was a mistake to enter this war, how the hell can war protesters be "extremist"
Secondly, we have not had any respect around the world for five years.
Finally how the fuck do you decide to ask the head of the Rethuglicans about war protests at all! This walking piece of human excrement is one of the morons responsible for the mess we're in. His hands are bloody. This is like asking a murderer why he thinks there is so much violence today.
I can only mourn the Capital Times of old when maybe there would have been someone there to point out their own foolishness.
Once In Lifetime
For the first, and I suspect the only, time I beat an A list Blogger to the punch. Atrios this morning posted about Patricia Kelly's letter to the New York Times. I guess getting the Times for the Wednesday food section has finally paid off.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Dancing With The Stars
A couple of days ago Maureen Dowd wrote in her column that GW "has turned into Gene Kelly" referring of course to the pres's little soft-shoe in front of the press while waiting for Uncle Fester to show up and be anointed as his successor. Little did MoDo realize that this seemingly innocuous turn of words would elicit a response from none other than Gene's widow.
It seems that the Widow Kelly does not believe that her esteemed late husband would be a fan of the doofus-in-chief. In fact it appears that the late hoofer would be aghast at the very idea. Patricia Ward Kelly writes:
When Gene was compared to the grace and agility of Jack Dempsey, Wayne Gretzky and Willie Mays, he was delighted. But to be linked with a clunker — particularly one he would consider inept and demoralizing — would have sent him reeling.
Graduated with a degree in economics from Pitt, Gene was not only a gifted dancer, director and choreographer, he was also a most civilized man. He spoke multiple languages; wrote poetry; studied history; understood the projections of Adam Smith and John Maynard Keynes. He did the Sunday Times crossword in ink. Exceedingly articulate, Gene often conveyed more through movement than others manage with words.
Sadly, President Bush fails to communicate meaningfully with either. For George Bush to become Gene Kelly would require impossible leaps in creativity, erudition and humility.
I can only add to this the comment that in more ways than one Bush is truly a lame duck.
It seems that the Widow Kelly does not believe that her esteemed late husband would be a fan of the doofus-in-chief. In fact it appears that the late hoofer would be aghast at the very idea. Patricia Ward Kelly writes:
When Gene was compared to the grace and agility of Jack Dempsey, Wayne Gretzky and Willie Mays, he was delighted. But to be linked with a clunker — particularly one he would consider inept and demoralizing — would have sent him reeling.
Graduated with a degree in economics from Pitt, Gene was not only a gifted dancer, director and choreographer, he was also a most civilized man. He spoke multiple languages; wrote poetry; studied history; understood the projections of Adam Smith and John Maynard Keynes. He did the Sunday Times crossword in ink. Exceedingly articulate, Gene often conveyed more through movement than others manage with words.
Sadly, President Bush fails to communicate meaningfully with either. For George Bush to become Gene Kelly would require impossible leaps in creativity, erudition and humility.
I can only add to this the comment that in more ways than one Bush is truly a lame duck.
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