Letters to the Editor
Margalis
Published Letters: 614 Editor's Choice: 16
-
Why are people arguing about global warming?
[Read the article: Blood-and-guts politics]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Whether or not global warming is real or not is incidental to how shitty Paglia's writing is. Global warming is a scientific issue but she has never made a scientific argument or relied on scientific sources.
Even if global warming is fake her argument is stupid because it's based on absolutely nothing.
It's like saying the world must be round because it's two turtles glued belly to belly. Even if the conclusion is sort of valid the argument itself is moronic.
She doesn't believe in global warming because she saw a volcano on youtube once. That's seriously her argument. Maybe there are good arguments against global warming but that sure ain't it.
-
Hear hear
[Read the article: King Kaufman's Sports Daily]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]This is a government oversight issue?
-
Cheers for lateagain
[Read the article: America closes the book on intelligence]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Many good points made.
To make more explicit one of them: primary source material!
When I want to know about the Constitution I read it and the Federalist Papers. When I want to know what a bill does I read it. When I want to evaluate what someone said I watch a full clip or read a full transcript first.
It does take time, and unfortunately our media is incapable of accurately summarizing things.
---
Being an independent thinker means no permanent enemies or allies and no permamenent in-group to be a member of. Maybe that takes a certain ego or lone-wolf demeanor some people lack.
-
Republicans are praying to god for another 9/11
[Read the article: McConnell/Mukasey: Eavesdropping outside of FISA is "illegal"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]They think if some disaster strikes they can blame it on Democrats. It won't make any sense, and if anything they will be responsible, but of course that doesn't matter at all. They'll just bleat loudly as they always do.
Democrats should be on the offensive. Why are Republicans creating ads attacking Democrats when Republicans are the ones who let the PAA expire. Democrats should be the ones running those ads.
This is so easy. Run a bunch of quotes from Bush admin officials saying how vital the PAA is to national security, then point out that the Republicans let it expire. The ads write themselves.
-
Mukasey worse than Gonzales?
[Read the article: McConnell/Mukasey: Eavesdropping outside of FISA is "illegal"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Muksasey is exactly the same as Gonzales except that expectations were higher. Gonzales was Bush's personal lawyer while Mukasey was supposedly some sort of independent-minded maverick. In the end they are completely interchangeable.
Which is to be expected. Bush simply cannot appoint a proper AG. I like how the Ironic Times phrased it:
"Bush Pick for Attorney General Headed for Confirmation
Mukasey last piece in puzzle keeping Bush, Cheney from firing squad."
Exactly right. Bush has done so many shady things that appointing a law-abiding AG would be suicide. Willingness to cover for crimes is the primary criteria for an AG under Bush.
-
Obama may face grilling on patriotism
[Read the article: Various items]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I love this sort of formulation. A vapid reporter writes about some possible public opinion and in so doing enables and enforces that opinion. Democrats may be seen as weak on terror!
There is virtually no news value in writing about what "may" (or may not) happen, especially when what may happen is not any sort of physical event but merely a change in public opinion. This sort of story is a prime example of how the news media makes news rather than reporting it. The only reason most normal people not associated with crazed right-wingers may question Obama's patriotism is pieces like this instructing them to do so.
-
Kingston & 60 minutes
[Read the article: Various items]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I covered Kingston in my first blog post ever.
http://margalis.blogspot.com/2007/08/adventures-in-broken-governance.html
The video is worth watching if you enjoy being sickened. Kingston totally ignores the entire point of the hearing and blathers on about "Hollywood liberals" and other idiotic canards. He does not approach the actual topic in any meaningful way, he just blows smoke and runs interference. It's disgusting.
---
I just watched the 60 minutes piece. I was underwhelmed.
-
I was underwhelmed
[Read the article: Various items]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]because it didn't bring the hammer down on Rove and others the way I hoped it would.
I don't mean my reaction was "meh, who cares" or "nothing to see here." I realize now my post was fairly opaque. I care very much about this issue and issues like it, I'm totally disgusted by all of it.
I'm going to pimp the blog post I pointed at a few letters earlier. Read it if you want but mostly just watch the video of Kingston in action. The entire thing is very educational, a hearing on military contractors involving Jeremy Scahill (Blackwater: The Rise of...) and Robert Greenwald. (Iraq for Sale)
-
Rove writes for Newsweek
[Read the article: Various items]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]To answer the question from earlier. He was hired at the same time that Kos from DailyKos was.
A sample of his genius, "How to Beat Hillary (Next) November":
http://www.newsweek.com/id/71000/page/1
-
I'm opposed to talking head videos
[Read the article: King Kaufman's Sports Daily]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]But this was pretty well done and not the sort of thing that translates to writing.
King, please let the other people at Salon know that sitting in front of a white wall reading a monologue is not a good way to utilize video technology.
-
The BBQ stuff is really too funny
[Read the article: The ornery pride of the political journalist]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The conflict of interest is so obvious it's laughable. And sad.
-
Nonsense traditions in journalism
[Read the article: Tucker Carlson unintentionally reveals the role of the American press]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]There are a number of traditions in journalism that make no sense if you examing them minus the historical baggage.
The idea that anything happens "off the record" is the antithesis of journalism which is supposed to report the truth and the whole truth. Because you say something didn't happen it actually didn't? What?
The practice of using headlines that are purposely misleading is another well-accepted tradition, as is headline writers writing headlines without even consulting the article writer.
How about op-eds and editorials that include factually false information and are excused because "it's opinion." Zero sense once again.
Off the record, the mainstream media is composed of fucking morons.
-
I've covered this extensively at my blog
[Read the article: "The guys from the Politico brought my mom flowers"]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Just click on my name. For once I scooped Glenn.
The press behavior regarding the BBQ is truly disgusting.