Cost Benefit Analysis

What's On Your TV?

2005-05-29T03:51:00.000-05:00

What’s on television?
Cable companies set the menu for what you can watch in your city, but every few years, cable franchise licenses come up for renewal. And at that time, you can help persuade your local government to require those companies to reconsider what kinds of programs they carry, and to expand the diversity and value of their offerings. One way is to increase the number of public access channels. For more on this, contact Alliance for Community Media .

What’s on the radio?
A huge chunk of the programming going over the airwaves is now determined by a handful of executives at companies like Clear Channel, owner and operator of more than 1,200 stations. So you can help support and promote the growing number of alternatives, which include locally owned and run stations, Pacifica, Air America, Internet radio, podcasts, and, notably, community-run “low-power FM” stations—which, facing severe obstacles, now appear poised to emerge in a bigger way, thanks to the Local Community Radio Act of 2005, from Senators John McCain, R-Ariz., Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash. As noted recently by the Utne Reader , “the bill would expand LPFM service nationwide, easing the burden on would-be LPFM stations to prove noninterference with commercial broadcasters.” For more on LPFM, including information on obtaining a license, contact Prometheus Radio Project .

What’s on public broadcasting?
Common Cause, recognizing that the campaign financing system can’t be changed unless the media are reformed—and the best parts protected— is involved with a “Hands Off NPR and PBS” campaign. You can find out about it here .

Did We Ask For 9/11? Continued.

2005-05-28T03:50:00.000-05:00

It seems that I'm tying up loose ends this summer. Read this article, and keep an open mind.

Peace = Terror In Religion Also

2005-05-27T03:41:00.000-05:00

For the last 18 years of my life, I've grown up next door to a pleasant Irish Catholic family. They're good people, they go to church once a week, and they've all had their communions. However, as I was sitting in their living room conversing last week, I was horrified to discover a newsletter from the reactionary scum, Focus On The Family.

I was horrified! You would have been too, if you discovered that people whom you highly respected were guilty of homophobia, racism, and even local terrorism. Focus on the Family is not your typical youth group, or Bible study class, this organization tries its hardest to hurt people, which is the definition of terrorism.

Which is why America, the press, and next-door neighbors across the country need to lose the faith, and keep religion as an institution of peace, as supposed to a device used for terrorism.

Wal-Mart Week 6

2005-05-26T03:15:00.000-05:00

Wal-Mart to pay immigrants fine

Featured Blog Week 6

2005-05-25T03:24:00.000-05:00

This week's featured blog is In the Dark.

Peace=Terror Again And Again

2005-05-24T03:38:00.000-05:00

This seems to be the reoccurring theme this week, so I'm just going to roll with the punches.

Peace=Terror Continued

2005-05-23T03:34:00.000-05:00

If you thought the press release below was bad, check this out.

The administration's crooked mouth that preaches world peace and the spread of Democracy form one side, and then appoints supporters of death squads to presidential cabinet postions is at it again.

While the US is promoting peace in the middle east, they're also supporting facism in Haiti.

Peace = Terror?

2005-05-22T03:29:00.000-05:00

In my third post with the headline as a question, I'd like to examine the peaceful environmental terrorist. When the Chicago DNC disaster of the Vietnam era, or the recent Battle of Seattle, come to mind, one thinks of police brutality by the hands of a government with a different point of view. Isn't that how it always is? When the people fall out of line with the governments point of view isn't that always a recipe for disaster?

In today's times, not only are you a hooligan for protesing the governments vile actions, but you are also profiled as an environmental terrorist.

Peace=Terror

Faith-Based Fourth Estate?

2005-05-21T03:26:00.000-05:00

“It makes absolutely no difference to me!’ Schaffer shouted. “I was asked to speak on the future of news and I will. Clearly you have a point of view!”

Taken aback, I told Schaffer I was just reporting a story, and then reiterated my question.

“We can’t engage in this conversation,” she sputtered. “I gotta go right now–bye!” Then she hung up.

What made Schaffer become so unhinged? One can only surmise, since she never returned subsequent phone calls. But here’s a few clues: the forum will take place in the auditorium of the Washington Times, the money-hemorrhaging conservative daily controlled by the self-styled Messiah, Reverend Sun Myung Moon; the event is sponsored by a Moon front group and moderated by longtime acolyte Larry Moffitt; and Schaffer’s fellow “Featured Panelist” Marshall, editor of the Moon-controlled UPI, is a devotee who once promised to “follow forever” Moon’s teachings.

Sexism In The Media?

2005-05-20T03:25:00.000-05:00

Media Often Ignore Women as Sources, New Study Finds

G.W.B. As A Star Wars Character

2005-05-19T03:21:00.000-05:00

If you had the pleasure of seeing the quote on quote final Star Wars movie, then you probably noticed that the king of the Siths was suspiciously similar to George Bush and his cronies. All I have to say is that you know your president is getting out of hand when science fiction movies are made about him.

On Swearing

2005-05-18T03:17:00.000-05:00

Swearing is one of the many great attributes of language itself. It just feels great to say fuck, or damn, etc. However, ther are those with the proverbial rods up their rear ends, who always ruin the fun for everybody.

Which brings me to my next point: rock music is great. What makes it great? Swearing! Well, swearing only makes up 1/4 of rock music's cool points, but thats still a significant amount.

My point is that people should lighten up. They're only words. And for those who claim that the Bible labels swearing as a sin, they need to brush up on their scripture, as this radical interpretation of Christianity is no better than the Jihadist interpretation of the Koran.

Wal-Mart Week 5

2005-05-16T03:11:00.000-05:00

Wal-Mart, putting the G in Gangsta.

When you listen west coast gangsta rap, you often hear many references to guns, and think to yourself, "I wonder where these people buy their guns from."

Apparently, they buy them from Wal-Mart.

Featured Blog Week 5

2005-05-15T03:08:00.000-05:00

This week's featured blog is Women's Lib, A Failed Experiment.

Slavery Will Live As Long As Racism

2005-05-12T02:52:00.000-05:00

What is slavery? Some call it the act of keeping a group of individuals oppressed. No matter what your definition of slavery is, one thing remains certain: it's not dead.

In order to support a heirarchilogical society, and to keep thr fires of progress burning, a society needs an oppressed sub-culture to do the dirty work, and to be the scape goat in the wake of evil leaders.

In the 1800s, it was the African Americans, but today, it's Middle Eastern people.

Today, the pendulum swings back. Fox News commentator Michelle Malkin’s recent book, In Defense of Internment: The Case for Racial Profiling in World War II and the War on Terror, calls on Us to lock up the Other. Malkin claims that mass ethnic detentions are a prudent response to espionage and terror plots, as if securing a haystack automatically serves to pinpoint a needle. Her guilty-until-proven-innocent approach equates color with criminality and obstructs effective law enforcement. Only in the movies does badass bullying expose conspiracies rather than recruit new conspirators to the cause. Dragnets can’t substitute for field operatives and translators.

Missing Girls May Just Be Junk Food News

2005-05-11T02:45:00.000-05:00

If you're planning on getting kidnapped, disappearing, or being murdered and buried in the woods, it helps to be female.

Seriously, according to this article, missing men have gone under reported in today's news media, where as Laci Petersen received the national coverage that she deserved.

What's the deal?

Wal-Mart Week 4

2005-05-10T21:33:00.000-05:00

PBS was supposed to run a documentary on Wal-Mart last week, entitled, "Is Wal-Mart Good For America?" but the show never ran. Hmmm.... Wierd.

However, you can read the transcript, and learn about Wal-Mart's dirty laundry here.

My favorite part was the political contributions payed from Wal-Mart to politicians. Even minority leader Harry Reid's (D-NV) hand is in the cookie jar.

Featured Blog Week 4

2005-05-09T21:43:00.000-05:00

This week's featured blog is Standingontheshoulderofgiants.

Is Microsoft As Insidious As Wal-Mart?

2005-05-08T22:05:00.000-05:00

Wal-Mart sucks, that's a fact. However, Microsoft has actually helped the country in some respects. Now the company is trying to worm its way into everyday aspects of our lives, more so than usual.

You be the judge.

War All The Time

2005-05-07T21:56:00.000-05:00

After all I've seen this year, I can't help but wonder what the real reasons are for the continued occupation of Iraq.

The administration says the war was about fighting for democracy. That was the big lie they resorted to when they were caught in the other lies. But it’s a different kind of a lie in the sense that it’s a useful lie. The lie that the United States invaded Iraq to bring freedom and democracy not just to Iraq but, as it turns out, to the whole world, is tremendously useful—because we can first expose it as a lie and then we can join with Iraqis to try to make it true. So it disturbs me that a lot of progressives are afraid to use the language of democracy now that George W. Bush is using it. We are somehow giving up on the most powerful emancipatory ideas ever created, of self-determination, liberation and democracy.
And it’s absolutely crucial not to let Bush get away with stealing and defaming these ideas—they are too important.

Things may look bleak, and we the people may appear to be powerless, but we can make a difference.

During the run-up to the U.S. invasion of Iraq, the Rev. Al Sampson helped to organize Chicago’s Black Mobilization Committee Against the War and regularly opened his church to anti-war rallies and other progressive actions. His Fernwood United Methodist Church, on Chicago’s far South Side, showed films like Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch’s War on Journalism and Fahrenheit 9/11.

And Sampson’s church is just one of many in Chicago that aggressively confronts the Bush administration’s cynical attempt to capture black mind share with its focus on God, gays and vouchers.

Freedom?

2005-05-06T21:52:00.000-05:00

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 10, 2005 — In his 2004 inaugural address, President Bush spoke repeatedly about the need to bring freedom and liberty to the world. In fact, he was so focused on the concept that he referenced the word "freedom" a whopping 27 times during the 21-minute speech. I’m happy the president is embracing the concept of freedom. Now if we could only get him to start practicing what he preaches.

Close But No Cigar, Boys!

2005-05-05T21:47:00.000-05:00

The secret service is investigating the apparent tossing of a hand grenade at George Bush as he gave a speech in Georgia. (The country, not the state.)

It landed 30m (100 feet) away from where Mr Bush spoke to a huge crowd in Tbilisi, but did not detonate, according to the Georgian authorities.

It is unclear whether the device contained explosives.
The US Secret Service said it was made aware of Tuesday's incident after Mr Bush had left the ex-Soviet republic.

Mr Bush's speech was the centrepiece of his visit to Georgia - the first by a US president.

Just remember, if he dies, Dick Cheney becomes president. Stop political assassinations!!!

Abe Lincoln

2005-05-04T18:45:00.000-05:00

In order to be able to make justified and informed decisions, we must know our history.

I'd like to start with the historical distortions about Abraham Lincoln's political ideology. Today's Republicans boast Abraham Lincoln as America's first Republican president. This is only a half truth. Lincoln was originally a WHIG until the party disentigrated due to the Kansas-Nebraska Act.

For most of his presidency he was a Republican, but back in Lincoln's times, the Republican's and Democrat's political views were reversed. In other words being a Democrat in those times was a lot like being a Republican in todays times, and vice versa.

Therefore, Abraham Lincoln was not truly a Republican.

Wal-Mart Week 3

2005-05-03T00:18:00.000-05:00

Wal-Mart moves into online music

Featured Blog Week 3

2005-05-02T00:16:00.000-05:00

This week's featured blog is orange fruits.