This ain't Hell, but you can see it from here

Category: Media

  • Where’s the discussion about the minimum wage?

    Every time I read the news, I read about “Jobs Slashed, Pointing to Recession“;

    Employers buffeted by talk of recession slashed 80,000 jobs in March, the most in five years and the third straight month of losses.

    At the same time, the national unemployment rate rose from 4.8 percent to 5.1 percent, the clearest signal yet that the economy might already be shrinking.

    The new snapshot of the job market, released by the Labor Department Friday, underscored the damage that a trio of crises –in the housing, credit and financial sectors — has inflicted on companies, jobseekers and the economy as a whole.

    “The labor market has indeed turned south,” said Joel Naroff, president of Naroff Economic Advisors. “That was the one last bastion of hope to stay out of a recession. Now the question is how deep and how long will it last?”

    I read lots of posturing and guess work, but I don’t read any of the news services mentioning the fact that jobs in this country were just fine until Congress raised the minimum wage in July, about the time the job market started getting jittery.

  • Zawahri speaks

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    The Associated Press writes about the much awaited softball questions to be answered by Osama bin Laden’s deputy Ayman al-Zawahri. Probably the most amazing part of the article is AP’s reference to al Qaida as a “terror network”. Usually they refer to it as a some sort of benign non-governmental activist organization.

    Zawahri, however, displays the worst case of projection recorded in modern history;

    “We haven’t killed the innocents, not in Baghdad, nor in Morocco, nor in Algeria, nor anywhere else,” al-Zawahri said, according to a 46-page English transcript that accompanied the audio message posted on Web sites linked to al-Qaida.

    The answer was in response to the question: “Excuse me, Mr. Zawahri, but who is it who is killing with Your Excellency’s blessing the innocents in Baghdad, Morocco and Algeria?”

    Al-Qaida has claimed responsibility for the Sept. 11 attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people in New York and Washington in 2001, while its affiliates in Iraq, Afghanistan and Algeria regularly set off bombs in crowded urban areas that have taken thousands of lives.

    “If there is any innocent who was killed in the mujahedeen’s operations, then it was either an unintentional error or out of necessity,” al-Zawahri said.

    He went on to accuse al-Qaida’s opponents of being the ones who kill innocent people. He also charged that “the enemy intentionally takes up positions in the midst of the Muslims for them to be human shields for him.”

    Yep, it’s our fault for sending out troops wearing distinctive uniforms in distinctive vehicles for al Qaida’s bombing of hotels, marketplaces, weddings, etc….

    Once, just once, I’d like to see al Qaida face our troops in a force-on-force engagement instead of their hiding in mosques, traveling about in burkas and bombing children in outdoor markets. But that would probably require some measure of testicular fortitude not normally found among those cowards.

    More at Atlas Shrugs.

  • WaPo makes local killing about the war

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    McQueen/Smith

    In an article about one room mate killing killing the other, the Washington Post couldn’t help but make the story about the war against terror. the article entitled “Ex-Ranger Convicted of Killing Roommate“, the murder had nothing to do with the killer being an ex-Ranger;

    A former Army Ranger was found guilty of second-degree murder yesterday in the slaying of a fellow Ranger who died of a gunshot wound in their Gaithersburg apartment in 2006.

    After deliberating for six hours, a Montgomery County Circuit Court jury rejected Gary Smith’s claim that his roommate, Michael McQueen II, shot himself while the men were alone in their apartment.

    “This man got exactly what he deserved,” Michael McQueen, McQueen’s father, said of Smith after the verdict was returned. “We’re very, very, very relieved.”

    The defense and prosecution theories of the case pointed to mental struggles faced by many veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. In extremes cases, veterans have harmed others or themselves.

    First of all, since no mention of their unit is in the article, I can’t make the determination whether either or both were truly Rangers – it’s been my experience that almost everyone who was ever in the Army claims to be a Ranger. No one was ever a cook or a clerk – it’s one big Ranger unit.

    Secondly, there was no need to mention that either were Rangers or even veterans. They probably could have just as truthfully titled the article “Ex-grocery clerk convicted of killing roommate”. The thing the media and the public in general forget is that veterans come from our general population – not from some farm where the government creates super-soldiers. Some guys are screwed up before they join, but most veterans are just everyday folks who look at what they had to do as a job and we move on when our time’s up.

    But the media likes to make more out of the rare cases of irrational conduct than actually exists.

  • Gateway Pundit: MSM Officially flips sides

    Jim at Gateway Pundit elegantly and precisely lays out the case that the Mainstream Media has boldly and officially become part of the enemy in Iraq.

    It’s always been a little iffy on who the media was rooting for with the Haditha and Abu Ghraib “scandals” compared to the Al-Qaeda atrocities, but this month’s reporting put those questions to rest.

    Not only did the media embed with the terrorists in Iraq this month but they also grossly misreported on the death tolls in Iraq.

    But you have to read the whole thing and I’m not going to pirate any of his work – it’s real apparent that he put a lot of time into it. Excellent job, GP.

    They were probably pretty pissed that the Iraqi government didn’t explode this last weekend and that al-Sadr collapsed so quickly. The media just figured it’s time to build up al Qaeda’s morale again.

    Meanwhile, the media we can trust, Bill Roggio writes that President Maliki will continue operations in Basra, irrespective of the agreement al-Sadr thinks he has with the Iraqi government;

    One day after Muqtada al Sadr, the leader of the Mahdi Army, called for his fighters to abandon combat, the fighting in Basrah has come to a near-halt, and the Iraqi security forces are patrolling the streets. While Sadr spokesman said the Iraqi government agreed to Sadr’s terms for the cease-fire, Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki has said the security forces will continue operations in Basrah in the South. Meanwhile, the Mahdi Army took heavy casualties in Basrah, Nasiriyah, Babil, and Baghdad over the weekend, despite Sadr’s call for the end of fighting.

    Maliki was clear that operations would continue in the South. “The armed groups who refuse al Sadr’s announcement and the pardon we offered will be targets, especially those in possession of heavy weapons,” Maliki said, referring to the 10-day amnesty period for militias to turn in heavy and medium weapons. “Security operations in Basra will continue to stop all the terrorist and criminal activities along with the organized gangs targeting people.”

  • Over too soon

    The media hardly had time to retool their meme about Iraq and the battles ended before they started. The media has been ignoring the fact that major fighting had come to an end and so when the flare up began on Saturday, they were tripping over themselves to get to the scene – but US/Iraqi troops put an end to it before they could get to the scene. Aside from the armchair quarterbacking, the only reliable reports were coming from journalists like Bill Roggio;

     Sadr’s call for an end to fighting by his followers comes as his Mahdi Army has taken high casualties over the past six days. Since the fighting began on Tuesday, 358 Mahdi Army fighters were killed, 531 were wounded, 343 were captured, and 30 surrendered. The US and Iraqi security forces have killed 125 Mahdi Army fighters in Baghdad alone, while Iraqi security forces have killed 140 Mahdi fighters in Basrah.

    From March 25-29 the Mahdi Army had an average of 71 of its fighters killed per day. Sixty-nine fighters have been captured per day, and another 160 have been reported wounded per day during the fighting. The US and Iraqi military never came close to inflicting casualties at such a high rate during the height of major combat operations against al Qaeda in Iraq during the summer and fall of 2007.

    And The Angry American who was at the center of it all;

     Kum spotted a guy with a machine gun down the street firing on us, he told Hannibal and seconds later his militia ass was looking for his 40 virgins. It was solid gun fire on buildings and down the street we were on. Hannibal’s eagle eye picking them out then his deadly finger picking them off. C Wade in the lead truck was picking off guys in a window and he said it was like a video game, he would fire the guy would go down then come back up. After a final burst his ass didn’t get back up. Delta moved out in front of us and we moved slowly. We saw a spot in the market where the militia had put an IED that had detonated on Delta. The market was burnt out they destroyed their own f***ing market, and for what?

    It leaves the “mainstream media” scrambling for scraps like the Washington Post trolling the hospitals in Baghdad for sob stories from unreliable and emotional patients;

      Abdul Qader’s suffering is part of the human toll of the worst violence in months in Iraq. At least 400 people, from the southern city of Basra to the capital, Baghdad, were killed over six days, including many civilians, according to Iraqi police and other officials. Countless more were injured, joining thousands of Iraqis whose lives have been shattered by five years of conflict.

    On Saturday evening, Ramadan and his granddaughter Tabarik were mortally wounded as they sat outside their front door in Baghdad’s Zafraniya neighborhood. Witnesses said U.S. troops fired in their direction toward a group of young men who the soldiers may have thought were militiamen. Abbas Fadhil, 25, a neighbor, was also killed as he bought a pack of cigarettes.

    A U.S. military spokesman said there were no reports of accidental deaths of civilians at that time, or of U.S. troops engaging hostile forces in the area.

    Well, the media is paying the price for doing their best to ignore the good news – they weren’t ready for one of the greatest victories of the war.

  • What I’m reading today

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    Stolen from The Jungle Hut

    I must be getting old – I’m only reading other people’s brilliant thoughts today from the blogs that link here.

    People like Van at Kesher Talk who is convinced that McCain will tap Lieberman for VP.

    People like my friend Kamangir the Archer – the most visible moderate Iranian I know – who rationally opposes Wilder’s Fitna. As opposed to the irrational Dutch moonbats who apologize for Fitna as reported by Gateway Pundit and Weasel Zippers. If you’re like the two or three people on the planet who haven’t see it yet, Moonbattery and Say Anything have it up on their servers. The Jawa Report writes that the Islamic Republic has summoned the Dutch ambassador – I wonder what they want now?

    Folks like my buddy Skye from Midnight Blue who climbed back up on the horse yesterday after being attacked last weekend by an irrational moonbat in Chester County.

    I got an email tip from the Milblogs this morning about the upcoming Bad Voodoo’s War from PBS and Andi’s got the teaser video.

    If you’re wondering what I think about the recent uptick in violence in Iraq, it’s best described at Neptunus Lex. The Iranians are trying to upend our elections with total disregard for Iraqi lives. al Sadr finally realized it this morning. Rick Moran at the Right Wing Nut House questions Maliki’s judgement. McQ at Q&O dissects the events leading up to the Basra battle and provides links. Haystack at Redstate catches the LA Times painting al Sadr as a poor victim in the latest flare up. The Lonely Sandpiper blames the Brits. I think it’s just Maliki’s version of the Whiskey Rebellion.
    The only woman with whom I agree all of the time (except my wife and my Mom), Beth at My Vast Right Wing Conspiracy posts John McCain’s first national campaign ad.

    Marooned in Marin (who is actually marooned in Northern Virginia these days) examines the rumor that while super-delegates decide between two candidates, the Democrats are plotting to throw all of the primary voters under the bus and just pick their favorite loser of all time. So much for the democratic part of their party. Mike Tippet at Wake Up America is thankful for the democrats’ biggest loser.

    Bob Parks at Outside the Wire examines a survey that declares there’s no indoctrination at our schools.

    In case anyone is wondering, Snapped Shot is still behaving himself.

    Solomon reviews and dissects the play “My Name is Rachel Corrie” at Solomonia.

    Spanish Pundit writes that Palestinian Christians are being harrassed by a fundamentalist Islamic mafia in the Holy Land.

    Wordsmith at Sparks From the Anvil writes about an Iraqi translator who was denied resident alien status.

    The Avid Editor claims (and rightly so) that we’re already at war with Iran.

    Wolf Howling has more links to other blogs for something different.

    Chicagoan Marathon Pundit, who seems to have something against an Obama Presidency, writes about Obama’s latest embellishment.

    And just go visit The Jungle Hut and Don Surber because they both exhibited exceptionally clear judgment by adding me to their blogrolls last night.

  • The US media and Latin America

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    AP PHOTO/JAVIER GALEANO/Miami Herald

    A man talks on his mobile phone in Havana, Friday, March 28, 2008. New President Raul Castro’s government has authorized ordinary Cubans to obtain cellular telephones, a luxury previously reserved for those working for foreign firms or holding key posts in the communist-run state.

    Every news program since yesterday has been touting ad nauseum the fact that regular Cubans have the permission of Raul Castro to buy cell phones and this is supposed to be some big sign that Cuba is suddenly an open society. Last week it was microwave ovens. It’s the silliest damn thing I’ve ever heard. It’s like George Bush giving every American the opportunity to buy an M1 tank – who can afford one?

    Babalu Blog‘s Henry “Conductor” Gomez wonders why there’s so much coverage in the western press, but not a mention in the Cuban domestic media. Seems if it’s a big deal, Cubans would be dancing in the streets and the headline would be splashed across every newspaper in Cuba.

    The Inter American Press Association is denouncing the way Latin American governments have stepped up attacks on their journalists, according to the Miami Herald. I just want to tell journalists in this country why there’s an increase in attacks on journalists in Latin America, in case they’re wondering – THEY’RE HOLDING CRIMINAL POLITICIANS’ FEET TO THE FIRE!!! They’re not advocating free health insurance for people who can afford to pay for it – they’re asking tough questions and demanding answers.

    They’re not chasing after $4300 hookers, they’re not making up sex scandals where none exists. They’re not ruminating about the citizenship of presidential candidates and trying to redefine patriotism. They’re doing REAL work and they’re acting like a fourth branch of the people’s government – like they’re supposed to do.

    Maybe American journalists should get their internships in a news room in Venezuela or Argentina so they’d have an idea of what criminal and corrupt behavior looks like.

  • Mischaracterizing McCain

    The Democrats, Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama, between jabs at each other have been squeezing out shots at John McCain. Today, Charles Krauthammer deals with one of their more disingenuous claims – that McCain wants to fight a war in Iraq for another 100 years;

    Asked at a New Hampshire campaign stop about possibly staying in Iraq 50 years, John McCain interrupted — “Make it a hundred” — then offered a precise analogy to what he envisioned: “We’ve been in Japan for 60 years. We’ve been in South Korea for 50 years or so.” Lest anyone think he was talking about prolonged war-fighting rather than maintaining a presence in postwar Iraq, he explained: “That would be fine with me, as long as Americans are not being injured or harmed or wounded or killed.”

    And lest anyone persist in thinking he was talking about war-fighting, he told his questioner: “It’s fine with me and I hope it would be fine with you if we maintained a presence in a very volatile part of the world.”

    There is another analogy to the kind of benign and strategically advantageous “presence” McCain was suggesting for postwar Iraq: Kuwait. The United States (with allies) occupied Kuwait in 1991 and has remained there with a major military presence for 17 years. We debate dozens of foreign policy issues in this country. I’ve yet to hear any serious person of either party call for a pullout from Kuwait.

    I’d add something, but, as always with Mr Krauthammer, there’s nothing left to be said. In another part of the Washington Post, Clinton and Obama take turns painting McCain as a heartless Republican;

    In an economic speech on Tuesday, McCain (Ariz.) said he supports government assistance for Americans facing home foreclosure because of the turmoil in financial markets. But he declined to embrace the kind of government intervention for individuals and institutions favored by Clinton and Obama, arguing that “it is not the duty of government to bail out and reward those who act irresponsibly, whether they are big banks or small borrowers.”

    Obama (Ill.) and Clinton (N.Y.) have pounced on that quote in an effort to paint McCain as indifferent to the problems of ordinary Americans. Speaking in New York yesterday, Obama characterized McCain’s views as amounting to “little more than watching this crisis happen.” Clinton, appearing in Raleigh, N.C., said McCain prefers to ignore the crisis or simply blame families for their problems.

    Of course Hillary is stuck on her 3 AM phone call ad;

    “Sometimes the phone rings at 3 a.m. in the White House and it’s an economic crisis,” Clinton said, alluding to an ad she ran against Obama weeks ago. “And we need a president who is ready and willing and able to answer that call.” McCain’s plan, she said, does virtually nothing to ease the credit or housing crisis. “It seems like if the phone were ringing, he would just let it ring and ring and ring,” she said.

    Yeah, except economic crises aren’t in the job description of president according to the Constitution – like defense which is in the first sentence. It will take nearly six months for the government to accomplish the easiest thing they could have done for the economy. It will be June before everyone gets their tax-rebates. By the time everyone will have gotten their checks and we’ve all gone out and bought our Wii, it, this latest of our crises, will all be over.

    Government is never the solution to economic problems – the problems can always be prevented with education and making people responsible for their decisions. Where’s the impetus to make good, reasoned decisions when all you have to do is call some knucklehead Congress person to bail you out?

    John McCain realizes this and at least he’s honest with people, not promising impossible visions of lollipops and fruit roll-ups every time the economy hits a bump. Of course, since the media only plays these messages of false hope from the Democrats, anyone offering a dose of reality is perceived as mean and nasty.