Saturday, April 21, 2007

Using radio to inflict pain

I don't know what it is about right wingers and their incessant need to put down a certain class or segment of our national community but there it is nevertheless. Don Imus' unceremonious exit has not even faded from our topical consciousness and the public is being greeted with another conservative radio "personality" to fill the intellectual void with even more vacuousness. We learn that MSNBC is replacing their simulcast with another Imus clone: Michael Smerconish. Media Matters gives us the bad news:

"According to an April 20 article on Philly.com, the website of The Philadelphia Inquirer, "The Big Talker 1210 AM morning show of Daily News columnist Michael Smerconish is to be simulcast Monday through Wednesday on MSNBC." The article noted that Smerconish will fill the slot previously held by Imus in the Morning. MSNBC announced on April 11 that it would no longer broadcast Imus [...]"

Then we are given several examples of Smerconish's "shtick." This one in particular stands out because of it's snide aside to gays:

"Substituting for host Bill O'Reilly on the April 4, 2006, broadcast of The Radio Factor, Smerconish repeatedly discussed "the sissification of America," claiming that political correctness has made the United States "a nation of sissies." Smerconish also claimed, several times, that this "sissification" and "limp-wristedness" is "compromising our ability to win the war on terror."

At the point it is not that big of a stretch to come to the conclusion that the only reason right wing radio is able to succeed is by appealing to the lowest common denominator of human beings. MSNBC must be aware of this formula because their search didn't take long. All they had to do was dig deeper than Imus and see what was underneath to continue that success. Congratulations MSNBC. Your probing of those depths just hit pay dirt.

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Thursday, April 19, 2007

Gun control editorials off and running in the wake of Virgina Tech University tragedy

Well, that didn't take long. The opinion column hand wringing has already begun in light of the tragedy in Blacksburg. I could link to the roll of right-wing/conservative arm wavers already calling for "cooler heads" to prevail but I won't. Instead I'll just highlight one: Michelle Malkin.

In this morning's Florida Times-Union, Ms. Malkin's lastest Pavlovian screed is an op-ed feature entitled: "Arm Students for Self Defense." Before I get to the context of her outburst, something curious about the article's title struck me. Since the FTU doesn't have it included on their web site I did a little searching and found the same article posted throughout the net with an entirely different title: "Wanted: A Culture of Self Defense." This discreptncy in the title tweeked my curiosity somewhat. So I decided to try a little dot connection here. My guess is, very late last evening Ms. Malkin's syndicated column was posted for the morning editions on her clientele list. I can almost see the raised eye-brows over the title in late night editorial meetings. They thought better of it and softened her original title. I've not been able to find the title in this morning's FTU edition anywhere else on the net. OTOH, the other title previously mentioned is everywhere. But then again our local paper's editorial board is like no other and the legacy of Lloyd Brown that still resides in the halls on the fifth floor wouldn't question anything from the venomous pens of Malkin, Coulter, Thomas and et al anyway.

Though it is very tempting to breakdown Malkin's regurgitation of NRA views, toned down and repackaged for low-brow conservative family consumption, there is really no need to. All that's needed is one small excerpt for context before we can find a shorter version of Malkin's diatribe on You Tube. You see, all Michelle is doing is channeling Archie Bunker from "All In The Family" fame. How, you may ask? First, as promised, the excerpt from this morning's column for context:

"The back story: Virginia Tech had
punished a student for bringing a handgun to class last spring-despite the fact
that the student had a valid concealed handgun permit."

You really can't make this stuff up can you? Well, Norman Lear already did over thirty years ago:



Actually, when this episode first aired I nearly pulled a muscle for laughing so hard. Except now, its not so funny. The Michelle Malkins of the world is suggesting we arm every student. In fact why not do what the indomitable Mr. Bunker suggested for the airlines industry and turn it around to fit the classroom? Hand out the pistols on the way in like a student handout and then collect them at the end of class like homework?

Maybe the Apocalypse is upon us after all.

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Wednesday, April 18, 2007

A "clean-cut" appearance, $600.00 and a non-suspicious demeanor get's you a Glock 9 mm in Virginia

In yesterday’s Florida Times-Union, the front page story about Cho Seung-Hui, the Virginia Tech University gunman responsible for 33 dead and over two dozen wounded, had this curious quote from the gun owner who sold the gun:

Roanoke Firearms owner John Markell said his shop sold the Glock and a box of practice ammo to Cho 36 days ago for $571. "He was a nice, clean-cut college kid. We won't sell a gun if we have any idea at all that a purchase is suspicious," Markell said.

What I found curious was his contention that Seung-Hui was a, “clean-cut college kid.” Well, isn’t that nice. The troubled VTU student’s appearance was so disarming he washed away any suspicion of evil intentions. I don’t know about anyone else, but how can one not be put at ease by that shrug of the shoulders?

The laxness of the gun laws in Virginia is apparently an indication that gun retailers are responsible for the use of discretion when selling fire arms. Wow. Mr. Markell certainly failed that test. I mean it was easy to see why with this particular purchaser being “clean-cut” and all. Mr. Markell’s other contention was they won’t sell a gun, “....if we have any idea at all that a purchase is suspicious.” I’m wondering how the need to purchase a Glock 9 mm semi-automatic couldn’t be used for anything else other than shooting someone. Not being a gun owner and very far from having any real knowledge of firearms I guess I don’t understand the cult that swirls around the ownership of these kinds of weapons.

After what happened on the Blacksburg campus this past Monday morning, I’m not sure I want to.t

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Mercury Rising?

Last week Mercury Falling had an important report regarding a possible policy change by the EPA and the federal Toxic Release Inventory [TRI]:

“…the EPA might be working to keep this data (the Toxic Release Inventory) secret in the future, according to Environmental Florida. The TRI report comes out once a year, however, EPA wants to stop making this report public. EPA doesn't want the public to know how toxic our environment has become, as they've stripped the rules on emissions to help new coal plants go on line, the group said.”

As the report points out the suppression of this data would keep the general public in the dark regarding the emission of mercury levels by their public utility. Mercury falling also provides a link to the report that will give the mercury levels in your zip code.

Last week I was fortunate enough to have the Edwards ’08 campaign contact me about media credentials for the Senator’s appearance at FCCJ South Campus’ Wilson Center. I was hoping to be able to ask Sen. Edwards about his campaign’s position on a possible policy shift by the EPA to suppress this data. The event did not provide me the opportunity I had hoped for so I could put this question before the Senator.

Today I took advantage of that contact and e-mailed the Edwards campaign’s Online Communications Director and forwarded my questions regarding the TRI and EPA’s policy regarding that report. Let’s hope any response I get will include an official position that supports this report remaining in the public domain.

Update: link in original post for Mercury Falling now fixed.

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Monday, April 16, 2007

Matthews Bridge delays cause chaos in Jacksonville's working class community

Jacksonville’s new series of alternative commuter routes began this morning as the FDOT began the planned $12.9 million dollar resurfacing project for the Matthews Bridge. The eastbound lanes are scheduled to be closed for the next 90 days, taking us to the middle of July, and promises to cause major disruptions of traffic patterns throughout the Arlington, Southside and Beaches area for the duration. Once again the working community seems to be ignored while the needs of the NFL & the Jacksonville Jaguars become a focus of concern at their expense. If the chaos exhibited by this first day's massive delays are any indication, the next 89 days aren't going to be pretty. To understand why, let’s try and connect a few dots here.

Anyone who has children of school age knows very well the complicated logistics of family scheduling involved when devising a way to get your child to school on time without interfering with your ability to provide for them. For this complicated dance to work a series of rush hour traffic patterns, work schedules and a juggling act of morning and afternoon drop offs are weaved together to manage family timing needs.

Casual perusal of the Duval County Public School calendar shows us school actually ends for students on May25th. I was somewhat at a loss to understand why this FDOT project did not start until after the last day of school until I examined the just released 2007 schedule for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Call me cynical, but one can’t imagine why working families are not only having their time schedules thrown out of kilter but their budgets compromised as well. At $2.82 cents a gallon it doesn’t take a CPA to figure out that an extra 30 minutes to an hour begins to add up expense wise when one is sitting in a traffic jam where everything comes to a standstill except the gas gauge. Then there is the question of a parent or custodian not being able to make it home on time to prepare for evening routines assuming of course their child has been picked up in a timely manner.

But woe be unto the FDOT and the Jacksonville city government to disrupt a preseason schedule for a professional sports franchise where rumblings of the team relocating has just been introduced into the lexicon of media discourse the past couple of months. The scope of this post doesn’t cover what surly must be arm waving of Jaguar higher ups over revenue already lost over a new name for the old Gator Bowl. But compound that with concern about franchise revenue expectations that might become untenable in this media market and you have a recipe ripe for further extortion by the NFL with threats of departure to greener pastures unless the city ante’s up to make up the difference in expected profit margins.

The current estimate of 90 days needed for the project to alter traffic routes takes us to July 17th. Delaying the project to start on May 28th, the Monday after the last day of school, 90 days later would fall on August 25th. Only the two pre-season games on August 18th and possibly August 30th [which more than likey would be inside a window for delays in construction] would be disrupted under this scenario. No matter how practical that sounds, I’m sure the NFL would never settle for that. At the risk of upsetting NFL management sensibilities, why not just make the available lanes during construction westbound in the morning and eastbound in the evening to keep traffic congestion at a minimum? Now really, how complicated could it be?

If nothing else this whole exercise only serves to reinforce the image of a city government groveling at the feet of the NFL while the needs of the working community are pushed aside. Not only that, why go to all this trouble when studies for a new bridge have already been done proposing new construction, on the order of $700 million dollars, along side the old one with eight lanes?

Once again, the needs of the Jacksonville working community and it's families are being ignored. Catering to special interests is usually symptomatic of one party dominance and this is no exception. I don’t know about the rest of you, but my worksheet is complete and my dots all connect up. What a surprise.

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Video of John Edwards' Jacksonville Appearance on Thursday, 4/12/07

While I was researching a wrap analysis of Senator Edwards' speech this past Thursday at FCCJ's South Campus here in Jacksonville, FL, I stumbled across this video of the event posted on You Tube. It captures the crowd nicely and my best extimate for the size would be about 400. The Florida Times Union said 300, while CNN (I lost the url on this one) estimated it to be around 500. (How's that for sticking my neck out?.....I figured somehwere in the middle.) Anyway, nice job by this person who posted it up. I thought about bringing my video camera as well, but with a laptop, digital camera and jockeying for position I knew it wouldn't be practical. The video is a little of 4:00 minutes long and it captures the essence of the speech.

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Sunday, April 15, 2007

John Edwards in San Francisco, 3/26/07

I'm still trying to put together a post about this past Thursday night's speech by John Edwards at the FCCJ South Campus Wilson Center. It's been a really busy weekend for me and my family and time has been limited to work on the post. I want to be able to put what he said in a larger context because I was so struck by his vision and thoughts on the key issues in the campaign . My research brought me across this clip of a recent appearance in San Francisco nearly three weeks ago discussung three of the issues he covered Thursday night. It's a posting on You Tube and it capured nicley what he's been saying about Iraq, his energy plan and universal health care.

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