Timid Waffle, D.N. Nation!
So it’s been a while.
I ran, then ran some more, then ran a half-marathon, up and moved, and probably drank a little bit too much since the last time I put fingers to keyboard, but that’s OK, new year, new start, even though we’re 24 days into this one anyhow and, well, I should just shaddup, make room for what comes after all that.
George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush ought to be embarrassed that they invited Limbaugh to the White House. The Claremont Institute, whose work I often respect, ought to be mortified that they sullied their Statesmanship Award by bestowing it upon Limbaugh. Shame on National Review for celebrating one of conservatism’s most controversial figures in a symposium that didn’t even acknowledge his many critics on the right. In it Heather Higgins remarked on “Rush’s long track record of accurate predictions and analyses,” Kathryn Jean Lopez commented on his “graciousness and humility,” Mary Matalin said “he epitomizes what we all aspire to be, both as citizens and individuals,” Andrew McCarthy claims his message is “always” delivered with “optimism, civility, and good humor,” and Jay Nordlinger asserted that “he is almost the antithesis of the modern American, in that he doesn’t whine.” Every last claim is too absurd to satire, let alone defend.
Problem here is that he’s operating under the assumption that people like K-Lo, Nordlinger, and McCarthy aren’t every bit the paragons of bigotry El Rushbo is. (Hint: They are.)
Before defending an army that uses child soldiers, Limbaugh was a monster. This isn’t anything new, sadly.
…which is a shame, because I’d defend the guy otherwise. Horrible fashion sense, tool-ish aura, but there’s nothing wrong with promoting America’s finer indie shithole eateries. Except being misogynist and homophobic while doing so. Shame.
It’s not just for whackadoo think tanks anymore.
For the uninitiated, this isn’t anything new. When, say, you see a bloated putz like Mark Levin somehow waddle his way up to the top of the best-sellers list, you can toss in all your chips that he did it through these bogus mass-buy schemes.
Submitted: The type used for “ARCADE FIRE” on the cover of Funeral looks like the opening credits to the Sam Raimi Spider-Man movies.
(Grew sick of my Tumblr hiatus. Needed a way back in. There it is!)
This sort of gnarled optimism is where I’m at these days. On my job front…difficulty. Always is with a quick promotion. Always is when a few people leave the company and you realize days- months- after the fact that you’ve lost a permanent knowledge base. Big questions sometimes come up, and all I can do is shrug in pain. But it’s OK. Work goes to the client, work goes to the printer, work becomes a reality. No matter the hassle. It gets done. Good on the ad business for being like that. Or at least my little nook of it.
Away from the job front…doing so well. Kristina and I went to Austin City Limits a couple weekends ago; I’ve been meaning to say thousands of words on it, but haven’t been able to commit the time I think it deserves. It was so good for me, for us. A reminder of how spontaneous and happy I can conjure up myself to be. That’s a pinnacle I hope to reach again. Will talk about it, eventually. Pics, too.
Had a good weekend this past one. Nothing special. All lights out in the apartment except for the kitchen, stretched out with a big mug of PBR. Later to Corner Tavern in L5P, which Travis accurately stated reminded him of Athens. Where the front doors and windows are open to let in a little breeze while you go back for more cheap beer and shit-shooting until you’re in a well-worn, bedtime place.
A study in contrasts: The current homepage of CNN (headquartered in Atlanta, capital city of the state where Troy Davis, an innocent man, is one SCOTUS appeal for being executed for a crime he most likely did not commit) versus that of The Guardian (based in London, where it’s currently very much in the middle of the night). One small story above the fold versus four.
shameful but unsurprising.
Perhaps, but look at CNN’s lead story. I think that’s a step in the right direction. Another step worth taking: Connecting that story and Troy Davis’ together. There are obviously common threads.
46 notes (via brookehatfield & rachael-maddux)
Ooh, how did I miss this?
From the Washington Times and apparently a huff of paint:
Yet, there was a dark side to King and it should not be ignored. Its effects continue to plague our society. Contrary to popular myth, the Baptist minister was a hypocrite who consistently failed to uphold his professed Christian standards. His rampant adultery and serial, life-long womanizing revolted even some of his closest associates. Large parts of his doctoral dissertation were plagiarized. He had numerous ties with communists and Soviet sympathizers. Then-FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover knew this, which is why he considered King a “fraud.”
J. Edgar Hoover’s word over MLK. Got it, wingnuts.
At home, he called for heavy public spending, urban renewal and a cradle-to-grave nanny state.
Urban renewal? The bastard! So are we to believe the long-attempted notion that MLK was a conservative is out of style?
