Posts Tagged ‘Media Tripe’
Manchin To Earth: Drop Dead
Posted on: October 17, 2021
Hello Widdershins!
Another week, more shenanigans from Sinenchin. AZ Senator who caucuses with Democrats went to fundraise in Europe while steadfastly insisting the filibuster is saving democracy and Manchin finally drew one red line on what he is willing to support: transitioning from coal to sustainable energy. We all thought Manchin objected to the cost of Biden’s BBB bill, but that ain’t it. It’s the pretty cheap part of the bill that transitions his state from coal. Manchin can’t have that. Coal must flow!!!! Even though it is a tiny part of the state’s industry (Arby’s employs more people than the coal industry). But Manchin looooooves coal. So.
Also Bernie Sanders released a blistering statement criticizing how the media is obsessed with the price tag of the bill, while the public has no idea what’s in the bill. Bernie is right (someone check hell, it must be freezing.) The press only talks about the $3.5 trillion price tag and the negotiations. They barely mention what’s actually in the bill. Naturally this sent the press (people like Magga Haberman!) into a tail spin of “This isn’t our fault, it’s your fault! It’s never our fault!” social media posts. Fact check: It is the media’s fault. 3.5 trillion % the media’s fault. The same media still insists their coverage of 2016 election was perfect. But I keep going back to Harvard’s Shorenstein Media Center’s study that ABC, NBC & CBS Nightly News shows – the most watched news programs in the country – spent 100 mins of 2016 discussing Hillary’s email. 30 mins discussing all political issues combined. And 0 of those minutes were on climate change. And yet, the media continues to insist their coverage is above criticism. Trump was right about one thing, if for the wrong reasons: media is the enemy of the people.
Lazy Weekends: Weird Science
Posted on: August 28, 2021
- In: Biden | Coronavirus | Republicans
- 93 Comments
I continue to marvel at the media’s desperate campaign to legitimize TFG, his enablers and their insane actions. They miss the Mango Moron so very, very much, and they want him to run again because he was a ratings bonanza. His political future isn’t very bright these days, unfortunately for them, but they continue largely ignore this and to bash Democrats 24/7. Their Afghanistan coverage is a primary example of this. Check out this headline from the WaPo two days ago: Biden faces most acute crisis of his young presidency. Golly, did we forget about coronavirus already?
Speaking of the ‘Rona, the Delta variant is causing a huge amount of trouble among the unvaccinated (and breaking through for some of us who ARE vaccinated! Many hugs and well wishes for a continued recovery to you, D!). It appears to be both much more contagious AND possibly more severe than Alpha. But don’t worry, Republicans have some super-scientifical solutions to this problem! Oh no, not vaccines and masks – horse and cow dewormer, aka ivermectin! Because Covid-19 is a worm. Or something. I have no idea what is wrong with these #COVIDIOTS. Other weird science solutions include Republican governors trying to block federal mask and vaccine mandates before they happen. I say “trying” because #DeathSantis’s order attempting to block mask mandates was just overturned in court. Texas governor Greg Abbott will likely suffer the same fate.
Meanwhile, the real scientists have discovered a promising new potential treatment for COVID-19 – fluvoxamine. The good thing about this drug is that it’s already FDA-approved, cheap to produce and is a pill patients can take themselves – not an intravenous treatment like monoclonal antibodies, which must be administered by a doctor. Preliminary data suggests that it could reduce COVID-19 hospitalizations and need for ventilators by 31%. As the article states,
Hereâs what we know: This is a large and well-designed study that affirms previous studies that pointed in the same direction. More research is needed, but the results from this trial might already start changing how we treat Covid-19. And the way researchers stumbled upon the drug as a potential treatment is a worthwhile story in itself about the scientific process and the unseen and often unheralded work thatâs helping humanity fight the pandemic.
I couldn’t agree more. Thank the Goddess for real (not weird) science and scientists! Open thread as always.
Democracy Dies In The News
Posted on: March 9, 2021
- In: Biden | Journalism | Media Tripe | Politics
- 103 Comments
Happy Hump Day Widdershins!
We are approaching middle of March – and it’s hard to believe the insurrection was this year. So were Jewish Space Lasers. It’s remarkable how time can both fly and drag at the same time. Is there a word for that phenomenon?
Meanwhile the biggest story around is Major Biden. The poor rescue German Shepherd was in the news all day Tuesday. It was the lead story everywhere, journalists kept tweeting, several questions were asked of WH Press Secretary Jen Psaki who remarked at one point “Another dog question.” Although to be fair to the White House press corps, they also asked when the Bidens would be getting a cat. That’s hard-hitting journalism, it’s why we should be grateful to have the first amendment! At the end of the day the vicious mauling perpetrated by Major was a nip that did not break skin and the agent involved carried on with their duties without pause. But a Washington Post reporter, Annie Linskey, did ask Jen Psaki if Major would be euthanized. The answer was “Are you insane?” No that’s not what Jen Psaki said, but it’s what I would have said if I was WH Press Secretary.
The press is also really mad that Biden has not yet held a press conference since becoming POTUS. Remember they were obsessed with Hillary not having press conferences either. The fact is that Biden (as did Hillary) speaks to the press all the time and has given multiple sit-down interviews, plus a town hall on CNN. But the press doesn’t think the public asks important questions, like “Will Major be euthanized?” The press has their finger on the pulse of America and America must know about euthanizing Major. Also note that CNN and MSNBC have stopped carrying WH Press Briefings live. (Not enough lying by the Press Secretary, I guess. They carried every He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named’s WH briefing live.)
Everyone widely agrees that the HBO series “Veep” was a remarkable accurate representation of an administration and DC. And I always remember that one of its least likable and most scummy characters was a reporter.
This is an open thread.
I want a do-over!
The Summer of 2009 has slipped away. Here in New England it was the âSummer that almost wasâ. With the exception of a few hot weeks in August, it was basically a wash. But having said that, it did not go as an âuneventful periodâ judging by the craziness that greeted us each day in the purview of world events.
Ted Kennedy passed away to a 5 day torrent of hours devoted to tribute preceded by a two week orgy of unending coverage in the death of a popstar at the hands of an inept physician. Afghanistan held an âelectionâ of sorts and charges are still being hurled to the legitimacy of the results.
Meanwhile, the war once again escalates in that part of the world as more troops are being sent to quell the Taliban with no exit strategy in sight. The Boston Red Sox, âhotâ during the first half of the season, have managed once again to lose the momentum which comes as no great shock to their fans but a disappointment once again as we follow them into the abyss. Sarah Palin âresignedâ or something but manages to reach out to her âfansâ by way of Twitter and Facebook as Michele Bachmann, another empty headed loose cannon encourages âwrist slittingâ as a way of protesting Universal Healthcare.
The loony Right Wing and the Fundies seem to have won the debate in the cultural wars by presenting the president in the most unflattering light by insisting that he is a socialist bent on âindoctrinatingâ their children by way of a subversive 20 minute speech delivered to unsuspecting schoolchildren. Many of these nutjobs are insisting on keeping their kids home from school in order to avoid the possibility of listening to a speech that would suggest staying in school, doing your homework, and instilling a love for learning into the curriculum. You canât get more âsubversiveâ than that I suppose unless one can point out that these âinnocentsâ are more influenced by the behavior of Miley Cyrus or hip hop artists who are not the best role models themselves. Try clothes shopping in any one of the major department stores that feature attire for teens modeled on the âsluttiestâ look possible to achieve sales. Or listening to the lyrics contained on their iPods if you are searching for âsublimalâ messages of indoctrination.  But spare me the âoutrageâ to a simple speech of encouragement to do your best. The hypocrisy attached to this âprotectionâ is rampant throughout.
Glenn Beck has risen to the top of the political divide as Keith Olbermann has requested his followers âdig up dirtâ on Mr. Beck in another ploy to heat up the ratings war. Sorry, but neither one deserves time or space on network channels as they both seem to be in need of the services of qualified psychiatrists to delve into the origins of their combined insanity. Yet the public continues to find room to gaze upon these two crazies, each representing the opposing view, as if they were getting their ânewsâ from creditable sources. They are not. This is nothing more than a brand of âentertainmentâ that sorely needs close examination. Fools march in and the public is once again being led by the nose.
The Widdershins 
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