Monthly Archives: January 2012

What is a ‘word’? (Vanity Fair tweaks NYT)

Posted on January 15, 2012 by oddmanout215

A recent Vanity Fair piece spoofs the shockingly stupid editor’s column in the NYT that asked readers to decide whether newspapers should report facts. Many VF readers apparently didn’t get VF‘s joke. Read the VF piece below and then the … Continue reading →

Posted in humor, mainstream media, Politics | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

‘What’s the Use of Getting Sober…’

Posted on January 14, 2012 by oddmanout215

This one’s almost as good as “Five Guys Named Moe.” Albert Murray, from his book Stomping the Blues: The element of frolicsome mockery in [Jordan’s] verbal delivery is as obvious as the downhome earthiness represented by the instrumental accompaniment. Incidentally, … Continue reading →

Posted in arts, pop music | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Kill them, but don’t piss on them

Posted on January 14, 2012 by oddmanout215

Sebastian Junger in the Washington Post, via Reader Supported News: The video that emerged in recent days appearing to show four U.S. Marines urinating on several dead Taliban fighters has outraged many people in this country. Secretary of State Hillary … Continue reading →

Posted in history, Iraq war, Politics | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

NYT to readers: Do facts matter?

Posted on January 14, 2012 by oddmanout215

Daily newspapers subscribe to the notion of objective reporting, and newspaper editors are always eager to defend this foggy notion. Which makes it all the more curious that New York Times Public Editor Arthur Brisbane recently asked readers whether “news … Continue reading →

Posted in Mitt Romney, New York Times, Obama, Politics | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Obama tax Wall St.? Fahgetaboutit!

Posted on January 13, 2012 by oddmanout215

Can you imagine Barack Obama cracking down on financial industry insiders rather than giving them White House jobs? Jeff Cohen can’t: With U.S. media obsessing on the fight here at home among conservatives vying to become president, most of them … Continue reading →

Posted in economic collapse, Goldman Sachs, Great Recession, Obama, Politics, The New Depression, Wall Street | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Newt joins Occupy Wall Street!

Posted on January 13, 2012 by oddmanout215

I’m joking, Newt Gingrich is a long way from siding with OWS. However, in his speeches and attack ads against Mitt Romney, Newt sounds a lot like the thousands of Occupiers who actively protested the vulture capitalism that Mitt personifies. … Continue reading →

Posted in finance reform bill, globalization, Great Recession, mainstream media, Mitt Romney, New York Times, Occupy Wall Street, Politics, The New Depression, Wall Street | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

‘Five Years’

Posted on January 12, 2012 by oddmanout215

This I’m posting in connection with the scary news item from the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists. The nuclear weapons situation last year looked so grim — everybody has them! — that the scientists reset the Doomsday Clock a minute closer … Continue reading →

Posted in arts, pop music, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The Bain of Mitt’s ambition

Posted on January 12, 2012 by oddmanout215

Mitt Romney actually managed to out-slime Newt Gingrich in campaign ads leading up to the Iowa primary, but Newt is hitting back with a 27-minute film, “When Romney Comes to Town,” that convincingly portrays Mittens as the cold-blooded jobs-killer he … Continue reading →

Posted in economic collapse, Great Recession, liar, Mitt Romney, Politics, unemployment | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

What if the Doomsday Clock is slow?

Posted on January 12, 2012 by oddmanout215

Harvard psychologist Steven Pinker thinks the world is becoming less violent, but scientists believe we’ve taken a step back in our efforts to avert nuclear catastrophe: It is five minutes to midnight. Two years ago, it appeared that world leaders … Continue reading →

Posted in apocalypse | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Join effort to deep-six Citizens United

Posted on January 11, 2012 by oddmanout215

Earlier today, I posted about Stephen Colbert’s satiric campaign to wise people up to the corrupt campaign financing laws that help elect corrupt, often incompetent candidates. But I didn’t mention what we can do to help make reform possible. Sen. … Continue reading →

Posted in campaign finance reform, Congress | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments