The phonies at Fox News have tipped their hand—again.
CNN, NBC, CBS, MSNBC, and other actual news organizations reacted swiftly to the earthquake in Haiti. Over at Fox News, not so much.
The blowhard brigade (O'Reilly, Beck, Hannity) was too busy making stuff up to bother with a real humanitarian disaster not far from our shores.
The sorry story, with documented coverage patterns, is here.
Monday, January 18, 2010
One-Year Anniversary of the Great Bates Backdown
Just about a year ago, Tulsa blogger and Urban Tulsa Weekly columnist Michael Bates blasted the Tulsa World for playing fast and loose with its circulation figures.
Among other things Bates charged that the newspaper had not been audited by the Audit Bureau of Circulation for nearly a decade and that the paper's circulation was 20 percent higher in 2005 than it was in 2006.
The World was not amused, filing a libel lawsuit against UTW and Bates. Urban Tulsa quickly retracted these and other charges, but Bates did not—at least at first. On his blog, Batesline, Bates stood behind his column.
By mid-February, however, Bates capitulated. He admitted his mistakes and the lawsuit was dropped.
In his "To whom it may concern letter," Bates included some very interesting words and phrases regarding his column, including these: "numerous errors," "false," "regret and retract," "unfounded," "inaccurate and misleading," "incorrect," ""absolutely no evidence," "false and inaccurate," and "retract those incorrect statements."
That's quite a list.
Among other things Bates charged that the newspaper had not been audited by the Audit Bureau of Circulation for nearly a decade and that the paper's circulation was 20 percent higher in 2005 than it was in 2006.
The World was not amused, filing a libel lawsuit against UTW and Bates. Urban Tulsa quickly retracted these and other charges, but Bates did not—at least at first. On his blog, Batesline, Bates stood behind his column.
By mid-February, however, Bates capitulated. He admitted his mistakes and the lawsuit was dropped.
In his "To whom it may concern letter," Bates included some very interesting words and phrases regarding his column, including these: "numerous errors," "false," "regret and retract," "unfounded," "inaccurate and misleading," "incorrect," ""absolutely no evidence," "false and inaccurate," and "retract those incorrect statements."
That's quite a list.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Urban Tulsa's 'Hot 100' List: Some Hits, Many More Misses
The wacky folks over at Urban Tulsa Weekly (yawn) have complied their annual list of Tulsa movers and shakers. They call it, somewhat optimistically, the Hot 100.
It's a silly exercise, of course, and one fraught with hazards. First, the number is arbitrary. Second, the definition of "hot" so vague as to be meaningless. Third, the selection process itself is unclear and well hidden.
Given these problems, it's no wonder the Hot 100 list is uneven, to put it mildly.
First, some winners:
We like some of the art and cultural names, including Clark Weins of Circle Theater fame and Lisa Regan, the Garden Deva. We also like some of the civic folks UTW names, such as George Kaiser, Susan Neal, and The People Who Run the Local Farmers Markets.
Then there are UTW's highly dubious selections:
Terry Simonson, Mayor Dewey Bartlett's chief of staff. Last time we checked, Simonson was making more than the mayor. Oops. Then there's the fact that Simonson used to write columns for—you guessed it—UTW.
Speaking of writing for UTW, the paper also puffed another of its former columnists, Michael Bates, author of the Batesline blog. Isn't this the same guy who got UTW sued last year? And caused UTW to publicly apologize? Oh, right, he's the one.
Then there's part-time pol Chris Medlock. We can't quite fathom how Medlock is "hot." After all, he's been losing in politics (to Dewey Bartlett in the GOP primary for mayor) and employment (lost his job at KFAQ radio). Not much a track record here.
Finally, UTW once again nominated its own founder, Keith Skrzypczak, as a Hot 100 member. The staff has done this before, which does nothing to improve the reputation or credibility of UTW. (Yawn.)
It's a silly exercise, of course, and one fraught with hazards. First, the number is arbitrary. Second, the definition of "hot" so vague as to be meaningless. Third, the selection process itself is unclear and well hidden.
Given these problems, it's no wonder the Hot 100 list is uneven, to put it mildly.
First, some winners:
We like some of the art and cultural names, including Clark Weins of Circle Theater fame and Lisa Regan, the Garden Deva. We also like some of the civic folks UTW names, such as George Kaiser, Susan Neal, and The People Who Run the Local Farmers Markets.
Then there are UTW's highly dubious selections:
Terry Simonson, Mayor Dewey Bartlett's chief of staff. Last time we checked, Simonson was making more than the mayor. Oops. Then there's the fact that Simonson used to write columns for—you guessed it—UTW.
Speaking of writing for UTW, the paper also puffed another of its former columnists, Michael Bates, author of the Batesline blog. Isn't this the same guy who got UTW sued last year? And caused UTW to publicly apologize? Oh, right, he's the one.
Then there's part-time pol Chris Medlock. We can't quite fathom how Medlock is "hot." After all, he's been losing in politics (to Dewey Bartlett in the GOP primary for mayor) and employment (lost his job at KFAQ radio). Not much a track record here.
Finally, UTW once again nominated its own founder, Keith Skrzypczak, as a Hot 100 member. The staff has done this before, which does nothing to improve the reputation or credibility of UTW. (Yawn.)
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Pat Robertson: God is Punishing Haiti for Pact with Satan (Yes, really!)
Rev. Pat Robertson—the chief pontificator at The 700 Club—is simply amazing. When bad things happen, he can talk to God and then tell the rest of us why the Lord did what He did.
Hurricane Katrina happened to New Orleans because those folks were Big Time Sinners, Rev. Pat has said.
After Sept. 11, 2001, the Lord told Pat's pal Jerry Falwell (and Rev. Pat agreed) that the attack was all the ACLU's fault. After all, those liberal lawyers keep supporting things like civil rights and free expression and porn and gay stuff. So icky!
Now that an earthquake has killed many thousands of innocent people in Haiti, Rev. Pat says that God told him that He did it because the evil Haitians were in league with the Devil. And then there's France, which has something to do with Satan as well.
Fascinating. Incredible. Literally unbelievable. Read all about it here, with enlightening video.
Hurricane Katrina happened to New Orleans because those folks were Big Time Sinners, Rev. Pat has said.
After Sept. 11, 2001, the Lord told Pat's pal Jerry Falwell (and Rev. Pat agreed) that the attack was all the ACLU's fault. After all, those liberal lawyers keep supporting things like civil rights and free expression and porn and gay stuff. So icky!
Now that an earthquake has killed many thousands of innocent people in Haiti, Rev. Pat says that God told him that He did it because the evil Haitians were in league with the Devil. And then there's France, which has something to do with Satan as well.
Fascinating. Incredible. Literally unbelievable. Read all about it here, with enlightening video.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
The Sun's TV Critic Slams Palin-O'Reilly Fox Propaganda Fest
The TV fun has begun. After Sarah Palin's appearance tonight on Bill O'Reilly's Fox News show, The Factor, it's time to take stock of the ex-governor's first outing as a television commentator.
It's not a pretty picture (pun intended). She's all sizzle and no steak, which is just like Fox News (and their viewers) want it.
In Sarah Land and Fox World, facts are really, really hard. You have to know things to talk about facts. So just give us blather and poorly reasoned opinions—they're really, really easy.
The Baltimore Sun's television critic, David Zurawik, watched Palin and O'Reilly with interest. It was, he concluded, little more than political propaganda. His column is worth reading. Find it here.
It's not a pretty picture (pun intended). She's all sizzle and no steak, which is just like Fox News (and their viewers) want it.
In Sarah Land and Fox World, facts are really, really hard. You have to know things to talk about facts. So just give us blather and poorly reasoned opinions—they're really, really easy.
The Baltimore Sun's television critic, David Zurawik, watched Palin and O'Reilly with interest. It was, he concluded, little more than political propaganda. His column is worth reading. Find it here.
Irony Alert: Palin Claims Public Likes Fox News Because Actual News Is Biased
No one ever said Sarah Palin was the brightest crayon in the box. There's a reason for that, of course, which became painfully obvious today as the half-term governor of Alaska joined the Fox News team.
With a straight face and no sense of irony, Palin explained that the people just love Fox News because it's so fair and balanced, unlike the biased actual news media.
Of course.
As Stephen Colbert has proclaimed while channeling the American Right, reality has a well-known liberal bias.
To put it another way, the mainstream media reports facts, while Fox and the conservative media reports news that people already agree with, factual or not.
That may make conservative viewers happy (the real Fox objective being profits, not truth), but it's hardly fair or balanced, a slogan so warped as to be meaningless.
The story and Sarah video here.
With a straight face and no sense of irony, Palin explained that the people just love Fox News because it's so fair and balanced, unlike the biased actual news media.
Of course.
As Stephen Colbert has proclaimed while channeling the American Right, reality has a well-known liberal bias.
To put it another way, the mainstream media reports facts, while Fox and the conservative media reports news that people already agree with, factual or not.
That may make conservative viewers happy (the real Fox objective being profits, not truth), but it's hardly fair or balanced, a slogan so warped as to be meaningless.
The story and Sarah video here.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Gotta Love It: Video Highlights of New Fox News Lightweight, Ex-Gov. Sarah Palin
Never underestimate the cynicism and silliness of Fox News, which today announced the hiring of its newest and lightest political commentator, the half-term former Alaska governor, one Sarah Palin.
Despite abundant evidence of Palin's incompetence and general ignorance on matters large and small, Fox News couldn't resist. Of course not. With her dazzling smile and "you betcha" spirit, Fox viewers will be swept away by the newest Empty Head on the Right.
All of which provides more proof that Fox isn't (and never was) a serious news operation. Clearly, Fox News is more interested in pumping up the Republican Party than anything else.
In honor of this occasion, our friends at Talking Points Memo have complied a highlight reel of Sarah moments of the past year. The amazing video is here.
Despite abundant evidence of Palin's incompetence and general ignorance on matters large and small, Fox News couldn't resist. Of course not. With her dazzling smile and "you betcha" spirit, Fox viewers will be swept away by the newest Empty Head on the Right.
All of which provides more proof that Fox isn't (and never was) a serious news operation. Clearly, Fox News is more interested in pumping up the Republican Party than anything else.
In honor of this occasion, our friends at Talking Points Memo have complied a highlight reel of Sarah moments of the past year. The amazing video is here.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
GOP's Phony Terrorist Outrage: Repeating the Lies and Hoping No One Notices
The Republican Party has no shame. From National GOP Chairman Michael Steele and across the Wingnut spectrum, the bogus charges against the Obama Administration keep on coming.
The latest is the phony outrage that President Obama is soft on terrorism, so soft that he won't say the word terrorist. That lie was repeated today by New York Rep. Peter King.
But it's not true. The record shows that the president and members of his administration have routinely used the word.
But the Republicans keep trying to pin this charge on Obama, apparently believing that if you repeat a lie often enough it will (magically) become true.
We doubt it. The full story here.
The latest is the phony outrage that President Obama is soft on terrorism, so soft that he won't say the word terrorist. That lie was repeated today by New York Rep. Peter King.
But it's not true. The record shows that the president and members of his administration have routinely used the word.
But the Republicans keep trying to pin this charge on Obama, apparently believing that if you repeat a lie often enough it will (magically) become true.
We doubt it. The full story here.
Monday, January 4, 2010
TCU Dumps Boise in Fiesta Bowl Blowout
Gotta love those TCU Horned Frogs, who showed their gridiron prowess in a huge Fiesta Bowl victory over the Boise State Whatevers.
Say what? Boise won and the Frogs lost?
How'd this happen? The sports gurus said TCU was the best team in Texas, certainly better than the lame Boise Staters. (Where is Boise State anyway? Oregon? Montana?)
So Boise is now 14-0—undefeated! Guess we'll have to find out where these guys live (Wyoming? Colorado?) and why they can beat the tar out of most everybody else.
Say what? Boise won and the Frogs lost?
How'd this happen? The sports gurus said TCU was the best team in Texas, certainly better than the lame Boise Staters. (Where is Boise State anyway? Oregon? Montana?)
So Boise is now 14-0—undefeated! Guess we'll have to find out where these guys live (Wyoming? Colorado?) and why they can beat the tar out of most everybody else.
The Political Animal on Hume's Conversion Advice to Tiger
Fox News anchor Brit Hume might want to rethink his recent advice to Tiger Woods. Hume, you may recall, recently advised Tiger to give up Buddhism (Tiger's a Buddhist?) and convert to Christianity.
The pundits are having a field day, of course, since the recent record of high profile Christians involved in sex scandals is long and impressive.
Let's see: There's Rev. Ted Haggard, Sen. David Vitter, Sen. John Ensign, and Gov. Mark Sanford, just to get started.
The Washington Monthly's Steve Benen has weighed in as well. Read Benen's posting on The Political Animal here.
UPDATE: One wag we heard noted that Hume's pro-Christian advice was based mostly on Christianity's purported good deal, the idea that Christianity gives sinners like Woods a "get out of jail free card." Looked at in that light, Hume's advice is even stranger than first supposed.
The pundits are having a field day, of course, since the recent record of high profile Christians involved in sex scandals is long and impressive.
Let's see: There's Rev. Ted Haggard, Sen. David Vitter, Sen. John Ensign, and Gov. Mark Sanford, just to get started.
The Washington Monthly's Steve Benen has weighed in as well. Read Benen's posting on The Political Animal here.
UPDATE: One wag we heard noted that Hume's pro-Christian advice was based mostly on Christianity's purported good deal, the idea that Christianity gives sinners like Woods a "get out of jail free card." Looked at in that light, Hume's advice is even stranger than first supposed.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Dick Cheney's Paranoia: Former VP Plays Fast & Loose with the Truth
The most unpopular national politician of the last decade—Dick Cheney—has come out of hiding once again in order to lie about President Obama.
This time Cheney is claiming that Obama is soft on terrorism, so soft, in fact, that Obama won't admit the nation is a war. Too bad it's a completely bogus claim, as PolitiFact has documented.
In fact, PolitiFact found numerous instances of Obama saying exactly what Cheney says Obama hasn't said, earning the former VP a dishonorable "Pants on Fire" award for lying.
We don't mind Cheney criticizing at the president. All politicians criticize their opponents. But we do object to fabrications and lies, which seem to be standard operating procedure for Cheney and many others on the Right.
Here's the conclusion of the PolitiFact analysis:
This time Cheney is claiming that Obama is soft on terrorism, so soft, in fact, that Obama won't admit the nation is a war. Too bad it's a completely bogus claim, as PolitiFact has documented.
In fact, PolitiFact found numerous instances of Obama saying exactly what Cheney says Obama hasn't said, earning the former VP a dishonorable "Pants on Fire" award for lying.
We don't mind Cheney criticizing at the president. All politicians criticize their opponents. But we do object to fabrications and lies, which seem to be standard operating procedure for Cheney and many others on the Right.
Here's the conclusion of the PolitiFact analysis:
[E]ven a cursory examination of Obama's statements shows this one is preposterous. Obama has often said the United States is at war against terrorist organizations -- and has ordered a massive increase in U.S. troops in Afghanistan to fight that war. So Cheney's comment isn't just False, it's ridiculously so. Pants on Fire!The full PolitiFact story is here.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Ron Reagan on 2009: A Banner Year for Conservative Idiocy
Air America commentator Ron Reagan—really!—has summed up the year in Right-wing Nonsense. To the surprise of absolutely no thinking person, the Conservative Idiots have been working overtime to debase their cause by lying and deception.
Here's a bit of the Reagan commentary:
Here's a bit of the Reagan commentary:
It's been a banner year for conservative idiocy. The ranters, the haters, the bigots, the self-loathing closet cases and prattling greed-heads were all out in force. They'll be back again next year--you can count on it. As long as there's money to be made peddling crap, crap peddlers won't go away. And they're taking no prisoners...Check out the full audio clip here.
Cotton Bowl Blues: Pokes Take a Dive in Dallas
Mike ("I'm a Man! I'm 40!") Gundy's Oklahoma State Cowboys made numerous mistakes—including six turnovers in the fourth quarter—in a losing effort against the Ole Miss Rebels.
It's not like the Rebels were flawless—they made numerous errors too. But at the end of the day, Mississippi pulled out a 21-7 victory over the hapless 'Pokes.
Despite the Cotton Bowl loss, the Bedlam loss to rival OU, and the loss to Texas, OSU had a pretty good year. And, as always, there's next season.
It's not like the Rebels were flawless—they made numerous errors too. But at the end of the day, Mississippi pulled out a 21-7 victory over the hapless 'Pokes.
Despite the Cotton Bowl loss, the Bedlam loss to rival OU, and the loss to Texas, OSU had a pretty good year. And, as always, there's next season.
New Year, Same Old Lies: Ann Coulter Keeps on Blabbing
The AT crew is dedicated to the facts. We like to think that there is actual evidence in the political world, and that adherence to the facts is one of the glories of American political discourse.
Not everyone follows this notion. Indeed, there's a whole industry (talk radio, Fox News, etc.) built on political lies, distortions, half-truths, deliberate misinterpretations and the like. For this crowd, facts are hardly necessary.
Just make stuff up—the ditto-heads will believe whatever you tell them.
Which brings us to one of the best practitioners of Right-wing deception and nonsense, Ann Coulter. Her latest whopper: Obama's madrassa education, a lie she repeated earlier this week.
Of course: Obama is a secret Muslim (or something) who will soon force us (yes, he's a secret Fascist too) all to give up Christianity (which he secretly hates).
It's nuts, of course, but the Right loves to demonize its enemies, even when they have to make up lies to do it. Check out the details here.
Not everyone follows this notion. Indeed, there's a whole industry (talk radio, Fox News, etc.) built on political lies, distortions, half-truths, deliberate misinterpretations and the like. For this crowd, facts are hardly necessary.
Just make stuff up—the ditto-heads will believe whatever you tell them.
Which brings us to one of the best practitioners of Right-wing deception and nonsense, Ann Coulter. Her latest whopper: Obama's madrassa education, a lie she repeated earlier this week.
Of course: Obama is a secret Muslim (or something) who will soon force us (yes, he's a secret Fascist too) all to give up Christianity (which he secretly hates).
It's nuts, of course, but the Right loves to demonize its enemies, even when they have to make up lies to do it. Check out the details here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)