Category Archives: MEDIA

A Strategic Ideological Hiccup

I suppose it should no longer be surprising when the Obama administration shows its true centrist/conservative colors as it did in the recent comments of White House spokesman Robert Gibbs’ condemnation of a “professional left” condemning comparisons (by primarily television commentators such as Rachel Maddow and Keith Olberman of MSNBC) of the Obama administration and its politics and policies to those of George W. Bush.

Of course, Gibbs’ back-tracking after the fall-out from his comments that became headlines for the basic cable talking heads was nothing more than most “apologies” these days: a non-apology apology. This formalized the non-official White House sentiment toward those non-right ideologues who have been critical for obvious reasons that the Obama administration cannot stomach. Continue reading →

Mika’s cultural angst

I’ve been up for almost two hours this morning. (It’s 6:50 am as I type this.) I guess six hours of sleep was enough rest.

Baldo and Chica were in their selected sleeping sites, but anticipating my rise.

I got up, performed my regular routine including feeding the kids and letting them outside.

While I was brewing my morning java and making breakfast sandwiches for me and dad I occasionally glanced at the TV broadcast of Joe Scarborough’s “Morning Joe” to get some reliably annoying neo-con conventional wisdom.

I don’t know why I watch the show—I originally started watching it while I lived in St. Paul, Minnesota last year, during a one-year visiting assistant professorship at the University of Minnesota—but it wakes me up and motivates me in subconsciously useful ways. Continue reading →

Mugshots and Terrorists

This past week Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was returned to the headlines in (in)glorious fashion since the U.S. Attorney General announced he will be tried in New York City for his part in the planning and execution of the 9/11 attacks of 2001.

Most of the buzz surrounding the announcement concerned the fact that, and the AG made the point especially strongly, he will be tried just a few blocks from site of the horrific attacks of that day.

(I remember watching TV that Tuesday morning and seeing the second plane fly into the second tower. I don’t remember why I had the television on at that time, but the TV was on that morning and I saw it live.)

Additionally, concerns were expressed about the fact that his trial will be a civil affair and fall under United States’ jurisdiction with all the ambiguities and potential complications regarding what evidence, testimony, and procedures will be allowed. Continue reading →