The short cycle of the spin machine or how short are our attention spans?

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Tuesday April 03, 2007 · 9:33 AM PDT

2007/04/03 · 09:33

I have yet to see a diary on this, or any significant coverage so I thought I would point it out. Remember when, only a little while ago, the Republican party was attempting to depict Democrats as "without a plan." If you'll recall, there weren't many opportunities for Democrats to "have" a plan as virtually any and all "valid" plans were called irresponsible, or were said to over-step the bounds of congressional authority. No, the GOP said (pretty much in unison) if the Democrats want the troops so badly out of Iraq they would have to cut the funding.

Well we Democrats are not that stupid. Many Democrats said "hey wait, if we cut the funding you're going to accuse us of hurting the troops"

STParker

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Friday February 03, 2006 · 1:30 PM PST

2006/02/03 · 13:30

The Bush administration can be forgiven for being a little confused at the disgust following statements which are seemingly in contradiction with their policies. They simply don't understand why statements like "we do not torture" and "we do not wiretap without without a warrant" should cause so much concern.
All they've been doing is telling the truth. Perhaps the problem is not so much that they are lying, but that we don't understand what they are saying. Really isn't the word "torture" pretty all-encompassing? Just about anything (George W. syntax for example) could be considered torture (of the English language) if you're some namby-pamby liberal.
That's why we need a very strict definition of torture and if we don't actually know what the administration's strict definition of torture is because it's being kept locked up in solitary confinement with dirty underwear stuffed in its mouth? Well hey isn't that just our fault for not being mind readers? Read More

The cult of "sacrifice"

STParker

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Wednesday September 14, 2005 · 4:17 PM PDT

2005/09/14 · 16:17

The new talking point on Iraq is that we must "honor the sacrifice" of the soldiers who've already died in Iraq, and therefore cannot withdraw. The jock sniffers are out in force praising the work of one Michael Yon - a pro-warrior from the press - remarkable (perhaps unique) for his willingness to put his money where his mouth is.
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"meet the press"

STParker

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Sunday July 17, 2005 · 9:31 AM PDT

2005/07/17 · 09:31

"If there is no indictment this will go away." says Howard Finemann. It seems that the new meme in the media is that it is impossible to know if an actual crime has been commited if no one is indicted. Chris Mathews agrees (of course).
Gosh! who could imagine Mr. Mathews taking the politically pragmatic position on this. "Wrong" says I and Clarence Page.
There was a crime commited here we know that. The press just wants to pretend that A) there will be no indictments and B) that if there are no indictments no crime has commited.
Surprisingly Finemann and Mathews think someone will be indicted.
I'm beginning to think that the press has an allergy towards covering exceptional events as exceptional events. What I mean by that is that the press seems to feel a need to "normalize" events within the framework of "just politics." At least Page is showing a little bit of cynicism towards the justice process in Washington.
Wake up guys...
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Waking up to the news on television...

STParker

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Thursday July 07, 2005 · 1:30 PM PDT

2005/07/07 · 13:30

I don't follow the news very closely. I realize that there's a larger world out there and I take pride in being involved in it, but at times I take the news about as seriously as most ordinary gossip. Even when gossip is true it is still gossip. Our news is so often consumed with non-events and sustaining protracted arguments that when something really happens we feel strangely unused to the feeling of coming in contact with the wider reality with such force.

I can't say that I've forgotten the 9-11 attacks in the space between that day and this latest bombing in London. The 9-11 attacks are part of America's daily politics and therefore my daily life. What I will say is that this latest bombing reminded me that the machinations of our governments have far reaching consequences. I'd like to extend my deepest sympathies to the people of Great Britain, and to apologize to the rest of the world for that evil that we call "foreign policy."
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We'll do the thinking - you do the fighting

STParker

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Sunday July 03, 2005 · 6:28 PM PDT

2005/07/03 · 18:28

I almost feel sorry for conservatives, constantly having to defend the indefensible. Maybe it's just me, but there seem to be more and more chickenhawk flamewars popping up all over the conservative blogosphere. No doubt many conservatives resent the fact that the all volunteer army is running short of its recruiting goals, while insurgent bombs blast and the public's resolve quavers, basically peeing on their "fun and easy war" parade and giving ammunition to the liberal charge that conservatives aren't willing to fight the wars that they start.
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New job new direction

STParker

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Saturday July 02, 2005 · 10:09 AM PDT

2005/07/02 · 10:09

Hey everybody. I know it's been a long time since I rapped at you, but I've been having difficulties, as usual, writing an interesting culumn. So I decided that maybe I was using this space too much as a column and maybe I should actually dairy once or twice.

So unfortunately I couldn't cut it in Environmental action. Now that I no longer work for them I feel like I can talk about them; just don't have anything to say... uh.... they're accepting donations. Read More

Young Republicans

STParker

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Saturday June 25, 2005 · 11:50 AM PDT

2005/06/25 · 11:50

Hey y'all sorry about the gap in diaries (I know I have many loyal readers), but I've been searching for a topic to write about and coming up empty. Kos got it covered re: just about everything, and the web is plastered with multiple opinion pieces on every subject under the sun and all I can really do is join the chorus.
Today though I came across an interesting subject - young Republicans. Kos referred to their military efforts on the front page when I checked in today. Yellow Republicans has been all over the net and CampusProgress.org is doing a series on the college Republican national convention. It seems that young Republicans are everywhere. The truth of it is - they are.
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Things to do in Denver when you're unemployed

STParker

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Thursday June 16, 2005 · 10:40 AM PDT

2005/06/16 · 10:40

So I lost my job at 7-11 recently 7-11. Now I know what you're thinking how could you work for a company that turns a presidential election into a horse... er... coffee race?. The answer is, its hard to find a job when you are an unskilled worker, and/or someone who has half of an English Literature degree.
Technically it was my choice to leave 7-11. According to company policy if you slip-up during an alchohol sting you are fired. That I don't mind I messed up (I swear I was not in the habit of selling alchohol to minors). It wouldn't have bothered me if they had just fired my according to their OWN company regulations, but instead they chose to suspend me and then offer me my job back.
Let me just reiterate that I was not in the habit of selling alchohol to minors and in a way I think of the sting as the "exception that proves the rule." In fact I would go so far as to say that this was the ONLY instance in which I failed in my duty as a purveyor of age-restricted items.
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