Media Meltdown: NPR bests Charlie Sheen

[karlhenning]

I don't think the case can be made for powerlessness in the US. Look at the "Tea" Party.

[DavidRoss]

I'm just trying to live my life and enjoy it, David. There's no shame in this is there?

Nope, you're welcome to do that and it's a perfectly legitimate approach to life.  But if this is what you choose, then why get angry at Todd when he simply restates your choice?

I'm ignorant about most things.  Like you and many others here, I suspect, I'm even proud of some of my ignorance, such as my ignorance of fashion or whatever Lindsey Lohan's up to today.

Because I'm so powerless to affect anything outside my little immediate sphere of influence, there's not much I can do to change things in, say, Lybia, so it may not be necessary to be very informed.  But global economic and political forces can profoundly affect my little daily life and the lives of those in my care.  If I'm unwilling to look at the storm clouds on the horizon, then it's my own fault if we get drenched.  And if I'm unwilling to look for the bright spot when it comes, then it's my fault for missing its warmth and joy.

[ibanezmonster]

What's wrong with the way that one lady talks on NPR? She talks like a robot. Is that some kind of condition?

[Mirror Image]

It's not my point to do something about the Middle East. It's their countries, not mine. My point is that the Middle East unravelings going on right now illustrate that people do have the power to change their destinies even when they live under much more oppressive regimes which were thought to be unalterable in the past. Who are we in the US to whine about our powerlessness, when those subjugated masses braved the guns of their oppressors and threw them out? What a bunch of ball-less whiners are we? We have an admittedly dysfunctional system, but not one that can't be influenced positively if we only abandon such a passive couch-potato attitude as yours and get of our butts and do something!

You talk to me like you're making a difference by just talking about it. I don't understand your logic at all? As I said, you continue to complain about something that you're not going to do anything about.

I haven't said anything about the situation in the Middle East other than it's pointless to argue about it, because the end result will be the same, we can't do anything about it and it's out of our hands.

[MishaK]

Jesus. Can you imagine how Mirror Image would be have if he lived in a country in Europe, where gas prices are market value and taxes support expanded welfare?

Actually, in Europe gas prices are market PLUS gasoline tax (which pays for, among other things, public transport and alternative energy funding). Also, effective tax rates in Europe aren't that much dramatically higher when you take into account that in the US you also pay state and sometimes local taxes, plus the US has more homeowners who pay real estate taxes. Having lived on both sides of the pond, I never perceived the German tax rates to be vastly worse than livingin NY and paying federal, state and local taxes, or now as a homowner in Illinois paying federal, state and real estate taxes. The difference though is that for my taxes in Germany I did get vastly better and more efficient public services.  Not to mention publicly funded orchestras and opera houses.

You talk to me like you're making a difference by just talking about it. I don't understand your logic at all? As I said, you continue to complain about something that you're not going to do anything about.

I haven't said anything about the situation in the Middle East other than it's pointless to argue about it, because the end result will be the same, we can't do anything about it and it's out of our hands.

Again, I never said we should "do something" about the middle east. It's not for us to do something about. We don't own those countries. I said it is inspiring in that it shows what people who previously thought themselves powerless can actually accomplish despite vastly worse odds than what we face here, yet you continue with your passive ignorant couch potato banter.

[Mirror Image]

Nope, you're welcome to do that and it's a perfectly legitimate approach to life.  But if this is what you choose, then why get angry at Todd when he simply restates your choice?

I'm ignorant about most things.  Like you and many others here, I suspect, I'm even proud of some of my ignorance, such as my ignorance of fashion or whatever Lindsey Lohan's up to today.

Because I'm so powerless to affect anything outside my little immediate sphere of influence, there's not much I can do to change things in, say, Lybia, so it may not be necessary to be very informed.  But global economic and political forces can profoundly affect my little daily life and the lives of those in my care.  If I'm unwilling to look at the storm clouds on the horizon, then it's my own fault if we get drenched.  And if I'm unwilling to look for the bright spot when it comes, then it's my fault for missing its warmth and joy.

You have to do what you have to do to protect your loved ones. I'm certainly not saying to walk around misinformed. That's not what I'm saying at all. All I'm saying, is that talking about the world's problems, and our own country's problems, doesn't do much good unless we're bound and determined to do something about it.

[Mirror Image]

Again, I never said we should "do something" about the middle east. It's not for us to do something about. We don't own those countries. I said it is inspiring in that it shows what people who previously thought themselves powerless can actually accomplish despite vastly worse odds than what we face here, yet you continue with your passive ignorant couch potato banter.

Yeah, I possess much "passive, ignorant couch potato banter."  Thank you so much for your support and honestly making a difference in people's lives including mine. I love being mocked by somebody who whines and complains about issues they're not going to do anything about.

[karlhenning]

We don't even own a couch!

[Mirror Image]

We don't even own a couch!

I have a couch but I seldom sit on it, but this is not what Mensch (or whatever the guy with a bird avatar name is now) would have you to believe, because apparently, I'm a couch potato who has an ignorant view of life.

[Mirror Image]

I'm seriously surprised this thread isn't locked by now considering that it was a meaningless thread to begin with. The moderators are slacking off!

[MishaK]

I have a couch but I seldom sit on it, but this is not what Mensch (or whatever the guy with a bird avatar name is now) would have you to believe, because apparently, I'm a couch potato who has an ignorant view of life.

Well, if I misunderstood you, please rephrase your position. It seemed to me that you're saying that we're essentially powerless to do anything about any of the matters that are covered in the news, so we shouldn't bother watching news.

[Mirror Image]

Well, if I misunderstood you, please rephrase your position. It seemed to me that you're saying that we're essentially powerless to do anything about any of the matters that are covered in the news, so we shouldn't bother watching news.

I am saying we powerless to do anything about any of the matters covered in the news, but my point is you're not going to do anything about any of them because you don't have the authority to do so.

[Todd]

It seemed to me that you're saying that we're essentially powerless to do anything about any of the matters that are covered in the news, so we shouldn't bother watching news.

Yep, that's what he wrote, and his pessimistic views have been repeated many times throughout the thread.  Yet he claims to be an optimist.

[karlhenning]

I'm seriously surprised this thread isn't locked by now considering that it was a meaningless thread to begin with. The moderators are slacking off!

No, the thread seems only mildly contentious, and not at all flat-out ugly. Not that that's a bad thing . . . .

[DavidRoss]

In that case we all misread you. You must be attacking liberals so viciously all the time because you were once one of them and were deeply let down. Am I close?

As a radical, I've never had much respect for liberals, for they are the custodians of the status quo--as Sorel recognized 100 years ago.

But why use Republican talking points, which lack substance, to attack liberals when their failings can be discussed much more amiably with more legitimate points of criticism that weren't drawn up by Karl Rove?

I wouldn't know where to find Republican talking points, though I suspect Google would turn them up as quickly as it did Democratic talking points the other day when you denied they existed.    And I wouldn't even know who Karl Rove is if he weren't the favorite target of Democratic talking points out to demonize him and discredit opposition to their agenda.

I think for myself.  I'm old, bloody smart, and well-trained at premier universities.  The political groundwork necessary to establish the conditions not just permitting but encouraging the mortgage meltdown is a fact, easily discoverable by anyone with an interest in the truth and the background necessary to understand the linkage among events.  If, as you suggest, blaming ALL the parties responsible--Democrats, Republicans, bankers, brokers, regulators, speculators, and greedy homeowners alike--is a conservative narrative, then this is one case in which the conservatives are telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.  Unlike the Democrats and liberals who try to absolve themselves of any blame whatsoever by insisting they had no part in it and it was all the Republicans' fault.

From what I've seen, from my left-and-south-of-center perspective, in the past twenty years the liberals/Dems have become increasing dishonest and self-serving when it comes to economic and fiscal issues.  And despite their prodigious lip-service claiming to be "for the little guy," their policies actually serve the ruling class at the middle class's expense.  Conservatives understand fiscal and economic reality much better--but most Republicans only pay lip service to their concerns, while their policies actually serve the ruling class at the middle class's expense.

In comparison to the rest of the journalism business, NPR still upholds pretty high standards of objectivity and professionalism. The resignation of an ineffective communicator as CEO is only consequential for a business that wants to uphold those standards and extricate itself from the politicized debate over public funding from NPR. Minor news, really, if it wasn't for the fact that the NPR is a bete noire for Republicans which they love to bring up in budget discussions, as if the trickle that is spent on NPR even compares to the immense Pentagon and Homeland Security slush funds. If NPR were the openly biased institution you allege them to be, they would stand by their biases, just as Fox and MSNBC do. But NPR aspires to be different than those two, and I think they do succeed.

Schiller was much worse than just an "ineffective communicator."  And NPR has failed--it's politicization has been painfully apparent for years, and it's been getting worse.  PBS, on the other hand, has continued to be, if not impeccable, then closer than just about anyone else, including their radio broadcast sister.

[DavidRoss]

But . . . I rinse my recyclables!

Me, too! 

[MishaK]

I wouldn't know where to find Republican talking points, though I suspect Google would turn them up as quickly as it did Democratic talking points the other day when you denied they existed.   

Funny how they make their way into your argument almost verbatim all the time anyway. I don't know who you think you're kidding, but left of center you're not.

[MishaK]

I am saying we powerless to do anything about any of the matters covered in the news, but my point is you're not going to do anything about any of them because you don't have the authority to do so.

Who says I need "authority"? The whole point is to challenge authority. And who are you to be presumptuous about what I do or don't do about major issues of the day outside of this forum?

[DavidRoss]

One wonders about your sincerity when some of the most glaring hypocrisy in Washington these days comes from those who preach fical discipline, but refuse to allow their pet projects on the chopping block and at the same time want to extend gratuitous tax cuts to the wealthy.

As there are no legitimate grounds for "wondering about my sincerity," the above speaks volumes about the fairness and objectivity of your point of view.

[Mirror Image]

Yep, that's what he wrote, and his pessimistic views have been repeated many times throughout the thread.  Yet he claims to be an optimist.

Another award-whining (hehehe I said whining, not winning) post from our resident cosmopolitan, Todd! Hey, what do you plan to do about all the things you complain about with what's going on in this world? You're not going to do anything, because you're no better than anybody here. You're completely powerless.

By the way, I am an optimist. I'm optimistic about my own life, my family's life, I pray things will get better. Whatever happens to me, I still have what matters in this life: my family, my friends, and my love of music. What do you have? What gets you out of the bed everyday? What motivates you? What positive thing to you bring to people's lives in your community?