Original Sin
What with the hullabaloo about a certain case in the news today, it might pay to look back at the prescience of a line in a judicial opinion that helped get us to this point:
What must underlie petitioners’ entire federal assault on the Florida ... procedures is an unstated lack of confidence in the impartiality and capacity of the state judges who would make the critical decisions ... Otherwise, their position is wholly without merit. The endorsement of that position by the majority ... can only lend credence to the most cynical appraisal of the work of judges throughout the land.
The case? Bush v. Gore, 531 U.S. 98 (2000) [*.pdf].
Posted by Greg Greene at 11:00 PM | Comments (3)
Radio, Radio
Big news on both the AM and the FM dials today, courtesy of two stories that tell us a good deal about the health of the airwaves.
First, the bombshell from D.C. today: WHFS, a longtime part of the D.C. cultural firmament, kicked the bucket today and went Spanish. Format changes happen all the time, but this one deserves attention, because HFS — more than all but a handful of stations out there — pioneered the alternative movement that dominated the pop culture landscape for a time in the late ’80s and early ’90s. From the sixties forward, they embodied a spirit of experimentation that you couldn't get in most cities — let alone most stations — and not only created the mold for the alternative stations you hear in every city now, but really became a part of the D.C. culture. From the HFStival every summer to the shows at the 9:30 Club, they were, for a time, the source in the Washington region for new music.
Of course, like so many stations, they tilted pretty hard toward the "active rock" once the alternative music scene started running on fumes. The last few years saw the station playing way too much nü metal and aggro rock for my taste, and the takeover by the Infinity Broadcasting division of Viacom — hello, media consolidation! — hardly helped. Still, given the place HFS once held, if losing any station would qualify as the end of an era — well, this would have to rank right up there.
So what's the turning point here? For whom does the bell toll?
Alternative radio, for sure — moribund for years, and now missing completely from a market where it was pioneered. Stations like Indie 103.1 in L.A. and 99x in Atlanta have tried to reinvent the model, to modest effect, but this change sends a thunderclap sounding — people in the industry will notice it, and some in other markets will see this and give themselves license to follow suit.
Reading the talk about HFS on the blogs, though, I have to wonder whether terrestrial radio has — for a healthy segment of the local populace — killed itself off. Two conglomerates, Viacom and Clear Channel, compete here for listeners in one of America's top markets, yet thousands of listeners have just been left stranded.
"Tough," you say? Fair enough, but when you remember that Washington ranks with the best educated, wealthiest regions in the country, doesn't it stand to reason that the listeners up for grabs know about other choices — such as internet radio and satellite radio? Does anyone honestly think orphaned listeners plan to sit tight en masse and wait for another corporate chain to fill the gap, even though XM and KEXP — to name only two options — offer replacements here and now?
Speaking for myself: no, I won't wait. Hasta luego, Clear Channel; I may not miss what HFS became, but whatever comes down the pike next, I expect to be worse. So, no thanks — satellite radio, here I come ...
On the bright side — hey, someone needs to be Mr. Bright Side, now that HFS can't — read this news from Vermont:
Continued »
Posted by Greg Greene at 1:45 AM | Comments (15) | TrackBack (7)
He's Ba-a-a-a-ack!
No kidding — and I mean it that in the best way possible. Democratic enfant terrible Howard Dean — you might remember him as the guy who had the whole presidential field of grey-beards and nabobs running for dear life a winter ago — has reared up as a leading contender to helm the Democratic National Committee.
That strikes me like the best idea I've heard in a long while — besides which, I can hardly wait for the fireworks to start once he takes over. Pass the popcorn.
Agree with me about Howard being the one to put some pep in the Democrats' step? Help us draft him for the job — sign this petition post haste.
Posted by Greg Greene at 11:29 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack (2)
Halo 2: Electric Boogaloo
... and something tells me this guy was close to first in line. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
To level with you, I can remember how much of a rush I got when I copied (shhhh!) Marathon 2 — a game by the same guys — on my old Macintosh Performa. [The guy I copied it from ended up practicing at the Justice Department. I kid you not. Oh, the irony ... =, ] Bungie games rock, period — and I half wish that Apple had bought it out from under Microsoft, and kept the company a Mac-only studio.
I understand why Apple took a pass — and the iPod sure looks like a better bet than the XBox, from where we stand today. For this evening, though, you can color me envious.
Posted by Greg Greene at 11:15 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack (1)
Songs of the Day ...
... I can hardly make up my mind:
When I find myself in times of trouble
Mother Mary comes to me
speaking words of wisdom —
'Let It Be ...'— "Let It Be," the Beatles
Or maybe I worry about our looming national bankruptcy:
WALK! WITH YOUR CREDIT CARDS IN THE AIIII-IR!
SWING IT ROUND JUST LIKE YOU JUST DON'T CAAAAA-ARE!
THIS IS THE SLOW SICK SUCKING PART OF ME!
AND WHEN I SUCK YOUR JUICES dow-ow-owwwwn ...— "Unfair," Pavement
Or a song dedication to the losingest consultant in Democratic politics, Bob Shrum — who clearly deserves his own blog post tonight, entitled "Throw Shrummy From the Train" —
Why you tryin' to second guess me
— "Second Guessing," R.E.M.
I am tired of second guessing
Who will be your book this season?
Who will be your book this season?
You will, Shrum-bub — and I think I'll give you to the library for the 10-cent sale. Buh-bye.
Or maybe I just lay it out there — let it all hang out.
aaaaAAAAAH-HA-HAHA!
OoooooooOOOOOHHHHHH-HO-HO-HOOOOOH!
SUCKER! SUCKER!
Ooooooohhhhhh, SUCK-ERRRRR!! YEAHHHH!— "Liar," Henry Rollins Band
That's a long-distance dedication to you straight from the White House, Red America
Yeah, I still feel raw about this. Give it time.
Posted by Greg Greene at 12:22 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
My Thousand Words
I need more time to grope toward some semblance of an analysis — but as for what this means, I think this sums it up.
Update: Yeah — I know this is just the sort of liberal claptrap that makes sensitive souls like Bush adviser Mark McKinnon hate my guts. But you know what? F––– that. People around the globe now hate my guts — and have a right to — because of that crap.
If it makes you mad, don't look at me. Look at your consciences.
Posted by Greg Greene at 11:57 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Ahem ...
Okay, guys. I'm back. Let me clear my throat.
Posted by Greg Greene at 11:49 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
Zell Reaction
If the reviews give any indication, we can describe the reaction in one word: slackjawed. We'll start from the right:
Mike Krempasky: "I'd be lying if I said that it didn't cross my mind that we might have waded a little too deep in the righteous indignation pool."
Robert Garcia Tagorda: "Yet his speech often seemed to aim below the belt. ... Miller posed as a 9/11 politician, but his approach harkened back to 9/10 bickering."
James Lileks: "Holy Crow is he perturbed."
Continued »
Posted by Greg Greene at 11:44 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack (2)
Another Thought on That Keynote
I have to wonder why Zell didn't go to the clink for public indecency and sodomy after he spoke, because that amounted to the most enthusiastic fellatio I've ever witnessed.
Posted by Greg Greene at 12:25 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (1)
Listen Up, Zell ...
... ’cause we need you to hear this loud and clear.
Listen to that voice, compadre.
Continued »
Posted by Greg Greene at 11:56 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (2)
House Speaker ♥ Sept. 11 Hijackers!
... what's that? You want proof? Sorry, nothing doing — but if you try the logic the Honorable Denny Hastert (R-Ill.) applied to philanthropist George Soros the other day, my headline makes perfect sense. Hastert said, on Meet the Press:
WALLACE: Let me switch subjects. You both had very deep reservations about McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform before it was passed. In fact, I think you say in your book, Mr. Speaker, that you thought it was the worst piece of legislation that had been passed by a Republican Congress since you've come to Washington.
Now that everyone seems upset with these so-called independent 527 groups, whether it's MoveOn.org on the liberal side of the spectrum or Swift Boat Veterans for Truth on the conservative side, do you feel like saying, "I told you so"?
HASTERT: Well, you know, that doesn't do any good. You know, but look behind us at this convention. I remember when I was a kid watching my first convention in 1992, when both the Democratic Party and the Republican Party laid out their platform, laid out their philosophy, and that's what they followed.
Here in this campaign, quote, unquote, "reform," you take party power away from the party, you take the philosophical ideas away from the party, and give them to these independent groups.
You know, I don't know where George Soros gets his money. I don't know where -- if it comes overseas or from drug groups or where it comes from. And I...
WALLACE: Excuse me?
Continued »
Posted by Greg Greene at 11:48 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
Three Cheers for Corporate Responsibility!
And now, the Green[e]house takes a moment out to commend corporations that do the right thing:
Office Depot has teamed up with Hewlett Packard, the computing industry giant, to establish a nationwide computer recycling program through the retailer's stores. The program — which runs through Sept. 6 — gives people, according to an Office Depot executive, a chance to "see [the company] as more than just a provider of goods and services."
Whatever your take on Costco's new coffin cornucopia, the warehouse chain — which can claim me as a satisfied member — still does right by employees. The company not only pays its CEO only $350,000 — less than 10 times the top pay rate for hourly employees — but also gives new hires starting pay of $10 per hour. [The fact that $10 per hour amounts to more than the average pay at Wal-Mart tells you all you need to know about that mom-and-pop shop.]
People berate Starbucks as a chief force behind the chaining of America, but it deserves credit where due: it manages to turn a profit even though in spite of offering health insurance to part-time workers, and its stores sell a goodly amount of fair trade coffee to boot.
Have other examples of good corporate citizenship? Hit me with ’em in the comments.
Posted by Greg Greene at 10:48 PM | Comments (10)
Cutting to the Swift-Boat Quick
Josh Marshall wrote a marathon post today that, in my opinion, trains a floodlight on the flaw in Bush's character that I try to exploit in this ad script:
When this stuff comes down the pike, Kerry has to fight back mercilessly. And he can win those fights. But, fundamentally, every day of this campaign that isn't spent talking about the sluggish economy and the president's debacle in Iraq is a day wasted, a strategic failure for the Kerry campaign.
But Democrats don't have to choose between hard-hitting lines of attack on the president himself and focusing on the main issues that are facing the country today. The most damning attacks turn out to be the most compelling, the most relevant for what the country faces, and the most difficult for the president to combat.
Continued »
Posted by Greg Greene at 9:21 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (1)
Let's Get It What?!
So over breakfast the other day, my friend Sarah tells me — while we talked about the Black Eyed Peas, for reasons I promptly forgot — that the group, on its latest album, doesn't call its current hit "Let's Get It Started" at all. The actual title: "Let's Get Retarded." No, really.
So, two questions:
Would I be the only guy who didn't know that?
Does it make me a total wuss to say — not only as a certifiably politically correct weenie, but also as someone who spent a good deal of time in school with special-needs children — that I find that totally offensive?
Posted by Greg Greene at 9:10 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack (3)
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Hat tip to Digby of Hullabaloo.