February 07, 2010

So Far I Haven't Shot the TV

But watching Meet the Press, it's tempting. First David Gregory was playing The Queen of Hearts - demanding to know the sentencing for an accused terrorist before he's actually been tried. Then who does he trot out to talk about...
Posted by armand at 10:38 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

January 24, 2010

Additional Questions

Following up on armand... ...if the Supreme Court just said, essentially, that corporations/unions have as much free speech as individuals (and thus they can spend money to buy political adds) then either: 1. Like individuals, they are limited to spending...
Posted by baltar at 08:46 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

September 08, 2009

Concentrated Craziness

Well, I was busy actually having fun this weekend, and I missed the political highlight of the fall season here in West-by-God-Virginia. A concert! HOLDEN, W.Va. -- Thousands showed up to a free Labor Day rally at a reclaimed mine...
Posted by baltar at 10:43 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

May 14, 2009

"Coal is West Virginia"

I have no idea what the point of this West Virginia Public Radio story on the "Battle of Ringtones" was meant to convey. The story had a very pro-coal vibe to it (the only ringtones discussed were pro-coal ones; none...
Posted by baltar at 11:30 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

March 07, 2009

Save Gauley Mountain

You know the WV Quarter? Nice mountain... be a shame if something happened to it....
Posted by binky at 08:42 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 26, 2009

January 17, 2009

Who Saved the Airline Passengers in the Hudson?

Marcy Wheeler notes it was a lot of union members. Also related to that crash - do we really want Cost Benefit Analysis applied to matters like airline safety?...
Posted by armand at 06:05 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

December 14, 2008

There's a word that's been on the tip of my tongue...

...as I see all the discussion about whether or not autoworkers make too much. It's a word I think of when I wonder about the supposed wisdom of planning to pay future pensions by hoping there will be enough money...
Posted by binky at 11:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

December 12, 2008

BB&T Promotes Libertarianism, Takes Government Handouts

Via WV Public Radio, we find out that our somewhat-local bank BB&T has given money to some local universities to fund a teaching position in capitalism. On of the requirements is that Rand' Atlas Shrugged must be read and discussed....
Posted by baltar at 12:28 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

November 30, 2008

Gen. Barry McCaffrey and the Military - Industrial - Media Complex

David Bartsow has an excellent piece in today's New York Times on Gen. McCaffrey, a well-known retired general, tv talking head, and former Drug Czar, detailing McCaffrey's tendency to advocate policies - to both the media and the military -...
Posted by armand at 08:10 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

November 28, 2008

All good music sites get killed by the RIAA

Stupid fuckers. This time it was Muxtape. Don't know if you ever used it, but it was essentially mixtapes on the internet that people would put up. It was really cool. And it was a great way to find new...
Posted by binky at 08:43 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

November 10, 2008

What the Hell is the Treasury Dept. Doing?

I realize that financial news has dropped off most people's radar screens these days, but the crisis continues to roll through our markets (and most everyones). Today's news comes via a discussion on naked capitalism on the (continuing) AIG bailout....
Posted by baltar at 09:29 AM | Comments (41) | TrackBack

October 13, 2008

Fiddling while Rome Burns (not Financial Crisis related)

As some of you may know, the august institution that most of the Bloodless Krew work at has had some recent problems. The old President left (normally). The search process to replace him looked and smelled funny, and resulted in...
Posted by baltar at 07:34 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

October 06, 2008

Financial Crisis

Nothing political here. Anyone interested in boning up on the massive problems (with, as best I can tell, more to come as Europe sorts its banks out) might like these primers. I'm not a econ-head, but these are reasonable enough...
Posted by baltar at 12:54 PM | Comments (55) | TrackBack

September 01, 2008

Restricting the Free Market

Via Kevin Drum, I see that the Bush Administration has won it's legal battle to prevent a private cattle producer from testing 100% of their cows for mad cow disease (short blurb). The company wanted to certify their beef as...
Posted by baltar at 01:43 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

August 28, 2008

Number Two Should Be Number One

But cool, nonetheless. HT...
Posted by binky at 09:11 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

August 02, 2008

US Airways Is Now Charging for Non-alcoholic Drinks

Talk about irritating. Just go ahead and raise ticket prices an extra $2. I'm sure the flight attendants don't want to be bothered with picking up paltry sums of cash from 100+ people, and it's not like people are going...
Posted by armand at 05:08 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

July 12, 2008

Clear Channel Still Sucks

In the larger scheme of things, Clear Channel Communications is only moderately evil. They don't actively kill people (Zimbabwe, Myanmar), don't actively impoverish them (Monsanto, Dow), nor do they violate anyones civil rights (Bush, Telecom companies). They just took over...
Posted by baltar at 03:21 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 06, 2008

When Governors Were Lauded for Militias Gunning Down Striking Workers

The fight for labor protections didn't only turn deadly in the famous conflicts in West Virginia and the Rocky Mountain States. It happened in mild-mannered Wisconsin too....
Posted by armand at 10:09 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

April 23, 2008

Monsanto doesn't want you to know that you can buy milk without their chemicals in it

And will try to put organic non rGBH users out of business by forcing them to put propaganda on milk cartons. I swear, every day I get closer to moving to the country, buying some goats and getting off the...
Posted by binky at 11:09 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

April 22, 2008

The Definition of Irony?

The august university I work at has named a new (and inaugural) "Director of Sustainability" who will be responsible for efforts to reduce usage of natural resources and general efforts towards conservation. The gentlemen taking the position had previously served...
Posted by baltar at 10:57 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

March 16, 2008

Sleazy Tactics

That's what stands to be revealed in the discovery phase of a suit against the RIAA: Lybeck tells Ars that he'll be digging into agreements between the RIAA, RIAA member companies, MediaSentry, and the Settlement Support Sentry. Part of that...
Posted by binky at 04:23 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

March 01, 2008

Anyone surprised that the major labels are greedy lying bastards?

Anyone? Anyone?: "Artist managers and lawyers have been wondering for months when their artists will see money from the copyright settlements and how it will be accounted for," said lawyer John Branca, who has represented Korn, Don Henley, and The...
Posted by binky at 11:53 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

January 29, 2008

Air Force Declares War on Army, Navy

As just about everyone who blogs on military issues has discovered, there is a fascinating Tom Ricks nugget in the Washington Post yesterday. The Air Force (our Air Force) notes that "the budget battle is zero sum - others gain...
Posted by baltar at 09:16 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

January 07, 2008

Going to work for Wolfram & Hart

Maybe they can save its soul....
Posted by binky at 11:43 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

December 14, 2007

Little things

For many years, I have been a customer of Working Assets long distance. They have been a wonderful phone company, and I credit them immensely for helping me discover that I had been "slammed" by a pro-life phone company that...
Posted by binky at 01:15 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

October 18, 2007

Fucking Democrats

I'm having trouble expressing my level of disdain for the Congressional Democrats in the English language. "Sniveling" might work, but doesn't have enough banal evilness in it. "Evil" gives them to much credit for actually doing something (takes effort to...
Posted by baltar at 09:31 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

October 15, 2007

Thank goodness I prefer filth and lumber...

... and sacks of dirt, because we have a nice regular Lowe's right here in town, saving me from ever having to consider wasting a dime of my money at Home Depot. Hat Tip to Shakespeare's Sister, and a crapload...
Posted by binky at 02:41 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack

Hissss!!!!!

Showings of Once More with Feeling featuring Rocky Horror-style audience participation have been killed by Fox. Not thinking about the new generations that could get turned on to buy seven seasons of DVDs, are they? More likely thinking anything they...
Posted by binky at 10:03 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

October 06, 2007

In honor of the RIAA...

...and the $9250 song, a repost of my love letter: Dear RIAA, I am writing to express my deepest gratitude for all your efforts in lobbying Congress to change the rules governing internet radio. I confess that at first I...
Posted by binky at 12:11 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

August 13, 2007

What of these claims that ATT censors political speech?

There has been quite a bit of attention paid to the recent censoring of Pearl Jam's performance. ATT claims that it was an error related to their policy of editing out profanity, but Pearl Jam and advocates of net neutrality...
Posted by binky at 09:35 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

June 18, 2007

And speaking of failed states...

What happens when a state can't - or won't - rely on a standing army to accomplish its security objectives? Privatization. In the case of the war in Iraq, it looks like the private sector has found new and improved...
Posted by binky at 01:44 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 17, 2007

"That's the difference between a free media and propaganda."

One of the prime problems with US policy in the Mid East (if not the world) is that everyone believes that the US hates all of them, wants to bomb everybody, and generally couldn't give a dead rat what happens...
Posted by baltar at 11:52 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

April 17, 2007

Holding Lockheed (and Other Defense Firms) Accountable

Coming on the heels of the Navy's decision to cancel their contract with Lockheed for another Littoral Combat Ship is news that the Coast Guard is wresting control of the troubled "Deepwater" program from a consortium headed by Lockhead Martin...
Posted by armand at 10:37 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 11, 2007

Accurate Job Descriptions

From a story in today's WaPo: The White House wants to appoint a high-powered czar to oversee the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with authority to issue directions to the Pentagon, the State Department and other agencies, but it has...
Posted by baltar at 10:10 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

February 14, 2007

Valentine's Day

I'm not a fan of this mostly useless holiday. Falling about halfway between winter solstice and spring, I'm suspicious of some pagan origins here, but the relentless commercialism of the day makes me gag. According to the commercials, we're supposed...
Posted by baltar at 07:08 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

January 07, 2007

The Rat Tries to Silence Blogger for Showing the Corporation's UN-Family-Friendly Side

Even with carefully documented respect of Fair Use by the blogger, The Rat went after Spocko, who conducted a citizen action campaign to alert advertisers to what they were sponsoring with their dollars. Read about it here and here. The...
Posted by binky at 12:46 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

December 03, 2006

They're Watching You! (Private Sector Version)

This time, it's the MPAA, which used its clout to kill a bill that would have protected people from having their private information used and/or stolen. The reason? The MPAA said it would interfere with their investigations into piracy. Excuse...
Posted by binky at 03:40 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

November 23, 2006

Ever wonder about when Google would hit its "Starbucks moment"?

Hear that? That's the sound of techies and hipsters doing a 180 in their feelings about Google. And why might that be? First for fucking up Blogger and now for turning YouTube into Their(corporate)Tube: And a very Happy Thanksgiving to...
Posted by binky at 08:46 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

November 05, 2006

Look for the snippy corporate commentary

Always a sign of someone speaking truth that exposes bullshit claims: The chain, Hannaford Brothers, developed a system called Guiding Stars that rated the nutritional value of nearly all the food and drinks at its stores from zero to three...
Posted by binky at 11:27 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

October 05, 2006

That other B-word

Bullshit. Dear Annie: How can I achieve a balance between standing up for myself at work and being regarded by colleagues as a bitch? Overall, I'm a pretty easygoing person, I try to help others out when I can, and...
Posted by binky at 02:59 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

October 04, 2006

And not that I am all that interested in either Foley or Fox news...

...but why am I suspicious about Fox labeling Foley as a democrat? Fluffy something or others to the StealthBadger....
Posted by binky at 07:12 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 12, 2006

Wal-Mart and Port Security

This week I am trying to make it through the last month of The New Yorker (so I am reading through articles some of you might have read some time ago). The latest piece I've found quite interesting is from...
Posted by armand at 03:21 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 07, 2006

More Stuff Not To Buy

It's so easy to save money when you don't give it to companies that want spokesmodels to look like cokeheads. Wait, did I say that? Clarkson looks like she could lose a few pounds. Since the brand is all about...
Posted by binky at 06:57 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

July 05, 2006

The Rat

Anyone who knows me, knows I have no love for Disney. What they did to my home state, the sneakiness with which they snapped up the real estate, that they mass merchandised (is that a verb?) my Pooh bear... the...
Posted by binky at 09:03 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

June 25, 2006

Ninja Neutrality

Ask a Ninja about net neutrality. Via Majikthise....
Posted by binky at 02:11 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

May 13, 2006

So, about all this phone company business

Are we really surprised that the big phone companies (but not Qwest) meekly rolled over for the NSA database? Not even condsidering cynical thoughts like quid pro quo over ending Net Neutrality, can you imagine any major corporation that wouldn't...
Posted by binky at 11:19 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

May 05, 2006

Unconscionable

Privatization of the Army's food supply? So Nick Andoscia went to Iraq. And hunger soon followed."I got a letter," says Karen. "And he had called me before that. He said 'send lots of tuna.' "Nick told his mother that he...
Posted by binky at 05:42 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack

March 10, 2006

Somebody Write This Down: I Agree With Bush

This doesn't happen very often (and when it does, I usually need to think twice to make sure I'm not doing something stupid), but I agree fully with President Bush's position on this whole Dubai port ownership business. President Bush...
Posted by baltar at 03:38 PM | Comments (15) | TrackBack

February 28, 2006

The Gas Companies: Anyone Keeping an Eye on Price Gouging?

Now I fully understand the laws of supply and demand, and sure, I expected higher heating bills this winter. And of course this is perhaps a subject that I of all people shouldn't be bringing up here since I'm the...
Posted by armand at 11:02 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack

February 14, 2006

Big Oil Flush With Untold Billions as Louisiana Suffers Economic Collapse

Oh yeah, this is fair. But I guess when it's what happens when you put supposed oil men (not real oil men, but big business cronies who equate being successful businessmen with cronyism) in charge of the country.New projections, buried...
Posted by armand at 11:06 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

December 22, 2005

Reading Assigment

Your assignment today is to go read the medium-length Washington Post story on the disaster that was the creation of the Department of Homeland Security. Short version: a bureaucratic mess. Discuss. (Seriously, a great read. Well worth your time.)...
Posted by baltar at 10:02 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

November 14, 2005

First Sony, now Target

From Steve Gilliard, more on the contortions of Target (and yes, that's his graphic and tag line. Nice, eh?). Do your fucking job and hand out the pills Here at Target we offer stylish, low cost goodsand vagina control I've...
Posted by binky at 07:48 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

November 13, 2005

I'm never buying anything from Sony again

Just so we're clear on that. First, a baseline. When you buy a regular CD, you own it. You do not "license" it. You own it outright. You're allowed to do anything with it you like, so long as you...
Posted by binky at 03:55 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack