Fair And Balanced, My Ass!

Hello again readers, I hope everyone is doing alright.
The subject of this post is the appointment of Tony Snow as White House press secretary.
As you may or may not know, the current White House press secretary, Scott McClellan, is leaving the White House. Bush has appointed Fox News analyst Tony Snow to the job. Bush has stated that he is hoping that his appointment of Snow will improve the White House's relations with the press.
Now I have no problem with Snow being appointed as White House press secretary. Bush can appoint whomever he wants to the post. I think that it is entirely fitting that the Bush press secretary have a name like "Snow" since it seems like that is what the White House does to the American people most of the time.
My problem, for lack of a better word, is with Fox News. Fox News likes to bill itself as "fair and balanced" when it comes to reporting the news. It (FNC) likes to claim that its reporting is free from bias toward any political party or political viewpoint. Basically, Fox News likes to present itself as saying (more or less), "here is the news, you decide what it means". However, anyone who watches Fox News on any kind of regular basis will know that "fair and balanced" is just not the case. Fox News is, for all intents, either the Republican Party news channel or the government news service (take your pick, they are interchangeable). The appointment of one of Fox News' main contributors/commentators to press secretary in the exceptionally conservative Bush White House only goes to show that they (FNC) are anything but their claimed "fair and balanced".
Therefore, I am calling on Fox News to fulfill their stated mission of delivering the news in a "fair and balanced" way. What I mean by "delivering the news in a fair and balanced way" is that Fox News should abandon their apparent neo-conservative agenda and start delivering the news without the "Republican Party line" political comments that so often accompany their stories. They should also abandon the practice of only reporting news that is favorable to either the White House or Republicans in general and start reporting ALL of the news (favorable and unfavorable).
If Fox News feels that they cannot do this, then I call on them to drop the facade of being "fair and balanced" and try a little truth in advertising. Fox doesn't have to change their name to accomplish this. All they have to do is change their slogan from "fair and balanced" to something like "All Republican news, all the time" or "Neo-conservative news for neo-conservative people". If Fox News wants to change their name to reflect their reporting style, might I suggest "The Bush Propaganda Network" or "The White House Approved News Network". Or perhaps they could change both their name and slogan at the same time, I would suggest "The Neo-Conservative News Network--News for people with an IQ lower than Bush's approval ratings." At least these names and slogans would be more truthful than "fair and balanced"!!
I am Chuck and this rant is anything but fair and balanced!

A Personal Congratulatory Note

Hello again readers, I hope everyone is doing well.
Today's post is neither political nor of great public interest. Rather it is a personal note to a good friend of mine who shall remain nameless to protect her and her fiance's privacy.
It would seem that a certain friend of mine and her fiance decided to have a baby. The decision was made about 9 months or so ago. The kid is their first and as such a bit overdue, meaning she hasn't had it yet. If it is any consolation to her, remember that airlines don't arrive on time, and kids are a bit more complicated than airlines!!
In any case, I wanted to offer them both public (and slightly premature) congratulations on the birth of their child. I hope everything goes well and that the child has the usual ten and ten combo. I hope this is something wonderful to remember for the rest of your lives!
So...*raising a Mt. Dew (I don't drink alcohol)*...here is to R.S. and J.S. and their new baby, may you only ever have joy, good luck and happiness in your lives!
I am Chuck and this has been a personal note.

Get Back On Your Meds!!

Hello again readers. I hope everyone is happy and healthy.
I usually do not post this soon after a previous post, but I couldn't pass this one up.
Today I read what is possibly the most bizarre (and ridiculous) news story I have seen in a very long time. According to a Reuters story entitled "North Korea Says Has 'Shocking Evidence' Of US Plot", the North Korean government is accusing the US of printing counterfeit US currency and framing North Korea. It goes on to say that the North Koreans have accused the CIA of orchestrating this "plot" in order to convince the rest of the world that North Korea is a criminal state. The story also says that, according to N. Korea, the CIA is using various US military bases to carry out this plot. The North Koreans are also accusing Japan of conspiring with the US to produce cartoons attacking North Korean leaders.
What a bunch of morons. Apparently the North Korean leaders must have skipped their economics and government classes a bit too often. That or they are off their psych meds again.
Ok, just so that the North Koreans are clear on this, the government is allowed to print copies of their own currency. Unfortunately for us non-wealthy, the government is the ONLY entity allowed to print copies of its currency. If the government didn't print copies of its currency, there wouldn't be a whole lot of money in circulation, not to mention that a lot of people now employed by the Bureau of Printing and Engraving would be out of work.
As for the CIA, they have come up with quite a few odd schemes in their time, but I don't think this is one of them. On top of that, the military has better things to do than to print money for a CIA plot against the North Koreans. Consider for a minute that this plot could be true. The question becomes "By printing counterfeit US currency and releasing it into circulation, whose economy will this destabilize, the US or North Korea's?" I highly doubt that even someone as unaware as Bush would have approved this scheme.
On the cartoon issue, listen up N. Korea, these are called "political cartoons". Political cartoons are often used to satirize the behavior of government officials. Generally, they make fun of the person's behavior while making a point. Now given that Japan has a free press and freedom of expression, cartoonists there can draw cartoons of anyone they want to. It just so happens that this time they may have drawn cartoons of the North Korean leaders. Wah, cry me a river. What's the matter guys, did they hurt little Kim Jong-Il's feelings? What, did they draw him as the impotent psychotic he is? Deal with it. Everyday cartoonists skewer politicians with satirical cartoons. Unlike your state controlled press, the free, market driven press is allowed to do that. Everyday, the politicians satirized see those cartoons. They may not like them, but there isn't much they can do about them. When you guys finally overthrow the little psycho you call a leader and emerge from the Dark Ages, you may finally figure out what democracy and freedom is all about. Until then, get back on your meds and shut up!
I am Chuck and I'll bet this rant won't be read in the DPRK! (You do know that DPRK is short for "Demented Paranoids Raving in Korea", right?)

What Next? Jugglers?

Hello again readers. I hope all of you are in good health.
Today's post concerns the ongoing saga of our favorite convicted terrorist, Zacarias Moussaoui.
I have been reading the news reports of his defense during this penalty phase, and I am thoroughly convinced that the next thing they (the defense) will present is jugglers. What I mean is that, first, they presented a psychiatrist who testified that Moussaoui is schizophrenic, then they presented a psychologist who happens to be a cult expert who testified that Moussaoui was caught up in an Islamic "death cult", and now they have presented several family members of the 9/11 victims who basically said, "Don't execute him, that would be bad."
Now, I am not going to knock these family members for doing what they think is right. Quite to the contrary, I think these family members should be both congratulated and praised for having the moral courage to stand up for their convictions. I do not agree with their sentiments, but I certainly do respect them.
As for the schizophrenic defense, I say bull! Moussaoui's habit of standing up and yelling "Death to [the group of the day]" sounds more like a mild case of Tourette Syndrome than schizophrenia! I would also have to question the assessment of the psychiatrist who concluded that, because Moussaoui had trouble doing two things at once, he had schizophrenia and, thus, would never have learned to fly a plane. Hmmm, so to his (the psychiatrist's) way of thinking, everyone that has trouble walking and chewing bubblegum is schizo?!!? The prosecution asked if Moussaoui had such trouble doing two things at once, then how'd he learn to drive a car? The psych basically said that driving a car isn't as complicated as flying a plane. Well, duh! But that still doesn't answer the question. The last time I checked, yes, flying a plane was far more complicated than driving a car, but both required some degree of hand-eye coordination and the ability to do two things at once!
As for the whole "death cult" thing, I think the defense is beginning to really grasp at straws here. Basically, the defense is saying, "If you don't believe he is nuts, then please believe that the devil made him do it!"
So far nothing that I have read convinces me that the guy didn't know what he was doing when he participated in the planning and run up to 9/11. Nothing I have read convinces me that Moussaoui didn't know right from wrong (a key element of a mental illness defense). And nothing I have read convinces me that Moussaoui is anything other than what he claims to be, a completely sane, cold blooded, wannabe terrorist murderer. I understand the defense team's desire to throw in everything including the kitchen sink to get their client life instead of death, but about the only thing they have left to try is jugglers. Guys, I think it is time to call it a day and let his fate be decided by the jury.
I am Chuck and this has been my rant.

Georgia's On My Mind

Hello again readers. I hope everyone is doing well.
Today's post concerns Georgia's new immigration bill. The bill, as reported by Reuters, would deny essential state services to illegal immigrants, penalize employers who hire illegals, and limit the services that commercial companies can provide to illegals.
The governor of Georgia , Sonny Purdue, said, "It's our responsibility to ensure that our famous Georgia hospitality is not abused, that our taxpayers are not taken advantage of and that our citizens are protected."
I would like Sonny to explain to me exactly how immigrants (legal or illegal) are abusing Georgia's hospitality. I would also like to know how they are taking advantage of taxpayers (given that most of the social programs Georgia would like to protect are federally funded). And exactly how is this bill going to protect your citizens?
I guess the governor of Georgia would rather see people starving in the streets than to give them food stamps. I guess he would rather see people dying of simple, curable diseases than to have them going to hospitals for treatment. I guess he would rather have them stealing to support their families rather than giving them aid. After all, aren't these the ways that most illegal immigrants take advantage of taxpayers?
Tell me, governor, how is isolating and forcing illegals to turn to crime going to protect your citizens? If protecting them means that they won't be robbed by a hungry, desperate illegal, then your program just failed. If protecting your citizens means that they won't be paying taxes to support an illegal on welfare, ok. But then how do you explain spending the money on keeping that illegal in jail when he or she turns to crime to survive? I guess it is an accounting thing.
So now I guess that Georgia's "famous hospitality" is only extended to those who are not non-white, illegal, poor, or from someplace other than Georgia (guess the folks from Alabama and South Carolina are out of luck). So if you are white, rich, legal, and a citizen of Georgia, then you are most welcome. I should have expected nothing less from a state that has the most hate groups in the nation. Perhaps after this bill, Georgia should erect signs at their borders reflecting their new attitude. Those sign should say, "Welkkkome to Georgia (locals only!)"
I am Chuck and this has been my rant.

Moussaoui Mental? Bull!!

Hello readers, I hope all of you are well.
Today's post concerns the trial of Zacharias Moussaoui. For those of you who are severely out of the loop, Moussaoui is the only person to be tried for being part of the 9/11 conspiracy. He has been found guilty in a federal court and is now in the penalty phase of the trial. The same jury that convicted him is now deciding whether he will face life imprisonment or execution.
After having read about the information the government has presented during the penalty phase, and after having read Moussaoui's remarks today, I have decide that if anyone deserves to be executed, it is this guy. Not only did Moussaoui show no regret for his actions, he also wished that the victims (and their relatives) had suffered more.
Now the defense plans on contending that Moussaoui is nuts. I say bull. Moussaoui is not nuts, he knows exactly what he is doing. He has stated that he does not want to spend life in prison, he wants to be executed and become an Al Qaida martyr. He knows that by inflaming the jury he will get his wish. I, generally, am not for giving someone like Moussaoui his wish, but in this case I will make an exception.
I think that Moussaoui, indeed, deserves death, but not to make him a martyr. I think he deserves death as no other punishment is severe enough to fit his crime. Unfortunately, in the federal system, execution is done by lethal injection. I think this is a far too easy way out for Moussaoui. I am advocating the institution of a different manner of death for Moussaoui. I believe that he should be put to death using the old English punishment for treason.
The punishment for treason in England, from about Norman times to roughly the 1700's or 1800's, was extremely harsh. If you were convicted for treason (and were not a royal), first you would be hanged, but not until you were dead. Instead you would be hanged until you were nearly dead. Then you would be taken down. After that, you would be eviscerated (while still alive), and your bowels would be burned to ashes before you. Then, whether you were still alive or not, your head would be lopped off (it usually took the axman a few tries to get it off entirely). After that, your limbs would be tied to four horses and your body would be quartered. From there, your body parts would be sent to four different towns as a warning against treason and your head would be stuck on a pike on London Bridge (also as a warning).
I think that this would be a very good way of executing Moussaoui (and even this might be a little too mild). Of course a guy I talked to on the Yahoo message boards had a punishment which I won't go into except to say it involved the desert, some stakes, some honey, and a red ant hill. Either way, this guy should be made to suffer before we send him on his way to receive his 75 virgins and he should be made to suffer as much as the victims, their friends and relatives have been made to suffer since 9/11/2001!!
I am Chuck and some will say my bloodlust is showing.

Note: Edited 0347hrs EDT on 14APR06 for typos.

Did Ya Ever Have That Sinking Feeling?

Hello again readers! I hope everyone is doing well.
The subject of today's post is the results of a new Washington Post-ABC News poll concerning George W. Bush's approval rating.
According to the poll, Bush's approval rating now stands at 38%, his lowest ever. The Washington post cites "...Political reversals at home and continued bad news from Iraq..." as the reasons for the decline in Bush's rating.
Also according to the poll, only 35% of registered voters approve of the way that the Republicans in Congress are doing their job. The poll also found that 55% of the registered voters surveyed would vote for the Democratic candidate in their House district while only 40% would vote for the Republican candidate. In fact, the poll found that the only place that the Republicans do not significantly trail the Democrats is on the subject of terrorism. There Republicans and Democrats are in a dead heat with the Democrats getting a 46% to 45% (for the Republicans) edge.
So what does this mean? Well, simply put, it means that people think Bush is a dolt and doing a poor job running the country. It also means that they think that the Republican lapdogs in Congress are just as bad as Bush.
Personally, I disagree with the Post's analysis of why Bush's ratings have fallen. I think that it is a matter of the American public finally waking up and realizing that Bush is clueless on every major issue from the economy to immigration to terrorism. I also think that the public is finally realizing that having idiots and criminals in charge of the country is a bad thing. Maybe the public is finally waking up to the fact that George W. Bush is a fake, a personable con man who would rather give taxbreaks to companies that export jobs than try to keep those jobs here in the US. Maybe the public is finally realizing that Bush is the type of president that would rather enrich his oil buddies than try to find a workable solution to end foreign oil dependency. Maybe the public has finally had enough of Bush's violating the Constitution and laws of this country in the name of "national security". Maybe the public is finally realizing that Bush has been the most ruinous president in the history of the US, undoing guarantees and rights that took 230 years to build in the space of a mere 6 years! Maybe the public is finally realizing that this petty, idiotic, dictator-wannabe needs to go. And, for once, the public seems to be realizing that the Republican members of Congress who toe the party line and rubberstamp Der Fuhrer's orders need to go too!
Oh, to sleep, perchance to dream! And to dream a dream that in November America is finally liberated from the clutches of a wannabe dictator who isn't evil, but is dumber than a bag of hammers. Oh what a fantastic dream that would be.
Oh well, time to wake up. You want to know what this poll really means? It means that 1027 random people were sufficiently pissed off and/or bored enough with "American Idol" to have taken the opportunity provided by this poll to do a little government bashing. Nothing more.
I am Chuck and I am way too cynical for my own good.