At the gym yesterday some poor fool had Fox on, and I don't think it was for research/scorn purposes. I watched this brunette chick fakesmile all over Mike Huckabee's massively lazy-eyed little song-and-dance, then they interviewed Dan Rather who was "sounding the alarm" about voting machine problems, wrapping up the interview with some hard-hitting insights into Dan Rather's feelings about Katie Couric.
They managed to bookend Rather with some goofy variety-show shit. I don't remember what introed him, but after he left, they had Richard Simmons on, in full leotard, who is "forcing our children" to learn exercise in school.
No, I remember what introed him. They cut to that stupid Thriller re-enactment in the Phillipines prison or whatever that was going around the web last week.
I don't watch Fox enough to know for sure, but I bet they don't bookend 'serious' conservative pundits this way. They didn't with Huckabee, even though his goddamn eyes wouldn't both focus on the camera at the same time.
Then, that same fakesmiling brunette played counter-liberal to one of their pundits -- the silly-putty-looking guy whose hairdo is the same color as his face -- and the chick was literally making the Mattel CEO's apologies for him.
A: So in this press conference, did he apologize? Did he show contrition?
B: Absolutely. He recognizes the issues at hand and has resolved to make sure nothing like this happens again. He takes this very seriously, in fact, they've already got new policies in place to review the Chinese materials three times before it gets to the American people.
I'm paraphrasing sentences somewhat, but the tone was hugely sympathetic, underwriting his PR moment within the show itself.
I don't really have a point here.
Wal-Mart evidently gets 70% of its goods from China, yet has managed to position itself as the Patriot's Choice. Remember those Sam's cola machines they used to have out front, with the star-spangled-flag tackle, and cheap $0.35 sodas? This shit gets bought up greedily by those waddling neckless monsters you see zombie-shuffling their way around the stores. Which situation puts an interesting light on just what makes patriotism work.
Is patriotism nothing more than territorialism? If so, how is it noble? It's certainly useful, but nothing in the lizard brain is real enlightened, is it?
____________________ mundhra: And its crocobody is made of dile.
While I would say that you cannot have patriotism without a territory to which to attach it, I believe that patriotism is a little higher up the (societal) hierarchy of needs than is territorialism. Territorialism = defense of what you've got. Patriotism = belief in the rectitude of what your country is.
I've never tried to differentiate between the two before. This is my first reaction, but I'll put more thought into it. Any one else have some thoughts?
Once upon a time, humans lived in small nomadic, or semi-nomadic groups. They had to stick together to defend against the perils of the world and other groups of humans. The idea of tribalism is easy to understand, because it is based on the principle of the Golden Rule. You know you had to treat you tribal members with respect, because they we're your only allies in the dangerous, primitive world.
With the advent of agriculture, wealth and larger populations, the idea of tribalism became vaguer. Today, most people we deal with on an everyday basis are not related to us in any way. To maintain a stable society, we have to agree on certain ideas, ethics, and rules.
We created the idea of nationhood to keep society stable. Patriotism is an extension of our tribal feelings. Unfortunatly, patriotism has been hijacked by the con artists we call our "leaders" as a tool of propaganda.
If you believe that the creators of our tribe (nation) had the right ideas, morals and ethics, it's ok to be patriotic. Unfortunately, most citizens nowadays are hypocrites.
"Patriotism is proud of a country's virtues and eager to correct its deficiencies; it also acknowledges the legitimate patriotism of other countries, with their own specific virtues. The pride of nationalism, however, trumpets its country's virtues and denies its deficiencies, while it is contemptuous toward the virtues of other countries. It wants to be, and proclaims itself to be, "the greatest," but greatness is not required of a country; only goodness is." - Sydney J. Harris
____________________ 'That is a fucking tittyfoot' - nocal
I guess it's not fair to compare other coutries recall rates, because... Well...China makes everything... Why can't the news just say "X Product was recalled" We obviously know it was made in China...LOL
Looks like there needs to be 4 levels of testing before Americans get shitty products....
Watching FOX News channel is not unlike a live action version of supermarket tabloids. Not People, like fucking weekly world new(w/Batboy n' shit). It's pretty damn funny sometimes, usually like a 24hr a day episode of Talk Soup on E!, 'cept it's 'news'.
This guy's statement in the earlier part of this video kind of touches on the subject mentioned above.
They are trying to build a Wal-Mart supercenter in the city I work in. Wal-mart has spent tons of cash also lobbying it to the papers and local media, even organizing a barbacue/fundrasier where the proceeds went to 'the troops'. Wal-Mart argues that their big store generate huge tax revenue for the city. This is a half truth.
When a wal-mart moves into a city, they generate large amounts of tax dollars by selling tons of shit. At dirt cheap prices. Prices that other local businesses cannot compete with. Studies show that when a wal-mart comes to town, tax-revenue for the city stays the same or decreases.
People do not suddenly just spend more money because a walmart comes to town. If anything they spend less because they get MORE for their dollar. Their argument that they "increase X amount tax dollars" to a city pisses me off. They simply siphon tax dollars that would have come from other businesses sales. And that isnt even getting into how walmart pays minimum wages and routinely takes steps to NOT PROVIDE HEALTHCARE for its workers. So, what does that mean folks? People who work at walmart get paid so shittly, that most of them qualify for public assistance(foodstamps MUTHAFUCKING MEDICAID etc.) Just another way for the Waltons(most of corperate America would do this if able) to pass the buck to the American people and feed their bottom line.
