Wednesday, December 14, 2005

Isthmus of Evil

by Tom Bozzo

My friend Tom C. in New York points me (*) to this Media Matters item informing me that Falafel Bill "One Good Reason Not To Waste Money On Cable TV" O'Lielly said this about Our Fair City:
O'REILLY: Now, this is a conservative city, Richmond. I mean, this is not Madison, Wisconsin, where you expect those people to be communing with Satan up there in the Madison, Wisconsin, media.
Well, quite. That's about the only thing that explains this from our larger-circulation daily, whose editorial opinions can resemble a small-town version of the other WSJ. Then again, the State Journal's publisher unloaded on the legislature's paleoconservative leaders today, so maybe redemption is possible after all:
Here's some advice for the Republican leadership in Wisconsin's Legislature: get serious.

When I look at the legislation proposed by the Senate and Assembly Republicans I see an apparent obsession with matters trivial, wrongheaded or positively harmful to the well being of Wisconsin combined with a conspicuous avoidance of legislation on issues of actual importance.

Let's review the dog's breakfast of bad legislation the majority has recently attempted to foist on the state:

Concealed carry. Just what we need - our streets, shopping malls and workplaces thronged with citizens packing heat. I'm sure there are worse ideas than this, but I can't think of one right now.

A ban on same sex marriage. Already illegal. This is a frivolous waste of time.

Limits on stem-cell research. Great idea. Let's strangle one of the state's growth industries in its crib.

A prohibition on University Health Services dispensing morning after contraceptives to coeds. Guaranteed to stop premarital sex dead in its tracks. Not.

I consider the gay marriage amendment to be far worse than a frivolous waste of time, but you get the picture. [Addendum: From O'Reilly's perspective, clearly, this would simply prove that even WSJ management are wearing pentagram T's under their suits.]

Then there's the matter of the continued presence of Sinclair Broadcasting's Mark Hyman near the end of the 9 o'clock news (yeah, I know he's actually putting the charm in the suburbs of Charm City and rammed up the backsides of affiliates), giving us the nightly ritual in which Hyman encourages me to log on to newscentral.tv to tell him what I think, and I respond, "I think you're an idiot."

Oh, and I probably know as many Madison Wiccans as I know Madison Jews, and I've been known to stay up all hours playing Diablo II. Diablo II is, of course, all about slaying demons, but I'd think the distinction would be lost on a Fox News personality.

On the plus side, at least O'Reilly didn't suggest that terrorists should bomb the Overture Center.

Happy holidays!


(*) He's also the source of the post title.
Comments:
I admit having waited for you to comment on that one, instead of rubbing it in your face. (Also, my browser now hangs on MM pages.)

What are we supposed to do to Bucky, again?
 
Ken, you should know that I live in a bubble with respect to certain media, notably cable TV. Also, reading The Republican War On Science is about as much angering-up the blood as I can routinely take.

As for Bucky, a chug-a-lug contest? My knowledge of UW mascot-handling practices is also thin. All I know is that Maryland students are supposed to rub the nose of the bronze Testudo the Diamondback Terrapin in front of McKeldin Library before exams. (I didn't, and turned out OK.)
 
I pray that Satan sends some fire from Hell up to Madison to melt all the snow and warm things up a little bit. But then again, I don't believe in Satan. I imagine I will be shoveling snow for a while longer.

As far as the War on Christmas goes, Christmas is a religious holiday, but it was a holiday that took over a pagan holiday. Jesus wasn't born on Dec. 25. At the same time, Christmas has also become a secular holiday. Many people around the world equate Christmas with Santa. Personally, I don't give a crap what the media or the gov't calls Christmas or related items. I say Merry Christmas to people and I have a Christmas tree. But, I also don't care if people say Happy Holidays or have a holiday tree. Or if school choirs sing Christmas songs, etc. It just doesn't matter. I think people who have a problem with the word Christmas or with the word holiday are being idiots.
 
Bryan: Damn straight.

(My car is as stuck as a stuck pig on our side street, so I have a heck of a post-work excavation job ahead of me.)
 
Prodigal Sheep: Welcome!

I actually haven't followed the bombing case that closely. So my theory (reflecting lack of information) is random nutball; any relation to Faux News programming would be purely coincidental. But we'll see if/when the MPD manages to get the perpetrator.
 
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