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DEL.ICIO.US100 percent chance hot air will persist
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In the effort to rush the 2008 presidential election before this year’s chosen crop even takes the oath of office, the realization dawns that politics and the weather have far more in common than the blowing winds.
Before 2006 is gone, and 13 months before the Iowa caucus, the nation is awash in reporting and speculation about who may or may not run and, if they do, who voters might prefer and why.
In the Southwest, 70 people — a group said to include “blacks, Hispanics, Asian-Americans, environmentalists and ‘significant Democratic activists’ ” — are pushing to “draft” New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson as a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, the Associated Press reports.
A Democratic political activist in Oregon is attempting to “draft” Illinois Sen. Barack Obama in that state and it is news. Obama is, of course, the darling of much of the political press, which is drooling at the prospect of a Hillary-Obama primary contest. This is, now, a senator who is two years into his first term, but to a media whose political reporters are so over George W. Bush and so ready to find a new celebrity, Obama is the anointed. For now, anyway.
John Edwards, who was John Kerry’s running mate in 2004, creates a buzz that is widely reported as a major story for appointing a former Michigan congressman adored by Big Labor as an adviser and “likely” campaign manager.
We are all invited — led, actually — to fantasize about what it all means. Thirteen months before it matters in the least — and almost two years before it matters to the country.
And there are, too, Al Gore and Kerry and the endless will he?/won’t he? speculation into which all of America is induced to join. And that’s just with the Democrats.
So what do politics and the weather have in common? The volume of information dumped on an unsuspecting public.
The public and voters specifically pay attention when they perceive a need to know, often within the last month of a campaign. Before that, it’s mind clutter, not wholly worthless or uninteresting, but information consumed by those who aren’t political junkies in snippets as munchies for the mind.
For years now, television stations have inundated us with commentary and reporting about the weather. The weather is like politics in that we all have a need, or a desire, to know whether it’s cold or rainy keyed to events in our lives.
But at some point a couple of decades ago, the technology became available and affordable to dump out vast stores of information. Stations started competing, hiring specialists who proceeded to turn an ordinary weather event into endless globs of imparted information.
There was a time, of course, when that volume of information, properly timed and delivered, would have been enormously beneficial. To farmers in an agricultural economy, or to a state — like that of my youth — where the poor lived in uninsulated wood-frame houses built on rock pillars, with tin roofs nailed to wood strips, accurate weather information was imperative. The weather drove their lives and fortunes.
Not so today. It matters. But we don’t get the most of it because we need it or desire it, but because stations have in-house a skill and equipment that drives decision-making.
Long before most of America needs or desires to know the players in a contest that doesn’t matter for 13 months, and even before this election year is past, political reporting and commentary rivals the attention given major news stories.
As with weather reporting by television stations, it’s largely because a vast network of political operatives exist to spin stories and to promote their favorites. The machinery therefore exists to generate information not when we need to know it, but when it’s useful to market their candidates.
The competition to be the first to recognize the Obama boomlet, for example, or to offer some revealing insight into Hillary’s thinking, connections or weaknesses, does the rest. Thus the nation is guaranteed that before this year’s elected officials take office and perform their first official act, or make a single decision that affects the rest of us, we are drawn out of the present into the future.
On any number of public policy issues — the war in Iraq, health care financing, Social Security solvency, the consequence of unchecked federal spending — the nation would be well served by being drawn out of the present into the future. But not about the process of politics.
• Jim Wooten is associate editorial page editor. His column appears Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
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Comments
By jbmlaw
December 26, 2006 09:01 AM | Link to this
Good morning, Jim and all, trust your Christmas was as joyful as ours. Perhaps this will be one of those rare topics where are leftist friends will broadly agree with us. By adding or substituting the names Pataki, Giuliani, McCain, Gingrich, and Romney, Jim’s essay could appear as is in a left-wing blog. I think I am not a political junkie; I am more intrigued by ethics and motivations than by promises to deliver bacon or related pork. Most of the gyrations of our “leaders” strike me as nothing more than an amusing song and dance, performed for public consumption. The political PR spin machines ultimately serve no purpose useful to society, and are nothing more than a desperate attempt to manufacture demand for a product – Madison Avenue at its worst. I have little difficulty resisting the demand; my interest – to the extent that I have any interest at all – always draws toward the pitch selling the smallest quantities of the product, government.
By DebbieDoRight
December 26, 2006 09:06 AM | Link to this
Before 2006 is gone, and 13 months before the Iowa caucus, the nation is awash in reporting and speculation about who may or may not run and, if they do, who voters might prefer and why.
not the nation; but rather reporters are awash in reporting & specualtion. the nation can wait another few months before they become “awash”.
By Political Foreskin
December 26, 2006 09:08 AM | Link to this
It’s 13 months till the 08 superbowl. I think that Obama is picking the Bears again. Will mora still be ruining falcon’s chances?
Jim, this sentence needs a closer look: “Before that, it’s mind clutter, not wholly worthless….munchies for the mind.”
I got a black eye trying to wade through that one. never use “as”. just dont. there’s no way to decipher the rule about similies and metaphors, and both are completely useless now, because everyone abuses them. Ditto gerunds. Just avoid gerunds. Gerunds lead to unfinished compound sentences. I hate that. I hate that real good. No onomatopoeia, either. Participles….I wouldn’t, no foreign languages either, no punctuation art, no cyber slang, like “lol”, or “OMG”.
In fact I think we aught to consider banning anything that sprang into communications from the Gutenberg Press onward.
That aughta stop everyone of ye! Yep…….Yep.
(Watch a troll pull out the rosetta stone).
By RW-(the original)
December 26, 2006 09:35 AM | Link to this
For the 1960 election, John/Jack Kennedy announced he was running in January 1960. That sounds like a slice of heaven these days, but by announcing when he did he became the earliest candidate ever to launch his Presidential campaign.
So once again we see that it’s Democrats taking us into the political abyss.
Speaking of people that can’t choose between the name John and Jack, did you see that Murtha is single handedly taking corruption to new heights?
By DebbieDoRight
December 26, 2006 09:44 AM | Link to this
Remebering James Brown:
my father introduced me to James Brown’s music when i was just a kid. my fondest memories are of saturday nights when my mother would be frying catfish in the kitchen and my father, my brothers and i would jam all his hits on the stereo and sing along with him, (sometimes my father would even get up and dance with us kids Brown style to some of the songs). My father would explain to me the meaning behind the song Black and Proud, while proudly pointing out that James Brown was the first artist EVER to admit that black was not only beautiful, but it was proud too.
my father is gone now, my mother passed last year, and now James Brown. Somehow, it feels like my favorite uncle has left me too.
By candide
December 26, 2006 09:47 AM | Link to this
Enough hot air comes From Wooten himself.
By Pope rednecks - Amerikkka's Al Qaeda I
December 26, 2006 09:47 AM | Link to this
In the red states, campaigns need to be kept very simple, reflecting the minds of the electorate.
Get a cornpone hillbilly ex-goobernor to do the voice overs for your family photo album and call that a campaign commercial.
Better yet, get a noose and holler - “hang that Cynthia McKinney!”
By Redneck Convert
December 26, 2006 09:53 AM | Link to this
The libruls are ganging up to run for president. They even have one of Those People running. Me and my fambly will have to leave this country if they elect one of Those People to run this country. If I had my way I’d ban all libruls from getting carryed on TV or printed in the papers. It’s unAmerican.
Let them spout off for the next 2 years. Us good southren people will see to it that they don’t ruin our good southren customs. Like hating Those People and carrying guns and cutting people off welfare and exacuteing as many people as the librul courts will let us and then going to church and putting the 10 Commandements up everywhere just to fling them in the face of unChristian people.
I hope everybody had a merry Christmas and here’s to a new year of slamming libruls and keeping Those People in their place. Even tho I am a Libraritarian now, like jbmlaw, I still want the Republicans to win all the offices and cut our taxes and keep lazy people off the public dole. It’s the southren way of life and it’s good for everybody. And let’s use the A-bomb a little more in Iraq and Iran and the other places where we fight wars. My buddy Jim Earl tells me it’s been 61 years since we used it. What do we got it for if we ain’t going to use it?
By Political Foreskin
December 26, 2006 10:05 AM | Link to this
So Redneck is Borat, eh? I think the Bosnian Groucho is amazingly funny. He misses, badly, probably on purpose, just to hit the long ball with stuff that comes out of nowhere. A timely comic genius. Groucho lives.
By time for the truth
December 26, 2006 10:24 AM | Link to this
So the demented crackpipe dennis/debbie confesses to liking the execrable james brown … he was one of the worst and least talented black musicians … simply screeching and bleating about race and one’s colour in mediocre tedious “songs” (if one can even call them that) hardly smacks of musical genius. But each to their own.
Cheers crackpipe for finally confessing your race too, this wonderfully explains your stream of ludicrous, invariably dishonest responses to numerous factual posts on aspects of black/liberal America. Given the overwhelming regimented thoughtlessness of the black electorate and its historic lockstep lemming like unquestioning snouts in the racial spoils trough demoNcrat oafishness.
Maybe you will generously offer a home to the now homeless, very young just widowed Mrs J Brown who has evidently literally been locked out of her home in SC by Brown’s lawyer. Watching the struggle over the money he left will be mildly entertaining. Perhaps Brown will now continue his vicious spousal abuse in hippety hop - soul man bling bling heaven!!
By Dennis
December 26, 2006 10:24 AM | Link to this
jbmLaw said, “The political PR spin machines ultimately serve no purpose useful to society, and are nothing more than a desperate attempt to manufacture demand for a product – Madison Avenue at its worst.”
This is precisely why the FCC needs to put severe limits on, and stop, more mergers of newspapers and radio and television stations. The less competition in these areas, the less that accurate information will be given to the public to make the right decisions for this country.
Presently the FCC is Republican controlled and they are doing their best to reduce the number of communications outlets to just a few corporations (including selling out to th corporations what is presently a “free” internet).
Nor for that matter does there need to be a merger of Bell South and ATT.
Jim Wooten said, “The public and voters specifically pay attention when they perceive a need to know, often within the last month of a campaign. Before that, it’s mind clutter, not wholly worthless or uninteresting, but information consumed by those who aren’t political junkies in snippets as munchies for the mind.”
The “need to know” is constant, given the corruption and lies of government right on up to the Oval Office - political party aside.
However, there is also the constant bombardment of the public with the message “If you aren’t listening or watching this, then something’s wrong with you” (as exampled by too many soap operas, talk shows and sports).
Bring on the munchies and along with that the real meat of what’s happening in government, not the usual twisting views and propaganda of the corporate owned media. The left wing blogs aren’t always right, but there’s more accurate reporting coming from them sometimes that the major news media.
By Pope rednecks - Amerikkka's Al Qaeda I
December 26, 2006 10:45 AM | Link to this
Mr. Brown’s family tree includes some of SC’s founding families, English rapists. While the most recent Mrs. Brown may be out of the house, rest assured that Mr. Brown was a better father than many of the men in his family tree.
By time for the truth
December 26, 2006 10:50 AM | Link to this
So the arab Hitler soddom insane is finally about to get his neck stretched as his legal appeal against sentence is denied. Watch the leftist America hating rodents try and undermine this long over due moment of excrutiatingly rare arab justice. The death sentence is really the ONLY credible option for bestial cowardly genocidal killers like soddom. Hopefully far left ACLU nazis and their ilk will noisily bleat and bleat about the sentence - which will make for some decent cable news entertainment for a little while, until soddom is quietly expunged.
Suggestions for soddom’s last meal should perhaps now be sent to America’s new Fuehrers BotoxPelosi and DingylanddealReid. I suggest soddom be forced to televisually choke on a large E.Coli humble pie filled with pork scratchings, country ham and some decidedly under cooked organic chiterlings. With some stale kosher matzos and a pound of maggot filled gorgonzola for a savoury desert. All washed down with a bottle of Kremlin supplied polonium 210 Bud Lite.
By Buy Danish
December 26, 2006 10:55 AM | Link to this
…the nation would be well served by being drawn out of the present into the future
It’s unfortunate that the nation is not sufficiently drawn from the present into the past with a knowledge of American History to guide our future.
I was given this book as a Christmas present and recommend it highly.Rediscovering God in America: Reflections on the Role of Faith in Our Nation’s History and Future by Newt Gingrich It’s a quick read (that does not proselytize) and my family plans to go to Washington a.s.a.p.to follow the walking tour of the great institutions of our Republic.
DDA,
James Brown was one of the all time greats.
TfTT,
James Brown was not a “liberal”. and you are obviously not qualified to be a music critic.
By DebbieDoRight
December 26, 2006 11:02 AM | Link to this
twisted sister truth: who u doing honey? this is dec. 26, do u not have ANY good will for anyone? do u hate EVERYONE? it’s totally sad that u r such a miserable sad little man/slut so broken by life and looks, that u can’t even say anything nice about a dead person. tisk, tisk tisk.
here’s a heloise’s helpful hint: obviously u are badly in need of an english language textbook. look up the words, “sentence structure” and see what you find. (wink, wink)
in the words of the great james brown i’m about to hit it and quit. see u later harpy!!! oh and just for u, look out for some james brown lyrics that i’ll be posting just for u all over the blog today.
get ready for the big pay back, i got to deal with u.
By Dusty
December 26, 2006 11:11 AM | Link to this
Aw com on, time for truth, lay off of DebbieDoRight when she tells us a good family story. That was a very pleasant one. Obviously her family enjoyed the music of James Brown which many people did. He’s gone now and Debbie is remembering the good times. It is the Christmas season and you need to soak up a bit of it.
By Diogenes
December 26, 2006 11:15 AM | Link to this
Happy Tuesday, Jim,
Diogenes notes that you were not fortunate enough, as was Scrooge, to be visited by spirits Christmas Eve. Your heart, therefore, was not bathed in the milk of human kindness, and we have the return of the same bitter Jim we have had so long. Diogenes is genuinely sorry for you and for your readers.
There is, of course, significant irony in a newspaper reporter complaining about other reporters doing their jobs. Jim, it’s a clever reversal you’ve used to infect the minds of your readers with conservative negativity and to sway them to embrace your bitterness. The only connection between hot air and politics, of course, is that there might be significant correlation between global warming and all the meaningless hot air the Republicans have spewed out over the past six years.
It will be a Happy New Year, at least; we’ve voted the Republican rascals out of office. Peace on Earth. Good will to all men.
By time for the truth
December 26, 2006 11:21 AM | Link to this
Danish
BOLLOCKS!! … where did I EVER say Brown was a liberal. His screeching noise was hardly music!!
crackpipe dennis/debbie
In the real world this is Boxing Day and there’s a full football league fixture list of games. I’m listening to my team’s away game on the internet and watching Bolton - Newcastle live on the telly.
all joking apart … Brown was truly awful … about as melodic/talented as a bunch of discordant caterwauling butch menopausal sapphic possums at an Al Sharptongue racebaiting rally.
can’t wait for you google such deeply intellectual, meaningful lyrics like I’m a sex machine (which I hear is the only way you can get any these days gedditt??)!!
By time for the truth
December 26, 2006 11:27 AM | Link to this
Dusty
I don’t at all begrudge crackpipe debbie its fond familial memories … but Brown was truly awful. There are many vastly more talented black artists than him. Each to their own.
Brown (suddenly) being dead doesn’t mean he should be beyond legitimate criticism.
By Dusty
December 26, 2006 11:47 AM | Link to this
Time for Truth,
Nobody made you confess whether you liked James Brown or not. But we do have free speech and you can blast off any time you feel like it.
Just seems like during the holidays you could refrain from diminishing the dead. You know. Kinda a nice gesture.
By DebbieDoRight
December 26, 2006 11:50 AM | Link to this
BuyDanish & Dusty: Thanks for the kind words. Twisted Sister Truth reminds me of my great-aunt Janice; lonely, old, and nothing better to do but start fights with people so she can at least have someone to talk with.
Twisted Sister Truth: here’s a JB song for you, you might not understand the meaning of the word man since you are a half-man; but please use your imagination and try. James Brown was the inspiration behind a LOT of artists: The Beatles, Rod Stewart, etc. too bad your limited intelligence can’t appreciate art that’s different from what you’re used to, (i heard you were a tiny tim fan — talk about talent…….)
This is a man’s world, this is a man’s world
But it wouldn’t be nothing, nothing without a woman or a girl
You see, man made the cars to take us over the road
Man made the trains to carry heavy loads
Man made electric light to take us out of the dark
Man made the boat for the water, like Noah made the ark
This is a man’s, a man’s, a man’s world But it wouldn’t be nothing, nothing without a woman or a girl
Man thinks about a little baby girls and a baby boys
Man makes then happy ‘cause man makes them toys
And after man has made everything, everything he can
You know that man makes money to buy from other man
This is a man’s world But it wouldn’t be nothing, nothing without a woman or a girl
He’s lost in the wilderness He’s lost in bitterness
big pay back. i gotta deal with u.
By time for the truth
December 26, 2006 12:05 PM | Link to this
Dusty
NO ONE made crackpipe debbie gush about the talentless wife beater Brown either. It being the “holidays” has NO relevance at all … this is a red herring and is merely a blatant example of trying to (gently) censor/intimidate folks from making astute commentary.
By Van
December 26, 2006 12:14 PM | Link to this
Good to be back, I see the lefties did not change much.
We have an interesting leadin by wooten, that should spark some interesting opinions from the bloggers, but instead the left isn’t touching the travelling comedy show, the bumbling democrats.
I am more than amused at the responses to the various SP’s running around the country trying to position themselves differently for the local crowds.
We have an unexperienced senator, and a senator with a great amount of baggage. Both very liveral, disguising themselves as moderates.
We have a liberal Republican trying to act conservative.
I think this is the doom that algore was warning us about. All this hot air has given the south a mild winter - so far - and brought the snow storms to the west. Imagine, the west being snowed by anything or anyone. Damn, this global warming, except the nortwest,the Denver region and the midwest.
It appears to me, that the lefties just can not wait to spend someone elses money, why else would they jump into the “race” two years before the first caucus or primary.
I can’t wait for the girl from Arkansas try to explain travelgate, Hillary care and other scandels she created.
I do have a question though. How can someone campaigning for President, serve the people that elected them? For two years the senators running for President will have little time to fulfil their obligations. I also think this of any elected official running for office this far in advance of the elections.
BTW, looking back into history, how many Senators were successful in their run for President? I think Kennedy was the last.
By Political Foreskin
December 26, 2006 12:51 PM | Link to this
If Abraham is more important to the Shia than to the Catholics, then St. Paul is almost more important to the Catholics than christ, (and ringo was the cutest beatle).
The term, “Light Year”, is an oxymoron. It’s distance. Not time. Time is inferred, but the distance is a construct that exists outside of any chronological observations.
Lincoln on acid: “…For it is For the People of which and By for wherefore art thou romeo, that we are engaged in a great…duhhhh”, (he didn’t drink the koolaid, he licked the stamp).
Scalia annointed the Apostle W.
If the Muslims believe in Abraham, then we can too. The shia and the catholics should know that Abraham is the only story in the bible that matters.We share Abraham with the Shia, so let it be through abraham that we speak to the shia.
911? Collateral damage from an ancient family feud, (saudi vs osama). That’s why FDR, Truman, Eisenhour, Kennedy, compromised their principles of fairness to destablize existing juntas and install many Saddam Husseins in the world. They did this on the advise of lobbying industry captains who were corrupted by the Saudis, at whom Eisenhower bristled. It’s no longer pirates, it’s puppets. Cheney is a Puppet. We have puppets, we are puppets.
The Shah of Iran was an installed by coup, just like “Saddam Hussein”. By those two identical acts, we turned all 100 million Shia into martyr wannabe’s. And now we’re going to create an artificial crisis with a surge into sadr city?
(Shia = 10% of Islam’s 1 billion)
By DebbieDoRight
December 26, 2006 12:55 PM | Link to this
Psycho Sister Truth: more lyrics for ya!
Cold Sweat
Ha!
I don’t care ha! about your past I just want our love to last ;I don’t care darlin’ about your faults; I just want to satisfy your pulse
Oh
When you kiss me; When you mess me; Hold my hand; Make me understand;
I break out - in a cold sweat;
I don’t care about your wants; I just wanna ha! tell ya about the does and don’ts; I don’t care about the way you treat me darlin’ ha!; I just want you to understand me honey;
Oh
When you kiss me; And ya miss me; You hold me tight; Make everything all right;
I break out - in a cold sweat heh!
http://www.godfatherofsoul.com/soul/mp3/NewReleases/ainttakinnolip_pt1.mp3
By time for the truth
December 26, 2006 01:22 PM | Link to this
crackpipe debbie
that was utterly pathetic drivel - its just shallow mindless populist bollocks.
Back in 1971 Roy Harper (from Manchester, England) persuaded his close friend Jimmy Page (of led Zep fame) to record this song with him at Abbey Rd Studios. The album Stormcock has become legendary and the song below is usually considered to be Roys’s finest. Just the two of them with acoustic guitars. Its long, with several sections. I have had the privilege of hearing Roy and Jimmy perform this masterpiece live in London.
You can hear it for free in its entirety here.
http://www.myspace.com/harperroy
its already had over 32,000 plays.
I envy those who hear this for the first time - I did when I was just 16 years old and its probably my fave song.
The song’s theme is religion - which helps one understand the lyrical offering much better. It may well simply be above your head … which will be your loss.
The Same Old Rock
All along the ancient wastes the thin reflections spin
That gather all the times and tides at once we love within
That build the edges round the shrouds that cloud the setting sun
And carry us to other days and other days to one
And full the single stillness of the mirror that is made
By each and everyone one of all the colours in a shade
Inside each eye is sitting like the sword inside the blade
For here we stand – hand to hand
Fighting for the Promised Land
And you try to tell me with consternation
That you have found me a brand new lock
Then you try to warn me that there’s only combination
One new sling – the same old rock
There is a straggler stood on the edge of time
Who held the staff but did not feel the pain
He multiplied the mystery with utterance sublime
And crossed his heart for those who died insane
His friend a restless mouthpiece 7000 years of age
Trends to flash a face to shape his ways
Everlasting light is burning bright inside his cage
He’s only got to breathe to fan the blaze
Such a groove to have him here on board Her Ladyship
The man who makes his living out of bed
Such a gas to see him flying through his ceaseless lip
One day, someday soon, he’ll lose his head
And withering in the galleries with eyes fixed on the door
And who and you and me and thanks a lot
And those who see but cannot stand to walk on any floor
For fear that something good is bad is not
But loud and clear is the call
In black and white across the wall
Damn it all man, can’t you see
And you try to tell me with consternation
That you have found me a new lock
Then you try to warn me that there’s only one combination
One new sling – the same old rock
By deegee
December 26, 2006 01:28 PM | Link to this
Sure, politics is irrelevant since November 7th, 2006. JW would rather not discuss it for a while and I can certainly understand why. So let’s talk about the nasty issues that politicians will never talk about in public. Let’s try to force our new congress to be a bit more responsive than the last lame congress.
I miss the godfather already. May his soul rest in peace.
By MELO
December 26, 2006 01:35 PM | Link to this
We have a liberal Republican trying to act conservativeVan We have a conservative Prez(if that makes u happy) who is dumber than my dumpster. Go figure!
By time for the truth
December 26, 2006 01:35 PM | Link to this
crackpipe … I left off one line - its in bold type.
The Same Old Rock
All along the ancient wastes the thin reflections spin
That gather all the times and tides at once we love within
That build the edges round the shrouds that cloud the setting sun
And carry us to other days and other days to one
And full the single stillness of the mirror that is made
By each and everyone one of all the colours in a shade
Inside each eye is sitting like the sword inside the blade
And longs for once upon a chance to open love’s cascade
For here we stand – hand to hand
Fighting for the Promised Land
And you try to tell me with consternation
That you have found me a brand new lock
Then you try to warn me that there’s only combination
One new sling – the same old rock
There is a straggler stood on the edge of time
Who held the staff but did not feel the pain
He multiplied the mystery with utterance sublime
And crossed his heart for those who died insane
His friend a restless mouthpiece 7000 years of age
Trends to flash a face to shape his ways
Everlasting light is burning bright inside his cage
He’s only got to breathe to fan the blaze
Such a groove to have him here on board Her Ladyship
The man who makes his living out of bed
Such a gas to see him flying through his ceaseless lip
One day, someday soon, he’ll lose his head
And withering in the galleries with eyes fixed on the door
And who and you and me and thanks a lot
And those who see but cannot stand to walk on any floor
For fear that something good is bad is not
But loud and clear is the call
In black and white across the wall
Damn it all man, can’t you see
And you try to tell me with consternation
That you have found me a new lock
Then you try to warn me that there’s only one combination
One new sling – the same old rock
By deegee
December 26, 2006 01:48 PM | Link to this
Gawd, talk about hot air..
By getalife
December 26, 2006 01:54 PM | Link to this
I would worry about 2007 instead of 2008 with the worst President in office and folks are questioning his sanity.
Here is a clue, when someone says God told them to kill, this is a major red flag.
2006 was a terrible year for our country but you ain’t seen nothing yet. 2007 will be worse unless w and his thugs are out of office.
By Buy Danish
December 26, 2006 01:55 PM | Link to this
TforTT,
Your rant about James Brown and Debbie was just as bad as the anti-religious zealots who can’t lay off their hatred for Christianity even on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. See Wooten’s previous blog column and the deranged responses from the Angry Left.
There are times when silence is the best policy, and it reflects poorly on you that you chose the occasion of an historically important American musician’s death, and the expression of joyful memories about that person’s life and work, as a “time” to unleash a political tirade.
By Robert E Cokes
December 26, 2006 02:12 PM | Link to this
Jim,
Excellent column!
I can remember talking heads calling George Bush a ‘lame duck’ in December 2004!
R E Cokes
By time for the truth
December 26, 2006 02:17 PM | Link to this
Danish
BOLLOCKS!!
Brown was an arsehole … a wife beater and his musical talent was very limited. He was NO Stevie Wonder or Marvin Gaye or Holland - Dozier - Holland.
Cheers for the rather manic patronising lecture. Winding up crackpipe dennis/debbie is always good fun … and any other twonks who like to bite!!.
And from our Hall of Fame, please welcome, JAMES BROWN!
James Brown Arrests: 8 Convictions: 3 Time served: 5 years, 4 days
The Godfather of Soul, at the tender age of 15, was arrested for stealing clothes out of cars. Young Brown was sentenced to 8 years of which he served 3 years and a day.
In 1978, Brown sat in jail for 3 days after he defied a court order to stay in the U.S. while authorities looked into his radio stations’ dealings.
Brown was arrested in 1986 for operating a vehicle without proof of insurance and backing his van into a car. He was fined $25.
Later in 1986, Brown was arrested for allegedly speeding and attempting to elude officers.
In 1987 Brown was hauled in for assault with intent to kill when he allegedly beat his wife with a pipe and shot into her car. Adrienne Brown stated at the time, “I want him to seek help because he’s a good man. I know he loves me, and I know it’s a sickness. I feel this marriage is worth saving. I love him.” Charges were dropped.
Brown led police on a two-state car chase back and forth across the Georgia-South Carolina border in September 1988. When he was finally apprehended in a Georgia housing project, Brown was charged with assault, carrying an unlicensed pistol, and carrying a deadly weapon at a public gathering. Additionally, the South Carolina police, who had blown out Brown’s two front tires during the chase, charged him with assaulting a police officer and several other traffic violations. Brown was sentenced to 6 years in prison, of which he served 2, and he remains on probation for aggravated assault and failing to stop his car for a police officer. “I aggravated them and they assaulted me,” said Brown at the time of the charge.
The following day, Brown was arrested again for allegedly driving while intoxicated and improper road movement. His 2 years in jail covered this infraction as well.
Brown was again arrested in 1995, after allegedly battering his wife. The singer, taken in by Aiken, South Carolina, authorities, denied the charges. Adrienne Brown, who died recently after routine surgery, also denied the most recent abuse, stating, “This has been a total mistake. James is not responsible for this accident.” She claimed that she accidentally hit a mirror. Charges were dropped.
By Dusty
December 26, 2006 02:21 PM | Link to this
getalife,
Couldn’t you tell the truth even here at Christmas time?
Now you are trying to say or insinuate that Bush said God told him to kill.
Maybe you like looking rediculous. I hope so, because it looks like you have joined the leftist loonies full time.
By getalife
December 26, 2006 02:42 PM | Link to this
You are “rediculous” or ridiculous crusty-the clown.
Look it up idiot.
Bush is bracing for new scrutiny White House hiring lawyers in expectation of Democratic probes
Your hero is a criminal.
By jbmlaw
December 26, 2006 02:56 PM | Link to this
Dear Dusty @ 2:21, you have to remember that to some people Rep. Murtha is the pillar of integrity, and the “evil enemy” is anyone who would offer freedom to the rest of the world. Don’t waste your time with moonbats. There are decent people on the other side possessed of intellectual integrity; they are worth your time, and I urge you to focus on those.
By Dusty
December 26, 2006 02:59 PM | Link to this
getalife,
Your lying is worse than my spelling. You don’t have to look it up. It is obvious.
Democrats better probe their own “candidates” so they can find one without a criminal record.
I won’t reply to any more of your posts. You are too far gone.
By DebbieDoRight
December 26, 2006 03:00 PM | Link to this
Psycho Sister Truth: i wasn’t even born in 1971 didn’t make the scene until ‘79; so i’ll just bow to your superior judgement of the major musical events of ‘71.
that being said, quick question, why must u tear down everything u hate? there are few rockers, blues men, jazzers, etc. who have NOT been in some kind of trouble with the law — even John Lennon, (and Frank Sinatra) who abjured violence got busted a time or two; so what’s your point in shaking down James Brown besides hate?
the only few rockers i can think of that HAVEN’T been busted was Pat Boone and Wayne Newton, maybe Jim Nabors too.
By Van
December 26, 2006 03:02 PM | Link to this
MELO,
Yes, we have a “conservative” President that is not acting like a conservative President.
Anyone that would team up with Ted Kennedy on anything, much less the education of our children, is not acting conservatively.
My biggest complaint with politicans, of any side or group, is their basic ability to lie with a straight face.
Pelosi is a socialist trying to act moderate, McCain is a liberal trying to act moderate, Shrillery is a liberal trying to act moderate. G.W.Bush is a conservative trying to act moderate.
When in truth, a moderate is someone that can bend with the wind, shift positions at a moments notice and hold both sides of a position - in other words, someone with no basic positions.
I want someone to stand up and stand firm on thier beliefs and not waver. I want someone to say xyz, mean xyz and believe xyz.
In the end, like everyone else, I will vote for the person that comes closest to my core principles and beliefs.
By Buy Danish
December 26, 2006 03:08 PM | Link to this
TforTT,
Marvin Gaye? He was also a troubled man in many respects.
Attempting to resolve his emotional troubles, he moved back in with his parents, only to find himself spiralled deeper into suicidal depression and cocaine abuse. After another heated domestic dispute Marvin Gaye was shot to death by his own father Marvin Sr. on April 1st 1984, one day short of his 45th birthday.
They are musicians for x-sakes, not elected officials. That does not detract from their music and the fact that, despite their human faults, they made outstanding contributions as artists.
Gotta hit the road…
By getalife
December 26, 2006 03:10 PM | Link to this
Please don’t reply crusty.
You and your friends are beyond help and are in for a rude awakening to what your hero has done to our country.
I pity you and your friends idiotic mindset. You are fools who will never learn and should be ignored.
By time for the truth
December 26, 2006 03:22 PM | Link to this
Marvin Gaye’s musical talent was for me VASTLY greater than Brown’s … any (respective) moral terpitude is somewhat moot
By JSS
December 26, 2006 03:28 PM | Link to this
More Georgians and their revisionist history…
Roy Harper drank from the same musical fountain as Elvis and James Brown, all of the UK bluesmen did: Big Bill Bursley, Howling Wolf, and Sonny Boy Williamson. As far as his numerous arrests, he never denied his demons unlike your modern day celeb’s. He did his time and lived on. But the problem is TFTheLie, is that you want to be god, you want to be creator, judge, and executioner… It must be sad to not be able respect greatness when it is amongst you… By the way, I had the pleasure of meeting Jimmy Page at the Yardbird’s induction into the ROR HOF, he asked me so many questions about growing up in Macon when the Allman’s, Brown, and Otis Redding were cutting their teeth in the town…When you don’t respect history as it really was, then you can not respect yourself…
By Dusty
December 26, 2006 03:40 PM | Link to this
Yes, jbmlaw,
I would love to focus on leftist intellectuals with integrity but so few of them show up here. Just as I get hope, they turn out to be conservatives!! (or hapless libertarians!!)
But you are right. If I follow the trend today I should now post the words to “Accent the positive. Eliminate the negative.”
I will save you from that torture. My goal is now to strive for the intellectual approach with all my might and serendipitous sunshine.
By time for the truth
December 26, 2006 04:04 PM | Link to this
WOW …a real live tw@t is biting now…
The blindingly obvious point about Roy Harper’s lyrical genius has bugger all to do with Elvis et al. But - hey cheers for the usual vacuous platitudes about music. Roy usually makes you think - Brown just usually screeched populist drivel, quite badly. Page’s nutty involvement with the dark side of occultism which included buying Crowley’s Scottish house (Boleskine) and a very expensive to subsidise short lived occult bookshop in Kensington arguably show poor judgement. Harper’s life threatening disease caught from trying to give a sheep the kiss of life in the west country is also typical of the eccentricities of the man as was his yoooful jape faking mental illness to get himself discharged from the RAF.
But Harper’s superbly literate work, whilst not widely known outside of England (mostly) stands up against any 20th cent songwriter. Brown was a crude, often thuggish oaf that had bugger all to say of any real note.
I utterly reject the notion that Brown had any greatness - but each to his own. Christ some folks love Bucks Fizz, Terry Jacks and American Idol. Don’t tell me what to think - just as I wont tell you!!
Patronising wankers like yourself are hilarious entertainment though. Glad I got under your dumb skin so easily!!
By Mid-South Philosopher
December 26, 2006 04:18 PM | Link to this
Good afternoon to all.
The Christmas season nearing a climax, it is altogether fitting and proper that Jim turns our thoughts toward the coming ground work for the 2008 Presidential election.
Presidential elections in the last quarter of the 20th Century became media extravaganzas. More than political forums, the various campaign activities, debates, conventions, etc. became sources of entertainment. “Charisma” became a more important attribute than “political savvy.”
The Election of 2000 was a fluke in that neither candidate was “charismatic.” The archaic functioning of the “Electoral College” selected the least “charismatic” candidate of the two and thus we entered chapter one of “Georgie” Bush.
The Election of 2004 saw a “charismatic” candidate in John Kerry, but his “charisma” was of the wrong kind. He projected the image of the guy you would like to trust…he was a veteran, a Purple Heart winner, a public servant…but somehow you knew deep in your heart that you would never “buy a used car from him!” Thus, we have chapter two of the “Georgie” story.
In the coming Election of 2008, unless Dick Cheney gets a new heart or Al Gore, foolishly, reenters the fray, we are going to have something we have not enjoyed in decades…an election for President without either an incumbent President or and incumbent Vice President making the race. It is wonderful.
I, too, would like to see the campaigning limited to from January 1 of the year of the election, but the media and the pundits are not going to let that happen. So, the best we can do is aggravate the “Hades” out of as many politicians as possible, ask embarrassing questions, and general make a nuisance out of ourselves. Maybe, if we harass them soundly, they will limit their exposure to us themselves. I wouldn’t bet the farm on it!
By GodHatesTrash
December 26, 2006 04:28 PM | Link to this
TFTT’s favorite love song? Why Duelling Banjos of course, folowed closely by The Kink’s Lola and anything by Boy George.
James’s rap sheet is fairly typical for a redneck of his generation. In fact, it may be a little short. I’m sure Mr. Wooten has many of friends and aquaintances with many more encounters with the authorities, and who are not afraid to show the little woman the back of their hand, or a knuckle sandwich.
It’s in the Bible, just don’t use a big stick.
By JSS
December 26, 2006 04:36 PM | Link to this
Your answer just shows how little you get and know… Elvis is wasn’t a lyricist, he was a performer who elevated the pieces that he performed… It is funny that the person that you choose to put on the mountain high loves Brown in all forms. Try picking up a Melody maker or NME sometime… I know Harper’s book (and because you are clueless, i will tell you what a book is, it is a performer’s arrangements)… No one is telling you what to think, just don’t lie to make a point….
So people who understand the link of the chain, John Mayall, Bill Bruford, and Clapton all the way back to Blind Willie Lemon are patronizing, they just know… You don’t listen, you’re too busy being god and trying to influence others… You remind of the critics who didn’t the greatness of Theolonius Monk… They spent 17 years demeaning and trying to shatter his style… Suddenly one of the dimwits actually listened and voila!!! I bet you think Ellington was just an average composer… So what do you think of Copland? Just a run of the mill hack?
By GodHatesTrash
December 26, 2006 04:38 PM | Link to this
American blacks have taken two of the most lifeless, uninteresting musical forms from their masters and fellow rednecks and have made them exciting, interesting, and innovative.
From the rapist Cavaliers of the coast, they took some of the most gawd awful church music and reinvented it as Gospel Music. Then they took the primitive monotonous sounds of mountain music, and turned them into the blues and Dixieland. Then the Ray Charles and Little Richards of the world stepped it up a notch, fusing these disparate elements into rock and roll.
The Elvis’s and Johnny Cashes of the world stand on their shoulders, as does every filthy herring-smelling Englishman that ever picked up a guitar, be they Beetle, Stone, Cream, or Who-ever.
By time for the truth
December 26, 2006 05:07 PM | Link to this
the patronising tw@t is back …
I grew up reading the NME and the Melody Maker and the now defunct “Sounds”.
I don’t need ignorant proles like you lecturing me about UK rock n roll
Harper was/is essentially a folkie, his formative background background is of the London 60’s folks scene, the likes of Jansch, Cousins, Al Stewart, McTell et al era in and around Soho. Sure he went electric, but he’s a singer songwriter that incorporated the electric sounds. His more recent stuff is still singer songwriter stuff, both with and without an electric band.
Its actually utterly irrelevant who thinks what @ Brown. I could care less what Page thinks of any “influence”. One either likes what they do - or you don’t!! That’s long been my attitude. I stated much earlier today that Brown was shiite … essentially talentless and I amusingly niggled crackpipe debbie with his unsavoury past. I also stated that its each to their own.
WANKY musical snobs like you are always fun to wind up.
YOU CLEARLY DON’T GET IT!!
Most informed folks are well aware of the historic influences of various types of music on rock/pop today. You keep parroting what is blindingly obvious to anyone as if its some great fabulous unique profound insight.
The US (black) early blues and early the (white) mountain music and church music all had their influences as the music industry evolved. BIG DEAL. THis is NOT what I have been discussing.
Put down that joint/reefer and wise up!!
I loathed all of J. Brown’s stuff … to me it was a bloody row - I liked Roberta Flacks’s early stuff - very different black music. Each to thir own … I stated this consistently earlier.
I personally don’t care much for jazz … like most folks don’t these days.
By time for the truth
December 26, 2006 05:12 PM | Link to this
@ GodpleaseGOBonthistrash
turn down your G Michael and Pet Shop Boys records and stop playing with Liberace’s upright organ in your dreams and see if you can get a date with the uber-queer Jimmy Summerville before he collapses on stage again from all that swallowing.
By JSS
December 26, 2006 05:31 PM | Link to this
This clown is hilarious!!! Harper thinks people like you are morons… He said so in his book on his lyrics and in his interviews…
Stop misrepresenting, that bong and the trips on LSD in the 60’s must have really ripped you a dark spot in your C4 segment… You’re a DINOSAUR, extinct!!! POOF!!!
By JK
December 26, 2006 05:50 PM | Link to this
…significant irony in a newspaper reporter complaining about other reporters doing their jobs.
I have to echo Diogenes from this morning. Irony, indeed. The “news” media has become a serious impedement to what should be a process of sound, logical decision making by American citizens electing leaders and representatives. Mr. Wooten (like Dubya in prep school) is part of a cheerleading squad, loyal to the team colors and no one else, repeating silly ditties and hollering out whatever will get the fans on their feet. Reporters shouldn’t cave to the ratings initiative by yammering endlessly the latest gossip they think people want to hear. Until the candidates are certified candidates, nothing you say about them matters. (And once they are, the ratings whores will pick the least pertinent, most salacious garbage to shovel, ignoring what matters yet again.)
A reporter’s job with regard to our government is to inform us what it is doing with OUR money, in OUR name. The missing billions in Iraq, the sweetheart contracts, the failure of most federal agencies to provide accurate accounting, the disaster that followed the natural disaster, the decisions to ignore the advice of seasoned Generals, the unexplained classification of once-public records, and I could go on all day. Why aren’t Mr. Wooten and his buddies asking the tough questions and coming back to us with answers? No, they’re toooooo busy digging up the gossip and pefecting their “mean girls” techniques. “Let’s cut them down, gurrrlfriends….” snap snap strut
“Journalists,” my a-$-$.
By time for the truth
December 26, 2006 05:54 PM | Link to this
JuvenileSh!tStick
Harper is a leftist anarchist … he used to call himself Dr Doom The Optimist. His politics are far left and he indulges in frequent open abuse of drugs “on stage”. But some of his albums are superb - particularly the earlier 70’s stuff. One doesn’t have to support his politics to appreciate his brilliance - although he had a p1ss poor patch that lasted (more on than off) for about 10 years in the 80/s and 90’s.
Harper is just another cliched rock n roll/folkie Bush hater - and there I reject his simpleton world view.
I was NEVER a hippy type … hippies are worthless scum and should have been cheerily eradicated from the planet 30/40 years ago!!
Doubtless your last bad trip was last weekend - wish I could have been there to suggest you could fly from a multi-story car park!!
don’t forget dickweed … BUSH HAS TWO MORE GLORIOUS YEARS!!
By Shaniqua
December 26, 2006 06:06 PM | Link to this
Time For The Truth,
Get off the computer and take your annual “boxing day” shower like you promised! Mamma’s got Kwanza dinner on the stove, and she said dont be late!
Boo
By rmc
December 27, 2006 11:37 AM | Link to this
Hey Jim, if you don’t like all the “hot air” coming from the presidential race, why are you reporting on it, giving us more of what you said we are already innudated with.And i guess its not a coincidence that you only reporteded the “hot air” from the democrats side.Typical conservative bs.