Uppity Wisconsin

Our favorite irascible media tyrant is in the news once again, and once again it’s time for me to bring you a story of doing one thing while wishing for another.

In a November 6th interview, Sky News Australia’s David Speers spent about 35 minutes with the CEO of NewsCorp, Rupert Murdoch; the conversation covering topics as diverse as software piracy, world economics, the role of Fox News (and Fox NewsPinion©) in American politics, a strange defense of Glenn Beck, and, not very long afterwards, an even stranger defense of immigration.

We have heard a lot about the...how can I put this politely...challenges Murdoch seems to face associating factual reality with his reality, and we could have lots of fun going through his factual misstatements—but instead, I want to take on one specific issue today: Rupert Murdoch says he hates it when people steal his content from the Internet to draw readers to their sites...which is funny, if you think about it, because he has no problem at all stealing my content (and lots of yours, as well) for his sites.

SEATTLE (FNS)--Longtime activist Geov Parrish unexpectedly revealed to the crowd gathered to celebrate his 50th birthday Friday evening his impending plans to end his decades-long career as a public issues advocate in exchange for new opportunities in the field of corporate communications management and image development.

The announcement appeared to be even more shocking to the glitterati gathered for Parrish’s 50th birthday extravaganza at Seattle’s tony Rainier Club than the fact that the event was sponsored by longtime Parrish nemesis Frank Blethen, publisher of the “Seattle Times” and a frequent target of Parrish’s acerbic criticism regarding the state of corporatocracy and its negative impact upon the state of the Nation.

A new commercial venture and three new business relationships were unveiled: a corporate communications consultancy, tentatively to be named “I Am The State!”, is to be opened in the next few weeks, after suitable office space is located, with the United States Chamber of Commerce and The Seattle Times Company as the first two business associates; additionally, Parrish will be joining the Board of Directors of the Strangelove Foundation, an organization devoted to maintaining the purity and essence of our precious bodily fluids.

A book deal was also announced.

Why then did they print an editorial that was so shabbily researched? I am referring to the editorial column “Van Hollen should act fast on petition fraud case” (July 25).

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On May 21, I had a chance to attend Wisconsin State Senator Kreitlow's listening session at L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library in Eau Claire. A number of topics were brought up by constituents--gas prices, railway transportation, higher education, healthcare, the Iraq War, farming, etc. But the topic of most importance to me--as a UW-Madison student--was NOT sky-rocketing tuition or universal healthcare; instead, I was most interested in bipartisanship. We will only see effective policies implemented if our elected officials commit to working across party lines.

As a first term Senator, I hope Senator Kreitlow is committed to finding real solutions during this partisan age. Admittedly, his positions are often along party lines. Nonetheless, throughout the listening session, Kreitlow talked about the need for compromise and respecting the views of people you may not agree with.

I spent Saturday at Fighting Bob Fest - unfortunately I was stuck in the Uppity Wisconsin booth most of the day, as was Lori. But I did get to talk to lots of people, and see a few of the speeches, and shoot a little video.

But this morning I note that the web site of our local TV station actually mentions Bob Fest - But this is the entire story -

Peace mom" Cindy Sheehan was the headliner at an anti-war rally in Baraboo this weekend.

The prominent activist told a cheering crowd yesterday that President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney must be impeached for waging an illegal war.

She rose to prominence after her soldier son was killed five days after arriving in Iraq in 2004.

Last month the Dane County Board of Supervisors also endorsed impeachment proceedings against Bush and Cheney by a vote of 20 to 3.

 

Not even the name of the fest, nor any information that would lead you to think it was anything more than an anti-war rally. 7200 people, lots of discussion, a whole array of progressive issues - and it's an "anti-war rally".

Bob Fest was a whole lot more interesting than you'd think from the way it is treated in the local press.

For a little fuller coverage, see the article in the Capital Times.

For those of you who don't buy the "left-wing media" argument, there's some bright news- GoLeft TV is now on the air,and will bring multiple different video news feeds to the Internet, with a lefty viewpoint. I'm working out some issues with the GoLeft people at the moment, but for the time being, here's a preview of a some of what will be showing: (click on read more to see the video).  What do you think?  Want to see more here?