O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree...

It's the holidays again and like always everyone wants to know what's going on in the white house! As all of you know it is vitally important that we know what type of tree the President's family has because to not know would send the country into an even worse economic downfall! Okay, not really, but seriously, why should I care? Does it matter what tree they pick out and where it is from? What would happen if they didn't get a tree or if the first lady chose to put up a fake tree from home. In my opinion that would impress me more. I would love to hear that they wanted to use their own tree from home instead of one delivered. But I guess since it will be on display, it must look its best.

I just think this country is too caught up on tradition. I understand that it is important to have traditions and stay true to them, but does the media have to devote air time to letting us know what tree they got? I'm not trying to be cynical or even say that I don't like Christmas or anything like that. I just don't understand why the media had to tell me over and over again what tree they chose. In the grand scheme of things it doesn't matter. However, if they are trying to keep the countries spirits high and get us into the Holiday spirit then I support that. We need some happiness in this country right now.

What I really wanna know is, what would the news media do if they not only got a Christmas tree, but they also placed a Star of David and a Crescent Moon around the tree as well? Can we say media field day?


The video of the tree being delivered can be found here.

This Matters...

I don't know why this story surprised me. There has always been a difference between the way the government treats normal citizens and the way politicians are treated. I guess this difference exists because when the one who is making your laws is arrested for breaking the law, he already knows the judge so he will get off easy. Charles B Rangle and Steven Rattner both broke the law, but both got a simple slap on the wrist instead of jail time. The story can be found here, but basically Rangle, a congressman, evaded taxes for 17 years and claimed he didn't know he had. Even though he is a congressman who helps with tax laws... Yet even though he did that he still didn't get removed from congress and all he got was a slap on the wrist. Yet normal people who evade taxes for much less time get federal jail time! Completely uneven punishment scale.


Rattner was a wall street financier who bribed New York State officials for 150 MILLION! Yet all he had to pay back was 6.2 million with a two year ban from the securities industry. Not a lifetime ban. A temporary ban. Are you kididng me? This is what our officials and the people who handle our money do? And yet no matter what they do they don't get punished like an average person. What if they were to murder someone? Would the legal system care then? Or would they accept some lame brain excuse? In my opinion stories like these matter because it shows the problems we have in our government AND legal system. The corruption is unreal.

Smart Girl...?

Sarah Palin is doing her best to take the media by store. She is already loved by the media and has had a ton of media coverage since the last presidential election, yet she is taking it farther. She now has a reality  TV show! The fact that she has launched this show at this particular time does matter! The timing is perfect. Right now the talk of the next election is growing by leaps and bounds. Who is running? Who stands a chance? What's the rater interest? Who has the best media personality?

All this questions are being asked and Palin supporters are trying to keep her in the spotlight of the media. Now she has this show and her daughter is on Dancing with the Stars, so it is unlikely that people will be forgetting her anytime soon. The article and a clip can be found here on CNN's website.

In my opinion this is just another way politicians are trying to hijack the media and use it to their advantage. I am interested to see if this show helps Palin, or hurts her since opposition will be trying to twist everything said into something negative. And a reality TV show has a lotta quotes that can be taken. I hope she treads carefully with this show.



*Photo can be found here*

The Grinch Who Stole Christmas!

What I find fascinating about media and politics is the way people will try to skew the view of politicians by using the media and popular outlets. Right now there is a lot of media hype about the upcoming elections in November so the competition of mudslinging is underway. The Huffington Post had an article about Republican Grinches that I found both fascinating and hilarious. They accurately used a well known Christmas story to tug at peoples heartstrings. No one wants to be labeled the Grinch who stole Christmas, which is what the democrats did. By tugging at Americas heart strings they can cast a negative light on a candidate. Some people may only see a picture referring to one issue and that can skew who that person votes for if they were on edge and undecided. This is using the media at it's best. A an overall simple issue that can be turned into a much larger issue in a flash.

Dr. Seuss's story is a well known and popular Christmas story that is used to represent the "true meaning of Christmas". No one needs to know what the employment issue is about, all they need to know is that the Republicans will take Christmas away from people and ruin it! Don't you just love the media? All it takes is a picture....

The Power of Oprah

When I was browsing the Huffington Post I came across an article referring to Jon Stewart's and Stephen Colbert's rally coming up on October 30th. I know that the two have been trying to garner support for awhile and they have been using the power of their shows to do it, but what I think will really help them is Oprah.

The Daily Show and the Colbert Report only reach a select audience of late night viewers who tune in to watch that kind of satirical show. The Oprah Show reaches another type of audience that views in the afternoon for more soft news. The reason Oprah will help them is due to the fact that she announced her decision to give flights and hotel accommodations to the audience of the Daily Show so that they can go to the rally. She will inevitably mention this gift, and her support, on her show. That will allow another section of society to 1) know about the show and 2) either attend or watch the rally.

The story can be found here, and I personally think the reason Colbert and Stewart are trying to garner this much publicity is they want to out do Glenn Beck. Why, I don't know, but that is my belief. I think that by having the power of Oprah behind them will help them immensely.

The link to the video is here and I highly recommend watching it as it is very entertaining. Colbert and Stewart feed off of each other and I am not sure that is a good thing or not.

*Photo links are here and here

Freedom of Speech?

Is reciting the pledge mandatory? Do you have to recite the pledge in order to be "American"? According to one judge, it is mandatory! Judge Littlejohn of Mississippi ordered attorney Danny Lampley to say the pledge with the rest of the courtroom. When Lampley refused the judge sentenced him to contempt of court. According to past rulings, it is a precedent that you cannot be forced to salute the flag or recite the pledge. The article can be found here and here (there is a little variance between the two).

What I wonder is this, if the media covered this story more, would it affect the populace? In one of the articles people are cited as saying that they don't feel it's american to refuse to recite the pledge while others feel it is a breach of the freedom of speech. What would people say if a debate was started about the pledge? I wonder this because we are in a difficult recession with a war going on so I wonder if that would sway people away from the freedom of speech argument?  The fact that a judge felt he had the ability to hold a person in contempt makes me worry about what is happening with our legal system. I personally think that overall the system is corrupt, yet it still has its place in maintaining order. Therefore, I think judges and all acting members of the legal system need to not abuse their power which I think this judge has done. He should know case law. The case WV School Board v. Barnette is a well know, well referenced case that he should have known. It sets the precedence and Judge Littlejohn should abide by it.

Judge Gone Wild

I was in one of my classes today when I heard about a story that had flown by under my news radar. It involves a Federal Judge and a stripper! The entire story can be found here, but I find the possibilities of this story to be the most interesting. Judge Camp is a senior judge who had been taking a lighter case load due to his seniority. Apparently, he also found the desire to do some extra curricular activities with his free time. He was caught during an FBI sting buying drugs from an undercover office with the stripper (the name is not released).


What I find interesting is the fact that this doesn't seem to be getting as much coverage as other trials. I would have assumed that all forms of media would be having a field day with this story. This is a judge who has sentenced people with drug charges to serious jail time. Yet here he is caught doing the same thing he chastises others for doing! Attorneys are revisiting his past decisions to see if any of them can be over turned due to these new charges, but it is doubtful any will be. I have seen more media coverage over Senators having affairs than over this and I just find it a tad ironic.

I have to admit though, I feel worse for his wife and sons. Maybe it's for the best that the media isn't having a field day with this story and embarrassing the family even more.