How Dare We Doubt the Mighty "Mainstream Media"?!

I just read this line in an article from TIME:

Either way, you may not be inclined to believe what we say about numbers, according to a recent poll that found record-low levels of public trust of the mainstream media.

Well, well, well. I could be mistaken, but it sounds like someone's a trifle miffed.

Terribly sorry, Mr. Mainstream-Media* Journalist-Man, but that's just the way it is.
Earn back our trust through trustworthy reporting!

*Note: There are proposals for a change in terminology from "mainstream media" to something else-- primarily to reflect the fact that the so-called mainstream media is no longer mainstream. (Hasn't been for many years, though it's getting worse of late.) It probably won't make much difference what we call them, but I agree that they don't deserve to be called "mainstream".

Random Tidbits

• Twice on Friday, Trixie barked at a butterfly that landed on the atrium door. Serious, extended barking. She's always been very conscious of insects and alerts us to invading spiders, moths, or crickets, but I think that's the first time she's barked at a butterfly.
  
• I am afraid of my pressure cooker. I still use it from time to time, but I don't really trust it not to explode. When I use it, I put Molly outside (her usual spot is in the kitchen) and I don't stay in the room more than I have to, myself. Irrational? Perhaps. But at least we're safe from exploding pressure cookers. ;o)
  
• World Celebrities Sing to Stop Global Warming. Oh, those celebrities. Always changing the world. This time, they "joined in recording a song to draw attention to the global warming crisis"-- because, you know, hardly anyone's heard about global warming. (But I thought the new accepted term was "climate change"...)
• I am:
  
• Encouraged by the huge numbers of people who showed up in Washington D.C. on Saturday (to protest the government's ever-increasing grasp for power).
  
• Annoyed (though not surprised) by the lack of coverage in much of the media-- or the sad attempts to belittle it by describing the crowds as merely "thousands" or "scores".
  
• Encouraged again that apparently a few more people are seeing this bias.
• After a rainy weekend, we're starting off the workweek with more rain. I would mind the rain less if it was at least a cool rain, but it's still fairly steamy out there. Still, this is September. If I remember correctly ;o) October comes next. Ah, October...
• Friday evening, I accidentally stepped on a caterpillar. I only knew I did so because (gulp) it made a sharp pop. (shudder) I am still haunted by the memory of that sound.
• Donald started training Trixie to "stay" in preparation for training her on weave poles. (Those are the the rows of vertical obstacles that dogs in agility competitions "weave" through.) She's definitely got the idea of what "stay" means, but she still needs some work on sticking with it. (Why does she have to stay? She doesn't want to!)
• We tried out our new board game, The Settlers of Catan, over the weekend. Technically it's not a two-person game, but lots of people have figured out ways to make it work. It was entertaining with two people, but I bet it'll be even better with three or more. We're going to have to invite my family over for a game, one of these weekends. (Family-- you've been warned. ;o))

Today in Three Photos

Today has been rainy at times, and at other times merely overcast and dreary. With an occasional breeze, it almost feels like autumn. (A bit too warm still-- and too humid-- but getting there...)

Overcast days are nice for mini photographic excursions around the yard. . .



. . .trying out a new board game (Settlers of Catan). . .

. . .and digging holes in the moistened soil. . .

(Just ask Trixie.)

Unbelievable.

Community Organizers hard at work:

"ACORN Officials Videotaped Telling 'Pimp', 'Prostitute' How to Lie to IRS"

Excerpts (and reactions):

In the videotape, made on July 24, James O'Keefe, a 25-year-old independent filmmaker, posed as a pimp with a 20-year-old woman named "Kenya" who posed as a prostitute while visiting ACORN's office in Baltimore. The couple told ACORN staffers they wanted to secure housing where the woman could continue to maintain a prostitution business.

ACORN — the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now — bills itself as the nation's largest community of low- and moderate-income families "working together for social justice and stronger communities," according to its web site. The organization has been accused by Republicans and conservative activists with fraud in voter registration drives around the country and has been under fire since last year for its support of President Obama and for its planned participation in next year's census.

A spokesman for ACORN, Scott Levenson, when asked to comment on the videotape, said: "The portrayal is false and defamatory and an attempt at gotcha journalism. This film crew tried to pull this sham at other offices and failed. ACORN wants to see the full video before commenting further."

That last bit just makes me laugh. So the fact that the filmmaker's pose (supposedly) failed at other offices should make its success at this office somehow less shocking? Sorry, that's not good enough.

On the videotape, "Kenya" can be seen telling an ACORN staffer that she earns roughly $8,000 a month. The ACORN employee then suggests to "Kenya" that ACORN could submit a tax return for 2008 showing that she made $9,600 for the entire year — instead of $96,000 — and that ACORN would charge "Kenya" $50 instead of the usual $150 fee for preparing her taxes.

Well, isn't that nice of them?

The ACORN staffer can also be seen suggesting that the prostitute list her occupation as a freelance "performing artist."

"It's not dancing, trust me," the "pimp" says.

"But dancing is considered an art," the ACORN staffer replies. "[Exotic dancers] usually go under performing artists, or yeah, they usually go under performing arts, which will be what you are — a performing artist."

The "pimp" later says that he and "Kenya" plan to bring up to 13 "very young" girls from El Salvador to work as prostitutes. Although an ACORN staffer points out their plans are illegal, she also suggests that the girls can be claimed as dependents.

"What if they are going to be making money because they are performing tricks too?" the pimp says.

"If they making money and they are underage, then you shouldn't be letting anybody know anyway," the ACORN staffer says, and laughs. "It's illegal. So I am not hearing this, I am not hearing this. You talk too much. Don't give up no information you're not asked."

The "pimp" then asks ACORN staffers to "promise" not to discriminate against his sex worker because of "who she is and what she does," according to the audiotape.

"If we don't have the information, then how are we going to discriminate?" the ACORN staffer replies. "You see what I am saying?"

At this point, the ACORN staffer must've been thinking s/he was dealing with the stupidest pimp in town. (I still can't believe they fell for this.)

If the girls are under age 16, the ACORN staffer says on the tape, then they are not legally allowed to work in the state, regardless of what they do.

"So it's like they don't even exist?" "Kenya" asks.

"Exactly," the ACORN staffer replies. "It's like they don't even exist."

What a wonderful, inspiring message of HOPE for young girls who may have been sold or tricked into prostitution. As far as these lovely community organizers are concerned, it's like you don't even exist.

The staffer goes on to suggest that as many as three of the underage girls can be listed as dependents at the home, but a "flag" will be raised if as many as 13 are listed.

"You are gonna use three of them," the staffer says. "They are gonna be under 16, so you is eligible to get child tax credit and additional child tax credit."

The ACORN workers also appear to be promoting the group's services to the "pimp" and "Kenya."

A second ACORN employee can be heard on the audiotape suggesting that the couple join the organization for an annual cost of $120 prior to attending one of its first-time homebuyer seminars, which are underwritten with taxpayer funds.

Wow! Getting child tax credit for your underage hookers! Now, that's really clever!

Later, when the "pimp" asks what would happen if the organization is somehow connected to the scheme, the ACORN staffer replies, "First of all, it's not gonna damage us because we not gonna know. And with your girls, you tell them, 'Be careful.' Train them to keep their mouth shut."

"These girls are like 14, how can we trust them?" the pimp asks.

"Just be very, very careful," the ACORN staffer says. "Whatever you do, always keep your eyes in the back of your head."

Very sound advice!

Well, I don't know about you, but consider my heart warmed!

This is such great news for pimps and prostitutes everywhere-- not to mention those especially nice people who ship in young girls from abroad for exploitation. Finally there's someone willing to extend a helping hand to those in our community who need it most!

"Finding skeletons is such fun!"

This morning, a blog I read linked to The Local, which bills itself as "Sweden's News in English". (I've been to the site before-- but I haven't been a regular reader for quite some time.) I read the linked article and was about to navigate away from the page when something near the top caught my eye:

"A body is discovered, followed by two skeletons." True, the quote's attributed to "The Swedish Book Blog", which clears up the mystery pretty quickly, but in juxtaposition with that happy, smiling face (a photo of the journalist/book blogger, I assume), the grisly quotation just struck me as bizarre and amusing.

I thought this was probably just a fluke-- but after refreshing the page and getting new "headline quotations", I began to think that they do this kind of thing on purpose. (Not necessarily always by pairing creepy quotations with smiling photos, however. Sometimes they just choose an eye-grabbingly odd line for the quotation.)

Next up, there was a surgical masked statue announcing, "Hello. My name is Peter and I have had the swine flu."


(Um. Dude? You might want to pull the mask up so that it covers your nose, too. . . Just a thought.)

Then there's this gem:

"How many insects do you need to make a hamburger?"

(. . . Remind me to skip the burgers, next time I'm in Sweden.)

And here's one more dose of the absurd:

"Ladies, send me some pictures of your shaved heads."

I had to click that one just to see what in the world that was all about. Apparently, the female shaven head is some sort of new trendy look, and the columnist is seeking more photos of women who have shaven their heads for fashion. . . . No, seriously.

Ah, the Internet. You never know what you'll find next!