A Fresh Brand of Newspeak?

An old post that I'm just getting around to putting up. No, I'm not on an Orwell kick, although he is one of my favorites . . .


Floating about on the Internet right now is an anti-Hilary Clinton piece, a mash-up of the groundbreaking Apple Computer 1984 commerical.

It's very well edited and quite effective. The message concludes with a BarackObama.com tagline.

Here's a link.

Not surprisingly, the Obama camp is denying any connection.

Which begs the question, how has the Internet affected one's ability, especially a political candidate's ability, to speak with anonymity?

The tactic is far from contemporary. One of our country's earliest leaders, Thomas Jefferson, used press sources to slander John Adams in his bid for the presidency.

But by making it possible for the message to reach diverse and distant groups, anonymously, with lightning speed, the Internet is a weapon of much greater potency than a newspaper, television show or underground leaflet.

Think about it. Here are just a few Internet methods:

Internet news

Message boards

Instant messaging

MySpace

Blogs

RSS Newsfeeds

YouTube

Facebook

Podcasts

Camera phones

Spam

Webcasts

Streaming audio & video

Web-based games

Online communities

Commercials

All can be employed with a relative sense of anonymity, or at minimum can decieve the viewer regarding the true source of the material. Certainly these tactics can benefit one party directly or indirectly while at the same time preserving a candidate's ability to distance themselves from the message.

And, unlike a leaflet or letter, which one person must physically pass to another, an email or link can be forwarded by one person to hundereds of others with great ease.

Unlike a television news program, which is viewed traditionally only one time, Internet news programs and videos are preserved for as long as there's an interest in them.

Unlike a newspaper, which is read and thrown away, Internet news remains available for greater periods of time.

Unlike traditional media sources which are published daily or three times per day, Internet content can be revised nearly instantly. Got a leak to the press? You can bet that anonymous breaking news will be distributed via the world wide web.

Perhaps the 1984 piece was created by an anti-Obama camp, maybe even one loosely connected to Hilary Clinton. After all, anonymity works both ways. Could Clinton have created it to cast Obama in a poor light? It's possible.

So, a messaging cloak can both harm and help political candidates.

And as a concealer and message distribution system, nothing today works better than the Internet.

Orwell Again Shines Through

'Smith!' yelled a voice from the telescreen. '6079 Smith W.! Hands out of pockets in the cells!'1984, George Orwell

Text below from an article on England's plan to beef up their surveillance cameras with the ability to shout at offenders.

Dig the part toward the end where "tryouts for the voice" are mentioned.




That doesn't sound like the Youth League or The Spies, does it?

Terrifying.




Big Brother barks? Govt unveils shouting CCTV cameras

Talking" closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras which allow operators to shout at people behaving badly are to be installed across England, the government announced Wednesday.

The scheme lets local council workers in a control centre monitor pictures from the cameras and talk to them if they feel they are doing something wrong.

The cameras were piloted in Middlesbrough, north-east England, where they have been used to reprimand vandals and litter bugs, but now loudspeakers are being fitted to cameras in another 20 areas.

Britain has some 4.2 million CCTV cameras and the government's privacy watchdog, Information Commissioner Richard Thomas, warned last year that the nation risks "sleep-walking into a surveillance society".

Human rights group Privacy International says Britain is the worst country in the European Union at protecting individuals' privacy, citing "endemic surveillance".

And a powerful group of lawmakers -- the House of Commons home affairs select committee -- is to hold an inquiry into the extent of surveillance in Britain this year.

The "talking CCTV" move comes as Prime Minister Tony Blair's administration attempts to impose a "respect agenda" by cracking down on petty anti-social behaviour.

Home Secretary John Reid defended the scheme, saying it was aimed at "the small minority who think it is acceptable to litter our streets, vandalise our communities and damage our properties."

Reid added that schools in many areas were holding competitions for children to become the "voice" of CCTV cameras.

The scheme is likely to cost around 500,000 pounds (740,000 euros, 988,000 dollars).

Show 'Em What You've Got

Hi.

Good morning. Good afternoon. Good evening.

Haven't seen you here before.

Welcome to the gutter.

Never a dull moment here.

So here's the problem:

Poor little Antonella Barba. The spunky twenty-year-old American Idol contestant might have earned herself a new moniker; salacious.

She's very photogenic. Which, would normally be a good thing for someone pursuing a career in entertainment.

Ms. Antonella loves being photographed. I've attached a G-rated photo for your viewing pleasure. There's tons more out there.

The problem is that quite often, she's photographed in various states of undress. She's allegedly appeared in at least one photograph performing a sex act on the photographer. I have my doubts about this one.

So, are there any reasons for removing Antonella from American Idol?

One must consider the values of the main players in this situation.

Antonella Barba - She has the right to continue on the show. At this point, only some of the photos have been authenticated. She hasn't broken any laws.

She holds no monopoly among her peer groups in doing stupid things in front of cameras. The only difference is that she's now in the International spotlight and her photographs are drawing interest.

American Idol - FOX has the right to continue the show with Antonella, but it also has the right to remove her. Creative control resides with its producers.

While American Idol has been mum on this situation, they have, in the past, cut the journey short for contestants like Frenchie Davis, who appeared topless on a couple of websites. The show is called American Idol. Are Antonella's actions those of an Idol to young people, the show's biggest audience? No doubt, show creators guard its institutional integrity very closely.

Of the Barba drama, Executive Producer Nigel Lythgoe has issued only one terse statement. "It's sad, isn't it, that your best friends are the ones that come forward with information that will go to Smoking Gun or put your photographs on the web,'' said Lythgoe.

Lythgoe's tight-lipped approach may be marching orders from the top, FOX Television, whose overarching goal is to sell commercials and boost revenues for the network.

American Idol Advertisers - If this group exerts collective pressure, it's likely that even the 800 pound gorilla that is American Idol will aquiesce and somehow engineer Antonella's departure. After all, advertisers have two legitimate concerns, both closely linked to the morality of the show.

If mom and dad decide the show is morally left of center, pre-teen target audiences may vanish. Advertisers signed contracts with FOX expecting to reach this demographic.

Negative backlash of the pictures may begin to erode the integrity of advertiser's products. Boycott's aren't out of the question.

The Remaining Idol Contestants - There are a few possibilities here, all of which may support Antonella's departure. The contestants are already under crushing stress and this situation has done nothing but add weight to a heavy load. Is it fair that these contestants endure additional pressure?

Antonella has received buckets more attention and publicity since the release of the "pictures". This scandal may only serve to help her win the contest, or at minimum, outlast more deserving candidates.

Just a few thoughts on the matter.

If I were Nigel Lythgoe, I suppose I'd let her stay. She hasn't done anything wrong. The scandal has only heightened awareness of the show.

And, my God, this problem will most likely take care of itself.

Her lack of morals have been brought into question. It's not lack of morals that are going to get her thrown off.

It's lack of talent.

An Inconvenient Ice Storm

Brilliant.

Absolutely brilliant.



HOUSE HEARING ON 'WARMING OF THE PLANET' CANCELED AFTER ICE STORM
HEARING NOTICE
Tue Feb 13 2007 19:31:25 ET

The Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality hearing scheduled for Wednesday, February 14, 2007, at 10:00 a.m. in room 2123 Rayburn House Office Building has been postponed due to inclement weather. The hearing is entitled “Climate Change: Are Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Human Activities Contributing to a Warming of the Planet?”

The hearing will be rescheduled to a date and time to be announced later.

DC WEATHER REPORT:

Wednesday: Freezing rain in the morning. Total ice accumulation between one half to three quarters of an inch. Brisk with highs in the mid 30s. North winds 10 to 15 mph...increasing to northwest 20 to 25 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation near 100 percent.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows around 18. Northwest winds around 20 mph.

Attics of My Life

Playing on my iPod right now: Lonely Boy by Andrew Gold

Songs that begin with "A" on my iPod:

A Bad Dream - Keane
A Big Hunk O' Love - Elvis
A Conspiracy - The Black Crowes
A Day in the Life - Beatles
A Feast of Friends - The Doors
A Fool Such as I - Elvis
A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall - Bob Dylan
A Lack of Color - Death Cab for Cutie
A Legal Matter - The Who
A Legend in My Time - Johnny Cash
A Little Less Conversation - Elvis
A Long December - Counting Crowes
A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening - Frank Sinatra
A Man in a Purple Dress - The Who
A Matter of Trust - Billy Joel
A Message - Coldplay
A Month of Sundays - Don Henley
A N**** With a Gun - Snoop
A New Machine - Pink Floyd
A New Machine (Part II) - Pink Floyd
A Passage to Bangkok - Rush
A Pirate Looks at Forty- Jimmy Buffett
A Pocket Full of Stones - David Gilmour
A Rush of Blood to the Head - Coldplay
A Thousand Hours - The Cure
A View to a Kill - Duran Duran
A Whisper - Coldplay



Things I've Enjoyed Lately

A cooking class with my wife

Playing with my dog

Golden Tee brilliance and beer swilling in various South City taverns

Game Night at my house



Favorite Restaurant This Month

Vin de Set




What I'm Reading

Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand



What I'm Drinking (or Saving) This one's for you Becky...

2004 Jayer Gilles Hautes Cote du Nuits

2003 Hegarty Cuvee No. 1

1996 Cooper's Legacy Cabernet



Bands I Shouldn't Enjoy, But Do

Keane

Living Things

The Album Leaf

Patrick Park



Last Song I Downloaded

She's Like the Wind by Patrick Swayze (yes, there is a story behind it.)

The Breakup Box

So, Trixie, J, Becky and I were out a few weeks back, and the subject of teen breakups arose.

I confessed that I used to make "mix tapes" in an effort to win a girl back.

Last week, we got a CD from J and Becky titled Baby Come Back - A Tribute to Trixie

Here are the tracks:

1. More Than Words by Extreme
2. Don't Let It End by Styx
3. Please Don't Go Girl by New Kids on the Block
4. I Do It For You by Bryan Adams
5. I'd Die For You by Bon Jovi
6. I Can't Hold Back by Survivor
7. Every Woman in the World by Air Supply
8. I'll Make Love to You by Boys 2 Men
9. I Want to Know What Love Is by Foreigner
10. One More Night by Phil Collins
11. Make It With You by Bread
12. Right Here Waiting by Richard Marx
13. Baby Come Back by Player

So, we retaliated with Never Say Goodbye - we published it on iTunes as "The Breakup Box" in the iMix section as well . . .

1. It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday by Boys 2 Men
2. Never Say Goodbye by Bon Jovi
3. The Search is Over by Survivor
4. She's Like the Wind by Patrick Swayze
5. The Old Songs by Barry Manilow
6. Three Times a Lady by The Commodores
7. Without You by Air Supply
8. Hard to Say I'm Sorry by Chicago
9. When I Look Into Your Eyes by Firehouse
10. I Can't Live Without Your Love and Affection by Nelson

Oh, and for those of you in St. Louis, we celebrated Trixie's b-day at Vin de Set. HOLY HUMPING HOOKERS!!! OUT OF SIGHT!

Fucking Moose Tits! It's COLD!

So, thanks to Nervous Thoughts, I've been brought out of my slumber, very unlike the plants in the pictures here. . .

What's been going on? Do you even care? Do I even care?

Well, I survived my first semester back in COLLIGE.

Happy to report my 3.93 GPA. It would have been a 4.0, but the leftist whack-job who "doesn't beleive in grades" and who "gives everyone a B on the first exam" (I'm not making this shit up...a product of the 'everybody gets a trophy-ization' of America) gave me an A-.

I'm appealing it.

All set to graduate in May 2008, if I don't take a job that someone called me about.

"Every time I think I'm out, they pull me back in!"