Monthly Archives: May 2004

Air Howler May Spice Up Air America

Posted on May 6, 2004 by Michael Froomkin

According to today's incomparable Daily Howler, Bob Somerby will be on the radio soon. It sounds like can't-miss radio:

THE O'FRANKEN ADVENTURE: Our entire staff guest-stars today on Air America's inspiring show, The O'Franken Factor. Our segment starts at 12:30 Eastern. With Al's enthusiastic permission, we plan to discuss Wittgenstein's “private language argument,” although our presentation is fairly tight and may not take the entire segment. Punch line: “If they told us that when we were sophomores, we wouldn't have had to take Descartes or Kant!” Of course, if you try to do this on conservative radio, they give you this look like you're nuts.

Excitement builds in the radio world. We certainly hope you'll be listening.

I've listened to Air America a few time in the evening and found it to be just plain awful. To be fair I haven't heard either of what I expect would be the best shows — Al Franken's show and Florida's own Randi Rhodes. But what I have heard is pretty pathetic.

In contrast…no, by any standard, the clips of the Daily Show the Comedy Network puts online are absolutely fantastic.

Posted in Kultcha | 2 Comments

Privately?

Posted on May 6, 2004 by Michael Froomkin

In my current addled state, I'm having a little trouble understanding headlines like Bush Privately Chides Rumsfeld. Erum. “Privately”? Like on the front page of every newspaper on earth? Yes, I understand it's off-camera, but is that what “privately” means now?

Posted in Iraq Atrocities | 1 Comment

NYT Says $25 Billion Iraq Supplemental is no Big Deal

Posted on May 6, 2004 by Michael Froomkin

Which is a better, fuller, explanation of the state of play?

Is it the account offerd by Notes on the Atrocities:

Nickel and Diming

February. Bush's budget comes out with no additional request for funds for Iraq.

Monday. A senior administration official says there's no “resource problem in Iraq.”

Today.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Bush administration asked Congress Wednesday for an additional $25 billion for U.S. operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, congressional Republicans said, a retreat from the White House's earlier plans not to seek such money until after the November elections….

It seemed likely that the $25 billion proposal would be only the first portion of funds that will be needed for next year.

Or is it the account (on page A15!!!) of the New York Times, White House Asks G.O.P. in Congress to Add $25 Billion which begins with the line,

“The Bush administration, which once said it had enough money for the military's role in Iraq through 2004, asked Republican leaders of Congress on Wednesday to add $25 billion for the military beginning Oct. 1.”

… but nowhere notes that the administration was saying last week that no more money would be needed. Rather the article says over and over and over that this request was “not a surprise” and quotes (Republican) politicians as saying “we knew it was comming.”

Talk about soft coverage.

Posted in Iraq | 1 Comment

On Tax Collection

Posted on May 6, 2004 by Michael Froomkin

OK, so he published this for April 15, and I'm behind on my reading.

yesh omrim : A timely thought: According to the American Institute of
Philanthropy, “$35 or less to raise $100 is reasonable for most
charities.”

By comparison, the Federal government, in its fiscal '04 budget, plans to spend about $40 billion on “administration of justice” and about $10 billion on tax collection, in a total budget of about $3250 billion. So even if we attribute the expense of the entire Justice Department and Federal prison system to the cost of government “fund-raising”, it costs the government less than $2 to raise $100. (These figures are from the National Budget Simulation.)

The next time someone tells you that private charities are “more efficient” than the government at achieving some worthy goal, remember these figures.

This could, however, be an economy of scale. Or, perhaps, think of it a measure of how much it is better to be feared than loved?

Posted in Econ & Money | 2 Comments

What Do These Blogs Have In Common?

Posted on May 5, 2004 by Michael Froomkin

A little puzzle for the procrastinator. What do the following blogs/websites have in common? (Hint: It has NOTHING to do with politics.)

Answer in a later posting if no one figures it out. (PS. Yes, they're all interesting. That's not it either.)

1 Stumped? Second hint: Needlenose currently belongs to this list but sometimes doesn't.

Posted in Blogs | Comments Off on What Do These Blogs Have In Common?

Unfortunate Metaphor

Posted on May 5, 2004 by Michael Froomkin

My brother's White House Briefing today includes this zinger:

… at the rally in Cincinnati, Bush uncorked a possibly unfortunate image. From the transcript:

“I appreciate the grassroots people who are here. Listen, you've got to work hard to turn out the vote, and that's what we call grassroots. I want to thank you. I'm here to fertilize the grassroots today. I'm here to ask you to grow. (Applause.)”

Posted in Dan Froomkin, Politics: US | 1 Comment