Someone forwarded an article to me about Twitter being a “craze” or “fad.” I’m not going to dispute the possibility that it’s just the new hoola hoop. However, it should be clarified that social media isn’t going anywhere. It’s just going to keep evolving.
I don’t hate Barack Obama. Or even despise him. I don’t feel that he’s the anti-Christ many conservative pundits purport him to be, but he’s not the Messiah. Of course, you’d think he was by the way everyone talks about him. It think that’s what is called “Obamamania”. In the eyes of his supporters, the man can do no wrong, apparently.
Time Magazine is oft-criticized as a liberal publication, but Ramesh Ponnuru’s column “Town Overboard!” does a good job pointing out how ridiculous “Obamamania” really is.
Here’s an excerpt:
Going to D.C. to celebrate the election of a President you believe in? That’s fine. Hanging around at his hotel just “to be breathing the same air,” as one man told the Washington Post? If you can picture a stalker giving the same quote, maybe it’s time to think again.
Naming your newborn Barack is, at best, right on the line. Renaming your kids’ elementary school after him, as people in Hempstead, N.Y., did? Wait until he’s got a presidential library. Wear an Obama shirt, sure, if that’s how you feel. Wearing one that says the only TRUTH THAT STANDS BEFORE US IS OBAMA, as two dozen guys I saw at the Democratic Convention did, puts you at the center of Crazyville.
Personally, I feel like he managed to pull the wool over America’s eyes. Or, rather, the media managed to pull the wool over America’s eyes and helped the man win this election. Orson Scott Card, an award-winning author (”Ender’s Game”) and registered democrat, wrote a couple of fantastic columns citing some very good reasons NOT to vote for Obama. If it weren’t for the deafening noise of Obamamania, Oprah and Bush’s extremely low approval ratings, somebody might have heard the truth behind the lies.
He also points fingers at journalists for not doing their job. I agree one-hundred percent Orson! More on that later…
Anywho, I certainly hope he can do what he says. Or we’re all screwed.
Read: Column #1
Read: Column #2
I’ve been discussing the on-going crisis between Israel and Hamas with a friend of mine on Facebook. Even though I am no expert on The Middle East, I have to agree with him that this whole ordeal between Israel and Hamas is disproportionate and that Israel shouldn’t have invaded Gaza like it did. Oh well. Judging by articles that have appeared on Pajamas Media (read article: “Is Time rooting for Israel’s defeat?”) and Huffington Post (which I despise) (read article: “How Israel’s propaganda machine works”), unbeknownst to me, it would seem that I’m leaning to the left nowadays. More on that later…
Unfortunately, this conflict has been the cause of many unintended negative consequences for Israel:
I still can’t get past the fact that the United States is a-OK with all of this. Are you a-OK with all of this?
Here’s my first official music recommendation for 2009: Lily Allen’s “The Fear”. Stepping out from behind her “Smile,” Allen’s latest single ridiculously catchy, cynical and dark. My only beef is that the song’s subject matter, which seems to be mocking “Young Hollywood,” has shades of P!nk (”Stupid Girls”). Fortunately, Lily Allen bites harder than P!nk ever will. The linked video is the “clean version.” No earmuffs required.
I read an article on CNN.com that made me angry: A Muslim family was kicked off an airplace because two of its members were having a discussion about the safest place to sit on an airplane. Regardless of the fact that neither the words “bomb,” “explosion” nor “skyscraper” were used in the conversation, some passengers felt the conversation was “suspicious.” Those passengers alerted the flight attendant who alerted the FBI. The whole family was, eventually, removed from the plane for questioning (The FBI cleared the family of any wrong doing, but could not convince the airline to re-book them. The airline has since apologized for the incident.)
The situation infuriates me, because the family did nothing wrong. That conversation, in particular, is a normal one to have on an airplane or at an airport. Who hasn’t had that discussion? I know I have! I am certain the only reason the conversation was deemed “suspicious” was because the family was Arabic and people are still freaking out about 9/11.
A little common sense on the part of the passengers could have gone a long way. Firstly, I’m certain no terrorists are going to bring family members on a suicide mission (unless he or she hates them, too). Secondly, there would be no discussion about where the safest place on the plane would be. If anyone wanted to survive a suicide mission, they simply wouldn’t go. And, thirdly, no terrorist is going to be discussing his or her plans with his or her co-conspirators on the airplane — in English! Terrorists are not that stupid.
Personally, I feel the family handled the whole situation gracefully. After all was said and done, all they wanted was an apology from the airline. They got that and a free flight.