Freshly Sponsored News
My last post about the Mets Pizza-Citifield sleeve patch had me thinking about other troubling corporate sponsorship. Now, the Mets thing is annoying–I imagine more to the players than anybody–but it isn’t anything to get angry about. When “news” is sponsored, this is something else entirely.
Anyone else shocked to see Joe with a frappuccino?
I’ve never been a big fan of Joe Scarborough, so my complaining about his show isn’t too surprising. But “Morning Joe,” Scarborough’s AM talk show on MSNBC that he cohosts with Mika Brzezinski (whom Scarborough is pretty condescending to, but who often does the show without him), is now “Brewed by Starbucks.” They say it at the end of all the segments–with the Starbucks logo featured. Anyone on the show is always drinking from a Starbucks cup. It’s really embarrassing.
The biggest problem, though, is that Scarborough (and MSNBC?) doesn’t see any conflict here between ostensibly objective news coverage and corporate sponsorship. Of course Scarborough’s comments (and everyone else’s) are fairly colored by his political views, but that’s something of a given with the current state of cable news channels. To add to that the corporate puppet strings–to whatever degree they are being pulled–is just awful. I know it’s a big financial boon for MSNBC, but I better not see Hardball and Rachel Maddow’s show being “Brought to me” by anyone! I find it hard to believe those hosts would allow such a selling-out, but who knows how power is wielded behind the scenes at these places.
I tend to believe, though, that Scarborough sees nothing but good coming from building on the ‘brilliant’ pun of his show’s title with a little branding.
Filed under: Entertainment, News, Politics | 4 Comments
Tags: bias, Brzezinski, cable news, corporate, Freshly Brewed, Joe, Mika, Morning Joe, Morning News, MSNBC, News, Scarborough, sponsor, sponsorship, Starbucks
Mets Pizza Patch
As a Yankee fan living in the Midwest, I don’t get to see many games. This weekend, the Yankees have been playing their cross-town rivals, the Mets, and tonight’s game is the first of the series that I am seeing. It’s also the first I am seeing of the Mets. I have been overwhelmed by the ridiculousness of the “Inaugural Season 2009″ patch. I can’t believe I haven’t seen/heard about this yet, especially since I am pretty devoted to The Colbert Report, and (as I just found through Googling) Colbert did a bit about it.
This patch is so big, I don’t see HOW the players don’t complain of interference. I don’t see how NO ONE in the whole process of designing these things and affixing them to the uniforms thought better of this! From afar, all you can tell is that the patch resembles the Citigroup logo, so it seems like they have TOTALLY sold out by having their uniforms sponsored, like a little league team. That allusion can’t be coincidence, especially since the only thing this is an inaugural season OF is Citifield. And everyone knows that. You don’t need a Boy Scout badge to remind all the viewers.
It’s tough playing in the same city as the Yankees, but decisions like this mega patch help to do nothing but make the Mets seem worthy of great pity. Especially since those patches are so big, they have to be affecting everyone’s swings and throws–and self-image.
Filed under: Entertainment, Humor, News, Sports | 1 Comment
Tags: 2009, baseball, Citifield, Colbert, Inaugural season, Mets, patch, pizza patch, uniforms, Yankees
Local Caper
Someone stole my dryer sheets at the laundromat the other day when I stepped out for a quick change of scenery. I believe I even saw the guy leaving with the box of them in a pillow case and thought, “Gee, that looks like he has nothing but a box of dryer sheets, and I left my box on a machine.” Of course, then I also thought, “It’s a laundromat. Everyone has a box of dryer sheets in there.” How wrong I was! Turns out, the guy also stole someone else’s PILLOW CASE! Bet you didn’t see that coming!
Tomorrow, I will try to garner the courage to return to the scene of the crime as I, alas, again, have a heaping pile of dirty clothes that need washing. If you don’t hear from me in three days, send in the reinforcements.
Filed under: Entertainment, Fashion, Humor, News | Leave a Comment
Tags: laundromat, theft, dryer sheets, laundry, dirty clothes, caper, robbery, scene of the crime, thief, crime, local crime, pillow case
some dissertation progress has been made. Chapter one is drafted (woohoo) and chapter two underway–daunting, but underway. We’ve also had some great developments, like the legalization of same-sex marriage in my current state of Iowa (of which I am so proud), as well as in several NE states that should have done this ages ago. My home state of NY is behind the mark here, but not so far behind as CA, it seems.
I’m hoping to be back to regular blogging, but make no promises, as I am chronically unreliable re: anything that isn’t necessary or a favor to a friend. Perhaps I’ll post soon about my woes with Henry James or the strange insects that have been wandering into my basement apartment…
Filed under: Dissertation | 2 Comments
Tags: blogging, Dissertation, gay marriage, Iowa, same-sex marriage
Bill Richardson repealed the death penalty in New Mexico today, stating, very wisely and sensibly, “Regardless of my personal opinion about the death penalty, I do not have confidence in the criminal justice system as it currently operates to be the final arbiter when it comes to who lives and who dies for their crime.”
This is the most sensible position to take on this issue, and I can’t believe it isn’t a unanimous opinion. Over 130 people on death row have been exonerated in the last ten years; surely no one can feel good about wrongfully killing people in the name of ‘justice.’
The other reason to cease the imposition of the death penalty is that it is more expensive for taxpayers than sentencing people to life in prison without parole. An interesting discussion about the costs of the death penalty is here: http://www.fnsa.org/v1n1/dieter1.html
Perhaps the most succinct argument against the death penalty comes from former Washington State Supreme Court Justice Robert F. Utter, who acknowledges not only its vulnerability to erroneous implementation, but its racial bias and hypocrisy. Justice Utter resigned owing to his opposition to the death penalty, and explains that decision here: ‘I believe society has a right to protect itself by imposing life sentences without the possibility of parole. However, it became obvious that there were certain inherent contradictions that made unfairness and discrimination not merely uncontrollable accessories of the punishment of death, but its very essence.’ For more, see The Death Penalty Information Center.
So, hooray, Bill Richardson! I hope every governor follows your lead with this very sensible proclamation against the death penalty.
For CNN’s coverage of the Richardson announcement: http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/03/18/new.mexico.death.penalty/index.html?eref=rss_topstories
For information about the death penalty in the US, see The Death Penalty Information Center: http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/home
Filed under: Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
Tags: Bill Richardson, capital punishment, criminal justice, death penalty, life without parole, New Mexico, repeal, repeal of death penalty, Richardson
Does anyone know why President Obama (and presumably presidents before him) is given a different pen with each executive order he has to sign? Why can’t he just hold onto one pen to sign them all with? All the pen changing seems strange at best, wasteful more likely.
Filed under: Politics, Trivia | 2 Comments
Tags: executive orders, executive signing, Obama, pens, President Obama, presidential trivia, question
Finally, someone says the obvious to Republican lawmakers! Obama was fantastic today. I’m thrilled about all of his announcements about lobbyists having no part in his administration, about closing Gitmo, about how the Democrats did not accidentally win the election, but because a majority of Americans support his plans. I love how everything has been so televised also. You can watch him signing all of his executive orders, coordinating with his staff, chatting with press members. I realize this is just day 3, and the honeymoon is still in full swing, but I am very, very glad he is our president. I also think he is a great role model, for myself no less than for American children.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/01/23/obama-quit-listening-rush-limbaugh-want-things/
Filed under: Politics | Leave a Comment
Tags: Barack Obama, Gitmo, Limbaugh, lobbyists, Obama, President Obama, role model
Hilarious Grad School Cartoon
I have a new favorite grad school-related cartoon:
Found on Facebook in the group: “Grad students: They’re not bad people, they just made terrible life choices.”
Filed under: Dissertation, Humor | 2 Comments
Tags: Dissertation, Grad school, Humor, MA, masters, MFA, post-grad, post-grad work
Student Loan Bailout?
In the midst of all of these massive bailouts by the government of the banking, the mortgage loan, and the auto industries, I am of course furious about the ease with which those with lots of money can move it around to keep themselves rich and the rest of us not. But I am also hoping that all of the ‘regular’ people who were encouraged to take out all kinds of loans to pursue higher education get the same bailout courtesy when it becomes apparent how astronomical those school costs–and loans with interest–have been. Of course, there is no Student Loan Lobby that fights for the students; is there?
Ironic, how I have been hoping for the end of a lobbyist-run government, and now wish there were people there to argue my cause. But the little people, massively outnumbering the big ones, need to be extended the financial stabilization the government is currently granting these corrupt corporations.
Filed under: Dissertation, Politics | Leave a Comment
Tags: auto industry, bailout, bailouts, banking crisis, college, college loans, government, mortgage crisis, mortgage loan, Student loans
I ought to have expected this, but it’s still surprising. I feel pretty pathetic and good for nothing and ashamed of my lack of ambition, dedication, focus, progess. Does Focus Factor work? Is there some herb I should take to improve my go-get-ums and hop-to-its? Probably not. Or I’d be too worried about the side effects to really use anything like that. Caffeine is supposed to do wonders for focus and productivity, but I seem to be so sensitive to it that I get a headache unless I’ve had just the right amount each day, and it’s not easy to calibrate when you switch between several kinds of caffeinated beverages.
The real issue, though, feels existential: the whole, “why am I doing this? Why will it matter?” line of questioning. I need to shake that in the next few hours so I can have something to submit to my writing group this weekend. Hopefully, blogging ashamedly about this will make me work hard, now. I suppose I will post back about progress, especially since the election is over and I really have no excuse to be as distracted as I was before Nov. 4.
Filed under: Dissertation | 3 Comments
Tags: ambition, caffeine, Dissertation, lack of ambition, lack of progress, procrastinating, progress, writing
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