(I sent it already, incidentally. Hooray for voting!)

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/10/22/thinkfast-october-22-2008/

SubMarx, I just checked with Dave S. That is a hoax.

That’s pretty much the same for me (I read the Sun, just to remind myself that the Courier Mail is not the worst paper in the world). That said, the sport pages are second to none.

The solution to all your problems is a new set of “naughty” underwear and burying your head in the sand.

Although where I stay in Wales, I have to order the Independent in unless I go to one of the big stationers in town.

Dear Deidre

My boyfriend set fire to my curtains and is sleeping with my mother. What should I do?

Concerned of London

———

Dear Concerned

I recommend a nice set of venetian blinds. They’ll keep the place cool in summer and will be great while entertaining.

I noticed the 5 different stories in 5 different ways.

I’d rate the Guardian as pretty good, even if its politics are opposite to mine. The Telegraph is decent too, although its politics would put off most on this thread.

Sigh.

For reals? Apart from the Independent, I hate the British media. It gets to the stage when I’m there that I’m buying five papers a day to read the same stories in five completely different ways.

Plus, there’s the Daily Mail, Sun et al. Reading the “Dear Deidre” columns was enough to make me heave.

‘Al-Qaeda supporters suggested in a website message this week they would welcome a pre-election terror attack on the US as a way to usher in a McCain presidency.

The message, posted Monday on the password-protected al-Hesbah website, said if al-Qaeda wants to exhaust the United States militarily and economically, “impetuous” Republican presidential candidate John McCain is the better choice because he is more likely to continue the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.’

Ha! They’re quite probably right.

Although Obama has mentioned only token troop draw downs in Iraq and has committed to furthering the Afghan war and spreading it into Pakistan.

And yeah, Britain’s stuff is good. I’ll concede that.

Compared to the US – I think you’d be surprised with the quality of the Australian media. American newspapers are highly parochial and vary considerably in quality – as do their tv news services. In NY, LA or DC – you’re probably OK with a choice of newspapers. Outside of those areas, the Springfield Shopper is about as good as you get. In Australia, the SMH/Age/Australian/News tabloids are of consistently readable quality.

While CNN or Fox provide decent around the clock news coverage, they really lack coverage of State political issues.

If anything, Britain is much better than either Australia or the US. You have a massive choice of papers with enough political viewpoints to please everyone and good news services on the BBC/Sky etc.

That reminds me of what former White House spokesman Scott McClelland wrote in his memoirs:

If anything, the national press corps was probably too deferential to the White House and to the administration in regard to the most important decision facing the nation during my years in Washington, the choice over whether to go to war in Iraq.

The collapse of the administration’s rationales for war, which became apparent months after our invasion, should never have come as such a surprise. . . . In this case, the “liberal media” didn’t live up to its reputation. If it had, the country would have been better served.

(My bold)

Still, I think compared to Australia, US media is vastly better than ours. (Apologies to all the hard-working journos out there! And I mean real journalists, not certain bloggers within News Ltd.)

Even mad Tory Boris Johnson wants Obama to win! Oh and he’s white too.

http://www.theage.com.au/world/londons-conservative-mayor-endorses-obama-20081022-55qc.html

Actually, they’re quite fond of just repeating the rhetoric they’ve been told from the CIA. I’ll lend you Static when I’ve finished with it.

“Today, not only in peasant homes but also in the city sky-scrapers, there lives alongside the twentieth century the tenth or thirteenth. A hundred million people use electricity and still believe in the magic power of signs and exorcism … What inexhaustible reserves they possess of darkness, ignorance and savagery! Despair has raised them to their feet; fascism has given them the banner. Everything that should have been eliminated from the national organism in the … course of the unhindered development of society comes out today gushing from the throat: capitalist society is puking up the undigested barbarism. Such is the physiology of National Socialism.”

I’m gobsmacked. The blatant double standard is . . . well . . . gobsmacking.

But is that a good thing:

http://harpers.org/archive/2008/10/hbc-90003739

At least he didn’t say Obama’s victory will be a cakewalk…

I rather think US imperialism (with McCain or Obama) is more than capable of generating its own crises.

Another neo-con/Republican endorses Obama, this time it’s the hawk Ken Adelman. And he’s not black.

I think that is a response to Biden’s earlier comments about Obama being tested in a crisis in the next 6 months. Dan Rather has some interesting comments here:
http://www.newsmax.com/headlines/rather_biden_crisis/2008/10/21/142669.html

“My friends, you know how close we came to a nuclear war. America will not have a president who needs to be tested. I’ve been tested my friends.”

John McCain’s been tested!

He’s willing and able to kill us all!

Yay…

I love how someone on The Huffington Post referred to it as Faux News.

I think you are correct. Can’t find anything more recent, but I understand it is still in place.
http://writ.news.findlaw.com/dorf/20031224.html

It’s semi-serious!

Nah, seriously, great post. I, for one, love American politics. It’s just simply far more entertaining than Australian politics. I also consider American media to be more questioning, probing, investigative (you realise I don’t include FOX, don’t you?), they don’t just report from a media release like much of our media here does.

And America’s always had that “civic pride” thing going. They’re generally more interested in their politics, whereas over here, you’d be lucky to find a person interested enough to debate and discuss politics. US voters are just more colourful and interesting to talk to, no matter what their ideological beliefs are.

I saw Costello on the telly yesterday saying that the 10 billion dollar stimulus package was an evil labor plot that they had planned from day one. clearly rudd created the financial crisis as well eh Pete?

Uhm … because they was asked?

Seriously though I hope Timmeh and his army of mutant cock snots read that – you’re in the minority you fucks. All your rightest drivel has no impact. Go write about quilting or the joys of masturbating with Jif in your hands.

Ah, any excuse to have a go!

Thank you Scott.