It was the worst of Times

Somerby finds Fox News asking Rick Perry the tough (and obvious) question that the NYT wouldn't.

One would be ill-advised to think this means Fox News is a good news outlet. One would also be ill-advised to think that about the Times.

American Extremists: "The royal 'we'"

American Extremists webcomic archive:

http://americanextremists.thecomicseries.com/

Serendipity

msnbc.com front page headline:

Isn't that just the happiest accident ever?

The U.S. fights yet another war of (literally) unimpeachable moral necessity, and it turns into yet another opportunity for Western business to profit. What were the chances of that!?

Update:

It turns out there may be some ingrates out there.

American Extremists: "11-dimensional angles"

American Extremists webcomic archive:

http://americanextremists.thecomicseries.com/

American Extremists: "Transparent lies"

American Extremists webcomic archive:

http://americanextremists.thecomicseries.com/

Recommended reading on this topic:

OpEd News
Democratic Underground

American Extremists: "Small change"

American Extremists webcomic archive:

http://americanextremists.thecomicseries.com/

American Extremists: "Blame game"

American Extremists webcomic archive:

http://americanextremists.thecomicseries.com/

13 out of 99, Part I

[Welcome Sideshow readers! Welcome Corrente readers! Welcome Flick Filosopher readers!]

This is the first of two videos I'm posting with clips of the 13 people who agreed to speak with me on camera at Occupy Boston on Monday, October 17, 2011.

This first installment introduces these attendees and their reasons for coming to Occupy Boston. The second video centers on their responses to questions about national politics.

My goal in putting these videos together was two-fold:

1. I wanted to see and share an unbiased look at individuals at Occupy Boston. I had -- and have -- no agenda to spin them or the 99 percenter movement in any particular way, just trying to catch an honest glimpse into the world of the Dewey Square protests, and this corner of the movement overall.

2. I wanted to check in with people at Occupy Boston about issues of interest to me, re: presidential/party politics, to get a sampling of their views. This is covered in the forthcoming video, "13 out of 99 Part II."

To be clear, I have strong opinions about politics, and that's reflected on my blog and in the questions I focus on in Part II. But I don't seek to cultivate any particular impression of the Occupy protests and participants. My objective is to represent the essence of what I saw and heard.

Also, this is not a comprehensive documentary about Occupy Boston or the broader Occupy movement. I did not tackle questions such as how Occupy is organized, how Occupy chooses and may attempt to accomplish policy objectives, etc.

In an upcoming post here I will summarize the impressions I came away with. And I hope to be able to visit Occupy Boston again and shoot more footage there, talking with additional people about additional topics.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to talk with me! Special thanks to Katie Lennon and Mike Greenstein for letting me include, respectively, their artwork and music.

American Extremists: "Peace of last resort"

American Extremists webcomic archive:

http://americanextremists.thecomicseries.com/

Recommended reading on this topic:

Glenn Greenwald
Chris Floyd

American Extremists: "War end games"

American Extremists webcomic archive:

http://americanextremists.thecomicseries.com/

American Extremists: "Oh, the humanity"

American Extremists webcomic archive:

http://americanextremists.thecomicseries.com/

American Extremists: "The answer man"

American Extremists webcomic archive:

http://americanextremists.thecomicseries.com/

Somerby reads Hullabaloo so I don't have to

Quoth the Howler:

[W]e see a conceptual problem that seems to dog Hullabaloo—the difference between some and all....

In the last year, we’ve been amazed at the difficulty Digby seems to have separating some from all. But this kind of typological thinking really infests this whole site.

American Extremists: "A man, a plan"

American Extremists webcomic archive:

http://americanextremists.thecomicseries.com/

American Extremists: "No matter what"

American Extremists webcomic archive:

http://americanextremists.thecomicseries.com/

American Extremists: "Warrin'"

American Extremists webcomic archive:

http://americanextremists.thecomicseries.com/

Co-opt much?

Act Blue is selling Occupy Wall Street / "We are the 99%" lawn signs, with net proceeds going to elect-Democrats PAC, Democracy for America.

(via)

In the Kool, Kool, Kool of the Kool-Aid

A highly rated DU post from yesterday:

I expect the President's speech today to be one of his best. . .

. . .I just feel it in my gut.

I have chills.

Another Obama standard ovation, pre-cog edition.

Obama 4-evah!

From the fiercely independent Van Jones:

American Extremists: "The needs of the one"

American Extremists webcomic archive:

http://americanextremists.thecomicseries.com/

American Extremists: "Motor voter"

American Extremists webcomic archive:

http://americanextremists.thecomicseries.com/

Actually, the plural of anecdote is data. Or are data. Or something.

Stirling Newberry talks with 40 OWS folks and summarizes his findings.

Ask not what OWS can do for the 99%

Amy Goodman writes a piece titled "What Occupy Wall Street can do for Barack Obama."

Meh maxima.

Yes, editors often write the headlines.

But when Goodman, at this late date, casts Obama as a "make me do it" FDR—wanting lefties to give him the impetus to do the right thing in his historically historic presidency—I call ponyshit.

(via)

With clicks you get blogroll

Updated the list o' links in the right margin. Enjoy!

Dark shadows on Wall St.

Look out behind you, OWS!

Embedded with permission.

(via)

American Extremists: "Progress-sieve politics"

American Extremists webcomic archive:

http://americanextremists.thecomicseries.com/

American Extremists: "Precedent Obama"

American Extremists webcomic archive:

http://americanextremists.thecomicseries.com/

Corrente fundraiser

Lambert runs an excellent group blog, correntewire.com. If you have a few bucks to kick in to his annual fundraiser, you'll be helping keep heretical, real-left blogging afloat.

American Extremists: "Circle game"

American Extremists webcomic archive:

http://americanextremists.thecomicseries.com/

Hub flub

According to local NPR outlet WBUR, Occupy Boston is marching today in support of Obama's austerity-based "jobs" plan.

The “Occupy Boston” movement continues to grow and Monday demonstrators will focus on job creation.

Hundreds are expected to take part in the march, from Dewey Square to the Charlestown bridge in support of President Obama’s jobs bill.

Sigh.

American Extremists: "Hegelian vs. Predator"

American Extremists webcomic archive:

http://americanextremists.thecomicseries.com/

American Extremists: "No brainer"

American Extremists webcomic archive:

http://americanextremists.thecomicseries.com/

American Extremists: "Occupy Pennsylvania Avenue"

American Extremists webcomic archive:

http://americanextremists.thecomicseries.com/

American Extremists: "Not at liberty"

American Extremists webcomic archive:

http://americanextremists.thecomicseries.com/

Given the Barack Hoover Obama economy and his due-process-free assassination program...

It gives one pause to receive a bulk e-mail from the president titled "Last chance at dinner."

American Extremists: "How high?"

American Extremists webcomic archive:

http://americanextremists.thecomicseries.com/

American Extremists: "Straw dodge"

American Extremists webcomic archive:

http://americanextremists.thecomicseries.com/

American Extremists: "Preoccupied"

American Extremists webcomic archive:

http://americanextremists.thecomicseries.com/