patticharron asked:


MSNBC is running a promo about the upcoming inauguration of BO. The t.v. spot claims, “Years from now, Americans will ask, ‘Where were you when Barack Obama was inaugurated?’”

I find this fascinating, to compare the inauguration of this con man to a world-shattering event that will go down in infamy.

People remember where they were when Pearl Harbor was bombed or when Roosevelt died or when Kennedy was killed or when the Challenger exploded or when Princess Diana died and or when the Twin Towers came down.

But no one remembers, save for the immediate family of the president himself, where they were during any one inauguration, unless of course they were actually at the inauguration.

While I find the notion that the details of BO’s inauguration are something that the world will sear into its collective brain, I do love the fact that it is being credited with the potential to have the same impact as an enormous world tragedy, which of course it is.

In ten or twenty years, do you think you will remember where you were and what you were doing on the day BO is crowned?

chuckleburry asked:


Honestly I know its a big deal I love sports, but it is rediculous how much coverage this is getting, it is sad that there is a lot more news going on and all they can talk about is vick when this is going to be around forever, I know what he did was bad but the way our media covers it you would think vick put bombs in the Sears tower or something it is so sad we have to focus on something that truely means hardly nothing!

tommy84567 asked:


My native language is polish and I was born in Poland before I moved to the United States. I noticed a significant difference in using knowledge when here media speak about world affairs and when media in Poland speak about its issues with neighbors (Germany, Czech Republic) or United States (its overseas but key partner, ie Poland cooperated in Iraq occupation with the US and planned to deploy U.S missile defense system in its territory with Czech Republic).
One particular media service (onet.pl) in Poland write about foreigner affairs whether it is about government or businesses in headlights like:
- Americans will invest in Silesia (vague, who?, what if they are Polish Americans and therefore recognized by Polish constitution as Polish?)
- Poland sued by Tribunal in Strausburg (makes impression that is not just poland’s government issue but everyone’s)
- Germans buy again at polish bazaars (assume its ok since they speak about a local german population crossing borders)
- China warns about departures to Poland (it is Chineese government but nevertheless the title does not tell who specifically tells that and makes impression like it was Chineese citizens)

I seem to recognize some sort of pronounced racist/xenophobic streaks in my beautiful language that use to encourage make distinctions based on country’s origin and make generalizations about other cultures.

The reason I ask that is because I never see some sort of headlines like that in American news such as MSNBC. When there is a talk about international affairs it is usually more specific (Willis Insurance company plans to rename Sears Tower instead of British will rename Sears Tower). What do you think?
Am I paranoic? I am not talking anything against Polish. I love my nationality, but we had in our country weird right-wing populists who might control our newspapers or websites, not all, but some particular. I think Onet I mentioned is one of them.