The Story in the Shadow of Giants
59The News you already Know
To Arms
It's not what you think folks.
While its funny to watch my own level of populist ire spreading like a virus through congress and the media; I am not rallying the net roots against AIG. I wasted effort honestly. The last thing we need is another blogger preaching corporate lynchings when even the corporate media is calling for 'all out class warfare' of a legislative brand. Before any detractors suggest it; this is not a way for me avoid the thorny Constitutionality of the Rangel's Tax Seizure bill. While I laud the notion of a 90% tax rate on 6 figure bonuses for people with 7 figure annual earnings; this violates the Expos Factos prohibitions of our Constitution and I did not spend Eight Years snarling about Bush policy to have those I supported decide it would be kinda okay to just this once use one corner of MY Constitution as FUCKING TOILET PAPER! If the Senate and the President don't smack this thing down and then have a serious 'come to Jesus meeting' with the House leadership then you will have my words on this. I don't see it becoming law much less ever having to be put to the fire by the Nasgul (RE: The Supreme Court)
I wanted to do an Article on the Budget. When you have a net-roots troop call up by the single most powerful net-roots political machine ever constructed, a Presidential Media Blitzkrieg spanning the Networks, all to support a budget that is supposed to be pushing forward everything he promised to push forward in the campaign, that is a story I want a piece of while it's still over shadowed by the AIG blood hunt. When you add in the fact that the word on the politics beat is that the President wants to put the education, energy, and health care toeholds in the budget is so he can use the Budget Reconciliation Rules to take the Filibuster off the table so he can put it through the Senate with a simple majority instead of a super majority; I need to change my pants. Is there any thing sexier then hot dirty all-American procedure on procedure action?
Why Does this Still Happen?
But after days of nothing but AIG in the news while I am scouring the politics beat for words on the budget push I catch barely a minute on something I have no choice but to write about. A matter, that as a foot soldier of the Fourth Estate, which I would be in dereliction of my duties, if I did not advice and mobilize all who listen to me act. Even as personal matters swirling around me, like carrion eaters picking at my soul, threaten to draw away my attention I must bat them aside. I am a journalist and we don't leave our own behind.
Today somewhere in North Korea sitting in state custody are two Journalists, from Al Gore's online TV network Current. Laura Ling and Euna Lee were arrested by North Korean authorities near the Chinese-North Korean border for the heinous crime of being agents of a free press. Never mind that reports alleged they were operating on the Chinese side of the border. All we need to know is that the swine have them and that they are our sisters. I am not sure if North Korea thought this would go unnoticed with all our economic woes and corporate shenanigans but we here at the Cascadian press desk we will always find time to Cry Havoc against military strong men seizing our fellow fact merchants.
The fact that they are American reporters are the only reasons we know about it. Pyongyang is infamous for its repressive state run media. They probably have more reporters jailed there then I care to guess about. Again, I can only guess that they believed with us having so many difficulties on our plates that we wouldn't notice two little Asian net-newsies disappearing in the jungles of South East Asia. Fortunately a few people knew they were headed into the region and knew the dangers and one of their party managed to escape. That this happens while we have so much else to do; that this must now take away attention from important national issues; that this must now consume a portion of our diplomatic time, makes it all the more galling. Media suppression was so last century. No such thing as dirty little secrets only national scandals. Get over it. I mean now. You maybe able to stand up on your crazy box and thumb your nose at the world Mister Il, but not me. I am too weird to put up with your shit. My crazy is bigger and I don't need nukes to back it up. When the fires of this story spread through the net and media you will discover why only fools fuck with the press. We are vicious and weird and most of us have nothing better to do then fuck with you sir. You have drawn my attention; now release the ladies before you draw my fire.
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But it's a great hub, with a provoking implications, and a thoughtful agenda. Have you ever looked at satellite photos of North Korea at night? Every country has lights on that can be seen around populated areas -- North Korea is totally pitch black at night. They really are being forced to live in the dark ages.
Considering the Government paranoia and the close proximity of US and South Korean Forces they maintain air raid protocals which is actually more effed up because htat means people are made to believe they are going to be bombed to pieces at any more moment while also fearing the much more likely event of military forces kicking in the door and dragging them away for some half imagined offense.
Just fired off a letter to my local paper for not reporting on this story after two days of stories on N.K.
It seems to me the more a government tries to oppress the voices of its people, the louder the people get.
Unless the major press outlets ignore their responsibility to pick up the story and leave it to the under funded independent net-news freelancers to do the hard work of maintaining our voice against such oppression.
Back to AIG, I guess those execs are hiring Blackwater or whatever their new name is to come protect them in their neighborhoods, as they realize they just bent us over raw and got something to worry about, like a little thing called life.
Okay, so no security force has been technically hired but I hear people are roaming their neighborhoods and there is true fear sweating out
You don't have to tell me I know people in the field. Last year an unnamed associate of mine was secretly sent by his company to guard the home of a local factory HR head after the company did a major lay off. He was not licensed as armed security but he had a concealed carry permit and his company advised him to take any means to ensure his personal safety. The intent of the order and the clandestine nature of the contract suggest that legality was not a consideration; in fact it seemed the desire was to have an armed guard that was not licensed as an armed guard for total deniability. He took a .45 his relief showed up with an AR-15. I can list nothing about what security firm (a major one) or what manufacturer was involved for fear of compromising my source who has many guns and would not look favorably on me crapping on his various careers.
Lynch mobs be warned; goons will be employed. They will have guns and training and little accountability.
Thank,s Horatio for highlighting this little nugget of news . I read about those two reporters yesterday and I shudder to think what their fate might be already .
Kim Jong Ill Is nothing short of a psycho . And I so wish there was something that we could do . The North Koreans are In such sad shape under his regime and I hope somehow we can get those two out of there Intact . My prayers are with them !
When has "legality" ever been a consideration in kapitalist amerika? The criminals in our government and corporate boardrooms are no better than the totalitarian assholes in north korea. They are simply more skillful at concealing their criminality.
Yes but its having hard tangible fact, knowing names and faces and what the inside of the offices look like. Knowing someone who behaved in a possibly criminal manner for taxable pay by a major corporation.
It makes the tin foil hat less itchy.
As long as the media is willing to give credence to the tin foil facts, the itching will be subdued. Should the wind suddenly begin blowing in the other direction again, the truth will suddenly be transformed and you'll really need the hat to keep out the propaganda lice.
Hells Yes! Who do you send when you want to pick up two hot college girls in a foreign country? You send in a Pimp. Who do you send when you need to tell some uppity foriegn leader he needs to keep his hands off our ladies. You send the one and only Presidential Pimp. Willy J. Clinton takes care of the ladies.
Happy Endings for everyone!
Damn, I wish I was on HubPages when this was freshly published. Great writing.
Kim Jong-Il has been a whipping boy of mine for a while now.
The story you wrote about... added together with everything else that bastard has done... pretty much forced me to write about Jonathan Lee (THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD) and his peacemaking trip to North Korea.
Whether you view him as naive or passionate... The kid's got balls.
At any rate, great Hub.
Horatio Baccus Hub Author 3 years ago
Ewwwww my blog has crazed right winger ads! Ewwwwww! I feel dirty!